PureIndulgenceVSue (15 page)

Joe started his truck and glanced behind him as he reversed out. His breath caught and for a few seconds he couldn’t move. The pink flowers he still didn’t know the name lay wilting on the back seat where he’d tossed them. Joe tried to swallow as images flashed through his mind. The colored shorts that matched the streak Adam had put in his hair. Or the tiny black ones that matched the eyeliner. When he’d sung at the auction and every Dom in the room had wanted him. When Joe had wanted him the most and hadn’t been able to get his head out of his ass to do something about it.

And how, no matter how many times Joe had messed up, Adam had still come back for more. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight Joe thought it would break.
One more time, please God, one more time.
This was all his fault. He wouldn’t mess up again. If someone would give him one more chance with his boy, he’d get it right this time.

****

The roads had been fairly quiet getting back to Pure. As Joe pulled in the lot, he was surprised to see Kevin’s beat up jeep in the parking lot. He unlocked the door and headed for the bar area. Kevin sat at the bar reading of a piece of paper, sipping a coffee. He looked up, surprised as Joe walked in and shoved the paper in his pocket. Something about the action bothered Joe. “H-hey. I came back. I knew Callum wanted me to. But I guess he closed. Want one?”

Joe looked at the coffee, but he didn’t have time. “Yeah, the place is getting too busy to manage without some more bar staff. I just need something from the office.”

Joe headed upstairs and took his key out for the office door as he put his hand on the handle. It opened. Joe frowned. Callum must have been so distracted he forgot to lock it before he left.

He retrieved Daniel’s log-in sheet for members that had been present that day, glanced at it, and went to the filing cabinet for the corresponding addresses. There hadn’t been that many members present this afternoon so it didn’t take him long. He locked the cabinet and the office door and jogged back downstairs.

Kevin pushed a coffee at him. Joe frowned, he needed to go.

“I wanted some advice if you have a minute,” Kevin said.

Joe didn’t, but the guy looked worried. Joe paused and reached for his coffee.

“You’re a detective?”

Joe just nodded. Something told him he needed to listen.

“I have this friend.”

Joe stood up and drained his coffee faster. He didn’t have time for this.

“I think he’s missing,” Kevin went on.

Joe sat down again quickly. “Guy or girl?”

“It’s a guy. He was a friend of my younger brother. No family. Lives in Orlando.”

“What makes you think he’s missing?”

“My brother hasn’t been able to get hold of him for days, and work says he just called and quit. But that’s not like him.” Kevin sounded worried. “Do you think I should call the police?” Joe rubbed his head, concentration escaping him as he tried to decide what advice to give.

“I’m not his next of kin,” Kevin said. “Do you think they would take any notice of me?”

Joe blinked slowly as a huge wave of fatigue washed over him. Yes, yes the guy needed to call someone. Who? Shit, he needed to think. Joe strained to hear what Kevin said next—he seemed to be talking real quiet. Joe glanced around the room vaguely and felt a hand on his arm.

Kevin. Had he said something? The guy smiled, and Joe tried to stand ineffectually. What had he said? He had something important to do. Joe glanced at the floor, and back at Kevin. He was still talking, but Joe couldn’t hear him properly. Joe blinked once more, forced heavy eyelids up, couldn’t quite grasp why Kevin seemed to be holding him. There was something wrong...

****

Fuck, he was never drinking again. His mom was going to kill him. Joe groaned at the ten inch spikes currently trying to drill into his skull. At least his head was lying on something soft. He caught a faint scent of something familiar, and a hand moved across his forehead.

“Joe?”

Realization and memory slammed into Joe at the same time. Adam. He blinked and struggled to sit. Harsh pain and sudden nausea had him biting his lip.

“Joe, lie still a minute. Get your bearings.”

“Adam?” God, was that pathetic croak really his voice?

“Will he be okay?”

Joe turned his head with exaggerated slowness towards whoever had asked the question. The hand fluttered back on his forehead and tried to smooth the pain away. Joe shut his eyes again. Maybe he’d just lie here, just for a couple more minutes.

“Joe?”

He opened his eyes reluctantly. He blearily forced open his eyes and looked around. “Where are we?” He woke up some more, memories flooding back in. “Shit.” Adam helped him sit up. “Kevin.”

Joe groaned out loud. Fuck, it was probably a good job he’d surrendered his badge. Some detective he’d made. He deserved to be shot for this. All this time he’d been looking at other people and the perp had been right in front of him the whole time. Kevin, quiet, shy, obsessive over details...how did he miss it?

