* * * *

  Thirty-three minutes. Lee depressed the button on his watch and paced what few steps he could then shined his flashlight into the crevice Darren had disappeared into. “Dar?” Lee nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a faint, “Yeah,” followed by the scuff of shoes on rock.

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  “Thank God. Don’t ever make me wait like this again, my heart can’t take it.” He heard a huff of laughter then Darren’s flashlight bobbed into view. Lee pointed his down so as not to blind Darren.

  “Sorry, but…can you grab my arm and just pull me through? I can’t get any more scratched up than I already am.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” Lee stood the flashlight on end, bathing the area in light, then reached for Darren’s arm as it appeared from the crevice. “I don’t want to dislocate your shoulder or anything. How about you hold onto my arm and use me for leverage?”

  “That might just work.”

  Lee settled Darren’s hand on his forearm and widened his stance for more stability.

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  After a minute of groaning and pulling on Lee’s arm hard enough he knew he’d be bruised, Darren finally slid out of the crevice.

  “I think I left most of my skin behind,” Darren grumbled as Lee gingerly hugged him.

  “We’ll stop and get an antibiotic cream with lidocaine in it,” Lee promised as he cupped Darren’s ass. He was afraid to touch Darren’s back since he didn’t know how badly Darren had been hurt.

  “Lidocaine would be good. Lee.” Darren leant back and nudged Lee towards the light.

  “I found this.” He held out a fisted hand.

  Lee glanced at Darren, saw him nod, then opened his hand under Darren’s, palm up, and watched as a ring tumbled down into his hand. He recognised it easily since he had a similar high school ring. It was tucked away in a box now, but he’d been so proud of himself when he’d first got it.

  “Do you know whose it is?” Lee asked as he tried to read the inscription inside the band. “Can you shine your light on it?”

  “Just remember, it’s only a ring. It doesn’t prove or disprove anything by itself.”

  “I know, I’m not going to do anything stupid.” But he would keep digging if he thought the owner of this ring had hurt Stefan in any way.

  Darren sighed and shined his flashlight on Lee’s palm. “The inscription reads, ‘ To our son Johnny, love Mom and Kev’.”

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  Lee fisted his hand around the ring and tried to keep from slamming it against the cave wall. “Johnny Chapman.” One of the kids who’d taken every opportunity he could to pick on Stefan, until Darren moved to Jackson.

  “Stefan could have found the ring. We don’t know how he ended up with it.”

  “Dar, I promise you I’m not going to go in swinging, but I am going to talk to Chapman. Just talk, that’s all.” Lee stuffed the ring in the front pocket of his jeans then picked up his flashlight. “I’ll handle the light. Let’s get out of here and get you taken care of.” AFTERMATH

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  Chapter Twelve

  “Strip while I call Laine and let him know we’ll be gone over night.” Darren dropped into the plush chair covered in a soothing shade of blue fabric. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled at having to take care of the chickens an extra day.” Darren looked around the room Lee had insisted they rent for the night. The Waferton Inn was definitely a nicer place than the motel in McKinton. There were no gaudy flower prints on anything, the colours used in the room complementing one another rather than clashing. “I think we need to find out who decorated this room and sic them on the motel owner.” Lee nodded and resumed talking on the phone. Darren listened as he took his clothes and shoes off then decided to shower and give Lee some privacy. He dug through the plastic bags until he found the one with the package of boxers in it. Taking the whole pack with him, he went into the bathroom and admired the cream on tan colour scheme and the smooth marble countertop for a moment before starting the shower.

  After adjusting the temperature Darren stepped in the shower and stuck his arms out first, trying to work up the nerve to step under the showerhead. He moved forward in small increments then finally got irritated with himself for being such a wuss and stepped under the streaming water. “Ouch! Crap, that hurts!”

