Chapter 31 #2
Raul’s face darkened into a scowl now. “You telling me I’m not good enough to beat you?”
“Nao.” Balta rolled his eyes. The young ones, they never understood politics.
“I’m telling you that a three-time champion is much better for selling tickets than a new Brazilian who barely speaks English, even if he did win Rookie of the Year.
I would get better draws, get better times in the performances. I would pull ahead. I have seen this.”
Raul’s fingers curled into fists. “And Joa?”
“Joa is pretty and he rides when he rides and doesn’t when he doesn’t.” Joa would never win a championship. Never. “You have the hunger, Raul. The skill. You will win, and if you’re like me, which I think you are, you will win again. You need to play their game, though.”
“So you will send me off alone.”
Balta frowned. “You are never alone, gato. Never. Eduardo will ride with you and Silvano will pull your rope. When Joa is well enough to travel we will come to events and you will win for us.”
Raul stared at him. “And if was me that was hurt?”
“Then Joa would stay with you and I would ride.” Simple as that. Joa was not the rider that Raul was, or him. It was the truth and Joa knew this. Joa wanted to stay on the tour so they could be together, not because he loved the game.
Raul’s lips parted, then pressed together in a hard line. “You—do you even care?”
“About what?” Balta asked, surprised at the tone Raul used.
“I don’t— Anything!”
“Who told me to be practical earlier? To stop being maudlin?”
Raul stared at him, a muscle ticking in his cheek, and Balta had to smile.
“See? This is why you will ride. You are starving for it. This is good. Hot. Right. I like to see it.”
“You confuse me, Balta.” Raul sighed. “I suppose I should expect it. You collected me for Joa, not you.”
Ah. Balta chuckled now, understanding what Raul was so upset about. Joa, well, he was their balance. With him taken out of the picture with this injury, Raul had no idea what to do.
Balta would show him.
“Do not laugh at me, Silva!” Raul snapped, shoving him in the chest. He couldn’t help but notice that the blow was guaranteed not to move him too much, not to hurt his back.
“I have to. You think I don’t care about you, Raul? That I would not do what’s best for you?” When Raul reached out to shove him again, Balta grabbed Raul’s wrist, yanking him close, their chests banging together. “You are just as much mine as he is, Raul.”
“You…”
“Me,” he agreed. “You are mine. My champion. My equal. Meu lindo.” He refused to look away, staring into Raul’s soul. “You think I lie?”
He brought their mouths together, hard enough that his lip split.
Raul moaned, hands sliding around his back to clutch at him, kissing him with a desperate fervor. They needed to touch, to connect.
Balta would make Raul understand. Yes, he had thought Raul would mean more to Joa in the beginning, but now he knew. He needed, loved, them both.
They were different, opposites—one to soothe him, one to challenge him. So what if he was greedy? He was Balta Silva. He earned his love.
Raul pushed at Balta’s shirt, trying to get it off, and Balta broke the kiss so they could both tear off their clothes. Raul’s body was so different from Joa’s. Heavier, fuzzier.
He dragged his hand to his belt, ripping open his fly before struggling with his boots.
Laughing, Raul pushed him until he stumbled back to the bed, then helped, tugging off his boots and jeans. The hard cock bounced off Raul’s belly when he moved, bobbing with every step. Balta could watch that forever.
“You like being angry, having a little spice.”
“Shut up, Baltazar.”
Balta snorted, leaning back on one elbow, using his free hand to stroke his own dick, showing off. “It’s true. Deus knows we both love Joa, but sometimes we both need something else, something not so sweet.” He was pushing and pushing, wanting Raul to get everything out of his mind.
Raul struggled to bare himself. “Joa is right. You are a demon.”
He laughed, the words as familiar and comforting as anything Raul could say.
The last boot went flying and Raul joined him on the bed, mouth searching out his, hand finding Balta’s cock. He shifted until Raul could grab them both, rub them. “Better, sim?”
“Shut up, Silva.”
“You say that—mph.”
Raul kissed him so hard his ears rang, and Balta let it happen, let Raul take control. His lindo needed that now, needed to feel that Balta would do anything for him, as well.
He opened himself, lips and heart, and let Raul feel him, his pride in his choice of lovers.
“Please.” Raul stroked them, rubbing them together as of trying to start a fire.
Balta touched Raul in return, petting the strong, muscled back before he grabbed one ass cheek and squeezed.
“Together. We go together.” Balta joined his strength to Raul’s, tugging at them both.
Grunting, Raul nodded, jaw set in a hard line. Balta loved that face, loved the way Raul could focus on one thing to the exclusion of all else. Such strength. He bit Raul’s bottom lip, tugged it, just enough to sting.
Jumping, Raul squeezed them both in one hand, the pressure perfect, hitting Balta low in the belly, making him arch up.
Raul cried out, the sound rough and raw, and repeated the gesture. “Balta! Now! Now!”
The cry rang through the hotel room and he managed a nod before he came, his eyes falling shut. He shook, his heart pounding against his ribs, hot seed falling on his belly and his thighs. Yes, Raul was right there with him. All the way.
Raul slumped on top of him, head on his shoulder, quiet but for his labored breathing.
This was not how their lives were meant to be, and they both knew it. Balta stroked Raul’s sweat-damp skin, soothing.
Soon the season would come to an end, even though three months seemed an endless amount of time. Then they would have a break, a time to talk about their next moves.
About whether Raul wanted to stay with them in Texas for good.
Balta had no idea what he would do if Raul said no. He and Joa would be devastated. He smiled and rubbed the top of Raul’s head with his chin. They would just have to assure Raul did not say no.
He grinned at the ceiling. Balta thought if anything could convince a man to stay it was him and Joa. They could do this. All of them.