PureIndulgenceVSue (12 page)

“You didn’t have grandparents, other family? What about—”

“My dad?” Adam interrupted and shrugged. “She never talked about him. I have no name. I got my birth certificate, but it was blank. As far as I was told in foster, there was no other family. Just me.”

Joe started to ask about Adam’s brother and stopped, understanding dawning. “Your safeword. Zachary. That was your brother’s name, wasn’t it?”

Adam stilled, then turned his head a little to glance at Joe. He nodded. “You’re the only one that knows that. Lee didn’t even guess, and he knows my safeword.” Joe was relieved that Adam seemed pleased. “I was born first. She used to joke about it. A for Adam because I was first and Zee because he was last.”

Adam grew quiet and Joe waited patiently. He felt there was still something else Adam wanted to say. He idly brushed his hand up and down Adam’s chest, giving him time.

“It was my fault,” Adam whispered, so quiet if Joe hadn’t have been concentrating he wouldn’t have heard it.

“Adam, you were nine. Your mom was mentally ill. How on earth could that ever be your fault?” Joe let the incredulity weave into his words.

“Zee was never as strong as me. He had asthma. I’d been invited to a party—well, we both had. But he was coughing, so Mom said we both had to stay. I wasn’t allowed to go without Zachary. I was mean. I cried.” Joe’s heart bled. He could hear the pain dripping with every word from Adam. “She let me go. Zee begged me not to go without him.” Adam ducked his head as he took a shaking breath. Joe wrapped his arms around him tighter and brought his hand up to cup his face. He could feel the wetness on Adam’s cheek. “I left him, so I wasn’t given the tablets. If it had been me, I might have survived. Zee wasn’t strong enough.”

“No, Adam.” Joe gazed at Adam’s pain-filled eyes. “It would just have been you as well.”

Joe heard the gulp and felt the shudder. “She said he was asleep when I came back from the party. I ran upstairs to give him my party sack. I-I’d brought him cake...” Adam’s voice cut off. He made a little keening sound at the back of his throat and rocked into Joe. Joe twisted Adam around and enveloped his body. Adam’s wet face pushed into Joe’s neck, and his hands scrabbled to find a home.

“Here.” Joe caught both wrists and pressed them to his heart. “You’re here. It wasn’t your fault. You were a child. She was the monster, not you.” He angled down to kiss Adam’s hair. “You hear me Adam? It wasn’t your fault.”

Joe held him as he cried. Harsh sobs tore from Adam. Dear God, what had he gone through? After a few minutes, Adam’s cries had slowed to harsh hiccupping breaths.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t cried in years, and now it’s been twice in one day.” Adam pinked slightly.

Joe dropped another kiss on his head. “Hey.” He cupped Adam’s blotchy face and drew it up. “I thought we’d established you’re important to me?” Adam wobbled a small watery smile. Joe kissed him again. “You ever need to talk...” He glanced down. “Whatever else we are doing, I’m always here for you.” Joe thumbed the moisture from Adam’s face. He wanted to ask how Adam had ended up on the streets, but decided that was a conversation for another day. When Adam felt safer.

“You hungry?” Adam shook his head, but finished with a shrug. Joe smiled. “There’s an avocado salad in there with your name on it.” He nodded to the kitchen and was thrilled when he saw the shy smile back. “Come on.”

Joe shuffled out of bed, keeping Adam with him. Adam disappeared into the bathroom, and Joe could hear the water running as Adam washed his face. He called his mom and apologized for missing lunch. He knew she would be disappointed as they were flying away on vacation the next morning. Adam appeared by the time Joe had put just about the whole contents of the fridge on the table.

He smiled at Adam’s astonished look. “I didn’t know what you wanted.”

Adam helped himself to some salad. Joe cut huge chunks off the bread that smelled wonderful. “What else have you to do today?”

Joe looked at his watch. Just then, his cell phone rang. It was Callum.

“Joe? How’s Adam?” Joe grinned, he could hear Lee jabbering away in the background, clearly wanting to speak to Adam.

Joe pushed the house phone towards Adam. “Call Lee.”

Adam smiled and swiped it up.

Joe heard Callum chuckle as he heard an excited Lee answer Adam’s call. He moved into the lounge. “Everything okay, Callum?”

He heard the sigh over the line. “The cops called me. There’s another kid gone missing.”

Joe’s heart hammered. “Where?”

“Ecstasy,” Callum named a seedier club in Orlando. “The kid’s been missing for over two weeks. Apparently no one realized.”

Joe’s eyebrows shot up. “Two weeks?”

