Chapter 13
Dario “Dash” Mangiacavallo
The last few days, Vincent and I had done pretty good with avoidance, whether it be one another, our thoughts, or what happened between us.
I should be grateful, but I wasn’t, it was only making things worse.
I still was incapable of cumming, leaving me lingering right on the edge of complete insanity with a side of an emotional breakdown, and our friendship was deteriorating a bit each time we looked at one another and ignored the elephant in the room.
My hands on my sides, I stood in front of the monitors, my focus on the burned carpet.
Then it shifted to the cracked pane with duct tape over it.
On repeat, my brain replayed him slamming me against the window and sucking my cock like his goddamn life depended on it.
He said I was the best he’d ever had? Well, the feeling was quite mutual, and I didn’t even get to orgasm.
I could only imagine what would happen if he took me all the way to the end.
I would, no doubt, absolutely scream that man’s name and beg him, just like he asked.
And then what? I become his little pussy? In my head, I knew that if things went that far, I would have to fuck him back, just to appease myself that I was still a man, I was still dominant. Could I, though? Could I fuck a man?
The toilet flushed and water turned on, drawing my attention toward the bathroom.
My arms crossed over my chest, one hand lifted, my thumb cracking my knuckles near my jaw.
A couple seconds after the faucet cut off, the door swung open and our eyes locked.
My heart skipped a beat, my focus lowering to him zipping his jeans.
Out of nowhere, I was slammed with the memory of sucking his dick.
The first few minutes, I had been so goddamn disgusted, I was mentally plotting his death the moment I was free.
The more he groaned and the more turned on he got, however, something shifted and I’d gotten aroused, as well.
So much, my briefs had been soaked with precum.
Had he lasted just about another minute, I probably could have orgasmed right along with him.
How the fuck was that possible? I’d given women head thousands of times over the years but had never been as turned on as I was with Vincent’s dick lodged in my throat. Even after puking, I still couldn’t make myself feel gross. He had tasted fantastic.
He cleared his throat and tugged at the seam to readjust the denim.
My eyelids thinning, my attention shot back to his face, my thumbpad rubbing against my ring finger that had been bare since the night I broke my wife’s neck.
I should resent this man for what he’d done to me since being here.
After all, I was risking my life for him and his family.
My family. They were my family, too. Even the bitch was not looking so bad these days.
Vincent had gone to jail for me. The second we realized I’d been busted, he stood up for me and took the blame.
He didn’t have to be asked or convinced, hell, I hadn’t even thought to look for an out, my brain had already been preparing for the next ten years.
If he hadn’t done that, I would still be finishing out my sentencing.
I wouldn’t have my daughter, I would be sitting in a cell for another five months.
Though I’d never wanted kids until Mary forced it on me, I worshipped my little girl and could never live without her.
Hell, I even wanted more acorns to plant an entire forest of just my legacy.
As a result of him sacrificing himself, his little sister fell prey to a sick, twisted monster who brainwashed, groomed, trapped, and then abused her for the next decade. Yet, he wasn’t bitter toward me, he had no regrets taking the fall.
Some of the resentment faded, my mouth tugging into a frown.
No one had ever done something like that for me.
Vincent was the real deal, a solid companion, a true friend.
Which made this wall between us hurt that much more.
We were about to lose Jackyl – we had already lost him – and now our bond was breaking.
He thumbed his nose and looked away, creeping closer. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I muttered.
Coming to stand beside me, he was glaring at the screens, matching my stance to rub at his beard. “Where the fuck is he?” he grumbled under his breath. “This is getting out of hand. Why hasn’t he made a move yet? This ain’t like him, man.”
I huffed and looked, as well. “I dunno. It kinda feels like he’s setting us up for a trap. Like, he wants us to think he ain’t gonna do nothing so we’ll let our guard down so he can strike.”
“Well, that ain’t happening. There’s too much to risk.”
“Is there?”
He snorted and shrugged. “Of course.”
“Like what?”
He cast a quick glimpse, paused, and then gradually turned his full attention to me, his breaths shallowing. “What are you asking?”
At the wall, I blurted, “When are you gonna stop avoiding me and talk about things?”
