Sebastian Sanspere - 15. Endgame

Fee was already working when Rex finally dragged himself from bed and prepared breakfast. Ten minutes later he heard laughter from his son and the other two, and his chest filled with a feeling of such gratitude and happiness he wondered if a heart attack was imminent. Despite his success as a librarian-teacher, love for his ridiculously intelligent spouse, and their pleasant home and easy life, there had always lurked an emptiness he’d been unable to rationalise. That vacancy had been well and truly filled by Sebastian. But that wasn’t all. Con, Reginald and Rodney had also insinuated their alien and wonderful world into his dry and academic life. He felt re-born, revitalised, impatient for every new revelation, every new sensation, and couldn’t help wondering what had happened in the king-size bed the previous night.

As it turned out, nothing happened except talk and sleep. They reviewed everything that had happened that day—recalling and reliving, discussing and questioning events so extraordinary they already seemed like an impossible dream. Then Sebastian turned his head to the right and kissed Con before turning onto his left side, wrapping Reginald in his arms, kissing him and following the others into the dreamless sleep of those who fear nothing; not regaining consciousness till they heard Rex preparing breakfast.

They raced out to the pool for a morning swim to clear the dregs of sleep.

Breakfast was served beside the pool.

Fee arrived with sparkling eyes, a huge grin and perfect teeth so white they blinded. ‘I can do it, thanks to Desolé’s computer,’ she announced proudly. ‘It’s a little beauty and she’s kept a record of all passwords and details of every transaction made over the last decade. I didn’t want to use my computers because of the chance of having stuff traced back to me, but fortunately, Desolé’s has loads of storage and is very fast. It was easy to trace and hack into Farzdbuk’s accounts and I’ve already cleared the three largest, their funds are now on a computer located in the Caribbean. After breakfast they’re off to Spain, and then to a server in Honduras. I have to check on some dodgy credit card transactions for a bank this morning, so I’ll go in to the city, but when that’s settled I’ll get working on the real estate. Will you guys be Okay without me?’

Sebastian raced around and gave his stepmother a kiss on both cheeks. You’re a wonder woman, Fee, consider me your slave for the foreseeable future.’

‘Sweetheart, I have since the minute we met. I’m just waiting till the next slave market in Port Douglas to make a tidy profit.’

Sebastian and Reginald cycled away; Reginald responding to a call from his father, and Sebastian to see Rodney to thank him properly. After waving goodbye to Reginald he decided to go first to his old house for a preliminary sort out of everything he wanted to keep.

Con and Rex had a swim then lay in the sun beside the pool.

‘I’m impossibly grateful to you for saving Sebastian,’ Rex said, failing to keep the emotion from his voice. ‘I don’t know how to thank you. What’s remarkable is that we’ve been teaching in the same school for three years, yet I’ve spoken to you only a few times and never realised what a fine man you are.’

‘Thought I was just a muscle-bound jerk who thinks wrestling and violence are essential elements in a young lad’s education?’

‘Well, everyone knows all mathematicians are mad. And you thought I was just another dried up, boring, wimpish School Librarian and English teacher.’

‘Something like that. Certainly not the adventurous type—until you dropped your tweeds and swam starkers with Sebastian at the school pool. That made me sit up.’

‘I’ve always been a little nervous of you. You looked a bit wild. Instead, you’re one of the most sensitive, brave, caring people I’m ever likely to meet.’

‘You forgot intelligent.’

‘Yeah, that too. Beau, fort, intelligent et grand, as the French say.’

‘And you’re a cute exhibitionist with a great body. You’re also brave, caring and all the other sensitive new-age-guy things. Luckily, your wimpish nature allowed you to be raped, and so a wonderful child was born. So you’re good for something.’

‘Have you and Sebastian had sex?’

‘Ask him!’ Con sounded curt. ‘What I will tell you is that any happiness I have in the future will be thanks to him. It was his insistence on wrestling naked that opened my eyes to the joy of nudity. It was his interest in me, and his intelligent curiosity that made me question my sexual orientation and prevented my embarking on a disastrous marriage. And it was Sebastian who introduced me to Guapo, with whom I hope to share my life.’

‘I didn’t realise. I apologise for asking. It’s just that he seems to be both in awe and in love with you and I don’t know how to react. I know nothing about being gay.’

‘There’s nothing to know.’

‘But... what do gays want? Need?’

