Chapter 12
Carnage
Lying in bed with Rue cuddled up next to me is… nice. I can’t honestly remember the last time I did this after sex, or wanted to, but I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
Rue hums softly, brushing his forehead against my rib cage. “Amazing. So many cool things happened. I’m not a virgin anymore even though there’s so many more things to do and experience. I finally had sex with someone.”
“Yes, you did.”
“And it was so fun. It probably wasn’t perfect or great for you, but it was literally life changing for me.”
“You made me come, Rue. You got it done.”
“I’ll get better with experience.”
“Of course.”
He rolls onto his stomach and gazes up at me with pure joy dancing across his features. “You know what else happened?”
“Tell me.”
“I didn’t get grossed out at all.”
My brow crinkles. “Were you expecting to?”
“I didn’t know if I would. I can be squeamish and weird about stuff.
Like germs and textures. But I was on your shower floor and it wasn’t on my mind at all.
Granted, your bathroom is super clean, but still, it didn’t even cross my mind.
And when you came in my mouth…” He pauses as his face lights up.
“I wanted that. I wanted it so much.” He exhales as a dreamy expression takes over.
“I was worried I wouldn’t like sex even though I really wanted it. ”
“Ah. I think I understand.”
“I was so turned on I didn’t even second-guess it. I wanted all of it.”
“And? What’s the verdict? Do you like swallowing cum?”
He scrunches his nose and giggles. “I like swallowing yours. I like how dirty you talk and…” He pauses as his cheeks turn bright pink.
“What?” I brush his hair off his forehead. “You can tell me.”
“The way you said I was good for you.” Rue swallows hard. “I really liked it. No one’s ever said I was good at anything.”
Ah. He enjoys a bit of praise. I can handle that. “You were good. You looked absolutely stunning with my cock in your pretty mouth and you did well.” Brushing my thumb across his chin, I add, “You were awesome.”
“Thank you.”
I chuckle softly. “The pleasure is mine. By the way, we can do anything you want.”
“Yeah? We can do it again?”
“Absolutely.”
He chews on his bottom lip, holding my gaze. “You’d fuck me?”
Shit. My cock immediately swells again. How does he ask for something so sexy with such innocence in his voice?
“If that’s what you want.”
Rue nods happily. “More than anything.”
“We’ll get there.”
His smile drops. “Before you send me away.”
I pull my head back slightly. “I’m not sending you away.”
“At some point you will. It’s not like we’re boyfriends, or even dating. I know what this is.”
“Oh? Could you tell me?”
Rue rolls his eyes. “A hookup. An extended one because of the circumstances. I won’t be weird or clingy just because I lost my virginity to you. I wanted to lose it.” His features soften as he cuddles up next to me again. “Can I sleep in here though?”
“Of course.” I kiss the top of his head. Like I’d be an asshole and send him back to his own room after what we shared.
“Thanks.”
I stroke his hair, my thoughts shifting to a solution. I don’t want Rue to leave anytime soon, but I also don’t want Leon out there doing whatever the fuck he does and potentially finding someone else to hurt.
That’s when I remember the phone. We turned it off, but now I wonder if Leon has made any attempt to contact Rue. Once I hear his soft rhythmic breaths, I scoot out of bed and retrieve the phone from the top of my dresser.
I power it up and wait. Seconds later, the notifications flow in.
There are hundreds of missed calls, voice messages, and texts.
I swipe the text app open and spend several minutes reading the increasingly threatening messages.
They start with concern, asking where Rue is, if he knows who has him, but they quickly escalate to demands and rage.
This guy is unhinged. He has no idea if Rue is in danger and yet resorts to accusations and threats almost immediately.
I listen to the voice messages next. I don’t know what he sounds like normally, but the man’s voice on these messages is slurred and belligerent. Then another man leaves a message.
“Rue, this is No Neck. Can you just let me know if you’re okay?
Are you hurt? Do you know where you are?
We can come get you. Leon is losing his shit with worry.
Shit. You probably don’t have access to your phone.
If you get this, even if you can just send a text, let us know.
We don’t know who has you and Leon has been going around causing trouble.
He shot Shady Rick in the foot, man. Just contact us if you can. Bye.”
Whoever No Neck is, he seems to be more levelheaded than Leon. I listen to several more messages from Leon before I get to one that makes my blood boil.
“Listen, you little shit. If you think for one second I’m just gonna walk away from my investment you’re fucking wrong. I’m not done with you, and if you don’t call me I’m going to hunt you down and make you so sorry you ever thought you could leave me.”
