Collateral - 3. Chapter 3

The day went by with Klaus seeing about his work, and Jake just observing from the corner he had been placed. Well, it was not exactly a corner, but it definitely felt like it. On the other hand, he was free to stare at the man, and that made up for everything.

He had to admit he was pretty impressed. He heard Klaus talking on the phone in a language that he was almost certain it was French. The man seemed capable of switching between foreign languages without a problem, as he was talking to his business partners. Still, he wasn’t letting go of his accent, and he did not seem to make an effort to hide it. What Jake could tell was that each and every word was pronounced as correctly as possible. The man had no intention to come across as a phony.

Long conversations had taken most of the day, but Jake didn’t feel particularly bored. His mind had a way of flying on its own; Diaz used to say he was daydreaming too much. Only his brother had noticed such weaknesses in him. To the outside world, he had always tried to look tougher than he was, something much encouraged by Diaz.

His daydreams were hovering, however, on forbidden territory, as he could distinctly remember the kiss from earlier, as well as the last night encounter that had him growing instantly hot. The moment he was starting to picture the entire scene and replay it in his mind over and over again, it felt like he was sliding down a toboggan, not one for kids, but for grown-ups, at the end of which lay a dark hot pool of secrets.

However, there was nothing else to do, and his mind was simply taking over any determination he might have had to resist. The man moving and talking in front of him was the root of his delight and misery. He was the same man who had kissed him, jerked him off, and rocked his world in the short span of less than 24 hours.

“Are you ready to go home?” Klaus eventually asked him with a smile.

“Am I free to go?” Jake woke up from his stupor. He had to admit he felt a bit disappointed. Maybe Klaus had just changed his mind.

“I deeply apologize. What I meant was: are you ready to go home with me?”

Klaus’s home. The place where he was going to stay so he could help Diaz and the rest of the guys if what Klaus had said was true. The place where he was supposed to learn about how to run a business, although he had a distinct impression that he was going to learn something totally different. And that was making his stomach flutter with dread and excitement.

“What if I just say ‘no’?” he felt the need to at least show some opposition to the idea of being dragged around like a mindless doll.

“And risk disappointing your brother?” the blond quirked an eyebrow.

“He’ll get over it,” Jake shrugged, although he knew that wasn’t true. His brother was going to go ballistic if he dared even mentioning he had no intention to help the gang.

“Stop being a kid. What do you think? That I’m going to drag you to my cave and devour you?” Klaus came closer and crouched so he could be on the same level with Jake who was standing on a chair.

That was exactly how adults addressed children as if they were making a big, but endearing effort to be on the same level with a kid. He stood up, a bit briskly, almost knocking Klaus over in the process.

“No, I stopped believing in fairy tales when I was nine,” he said with a morose look on his face.

“What happened when you were nine?” Klaus questioned.

A brief sensation of deep hurt punctured his heart. He pushed it away.

“None of your fucking business. Let’s go. I hope you have food,” he added.

“Don’t worry about that. Since I have every intention to devour you, maybe you could use some fattening up,” Klaus joked, making him stop and stare at the other.

“I thought that was just sarcasm.”

“Maybe just half … sarcasm,” Klaus grabbed his arm firmly and guided him out of the room.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jake mumbled, trying the shake off the man’s hand. Klaus didn’t seem to be bothered by his lame attempts, though.

“It means that the word ‘devour’ can be used as a euphemism for something else. And don’t ask something stupid like ‘what else’ because I am not in the mood to hear you insulting your own intelligence.”

“Intelligence?” Jake snorted. “If you really plan on teaching me stuff, you’re going to have a bad day. I’m dumb as a brick.”

He had no idea why he was saying things like that. It just seemed imperious to him to just contradict the man in everything he was saying.

“I rarely misjudge people. But I have to admit that since I have known you for so little time, you are like a book to me.”

“An open book, you mean to say,” Jake entered the elevator with the man in tow.

“A book I am planning to open and read very, very thoroughly,” Klaus whispered in his ear, making his hair stand on end.

