Blood Of The Wilde - 6. The Last Days Of Our Past (Part 2)

"Stop sulking, child." Aibeleen sounded as she stepped onto the porch, her tired body leaning against the doorway as she soaked her hands with a kitchen towel.

"I hate it when you call me that," William replied, his eyes locked on a large slice of freshly baked chocolate cake. "I'm not a child." He added.

"Ever since your little legs could carry you around, you'd come racing down here. Whenever you had a problem or got into trouble. Not so much these days." Aibee stated as she sipped on her lemon-infused tea. "But every single time, right after you had your first bite of that cake, you'd start feeling better." She added with a nurturing smile.

William paused, eyes on the dark brown slice, before finally taking it to his mouth and biting off half, his jaw mowing on it. After a few seconds, he swallowed, turning to Aibee with a disappointed expression.

"It's not working. That's probably why I stopped coming." Wiliam muttered, his aggressive nature pushing through.

Without missing a beat, Aibeleen lunged forward and slapped the back of William's head, who chuckled inward. She motioned for him to move over the lawn seat he was lying on, sitting next to him slowly. Once she did, William's head tumbled sideways, dropping casually in her comfortable shoulder as he sighed.

"I know what's bothering you," Aibee calmly stated. She patiently waited for William's cheeky reply, but he remained silent. "Might just be the only thing in this world that can knock you off your feet," she added as her eyes scanned the large vegetable garden she had been working on just a few feet from her porch.

"He hasn't spoken to me since the garden party," William mumbled.

"He's not like you. John's...different." Aibee stated, her words working to comfort William.

"He's an idiot." He immediately fired back, making Aibeleen chuckle.

"Sometimes, yes. But he loves you dearly." She added.

Silence took hold, and for a brief moment, the sound of the birds chirping enveloped both in a peaceful embrace.

"I feel stuck," William confessed.

"Eat your cake. You'll feel better." Aibeleen advised, her tone nurturing and reassuring.

And so William did. And by the end of that wonderfully delicious slice of chocolate cake, he felt slightly better. But not even Aibee's culinary charms could quell William's anxious state.

He retired to his room and remained there the whole afternoon, his mind racing. By 7pm, he came down for supper, surprised by John's absence. This resulted in one or two disparaging remarks from Leonard about John's lack of responsibility and commitment to their family's traditions. William's mind was elsewhere, and it was only when Leonard announced they would be absent for the night due to a social event that William's head finally flew up, his eyes gaping with interest. After dinner, Lucille and Leonard got ready and left with the driver. By then, William had retired to his room and was lying on his bed, his green eyes gazing at the ceiling. The lack of John's presence was unsettling, and as night drew in, his heart dropped into the pit of his anxious stomach.

"Ah, fuck it!" He uttered, a sudden resolve in his tone.

He leaped off the bed and rushed for the closet, stopping halfway there. He knew he couldn't go out at this hour dressed casually, risking being recognized by anyone who would cross his path. So he opened the closet and took out an oversized trench coat and an old hat his grandfather had left him. He put them over his pants and T-shirt and took a quick look at himself in the mirror, chuckling before he rushed out of the room, down the main stairs, and out the front door.

As soon as he stepped outside, the slightly chilled night breeze hitting his face, William smirked. Despite his mischievous actions, he felt more liberated, bold, and alive than ever. It was as if he had suddenly awakened a part of himself that raged inside, one that he had tucked away and that he had always been mindful not to expose as if he shunned that rebel part of himself.

He ran past the pool, down the stone driveway, and into the wall near the main gate. He knew the shortcut John used to run off after curfew, and the ease with which William jumped it showed just how valuable all those hours stalking his brother's every move actually were. As his feet punched the dirt on the other side, he began to run, and for over twenty minutes, he didn't stop, his flawless physique and youthful endurance showing. Soon, he heard the Bohemian district's commotion, and his fast pace began to subside. As he neared the outer rim of that forbidden land, his heart raced, and all the hairs in his body spiked. He had heard monstrous stories about the place he now stood on. It's decadence and filthiness. But as he slowly walked along a narrow, poorly lit street and his eyes began to unveil the main square, he felt a rush unlike any he had ever experienced. Unlike what Leonard had preached countless times, its decadence was alluring, and its filthy nature was charming and enticing. Everyone moved freely, smoking and drinking. Their bodies surrendered to their own will, following the scent of the night.

William stood there, his body slightly concealed by the shadow that loomed over that tucked-away street. But his eyes were already scanning the giant, vibrant billboard on the other side of the main square, gradually flickering as if calling for him: BEATNIK PALACE could be read, its letters flashing like a heartbeat.

"He's in there, for sure," William mumbled, his body moving forward, his feet hopping over the sidewalk as if John's presence gleamed from inside the ballroom, the stud's soul a distant lighthouse.

William rushed past the crowd, afraid someone might engage in conversation. But unlike back home, where his every move was followed and scrutinized by staff and guests alike, nobody seemed to mind him any attention there. It was exhilarating. William's mouth was stretched into a content smile as he sprinted through the plaza before finally pushing the hotel's front door open, an empowering blast of music spewing from within.

Suddenly, he halted, his ears consumed by the vibrancy of the tune that broke from the main stage and the overwhelming amalgamation of scents that blended inside. Cigars, booze, sweat, spit, and cum came in waves rushing inside his nostrils as he floated through the space. Yet, William's eyes scoured the large room relentlessly, on a mission to find what they came searching for. And it wasn't long before they did.

In the back of the room, sitting on a round table full of empty glasses and surrounded by other men and women his age, was John. William paused, everything around him numbing down into a spellbinding silence. John looked beautiful, vibrant, and happy. Sporting a smile that rarely made its presence known back home. But as William's eyes finally delighted with his brother's sight, and his body began to move, a sweet yet sounding voice spoke from behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you?" It warned.

William closed his eyes annoyingly before turning around to face the most beautiful, ebony-skinned creature. She was tall, had shiny skin, and wore a gold sequined dress that fell to her ankles. On her bald head, a gold headpiece showcased her deep, inviting eyes.

"If he sees you, everyone will see you," she added, chuckling slightly at the sight of William's confused face. "I'm Blanche, by the way," she declared.

"I don't care," William replied dryly and pretentiously.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Blanche mumbled almost to herself, her eyes studying every inch of William's body. But as he began to gaze back, he noticed how she seemed to look at him rather than through him.

"Are you a psychic or something?" William questioned.

"I prefer the term truth-teller." Blanche calmly stated.