  “Probably wish you cussed about now. You scraped your back up good.” Darren jumped and slapped his hand against the wall. He pushed the shower curtain aside and glared at Lee. “I thought you’d be on the phone longer.” Lee shrugged and began taking his clothes off. “You were walking around naked, your dick flapping against your thigh. Made it hard to think. Then I saw your back and rushed through an explanation about finding the ring—Laine said the same thing you did, it doesn’t prove anything—and I just about hung up on him trying to hurry up and get in here.” Lee kicked off his shoes then whipped his jeans down before stepping out of them. Toeing off his socks, Lee looked at Darren. “Scoot over.”

  Darren made room for Lee to join him and was soon moaning in pleasure as his hair was washed and his scalp massaged.

  Eyes closed, Darren slicked his hands down Lee’s chest. “You have really good hands.” AFTERMATH

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  “I’m just relaxing you before the painful part.”

  “Painful part?” Darren opened his eyes looked at Lee to see if he was joking. From the grim set of Lee’s lips, Darren guessed not. “Can’t we skip that?”

  “Nope. Your back has to be washed, so go ahead and turn around.” When Darren hesitated Lee took his elbow and turned him so his back was towards Lee. Even though Lee was gentle, the soap still burned Darren’s scrapes, and by the time he was thoroughly clean he was ready to drop into bed and sleep even if it was early in the afternoon.

  “Dry off where you can then lay on the bed on your stomach,” Lee ordered with a tap to Darren’s butt. “I’ll be there in a minute to doctor your back.” A little dazed from the zing of arousal the swat to his backside had given him, Darren got out of the shower and grabbed a towel. After running the soft material over his hair and body except for his back, he hung the towel up and sprawled on the bed on his belly. He was already half asleep when Lee came out of the bathroom and startled him with a touch to Darren’s back.

  “Easy, baby, this’ll help.” Lee’s voice soothed him more than the lidocaine-laced ointment.

  Darren sank deeper into the mattress and dozed for a while before waking and reaching for Lee. The fact that Lee wasn’t beside him, and the wrongness of him not being there, had Darren rolling onto his back before he thought about it. “Holy—crap!” Darren sat up and scowled when he spotted Lee sitting in the blue chair. “Why are you over there?” Lee held up the ring. “Just thinking about things. Wondering if Johnny Chapman hurt Stefan, and if he did, if justice will ever be done.” Darren scooted to the edge of the bed then stood and walked over to Lee. He held his hand out for the ring. “Justice? Or revenge? Vengeance?”

  “Justice.” Lee looked up at him as he gave Darren the ring. “That’s all. I saw so much death and hatred in some of the places the government sent me when I was in the military. I didn’t see much justice, though, so…”

  Darren wished he could reassure Lee, tell him Johnny would reap what he sowed and all that, but Darren didn’t know that Johnny would. All Darren could do was offer Lee comfort.

  “Come to bed with me.” Darren set the ring down and held his hand out for Lee’s.

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  “I have a better idea,” Lee said, his green eyes going dark with arousal, “why don’t you fuck me until I can’t think?”

  Darren’s lungs constricted and his breath whooshed out as blood rushed to his cock. “I can do that.”

  He led Lee to the bed. “How are your knees?”

  “Sore,” Lee answered bluntly. “But this mattress is pretty soft, and I like the idea of getting on my hands and knees for you. Stuff’s in one of the bags.” Lee crawled onto the bed and peered over his shoulder. “You might want to get it so you can fuck me.” Lee’s thighs were spread wide, his balls hanging low and heavy, his cock dripping on the blanket. “Yeah, just give me a minute.” He’d get the condoms and lube in just a minute…

  * * * *

  Lee shuddered at the hungry look in Darren’s eyes. That look promised pleasure so intense Lee would burn with it. Lee bent his arms and lowered his shoulders until he rested his heads on his forearms. He felt the dip of the mattress, then his ass cheeks were parted and a puff of warm moist air wafted over his hole.

  Goose bumps pebbled his skin as soon as Darren licked him from the top of his crack to his balls. Lee fisted his hands in the blanket and arched his back in a silent plea.

