“I wish Greg hadn’t kicked the weed in the pool,” M said sadly as he watched Connor make up the couch with a sheet and some pillows. “I’d really like to smoke right now.”

“Yeah. I get it,” Connor said, then he threw the sheet over the back of the couch and tucked it into the cushions. “I got a buzz off the beer though. It wasn’t too bad, I guess.”

M made a face in reply. He obviously didn’t agree. That grumpy look wasn’t its first appearance tonight either. He’d tried at least. He’d watched the football game with the big boys, had a couple slices of greasy pizza, and he’d even drank a couple beers.

But every time Marcus cheered for his team – a loud event which involved a lot of yelling and clapping – M flinched further into Connor’s side. Every bite of the greasy pizza made the storm cloud over the blond’s head grow even stormier. Every time he took a sip of his beer, he made a pouty face exactly like the one he was making now.

Connor sighed. He really wanted this to work out. He wasn’t exactly thrilled to be rooming with someone from work, but given the alternative…

He tossed the pillows towards the far end of the couch and straightened up again. “C’mere,” he said, drawing M into his arms.

The boy pressed his face into Connor’s chest. “I don’t like it here,” he said softly.

Connor looked down at the top of his head. “Why?”

M fidgeted against him uncomfortably. He didn’t say anything and Connor sighed again and hugged him tighter.

They were alone in the living room. The game had finished maybe 20 minutes ago and Marcus had called it a night. He was in his room now, in the back of the duplex.

It was getting close to midnight. The room was dark, but a yellow glow from the streetlamp outside eased through the tangled blinds over the front window so Connor could see M clearly.

Connor sat on the edge of the couch and pulled M down next to him. “You’re going to be ok on your own tomorrow, right?” he asked.

“Yeah,” M sulked. “But I’ll miss Jack. And everybody else at the house.”

“Not Greg, I’m sure,” Connor said with a snort.

“Well, no, obviously.” M rolled his eyes. “I like Julie’s house way better than Marcus’s though. I miss our room in the attic.”

“I said the luxury vacation was over,” Connor said. “I meant it. We aren’t going to be living that nice again anytime soon.”

“But why?” M whined.

“Because,” Connor said. “I don’t make lots of money.”

“How come you can’t get a job like Greg’s?” M complained. “Julie said he works at a bank. He makes a lot of money.”

Connor rolled his eyes. “He went to college for that. Look what happened when I tried to further my education.”

The boy gave him a blank look.

“Nothing happened, M,” Connor huffed. “I dropped out and started full-time at Pizza Hut.”

“But–”

“Stop,” Connor said briskly. “If you don’t like it, how about I take you back to Julie’s and you can try sucking Greg’s gross dick.”

“W-why would I do that?” M asked, his eyes shining with innocence.

“Because,” Connor snapped. “That’s what gold diggers do. They suck gross dick because the guys with the good ones don’t have white collar jobs.”

M still looked very confused, but Connor was already very sick of the conversation.

“I’m going to get some sleep,” he said and he grabbed a pillow and gave it to the wide-eyed boy beside him. “You can sleep on the end there, or over on the recliner.” He gestured to the worn Lazy Boy next to the couch. “Take your pick.”

M hugged his pillow as Connor curled up and draped the throw blanket over himself.

Connor ignored him. He sighed and shut his eyes. The room fell silent and Connor waited for the boy to move, for him to lay down, too, but the silence stretched on and on and M didn’t budge.

Finally, Connor snapped.

“What are you doing?” He sat up and glared at the blond sitting in the dark.

M sat perfectly still, in the exact same position he’d been in when Connor had laid down. He stared blankly out the window, his face lit from the dim light streaming inside. Slowly, he pulled his legs up on the couch, balled himself up, and rested his head on Connor’s hip. He didn’t look once at Connor.

Connor sighed. He laid down again and stared at the empty TV screen.

***

“Connor,” M whispered. “Connor…Wake up!”

Connor opened his eyes with an unhappy grunt. Early morning sun poured through the window, and he blinked a couple times as he adjusted to the light. He could hear the coffee machine gurgling in the kitchen, and Marcus was moving around in there, too, running the sink. Irritated he was up, he turned to glare at M.

But the boy looked desperate. “I have to pee,” he said quickly.

“C’mon, M.” Connor scrubbed a hand across his face. “You didn’t have to wake me up. Marcus said the bathroom’s in the kitchen. He told us like a million times last night.”

“I know, but…” M whined a little and glanced nervously over Connor’s shoulder at the kitchen doorway.

“What? Are you scared or something?”

M squirmed on the couch and whimpered pitifully, “Please just come with me!”

“You’re being a baby.” Connor threw the blanket aside and rolled off the couch. He grabbed M’s fragile little arm and tugged him to his feet and into the other room.

Marcus stood over the sink, washing a couple bright red tomatoes. There were onions, cheese, and eggs resting on the countertop beside him. “Morning,” he said as Connor dragged the blond into the room.

Connor nodded in acknowledgement. He could see Marcus’s bedroom through a door in the back, behind the folding table and plastic chairs his partner used as a dining set. To the left was the door to the back patio. He could see a solitary charcoal grill on a sad square of gravel through the sliding glass. The last door was toward the right, next to Marcus and the sink. Connor figured that was the bathroom.

He pushed M towards it. “Go on,” he said and M hesitated and looked back at him nervously. “Go pee!” Connor bit out, frustrated by M’s apparent lack of intelligence this morning.

