Cowboy Gangster 03 - Outlaws of Love (24 page)

Kane moaned and squeezed his hips, yet hesitated to just cut loose all at once. The lingering tension in the man’s body insisted this was not a position he was accustomed to taking. Kane pulled back from the intense kiss with a soft gasp, his lips brushing Cochise’s mouth as he whispered, “I don’t want to rush.” He kissed him lightly, slipping his tongue sensually into his mouth as he rubbed his hands over the man’s ass, caressing his firm flesh. He pushed up gently, sinking his cock a fraction deeper inside him. Cochise trembled and pushed down to meet him, taking him even deeper.

A distant voice in the back of his mind urged Kane to just fuck the man and be done with him, get him out of his apartment –out of his
bed
. Yet he continued to move slowly, massaging Cochise’s ass cheeks as he thrust into him without force. The Egyptian’s grip on his hair eased and his hands rubbed down the back of his neck. Kane moaned into the man’s mouth as Cochise gradually relaxed and his hips swayed with more fluidity.

“Fuck…” Kane trembled against the man’s lips. “You feel so good.” He rubbed his hands up Cochise’s strong back, his muscles straining and flexing beneath Kane’s tense fingertips. The sudden urge to take full control spurred Kane to twist them around and lay the Egyptian on his back. Kane gazed down into his face and thrust into him a little harder.

Cochise’s breath quickened, grew ragged. He shifted his hands to Kane’s ass and pulled him tighter against him and lifted his hips, fucking him back. Kane shuddered and kissed him, locking their bodies together as they found their rhythm and fucked each other with a controlled, sensual motion that carried Kane away.

Fear began to puncture his heart, setting off warning bells that they were no longer fucking –but
making love
. He was deaf to the warning, though, as Cochise enveloped him in his arms, clung to him and drew him deeper and deeper into a sea of passion.

“Fuck me,” Cochise groaned and held him tighter. The desperation in his embrace startling Kane. “Fuck me harder.”

Kane panted unsteadily and drove his cock in with added force, wrenching a strangled shout from the man as he assaulted his prostate with repeated hard strokes. Cochise squeezed his ass cheeks and pumped himself on Kane’s pulsing shaft as Kane fucked him harder, faster. He could feel the orgasms seizing them both as they panted and grunted and began to lose control, fucking urgently. The Egyptian’s thick, solid cock pulsed against Kane’s stomach, pre-come mingling with their sweat and slicking their skin. The man held him too tightly for Kane to reach for his member and stroke him to completion.

“Fuck!” Cochise gouged his ass and pounded himself on Kane’s cock. “Uuh!
Fuuuck! Fuck me!
”

His jaw clenched with his own rising orgasm, Kane pumped him wildly, driving his rod in and out until the man let loose a roaring shout and hot come burst against Kane’s stomach. Cochise held on and kept fucking him as more shots of come squirted out of the man.

Kane was right there –and the Egyptian’s release shoved him over the edge. He cried out loud and unloaded, filling the condom to capacity. “
Fuuuck! Uuuhh!
” He gasped hard and collapsed on the man’s slick chest, their hearts pounding in erratic unison.

Cochise’s arms didn’t loosen as they slowly rolled onto their sides. As with their first time in the backseat of the SUV, the Egyptian held him and Kane didn’t wish for him to let go. This embrace had a sense a something deeper, more intimate than the last time and Kane became aware of the danger he was in as a quiet ache began to cut through his heart and it hit him how quickly he’d become accustomed to these arms holding him.

He trembled and tightened his arms around Cochise’s neck, his lips pressed to the man’s ear. “I’m glad you called me,” he whispered, his voice unsteady, thick with emotion. He stroked his fingers through the man’s damp hair as Cochise’s hot, uneven breath puffed onto his neck. “I’m glad you came back.” He nuzzled his hair. “I shouldn’t be…but I am.”

The Egyptian’s arms tightened a fraction, then he pulled away and left the bed. He dressed in silence, his back to Kane and his body strained with tension, then left the apartment without a word.

