27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Neither of them had moved all day. Sel woke first, crawling out from the bed and Indio, padding out to the dining room to see Binx drinking coffee. “Hey! How are you?”
Sel sighed, “Better. I stopped shaking.”
Mal ran over to the table and sat by Sel. “You okay?”
“I am okay. I promise. Where is everyone?”
“Feds came and questioned everyone. They wanted to talk to you and Indio, but Dante fought them. You two needed some sleep.”
“My hero,” Sel drawled. “Funny thing was yesterday he was yelling at me for Indio.”
“He’s just worried about you,” Binx said, always the peacemaker. “Now he just loves Indio.”
“For saving me, I know. My parents too. They practically gave their blessing to marry him. That should make Indio run for the hills.”
Mal leaned over to whisper, “Good thing we’re surrounded by hills then, huh?”
Sel laughed with them. “I promised not to pressure him.”
“He just saved your life, Sel. Maybe grovel and kiss his…ass, dick, whatever part would be the most appropriate to kiss,” Mal said with a hard shrug.
“I’d love to.”
“So,” Binx started, lowering his voice though no one was around. “Do you…I mean, have you ever…?”
“Are you kinky?” Mal finished.
Sel barked a laugh and looked around to ensure they were still alone. “You guys!”
“Oh, come on, Sel. We all are! Ruben’s got two dominant guys that are pretty much wrapped around his little finger,” Mal grunted.
“Yeah, I do too. You have no idea what that doctor and preacher of mine get up to when we’re alone, and still, as much as they dominate me, I’m always in charge.”
Sel liked the sound of that. “I’m…interested in that, you know, lifestyle, but I really don’t like being told what to do.”
“Sexually?” Mal asked.
“Oh, that, well, as long as it’s something I like, which is…okay, most things.”
Binx sighed with exasperation. “There are limits, hard and soft limits, contracts, lots of talks?”
“See, right there! He’s not a talker.”
Binx smiled patiently. “Then write it down, hand it to him. We can help you write something.”
Mal confessed, “The thing is to make them think they’re calling the shots. It gives them a boost of self-confidence. It’s some primal thing, where they are cavemen, dragging home a mastodon for dinner, or some shit.”
“It’s true,” Binx agreed. “They need to beat their chests and spank our asses and they’re all peaceful and calm after, like giving a baby a pacifier.”
Sel couldn’t believe they were saying those things, but if it worked, he’d try anything. “He’s like a feral cat. You work to get him to eat out of your hand, but one wrong move and he runs off and you have to start all over again.”
“Now he’s got it,” Mal told Binx.
“He sure does.”
“What do you mean? How do I have it?”
Binx spoke like he was teaching a classroom filled with third graders, and that was about how Sel felt. “Listen, they’re all like that in one way or another. If you’re giving him the control, he feels like he’s in charge, like he can bolt if he needs to. The thing is, having that control means he won’t bolt.”
“I don’t want to…lie to him. Fool him into being with me.”
Mal sighed, so exasperated he looked like he could punch Sel. “In bed, tell me that he is some simpering bottom that lets you call the shots.”
“Yeah, right!”
Mal simply stared at him until the truth arrived on its own. Sel got it, knowing that if Indio had even a pretense of control, he’d likely be more open to take the relationship a few steps further.
“Well, help me! Help me write whatever and get him all comfortable. Does he really have to spank me?”
“Don’t throw that out before you’ve tried it,” Binx suggested. “That little bit of pain brings pleasure to the next level.”
Sel thought of it and confessed, “Sex with him is mostly painful anyway.”
“I knew it,” Mal whispered. “He’s hung.”
Binx giggled while Sel admitted it with just a shrug.
“Okay, we’ll get together today with Ruben and see what we can whip up for you. Until then, don’t do your…Carrillo shit,” Mal suggested.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Ask Blaine,” Binx whispered. “I’m sure he knows. Maybe your mom.”
“Are you guys saying Carrillo men are…never mind. I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.”
They both tittered laughs that were offensive, but warranted.
“Assholes. I’ll be…nice and, god, submissive. You know how fucking hard that will be for me, right? I don’t like being submissive.”
Mal said, “Oh, you’ll like it in bed. Maybe you can rest from being bossy for a while.”
“Bossy?”
They both stared and he gave up, admitting, “Fine, but I’m going to be the boss one day! Do you realize how big our organization is?”
“He really needs a spanking,” Binx whispered to Mal.
“With a bullwhip and a ball gag stuffed in his mouth.”
“Oh, good! Right, right. Perfect.”
“You guys are truly hilarious.”
Indio stumbled into the dining hall and over to the table, making them all grow quiet. Sel asked him first, breaking the sudden silence, “How you feel?”