M edged around Marcus like the other man was on fire, then darted into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Connor stared at the door in confusion. What the fuck?

Marcus hadn’t noticed M’s strange reaction. He shut the water off and dried the tomatoes with a quick shake over the sink. “I usually put peppers in my breakfast scrambles, but one of you doesn’t like ‘em, right?”

Connor nodded.

Marcus got out a cutting board, grabbed a knife, and started chopping the tomatoes into little cubes. “I was going to wake you guys up in a minute… How’d you sleep?”

Connor shrugged. He’d slept soundly until M had poked him awake. Now that he had a moment to take stock of himself, though, he realized he didn’t have a headache like he usually did.

He thought about the UFO coming out of the water yesterday…

The fucking agent had staked them out. Again. And M and his super smart alien mothership had been none the wiser. The agent had probably been messing with his brain this whole time…

“I thought we’d leave for work in an hour. That’ll give us 15 minutes to get there,” Marcus said as he slid the tomatoes into a mixing bowl. He grabbed an onion and cut it in half.

“Alright,” Connor said. He hadn’t been listening though, something about work in an hour. He started towards the bathroom door, thinking he’d check on M, ask him what was up and take a quick piss while he was at it, when the blond pushed the door open and peeked into the kitchen.

“How did you sleep, M?” Marcus asked, turning to the boy hiding behind the door. He smiled, but M’s eyes widened hugely. “Uh, you alright?”

M’s lips started to tremble, he moaned low in the back of his throat, and before anyone could react, his eyes rolled up in his head and he keeled over, kicking the door shut as he dropped like a sack of bricks.

“Fuck,” Connor muttered. He shoved one of the plastic chairs aside and charged into the bathroom.

“What the hell just happened?!” Marcus cried as Connor slid through a crack in the door.

M was tangled in the shower curtain. He’d almost ripped it down, but it reluctantly supported his weight. Connor scooped him into his arms and laid him gently on the floor, leaning over him and stroking his hair as M shook and his eyes went crazy behind his eyelids.

“I’m calling 911,” Marcus said, and Connor glanced up to see his partner standing with the knife in his hand. The blade was sharp and long and still streaked with red from the tomatoes. Marcus’ whole body took up the doorway and Connor hadn’t really thought about it before, but Marcus was a big guy. He had a few inches on Connor and was easily 20 pounds heavier than Connor’s slimmer, more compact build.

In other words, Marcus looked awfully intimidating with that knife...

Connor kicked the door shut. “Don’t call anyone,” he growled in a deep, commanding voice.

“What the fuck!” Marcus cried. He banged on the door, but he didn’t actually try to open it. “What’s going on, Connor? What’s his problem?”

“Just give us a minute!”

Marcus was quiet. “Alright,” he said after a moment.

Connor waited a few heartbeats, listening closely for Marcus to move away from the door. He looked down again.

This time, M stared up at him with his beautiful green eyes.

“M,” Connor gasped.

“What happened?” the boy whimpered. “Where am I?”

“M–”

“What’s going on?” he started to cry. His eyes filled with tears and they rolled down his cheeks. His teeth chattered violently.

Connor opened his arms and M sat up and crawled into his lap. Connor rubbed the boy’s trembling back. “You’re ok. You had another seizure.”

“I haven’t had one in a while,” M sobbed.

Connor nodded an agreement. He could almost smell M’s salty tears. He turned his face into M’s and kissed his wet cheek through his hair. Now he could taste the salty-sweetness on his tongue.

“Can we get a shower,” the boy asked softly when he’d calmed down. “Before you go to work?”

Connor’s arms tightened around M a little more and he nodded.

M hugged him back. He pressed his lips against Connor’s neck and sighed with relief.

Connor felt his cock lurch in his loose-fitting sleep pants. The thought of having M naked and wet in the shower turned him on fiercely. “We’ll have to hurry, but we can take a quick one,” he said as he stood them up. He started to undress immediately, pulling his t-shirt over his head, then slipping out of his pj pants.

M chewed his lip, watching Connor undress intently. He looked very vulnerable as he stood there on his bare, shaky legs. The nightshirt he wore sagged around him, two sizes too big, making him look even more helpless.

“C’mon,” Connor tugged on M’s t-shirt. “You want to do this?”

The blond blushed, but he grabbed the bottom of his nightshirt and slowly took it off. He was almost completely naked underneath and Connor’s eyes were drawn down to the flash of red banding his trim hips.

He swallowed. Oh fuck. M had a little red thong on! Shopping trips with the blond had to be so incredibly awkward, Connor thought as he watched the boy shimmy out of the garment. Christ.

Finally, M stood naked before him. He lowered his eyes and his hair fell into his face. “There’s nothing to stop me from having another seizure,” he said quietly. “I’m completely sober.”

Connor frowned. Shit… M was right though. The last time they’d tried sober sex things hadn’t turned out so well. He tried to shrug off the initial disappointment and got back to the matter at hand. The seizure… “So, I guess you reacted to Marcus’s knife?”

M didn’t say anything. He didn’t even react. Connor raised an eyebrow… was that a ‘yes’? Or was M simply refusing to talk about it.

Connor sighed and he turned to get the shower going anyway. He ushered the blond into the stall and he let him rinse off first.

M moaned a little as he got under the warm spray and Connor’s cock instantly reacted. It started to perk up, growing thicker and longer as he watched the water caress the blond’s every curve.