"You mean con artist." William mocked.

"It must be exhausting..." Blanche said, crossing her long, muscular legs and exposing her beautiful skin from under the table.

"What?" William replied defiantly.

"Having to hide who you really are all the time. All those expectations placed on someone so young," she stated. William paused, his whole body now under Blanche's guise. "Sit down," she invited, gracefully extending her hand towards the chair beside her. There was chaos around them but stillness in the air surrounding her.

"I can't, I have to..." William excused.

"You've got to be faster than that around here, honey." She teased, nudging her chin towards John's table.

William turned back, barely catching his brother as he rushed through the crowd. He pulled a strangely familiar young woman with him before disappearing up the stairs towards the rooms.

"Fuck!" William muttered.

"You'll get your turn." Blanche playfully teased. "Now sit." She said, tapping her hand on the back of the chair next to her.

William's eyes lingered on the stairs before he finally caved and slowly sat, his eyes turning to Blanche's accommodating gaze. His green eyes scanned her up and down.

"You're quite fabulous, I'll give you that." He commented.

"And you're deliciously charming, honey," Blanche replied, pausing as she stared at him, her expression changing slightly. You're going to become a powerful man one day," she stated.

"Are you guessing, or..." William joked.

Blanche's gaze lingered on him before she pulled a small black silk bag from her sleeve, opened her hand, and emptied it into it. Small, evenly shaped black and white stones fell inside her palm, which she carefully closed.

"What's that?" William asked.

"Help...hopefully," Blanche responded before she turned and faced her hand down, opening her fingers and dropping the stones on the table. She leaned forward with William following her, his eyes scouring the stones curiously. "Well, this explains why you're here." She uttered, almost to herself. "There's another soul attached to yours. This connection stretches back into past lives... It's deep... I've never sensed anything like this." She continued, gradually fascinated by whatever she read on the stone's surface.

"Is it someone close to me?" William asked reluctantly, afraid his question might raise suspicion.

"You already know who it is," Blanche replied without hesitation. She continued to gaze into the stones, her focus seemingly elsewhere.

"Does he...I mean, do we get to be together." William drilled, his body leaning closer and closer to Blanche.

"I see a white silk sky floating over you and your lover. Your bodies are enveloped in a ritual of binding," Blanche said. William's eyes twinkled. But... there's a shadow looming," she added with an ominous tone. "A dark, insidious presence that will try to cut through your spirit, forcing it to stray from its destiny," she warned.

"Oh..." William responded, giggling to himself before he looked up at Blanche defiantly. "I make my own choices." He professed with arrogance.

"What god writes, no man scribbles." She proclaimed.

"What the fuck does that mean?" William questioned, perplexed by how Blanche had challenged his words, something he definitely wasn't used to.

"If you're here... it means you already made the choice," Blanche revealed. "But... You'll have to understand why you made it." She concluded, a deep sadness taking over her words and voice.

There was long and deafening silence before William's voice broke through it.

"Bullshit!" William complained, his tone rash and aggressive. His body language was already changing, his whole body fidgeting in his chair.

"Hey... I don't make the rules, honey. He does." Blanche explained, pointing her finger up.

William's ass shot from the chair. Blanche could sense him taming the beast that roared from within. A technique William had masterfully owned, living inside Leonard's house for all these years.

"Well, maybe "HE" doesn't know me very well yet, but... I always get what I want in the end." William arrogantly stated before rushing off and disappearing inside the crowd.

Blanche watched as he walked away, her eyes glistening.

"You poor soul...how I wish you were right." She mumbled as her hands gathered the stones from the table and placed them neatly inside the small bag again.

By then, William was climbing the stairs, his body leaning against the wall, trying to avoid the torrent of people who walked up and down the hotel's two floors of staircases. Doors banged in the distance, bringing joyous laughter, raging screams, and pleasurable moans. It took him some time to discern where one began and the other ended. As he reached the first floor, William flinched as a female voice hollered from inside one of the rooms.

"Hey, gorgeous, looking for company?" She teased, giggling.

But William ignored her, his eyes already locked on his target, more specifically, the room three doors down from where he stood, where a familiar voice bellowed, its deepness spewing into the corridor.

"For fuck sake, why do you always do this? I come here to relax, not play husband and wife!" John yelled. He sounded annoyed rather than angry.

"I'm not a fucking toy, John!" A female voice replied angrily.

"We've talked about this. You know what to expect." John now calmly asserted.

"Fine! I'll leave then." The young woman hollered, finally blasting the door to their room open. William immediately pulled back, hiding his frame behind the entrance to another narrow corridor. He could feel her heavy steps coming in his direction.

"C'mon, man, don't be like this!" John uttered from inside the room, battling not to giggle.

William placed his back against the wall, feeling the woman's cheap perfume drive through him, his face frowning in disgust. But his expression quickly changed to surprise as he realized the woman rushing out of the room was more than familiar. William knew her. She had been to their house. He waited her out, her screams dissipating in the distance before pulling away from the wall, cornering the hallway, and slowly walking into John's room. As he grew closer, his heart began to race, but before he could let the overwhelming feeling sink in, the stud slowly walked out and leaned against the doorway. He was shirtless, his broad, muscular figure more striking than ever, and his dark, raven hair fell over his face. William halted, turning around slowly as he readied to plan his escape. But at that moment, John's left hand brushed his hair behind his ear, allowing him to catch William's shadow through the corner of his eye.

"Will, is that you?" John questioned, his eyes squinting in disbelief.

"Fuck..." William mumbled as he tried to flee before feeling John's hand grab his trenchcoat by the shoulder and yank him back.

"It is you!" John exclaimed, quickly lowering his tone as his eyes scanned around for anyone who may have listened.

"I shouldn't have come." William acknowledged, regret building inside his chest.

But it was too late. In seconds, he felt his body hover over the floor as John dragged him inside the room. The stud closed the door, locking it from the inside, and pushed William's more petite frame against it, his back bumping loudly against it.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" John questioned, reeking with excitement and total shock.

"I just needed to...know where you were sneaking off to every night," William confessed. A part of him hated that he could never bring himself to lie to John. As his eyes glanced up, meeting his brother's, he caved, attempting to escape.

"Hey, wait," John uttered, his arms barely moving as he pulled William back.

"Let go of me!" the blonde demanded. But his voice was barely convincing. The truth was, he was precisely where he wanted to be: under John's grip.

