The Brick Yard (22 page)

Dray stopped kissing Lucky’s neck. “What happened, babe?”

Lucky wasn’t sure why he was so afraid to tell Dray what he’d done. Dray already knew that his mom had forced him to punish himself as a child, so what had happened next shouldn’t come as a big surprise.

“Mom handed me the knife and told me bad boys need to be punished. I already knew that because it was a phrase she said almost every day of my life.” Instead of explaining what he’d done, he pulled up the leg of his jeans and directed one of Dray’s hands to run over the scar on his calf. “It took two times before it was deep enough to satisfy mom and her boyfriend,” he confessed.

“Christ.” Dray’s hand curled into a fist. “I noticed the scar before, but you have so many from fighting, I had no idea that came from your childhood. Promise me you won’t ever talk to that woman again.”

“She’s my mom,” Lucky said. “I didn’t make things easy on her.”

“Fuck that. My mom had two kids to raise, no fucking man to help her out and no money to feed us, but she never once raised a hand to us.” Dray pushed against Lucky’s shoulders until Lucky was forced to turn around. Dray leaned forward. “I’m going to say something that’s going to piss you off, but I need you to understand I’m saying it because I love you.”

Each time Dray said those words to Lucky his heart clenched. They were starting to get easier to hear, but he still didn’t believe them. After all, if his own mom didn’t love him, how could anyone else?

“You need to go see someone, a doctor or counselor—someone who can help you deal with the shit your mom put in your head.” Dray ran his hand down the side of Lucky’s head. “Because, babe, you’re everything to me, and I need you to see that you’re a good, kindhearted man who would do anything for the people around him.”

Lucky closed his eyes and shook his head. “The only place I’m good is in the cage.”

“No. That’s not true. When you told me what Mac said to you, I nearly flipped my shit, but I had a talk with him today, and he explained the entire conversation, and I think I agree with him.”

Lucky snapped his head up and stared at Dray. “You agree with Mac?”

Dray held up his hand. “I don’t agree with all of it. You do have the heart of a champion. I’m just not sure the cage is the best place for you. You’ve suffered a lifetime of abuse. Choosing a career that involves hurting and being hurt isn’t the healthiest thing for you, in my opinion. I think your heart and your skills can be better put to use at The Brick Yard, and I truly believe Brick felt the same way. I think that’s why he left the place to us. He wants you and me to carry his legacy to the next generation of boys who come into the gym, looking for a safe place.”

Lucky didn’t know what to say. He wanted the gym to be that kind of place for kids like him, but he couldn’t imagine a life outside the cage.

“Tell me you’ll let me get you some help? You need to talk to someone,” Dray continued to push.

“I’m talking to you. I don’t trust anyone else,” Lucky finally admitted.

“Will you?” Dray asked. “Will you open up to me and talk about the ghosts that chase you?”

The last thing he wanted was to poison Dray with his past, but he didn’t want to lose him either. Selfish or not, he wanted Dray even if he didn’t deserve him. “If I do, will you stay?”

Dray smiled. “I’m not going anywhere unless it’s with you.” He got to his feet and held out his hand. “Come on.”

Lucky took the offered gesture and allowed Dray to help him stand. “We can stay downstairs if you think that’s for the best,” he conceded.

“Not yet. For now, we’ll go to a hotel.” Dray flashed Lucky that sexy grin of his. “I wanted to fuck you last time we were in a hotel room together, but I couldn’t work up the nerve to make my move. Hopefully, this time, I’ll get lucky.”

Chapter Twelve

With a towel wrapped around his waist, Dray opened the door to the bathroom and stepped into the hotel room. Lucky was already under the covers, his hair slightly damp from his earlier shower. “What’re you watching?”

Lucky shrugged. “Just flipping.”

Dray checked the locks on the door before turning off the light in the small entry. He didn’t take Lucky’s silence personally. He knew there was a lot going on in Lucky’s head, and the emotional drain for both of them had taken its toll.

Dropping the towel, he slid into bed and laid on his back. He stared up at the ceiling, watching the shadows thrown by the television dance across the popcorn ceiling.

“Dray?”

“Yeah?” Dray responded, turning his attention to Lucky.

“Would you hold me?”

With a groan, Dray immediately wrapped Lucky in his arms. “I’m so glad you asked. It kills me to see you hurting and not touch you.”