Connor climbed in behind the blond and gingerly touched his warm, golden skin. M turned to him shyly, a nervous little smile teasing the edges of his lips and Connor stepped closer. He wanted to do more than just touch… but he knew he had to be careful.

Hesitantly, he closed the distance between them. His dick poked M in the belly and water splashed along his erect shaft.

The boy looked up hopefully and his cheeks were stained red with little fingers of water trailing across them.

Connor groaned. M’s eyes were full of need.

The boy licked his lips, preparing to say something, but Connor already knew what he was going to say. “Could we try kissing? I thought maybe–”

Connor guided him back against the tiled wall and M fell silent immediately. His lips were still slightly parted and Connor gently tilted his chin up, leaned down, and took his mouth in a heated kiss.

M moaned as their lips met. He wrapped his arms around Connor’s neck and held on tight. His little body vibrated with excitement and Connor reached up to stroke his warm, silky cheek. He loved the boy’s enthusiasm. He was obsessed with the taste and feel of his skin. Connor’s cock ached with need, he wanted M so bad right now it hurt.

As their kissing continued, Connor’s hands began to wander. He grabbed handfuls of M’s round little bottom and pulled him close so his cock pressed against his belly.

Connor slipped his tongue inside the moist heat of the boy’s mouth and M whined and parted his lips even wider. Connor took advantage of the opportunity and he plundered the sweetness within.

After a couple minutes of kissing, Connor pulled back to check on the blond. Gently, he cupped M’s cheek as he studied his face.

M’s eyes peeled open and Connor looked deeply into the green depths. The boy leaned into his hand and slowly licked his lips. He looked so submissive and gorgeous like that; with his pretty eyelashes lowered and his lips red from kisses.

Connor decided M was alright and he eagerly went back for more, capturing the blond’s bottom lip between his own and restarting passionate kisses.

M groaned with relief and bucked his hips into Connor’s thigh. He was practically riding Connor’s leg. He was obviously very desperate for more and his arms came up around Connor’s neck now and his fingers dug into his nape. The kiss went on for several moments more as the warm water tickled their legs. M moaned sweetly and his dick poked Connor in the thigh again.

Connor pulled back. “How do you feel? You gonna pass out?”

The warm glow of the bathroom light through the dark blue plastic curtain was calming, but M panted desperately in the steamy air of the shower stall. The water splashed against the curtain, masking any sounds they might make…

“I-I feel,” M started helplessly. “Like my chest is going to explode,” he whimpered. He was flushed with arousal and every breath he took was followed by a long, helpless moan.

Connor smirked a little. He pressed a hand over M’s chest. “Your heart’s pounding,” he said and then tore his eyes away so he could move back and look down between their bodies.

M’s cock was a beautiful, healthy pink. The silky cock shaft was speckled with droplets of water and every time he shifted his weight they would slide down and drip off the excited flesh.

Connor skimmed his hand down between them and he grasped the boy’s erection firmly.

M gasped again and he shuddered with wanton desire. He tightened his arms around Connor’s neck with a groan and threw his head back.

Connor put his free hand up on the tile to steady them then he angled his cock, stooping down a bit to get closer as he did. He enclosed both their cocks in a single hand.

He squeezed their erections together and the two of them moaned in the same breath. He slowly began to stroke them and M’s eyes rolled back in his head. He groaned loud enough for it to bounce off the bathroom walls.

“Ok?” Connor asked.

“Yes! I’m perfectly fine–Ahhh!” M whimpered. “Ooh, Connor please I want to cum!”

Connor understood that need perfectly.

He increased the pace and stroked them faster. Every time he pulled his cock skin back good and tight he was rubbing the heel of his palm against M’s aroused cockhead. The same thing happened in the opposite direction. It felt good… Connor’s cock pulsed madly against the blond’s wet flesh.

“Kiss me,” M gasped and Connor leaned in and did just that. He pushed his tongue into M’s mouth and felt the boy’s eagerly come out to meet his own.

Connor continued to fist their cocks with long, measured strokes while they kissed. He gently twisted the skin on their shafts and rhythmically pressed his fingers into them.

Suddenly, M broke the kiss and wailed with helpless pleasure. He tilted his head back and arched his hips into Connor’s. Connor sped up his strokes once more and smiled as he felt the boy’s cock twitch with shocks of pleasure.

M moaned and trembled and finally, he came with a strangled cry as water droplets beaded and rolled down his smooth chest.

Connor rubbed him a few more times, emptying the boy’s balls of their cream before he finally released him.

M sagged in his arms as he tried to catch his breath. He lazed against Connor’s strong body and pressed little kisses to his throat.

Connor held onto M tight as he quickly finished himself, now. He shut his eyes and groaned as he jerked his needy erection. When his balls drew up close to his body, he forced M’s cute little face up and kissed his soft lips while he reached orgasm.

They held each other as their cum washed down the drain.

“I love you,” M sighed as Connor stroked fingers through his hair.

***

When Connor and M came out of the bathroom, M wore his baggy t-shirt and nothing else. Connor had his little undies in his pocket and a sheepish look on his face. Their little interlude in the shower had been fun, but Connor was kind of embarrassed now. He knew M’s sweet moans had probably been audible through the wall. The neighbors, whoever they were, had probably heard.

Marcus sat at the table with breakfast spread in front of him, amusement sparkling in his dark eyes.