Joe peered at Adam. He was pale, shaking slightly. He shuffled nearer protectively and turned around looking for the owner of the other voice. Joe nearly gasped when he saw him. There was a young guy lying on a bare mattress a few feet away. He was lying down because it would be unlikely he had the strength to get up. The guy was painfully thin, and completely naked, huddled in Adam’s denim jacket. He was covered in bruises and dried blood, but his hands were the worst. The fat swollen fingers looked incredibly painful, and a few were definitely broken. Above the wrists, Joe spotted inflamed, red ring marks.

Adam moved. Joe watched him stand shakily and move over to the mattress. He lay down behind the boy, avoiding touching his hands or arms. “Joe, this is Oliver. He needs help keeping warm.”

Joe nodded and sat up, tried very hard not to throw up. He glanced over at the boy. He would be too thin to regulate his body temperature, even in Florida. “How long has he been here?”

“We think just over two weeks.” Adam answered quietly.

Oliver had shut his eyes. Joe met Adam’s gaze. He knew Adam had already put together the other boy’s disappearance with the murders.

“So, on a scale of one to ten, who knows where we are?” Adam sounded resigned.

Joe had to man up. “I was meeting the feds. Don’t worry. I’m sure they won’t be long.”

“So they know where we are?” Adam immediately sounded hopeful.

Joe pasted on a smile. “More or less.” He’d heard the catch in Adam’s voice. “Are you okay? He hasn’t...”

Adam shook his head. “Oliver says he comes for him every day.”

Joe looked around. It looked like they were in some sort of garage, or storage unit. There was a small window in the roof, like a skylight. It was dark outside now, but the room was lit by an old fluorescent light above the two large doors at the end. There were some empty packing cases on the concrete floor, a few old newspapers, and a couple old plastic bottles placed next to the mattress with what looked like water on them. There was a bucket in the corner covered by one of the newspapers. Joe assumed it was to piss in.

Adam must have noticed Joe looking around. “Oliver says don’t drink the water unless you have to. He thinks there’s something in it.”

Joe didn’t doubt it. He experimented with standing up. “How long have I been here?”

“Not long, no more than an hour or so I’d say.”

“Adam—” Joe stopped. He had no idea what to say to make it right, but urgently needed to.

“Let’s just get out of here, huh?” Adam turned his face away, but Joe caught the sadness in it, and that killed him. He would have been happier if Adam was angry. He took a step and opened his mouth but closed it as he heard the door unlock.

Kevin walked in and raised his eyes as he looked at Joe. He immediately brought a gun out as Joe took a step towards him. “Well, you surprise me,” Kevin said sardonically. “I gave you enough to take down an elephant.”

He waved the gun towards the far corner. “Go stand over there.”

“You’re not going to get away with this. The feds are maybe minutes behind me, and they know I went to the club.”

Kevin laughed. “You’re assuming I care.”

Joe was confused. It was almost as if Kevin wasn’t worried about being caught.

“I knew I couldn’t go on forever. Maybe you three will be my grand finale”

He was insane. “Look, I know people who can help,” Joe tried to reassure.

“Really? They can help?” Joe closed his mouth as the amusement in Kevin’s voice bled into anger. Kevin waved the gun at Adam. “Go stand over there with your homophobic asshole boyfriend.” Adam looked at Joe, scared. Oliver had started shaking.

“Move it.” Kevin took a step closer, and Adam scrambled up and headed for Joe. Kevin nudged Oliver with his foot. “Come on, baby boy. Daddy wants to play. Oliver didn’t move, so Kevin kicked him. “I said now.” Joe took another step forward, but Kevin pointed the gun at Adam. “Move one inch and I’ll shoot him.”

Kevin bent and hoisted Oliver. Oliver opened bleary eyes and whimpered as Kevin grabbed an arm. Kevin was strong though, he looked like he could carry Oliver in one hand. Oliver stumbled and nearly fell as Kevin half-dragged him to the door. “No, please...I’ll be good.” Oliver was fully awake and babbling.

Kevin smiled and dragged his gun down the side of Oliver’s face. “Now, baby boy, you know Daddy gets cross when you don’t behave. Mommy says you were naughty earlier.”

Joe watched in agonized silence as Kevin’s manic expression hardened. He looked like he was in someone else’s head. There was nothing Joe could do while Kevin had the gun.

