The Englor Affair (14 page)

Thrusting into his own fist over and over, Si dropped his head back and his eyes closed, but he didn’t let go of Payton’s hair. The red tip of his cock peeked out from his hand, already glistening with precome. Moaning, Si snapped his head up. His big body shuddered and he pulled Payton closer, giving him no choice but to dip his own head back.

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Payton scrambled closer, licking his lips. He wanted Si to come on him again. He wanted to taste this time. Galaxy, his own cock was still hard as stone.

Roaring, Si met his gaze. It went straight to Payton’s cock, making it throb and leak at the tip.

Come splashed over Payton’s cheek then into his open mouth. When he closed his mouth to swallow, Si tapped his face with his cock, splattering spunk onto his nose and beside his eye. The musky smell invaded Payton’s senses and his own body jerked.

Si’s grip on Payton’s hair loosened and Payton fell to the floor, grabbed his own throbbing prick and pumped twice before shooting for a second time.

Dropping forward, Si caught himself on his hands next to Payton’s head. His breath panted out, fanning over Payton’s cheek. He stared into Payton’s eyes for several seconds. “That was amazing, but we still need to talk, Lieutenant.”

Simon was biding his time. He didn’t want to scare Payton off, but he wanted to know what Payton knew. Payton was either an exceptional actor or he had told the truth when he said he hadn’t known who Simon was. Simon was pretty good at reading people and he chose to believe the latter. But now that they knew who each other was Simon wanted answers. He wasn’t buying the “routine base inspection” bit.

Caressing Payton’s ankles with his thumbs, Si glanced over the younger man’s knees into his red face. “One more, Payton.”

Payton struggled to rise back up. “Ugh. Easy for you to say, you can probably do this in your sleep.” Payton got all the way up to a sitting position and fell back on the mat, letting his arms flop over his head.

Chuckling, Si let go of Payton’s ankles and stood. “Come on.” He offered his hand.

“Shower.”

Taking his hand, Payton pushed to his feet. He was quiet the whole way to the locker room, but Simon could tell he wanted to ask something. His bottom lip was caught between his teeth as he began undressing in silence.

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Simon watched for a few moments, his prick getting hard again, then he turned away and got to work on his own clothes. He wanted to talk and if he didn’t concentrate he’d get sidetracked again. It was easy to do with Payton around. He drew not only Simon’s attention but his lust. “Are you from Regelence, or did the admiral pick you up elsewhere?”

“I’m Regelen.” Payton sounded cautious as he got soap and towels then hurried off toward the showers. At least he wasn’t trying to cover himself. Although Simon had to admit, the trait was endearing.

Simon followed. The shower was a better place to talk anyway. There were no cameras or microphones in the gym, but the shower seemed more private.

When he got inside, Payton was standing under a spray of water, his head bowed at the far end of the room. The half tile wall was to his left and another showerhead to his right, with a low wall opposite the other one.

“One hundred degrees,” Simon told his own shower before setting his gel and shampoo on the ledge.

They spent the first several minutes in silence. It was an awkward quiet, not the comforting silence he was coming to know with Payton, which made Simon even more convinced that Payton knew something.

Simon poured shampoo into his hand, closed the lid and set it back on the tiled wall.

Winking at Payton, he rubbed his hands together before lathering his hair. Taking a deep breath, he dipped his head under the water. What did he have to lose? He was certain Payton could help him find Benson. If Payton had anything to do with Benson’s disappearance, or knew who did, Simon wouldn’t be telling him anything he didn’t know.

Benson wouldn’t be missing if his cover weren’t blown. If Payton didn’t know anything, he’d think Simon was making small talk. “I had a friend on Regelence…” The white bubbles slid away down the drain. Simon brushed his hands through his hair and shook the water out. When Payton didn’t answer, Simon turned toward him. “Let’s help each other out here.”

Shaking his head, Payton began soaping his hair. “I don’t know what you mean.”

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Biting back his frustration, Simon clenched and unclenched his fists. “My friend’s name is Ralph Benson.”

If Simon hadn’t been watching closely, he’d have missed Payton’s spine stiffening.