"No." The stud softly stated. His green gaze plunged into William, scanning his clothes before chuckling slightly. "You look like a damn fool, you know that?" He quipped, mocking William's attire with a nurturing tone.

But William looked back at him stoically, his eyes glistening with bottled rage.

"How can you be here? This place is filthy." He uttered.

"This place is real. Honest. It doesn't hide behind a facade of perfection," John replied, softening his grip on William's coat. There was a brief pause before their eyes fled for each other's mouths, and they lunged forward, kissing passionately. Their hectic breaths merged along with their tongues as they rolled, overcome by desire, inside their mouths. "I missed you," John whispered in between breaths.

"You did?" William whispered back, his hand sliding inside John's pants. The stud's hard cock was there to greet him, its thick, veiny surface filling the entirety of the boy's palm. William moaned into his brother's mouth, his lips smiling as John sucked on them.

"Fuck, yeah." The stud responded with conviction.

"Then...why are you here, wallowing in the mud with the rest of the pigs..." William sounded, his deep-seated cruelty showing its ugly face again and stopping John in his tracks.

The stud pulled away slowly, one hand still pushing the door, as William's eyes fled to the floor, unable to face his brother.

"You sound like him talking," John muttered as if the words hurt him physically. He lifted his head, finally locking his sight on his brother. "We're all the same, Will." He added.

"Not me." William fired back defensively.

"No. You're right. You're special." John said, his expression overtaken by disappointment. And William didn't take long to realize how cruel his words sounded. The stud's hand fell, defeated, and he turned away, facing the balcony. Outside, the giant billboard's lights blinked, almost to a pause, before dying down.

"I...I didn't mean..." William tried to explain, but it was too late.

"Go home, Will." The stud demanded.

William's eyes closed in regret. John's voice had never sounded so dry, lifeless. Not around him, anyway. William knew he had punctured something as a sense of sudden loss took hold of him. An invisible layer that had, up until now, shielded his dark nature from John. His left hand came down, and he grabbed the knob, turning it. His body swirled around, and he rushed out of the room without looking back.

William ran so fast and furiously that he lost consciousness of time and space, his body piloting him back to the house before he collapsed on the grass, exhausted after jumping the fence into the property. Everything was a blur, his mind unable to recollect anything after John's words. Only an overwhelming feeling of failure, as if the only thing he held dear in his life had just collapsed.

William slowly pulled himself off the floor, his body and mind fighting an unfamiliar feeling. William thought how odd and foreign it was as he entered his room, dragging and dropping off his clothes on the floor. He strode to the bathroom and jumped in the shower, eyes squinting as he desperately tried to unearth this emotional conundrum. He could barely scrub his head and body properly, mulling over it. And by the time he dragged his naked body back to bed and fell on it, he was exhausted. He placed his left hand behind his head and stared at the ceiling. Then, suddenly, it dawned on him. He rolled his body slowly to the side, facing the open doors to the balcony.

This strange feeling he felt was remorse. A nervous giggle burst from his mouth, his hand reaching for it inadvertently, covering it. There it was—something he had never felt—guilt. And there was no one to blame but him.

"Shit," William muttered as he felt himself drift into a soft slumber.

He dozed off only to wake sometime later, his green eyes glancing at the watch on his nightstand. An hour had gone by. He took a deep breath and was about to close his eyes again when he heard steps inside the room, his head turning in time to catch the large shadow that now stood at the foot of his bed. William's body rose slowly, and as he sat, the most glorious blue moonlight shone over it, transforming his pale complexion into a cerulean vision. John stood tall, his powerful silhouette looming over William.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Hey," John whispered back.

"What are you doing here?" William asked with a mellow tone. The stud stood there, looking at the blonde vision on the bed in silence.

"I just wanted to look at you," John finally said, matching his brother's tone.

"I must look like shit," William mumbled, taking his hand up and hiding his face. But through his fingers, his eyes peeked, unable to stare away from the man before him.

And inside the warm embrace of the stud's gaze, William finally accepted the truth. No one in the world, other than John, would ever make him feel as he felt at that moment.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen..." John stated, his eyes glistening in the dark.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier..." William conceded, his proud nature wholly dismantled.

"I know you are." John appeased before his lips stretched into a smile.

William's body began to curl as if John's unexpected presence had pierced his soul, exposing it. Sensing this, the stud turned, walking over to a small cabinet and carefully sliding its doors sideways. Inside were several rows of perfectly organized vinyl records with a record player on the middle shelf.

"I used to put this on when you couldn't sleep. It was your favorite." John narrated as he pulled one of the cases out and placed the disk gently on the dish. He dragged the needle over it. "I'd wait for you to fall asleep, then lower the sound just enough before I returned to my room." He continued before turning, the sound of the needle brushing the record's surface accompanying his movement. Ella Fitzgerald's The Way You Look Tonight began playing in the background.

(Music plays in the background)
Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you,
And the way you look tonight.

"Every time I'm sad, I return to that moment," John confessed. "Do you know why?" He asked as he returned to the bed.

"No..." William stuttered, his heart utterly vulnerable by his brother's words.

"Because those moments with you... were my happiest, Will." John revealed, circling the bed and stopping by the side of it, right next to the open balcony.

He stretched his hand. Will smiled and extended his, allowing John to pull his naked body from under the white silk sheets. He embraced William, brushing his fingers over his blonde hair as he rocketed their bodies gently from side to side in a slow and erotic dance. Their laced frames now floated graciously inside the balcony, the bright moonlight shining on them. William had his face nestled inside John's massive chest, his eyes fighting tears of joy. His heart had never felt so peaceful. That house had never felt softer.

(Music plays in the background)
Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight.

"What would your moment be?" John asked, his fingers running up and down William's back as they danced. By now, he could feel his brother's tears moistening the fuzz-covered skin on his chest.

It took a while, so John waited patiently for William's voice to finally push through his emotions.

"This one. Right now." William stuttered, closing his arms tighter around John's torso. The stud smiled, letting his face drop over William's head, his nose gently sniffing the blonde's alluring fragrance.

"They say heaven is your happiest moment. I guess that makes us each other's heaven." John stated, his solid and muscular arms enveloping William even tighter.

(Music plays in the background)
With each word, your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart,
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart.

Suddenly, he felt William's hands push him away, but as he stepped back, the boy looked up and smiled. It was the most exquisite smile, indeed. The rarest and most precious of treasures entrusted to him alone. And what an honor it was, John thought, to be the only one to ever delight in its presence.