Kane sank back against his pillow. A slow sting crept into his eyes. Had he thought that anything he said would be of worth to the Egyptian?

♦

His stomach threatened to rebel the instant he shoved through the entrance door and entered the Blue Grotto. His nostrils pinched in an attempt to resist the rancid stench. Would it be such a feat to install showers in this fuck hole? Or a pressure washer –cleanse the fucking place out once and for all.

Clint walked to the bar. The walking pincushion serving drinks immediately recognized him from his last visit and made no attempt to flirt. Clint motioned him over. The man approached with an air of hesitation and uncertainty. No one felt comfortable drawing the cowboy’s direct attention.

“I’m looking for Chad,” Clint said. “Early to mid-twenties. I’m told he’s a regular here.”

The bartender nibbled one of his many lip rings, his pierced brow crinkling as his eyes narrowed and he searched the dim, smoky establishment. He nodded across the room. “Center booth. The shaggy-haired dude. That’s Chad.”

Clint tossed him a ‘thank you’ nod and began the unseemly task of wading through the sea of vile bodies, turning away unwanted propositions by scrawny, doped up boys with glazed eyes. Gavin’s face flickered through his mind –where he was now, how happy and healthy he was.
You saved his life, getting him out of this hellhole.
Clint grunted. Just a regular Lone-
fucking
-Ranger riding in to save the day. Gavin’s face faded to be replaced by Axel’s…the pain and tears Clint caused by walking out on him.

You’re no fucking hero –just another shitty “outlaw” to be strung up on the gallows.

Cory’s words came back to him. What if the shooter was a cop? The outlaw cowboy taken down by the lawman. How fucking poetic.

He approached the half-moon booth. Chad’s face was buried in the throat of a nearly naked dancer, his hand in the kid’s crotch, working him vigorously. The boy was giving him equal hand action, his head tilted back, eyes half closed and a grin on his lips as loud groans tumbled from them both.

The kid noticed Clint first and opened his eyes, immediately giving Clint a once-over and clearly liking what he saw. “Come to join the party, cowboy?” he cooed.

Chad raised his head and dropped back against the padded booth seat, swiping dirty blond curls from his sweaty face. Clint’s heart smacked his ribs and stalled as he stared at the young man’s face –his resemblance to Axel so strong he could be his slightly older “twin”.

The guy looked him over as well, his lips curving into a smile. “Mm. Are you new to the menu?” he murmured. “’Cause I don’t recall this place serving cowboys.”

Clint stared at him, unhinged by his appearance. He cleared his throat. “Chad?”

“Cowboy knows my name,” The guy smiled wider and his eyes –though hazy from too much drink and possibly other substances –lit up. “Don’t I feel special?”

Most wouldn’t take it to be a good thing that “the cowboy” knew them by name, but this guy was not coherent enough to comprehend the deadliness of
this
cowboy.

“Get rid of your fuck toy,” Clint ordered with a hard edge, struggling to regain control of his heartbeat. “We need to talk.”

The dancer pouted. “Can’t I stay? Three is better than two.” He looked at Clint with heavy, lustful eyes. “You could
both
fuck me…together.” His gaze sank to Clint’s crotch. “A big strong cowboy like you has got to be
packing
.”

Clint stared at him dryly. “Leave.”

Chuckling low, Chad smacked the boy’s ass lightly. “Go on now, do as he says. Don’t want the sexy cowboy to pull out his big gun and shoot you.”

The boy grinned. “I wouldn’t mind,” he said. “If he promises to shoot me in the face.” The two of them laughed as the kid slipped out of the booth, cast Clint a hungry look then slinked off.

Chad stretched his arms out along the back of the booth seat and smiled at Clint. “Take a load off.” His lips twisted with a flirty smile that was much too reminiscent of Axel’s teasing, playful smile.

A few beads of sweat sprouted across Clint’s brow as he sat down on the far end of the circular bench seat.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Chad asked with a soft murmur in his voice that did nothing to quell the anxious churning in Clint’s gut or the rapid beat of his heart.