“Don’t ever be afraid to touch me,” Lucky mumbled against Dray’s chest.

Dray closed his eyes, content for the moment to hold the man he loved.

“Talk to me. Tell me what’s next,” Lucky said.

Dray rubbed his chin across the top of Lucky’s head. “I’ll need to go by the funeral home tomorrow. Brick took care of the arrangements, but the final details like when they can schedule the services and stuff need to be taken care of. Mac’s already started to make calls, but I’ll find Brick’s address book and make sure he didn’t miss anyone.”

“What can I do?”

Dray wasn’t sure how much Lucky would be able to handle, so he tried to think of a few simple tasks that would need to be taken care of that would still make Lucky feel like he was helping. “Well, the lawyer will have to be notified, and we’ll have to pick out some clothes for Brick and take them by the funeral home. Do you think you’re up to that?”

“Yeah. Brick already told me, no suit.” Lucky looked up at Dray and grinned.

Dray smiled back. “Sweat pants and a Brick Yard T-shirt?”

“Yeah, that sounds right,” Lucky agreed as a yawn escaped him.

They settled in, and Dray was almost asleep when he felt Lucky move. “You comfortable?”

“I’m good.” Lucky kissed Dray’s chest. “Did you work things out with Mac?”

Unsure why Lucky had been obviously thinking of Mac, Dray ran his hand down Lucky’s back. “For the most part.”

“I don’t understand why he got so mad at you for not fighting but he wants me to stop. I mean, I know you were better than I am, but I’m not too old to learn.”

“It has nothing to do with your skill level. Like I told you on the roof, we worry that the fighting’s keeping you from dealing with your past. Mac may be crazy about the sport, but he cares more about you. You know Mac. He’s big on the whole path-in-life analogy. He said I let a little pot hole in the road scare me into taking the easier path. With you, he sees one clear path and one that’s so wrecked with pitfalls that he’s not sure you’ll survive it.”

Lucky rolled to his back. “What two paths? I have fighting. I’ve never thought of doing anything else.”

Dray sighed. Although he knew Lucky didn’t mean to do it, his words hurt. “You don’t even want to consider me and The Brick Yard a path?”

Lucky turned his head to look at Dray. “I thought you said if I was on the road fighting, I could come home to you?”

“I did.” Dray took a deep breath. “But that was before I figured out how much I love you. I’m not saying I’d turn you away, but I don’t think I can hide what I feel for you, so maybe it would be better if we’re not together at all.”

“No,” Lucky said, shaking his head.

“Our relationship is bound to get out, and I won’t be your Vince,” Dray argued. “I’ve told you that before.”

“You’re nothing like Vince,” Lucky shot back.

“No, I’m not, but the result will be the same.” Dray pulled Lucky back into his arms. “But it’s more than that. I know the time commitment involved in taking your career to the next level, and I don’t want to spend my days and nights without you while you’re traveling around the country. That’s not the kind of life I want.”

“What kind of life do you want?” Lucky asked.

Dray closed his eyes and allowed himself to dream. “Thanks to some pushing from Mac, I want to become a licensed foster parent, so I can legally help kids like Jax.” He glanced at Lucky, unsure how Lucky would take the next part of his dream. “I’d like to make some changes at the gym.”

“What changes?”

“I’d like to open it up to more kids. Adult membership is dwindling anyway. With all the fancy athletic clubs opening up, fewer people are interested in working out at an old school setting.” The more Dray talked about it, the more he liked the idea.

“What’ll we do for money? Without paying members, we’ll drive the place into the ground.”

Dray smiled. He liked that Lucky included himself in the plan. He doubted Lucky had even realized he’d done it. “We can apply for grants, but I also think there’s more to Brick’s estate than the gym. We already know he owns Mac’s diner, but I found a bunch of rent receipts. I’m not sure, but I think he owns your apartment building.”

“No way. He would’ve said something.”

“Would he?” Dray ran his hand down Lucky’s spine to land on his ass. “I think we can pay it forward while still keeping our heads above water, but I don’t think I can do it without you. It’ll be a lot of work and probably a lot of heartache, so, yeah, I’ll need you with me.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Dray wondered why the hell Lucky needed to think about it. “Are you saying you’re not sure a life with me is worth giving up the cage?”

“No.” Lucky pulled away and leaned up on one elbow to look down at Dray. “I’m not sure I’m the best person to be around the kids.”