William started walking backward, his body climbing on the bed until he kneeled in the middle with his arms crossed. He was the most vulnerable John had ever seen him.

"Do you want to cuddle?" William asked, his words dragging John into their past, a place of love, innocence, and joy they had both forgotten.

The stud smiled, nodding, before pulling down his pants. He wore nothing underneath, and his semi-hard cock popped out delicately as he stood straight. He crawled into the bed, one of his hands bringing the white silk sheet. As he reached his brother, he flipped it over their heads and let himself plunge, bringing William's body with him. The silk sheet formed a soft cloud, falling over the soft mattress before tumbling delicately over their heads like a gentle breeze. The fabric was still sheer enough to allow the moonlight to cut through, radiating a metallic blue aura under it. William's arms stretched outwards, and he pulled John in, the stud's head nestling on his smooth chest. As it did, he felt John's nose rubbing against it.

"Hazelnut... mixed with cocoa butter." John's voice spoke from under William, the stud's breath blowing warmly into his chest, making the boy's whole body quiver.

"What?" William asked.

"Your smell. I've always wondered what it was... and I finally got it. That's what you smell like. Hazelnut and white chocolate." John whispered, his words getting lost in the intimacy of that moment. William could hear his brother breathing in with prolonged satisfaction.

"What are you doing?" He questioned, chuckling.

After a short silence, John's hand came behind William and held him, pulling his entire body across the bed and into him. Their bodies were glued, with William's legs tucked between John's. The boy could feel the tip of the stud's hard cock brushing against his knees.

"I'm taking it in so I won't forget," John said, his voice morphing and becoming more profound.

(Music plays in the background)
Lovely, Never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
Cause I love you, Just the way you look tonight.

"John?" William called. Suddenly, the music faded, and the scratching sound of the needle sliding off the record player echoed across the room, enveloping it in the most tender silence. "Make love to me," William pleaded, nudging his body forward. Their noses touched, and their breaths coated the inches that separated them.

There they were, the words John had waited to hear for the longest time. The stud smiled, his hand climbing up William's body, brushing his soft skin before finally stopping near his cheek. John's eyes lingered on William's lips briefly before his body shot forward, his mouth lunging on the boy's soft lips. As they kissed, the stud's hands ran all over the side of the blonde's body, along the leg, grabbing his left hand like a dance move and raising it over his head, pinning it against the mattress. He could feel William's body surrendering, finally letting all those years of tamed discipline ooze out of him. Underneath it, the most marvelous creature emerged. Innocent, pure, yet full of passion and desire for the unknown.

John pulled away, their mouths slowly unlocking as if it was painful for them to part, even for a second. Their eyes locked, and their moist lips stretched as they smiled into each other's souls. John descended into William's chest, kissing it softly, the boy's skin prickling slightly at the feeling of the stud's beard brushing against it. He continued down, bringing the silk sheet with him as he gradually unveiled his brother's naked frame. He traveled along it, his tongue guiding the way as he plundered deeper into William's crevice, and soon, he had reached his pelvis, where the boy's impressive 11-inch cock waited, twitching with hunger.

"Damn, Will..." John whispered, glancing up only to catch the boy with his eyes closed, utterly subdued.

John chuckled, pulling his focus back over to William's cock before finally taking his mouth to it. At first, he just let his lips touch it, testing the uncharted waters. The truth was, he had never had a cock so close to his mouth before, much less one this size. But the longer he lingered there, the harder it was to resist its powerfully inebriating aroma. William's cock oozed the smell of fresh soap and lavender like a fresh spring breeze, and John's willingness to have a taste was now a certainty. He grabbed the base with his hand, straightening it, and leaned forward, tilting his head sideways and laying it on the boy's abdomen. He moved it back and forth a couple of times, sucking on the tip. As he did, he felt a sweet taste in his mouth as his brother's precum drizzled down his tongue. Behind him, William moaned, giving the stud consent to proceed. What William didn't know, and John was presently figuring out, was how much he wanted to.

The stud adjusted his position and flared his jaw, sliding William's cock in, his tongue now covering his bottom teeth. He felt his throat warning him as he motioned to gag, but John paused, wiggling his tongue slightly from side to side before plunging further. But his inexperience was blatant, and he was already struggling with only 5 inches of the blonde's perfect cock shoved inside his mouth. Instinctively, William's arms came down, gripping John's thick black hair inside his fingers and thrusting his hips forward, gently pushing his shaft deeper inside John's jaw. William's head fell back, an exhilarating pleasure taking hold as he felt the warmth of his brother's mouth close tightly around him. John let out these deep groans, his breath profuse and sharp, fingers pressing into William's smooth thighs. There was an unexpected willingness to be dominated, which seemed to entice William's motions to build in both rhythm and strength and soon, he was fucking John's mouth, his body finally surrendering to his deepest desires. William was all lust and rapture and eros, and with every thrust of his pelvis, he was showing John just how much he was willing to be pleasured. And give pleasure.

His hands came up, releasing their grip on the stud's hair. A loud gasp broke from John's throat.

"Fucking hell..." He roared out, his eyes locked on William's shaft, seemingly hypnotized. As he lingered there, catching his breath, his right hand stroked it, his finger rubbing the tip. But soon after, his head swang up, eyes lustfully darting at William. "Turn around. Let me see it." He ordered.

William felt his heart race with excitement and dread. He knew what was about to happen. And after years of watching women be offered the best of what John had to offer, his time had finally come. He rolled over and slowly lifted his right leg, his smooth, perfectly shaped peach sliding open, a minor breach now exposing his pink, untouched taint.

John's whole demeanor immediately shifted, his hand coming up before plunging down on his brother's ass cheeks, slapping them vigorously. William moaned, his head turning back as his eyes teased the stud. But teasing a beast like John was hardly required. The hunk smirked and kneeled on the bed, his face diving inside William's crevice. The boy had barely time to think when he felt John's tongue touch his sphincter, immediately swirling around its edges, his beard grinding around it. William's eyes closed, his face in complete rapture before he buried it inside the sheets. The sound of John's mouth munching on his taint filled up the air around them, and the further the stud's tongue slid inside it, the more William pushed his ass into his brother's mouth.

They had an undeniable synergy, a meeting of strength, power, and will. The culmination of years of mutual longing was finally brought to fruition. And between William's muffled moans and John's roars as he savagely ate his brother's hole, time ceased to exist, and all that was left were two souls, passionately merging as one.

"You like that? Hum?" John's growling voice teased, his tongue darting William's sphincter as it puckered, begging for more.