“I’m looking for information on a couple guys,” Clint said. “Ryder and Tucker. About your age. I heard you knew them.”

Chad gazed at him with his heavy eyes, lips quirking. “Maybe.”

Clint forced himself to meet his stare –then regretted it as his face materialized into Axel’s. “So talk,” he muttered. Having seen Axel that same night didn’t help one fucking bit…and that girl, touching him, kissing him. Clint’s pulse quickened and his jaw tightened.

“It’ll cost ya,” Chad spoke low, his tone sultry.

Typically, a statement like that would warrant a boot heel to the guy’s face. Clint didn’t play these fucking games. But he didn’t move, couldn’t bring himself to respond in a violent manner. He was hesitating –because the guy looked like Axel? He could be thankful for one thing –Cochise wasn’t here to witness this pathetic show of weakness.

♦

Quiet awe enveloped Axel as he watched Zoe light up the stage. The fact that she was lead guitarist and merely a backup singer didn’t take away from the “energy” she brought to the show. It radiated from her pretty face that this was her passion, what drove her life. Axel could only wonder how that felt –to live a dream, let it consume you, empower you. He had only known one dream, felt one passion…and it was gone. He wasn’t so stupid as to not know he should have reached for something else, sought out a real dream to pursue. But there was nothing –before Clint and now after. For a brief moment, he had felt alive, experienced the excitement of life and looked forward to the future with…

For crying out loud –let him go! He’s through with you, so be the fuck through with him, too.

“They’re really good,” Angel spoke up beside him, making Axel jump.

Axel cleared his throat and nodded. “They are,” he said quietly. He felt Angel looking at him but kept his eyes forward on the stage. His gaze rested on Zoe’s face and he longed for the joy and freedom he saw there. She looked like she could leap off the stage and fly away. Axel could barely move at all, much less fly. His heart was a cinderblock weighing him down and he didn’t know how to make it light again. Clint had been the
only
one to ever make him feel so buoyant and weightless that his feet didn’t touch the ground. Now he felt so “heavy” he just wanted to lie down and stay there.

“Dance with me.” Tommy grabbed Gavin’s hand and tugged him closer. Axel glanced their way. Gavin rolled his eyes and groaned, but still smiled and didn’t put up much of a fight as the two began to gyrate to the music, their bodies falling into a sexy rhythm. Ricky and Levi followed their lead.

Some of those in the audience cast them skeptical, even disgusted looks. The boys didn’t notice or just didn’t care, maybe both. Axel suddenly felt exposed as some of those critical eyes fell on him as he stood with Angel and Dane, clearly part of the “dancing boys’” clan, and he caught the word
faggots
tossed out in low tones. He ducked his head and stared at the ground, feeling the brunt of the criticism. The others were used to it, apparently, as they paid no mind to the bigoted attitudes and continued to enjoy themselves. Axel wondered if he would be wanting to hide away if it were Clint standing beside him. Or would he display the same pride in his man as Angel and Dane displayed for one another? He could imagine that one scowl from the cowboy would speedily silence the bigots.

Clint wasn’t there, though. And Axel hadn’t played the gay card long enough to feel secure and proud beneath scrutinizing stares.
Maybe because you’re neither secure nor proud.
He glanced at Savannah and Maddy, holding hands and out of the line of fire. Maybe they would catch a little flack for having friends and family who were gay, but they would never be the target.

His attention returned to the stage and Zoe caught his eye as she joined in on the chorus, and winked and smiled. From birth, it seemed, life had been hard, unwelcoming, just something he was trying to survive. For a fleeting instant, he’d thought Clint had changed that for him. Yet in the end, he had just made it worse. But if he could live a
normal
life, date a nice
girl
, surely that would make his life better…wouldn’t it? Quit trying to be someone he wasn’t, to hold onto a man who didn’t want him.

As he watched Zoe, he returned a soft smile which seemed to make her face light up even more.

