Chapter Sixteen #2
I followed Mars, easily keeping up with him as he hopped the block wall fence and climbed a rickety trellis before dropping to the ground beside him into the neighbor’s yard.
A swimming pool sat in the center and we paused before skirting around it, listening for the presence of a dog to give us away.
As soon as it was safe, Mars met my gaze in the darkness and after my nod, turned and led me to the front gate, keeping to the shadows near a wall on the side.
Things had gone fine until we got to the iron bars that formed the gate.
It was padlocked. And the bars terminated at the top in wicked-looking points.
“Fuck,” I muttered as Mars turned my way.
“We ‘ave no choice but to go over. Reach up and grab the top of the gate between the bars. I’ll give ya a boost up.” He interlaced his fingers and bent down, holding a makeshift stirrup. “Avoid the pointy bits when ya drop down.”
I snorted, rolling my eyes at him in the dark. “Thanks for the advice.”
He gave me a cheeky grin, the moonlight hitting his face so that barely visible dimples formed in his stubbled cheeks.
I had the overwhelming desire to lean down and kiss his luscious lips, but jumped, startled as the dog next door began to bark.
From the sound of the crazy, deep rumble, it was a big, fucking dog.
“Fuck!” I cried out, tearing my gaze away from the gorgeous eyes watching me in the dark.
I reached up, grabbing the top of the iron gate between the spikes and stepped into Mars’ hands.
He boosted me easily and I paused, hovering over the sharp points only for a second before I got my foot on the horizontal bar and shifted my weight, vaulting over to land on the ground.
I quickly scanned side to side, praying I hadn’t been overheard by the homeowners as lights on the side of the house suddenly came on.
I had barely gotten a gasp out before Mars dropped silently beside me, grabbed my hand, and yanked me into a run.
We tore down the street, sprinting for an entire block before he slowed and the excited bark of the dog faded.
He pulled me to a stop in the shadows, looking around.
I watched his face, searching for any clue as to which car had been left for us.
I hadn’t heard the captain give him instructions where to go after this—provided we didn’t have to check every car on the street—just that we were to leave immediately.
I was surprised when Mars’ mouth broadened into a smile.
He looked back at me and nodded, then yanked me again.
We ran up to a black Camaro, very similar to the one he’d been driving in Vegas.
I knew it couldn’t be the same car, but Mars went confidently up to it, bent, and retrieved a key fob which had been hidden on top of the left, rear tire.
“Ta da!” he singsonged, clicking the key fob as he held it in the air triumphantly.
The door locks opened, and I threw myself into the passenger seat as Mars slid behind the wheel.
The sound of the powerful V-8 motor roaring to life was like music to my ears.
I quickly buckled my seatbelt and inhaled the new car smell.
I ran my hand over the dash, noting subtle differences between the 2024 model Mars had left in Vegas, and this one which appeared to be almost new.
“I think this is brand new.”
“Yeah, at least a year newer than mine,” Mars replied.
“How’d you know this was the right car?” I asked as he swiftly drove out of the neighborhood.
His lips quirked. “Candy loves symmetry.”
I chuckled, captivated by the smile on his lips as he gave me a quick glance then turned back to the road.
“Plus, he sent me one of them pin drop location thingees.”
I rolled my eyes and grinned.
He got on the freeway and headed south, back the way we’d come. I sat beside him, saying nothing for a full half hour until he pointed to the exit he wanted to take and eased the car down the off-ramp into the left turn lane.
“Your boss said he arranged for a hotel?” I asked.
“’E’s got a room for us at the Bonaventure. It’ll be safe and it’s close to the office.”
I’d seen the landmark hotel in downtown L.A.
on TV but never in person. We went big in Vegas but it was easy to differentiate the curving, architectural masterpiece featuring four metal and glass cylindrical towers which reached thirty-three floors from other hotels.
I’d looked it up on Wiki just to see if it was a real hotel, or something Hollywood created with CGI.
It had been featured in a ton of movies and TV shows over the years.
It had even been destroyed in a couple of them, thanks to Hollywood movie makers.
