The Virgin Master (35 page)

Sean sighed. “You’re fine. Look, I’m going to go check out this list of names. How much contact have you had with your family?”

Jeremy blanched. “Oh, God. You really need to talk to them quickly. Please.”

Sean stared at Jeremy. “He told them everything, didn’t he?”

Jeremy nodded miserably. “He told my mother at least. She comes to lunch every couple of weeks and came in on us while we were kissing. He promised her that he wouldn’t force me into a sexual relationship early on and she thought he had... well, you know. We had a really hard time convincing her that it was consensual. Once
she believed that we were in love, she was okay with it.”

“Well, I guess that’s my first priority then. Remember, you’ll see him in a couple of weeks.”

“You know what to tell him.”

Sean softened. “I do. I will.”

*****

Sean reported to Evan on his visit to Jeremy. Evan tried not
to pump Sean for every smallest detail, because he knew
             
exactly
how pathetic that was; but he couldn’t really help himself. Sean remembered to tell him that
Jeremy
wanted a
             
picture, but that wasn’t a good idea. Evan thought for a minute and then figured out how to get Jeremy what he wanted without it looking like it was just a picture of Evan.

Sean busied himself with calling all the people Jeremy remembered. It took a while to find some of them; all of them confirmed that Evan and Jeremy had never seemed close. He had the most trouble with Terri Paxton, who couldn’t seem to understand why she should deny that her son’s
m
aster loved him. Every time Sean tried to explain she started crying. Gerry got it immediately and Sean finally left with Gerry’s promise that he would work with Terri until she understood what
c
ould happen.

In the meantime, Evan found a number of photographs from his days at Stanford showing him with various groups of people. He started to avoid pictures with Justin and then realized that the other side might notice and use that against him somehow. He emailed the pictures to Jeremy, asking him to take a look at the people in the background to be sure he hadn’t forgotten to tell Sean about any of them. Evan said in the email that he didn’t remember most of the people and it was possible that Jeremy didn’t know them either. So, Jeremy ended up with several pictures of Evan.

*****

When they came through on his email, Jeremy knew exactly what Evan
had done. He stared at the photos as long as he reasonably could, pretending to make notes
and
longing with every fiber in his body to be back home.

Chapter Twenty-
O
ne

Finally, two weeks passed. Jeff and Jeremy had worked out another acquisition and a whole new market strategy which would make James the second largest corporation in America and
the third largest in the world.

Jeff had provided figures and facts to Sean proving that Jeremy had been worth hundreds of millions to the company in profit; Sean had interviewed all possible witnesses, including Inspector Hubbard, and felt calm and prepared for a hearing. Evan and Jeremy had both received copies of the questions the Board might ask and Evan thought he might die from embarrassment. Unknowingly, both men adopted the strategy of reading the questions through every night and deciding on
a
nswer
s
hoping that familiarity would dull the embarrassment. Only time would tell.  Evan couldn’t decide whether or not to go to the “inspection.” While he was dying to see Jeremy, he didn’t know if he could stand looking at him without being able to speak to him or touch him. He called Sean.

“Sean, it’s inspection day.”

Sean sighed. “Are you going?”

“I don’t know. I can’t stand not to go, but I don’t know if I can stand doing it. How closely will we be watched?”

“Microscopically. If you don’t go, that will be an issue. If you do go
,
and either one of you breaks down
…
that might be the end of your chance to get him back.”

“How disappointed will he be if I don’t show?”

On a scale of one to ten? Five hundred at least. But, that doesn’t mean you override your own good judgment just to avoid a temporary disappointment. I think if you do go, you should take Tom with you. That way you can discuss his health and the way his back is healing. It will serve as a distraction and keep the two of you from just staring at each other all moon-eyed.”

Evan sighed. He was desperate to see Jeremy and that wasn’t good. “I’ll see if Tom is available.”

Sean nodded, even though he knew Evan couldn’t see it. “How about your psych evaluation?”

Evan laughed bitterly. “It was addressed to the board. I can’t see it until the board meeting. Is there any chance they might try to alter it?”

“Now you’re thinking like Frank Owens. I’m going to
             
have a talk with your evaluator and try to have him present, but just outside at the board meeting. If anything like that does happen
he’ll be right there to refute it.”

“That sort of makes me hope Frank does try something.”

“He’s arrogant enough. He thinks you have no chance of winning any of this.
.
..”

“What do you really think?”

“If you both can hold it together at the hearing
,
I think you’ll win.”

Evan sucked in a long breath. “That’s the first time you’ve ever said that.”

“Your boy is every bit as sharp as you said he was. All the witnesses and almost all the evidence is on your side. Fairness and justice are on your side. I sent a copy of the security footage of the accident to the media. From the response I got, the media will be on your side. Don’t screw this up.”

“I have no intention of it.”

“By the way
…
I saw your little trick with the pictures. Nice move. Jeremy has been
good;
he didn’t make any of them wallpaper for his laptop or anything
,
and he hasn’t spent too much time looking. He thinks about what he’s doing.”

“He’s truly the perfect match for me.”

“Don’t gush. Let me know if you decide not to go to inspect him, so I can go see him and try to ease the blow.”