He gulped and shifted his weight, averting his gaze. “What things?”
“Goddammit, Vin.” I grabbed his shoulder and shoved, forcing him to look at me full on. “How many times have you said you can’t lose me, too, huh? Then why are you acting like we’re strangers?”
“Look, Dash, I—”
Without even thinking of my actions, or their consequences, I grabbed the sides of his face and slammed my mouth to his.
He grunted and startled, his arms flying to the sides.
Stunned at my own movement, my eyelids shot wide, my stare horrified as our sights locked again. What the fuck did I just do?
Growling, his hands splayed across the sides of my ribcage as he walked me backward, pinning me against that goddamn window again.
Holding my stare, his tongue flicked between my teeth and swept through my mouth.
My pulse racing, my stomach shaking, I groaned and succumbed, folding an arm around his neck to tug him closer.
Our heads bobbing, the passion built to a crescendo, my dick aching to be touched.
Instead, he grunted and shoved away, shaking his head. “Stop. Stop.”
I deflated and sagged into the wooden blinds, disappointment sinking my shoulders. My head banged into them and my eyelids closed while I gulped in deep breaths to stabilize my system.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? You wanna fuck things up worse than they are? Don’t you think I did enough damage?”
My lashes lifted just enough to glare at him down the length of my nose. “You started this.”
“And I finished it, goddammit. It’s over, Dario!” he shouted, slicing his hands through the air.
Fear trembling my insides, my voice shook when I seethed, “And if I’m not ready for that?”
He did a doubletake, the color draining from his face, his eyes bulging. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
I snorted and shrugged. “You’re right, I don’t got a clue what to think or feel right now.”
He stiffened and sneered. “Exactly. You’re still grieving Mary, you’re helping me with Jackyl, and we’re trapped in this house. Our lives are in danger, emotions are high, and Letta and Tyler are fucking like goddamn jack rabbits. There’s a lot of pandemonium going on right now.”
“So?”
He snorted bitterly and shook his head a second time. “When we leave this house and go home, everything that happened here will be done with. You only feel the way you are right now because you’re confused, because we’re trapped here, and because our minds are fucked up right now.”
“And if it’s not that?”
Yet again, he bristled, his nostrils flaring. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think we’ve established that,” I shouted back, shoving off the wall. I snatched the cigarettes and lit one, tossing everything back to the desk. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on in my head, I just know it’s fucking killing me that we ain’t solid no more.”
“So fucking is gonna make us solid again?”
Knots twisting my guts, I folded an arm over my chest and propped my elbow on top, massaging the tender spot between my eyes. I was getting a headache. This was bullshit. “I don’t know what the hell to do, Vin. You got my head all fucked up.”
“I know,” he stated softly, inching closer.
“And I ain’t never gonna forgive myself for that.
I got confused when I was suddenly attracted to you outta nowhere, and I fucked up.
I just…really need to hang on to what’s left of our friendship, Dash.
Once things are done with Jackyl, Letta and the kids are gonna take off with Tyler and start a whole new life somewhere else.
I’m losing my whole fucking family here,” he croaked, his eyes misting. “You’re all I got left.”
My breathing shallowed again, his words making me feel things I wasn’t used to. The confusion getting the better of me again, I grabbed his shirt, yanked him closer, and stole another heated kiss.
This time, he immediately shoved off and backed away. Turning maroon, he just shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re doing, man. You got no clue what you’re doing.”
Humiliated, I looked away and brought the cigarette to my mouth. Pulling a deep drag, I held the smoke in my lungs until it burned. For a moment, I searched my feelings, my inner most thoughts, and then said, “That’s true, but it don’t change what I’m feeling right now.”
When there was no answer, I peeked to the side but found the room empty.
My insides plummeting, I gawked, the shame and disappointment riddling my body with pressure.
Stomping to the opened door, I rushed to the railing and peered down just in time to see him disappearing beneath into the living room. A moment later, the back door slammed.
Rejected, I cursed and returned to my room, watching the cameras. It took a minute, but I eventually spotted him rushing down the trail, catching up to Violetta and the kids near the cave.