He’d definitely heard…

Resigned to some well-deserved embarrassment, Connor steered M to the table. “Sit,” he said.

M sat. He looked at Marcus for a second and then he quickly glanced down at his plate of food.

“You alright there, little man?” Marcus asked with a deep chuckle. “What’d you fall over for?”

M said nothing, but Connor spoke up for him without really thinking about it.

“He has seizures sometimes,” he said as he slid into the seat next to the boy in question. M was staring at his food with trepidation. “C’mon, M. Eat something.”

Grimacing, M picked up his fork and pushed the eggs around.

“Umm, well, that sucks,” Marcus said and then he tried to look serious for a moment. “Do you have a condition or something?” he looked at M, obviously trying to include him in the conversation about well… him.

M started down at his eggs though, totally silent.

Marcus glanced at Connor, his eyebrow raised and Connor answered for the boy a second time.

“He was in an accident.”

Marcus raised both his eyebrows now.

“It messed up his head a little,” Connor said. “It happened before we met though, so we don’t talk about it much,” he continued as he took a bite of his breakfast.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Marcus said grimly, but luckily, he didn’t ask any more and Connor was able to eat in peace. The eggs were actually pretty good. M, however, didn’t seem to like them, and he continued to make faces as he ate. He didn’t look up from his plate the whole time, either. He stared down at his plate, the complete opposite of his normal sunny self. It was starting to worry Connor quite a bit actually, but he was waiting until they were alone before he said anything…

“Hey, M,” Marcus said once his plate was clean. He pushed his chair back and waited for the blond to look up.

Connor nudged M under the table and finally M glanced up shyly.

Marcus looked the boy over for a moment, his gaze critical. “There’s pizza and pop in the fridge if you get hungry today,” he said.

“Damn,” Connor cursed under his breath. “I didn’t even think about what he’d eat today…”

“Yeah, I was going to take the leftovers in for lunch,” Marcus said. “But you can buy us something off the dollar menu instead.”

“Yeah.” Connor rolled his eyes. “Sure, whatever.”

Marcus laughed as he took his dish and silverware to the sink. He turned the faucet on and started to put things away while the water ran.

“Are you done?” Connor asked, glancing at the blond.

M had a little egg left, but he nodded and pushed it away.

Connor grabbed M’s plate and yanked it closer. He finished the last bite then gathered their stuff together so he could help Marcus at the sink. “Thanks,” he said when he got to the counter. “For breakfast.”

“No problem,” Marcus smiled. “But we’ve got less than 15 minutes. You’d better get ready.”

Connor nodded and turned to get M, but the boy was already gone. M was being so fricken weird… He huffed and went out to the living room only to find M standing naked in front of the couch, going through his bag. “Hey,” Connor said in a deep voice.

M gasped and tried to cover himself with his night shirt. “Connor! I-I’m just trying to get dressed!”

Connor quirked an eyebrow.

M sighed impatiently and threw his shirt down. “I can’t find anything to wear.”

Connor watched him fidget for a moment before he finally asked: “Why are you afraid of Marcus?”

M couched down to rummage through his bag. He frowned, muttering to himself under his breath.

“M?”

The blond pulled out a red and white striped shirt and a pair of shorts. He completely ignored Connor as he tugged the shirt on and stood up to get into the little bottoms. He had one leg in when Marcus came through the door.

“Do we need to stop for gas before work?”

M screamed and crouched down to hide his partial nudity. Marcus froze and covered his eyes.

“Sorry,” he said, backing out of the room. M turned his face away, like he couldn’t even stand to look. Marcus vanished into the back and Connor was left to stare at the blond.

“What’s going on, M?”

“Nothing!” M cried, but he avoided Connor’s gaze entirely.

“You’re obviously lying,” Connor scoffed. “Come on. Fess up.”

“I was naked!” Finally, M peeked and saw they were alone. He stood up quickly and finished putting his shorts on.

Connor rolled his eyes.

“What?! I was!”

Connor pushed his way around M and grabbed his duffle bag of stuff. His uniform was in there, as well as some fresh socks and underwear. He bundled everything together and threw the pile towards the couch. “You’ll be alright today, won’t you? Do you want me to get Julie to come watch you until I get home?”

M shook her his head. “I don’t need to be watched.”

Connor sighed and he started to get dressed. He pulled on a Bayside shirt and then whipped his pants off and hopped into his jeans.

“You guys decent?” Marcus called from the other room and Connor glanced at M before he responded. The boy stood in front of the TV, dressed, but uncomfortable.

Connor kicked his sleep pants under the coffee table. “Yeah, come in,” he said as he zipped up his jeans.

Marcus went directly for the coffee table, of course, and Connor realized there were drawers in the front panel. Marcus opened the one on the left and pulled out a wad of dirty looking money. “I have $18 dollars in the gas fund.”

“I don’t need it,” Connor said awkwardly. “Save it for beer. We’ll need it.”

Marcus glanced at him and Connor felt his face burning with embarrassment as his partner looked him over.

“Alright then,” Marcus said slowly and he shoved the money back in the drawer. When he closed it again, his eyes opened wide with surprise and Connor noticed M’s little red undies had fallen out of his pocket and lay just underneath the table, in plain sight.

Connor kicked the thong further under the table and somehow, he managed to stub his toe at the same time. He bit the inside of his cheek and scowled at nobody in particular.