It was a minute gesture that he covered quickly. “I don’t know a Ral—”

“Tell me about my friend, Pay.”

Payton stood there for several seconds before his shoulders slumped and he let out a breath. “He’s dead.” He turned around slowly, his face blank and his eyes watchful.

With his gut twisting, Simon nodded, trying not to show a reaction. He’d suspected as much, but Ralph Benson was not only under Simon’s command, he was a friend.

“Damn.” It hurt. “How was he killed?”

Payton’s face paled a little, rivulets running down his temple. “Why was he on Regelence?”

Simon’s jaw clenched.
Damn it to hell.
“Who killed him?”

With his gaze boring into Simon’s, Payton stood there, stance rigid. He was so damned stubborn. At any other time Simon would have admired it, but his friend was dead and he wanted answers. Answers he was sure Payton had.
Galaxy, Ralph, why did
you go and get yourself killed?
Simon exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. When he opened them he had to blink back threatening tears. “He was my friend.”

“I—I’m sorry.” There was another awkward silence and Payton turned toward the spray. Dipping his head, he let the water rinse the shampoo away.

“How do you know that we aren’t looking for the same answers?”

For several moments Payton didn’t say or do anything, he just stood there with his back to Simon, letting the water rain down over him. Then he met Simon’s gaze. He looked…wilted. “A man named Caldwell killed your friend.”

What?
Simon sucked in a breath out of surprise. “Caldwell? Bloody hell and damnation!” He punched the wall.

Payton gasped and stepped back, his eyes wide.

Fuck.
Pain radiated along Simon’s knuckles, shooting up his arm. Shaking his hand, he turned away. “Damn it.” He knew the name from one of Benson’s messages. “Benson www.samhainpublishing.com 97

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knew Caldwell was in the middle of things. Why wasn’t he more careful?” Caldwell was the key in all this. If Simon could figure out whom Caldwell really was… “How? Why?

Who the fuck does Caldwell work for?” Simon shouted.

“Benson was shot trying to keep Admiral Hawkins’s consort and son from being kidnapped.”

If Payton were telling the truth, Caldwell was indeed their common enemy. Simon studied his face. Payton was weary looking as though he was preparing to run, but he wasn’t lying, Simon was sure of it. He made himself calm down. The apprehension he read on Payton’s face hit him in the gut and the urge to comfort came over him. He took a few deep breaths and ran his fingers down Payton’s cheek.

Payton flinched, but didn’t move away. He stared at Simon for several seconds then shook his head, closed his eyes and leaned into Simon’s caress.

“Who did Caldwell work for? You’ve already told me enough to know we’re on the same side here, Pay. Let’s help each other out.” He dipped forward, his face hovering above Payton’s. Not because he was trying to force information out of Payton, but because he couldn’t seem to help himself. He closed his eyes and a puff of breath brushed his lips.

Payton’s hands wrapped around his wrists, his forehead touched Simon’s. He whispered something, making Simon pull back and open his eyes.

Simon gazed into the weary yellow eyes. “Tell me.”

Darting a glance around, Payton clutched Simon’s wrists tighter. When he spoke Simon wasn’t even sure Payton said it aloud, but his lips formed the words clearly. “The IN.”

Simon dropped his hands, stepping back. His stomach felt hollow and his mouth suddenly dry. “That’s what Benson’s last message meant,” he said more to himself than Payton.

“What message?”

Turning away, Simon grabbed his washcloth and soap. His movements were quick and sure as he washed himself. Why was the IN involved? What did they stand to gain by 98

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pitting Regelence and Englor against each other? How did the IN and Englor Marine merger fit into this? And what about—? “What about Hawkins? He
is
IN.”

“He had nothing to do with it.” Payton stepped between Simon and the wall. He put his hand against Simon’s chest. “Why would he kidnap his own consort and son?”

Nodding, Simon glanced down at the pale elegant hand on his chest and closed his own over it. Could Payton feel his heart thudding? Did he know how scary the idea of going against the IN was? Simon’s stomach grew queasy. He slid his hand up Payton’s arm and tugged him so close their chests touched. If Payton was lying… Simon shook his head. Payton wasn’t lying. It was the one thing Simon had faith in.