‘Oh… you mean the gay agenda. That’s easy. Gays want to have loving parents, an education, a job they enjoy, a pleasant place to live, a boyfriend or two, sex and, most of all perhaps, they hope to find someone to mutually love and cherish in a permanent relationship; all without being vilified, bullied, abused and terrorised.’

Rex was silent for a minute. ‘I’m incredibly stupid, aren’t I?’

‘No, it’s the first time you’ve been confronted with the problem.’

‘It isn’t really. When I asked Fee what Indigenous people want, she said almost exactly the same things. My grandfather was a Kanaka, kidnapped to work on the cane fields, and he said the same thing. Those of us with a permanent tan know only too well what a bigoted, racist country this is, but we forget all the others who are equally badly treated. I know Australia isn’t much worse than other countries in its intolerance, but we always hope it will be better. Perhaps that’s impossible. Humans have to have underdogs to kick so they’ll feel better.’

‘Yep. At the moment it’s kick anyone who looks like an Arab. I’ve had my share of being told to fuck off back to the desert. That’s probably why I’m such a belligerent prick always ready for a fight.’ Con stretched. ‘I seem to have stuffed up my back, lying too long in one position last night so I wouldn’t roll over on the kids and they’d think I was going to rape them.’

‘Want a massage?’

‘Definitely, if you’re up to it.’

Rex fetched a bottle of liniment he used on his legs after jogging, and gently kneaded Con’s spine before beginning a general massage starting from the shoulders and arriving at the firm buttocks. Bravely he pressed and kneaded, spreading the cheeks and pressing them together again. The sensation was erotic and he got an erection. Embarrassed, he stopped.

‘Well, that’s the limit of my expertise.’

Con rolled over, exposing an erection as hard as his masseur’s. ‘That was wonderful. Thanks. I feel a million dollars.’

Rex stared at Con’s hard-on. ‘I can’t believe I kissed that thing last evening.’

‘Why not? It was fun.’

‘Yes, it was. Fee’s always telling me I should be less up tight about sex; treat it as fun. But it seems a bit strange that I’ve kissed a penis, but never kissed a man on the lips. What’s it like?’

‘Try it and see.’

Rex leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly against Con’s. It felt rather pleasant, a dry and sensuous brushing of lips that reinforced his erection. He sat back up.

‘Different from a woman. Your lips are hard and dry. I like that. But I don’t like the beard bristles.’

‘That’s what I like. I never admitted it to myself before, but I used to get bored sick kissing women. Now I can’t get enough of kissing beautiful men.’

‘Does that include me?’

‘Of course. And you kiss very nicely. What’s good about having sex with men is you can always tell how well you’re doing by the size of the erection you arouse. With women you’ve no idea.’

Rex laughed, gave Con’s cock a friendly tug and was about to stand when he was grabbed round the waist, dragged down to lie on top of a bristly chest, and kissed with all the passion Con could muster. Rex struggled briefly, then found himself relaxing. Con stroked his back and buttocks and pressed their bodies together, pleasantly surprised when Rex’s tongue fluttered into his mouth, followed by a shuddering, rapid thrusting, and a great groan of release as Rex ejaculated onto his belly.

When Rex’s heart stopped pounding he heaved himself off, sat on the grass and looked at Con.

‘Should I feel embarrassed?’

‘Do you?’

‘No, I feel great.’

‘That’s exactly how you should feel.’

‘And what about your own...?’

‘Keep watching and you’ll discover.’

‘You don’t mind?’

‘Au contraire. It’s much more fun with someone watching.’

Rex grinned sheepishly. ‘Yeah. I knew you and Sebastian were watching Fee and me screw yesterday, but pretended I didn’t because it made it more exciting.’

‘Most men are like that. It accounts for gang rapes. Watching or being watched while fucking is the ultimate turn on for guys—straight and gay.’

‘So I’m normal?’

‘Perfectly.’

Sebastian was nervous as he approached the house. What if Farzdbuk had ordered his goons to watch the place and grab him? They were still on the loose with as much to lose as their master. He stared at the house for several minutes from the shelter of a hedge, panic rising in his chest and throat until he could bear it no longer and cycled away, tailbone tickling as if the bats of hell were overtaking him. He arrived at Rodney's apartment gasping for breath, hammered on the door and didn’t relax until it was locked behind him.

‘Panic attack?’ Rodney asked kindly.

‘How did you know?’