“I’ll… be sitting outside,” Marcus said and he slid past Connor and the couch. He waved as he went out the front door. “Bye M.”

M nodded somberly and Marcus shrugged and went outside to wait.

Connor sighed and finished straightening up. “Text me if you get in any trouble,” he said as he grabbed his keys.

“Ok,” M said.

Connor turned to him one last time. The boy was pouting again. He looked really unhappy.

“I’ll see you around 5:30,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

Connor shrugged. “I dunno.”

M pressed his lips together. “Have a good day at work,” he said.

Connor left it at that and went outside to meet Marcus on the porch.

***

They got home that night around 5:30 and Marcus had to open the door. M must have locked it at some point. They stumbled into the living room to find him asleep on the couch. He looked warm in the sunlight and his face was serene. His body relaxed.

“Want to throw some burgers on the grill? We can sit outside,” Marcus said on his way to the kitchen.

Connor watched M for a moment in silence, then he followed his partner into the other room. “Sure,” he said. “Sounds good.”

In the kitchen, Marcus took his work shirt off and threw it on the back of a chair. “Do you want to wash your shirt, too? I forgot laundry over the weekend,” he said as he took some raw meat out of the refrigerator. “I’m going to do a load now.”

“Might as well.” Connor added his shirt to the pile and then went back to the living room for a replacement. M was still fast asleep. He paused over the boy, stroking his hair back softly. M snuggled further into the blankets, a smile on his face. Connor left him alone.

Marcus and the two work shirts were gone when he came back into the room. He went to look at the packaged meat and buns on the counter.

“Grab that, follow me out back.”

Connor turned to see Marcus emerge from the pantry next to the bathroom. He could hear a washing machine kicking on and figured that’s where the laundry was.

They went outside to the sad gravel patio and Marcus had him drag all the plastic furniture outside while he got the grill started.

Connor sat down at the table. The patio didn’t look so sad anymore. It was warm out, and he could hear some kids laughing a few houses down. It was peaceful. The privacy fence did wonders to limit his sight. He couldn’t see the street or the other houses. He could see the back yard though and it butted into another property with a lot of trees.

“So, what’s going on with your boyfriend?” Marcus asked as he laid some patties over the fire.

Connor started at his friend’s back. Marcus was relaxed in his undershirt. His big beefy arms hung out and he looked cool with his poufy afro.

“He’s uncomfortable, I guess,” Connor sighed.

“Are you sure he isn’t sick?” Marcus glanced back at him, concern shining through his normally laid-back persona. “I mean, you fucked him in the shower after he passed out. How normal are the seizures?”

Connor rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s had them as long as we’ve known each other.” Not that that was saying anything…

“How long have you known him?

“Maybe 2 months,” Connor said sheepishly.

Marcus laughed. “Where’d you pick him up? The sexy-boy homeless store?

Connor sighed while Marcus ground some sea salt over the grill.” I found him naked in my backyard. He… was pretty messed up,” he said.

“How so?”

Connor shifted uncomfortably. “He couldn’t remember anything. Not even his name. The only thing we didn’t have to teach him was how to speak,” he said. “We had to teach him everything else.”

“Um, what?”

Connor shrugged at the look on Marcus’ face. He couldn’t tell him M was a fucking alien. Marcus would laugh at him!

“Hannah, that’s my ex, she had to show M how to use the toilet apparently and I mean, I taught him how to eat. He almost choked to death the first time I gave him a slice of pizza.”

“What is that?” Marcus wrinkled his nose. “Amnesia?”

Connor almost grinned. “Yeah. We just decided to blame it on the accident that messed up his brain and his memories,” he said. “M just wandered into my backyard and somehow we ended up… getting together.”

“Oh c’mon,” Marcus snorted. “Stop trying to make it sound normal. That’s some pretty crazy shit.”

Connor smirked. “What?”

Marcus flipped the burgers over and added more seasoning. “You hooked up with the little hottie you were supposed to help and protect,” he said. “That’s why your ex left him with you, right? All alone.” He laughed again. “Because she was sure you wouldn’t be tempted.”

“Oh, I guess,” Connor said awkwardly. “This is all Hannah’s fault. I was ready to take him to the police that night, but Hannah though he was cute. Maybe she wanted a project or something.”

“Women and their projects.” Marcus grinned hugely. “Sometimes they’re better off just leaving it alone.”

Connor didn’t say anything. He was stuck in a guilty sort of admiration for the bleached blonde he’d left in South Dakota.

“Go grab some ketchup and shit from the fridge,” Marcus said. “We’re almost done here.”

Connor went back into the kitchen. He was impressed by the other man’s fully stocked fridge. He got the condiments and grabbed a few slices of cheese too, just in case.

Marcus served two burgers each onto paper plates he’d stored under the grill. There were 2 extras on the side.

“For when M decides to join us,” Marcus said when he saw Connor looking at the third plate. “I’ll go put these on the stove.”

He went inside to put away the leftovers while Connor dressed up his burgers. They started eating once Marcus returned.

“So, how do the seizures play in with the amnesia?” Marcus asked around a mouthful of burger.

“When M sees or experiences something that reminds him of his old life, he has a brain meltdown.”

“So, what’d I do wrong this morning?”

“He’s not of fan of big knives,” Connor said.

“Oh yeah?” Marcus furrowed his brow. “Sounds kinda suspicious.”

Connor finished his first burger before he said anything else. “Someone’s after him, too. Someone from his old life. We don’t know what he wants or who he is. He won’t talk to us.”