“Are you joking?” Dray ran his palm down Lucky’s cheek. “You’re the perfect person because you won’t pass judgment when they come in with bruises or empty stomachs. Because, babe, despite your childhood, you’ve grown into a man they can look up to.”

Lucky looked thoughtful for several moments before leaning down to seal his mouth over Dray’s.

Dray opened to Lucky’s kiss. He wouldn’t push Lucky further for now, but he wouldn’t give up either.

“I need you,” Lucky whispered against Dray’s lips.

“What do you need?” Dray asked.

“I need you to fuck me.”

“No.” Dray refused to let Lucky’s request hurt him. “Now, ask me to make love to you.” They’d done it before, many times, actually, but it was important to him that Lucky acknowledge it.

Lucky’s eyebrows rose to disappear under the bandage on his forehead. “What’s the difference?”

Dray moved to lie on top of Lucky. “Fucking’s a physical act. Making love can only happen between two people who love each other.” He held his breath. Lucky had never verbally reciprocated his feelings, and he prayed Lucky would take the lifeline he’d just thrown out.

Lucky licked his lips and swallowed several times before answering. “Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“I need you to make love to me.”

Dray smiled. Although Lucky hadn’t come out and declare his feelings, for the first time he’d actually acknowledged that he had them. Dray climbed off the bed and dug around in his bag for the bottle of lube. “Missionary,” he said when Lucky started to roll onto his stomach.

Chuckling, Lucky moved back to his original position. “You’re being bossy.”

Dray crawled back onto the bed to kneel between Lucky’s legs. “I’m practicing.” He set the lube aside and took some time kissing and licking Lucky’s muscled torso, paying particular attention to the pale tawny nipples he loved to torture with his teeth and tongue.

“Fuck,” Lucky moaned.

Dray released the nipple between his teeth and scooted down on the bed. He rubbed the crown of Lucky’s cock against his lips before circling the circumference with his tongue. “Tell me what you want?” He tapped the tip of his tongue against the slit on Dray’s cockhead.

“Touch me, eat me…fuck, I don’t care. It all feels so good when you do it,” Lucky crooned.

Dray took Lucky’s length as far down into his throat as he could before pulling back. He repeated the action several times before releasing the heavily veined shaft. He reached over and grabbed the bottle of lube. Staring into Lucky’s eyes, Dray coated his fingers.

Lucky slid his feet up the mattress, spreading his legs wider apart to give Dray access to his ass.

Unable to resist, Dray leaned down and swiped his tongue across Lucky’s hole, tasting the perfume left over from the hotel soap Lucky had used earlier. Each flick of his tongue seemed to drive Lucky’s lust higher.

“Oh fuck. Need you in me,” Lucky panted.

“Not yet. I’m enjoying myself too much,” Dray replied. He watched closely as he pushed his finger inside Lucky’s ass. The sight of the puckered skin opening to accept his touch fascinated him. How many others had he been with, and he’d never taken the time to marvel at something so incredibly amazing.

Soon, Dray slid another finger inside. “The way your body accepts mine is beautiful,” he mumbled.

“Give me your cock,” Lucky begged. “I need it.”

Dray withdrew his fingers and moved back up to a kneeling position. He stared down at Lucky while applying lube to his shaft. “Stay with me,” he whispered. He set the bottle aside and positioned himself at Lucky’s entrance. “Make a difference with me.”

Lucky bit his bottom lip, but didn’t reply to the plea.

Dray knew Lucky still didn’t believe he could make a difference in the lives of others, but there was little else he could say to convince him. With a slight shake of his head, he let it go for the moment. Pushing inside, he again watched as Lucky’s body stretched to accommodate him. “Fuck,” he growled.

Lucky sat up enough to grab the back of Dray’s neck. He pulled Dray down and draped his legs over Dray’s shoulders. The new position allowed Dray to drive in deeper, with the added bonus of bringing them close enough to kiss.

Dray wasted no time fucking Lucky’s mouth with his tongue as his dick began to slide in and out of Lucky’s ass. He pushed his arms under Lucky’s back and curled his hands around Lucky’s shoulders to hold him in place when he began to fuck harder. Each thrust of his hips prompted a moan from Lucky. Grunting into the kiss, Dray swiveled his hips, grinding Lucky’s cock between them.