  “That’s it,” Darren crooned then a sharp sting blossomed on his ass cheek when Darren bit him. “I know you like this, just like I did when you smacked my butt.” Lee didn’t know if it was the pain of the bite or the possessiveness Darren displayed by marking him, it just did it for him. He pushed into the scrape of Darren’s teeth, revelling in the pleasure-pain that zipped from his ass to his head.

  “You love it when I bite your nipples, too, so let’s see what happens when I do this—” Lee’s cheeks were pried open wider then sharp teeth nipped his pucker. “Dar, Christ, baby, I can’t think!”

  “That was the plan,” Darren said. “That, and to make you scream. Love hearing you scream when you come.”

  Lee figured he’d be screaming pretty damn soon with the way Darren was going at his hole, tonguing it with bold deep thrusts, Darren’s teeth scraping over the wrinkled furls time AFTERMATH

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  and again. Lee reached for his dick, intending to clamp his fingers around the base to stave off his orgasm for as long as he could.

  As soon as Lee’s hand started to close around his hot hard cock he felt a combination assault to his hole—teeth, tongue, lips that then sealed tight as kiss around his opening, and suction—Lee screamed, he whimpered, he went mindless as his climax tore up from his balls and seared a path through his nerve endings. He hadn’t even got in a stroke or much of a hold on his dick yet but it throbbed and sprayed ribbons of cream on his stomach and hand.

  Lee’s legs gave out and he collapsed on the bed as he panted heavily. He’d almost managed to get his breathing somewhere in the range of normal when his ankles were grabbed and tugged.

  “Can you get your legs under you? Just curl up for me—yeah, like that.” Darren traced a spot on Lee’s ass then pushed. Heat flared out from the spot, coiling around the base of Lee’s spine as he folded his knees under him. Slick fingers penetrated him, stretching his hole.

  “I don’t think you need as much of this, ”—Darren twisted his fingers deep into Lee’s ass—“since I worked this little hole over so well.” Lee tried to see Darren’s face but his position made it impossible. He wanted Darren to see his expression so his lover wouldn’t doubt he meant what he was going to say. “Dar, just fuck me already!”

  “I’m gonna, just let me find…” Those fingers wriggled and tickled Lee’s gland, warming him from the inside out. “That’s what I was looking for.” The slight pressure to his prostate was making Lee’s dick hard again, his balls tingle and tighten. He shoved back as Darren pushed his fingers in deep, stretching Lee’s ring until it burned. Lee tried to beg but the garbled sound that sprung from his lips was wordless.

  Darren tapped a finger against Lee’s gland and asked, “You’re ready, aren’t you?

  Begging for my cock?” Then his fingers were gone and the blunt head of his dick speared Lee as Darren gripped his hips and filled Lee’s ass in one fierce thrust.

  Lee rocked back into each stroke, desperate for the ecstasy he could almost taste, he was so close. When Darren reached under and palmed Lee’s dick, Lee howled and bucked, grinding his ass against Darren’s groin. Darren grunted and fucked him like a beast, pounding into him, dropping onto Lee’s back and biting his neck and shoulders as he jerked Lee’s rod.

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  Lee tried to bring his legs further under him, craving the feel of Darren splitting him deep. Darren flicked the slit of Lee’s cock then pinched it and Lee wailed, clenching his ass and thighs, his stomach going rock hard as he came. Darren bit him where neck and shoulder joined and rammed his dick in Lee’s ass one last time before shuddering and moaning as he came.

  “God, Lee,” Darren rasped, “it just keeps getting better.” Lee thought he nodded but wasn’t sure. Darren was right, every time they touched each other it was more intense, the sex more meaningful, more powerful—more everything. And Lee didn’t think that would ever change.