The elevator doors opened too soon, for Jake to linger too long into thinking how terribly annoying was to have the man invading his personal space like that.

He knew Klaus’s limo, and the chauffeur who was waiting like a statue, with the door opened.

“We’re going straight at home, Thompson,” Klaus said after greeting the man. “After that, you are free.”

“Thank you, sir,” the man said laconically, and Jake wondered if Thompson was happy to go home and not have to stick around and put up with the blond and his whims. The chauffeur showed no emotion, so that was hard to say.

Was Thompson even guessing what had happened the other night? Jake felt sick to his stomach. Inside the car, he huddled himself in a corner to look outside the window, as the limo began to move.

Klaus seemed keen on leaving him alone for the time being. When Jake turned to stare a little at the man, he was surprised to see him with his eyes closed, his head resting on the comfortable headrest, with an expression of unexpected vulnerability on his face. Jake thought he had to be angry at the man.

But, at that very moment, he only wondered how it would feel to press his mouth against the man’s soft lips and see if there was any magic there, something in the simple connection of skin on skin that could not be explained by laws of men or gods. It had definitely felt like that, a thing beyond any comprehension at the time it happened. Jake could still feel the man’s taste in his mouth, and he began to wonder how it would be to explore and taste Klaus everywhere.

“If you are just going to stare, why don’t you come closer?” Klaus spoke huskily, without opening his eyes and Jake turned back to his window with a huff, making the other laugh softly.

“Don’t feel neglected, Jake. I need just a bit of time off to cleanse my head of all the problems at work.”

“I didn’t feel neglected,” Jake mumbled. “And what problems? You handled everything today with no sign of worry or anything.”

“There is no such thing as work without trouble. You will learn, Jake. I will teach you,” Klaus offered and placed a warm hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

“Is that … your house?” Jake felt his jaw-dropping with the speed of light, as the limo took a turn to enter the driveway to what looked pretty much like a mansion.

“My home is my castle,” Klaus said and Jake snorted.

“In your case, the right order of words is ‘This castle is my home’ or something like that.”

“You’re overreacting. This is not by far a castle. I’ll show you real castles.”

“When?” Jake asked, feeling, for some reason, like a little kid promised a trip to Disneyland.

“When we’ll travel to France, of course,” Klaus said casually.

“France? Like in Europe?” Jake asked in disbelief.

“That is where France was, last time I checked,” Klaus, answered with a smile.

“Why would you take a piece of trash like me there?”

“On vacation,” Klaus explained, as the car was slowly stopping. “And I really have to wash that dirty mouth of yours. I think I’ll have you swallow an entire bar of soap.”

“Make me,” Jake challenged, earning a meaningful look from the blond.

“Don’t think I won’t. Although I have a mind to make you … swallow other things,” Klaus winked at him.

Damn the man! He always had to have the last word, Jake thought with growing annoyance, as the door opened and Klaus got out, moving with the same grace as always.

Behind him, Jake hurried to get out quickly, too. He looked at the man holding the door, trying to gauge some reaction. Thompson looked calmly straight ahead, without even gracing Jake with a glance. It hit Jake like a ton of bricks how out of place he had to look, walking side by side with Klaus. The chauffeur obviously knew it and he was probably thinking that it was just one of his boss’s whims to take a poor guy like Jake from the street, and flaunt his palace in his face, just to make him feel pathetic and useless.

He wanted to hate the man. He truly did. But, as Klaus moved in front of him, the only thing he found himself capable of doing was to stare at the man’s back and admire his impeccable figure.

An old lady who seemed to be head of the staff greeted them. Jake didn’t dare to look around too much and ended up just staring at his sneakers.

Cool fingers tilted his chin up. “No need to look down all the time. The house won’t break if you take a look around.” After that, Klaus just turned towards the old woman. “Agnes, this is Jake, our new guest. Make sure to prepare the room on the second floor next to mine.”

The woman nodded and disappeared without a word.