“This sounds like a badass movie plot,” Marcus snorted with amusement.

“Maybe.”

“You’ve got to find out more. Is that all you know?” Marcus asked. “Cute boy with amnesia and a stalker… Could be an interesting conclusion.”

“Yeah,” Connor said.

“And point out the stalker if you see him,” Marcus said. “I’ll get him to talk.”

Connor rolled his eyes. “Sure.”

***

On Tuesday, Connor got a phone call as they drove back to Bayside to finish out the day.

He fumbled in his pocket. He figured it was M, but the screen read ‘mom’. He turned down the radio. “I’ve got to take this,” he said to Marcus, but the other guy was busy on his phone. He nodded distractedly.

Connor turned down the radio and answered the call. “Hello,” he said.

“Hey, I was waiting for you to call yesterday. Are you two doing alright?” Julie started.

“Yeah,” he sighed. “We’re fine.”

“Good.” Julie released a heavy sigh of relief. “And how’s work?”

“Fine, mom.” Connor grit his teeth. “Is there something specific you needed? I’m still technically on the clock. We’re almost back to camp though.”

Julie paused for a minute. “We found the dog this morning,” she said. “Jamie was nauseous when she woke up so I called her off school today. She wanted to look for Jack, so we drove around the neighborhood for a couple hours.”

“Where did you find him?”

“A few miles from the house walking in circles in a parking lot. He looked so lost… He’s happy to be back. He won’t stop giving Jamie kisses.”

Connor smiled. He’d known he could count on Jamie. She was a good addition to the family.

“Did you call M yet?” he asked. “He’ll be ecstatic.”

“I thought I should check with you first,” Julie said guardedly.

Connor glanced at his partner. “Hey, Marcus? Do you like dogs?”

“They’re alright,” the other guy said offhandedly.

“My mom found our dog,” Connor said. “It’d really cheer M up if we brought him home.”

“Then let’s go get him,” Marcus said with a smile.

“Did you hear that?” Connor asked.

“When can I expect you?”

“A half hour. We’re just heading back to the office to clock out then we’ll come for the dog.”

“OK,” Julie said. “Call when you get here. So you don’t have to run into your stepfather. He’ll… be home soon.”

The hairs on the back of Connor’s neck bristled. “Ok,” he said shortly. He hung up and dropped his phone in the cup holder, tightening his fists on the wheel.

“This is a good thing… Right?” Marcus asked.

“Yeah,” Connor grunted.

Marcus waited for more, but Connor kept his lips pressed together.

They reached the office and parked in the back. Connor glanced at his partner again. Marcus was totally absorbed in his phone.

“What are you doing?” Connor asked and Marcus showed him instantly. He randomly swiped through a couple pictures of different girls.

“I’m on Tinder,” Marcus said.

Connor had to really think about it, but he’d heard of it before…

“The dating app?” he asked.

“Yep. Some of us don’t have personal boy-toys waiting for them at home. Some of us have to use Tinder to get laid,” Marcus said.

“Whatever,” Connor sneered. “I know, M is weird, but he’s not a sex toy.”

“I said boy-toy,” Marcus laughed.

“Fuck off,” Connor got out and headed towards the office. Marcus followed at a slower pace.

Connor shouldered through the door and went straight to the back to fill out his time card.

“How’s it shaking, Rosie,” Marcus asked sweetly behind him, strolling up leiserly to the Rosie’s counter, and Connor rolled his eyes.

Ugh! He didn’t have time for this…

Connor did his time card first, then quickly filled out Marcus’ as well, since Rosie would be able to able to corroborate him actually being here and all… He slotted them into the time clock one after another then added them to the completed pile. From the large stack of cards, it looked like they were probably the last ones to sign out for the day.

Marcus was leaning over Rosie’s desk, chatting her up when Connor returned. Rosie’s face was red. It usually was when Marcus showed her special attention. Connor would have taken it as a good sign personally, but Marcus insisted she didn’t like him.

“C’mon, Marcus,” Connor said as he approached the front desk. “Let’s get out of here.”

Marcus glanced up at him briefly. “Yeah, in a minute,” he said, then he started talking to Rosie again, like Connor didn’t even exist!

Rosie eyed Connor as Marcus bitched about some shit job they’d had earlier. She looked sympathetic and Connor fumed with annoyance. He just wanted to get to Julie’s, he wanted to miss Greg completely.

“Marcus!” he barked.

Marcus stood up slowly and glowered at him.

Connor continued blithely. He didn’t care if Marcus was mad. “Do you want to ride with me or walk? Because I’m leaving now.”

Marcus quirked a brow and laughed deeply. “I guess I’d better skedaddle, Rosie. Connor’s gotta go.”

Connor felt kind of stupid after that remark, which had probably been Marcus’ intent. Rosie wasn’t looking at him like he was a charity case anymore, though, and he counted that as something.

Marcus turned to go fill out his time card.

“I already clocked you out,” Connor said.

Marcus grumbled something under his breath then he said aloud: “See you tomorrow, Rosie.”

“Goodnight, guys,” Rosie said, looking between them nervously.

They left the office and Connor kept his mouth shut as they got in the truck. Marcus went back to Tinder and Connor didn’t bother him.

They got to Julie’s neighborhood in a couple minutes. Connor sent her a quick text as he waited at a stop sign.

“What the hell was that shit back at the office?” Marcus asked gruffly. “You jealous or something?”