‘I used to get them a lot when I ran away from home. It was bloody dangerous alone on the streets of Brisbane. Knowing what I know now I’d never do it again. And after what you went through yesterday I’m surprised you’re not a cot case. You’re tough.’

‘Thanks. And so are you. I didn’t thank you properly yesterday for coming to our rescue. Con said that without you to immobilise the other nurse they might have been overwhelmed.’

Rodney smiled. ‘Thanks, but I doubt it. Reginald was like an avenging angel. He and Con could have taken out the entire hospital alone. They’re awesome. Its a pity Con has a boyfriend, I could really go for him.’

‘Yeah. He’s something else.’

‘Where’s Reginald?’

‘Visiting his father.’

‘Are you still Okay to perform tomorrow night?’

‘Sure, but I’m not interested in stripping. I never wear clothes so can’t feel sexy by slowly taking them off. I’ll just do a dance/gymnastics thing, if that’s Okay?’

‘It will be, the older guys at the ‘Hole in One’ are always a good audience, but you can show me if you like.’

‘Don’t laugh.’

‘As if.’

In Rodney’s practice room Sebastian stood entranced between the enormous mirrors. ‘Fuck! It’s a turn on to see yourself like this! Is this how you get your acts so perfect?’

‘Thanks. I aim to please. Okay, strut your stuff.’

Conquering an unusual initial shyness, Sebastian’s moves became more fluid and when he completed the sequences he’d been practising in his head ever since he’d agreed to perform, Rodney was entranced.

‘Sebastian, that will floor them. I’m going on first because to appear after that would be disastrous. What do you say to putting on a double act some time?’

‘Are you serious?’

‘Sure am. If Reginald agrees.’

‘Oh, he’ll agree. He’s not jealous. He knows I love only him. He understands that for me sex with others is just fun and only serious if it’s with him. He also trusts me to practice safe sex.’

Reginald arrived back only seconds before Sebastian puffed up the hill. They raced inside, dived into the pool, then swapped news over a healthy lunch prepared by Rex and Con, neither of whom seemed able to stop smiling.

Everyone wanted to come and watch him perform the following night at the ‘Hole in One’, but he made them promise not to because he’d feel stupid if it was a flop. Only Reginald was allowed. Rex was astonished and slightly angry that Sebastian had even considered going inside his old home without back up.

Con offered to take him and Reginald there to sort out his gear that afternoon.

Mr. Blackthorn had wanted to buy Reginald a car, but he declined as he preferred to keep fit on his bike and could only see problems with parking and maintenance, but he’d agreed to assist at his father’s office the following week to replace a secretary who was sick.

Fee had sorted the problem with the bank and was ready to deal with Farzdbuk’s property. All land and property transfers, being electronic, can be done over the internet, however she needed Rex to make a few telephone calls and go to the Land Transfer Office. As a more or less white male he would have no problem, whereas a black woman would have them calling the cops to check her identity and police record. ‘But at least I'm not subjected to ‘virginity checks’ by male vigilantes like the women in Aceh and other parts of Indonesia,’ she said with a shake of the head.

Con’s phone rang. He checked it, let loose a shout of delight, raced out to the pool and spoke excitedly before switching off and running back with an enormous grin. ‘Guapo’s at the airport now! I’m going to pick him up.’

‘He raced for his car.

‘Con! Clothes,’ Rex called, tossing him a pair of shorts.

‘And bring him here for a meal tonight,’ Fee said firmly. You are now officially part of this family, so we want to meet Guapo and make him welcome too.’

Impulsively Con embraced her. ‘Thanks, Fee. That’s the nicest thing you could have said. My parents couldn’t wait to get rid of me.’ He laughed self-consciously. ‘But we might not stay long.’

‘We don’t expect you too. You’ve a lot a lovin’ to make up.’

‘Sorry, Sebastian. We’ll have to put off the visit to your place till tomorrow.’ He dragged the shorts on as he ran, leaped into his car and sped off.’

‘Well, Seb, it looks as if it’s just you and me.’

‘No worries, you’re a lethal bodyguard.’

Rex shook his head. ‘Shouldn’t you wait till Con or I can go with you?’

‘There’s probably no one there. But if there is Reggie’s a karate king and I can hold them while he kicks the shit out of them. Stop worrying.’

‘I can’t when it’s you. Just take care!’ Rex said nervously.