  * * * *

  Stefan checked the cave. The ring was gone. That was good, that was what he wanted Lee and Darren to find. He would have tried to tell them sooner, like, as soon as he realised he was dead and still here, but he hadn’t known how—and he’d been scared, because this, like he was, was better than being dead and gone. He’d fretted about the ring, but had been too chicken he’d just poof into nothingness if his murderer was caught. Stefan had seen movies like that, where a ghost had to hang around until their killer was caught and stuff.

  But…Conner was here, and his killer had been caught—or killed, and that hadn’t been a good thing for that poor detective with the scars. Conner had told Stefan about Rich Montoya being haunted by the man who’d cut him up. Stefan thought that had to be the worst thing he’d ever heard, even worse than being dead.

  Well, what should he do now? Stefan wished he could sit and talk to Darren like he used to. He missed Darren so much, more than Lee, even though Lee was his brother. Darren had been there for Stefan, until Stefan screwed up and trusted the wrong person. He’d been stupid for spending any time with Johnny, and stupider still for not telling anyone.

  Stefan curled up like Conner had shown him, making himself small even though he was nothing. The pangs of loneliness weren’t new, but they still hurt and Stefan didn’t think he’d ever get used to them.

  “You don’t have to, Stefan. You have friends here, like me.” Stefan focussed really hard and managed to make out a shimmering form. He still couldn’t focus right!

  “You’ll get there. Now scoot over and make some room for me.” AFTERMATH

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  Stefan laughed at Conner’s silly comment because they didn’t have a…a corporeal body, that’s what Conner had called it. But Stefan moved a little anyway, because Conner was here and he was Stefan’s friend which meant Stefan wasn’t alone any more.

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  Chapter Thirteen

  Johnny Chapman didn’t look any different than he did in high school, Darren decided once Johnny finally opened his front door. Well, his mother’s front door since Johnny still lived at home. Darren didn’t miss the slight widening of Johnny’s eyes or the panicked flare of his nostrils as he found Darren and Lee on his doorstep.

  “What do you want?” Johnny didn’t ask rudely, but like a timid child who wanted to know so they could do as you ask then go hide.

  “Just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes if possible,” Lee said in a deceptively friendly voice. “I guess we can come back when your mom’s home, that way we can ask her about Stefan, too.”

  Johnny’s head jerked back like he’d been slapped. The fear in his eyes showed as the pupils expanded and chased the blue until it was a thin ring around the black. “I don’t know why you think I know anything about Stefan!”

  Lee stepped up to the door and pulled Johnny’s ring from his shirt pocket. “Because Stefan had this. Now you can either let us come inside and talk or we can stand out here and let all your neighbours hear us asking you why you killed Stefan.” Johnny gasped and stumbled but threw his hand up as if to hold Lee and Darren back.

  Lee grabbed Johnny’s wrist and barrelled inside the house as he twisted Johnny around and pinned his hand up between his shoulder blades.

  Darren opened his mouth to protest the use of force but pressed his lips together when Lee looked at him. Lee’s face was a mask of calmness Darren really hoped his lover felt, at least a little. They’d agreed to confront Johnny and, if his behaviour seemed suspicious, accuse him of killing Stefan and see how he reacted. They hadn’t got any further than that with the plan, though, and Darren wasn’t sure he could handle the direction this whole inquisition might be headed in even if he did think Johnny was guilty.

  “Hold this,” Lee said, tucking the ring in the front pocket of Darren’s jeans. “Now let’s go inside and chat.”

  Darren followed Lee, who still had a whimpering Johnny in whatever kind of hold that was, into the living room. “Sit. If you get up I will nail your ass to the floor.” AFTERMATH

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  Lee wasn’t as calm as he appeared, not if he was cussing. He really had meant it when he’d said he’d cut back except for when they were having sex. Darren didn’t blame Lee for slipping now, he just hoped it wasn’t a sign his control was snapping.

  Johnny dropped to the couch when Lee let go of him. Darren hovered behind the couch, not sure where he should be sitting or standing or which of those he should be doing. Lee must have noticed his indecision because he waved Darren over to his side where Lee stood in front of Lee.