Connor scoffed. “Hardly.”

They coasted around the corner and slowed down as they approached Julie’s house.

“I’ve been real cool with you, Connor. I don’t need you cramping my style,” Marcus said as Connor pulled in the drive.

“I don’t give a fuck about your style,” Connor started, but they both fell silent as Julie burst through the front door and hurried up to the truck.

“Connor,” she said with a smile and then she quickly looked behind her. “Greg’s home.”

Connor sighed and started to get out.

“Just… Sit right there… Jamie’s bringing the dog.”

Connor shut the door and glared up at the house. “I still have shit upstairs, you know.”

“I know, I’ve been going through it,” she said with a sad smile. “ Oh, is this your partner from the landscaping place?”

“Yep.”

Julie stuck her hand through the window and shook Marcus’. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

Just then, the front door flew open. Greg, his red face burning with fury, stepped out onto the porch and started yelling.

“Get inside, woman! You’re burning dinner! What the hell are you thinking, Julien?!”

“I’ve gotta run,” Julie said. She yanked her arm out of the truck and turned frantically on the spot. She stumbled a little and lost a sandal.

Connor got out without thinking about it. He started after Julie as she scrambled to pick up her shoe.

“How’s it going, Greg,” he said shortly, narrowing his eyes at the fat man.

Greg didn’t answer, he kept his eyes on his wife. She scuttled through the door and finally, Greg turned his nasty face in Connor’s direction. “The kids will be out with the dog in a minute,” he said. “Good riddance. You two faggots can come for your other shit on Saturday.”

Connor folded his arms and continued to glare.

“Oh yeah, and you and your little boyfriend own us $2,000 for the windows. Whenever you can scrounge up some cash, that’d be great.”

Connor snorted, but Greg was done talking to him. He backed through the door and slammed it shut.

“Asshole!” Connor shouted after him, then he jumped back in the truck and punched the wheel a few times. “Fucking…goddamn motherfucker!”

“Connor!” Marcus cried.

“What!”

Connor looked up as Jamie and Nathan rounded the side of the house. Jack walked between them, his tongue hanging out.

“Chillax, bro,” Nathan said as the teens got to the driveway. He dropped his hands in his pockets and smirked. “We could hear you from the back.”

“Fuck off,” Connor scowled.

Nathan continued to smirk, totally unaffected and Connor flipped him off.

“C’mon, you guys, please don’t start another fight,” Jamie said.

Connor turned away from the little group, ripping at his hair in frustration. “This is a so fucked up!” Suddenly, the door slammed on the truck. Connor looked around to see Marcus approaching the dog.

“Hey there, little dude,” Markus said in that stupid high-pitched dog voice people got. Jamie smiled at him and started a round of introductions.

Connor watched the proceedings with a scowl on his face.

When Jamie finally turned back to him and saw the sour look on his face her smile gradually disappeared.

“Greg’s going off the deep end,” she said. “I’m really worried about your mom.”

“Ma’s fine,” Nathan scoffed and Connor edged closer to him, so fucking close to taking his head off! “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you’re an idiot!” Connor shouted.

“Connor’s the one going off the deep end,” Nathan bitched to Jamie. “Fuck, what’s your problem, dude?”

Connor started to fly at his obnoxious brother, fists drawn, when Marcus calmly stepped in front of him.

“Get the fuck back!” Connor yelled. He shoved Marcus hard in the chest and when that didn’t work - the asshole hadn’t even budged an inch - Connor simply tried to dodge around the large hulking figure.

Marcus threw his arm out and clotheslined him.

Connor fell back on his butt. He glared darkly up at Marcus while Nathan roared with laughter.

“Kill the laugh track,” Marcus snapped over his shoulder and Connor saw Jamie elbow Nathan behind Marcus’ back.

“Oww!” Nathan doubled over in pain and the confused dog snorted and backed away from the teens.

“Connor,” Marcus said firmly. “I’m sorry I did that, but let’s all take it down a notch, ok?”

Connor glared hard at his partner for a long, tense moment, but then he sighed and looked away.

“We came for the dog,” Marcus said. “Let’s get him and go home.”

Connor scowled, but he knew Marcus was right. He’d only been thinking of Julie, but there wasn’t really anything he could do. Julie’s own live-in son seemed to think she’d be fine. So, it would probably be fine…

Marcus held out a hand and Connor took it. The other guy pulled him up.

“C’mon Jack,” Connor called sharply. He approached the dog and completely ignored the other humans.

“I just think…” Jamie started hesitantly. “I may have to call you sometime,” she said awkwardly.

Connor ignored her. He got the dog by the collar and led him to the truck.

“Everything is fine, you know,” Nathan spoke up as Connor got Jack to hop in truck. “Jamie’s just being dramatic. It’s always like this. This is normal.”

Jamie shook her head in disgust.

“Let’s go,” Connor called to Marcus. His partner stood like an action figure, all buff and victorious. Connor was desperate to leave.

The other guy didn’t mess with him this time. Marcus gave Jamie a little wave and glanced disapprovingly at Nathan. Then he came around and got in the truck. Connor got in too and started it up.

Before he could whip out of the driveway, Jamie ran up to the driver’s side.

“Nathan wanted to give you this,” she said as she slid a foil packet of cigarillos through the window.

Connor glared at the cigars. Grape flavor. Gross.

“There’s a couple buds of kush in there, too,” she said with a smile. She looked tired though and stressed.