“Good,” he said while his eyes roamed over them, suspiciously. “What were you guys talking about?”
“You,” Binx said and Sel had the sudden urge to punch him. “Sel was bragging on you, of course. He won’t shut up and it’s really annoying.”
Mal giggled, “Yeah. Annoying.”
Indio smiled a little, but his head lowered to hide it. “Oh.”
“Want some coffee? Something to eat?” Sel asked him.
Indio’s brows were drawn as he looked up at him. “You mean you’d get them?”
“Sure! Why not?”
“You’re not exactly the, can I get you something , you know, kinda guy.”
Binx assured him, “Of course he is! I’ll help. So will Mal. Come on, guys, let’s get this man some coffee and food.”
Once in the kitchen, he pleaded, “Don’t oversell it! He’s already suspicious.”
“Another thing about dominant men,” Binx whispered. “They never notice it as long as they’re getting what they think they want.”
“He’s not stupid.”
“Hey, I live with a doctor, who’s got something like a thousand IQ or something. He’s not stupid, but all people on earth love their egos stroked. Getting that and waited on? Palm of your hand, sweetie.”
Sel laughed at Binx, but did realize he’d been with his two guys a long time, so he didn’t mind learning from experience. Blaine was much the same with Dante, and Dante was so wrapped around Blaine’s finger, Blaine could shoot him and Dante would kiss his ass.
He took the coffee and food out to Indio, setting them in front of him, and Binx followed him with the cream and sugar. “Sel didn’t yet know how you took your coffee.”
“Black,” he said, staring around at the three of them. “You guys are being weird as fuck.”
“I can’t appreciate you after you saved my life? Not only that but finally took out the guy that was causing all the problems here?”
Indio definitely wasn’t stupid. He laughed and then grabbed his cup of coffee, sipping it as his eyes set firmly on Sel’s face.
Sel knew he was searching for bullshit, but when he thought about it, Sel knew he did want to do things for Indio. He’d give the man the world, if he’d ask.
The others left them alone and Indio whispered, “What are you guys up to? Planning our wedding?”
“I told you I’m not interested in getting married. I’m too young for that.”
“Sure. Okay, then what are you planning?”
Sel knew Indio wouldn’t stop asking. So, he gave him a short version of the truth. “They’re trying to teach me to…how to be…more…submissive.”
Spitting out his coffee, Indio started to choke, and Sel patted his back until he regained his breath. “You? Submissive? That’ll be the day!”
“Hey! I can! I want to…you know, do things for you, and…it’s sexy, and…”
“Oh fuck, you’re funny. The day you’re submissive is the day I wear a sparkling gown and high heels.”
Sel laughed and whispered, “You’d look hot in that, but you’d probably break your neck if you tried to walk in heels.”
Indio turned to face him. “Be serious. What are you talking about?”
“Well, you know what they’re building here, right?”
“A resort for gay dudes, yeah.”
“And a kink club. Most of the guys here, or that will live here, anyway, are into that…lifestyle. And, well, I’ve been interested in it for a while, and you’re already pretty dominant in bed, so…”
“Oh, I get it. You want me to tie your ass up and fuck you. All you had to do was ask.”
The man was so sexy as he smirked at Sel, Sel thought he’d lose it. Those crazy eyes of his were heavily lidded as he licked over his dark, full lips and Sel moved in to kiss them.
“There’s more involved than that, but if you’re interested, we can learn together and…try it.”
Indio pushed him away and turned back to his food. “We’ll talk about it. This morning I got a text. We gotta go talk to the feds, and I’m not looking forward to it. Go get showered and dressed.”
Already, he was telling Sel what to do, and Sel had to quash his initial reaction of telling him where to stick his order. Swallowing all the words he was ready to spit at him, Sel nodded and got up from the table, hurrying to their little bunkroom.
Sitting on the bed, he took a few deep breaths and thought of their sex. Yes, he was the submissive in bed…somewhat.
Overcoming every natural instinct he had would be difficult, but to get the guy he was falling for, he decided he’d try. And man, he’d have to try really hard. “This is going to suck.”
He showered and dressed and when he got back to the bunkroom, Indio was there, changing. “Aren’t you showering?”
“I did. I was in the other bathroom.”
His dark hair always looked wet, it shined so, and as Sel got closer to him, he smelled the soap. “Hold me.”
Indio wrapped his arms around Sel and kissed his head. “Nervous?”
“Yeah. I’m not afraid of the feds, but what if we say something wrong? They could think you did this on purpose.”
“I did. I shot him to save you. Believe me, Dante, Eight, all the guys giving me orders were pretty straight about wanting the fucker alive.”
“I know. They wanted to make sure the money went back to Harrison’s kids. The kids he claimed, anyway. Whether Harrison was a dick to his son or not, it wasn’t their fault.”