I couldn’t help but smile as I turned to look at Mars in profile. He was so handsome, but it was his confidence—not only in himself—but in me, that made me feel like we just might stand a chance against Josiah and the ruthless men he employed.
“I’ve seen it on TV but never imagined I’d be staying there.” With you—I wanted to add.
I imagined sleeping in the same bed as Mars but tried my best not to get my hopes up.
I’d noticed that he’d deliberately not said anything about the hot and heavy trading of blowjobs we'd both enjoyed. All I could do was wonder if he’d put up a wall between us once we were forced to stay in the same room together.
The hotel was prettier than I could’ve imagined as we drove up to it, considering my comparison was Vegas.
We headed to a subterranean garage entrance and parked, taking the elevator to the lobby where he checked us in under the name Sorensen.
The woman behind the desk handed Mars two electronic key cards and pointed us to the correct elevator.
Mars thanked her and surprised me by taking my hand as he led us away from the desk.
I looked back over my shoulder, noting how she was curiously watching us hold hands as we walked away.
Even here in Los Angeles—where gay men were a dime a dozen—we still got looks.
Fuck if I cared, not when it was Mars holding my hand.
I held onto it, feeling a frisson of electricity pass between us as we got into the elevator, moving to the back as more people crowded in.
I found myself backed up against Mars as he stood at the rear wall but relaxed as soon as his arm snaked around my middle, pulling me up against him.
He held me so close, I could feel his hot breath on my neck.
My heart began beating wildly, remaining that way for the whole ride up to the thirtieth floor where we finally got off together.
Our room was spacious with two queen sized beds, but as soon as I saw the layout, I felt slightly let down since there would be no reason for me to share a bed with him unless he wanted me to. He handed me the backpack.
“Put ya clothes away.”
I nodded, pulling out my clothes, then passed it to him where he did the same, extracting a second pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, and some underwear.
He opened the drawers and neatly folded his underwear into small squares, lining them up in precision rows.
I snorted but moved over to the drawers and did a lesser version, folding what little clothes I had neatly.
“I’m gonna take a shower,” I said.
He side-eyed me. “Go for it.”
I was a little disappointed that he hadn’t offered to wash my back, but I closed myself in the bathroom and flipped on the taps, waiting for the water to heat as I stripped down.
I took my time getting clean, washing the day off.
It had been a hell of a day and frankly, all I wanted to do was sleep.
I dried off and wrapped the towel around my hips, looking at myself in the mirror, remembering the last time I’d done this with him outside the door.
This time, though, I finished up and grabbed a plastic laundry bag from the closet, stuffing my clothes inside, before dropping it on the floor. When I turned around, I let my breath out slowly.
Mars was sitting at the end of the bed with the TV remote aimlessly flipping through channels.
He smiled at me when I walked farther into the room, giving me a quick once over from head to toe.
My body felt like it was on fire everywhere his gaze landed.
I debated my next move and then straightened, stiffening my resolve as I took a seat on the bed next to him.
He glanced over at me, looking almost wary.
“Odd symmetry seems to be the order of the day,” he said, flicking a finger at the towel.
I smiled as our eyes met. “Yeah.”
“Something about this seems familiar,” Mars said.
I couldn’t help but chuckle because it was very true. I reached over and laid a hand on his thigh. He looked down at it before glancing up to my eyes. “Everything about it is familiar to me too.”
“Ya know, putting us in the same room was a really bad idea,” he said, frowning just a little as he stared into my eyes.
I slid my hand higher up his thigh, keeping my gaze locked with his as fire filled my veins. “You think so?”
His gaze dropped to my lips as he nodded. “Ya right, Cam, a really bad idea.” He twisted toward me, reaching up and cupping the side of my neck, sliding his hand around until he was pulling me toward him.
I leaned in, keeping my gaze on his as my heartbeat raced. “I can’t fight it anymore, Mars. It’s fucking exhausting trying to keep my hands off you.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Why bother then?”
I shook my head ever so slightly, feeling myself melt as he smiled. “I have no idea. It’s hopeless.”
“That, it is.”