He wants a phone call? I’ll fucking give him one. But first, a visit to Whisper. I creep out of the bedroom and make my way down the hall to Whisper’s, tapping softly on the door when I get there. He’s probably awake. He almost always is.
“Enter.”
I walk in carrying the phone. “Leon’s been leaving messages. I can call him back and maybe we can get a location? I wanted you to record the call so we don’t miss anything.”
“Sure thing.” He stands from the armchair he was reading in and walks over to his desk setup, where he has several monitors and computers running at all times.
“This looks different.”
Whisper nods. “Boone’s doing. He’s been messing with some new technology for us to try.”
“So working with him is going well?”
Whisper frowns but ends up nodding. “He pushes me to try new things, which I don’t really like, but I gotta admit he’s found some badass tools.”
I chuckle, taking the seat beside him. “He seems pretty cool too.”
“He is. Talks too much, but other than that he’s alright.” He clacks on his keyboard. “Ready when you are.”
“Cool.” I swipe the phone screen again and go to the recent call log to find Leon’s number. I press the Call button and wait while it rings.
“’Bout fucking time,” he says. “Where the fuck are you?”
“Hello to you too. You’re not even worried that Rue could be hurt?”
“Who the fuck is this?”
“The man who’s gonna tear you apart and watch you die. This Leon?”
“Fuck you, man. I ain’t afraid of you.”
“You should be. You don’t even know who you’re talking to.”
“Don’t care either. I run this town.”
I laugh at that. “You don’t even run a corner of this town.”
I hear muffled talking in the background, then Leon seems to cover the phone while he snaps at someone else in the room.
“Where is Rue?” Leon asks. “Because he’s mine. I picked him and I spent money on him. I want him back.”
“And I want you to drop dead, but we don’t always get what we want.”
“Fuck you. Rue is mine,” he repeats. “What do you need to give him back to me?”
“I’m not giving him back to you.”
Whisper taps the desk to get my attention. “Say you’ll give him back so we can get a location.”
Right. Forgot the mission for a second. “Why do you want him back so badly?”
“Because. I don’t have to tell you shit.”
“Well, if he’s so important to you, maybe we can arrange something. Don’t you even want to know why I took him?”
“No, but I need to know one thing. Did you fuck him?”
That’s when I remember what Leon’s motivations are. “If I did?”
Leon growls. “I’ll cut your fucking dick off.”
I chuckle. “Now, that’s not very friendly considering I have something you want.”
“Did you fucking fuck him, you fuck?” Leon is practically screaming now, and I have to hold back my laughter.
“Not yet. Was planning on it soon though.”
“Please,” he whines suddenly. “Do you want money? Drugs? A trade? I got other guys I can give you.”
Disgust spreads across Whisper’s face, and it’s all I can do not to cuss this loser out. “How much is he worth to you?” I ask, even though the question is repulsive.
“I got… Hold on.” The line goes silent for a minute for two.
Whisper and I stare at each other, both of us silently plotting how Leon is going to die. I know my brother well, so well we don’t always need words.
“Okay,” Leon says, coming back on the line, “I need him back this week and I’ll give you twenty grand, some pills, and my two best boys.”
His offer shocks me. “Well, that’s generous. Why is Rue worth so much to you?”
“None of your fucking business. You obviously wanted him.”
“I do. I want to be the first one to take his tight ass. Why should I give him up to you?”
“No. Please. I need him back.”
Whisper’s eyes narrow, and I know why. Leon has something nefarious planned. Far more than a gang bang.
“Tell me why and I’ll consider your offer.”
Leon grumbles, cursing under his breath, then says, “Fine. I have a deal in the works, but Rue is the main event. His virginity is the prize. It’s fucking rare to find an adult virgin, you know, and my future business partner doesn’t like to fuck with kids.
So I spent nine fucking months looking all over this city for a goddamn virgin over eighteen.
I can’t start over or this deal is a bust.”
I’m seething with rage, so much so that I can barely continue this charade, but I need to keep it going. I need more information.
“So, what? Your partner gets to fuck Rue first?”
“Yeah, and then, you know, others.”
“What happens to Rue after everyone’s had their fun?”
“I don’t fucking know. Who cares? At that point, I’m in. I delivered on my promise.”
Awfully trusting criminal. He could be talking to an undercover for all he knows. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, I guess.
“So I got money,” Leon continues. “A lot of it. I got a deposit for the party next week. I’ll give you a chunk of it if you give me back Rue.”