“Yeah, Ecstasy didn’t even know. They never questioned when he didn’t turn up.” Joe wasn’t surprised. They had a reputation for being careless about IDs deliberately. At least that sort of thing couldn’t happen at Pure. Callum knew every member and treated the subs like they were his own family.

“A Detective Sergeant Callaghan called me. The FBI have gone back to Miami for some reason, and he’s been assigned the case.” Callum paused when Joe inhaled in shock. “You know him?”

Joe blew a long breath out. “He’s old school. He used to be good at his job, but the guy’s a complete prick. Thinks homosexuality is a disease. Last I heard he’s got a teenage son he was trying to cure with Jesus. To be honest, he was one of the reasons I wasn’t sad about leaving.”

Joe could practically hear Callum stiffen.

“I know how to handle him,” Joe tried to reassure Callum, “but for God’s sake keep Lee and Adam out of sight until he’s gone. He’ll run his mouth off, and I’ll have to play along.” Joe heard Adam’s laugh from the kitchen.

“Okay, we’ll hear what he has to say.” Callum agreed reluctantly. “But I’m only doing it because the feds have disappeared, and I need to know if I should shut the club.”

Joe rang off at the same time as Adam bounced back into the kitchen. He came straight up to Joe for a kiss. It was on the tip of Joe’s tongue to tell him about Callaghan, but then he decided not to. Lee would keep him out of the way while Joe pretended to be an asshole.

Chapter 11

Joe was content. He’d been trying to put a name to his feelings as he drove to the club. Adam’s hand rested lightly on Joe’s thigh where Joe had positioned it when he got in the car. He wasn’t too sure what was happening between them, but he wanted Adam close, touching. They pulled in the lot at Pure a little after two. Callum and Lee were already inside, and Kevin was patiently showing Lee the measures for the optics. Adam grinned and bounded over to them.

Callum gestured for Joe to follow him to the office, and they walked up the stairs.

“Lee going to work the bar?”

Callum shook his head ruefully. “He wants to. I’m interviewing bar staff next week. The club has suddenly got a lot busier because of the auction, and I need help, especially if I start putting on lunches, but I think he has enough going on running Indulgence. Kevin’s only interested in part-time. The online catalogue has really taken off, plus I want him to carry on at USF with his interior design.”

“Kevin can’t take on any more hours?”

“No, he’s the main care-giver for his mom. She’s disabled.”

Joe was surprised. He hadn’t known that. “Callum, what does Adam do? It’s something artsy like Lee, isn’t it?”

Callum smiled. “It was, but I think he’s changing it. Lee says Adam is quite talented, but he hasn’t got the confidence. Lee said he was thinking of being a nurse, but—”

Joe chuckled. “He doesn’t do blood.”

Callum shared a knowing smile. “Tell me about this Callaghan.”

Joe grimaced. “Like I said, old school. He used to get results, but he’s a dinosaur. He’s not PC enough for the brass now, and he’s gotten far worse recently. I can’t believe he’s actually coming here.”

“Because of the BDSM?” Joe shook his head, and Callum nodded at what Joe didn’t spell out.

“I’ll get Kevin to stay later on the bar instead of finishing at seven, make an excuse to keep Lee and Adam out of the way. It’s an early finish tonight anyway.”

“You have any trouble from the members?” Joe knew a few of them wouldn’t be thrilled at Callum giving out their membership details.

Callum sighed and sat down. “Just one.”

“Who?” Joe was surprised there was only one.

“Kerrick. Kicked up holy hell, threatening breach of privacy, et cetera, et cetera.”

Joe shuffled uncomfortably. “What do you know about him?”

Callum stood and went over to the computer. “He cleared background checks, medical.” Callum bit his lip as he gazed at the screen. “Has references from both Chained, and Club Fourteen.”

“I haven’t heard of Club Fourteen.” Joe knew Chained was in Miami.

“It’s not been open long. Not BDSM—they do lap dancing. It’s also in Miami.”

Joe raised his eyes at the connection. “Do the feds know?”

“They must. They have all the members’ details. I can’t believe they’ve gone back to Miami. I mean, I thought that agent wanted to work undercover here.” Callum was clearly angry. “And the other boy went missing from Orlando, so what the hell have they gone back down there for?” Callum blew out a frustrated breath. “We’re known to be GLBT friendly. That’s one of the reasons we took half the members from Breathless. What if that makes the club a target?”