“I’ll try to break free, you know,” Jake murmured.

“What?” Klaus pretended to have a sudden loss of hearing.

“I will try to escape,” Jake said more energetically this time.

“Oh,” was the man’s only reply, as he started to climb the majestic stairs leading to the upper floor.

Jake stood stubbornly exactly where he was.

“Are you not coming?” Klaus threw over his shoulders. “Or do you plan to escape this very moment?”

Somehow, the idea seemed ludicrous, so Jake decided to move his legs and climb the stairs to follow Klaus.

They reached the second floor in silence, and Jake began to feel more and more apprehensive. The man stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. He then gestured for Jake to go inside.

Despite his better judgment and all his senses screaming at him that it was not a good idea to step into the guy’s lair on his own accord, he entered the room.

He stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the master bed in the middle of the room. He expected something more clinical from a bedroom belonging to a man like Klaus. Everything was sparkling clean, but the tones of golden, beige and brown, made the room feel warm and comfortable.

“Do you want to try the bed?” Klaus joked and Jake shifted from one foot to another.

Suddenly an idea hit him. “This is what you do with everybody?”

“What do you mean by everybody?”

“You know, the other people you are asking for as collateral, how you asked me from my brother.”

“Collateral does not have to be a person. There are many other things people hold dear, besides relatives. In your case, it only seemed appropriate.”

“Appropriate? How can it be appropriate to ask for another human being to become your slave or something?”

A rough hand grabbed his chin and made him turn his head a bit too harshly.

“Where do you get such ideas? How are you a slave here?”

“I have no freedom. I will have to do what you ask. How would you name that?”

Klaus let him be and walked towards the bed, plopping himself on the comfortable pillows with a sigh.

“First of all, if you are unhappy with our arrangement, you are free to go. Of course, that will make things difficult with your brother, but that is none of my business. Secondly, you will do whatever you want to do. I will do my part to try convincing you, but I can assure you, there will be nothing forced upon you.”

“You …” Jake felt the need to revolt, to protest. “You … forced me last night.”

“Is that so? Please do entertain me with an explanation.”

“You made me undress for you. You touched my dick,” Jake said miffed.

“Yes, alright, and …? Let me guess. You hated it,” Klaus stared at him, with mockery in his beautiful blue eyes.

“Yes, I did,” Jake lied, and began biting on his bottom lip.

“And, with all the hatred and disgust you felt,” Klaus straightened up a little and angled his head, “you came all over your chest and my hand. Should I remind you that you’re pretty strong yourself? You weren’t chained and anything remotely similar. I only had my hand on your cock.”

Jake began to feel restless.

“Didn’t it feel good?” Klaus pressed, and his voice began to coil around Jake’s mind like a graceful snake.

“N-no,” Jake mustered the courage to deny.

“Alright,” Klaus shrugged. “I’ll go take a shower,” he said all of a sudden. “You can relax here, while Agnes prepares your room.”

With that, Klaus began to undress with efficient moves, placing his suit on a hanger and putting it back into a large closet. He let the shirt on the back of a chair, and then the white t-shirt he wore underneath. Jake stared at the man’s naked back, watching the graceful muscles dancing under the skin. A sudden urge to just go there and embrace Klaus from behind, placing his lips between the man’s shoulder blades, invaded his mind. This time, the blond seemed oblivious to the inquisitive looks he was getting from his guest. He took out his underwear and let it on the chair, after folding it with the same care.

Everything about the man screamed efficiency and Jake felt his breath hitching in his chest as he drank in the sight. The man was perfect in every way, his ass an absolute marvel, inviting Jake to touch and feel and part the round mounds, to sneak a peek at the secret hiding they were guarding. He had never had the chance to stare so openly at another naked male in flesh and blood, and it didn’t help at all that Klaus was perfection in every way.