All seemed quiet at the house. Sebastian let Rex’s Wagon drift silently down into the garage, Reginald closed the door softly and they crept up the stairs to stand silently in the foyer. The place seemed empty, so they dropped their shorts and sandals and padded through to the lounge. Sebastian held up his hand and pointed. A man was sitting on the edge of the pool, back to them, feet in the water. Heavy set. Massive shoulders. Shaven head. T-shirt and shorts.

‘Get us another stubby, Chris?’

The voice came from the right, so there were two!

‘Get it yourself!’

Like a shadow, Reginald crossed to the kitchen. Sebastian followed and crouched behind the refrigerator, while Reginald concealed himself behind the door. The wait was nerve wracking. Perhaps the guys had their beers in an esky out on the terrace and weren’t coming inside? After what seemed an age they heard the sound of a deck chair sliding on the pavers and someone grumbling as he crossed to the kitchen.

A sharp chop with the side of the hand to the base of his skull and Reginald’s first victim crumpled, to be caught and lowered softly to the floor by Sebastian. Reginald grabbed a tea towel to jamb into his mouth and another to tie it in place. The man was a giant and began to stir. With a bunched fist Sebastian slammed his knuckles into the fellow’s temple. His eyes opened, the eyeballs disappeared and he fell back, slamming his head on the floor.

Plastic bin liners twisted tightly, made excellent ties and by the time Chris called out asking what was keeping him, he was lying on his side with his hands behind his back, legs bent, feet lashed together and tied to a collar round his neck. They rolled him behind the bench out of sight of the doorway and waited.

Not so easy this time. The fellow was wary. He feinted an entry, stepping back in time to avoid Reginald ’ s blow, grabbing his arm and attempting to tear it off. Fortunately he hadn’t reckoned on Sebastian slamming into him from behind. He lurched forward, twisted in an attempt to avoid the granite bench top, but slammed his head nonetheless. Reginald winced in sympathy as the fellow dropped audibly onto the tiled floor, blood seeping from a gash in his forehead. Several more bin bags and two tea towels later he too was secure.

Reginald was grinning; Sebastian trembling with excitement. They stared at each other’s groins in delighted astonishment.

‘Fuck! What a turn on!’

‘Yep, violence is the best aphrodisiac. Roman matrons used to wait in the dressing rooms for sweat and blood-soaked gladiators to return and fuck them silly.’ Sebastian grabbed Reginald’s hand and dragged him to the bedroom, threw himself onto the bed and pulled his lover on top. Mere seconds of writhing intimacy were enough to achieve noisy orgasms. They disentangled and lay on their sides staring into each other’s eyes, fingers exploring in utter contentment.

‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

‘You’re so sexy!’

‘Look at you! A grand edifice again already!’

Sebastian gazed down affectionately at his erection. ‘It does that when I’m with you, and I’ve no idea what to do about it.’

‘Your suffering is about to end; I’ve discovered the cure.’ Reginald hoisted himself off the bed, went to a shelf where he’d seen a pump dispenser of skin lotion, massaged a wad onto Sebastian’s erection, straddled his chest, worked another load of lotion up his arse, then slowly lowered himself, stopping every centimetre, vainly attempting to hide the spasms of pain.

‘Does it hurt?’

‘Not in the slightest! Pain is all in the mind.’

‘Ha! There was a young queer-boy from Deal, who said, ‘Although pain isn’t real, when I sit on Seb’s prick, and it swells up real thick, I dislike what I fancy I feel.’

‘Oh very smart.’

‘I thought so. But you great lug, you don’t have to. I love you anyway.’

‘But I want to!’

‘Why?’

‘Modern thinking has it that the fuckee is the one with the power. He’s in control. He has the other man’s most precious possession inside him at his mercy. He controls the whole operation. I’m a control freak, Seb, I thought you realised. Soon I’ll have you begging for it, willing to do anything to gain entry to my tunnel of love.’ With a grunt of relief the remaining centimetres disappeared and he sank onto Sebastian’s pelvis.

‘Fuck! This is murder! But they say it gets easier. Anyway, young feller, I now have your entire shaft at my mercy. Are you ready for the thrill of a lifetime?’ Without waiting for a response from his giggling boyfriend Reginald contracted his sphincter with all the force he could manage.

Sebastian bucked. ‘Fuck! What’d you do? What've you got up there? A vice grip?’

‘You see? Now do you understand who’s the boss?’

‘Yes, oh Lord and master.’

‘Are you ready for phase two?’

‘Yes, Master.’

