Security (16 page)

Fighting. Fuck.

Simon was right -- one of them had to go.

They'd snapped and snarled, both of them pissed, both of them hurt and angry and looking for an excuse to beat the shit out of each other.

Lucky them, they had two.

One of whom was in the kitchen, humping against Simon like there was no fucking tomorrow.

"Jesus, you're like a fuck-starved rabbit." The words escaped him before he even thought.

Simon glared, sparing him a glance. "Fuck off."

Ken glared at him, too. "I still can't figure out what your problem is. Maybe a good fuck would get that stick out of your ass."

"My problem is that you think with your dick and you're a selfish little shit."

"Christ, Rick. Leave the kid alone. You're pissed at me." Damned straight he was pissed.

"Nobody fucking asked you, Rick. Simon's not complaining about fucking me. Neither is Bay. Oh!" Ken grinned suddenly and the kid came toward him, hair mussed, lips swollen, half dressed. "You're wanting in on the action too, aren't you?"

He shook his head, rolled his eyes. "Is that all you do?"

"It sure beats standing around looking like I'm constipated all the time."

Simon snorted, then started chuckling, catching his eyes. He wasn't going to smile. He wasn't.

Ken's eyes narrowed and he turned to Simon. "What's so damned funny?"

"The idea of standing around looking constipated." Simon looked like he'd been through the wringer.

"It was
supposed
to be an insult." Ken looked so put out, making it even more comical.

Rick lost it, laughing hard enough that it hurt, Simon chuckling along. God, that was the best sound in the fucking world.

Ken actually stamped his foot. "Screw you both!" The kid took off, feet loud on the wood floor.

He looked over at Simon. "He's something else." Simon nodded. "He is."

He heard soft giggles from the living room, Bay's sweet voice sounding. "Kenny! That tickles."

"They sound happy." Rick sighed, shook his head. "Could this be more fucked up?"

Simon grinned at him. "They could be girls."

Ken's head popped in. "I'm taking Bay to bed. He says you were great Rick. You both know where the bedroom is and you're both welcome. You know you want to."

With that the kid was gone.

Simon shook his head. "Lord. You sure you can handle them both on your own, Rick?"

He nodded, heart aching. "They'll settle down. They're together. You heading for Alaska?"

"I think so, yeah." Simon shook his head. "You look like shit, but I bet I look worse."

"Yep. Damned pale skin." Simon was already turning black and blue.

"Yeah." God, he'd loved this man once.

Rick sighed. He needed a shot of whiskey. Right now. "I'll send you your part of the take."

"Keep it. I don't need it." Simon shook his head. "I'll get over you, babe. Wait and see."

"Yeah. You can go fuck Eskimos."

He didn't bother reminding Simon not to call him babe anymore.

"Do they make gay Eskimos?"

"Go?" Ken came into the kitchen, hands on his hips. " You're leaving?"

"Weren't you going to bed?" Simon gave Ken a sweet, sad smile.

"Bay wanted to make sure the two of you weren't beating the crap out of each other again. And a damned good thing, too, or you would have been gone, wouldn't you? Without even a fucking good-bye."

Ken's eyes got suspiciously bright and he punched Simon in the arm. "Fuck you!"

Then the kid fled.

Bay's eyes were sad. "I was hoping you guys could work it out."

Simon looked at Bay. "Yeah, me, too. I need to go speak with your brother."

Then Simon was gone, following in Ken's footsteps.

Bay came up and wrapped the slender arms around his waist. "I'm sorry, Rick."

He surprised himself by sobbing once. "I loved him so much."

"He still loves you. You can see it in his eyes when he thinks you aren't looking."

"I know." That was the worst of it. He knew. Simon had told him, offered over and over. Done everything he'd asked and...

"It doesn't matter."

"Are you sure? Are you sure you won't turn around one day and wish you made a different choice? 'Cause you look sad, Rick. Like your heart is breaking."

"I..." He shook his head. What did this sweet boy know about the horror of watching your lover destroy himself, of not being able to help, to heal?

Soft hands slid over his cheeks. "No matter what he does? I still love Ken. And Ken? Is a stupid ass a
lot
."

"Yeah? You'd never know to talk to him." He winked, trying to smile.

Bay leaned up and pressed their lips together, the touch soft and sweet.

He opened, relaxing, tongues sliding together. Bay moaned softly, melting against him.

Oh, sweet boy. Rick purred, deepening the kiss.

Bay opened right up, hands soft and sliding over his back.

It felt good, hot, easy. He held Bay easily, hands sliding nice and slow.

"Oh, your hands."

Bay pushed harder against him, rubbing. "So warm. You feeling okay, sweet boy?"

Bay nodded. "Tired. And Kenny made me all horny and then got all pouty." Bay sighed. "He likes Simon a lot."

"Simon seems to be fond of him, too." He walked Bay back towards the sofa so they could stretch out.

"Then why's he leaving?" Bay shook his head. "I know you guys have problems -- I don't understand how come you can't make it work. I'd do anything to fix it if me and Kenny were broken."