The man turned, allowing him to see the front, too. Jake licked his lips unconsciously. The man was well endowed, his pubic hair the same color as the one growing on his head. Otherwise, the blond seemed perfectly shaved; Jake’s eyes traveled on the man’s chest. He wondered how it would be to place his palms over those perfect pecs. He could only imagine how it would feel to map all the ridges of that ripped abdomen, only to sink his hands into the guy’s pubic hair and pull at it.

Even flaccid, the man’s cock looked quite impressive. At least, by Jake’s standards, as he was confident he was average, and even that was a bit of a stretch. The sleepy organ rested on a nice pair of balls. Klaus grabbed his own cock and flaunted it a bit.

“What do you say, Jake? Aren’t you willing to try? Since you’re looking so intently, why not act on your desire and come closer?”

There was no mockery in the man’s voice as he spoke.

“I wasn’t looking … like you said,” he averted his eyes.

Klaus moved gracefully and stopped by the bed. He leaned a little to hover over Jake. He took one of the brunet’s hands and placed it quickly on his own sex. Jake’s fingers curled around the meaty shaft for a split second. Then he withdrew as if he had been burned.

“It is not like you are thinking,” Jake pleaded.

The offensive hand sank between his legs, squeezing him roughly. Jake yelped. He was so hard he was confident he could explode from a simple touch, let alone a bit of squeezing.

“You’re so hard, you could drive a nail through a wall with this,” Klaus joked. “It is amazing how much denial you have in you. However, I am an understanding man. Within limits, of course.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jake mumbled, his eyes half closed, enjoying the hand moving against his cock through his jeans.

“That I will make you mine, regardless of what you are saying. That I will not deny you the pleasure you are so badly seeking, just because you are too stubborn to admit it.”

“If you’re gay, don’t you have like a lover or something to get your rocks off?” Jake inquired, unconsciously parting his legs, to allow the man’s touch.

“A lover?” Klaus chuckled.

The offensive hand stopped.

“Are you fishing for info, Jake? Do you want to know if I’m taken?”

“No! I am just asking so you could leave me alone!” Jake protested.

“As you wish,” Klaus straightened up and walked away. “As for your question, since you are being dishonest about the motivation behind it, I will not deem it worthy of an answer. Now, I will enjoy my shower. In case you change your mind, the door is not locked. Join me if you please. I promise I will wash your back,” he added with a wink, as he disappeared through the bathroom door.

Jake remained alone. Damn, he felt frustrated. After all, what was the harm if he played along? He shook his head. What was he thinking? With his secret out in the open, his brother would have his balls. Or his head. Or both. No, if he was going to give in to his urges, he had to be somewhere else. Somewhere very far away, where Diaz and the others would not be known by anyone.

On the other hand, he was too damn horny. Klaus’s touch was enough to drive him crazy. He wished for the man to finish what he had started. But, that was not possible. Jake could not give in to that invitation, even if it meant the end of his torment. He could not trust a stranger on such a delicate subject.

He took out his cock. He could hear the water running. There was no harm in taking care of things when there was no one watching. He closed his eyes and imagined Klaus’s beautiful eyes staring into his, while rough, skilled hands were pumping his cock.

An idea came to him, as desire took over. He rose from the bed and grabbed the t-shirt Klaus had been wearing until earlier. He hoped for a more overpowering smell, but apparently, the man didn’t even sweat like a normal human being. Only a fading whiff could be felt that he could identify as the man’s personal smell, besides the hint of expensive perfume. He inhaled deeply and came with a small grunt.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Klaus standing there, a bathroom robe hiding his naked form this time. He looked amused. Jake realized in shock that he could no longer hear the water running. What the hell had he been thinking?

“I will not have you masturbate on my expense,” Klaus warned. “This time, I will let it slide, but soon, I’ll have a little small device brought over. Something you will probably find … interesting.”

Jake could only wonder what that would be.

“That being said, you can now go to your room. By now, Agnes must have finished. It’s the next door on the left. By tonight, I will see to restraining you against such offending acts,” Klaus added with a playful smirk.

Totally defeated, Jake turned on his heels and left the room. He really had to catch some sleep; the day had proved much too eventful for his frail nerves.