Oliver was crying. Crying and begging. With complete disgust, Joe saw the huge bulge pushing out of the too tight pants Kevin wore. Before Joe could think of a way out of this, Adam stepped forward.

“Take me.”

Joe gasped. “No. Adam.” Joe was agonized. He glanced at Kevin.

Kevin smirked. “Please don’t insult either of us by offering yourself, Joe.” He glanced at Adam. “Don’t be too eager to volunteer. You were hard enough to get. I want to take my time with you.” He put his head on one side as if considering Adam. “Did you like my gifts? The notes?”

Adam shot a frantic glance at Joe. Joe tightened his hold on him, willing him not to say anything.

Kevin’s mouth flattened when Adam didn’t reply.

Oliver made another low moaning sound and Kevin glanced down, almost affectionately. Oliver was barely able to stand, but the only sounds he made were in mild protest when Kevin touched his hands. Kevin glanced down at the boy he had to hold up. “There now, hush. It’s almost over. Daddy will let you go to sleep soon.”

Adam clamped a hand over his mouth in horror. Joe was frantically trying to think of a way to get the gun, but Kevin stood too far away. Kevin would have plenty of time to shoot before Joe got close. Kevin half dragged Oliver out, and they both heard the door lock behind them.

Adam stumbled and bent over, gagging. Joe held him gently. “Hey, come on. I’m late meeting the feds. They’ll come looking.”
I hope
. Shit, he had no idea where they were or if Damon or Kinley would work it out.

“Joe, he’s going to kill him. He’s mad. Oliver said he sometimes calls him by another name.

“What?” Joe eased Adam to sit on the mattress and kept a firm arm around him.

“Peter. I mean, who’s Peter? Does he think he’s someone else?”

“I’m not sure. We have no idea what’s brought him to this, Adam.” He glanced at him. “Were you drugged?

Adam flushed a little and tried to pull away from Joe. “He picked me up in the car just after I’d left the club.” Joe tightened his arm a little, felt Adam subside. “He offered me some water out of a bottle but I said no.” Adam gulped. “He brought a gun out and made me. I didn’t take much, pretended I’d had more and shut my eyes. I just felt like I’d had a lot to drink.”

“Do you have any idea where we are?”

Adam shook his head. “I shut my eyes for a little while. I may have even been asleep, but it didn’t feel like it was for long. I don’t think we were that far away from the club because after he made me drink the water, he turned the car around.”

Joe nodded, it made sense. There were different sized warehouses close to Pure, but they could be anywhere. “We have to try and get out.” He wasn’t sure realistically how much time Oliver had left. He had to do something.

Adam nodded, and Joe glanced around him some more for inspiration. He walked over to the door, futilely attempting to pick the lock with some of the rusty bits of metal that were scattered everywhere. He peered at the lock. “The key is in, but there isn’t anything long enough to grab it with.”

Joe turned around and looked up at the skylight. It was at least ten feet away, and he didn’t have anything to stand on. He looked at Adam and picked Adam’s denim jacket up from where he had been covering Oliver. “Put this on. I’m going to lift you to see if you can get the catch open.”

Adam followed Joe’s gaze to the skylight.

Adam put the jacket on and fastened it. Joe hoisted him up easily. “Sit on my shoulders.” Joe spread his legs for balance as Adam scrambled up until he was seated. “Now reach and see what the catch is like.” Adam pushed at the skylight.

“Joe,” Adam cried eagerly, “it’s not even fastened.” Adam could push it up slightly, but his arms weren’t long enough.

Joe braced himself some more. “You’re going to have to try and stand.”

Adam pressed his hands on Joe’s head, and Joe lifted a hand under Adam’s foot to lever him up. Within a minute, Adam was standing on Joe’s shoulders and hanging onto the window frame.

“I can’t see where we are, but I can hear a road.” Joe pushed Adam as Adam lifted himself higher.

“Adam, check to make sure you can get down off the roof first.” He heard Adam crawl some distance away onto the roof. In a few minutes, Adam was back.

“There’s a fire escape at the end, but it’s dark and I have no idea where we are.”

Joe heard the scrape of the lock. “Adam, go. He’s coming back. Go now.”

Joe didn’t look at the fear he knew would be in those green eyes. He didn’t acknowledge his heart pounding in his ears. He didn’t hesitate as he spun around to the door and charged at the gun that appeared as the door opened. He knew he couldn’t get to Kevin before he pulled the trigger, but he just knew he had to buy Adam the time to get away.