‘Then stop giggling! I have to concentrate. And do you think you could soften up a bit? I reckon you’re deliberately swelling larger than ever just to test my resolve.’

Reginald tightened his sphincter again and Sebastian crowed with delight.

‘That’s so fantastic! Do it again! I could come just lying here while you do that.’

Reginald gazed down in adoration. ‘You are so beautiful.’

‘And you are so manly and handsome. Kiss me!’

Reginald leaned forward and the kiss was deep.

‘Now for the ride of our lives!’ and Reginald was away galloping gently while Sebastian stroked his chest, abs and thighs before tenderly manipulating his lover’s erection.

‘I’m coming!’

‘Me too!’

They lay side by side in the greatest contentment either had ever known.

‘I had no idea it would be like this.’

‘Neither did I,’ Reginald blurted, leaping from the bed and racing to the bathroom.

Sebastian nearly choked on laughter as gargantuan farts trumpeted into the toilet bowl.

‘Ah!’ Reginald wailed. It’s all gone! And I wanted to have your baby.’

‘Never mind, we’ll try again later.’

When they finally roused themselves it was later than they’d realised so they raced around collecting all Sebastian’s clothes; a dozen pairs of shorts, three leather thong sandals, his laptop computer, I-pod, and stack of CDs and DVDs. By the time his school texts and a substantial library of real books were placed in the Holden alongside everything else he wanted to keep, the vehicle was almost full.

‘What'll we do with the lads in the kitchen?’

‘Leave them to rot.’

‘Good idea, but we’d better check.’

It was fortunate they did; plastic is easy to shred and the prisoners would have been free in an hour. Finding no rope or even string in the house, they ripped the electric leads off the TV, video, toaster and every other appliance they could find to supplement the plastic bags.

‘I need a piss,’ one groaned

‘Not in here you don’t!’ They rolled the two trespassers across the lounge out to the garden.

‘There you are guys, piss all you like and when the sprinklers come on you’ll be washed clean. Lick your lips if you’re thirsty. Oops, you can’t with those nasty gags. Lean over the pool and suck, but don’t fall in.’

‘We packed our clothes with everything else.’

‘Too bad, I’m not going to root around under all that junk to find them.’

If there was anyone around to see a naked young man get out and close the garage doors, they didn’t make themselves known. Nor did passing joggers seem perturbed when two nude youths made numerous trips from their car to Rex’s house to unload all the gear.

Rex and Fee were too relieved to care what the neighbours might think. They hadn’t phoned, not wanting their new son to feel checked up on. By the time the gear had been stacked in the back of the garage, Con and Guapo arrived and they all splashed in the pool till Fee brought out the meal, which they ate on their laps around the pool.

All evidence of the stress Guapo had been under had dissipated. He looked calm, relaxed and very handsome, smiling in delight while Con fussed around like a clucky hen.

After congratulating them for subduing the intruders, Con suggested they dump them at the hospital later that night.

And then it was Fee’s turn to tell. She and Rex had worked hard all day and were justifiably pleased with themselves. It was Rex who realised it would take far too long to sell Farzdbuk’s properties. Instead, Fee had hacked into three Big-Bank computers and arranged first mortgages. The cash had already been transferred to an off shore account, and the first lot moved on. Their part in the retribution of Farzdbuk and his henchmen was complete.

‘So… how did you do it and what exactly does it mean?’ Sebastian asked.

‘Normally, you have to apply to the mortgage and property assessments manager, then the place is inspected and valued professionally, papers filled in etc. Once it’s all signed off and approved, everything is entered into the central computer with approval numbers and other details. I simply by-passed the first steps and inserted fake completed files in the computers, so it thinks everything has been done properly. From here on everything’s automated, no human has a hand in it, so in a month’s time Farzdbuk will be sent a bill for the interest on the money he’s been lent.’

‘How much?’

‘We took out first mortgages worth nearly ten million dollars. At an interest rate of seven percent per annum, he’ll have to find about fifty-eight thousand dollars a month to avoid losing the properties. With his income stream severely curtailed, this will be impossible and the banks will foreclose and sell the properties, making a nice profit, leaving poor old Farzdbuk with very little except his life and one kidney.’

‘And that’s too much!’

‘Not at all. For people like him death would be more welcome than penury. This is the real torture.’ Fee’s grin was pleasantly sadistic.

Everyone agreed she was a genius, so they helped clean up the meal before settling in the lounge for coffee.