“Thanks. That’s really nice.”

I like the guy.  Not the same way you like him, but he just seems like a sincere, sweet, person who totally loves your ass.”

“I think that’s a good assessment.” Evan couldn’t help but sound smug.

“It doesn’t hurt that he’s twenty feet tall and handsome as a god either.”

“Sure doesn’t”

“I’m going to go now. I’m going to try to push for a date certain for the hearing. If your psych guy lets anything slip about how you did, I’ll let you know.”

“Great. Thanks again.”

S
truggling with his strong desire to see Jeremy and attempting to rationally balance his desire with the likelihood that one of them would make a mistake, Evan fretted and paced the floor.  He frequently looked out the window at the Detention Center as if seeing the building would make him feel closer to Jeremy. Finally, taking Sean’s suggestion, he called Tom. Tom understood the problem and was perfectly willing to take Evan with him for his regular “house call” with Jeremy. Giving in to his feelings, Evan decided to go.
After all, if the first time I see him is at the hearing how will I be able to keep it together then? At least this will give us both some practice.

Evan and Tom ran the security gauntlet to get back to a private interview room with a cage in it. Opening his briefcase, Evan pretended to review documents while they waited for Jeremy to be produced by detention staff. To Evan it seemed like forever, but finally,
finally
, two guards, leading Jeremy on a chain, came into the room and shut Jeremy up in the cage. When Tom made his regular visits he always visually inspected him first; then if treatment seemed needed he would be let into the cage. Evan carefully didn’t look at Jeremy until the guards left the room. He looked up and met Jeremy’s eyes for the first time in six weeks.

The breath slammed out of his body and he had to clench his fists, digging his fingernails into his palms to stay seated. Jeremy knelt in the cage, demonstrating proper respect for the presence of his
m
aster and Evan’s throat swelled shut as his heart banged against his chest walls. He ached and burned to touch. Jeremy peeked at Evan through his bangs, using his hair to hide his expression so that only Evan could see. Evan tried with all his might to let Jeremy see how much he loved and missed him, using only his eyes.

He thought Jeremy might be better at this silent communication stuff. Evan could almost feel Jeremy’s eyes on his body. He saw the faith and love and trust in his lover’s eyes.  Tom glanced back and Evan put on his bored face. He saw Tom trying to hide a smile.

“Okay, Jeremy, I need to see how your back is healing and Mr. James wants to be sure you haven’t incurred any other injuries. I’m going to need you to strip.”

*****

Jeremy shot Tom a horrified look. He was already hard as a rock. They were being watched on surveillance cameras. Reading Jeremy’s mind, Tom smiled at him. “Don’t worry, Jeremy. It’s perfectly natural to be excited about seeing your
m
aster again. It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?  Jeremy glared at him, stood up and stripped. It didn’t take long since all he was allowed to wear were drawstring sweat pants and a scrub shirt. Not daring to even look at Evan, he turned so that Tom could see his back.

*****

Evan’s heart climbed into his mouth and his erection tried to kill him. Jeremy had lost weight he didn’t need to lose. The weight loss resulted in deeper cuts between his muscles. He looked even more perfect than before. Unreal. Evan cleared his throat and strolled over to stand next to Tom.

“See how well he’s healing? There will be a few scars,
             
but not as many as I thought there would be. Okay Jeremy, turn
             
around. We need to look at every inch of you.”

*****

Jeremy, sickened with humiliation, turned around slowly, his cock bobbed a little from the movement, but pretty much stayed hard up against his stomach. It twitched visibly as he met Evan’s eyes again. He didn’t know when he had been so uncomfortable. Evan mouthed “love you” and Jeremy blushed all over his body. He saw Tom punch Evan in the side. Hard.

*****

Evan’s breath came hard and he flushed when his eyes met Jeremy’s again. He had seen an answering flare in Jeremy’s eyes when he had dared to
let his own longing show in his eyes
. He examined Jeremy carefully and found no bruises or cuts. He
started
shaking and hoped it wouldn’t be visible to the surveillance personnel.  He noted that Jeremy trembled, too.

He gave Jeremy a look full of anguish as Tom announced himself satisfied and told Jeremy to get dressed again. The need to touch him became physically painful as Tom prepared to leave. He watched Jeremy pull on the plain gray scrubs and yearned toward him. He had to leave. If he didn’t he was going to reach through the wire for him and that would be the end of any chance he might have of getting him back. Head spinning and body aching, Evan turned and walked out of the room fighting the urge to look back.

*****

Frank Owens swallowed his nervousness as the two heavily tattooed emissaries from his Uncle Yuri settled themselves on his divan. Both of them wore designer suits fitted to their body-builder physiques by an indifferent tailor. They looked like poorly gift-wrapped, oddly shaped presents, especially with tattoos extending above the collars of their dress shirts, and flowing out of their shirt cuffs. Hearing of their arrival only hours before they actually appeared, his staff had unpacked the samovar and scoured the city for appropriate pastries. Three fifths of freezing temperature vodka waited in a champagne bucket. Making little approving noises the two thugs helped
the
mselv
e
s to vodka and caviar on toast points
.