"Yes..." William replied, barely able to form complete sentences.

"I want to fuck you so bad, Will..." John continued, lifting his torso and grabbing his 9-inch, throbbing cock in his right hand while his left spread William's cheeks, eyes darting at the boy's exposed hole. It was now dripping with John's spit, its edges reddened from his beard rubbing against it, and on the right cheek, a red mark in the shape of his hand.

"Do it... please." William stuttered, completely surrendered to John's will.

"From this moment on, your body, Will..." John groaned as he slapped his thick cock over the boy's bubble peach. "It belongs to me. Do you understand?" The stud stated, his massive, muscular ass lifting in the air as he aimed the tip of his shaft over his brother's hole. "If you ever... let anyone inside you besides me... I'll fucking kill him." He continued, letting his pelvis drop down, the tip of his cock spreading the thin skin as it slid inside. William's moans changed, a pleasurable pain escorting them now.

"John, fuck!" The boy uttered, his blonde, silk hair leaping back in ecstasy. Every inch of William moving as it contorted in pain was a sight to behold. Like a beautiful frame, now brimming with life.

"My beautiful treasure," John whispered as he lowered his lips closer to his brother's ear. "My love." He stated softly, teasing the boy with his words as he slid deeper inside, William's walls stretched thin. "I'm going to worship you now." He informed, pushing himself all the way in, his balls slapping against William's. "Like you were meant to be worshipped." He declared, grabbing William's hands, crossing them over the boy's head, and locking them in place.

He pushed his feet into the mattress, finally guiding the tip of his cock into William's prostate, whose mouth gaped in shock. A jolt of electricity traveled across his body at an abnormally slow speed as if it purposely lingered, allowing William to acknowledge its marvelous presence. And as soon as it reached his head, exploding gently at the roots of his blonde hair, he felt John's cock pull out and then back in again. And this movement didn't stop. In fact, it kept going. And each time, its deepness, vibrancy, and intent grew stronger. John was now fucking William's ass, plunging every inch of his cock inside the boy with meaning, adoration and love.

"Oh my God, oh God..." William moaned as his teeth bit on the pillow. But in a swift and somewhat aggressive move, John's hand grabbed the pillow and yanked it from under his brother.

"Don't you fucking dare." John threatened as his ass bounced up and down on William's peach, his hole queefing with every thrust. "I'm gonna loosen you up real good..." He groaned, his mouth biting on William's neck. "If you say no... I'll just fuck you harder, you understand?" He teased as drops of sweat fell from his chest, splattering over the boy's back.

A silence took hold, where only the sound of John's sweaty hips slamming against William's cheeks filled that empty space. And then, from under it, William's faint voice emerged.

"No." The blonde whispered, his fingers closing around John's wrist. The stud unleashed a deep chuckle.

"I fucking knew it..." He stated. "Come here, you little slut." John said, pulling up and bringing William's ass with him, his large hands grabbing the boy's hips, his fingers digging inside his soft skin and forcing him on all fours.

As far as William was concerned, what happened next was a blur. But although he has little recollection of how long it lasted, the feeling of it remained with him, like a third-degree burn on his skin. Flashes of his body being thrown back and forth and the feeling of John's cock thrusting violently into him was beyond anything he had ever felt. With every thrust of his brother's girth, a piece of William was freed from the prison he had been shackled to his entire life. He didn't know it yet, but the way John owned him at that moment would become a part of William's nature, creased deep inside him where not even he could reach.

"Fuck... John... you're fucking me so...good." William stuttered as his consciousness slowly returned to reality.

But as he spoke, he felt John's trusts finally subside, the stud unhurriedly pulling his cock out, glancing down to marvel at the boy's loose taint.

"Jesus Christ, look at that." John teased, his lips stretched into a smirk, watching William's gaping hole trying desperately to close as it queefed loudly.

"What the fuck...don't stop!" William complained, his head turning back as he stared daggers at the stud. It was as if John had plucked William's heart from his chest.

The stud grabbed the boy's legs and rolled him on his back, falling over him. His heavy body pressed William down, his muscular legs already spreading the blonde's to the side, opening the way for his cock to dive back inside. And so it did. John's sweat-covered body skated over William's, and his rock-hard cock, slid effortlessly inside his brother, unveiling a delightfully content smile on his plump lips.

But now, John's motions had changed. They were softer, more attuned to William's passionate countenance. As their eyes merged, diving deeply into each other, William understood that John was not only inside him, he was in him. The stud had found his way inside William's soul and spirit and was now part of him—bound to him, as Blanche had stated.

"Don't look at me like that." John pleaded, his ass moving slowly as he tenderly fucked his brother's ass.

"Why?" William whispered, his tone so low it beckoned John to bring his face closer, like a siren luring a fisherman into the ocean's depths.

"Cause you'll make me come. And I don't want to." John explained, his eyes closing as he tried to hold it in.

"Why?" William drilled, pulling John's body even closer into him, his legs scissoring the stud's waist. He inadvertently began moving his own waist, teasing John's cock.

"Because...then...this perfect moment...it'll be over." John resisted, his orgasm hanging on by a single thread.

Noticing this, William clenched his ass cheeks, propelling his inner muscles to hug John's shaft in a warm embrace.

"Come inside my ass, John." The boy begged with the sultriest of voices as he felt his brother's cock twitch inside him, bloating slightly.

"Will...fuck!" John groaned.

But it was too late. The first strings were so thick that even William's eyes gaped in wonder as he felt them shoot inside him. And as they kept coming, John's ass cheeks trembling every time they spewed from his throbbing cock and flooded William's insides, the overload would pour from the cracks of the boy's sphincter and spill into the silk sheets. They could feel it oozing down their thighs.

"Fuck, that's a lot of cum..." John commented, chuckling as he tried to catch his breath, his body worn out and collapsed over William's.

The blonde, on the other hand, smiled from under him, his youthful stamina unflinching and his loose gap drooling with his brother's juices. He could stay like that forever, William thought. And what a glorious eternity it would be. But it wasn't long before John's words snapped him out of his wishful dreaming.

"I have to go..." John begrudgingly stated as he rolled to the side, his soft dick still bloated and covered in cum.

"No. Stay here tonight." William pleaded.

"I can't. They'll be here soon." John reasoned, motioning to get up.

"Just until I fall asleep, then," William begged, pulling his brother back. John fell next to him, chuckling. He turned and stared at William, flickers of his newly uncovered vulnerability still present.

"Okay. Until you fall asleep." The stud complied.