‘I suppose I should report Mum missing?’ Sebastian asked doubtfully. ‘It’ll seem suspicious if I don’t.’

‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ Rex said. ‘It’s school holidays, you’ve been making bike trips with Reginald and staying with your father, so there’s no reason you would have missed her for another week or so. You weren’t close, so didn’t bother with daily phone calls etc.’

‘Yeah, seems the best.’

‘It would be even better if the house was ransacked while you were away,’ Guapo said thoughtfully. ‘A red herring like that will take attention away from you when the cops eventually become involved.’

‘I want to do the ransacking,’ Reginald said with a malicious grin.

‘We’ll all have a go,’ Con laughed, standing and leading the way to the cars.

‘Clothes, gentlemen?’ Fee asked.

They shook their heads.

‘It’s already dark, Fee,’ Rex said. ‘They’ll be invisible.’

‘The naked warriors, that’s us,’ Sebastian laughed. ‘Somehow everything feels more real if you’re naked, especially wrestling, eh Con?’

‘I’d say especially sex.’ He grabbed Guapo and kissed him.

‘Well, just take care not to have an accident; cops are not so understanding.

Sebastian ran to Fee and kissed her three times on each cheek. ‘Dearest Mummy, I love you as much as Daddy,’ and with a shout of laughter he led the way to the cars.

‘They're the two goons who were my gaolers!’ Guapo hissed when the outside lights were turned on and he saw them lying on the grass. ‘The same ones I escaped from the day I met Con.’ He turned to Con and kissed him, ignoring snorts of derision from the prisoners.

‘We’d like to roll you into the pond, but being gentle souls we’ve decided to liberate you,’ Sebastian said calmly. ‘But first, a ride in a car.’

‘They’ve soiled themselves! We’re not putting those pissed and crapped on clothes in the wagon.’ Reginald turned to Sebastian, ‘Got a knife?’

Grinning, Sebastian ran to the kitchen and returned with a paring knife. Reginald tested the blade on the hairs of his arm then carelessly slashed at the prisoners’ clothes causing them to grunt and recoil in fear. It took a while and there was a fair bit of blood before they were naked. Guapo sluiced them with buckets of water and by the time they’d been rolled down the stairs to the garage they were dry enough, although somewhat battered and delirious. It took all four men to heave them up into the back of the Holden, then they returned upstairs and quietly pulled the place apart, leaving it looking as if someone had been looking for treasure.

Sebastian surveyed the wrecked four-poster bed, the wires leading to the hidden cameras, the smashed French doors, the junk in the pool... and a great weight rose from his shoulders. The rest of the house was similarly trashed, but the most damage had occurred in Desolé’s room. Her cosmetics had been tossed everywhere, mirrors smashed, clothes trampled, shoes and hats crushed. The others looked at Sebastian and were relieved to see a beatific smile on his lips as he dropped a small card.

‘What’s that?’ Reginald asked.

‘Farzdbuk’s business card that happens to have the address of his hospital scribbled on the back.’

‘Smart move. Print it yourself?’

Sebastian laughed. ‘Of course. Thanks for the help guys. Seeing this mess, and knowing I’ll never have to return is uplifting in the extreme.’ He shook his head and smiled again. ‘Perfect. Just perfect.’ He turned and led the way to the cars through the smashed internal security door, backed out and drove away, followed by Con and Guapo in their car.

It was well past midnight and there was only one light showing at Farzdbuk’s hospital. They parked, rolled their passengers out onto the stones, freed their feet, and sent them tottering towards the front door.

‘We should have killed them both,’ Con said with a sigh, taking a sip from the glass Rex had just handed him. ‘One day they’ll come looking for us.’

It was late, but no one was ready to leave the peace and companionship beside the pool.

‘And spend the rest of our lives behind bars,’ Rex grunted. ‘Forensics are too smart—we’d never have gotten away with it.’

‘Death is too good for them,’ Fee interrupted. ‘And they won’t trouble us again. They were working for cash, not revenge. Farzdbuk’s not going to be able to afford to eat, let alone pay hit men he’s so deep in debt. And he’s going to have difficulty explaining the disappearance of the old bloke who wanted Sebastian’s kidney, not to mention all the other strange happenings.’

‘So we relax and live happily ever after. Reginald grunted.

‘Indeed we will,’ Sebastian said softly, plonking a solid kiss on his boyfriend’s brow.

**********