"You and Kenny are brothers." And he couldn't compete.

Bay nodded, cheek sliding against his chest as they sat. "You look so sad, Rick. And Simon looks sad. And now Kenny is sad, too."

He stroked Bay's hair, humming low. "I know. I'm sorry." "I want to make it better."

"I don't know that you can." He didn't know if he could.

Bay nodded and sniffed and kissed him again, mouth sweet, hot.

He dove into the kiss, not wanting to think anymore, just wanting to feel.

Bay's mouth opened to his, hands warm and soft as they moved on his skin.

Moaning, he rocked into Bay, holding him close.

"Will you make love to me
and
Ken if Simon leaves?" Bay asked against his lips.

"I don't think your brother would want that."

"He thinks you’re hot, but he thinks you don't like him. I told him that wasn't true, but he won't listen."

"He's a self-absorbed person, Bay. That makes it hard to deal with him sometimes."

"He doesn't mean to be. He just... we never had anyone but us to look out for us, you know?"

Rick nodded. "I can understand that. I'm here for you now." Bay smiled at that. "And making Simon leave -- which so

isn't convincing Ken either of you care." Bay shrugged. "Everything's been so jumbled up since you guys came to the house."

"Tell me about it." He backed away, sighing.

Bay's face fell. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." The kid burrowed against his chest.

"Oh, you didn't. All this did." He sighed again. "I don't know if I can handle not being enough."

"So, after all I've done, it boils down to the fact that because I had a breakdown after Sammy died, you don't want me anymore?" Simon was standing in the doorway, bruised and swollen.

Bay stayed pressed against him, quiet, waiting for his answer.

"Don't go there, Simon." It wasn't a breakdown; it was a destruction and he couldn't do anything about it.

Simon looked at him, stared for a long time, and then nodded. "Okay."

Bay squeezed him. "You know if you stopped being so damned stoic you could maybe fix this."

"Stoic? What am I supposed to say?" He shook his head, swallowed hard.

"You could listen to him," Bay pointed out, voice... reasonable.

He looked over, Simon still standing, watching him. "So? Talk."

Simon flushed. "What do you want, babe? You want to hear that I was broken? You want to hear I was a drunk and a stoner and did some stupid shit? I've apologized ten thousand times. I'm sorry. I am. I'm just a man, Rick. Just a fucked-up, normal man."

"I..." Rick closed his eyes, fists clenching.

"How come you won't forgive him, Rick?" Bay asked softly. Ken's voice piped up from next to Simon, but Bay shot him down. "Keep out of it, Kenny."

The air felt heavy, thick. He wasn't going to do this, not in front of clients and with Simon staring at him, heart on his fucking sleeve.

"He can't." Simon shook his head. "We're not all perfect, right Rick?"

"If I'd been perfect, I could have helped you."

"No you couldn't have." It was Ken who answered. Shushing Bay when Bay tried to shut Ken down again. "Because you couldn't bring his brother back. Who knows maybe the only reason he didn't kill himself outright is because of you. 'Cause anything happens to Bay? I'm not going to find a bottle, I'm going to find a gun. Maybe you're all that kept Simon from doing the same thing."

"Simon wouldn't."

Simon snorted. "No, I didn't, there's a difference."

"Oh, fuck this," muttered Ken. "If you're too scared to forgive Simon and try again, then screw you. Bay and me are going with him."

"What?" Bay raised his head.

"Rick hates my guts, I'm not staying here with just him. Simon's a good guy though and he likes you as well as me."

"Kenny..."

"I don't hate you." He blinked, more than a little dazed.

"You sure as hell don't like me much. And if you can't loosen the fuck up, the feeling is mutual."

Bay's head was back against his chest, a line of tension down the boy's spine.

Simon sighed. "It's late. I'm tired. Bay's tired. We're all fucking tired. Can we fight tomorrow?"

"We all sleeping in the house?" Ken asked, bottom lip jutting out, hands on his hips. "Rick can sleep on the other side of Bay and Simon on the other side of me and you guys don't even have to look at each other."

Simon's hand slid over Ken's hip, petting and stroking, lips whispering against Ken's ear, saying something that made Ken relax.

Bay's green eyes turned up to him, waiting for his answer.

He nodded, too tired to fight anymore. "That works."

Bay beamed at him, hugging him tight. "It'll be okay, Rick. You'll see. Ken'll be good."

He nodded. "Come on. Bed."

Bay got up and held out his hand, smiling. He let the twins lead the way to bed.

Chapter Ten

Bay was floating, happy and warm and not quite awake and not really wanting to get there either.

Rick was solid behind him, Kenny warm and soft against his front, his twin's breath sliding across his chest, the blond tipped hair tickling his chin. He could feel Ken's morning wood pressed up against his own, nestled between them. Rick was hard, too, like he had been every day they'd been on the road and they'd woken up together.

He sighed happily, eyes blinking open to find Simon looking at him. Oh, he'd almost forgotten about Simon. The beefy bodyguard intimidated him some. Okay, a lot. And he bet that had been what had first attracted Kenny to the guy.