John grabbed the silk sheet and threw it over them, their layer of protection momentarily restored.

"Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you,
And the way you look tonight." John's voice softly sang into William's ear as they rolled over, spooning each other.

Everything became soft, tender, and quiet as William's eyes finally closed. John stayed there for several minutes, guiding William into his serene respite. But John's consciousness drifted with it as the metallic blue that crept through the window hit their bodies. And so, lured by William's peacefulness, he fell into a deep slumber.

On any given day, John's decision to stay in the room and ultimately fall asleep would have been labeled an accident, a fluke bound by cause and effect. But, despite their youthful arrogance, both would soon come to learn that what God writes, no man scribbles...

John's eyes opened several hours later, strenuously flickering as they fought the vibrant pink rays of light that punctured through the light fabric covering them. His eyes gaped, and his head shot up from the pillow as he faced the full power of dawn's presence. As he looked down at William's body, peacefully sleeping next to him, he breathed with relief, momentarily struck by joy. But it was short-lived.

"You sick, deviant, twisted demon..." Leonard's shadow growled from the foot of the bed.

"I can explain." John conveyed. But Leonard's large and heavy frame was already rushing in his direction. He reached the side of the bed and grabbed John by the wrist, yanking him sideways. His naked body fell on the floor, his other hand bringing the silk sheet with it. Leonard glanced at the bed, where William rose from his dream, eyes flickering and completely naked.

"No..." Leonard growled. "Out, out, OUT OF MY HOUSE!" He blasted, kicking John's body towards the door.

The stud crawled sideways, trying to avoid his father's feet. As he rushed for the door, Lucille was already running in. Her hair was dismantled, and she was sporting a nightgown and a silk robe.

"Leonard, stop it!" She pleaded, rushing over to her husband.

"Back off, woman!" Leonard yelled, slapping Lucille, her body pivoting sideways.

"As God is my witness, I've tried to reason with you, John. I gave you countless opportunities to prove your worth. And every single time, you have managed to disappoint me." Leonard stated as he walked toward John, his words fueled by cruelty. "Maybe I was never able to get through to you." He admitted, his hand going for his belt. "But I will today...and if this is the only way, so be it," Leonard stated, pulling off his belt in one swoop. He bent the leather in two and raised his arm, ready to strike.

"Father, no!" William yelled from behind him, jumping off the bed, but Leonard's brutal strength knocked him to the floor, his back smashing against the bed frame.

"Don't touch him." John hollered, motioning to stand up.

"Quiet, you disobedient RAT! I want you out of this house." Leonard's vociferous voice roared as he struck down John's body with the belt, again and again, until he finally backed away slightly, his breath overwrought.

Leonard's raging gaze lingered on his older son. It would seem improbable that a man like John would be intimidated by anyone, let alone a 60-year-old man he could quickly subdue. But Leonard's grip on that house and the people there lacked reason or judgment. Everyone feared him, including John. And no matter how old he got, he would always feel powerless as long as his father was in the room.

"Where will I go?" The stud asked, his eyes glancing at Lucille, who watched incredulously, her hand over the cheek she was hit on.

"That is no longer my problem. Starve. Die on the streets for all I care!" Leonard uttered, his tone forceful as he readied to strike.

Lucille ran to John, her body jumping in front of him, shielding her son from Leonard's whipping.

"Move, woman!" The Wilde patriarch threatened. But this time, Lucille stood her ground.

"NO! Don't you dare touch him," she warned, her voice roaring like a lioness protecting her cub. I won't have you toss our son on the streets like a stray," she stated.

"Must I spell it out for you? Are you blind?" Leonard argued, his eyes gaping in wrath as he looked back at William, who sat on the ground, paralyzed against the bed. "He lay with his brother, you fool. He is sick! You're lucky I don't shoot the mongrel!" He continued, finally lunging forward and pulling John from under his mother's protective embrace.

It felt like an epoch as Leonard pushed and dragged John's stunned body out of the house, a cacophony of wailing voices as they crossed the garden, finally reaching the massive iron gates.

"Out!" The cruel patriarch hollered, tossing his son's naked body on the pavement. By now, John was covered in bruises and scratches. As he glanced up, he caught Aibeleen running down the steps from the pool and over the grass, still wearing her night robe.

"Leonard, don't do this. This is your child, your own flesh and blood." Lucille pleaded. But they fell on deaf ears.

"He may bear my seed, but he is not my child. My child is dead." Leonard claimed, his eyes glistening with anger.

"Dad, please..." John's voice uttered.

"You will never set foot inside this house again, do you understand? You will no longer bear the Wilde name. You are unworthy, unvirtuous, and un-governed." Leonard proclaimed. Behind him, William gazed at John, holding his tears in.

"Leonard..." Lucille sobbed.

"You bewitched your brother." Leonard accused.

"I love him." John proclaimed.

"Heresy!" Leonard yelled.

"Father..." William's voice pleaded from behind.

"William, go back inside," Leonard ordered just as Aibeleen reached the gates, halting cautiously on the sidewalk, glancing at Leonard, waiting for an opening to rush in and aid John.

Suddenly, amid the disarray, rain began to pour, drenching everything and everyone in seconds.

"If you kick him out, I'll leave." William threatened, the strength of his words suddenly lost in the heavy rain.

Leonard, who was frantically pacing, suddenly halted, his body turning back slowly.

"You will do no such thing." He stated with thundering authority.

And it was then, as William's body readied to step forward and fight back, that John's voice broke from its shameful silence.

"It was all my fault. I was the one in control. I made him do it." The young man uttered. Every word was plagued with despair, misery, and self-sacrifice.

"Is this true?" Leonard questioned, his voice finally lowering to meet the others.

"Will...it's okay," John uttered from the gates.

The stud straightened himself, kneeling on the floor, and finally rose his head to look at his brother. William squinted, his face drizzling with raindrops, realizing John was smiling and slowly nodding. And there, as he plunged again into his brother's soul, the blonde beauty was met by the most shocking revelation. John was beckoning him to lie, willing to sacrifice himself to protect William's place in their household. But why, the boy thought, his mind racing, hostage to the pressure of the situation. Maybe they could be happy, away from all the privilege. But then again, what did William genuinely know of any life outside those gates? And would they be able to survive beyond them? The boy was so immersed in his thoughts that he failed to notice Leonard approaching him.

"You can stay here and be a god among insects or leave with him and spend the rest of your days like a rat in the gutter," his father whispered insidiously.