Payton blinked back the water droplets falling into his eyes.

Even with the realization that his planet could be in real danger, Simon couldn’t help but be drawn to this man. He dropped the washcloth and brushed the dark hair off Payton’s forehead. “What do they want?” he whispered.

“I don’t know,” Payton whispered back.

Standing there holding Payton against him, Simon rested his cheek on top of the head of dark wet hair and closed his eyes. Sweat dripped down his temples and his chest heaved to bring in the steamy air. He may want to protect this man, but he couldn’t help but think that Payton would, despite his size, stand by Si’s side and fight the IN with him…for both their planets.

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Simon groaned and rubbed his temples. Staring at the computer was giving him a headache. “What schematics?” He’d been researching it for two bloody days. “I just want to know what the fucking schematics are for.” Whatever they were, it was very top secret.

He had fairly high clearance, but he couldn’t access the Englor Marine’s Research and Development office. Dropping his head to his desk, Simon closed his eyes.

Okay, think, Si.
Payton thought the cloning technology Benson referred to was Regelence’s artificial reproduction method, although he didn’t know why the IN would want it. They were equally certain that the schematics were something that belonged to the Englor Marine Corps. Simon banged his head against the desk and sat back up. The IN was going to great lengths to get these two pieces of information and draw the suspicion away from themselves. It had almost worked.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Simon started. Damn, he’d forgotten about setting the alarm on his computer. He closed his workstation down and pushed back from his desk. If he was going to return and meet Payton for a night on the town, he should go and get dressed. After two days of going over and over their information, they both needed a break.

They’d done nothing but work at solving the remaining puzzle pieces. Even at night they hadn’t managed to finish a full workout or have sex because they’d been too busy going over things. Not that Si was complaining…
much
, because he was getting to know Payton better.

He enjoyed working with Payton. It was amazing how the man’s mind processed and analyzed information. If anyone could help Simon figure this out, it was Payton. Smiling, he stretched his hands over his head and yawned.

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Simon felt slightly guilty about not telling Payton about his mother’s involvement, and wondered briefly if the information would help Pay, but he didn’t see how. There was nothing to gain by dragging his mother through the dirt. It would make the entire royal family look bad. Besides, it looked like she was a pawn in this IN game just as everyone else was.

Grabbing his uniform cape, he slung it around his shoulders and headed out of his office.

By the time he got back to the base the snow had stopped. The continuous snowfall throughout the day accumulated a good eight inches on the ground. It was pretty and reminded Simon of playing in the snow as a kid with Aldred and some of the servants.

Those were fun days, before he realized what kind of responsibility lay on his shoulders, before he had to worry about the very entity that trained him to lead trying to take over his planet.

He looked at his watch. It wasn’t quite twenty hundred hours, so Payton wasn’t late, but in the back of his mind Simon wondered if Payton would come. He’d sent Payton a message this morning asking him to meet outside of the gym in civilian clothes. The man was a workaholic.

Asking Payton out killed two birds with one stone. It gave Simon the potential to discuss what they already knew, and it gave both of them a much-needed rest. They were at a standstill until they figured out what the IN wanted. Maybe time away from the issue would help. Then there was Payton… Simon would be lying if he said he didn’t want to see more of Payton.

As if Simon’s thoughts conjured him, Payton walked around the corner of the building. When he drew close he smiled. “Hello.” His hot breath formed a cloud of vapor when he spoke.

Simon’s cock hardened, like it seemed to always do when he saw Payton, and tension he hadn’t realized he had seeped out of his shoulders. “Good evening.” Simon pushed away from the wall.

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Payton looked every inch a lord in his greatcoat and top hat. Regency dress suited him, right down to his white gloves. He wore black trousers over shiny black ankle boots and as he drew close his wool coat fell open revealing a charcoal evening coat, cream-colored waistcoat and snowy white cravat. His cravat was tied to perfection in a complicated knot, as though a valet had dressed him. “You look exceptional.”