♦

Chad scooted a fraction closer and Clint watched him warily. “I know Ryder.” His eyes roamed all over Clint with slow deliberation, as if savoring the sight. Axel had looked at him much the same way, like he couldn’t get enough. Chad shrugged. “Tucker not so much, though I did meet him a time or two. Pretty sure him and Ryder were butt buddies.”

He raked his fingers through his hair, brushing strands from his face. Clint’s stare lingered on his wavy locks, just slightly darker than Axel’s own. Despite the shithole they were in, and the filthiness of most of the patrons, Chad didn’t have the same “griminess” about him and his hair…it appeared clean…soft.

Chad slowly twisted a strand around his index finger and smiled at Clint with a knowing quirk of his lips. “You can touch it.”

Clint blinked and frowned. “What?”

Scooting closer still, Chad spoke low. “You were looking at my hair. You can touch it if you want.” His fingers splayed and slid slowly through his wavy locks. “It’s clean. Hanging out in this place, I shower often.” He continued to stroke his hair and inch closer to Clint.

His heart pounding, Clint watched Chad’s hand slip through his strands over and over. Clint’s fingers twitched from the memory of touching Axel, combing his soft hair. His breath came quicker and eyes burned, unable to look away from the young man beside him. He was hardly aware when Chad plucked Clint’s hand from the table and brought it to his head.

A knot formed in Clint’s throat as he slowly pushed his fingertips into the kid’s hair, deeper until his soft strands engulfed his hand. Chad leaned closer, his lips grazing Clint’s jaw. “Do I remind you of someone?” he whispered and trailed his lips to Clint’s ear. “Someone you can’t have?”

Clint didn’t answer as he tipped his face to the young man’s head, his mouth pressing into his hair. His eyes closed and he felt Axel next to him in bed, his warm, welcoming body so close, providing Clint a sense of security he hadn’t known he needed until he’d held Axel in his arms.

“Take me,” Chad purred in his ear. “Pretend I’m the one you want.” His fingers brushed Clint’s thigh, grazed his crotch. “Fuck me…and I’ll tell you everything I know about Ryder.”

Without opening his eyes, Clint shifted and rubbed his lips across the young man’s cheek.

Chad lifted his face and his mouth touched Clint’s. “Let’s go to my place,” he murmured. “We can fuck all night. And in the morning, I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

Clint opened his eyes and through his blurred vision saw Axel’s warm eyes gazing back at him. He trembled as something inside him broke and shattered, and he whispered, “Take me home.”

♦

“So…are you enjoying the show?” Zoe walked beside Axel as they traveled down the right side of the midway, absently taking in the sights. “You can be honest.”

Axel smiled. “Yeah, I am. You guys are great.”

“Aww thanks,” Zoe ducked her head in mock shyness. Axel laughed softly. She raised her eyes. “I like your laugh.”

“Aww thanks,” Axel mimicked.

Zoe giggled. “You’re funny.”

“Not really,” Axel shook his head.

“Sure you are,” Zoe insisted. “Funny. Sweet. Adorable. Insanely cute…” She sighed and smiled up at him. “…And the list goes on and on.”

“Hm,” Axel pursed his lips. “You may not think I’m
all that
once you get to know me better.”

Zoe looked at him thoughtfully, and smiled. “So…I’m going to get the chance to know you better?”

Clearing his throat, Axel shrugged and cocked an eyebrow. “You really sure you want to?”

“Positive,” she replied without hesitation. “In fact, I was thinking maybe we could…” Her smile widened hopefully. “…Go out sometime.” She glanced behind them where Angel, Dane, Savannah and Maddy trailed a few paces back, keeping a measure of distance but clearly following them nonetheless. “Maybe just the two of us?” She laughed lightly.

Axel cast a quick look back then turned his eyes forward again. “Maybe,” he murmured, suddenly nervous at the thought of being truly alone with her.

“I’m not trying to pressure you,” Zoe added quickly. “I mean, we can go out as just friends. It doesn’t have to be a
date
date.” She groaned and shook her head. “God, I’m being too forward, huh? If my Uncle Kane were here, he’d probably be apologizing for me right about now. He has to do that a lot.”