Under the light of day, everything seemed and felt different. But for William, one truth stood untouched. His heart and soul were John's, and they would always be, which made the words that fled his mouth even more surprising.

"Yes. It's true." He stated, tears crawling out of his eyes, indiscernible among the rain. John's closed in relief.

"Oh God, please...no." Lucille whimpered faintly, her knees buckling to the floor. Aibeleen ran to her, wrapping her arms around her broken figure.

John turned and started walking outside, stopping inches over the gate line. Leonard followed him, closing it behind him, the large metal structure shaking and disseminating a clangorous sound that lingered in the air for several seconds. John was locked outside. He turned to face his mother and smiled before walking away. Lucille pulled herself from under Aibee and ran for the gate, slapping her arms against the grid in frustration. She stayed there, sobbing as she watched her oldest son's naked body disappear in the rain like an exquisite memory being rinsed away, allowing a murdering emptiness to take its place.

On his way back to the house, Leonard stopped inches from William.

"No love will ever quell your hunger. And I know how hungry you are because you're like me, William. You're a Wilde," he said privately.

William's heart caved in anger. His father knew he lied. He knew.

"Yes, Father." He replied, his words dry and soulless.

"Go to your room and pack your bags. I'm sending you abroad. You're leaving tomorrow morning." Leonard announced before finally climbing the steps to the house, his dark shadow scattering in the distance.

[Two years later]

The large, black car drove into the airport gate, and a young man stepped out sporting a slick black suit and a chauffeur's hat. As he reached the passenger door in the back, William exited the spinning doors, his now short blond hair waving graciously with the soft breeze. He was 20 years of age, and his body was much more mature, bulked, and toned. And despite his young years, William was already in charge of most of Wilde's estates and businesses. He had been given little choice, really. Everything had changed. Lucille could not forgive Leonard's actions, and John's absence took a toll on her. A year after the incident, she left Leonard and everything she owned behind and now lived with one of her sisters in another state.

Leonard had become a broken man, a shadow of his former self. Lucille eventually filed for divorce, and Leonard's public image suffered. John's disappearance from high society events also stirred controversy. This allowed Leonard to transfer everything to William, hoping his charisma and youth would save their family name. And it may have been his last reasonable decision. William's penchant for business immediately showed, and he restored pride and honor to their name and tripled the families' fortune by marrying their businesses with the growing inner workings of far-right politics.

To William, the business had become his life. His personal life was as much a mystery as John's whereabouts whenever the subject came up at social events. Like the one he was hosting that day at the Wilde Manor.

"Straight to the house, sir?" The young driver asked as he put his seat belt on, scanning William through the rearview mirror. Even at 20, he was already an intimidating presence.

"Just a quick stop first, Jeremy," William stated, his eyes looking out the window vacantly.

"Where to then, sir?" Jeremy questioned.

"The district," William announced.

Jeremy paused, his hands frozen over the wheel. But knowing who he worked for, he started the car and drove off. He knew his employer expected people to follow orders, no questions asked. And even though Jeremy knew every man of power in Iron's Saint frequented the Beatnik Hotel, William seemed eerily lured by it.

He had been gone for two years, and this was his first stop of choice. And for good reason, for he had heard through the grapevine that John had been spotted hanging around the district several times during the last couple of years.

"Take a left turn there. But keep us moving. Don't stop." William carefully directed as Jeremy cornered the central square. Immediately, every eye on the plaza faced the large, expensive black vehicle. But the car windows were made of privacy glass, which William had purposely ordered to have installed.

Jeremy's curiosity crept in, and he glanced at William through the rearview mirror. The blonde hunk's eyes followed the large hotel sign, waiting patiently for the right angle to allow him access to a particular room window. As Jeremy slowed the car down, William's body leaned against the glass, and the young man could hear the blonde's breath getting deeper. On the other side of the window, a male shadow loomed, his arms resting on the window frame, with one hand holding a large cigar. For a second, it seemed the shadow's head was following the car. But suddenly, another shadow, leaner and more feminine, came from behind and pulled them both inside and out of William's sight.

"Fucking bitch." William mumbled, chuckling.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Jeremy asked.

"Everything's fine. Let's go home." William ordered, pulling out his sunglasses and gently placing them over his eyes, shielding himself from Jeremy's prying eyes.

They drove back to the property, where a party awaited William. Leonard greeted him at the gate, blatantly drunk. William quickly realized his father's presence at the party had become a nuisance in his absence, and he signaled Aibee to assist, carrying him inside the house.

"It's 4pm. What the fuck are you doing?" William questioned as he tossed his father's drunk body on the resting chair in the living room.

"I was just celebrating my boy's homecoming!" Leonard mumbled incoherently. "I missed my boy...I...miss my boy..." Leonard muttered, his head falling back. "John... my boy..." He murmured.

William glanced at Aibeleen, his emerald gaze searching for answers.

"He's been like this recently. Your brother's name surfaces every once in a while." She explained. "Do you... want to know what I think?" Aibee added, looking for William's clearance.

"No, I don't," William stated resolutely. "Make him some tea and get him to bed," he instructed.

"Ovecourse." Aibeleen promptly replied, rushing for the kitchen.

As she disappeared in the corner, William stood up, looking down at his father. His expression reflected contempt, anger, and even disgust. He leaned over slowly, closing in on his father's bated breath.

"Fucking die already...you miserable old fool." He whispered with disdain before turning around and rushing out the door.

What followed could only be described as two of the most grueling hours of William's relatively short life. And endless parade of mindlessly shallow conversations and sexual innuendo brought on by most single women at the party, and even a few men. None of which William had the slightest interest in. In fact, since he left the airport, his mind was only on one thing, and it was then, as he pondered on that mysterious shadow, that he suddenly felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Aibee standing there, her hands bound together and fingers nervously knotting.

"Did you get him to lay down?" William asked, his eyes scanning the room and his phony smile fully displayed.

"I did," Aibee replied.

"Good," William stated before pausing briefly, enough to acknowledge her nervousness. "What's wrong with you?" He questioned.

"Meet me at my house in five minutes." She uttered before leaving in a hurry.

William stood alone in the crowd, stunned by Aibee's uncharacteristic demeanor. He waved a couple of times and was inevitably stopped more than once as he tried to reach Aibee's annex, so by the time he got there, those five minutes had turned into twenty. He went down the steps to find Aibee further down, her muffled voice chatting near the tall, metal fence surrounding the perimeter. But the closer William got, the more distinct her voice became, and soon he realized there were two voices.