“Let me see what I can find out from Callaghan. If he’s coming, it’s for a reason.” Joe looked at his watch. “I’ll call my brother-in-law, he’ll have Kinley’s contact details.” Joe took his cell phone out. “Callum, you have to let me do my thing tonight. I’m going to sound a jerk. If Callaghan thinks I’m gay I won’t find anything out.” Joe paused, realizing what he just said.

Callum’s eyebrows lifted, a question and amusement reflected in his eyes.

Joe shrugged and he got an answering grin back.

“Joe, I will shut the club before I put Lee or any of the subs at risk. The FBI want to use the place as bait, but I won’t risk Lee.” Callum’s face hardened. “Promise me, Joe. If you find anything out, you’ll tell me.”

“Let me see what I can find out first. We’ll talk after closing and then you can decide.” There was a knock on the office door and Daniel put his head around. “Callum, there’s a guy wanting to see you. Say’s his name’s Callaghan.”

Joe put a hand on Callum’s arm. “Let me.” He shoved his phone back in his pocket. He would call Rodriguez after.

Thirty minutes later Joe put his beer down. The guy really was a complete jerk. He looked at
Sergeant
Callaghan and kept his temper down. Out of the corner of his eye he’d seen Mateo follow Master Gabriel into the dungeon. Mateo didn’t look like a twink. He was a professional kick boxer and was quite capable of laying out every master in the club. He was, however, very submissive in private, and craved the release he got from his professional “hard guy” image.

Joe noticed Callaghan’s jaw harden when he’d seen Mateo kneel in front of Master Gabriel. Joe was distracted for a few seconds thinking about purple shorts for some reason. Mateo wouldn’t have fit them over one of his arms. He was quite convinced the guy’s biceps were bigger than Adam’s butt.

“How the fuck do you stand looking at that sort of thing?” Callaghan dropped his empty glass down on the bar top with some force.

Joe made a noncommittal sound and tried really hard not to grind his teeth.

“So,” Callaghan pressed on. “Private security, eh? You should have stayed in Miami, Halloran. You would have been up for Lieutenant soon.”

Joe shrugged. “Bad divorce. Expensive.” He would go for that.

Callaghan chuckled sympathetically and leaned in toward Joe. “Powers that be are making a fuss over this. That’s why I’m here.” He nudged Joe conspiratorially. “Personally I think its natural selection. Get rid of the little fuckers.”

Joe swallowed disgust and hid his fisted hands. He was seconds away from laying the little shit out on the bar, information be damned. He caught Kevin’s alarmed look too—Callaghan wasn’t exactly quiet.

A glass banged down on the bar, and Joe looked into a pair of dark gray eyes.
Shit. Damon fucking Kerrick, that’s all I need.

“So, what brings you here, sir?” Joe managed to ground out the last word and hoped Callaghan didn’t detect his reluctance in using it.

“Well, couldn’t let the feds have all the fun. Have a daughter up here I can visit with. This started in Miami.”

Joe suddenly knew what Callaghan was doing. He’d heard there was a lot of reshuffling going on down there. He was either protecting his job or he was after promotion, and he no doubt thought this case would help.

Callaghan clapped Joe on the back. “I thought I’d have an unofficial look-see, especially when I heard my buddy Halloran was here.” He leaned in again. “We’ll keep the brass happy. Look good in front of the feds. If I get what I want, I’ll have a place for you.”

It was on the tip of Joe’s tongue to tell Callaghan where he could shove his place, but then he remembered his promise to Callum, and the fact that the feds weren’t here. “Do you have any reason to think Pure would be targeted?”

Callaghan lifted the glass of his fresh beer and fixed Joe with a knowing look. Shit, Joe was right, he
did
know something.

“What the fuck?” Callaghan’s face changed as he looked at something past Joe’s shoulder. Joe held his breath as he saw a giggling Lee high five Kevin and slide behind the bar. It was one of those moments that Joe wanted to disappear, wished he could start the day over again. Joe knew he had to turn around. He knew from Callaghan’s horrified face what he was going to see.

Adam
.

Joe fixed his glass in a death grip and looked over his shoulder. He prayed to whatever gods were listening that Adam would be still in his jeans. But even as he did, he knew his luck had just run out...run out and fled screaming from the room.

“Sir?”

In an abstract way, Joe felt like someone else was living in his body. Someone else was appreciating the tight black silk shorts, the newly added pink beads in his nipple rings and the very fetching pink streak in his hair that matched so perfectly. Someone else’s eyes raked upwards and settled on the stunning black kohl around the glittering green eyes and the faint trace of clear lip gloss on the best pair of lips he had ever tasted. Adam sank to his knees as Joe turned.