Indio whispered, “You’ll be fine. You’re smart like that. Those feds will be scared of you before you’re done with them.”
The confidence Indio had in him made him want to do the same for Indio. If being dominant made Indio happy, Sel would do it. He’d do anything for the guy. “Thanks.”
“Let’s get going. I’d actually like to get some more sleep.”
He was actually relieved. In the short time they’d been awake, he’d been dragging. “All the excitement, I guess.”
“We gotta rest up if I’m gonna find somewhere on this crowded ranch to tie you up and fuck you until you cry like a baby.”
Sel’s jaw dropped as Indio laughed.
“You’re evil.”
“You like that about me.”
They met up with Barry Monarco before heading to Redbud where the federal agents were stationed as they sorted out their serial killer mess.
He gave them the parameters of what the questions would likely be and what each should say. “Don’t give too many details, but don’t lie. Most of these guys have training to see through lies.”
“What if they ask me about my family?” Sel asked.
“I’ll be there with you. That is beyond the scope of questioning. Your family had nothing to do with this.” Sel relaxed, but Barry confided in them. “They were called when you were in that bunker, Sel. They know that story, and they’re also liable for trouble being they never came. You all got out of there before they so much as left Salt Lake City.”
Indio asked, “They could get in trouble for that?”
“Not if they don’t agree to come in the first place. See, law enforcement agencies ask for the help of the FBI, but they can’t take all the cases, but they’d already taken this case. Sure, they didn’t know if Brooks could be classified a serial killer, being we only know of two he actively killed. But, with the kidnappings, he was a kidnapper. Just not over state lines that they know of. It’s complicated, but for our part, if they can get us in trouble, we can’t come back on them for their misconduct.”
Sel straightened his back and lost all semblance of being tired and being shaken from nearly being killed. “They have no right!”
Barry’s smile came slowly, but was triumphant. “That’s the attitude we need. Sel, you are the man Brooks tried to kill, and Indio, you’re the one defending Sel. You two were there, you saw what happened and if you stick to that, to the truth, it will kill any case they can have against us.”
“Cases against us,” Sel said. It wasn’t a question. Two times in his life, he’d been witness to the federal agents storming his home and searching for something, anything, to tie his father to crimes.
“Sel, you know.”
“I know.”
The federal agents looked like federal agents. They were in bad suits and had short haircuts, even the two women that were questioning Marius and Dallas.
Sel was taken to an interview room in the back of the sheriff station by Vic Meyers. As soon as she got him inside, she told him, “Don’t say a thing if someone comes in to question you until your attorney is here. They’re trying so hard to pin these crimes on you all instead of that psycho that did this shit.”
“Thanks, Vic, I know the drill.”
Like a mother, she gazed warmly at him. “I’m sure you do, honey. Are you okay? You’re pale as a ghost.”
“Still a little…freaked. I would have never woken.”
“I am gonna bake that biker a cake the size of his Harley. Good guy, you have.”
“I…don’t know if I have him yet.”
“Oh, honey, he’s yours. Don’t worry about that.”
She patted his hand and left the room, and he stared at the blank wall that wasn’t anything more than cinder blocks painted white. Plain white walls, and he tried to blank his mind like the walls, push everything out of it so they’d be unable to read anything on his face. He’d watched Dante and his father do it a million times, with business associates, rivals and law enforcement.
When the woman came into the room, she had a disarming smile as she set down the folder and tablet she’d been carrying, closing the door gently. “Mr. Carrillo, how are you?”
“I’m alive, so that’s a big plus.”
Her smile never widened or faltered. “Of course. Very stressful for you, I’m sure.” After she took a seat on the metal chair across the narrow table from him, she held out her hand and said, “I’m agent Amanda Bennington, Special Agent in Charge.”
The boss. They brought the big guns right to him. Typical.
She took the tablet into her hands and tipped it toward her, hiding the screen from Sel. As she started to swipe, she said, “We’re waiting for your attorney, or was I mistaken?”
“We are. I’m sorry, but I won’t say a thing without him here.”
She was a pretty lady, in her late forties, blonde hair cut severely short. Her dark brow raised at his comment, but she didn’t say anything for a moment. When she did, she said, “You’re not being charged with anything, Mr. Carrillo.”
“And I don’t plan to be.”
The tablet was set on the table, and without looking directly at it, and he wouldn’t, he saw a picture of Alex Brooks on the floor with brain matter and blood splattered on the wall behind him. He had great peripheral vision. She wanted him to look at it to see his reaction.
“Why would you be charged, Mr. Carrillo? From what I understand, you were the victim.”
Sel smiled at her and said, “I’ll answer whatever you like, once Barry Monarco comes through the door.”