His heart raced, practically beating out of his chest as he neared the fence and realized John stood on the other side. Aibee looked back and smiled, discreetly walking away but not before brushing her hand over John's thick beard through the fence. William stopped a few feet from the wall, his body battling to move. Two years worth of unspoken words stood before them, yet it felt as if they had only laid together yesterday, sharing the most beautiful moment of their lives.

"I didn't expect you to come here," William spoke, finally breaking the silence.

"Wasn't sure if I should," John stated, approaching the fence.

"Why?" William confronted, a particular urgency in his question.

"Wasn't sure if you'd want to see me," John admitted, chuckling nervously.

William's heart caved. If John only knew, the blonde thought, just how much he longed for his presence.

"You look like shit," William uttered, but inside his eyes, a place John knew better than anyone, the brutality of his words became insignificant, revealing what hid beneath. He couldn't bring himself to tell his brother the truth: that he looked even better than William remembered. Were he given a chance, he would have jumped into the stud's arms right then and there.

"You look amazing. More beautiful than ever." John stated, his eyes gleaming. He began strolling over the outer sidewalk, stopping just opposite where William stood. "I've heard tales of your deeds and conquests. Not that I'm surprised. You were always the smart one." John uttered, his words stumbling to cross the void between them.

"So...what's new?" William asked, diverting the subject.

"I'm getting married," John announced.

William felt like he had just been slapped across the face, his stoic facade holding on by a thread.

"I see..." He stuttered. "Who is she?" He asked, secretly dreading to find out.

"I met a girl from out of town. She's nice. We'll move in with her family until we can afford our place," John explained. William held back his tears, feeling lost by the notion that John had managed to build a life away from him. "Aren't you going to congratulate me?" John teased.

"What are you doing here, John?" William questioned, finally confronting his brother's feelings.

"I just...you know...wanted to see you before..." John stuttered as William's gaze deepened.

"When are you leaving?" The blonde drilled.

"Tomorrow," John replied. As he did, William took two steps forward, their bodies closer than they'd been in a while. They could feel each other's heartbeats through the grid.

"Sometimes I wish..." William whispered, his thoughts manifested into words. But John stopped him.

"Don't. You made the right choice. We'd never survive together." The stud said, his voice bottled with regret. "This world...the people in it... they would've killed what we have." He stated, his voice cracking at every syllable.

They had so much to say to each other but couldn't. It was too painful. John turned away, hiding the sadness that wriggled inside his chest. He was about to leave when he heard his brother's voice pierce through the iron fence.

"JOHN!" William hollered.

By the time John turned, William was sprinting toward the fence. John's body propelled forward, urging to meet his brother. They clashed over the grid, arms clawing through it as they finally hugged, and soon, their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

"I love you. I'll always love you." William mumbled in between breaths as their lips and tongues frantically sucked on each other.

"I know," John replied, his tears merging with their spit.

They basked every second of their meeting, knowing they would never be as happy and safe as they were in that room. They would forever find their love, and their hearts cut right through the middle. Two soulmates pulled apart by a cruel fate. They reluctantly pulled away from each other, their hands finding every excuse to touch until they finally broke, each taking two steps back. John raised his hand, saying goodbye.

"Will I see you around?" William asked, his green gaze glistening with tears. Yet, he smiled, grateful that destiny had afforded them this moment. John paused and smiled.

"I'll always be around." He stated before turning and walking off, his broad back fading into the distance.

William stood there, alone and fearful of a future without his brother.

But what his heart failed to remember back then was that when it came to him, John would rather die than break a promise.

[Five months later]

Months passed, and the house dove into an uncommon repose after John's unexpected visit. Yet William had submerged into a slightly depressive state, spending most of his days locked in the smoke room and rarely leaving the house unless business functions compelled him to.

On one freezing night, William woke Jeremy around 2am and demanded they drive back to the district. They arrived to find the usual commotion, but the notable crowd seemed concentrated inside the Beatnik. Hence, as the car pulled closer to the plaza, only a few people wandered around it.

William leaned on the window, his emerald eyes already locked on a particularly familiar woman who leaned casually against one of the lamp posts near the sidewalk.

"Jeremy, stop the car," William ordered. As it came to a stop, he pulled the window down.

"Good evening." He greeted.

"I'm off duty today." The woman stated with indifference. Her body was turned inwards, and she wore a winter coat, even though it was late spring.

"I'm not here for that. Get in." William stated, opening the door and sliding to the side. She turned around, her deep, dark eyes squinting as she scanned the blonde stud's face. She tossed the cigar she was smoking on the sidewalk, stepped on it, and squeezed inside the car. William immediately noticed she was struggling to move by how she kept carefully adjusting her position. "What's your name?" He questioned.

"You don't remember me, do you?" she countered. We met years ago in your brother's bathroom," she explained.

But William's expression seemed unaltered. He was neither surprised nor embarrassed by the young woman's revelation.

"I remember. The girl from the district." William calmly asserted.

"Actually, my name is..." She added, but William cut her off.

"Nora, your name is Nora," he said as he turned his head to face the window. His voice was melancholy.

"Whatever gets your blood pumping, honey." She jokingly teased. "Well, you were right," Nora said, her words matching William's melancholy. "I was good enough to fuck, but not marry." She uttered, finally leaning back. When she did, her coat fell to the sides, exposing her large belly. Again, William didn't seem surprised, as if he had already noticed.

"Quite the bump you're hiding there, Nora," William stated, surgically and methodically.

"I plan to take care of it. I need to come up with the money." Nora explained, her face escaping to the window.

"You're not getting rid of it." William immediately countered.

"What the fuck do you care?" Nora questioned, turning her body to face William, who took a deep breath.

"I might have a business proposition for you," he suggested. Nora's dark eyes twinkled with curiosity. But I'll need you to answer me something first. And don't lie to me, or I'll know," he threatened, his tone shifting immediately. He sounded stern yet alluring and engaging. Nora seemed transfixed by this.

"Okay." She mumbled.

"Is John aware?" William asked.

"Of what...? Nora nervously replied.

"That you're carrying his child?" William questioned.

Silence sank inside the car as William's eyes burned through Nora's secret.

"No..." She stuttered.

"Good," William replied with a smile before banging on the glass partition that separated them from the front of the car. "Jeremy, let's go," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," Jeremy replied.

The car drove off into the night, moving ever so slowly away from the joyous sounds of freedom booming inside the Beatnik Hotel in the distance.

(To be continued...)