“Thanks.” Connor grabbed the packet and tossed it unceremoniously onto the dashboard. “Go ahead and text M about the dog… I’m not in the mood to mess with my phone.”

“Oh course,” Jamie said. “How does he like it at your house?” She looked around Connor, at Marcus. “He’s really cute, right?”

“He’s definitely cute,” Marcus laughed. “But he doesn’t like it at my place. I swear, it’s me he doesn’t like though.”

Connor turned his head as the dog stuck his nose out the window and in Jamie’s face. Jack licked her cheeks enthusiastically as she giggled.

“OK Jack, that’s enough!” she cried.

Connor helped by pushing the dog off his lap. He just wanted this conversation to be over with already!

“Bye Jamie,” he said tightly as the girl pulled her head out of the truck.

“Be nice to the dog,” she said.

“Whatever.”

Connor backed up, seeing Nathan standing to the side of the driveway, a pathetic look on his face. Jamie went to stand next to him and Connor quickly reversed and peeled out of the neighborhood.

“Fuck,” Marcus muttered. “You weren’t kidding about the home-life sucking.”

“Thanks for knocking me on my ass,” Connor sneered. “Nathan will never let me forget it.”

Marcus shrugged. “You get pretty crazy sometimes. When you’re upset,” he said. “Shit, I’ve known you a week and I already know that about you.”

Connor looked down at the dog. “At least this’ll cheer M up,” he said solemnly. Jack nervously licked his muzzle and Connor quickly scratched him behind the ear.

“Yeah,” Marcus said. “But I’d stay away from the family if you can help it. Just hang with me, we’ll figure something out.”

Connor nodded. He felt his shoulders unclench. “I’m sorry,” he said gruffly. “For freaking out.”

“No problem, man.” Marcus grinned at him. He took his phone out again and started up Tinder. “But seriously. I’m trying to get laid tonight. You two do your thing, just leave me out of it.”

Connor rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you won’t bring some slutty chick over at midnight.”

“I’ll probably go out,” Marcus said as he sorted through a new stack of slutty, half-dressed girls on his phone. “You’ve seen my truck, right? That’s what happens when I let women into my heart. They destroy me.”

Connor felt really touched by the statement. “I’m sorry,” he said.

Marcus shrugged.

They got back to the house in less than 10 minutes. M was already outside and waiting for them when they pulled up.

“Jack!” he cried as Marcus opened his side of the truck and let the dog jump over him.

The boy and his dog ran to each other and Jack leapt up and planted his paws on the blond’s chest like they were going to hug. He knocked him down, though, and M laughed and gathered the dog into his arms.

“I missed you, puppy, I missed you,” he cooed to the mutt. Jack licked him in the face over and over again.

Bleg.

Marcus headed inside while Connor went to check on his boyfriend. He crouched down beside M and the excited, panting Jack.

“Thanks Connor,” M said with a brilliant smile.

And wearily, Connor smiled back.

***

Connor and M went to sit on the patio after that. Marcus said they could help themselves to anything they wanted so Connor was cooking a pack of hotdogs he’d found in the fridge on the grill.

Inside, Marcus was getting ready for his Tinder date.

Apparently, he’d started chatting with some chick who was willing to meet him down the street at his favorite bar.

Either way, Connor was glad they were alone. Him and M sat on the patio while the dog sprawled comfortably in the grass.

There was alcohol too. Connor found two bottles in the fridge on his hunt for dinner earlier.

M flat-out refused to drink, so Connor had the two aged malt beverages all to himself.

Connor ended up getting a little tipsy by the end of his first drink. He hadn’t planned on doing it, but he told M about his horrible trip to Julie’s earlier.

M’s mouth fell open in shocked surprise as he listened. “Marcus knocked you down?” he asked in awe.

“Yeah. But he was just trying to help dipshit Nathan,” Connor sneered. “That kid never knows when to shut up. I was so ready to beat his stupid ass.”

M giggled and Connor thought he was fucking adorable.

“I’m heading out,” Marcus said, sticking his head out the back door.

Connor glanced at his partner. Marcus was clean and shaved, he had a nice shirt on and jeans. He gave Marcus a thumbs up. “Nice,” he said. “Looking good.”

Marcus snorted. “Are you drunk already?”

Connor held up his malt drink. “This stuff sucks, but it works.”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “Careful on the malt, kiddo. It’s got more alcohol in it than a regular beer.”

Connor glanced at his frosty glass. “Whatever,” he said lazily.

“Alright, well, you two have a good night. See you later, puppy.” Marcus wagged his fingers at the dog. He glanced at M and then bowed out for the night.

Connor finished his drink and watched M nibble on his hot dog.

“So, what’s your problem with Marcus?” he asked. “He thinks you’re afraid of him.”

M stared down at his mostly empty dinner plate. “Marcus is alright,” he said awkwardly.

“Yea, but why are you so scared of him.”

M started to get up! He was fucking running like coward! He picked up his plate and started for the back door, but Connor grabbed him as he passed. He yanked the blond into his lap.

M lost his paper plate and half a hot dog. It flew out of his hand and into the grass as he fell into Connor’s arms.

“Hey!”

“You’re ignoring me,” Connor growled.

M kicked his legs, trying to escape, but Connor slid his arms under the boy’s knees and easily lifted him up.

“You’re not getting out of this, tell me what’s going on,” he said firmly.

“Connor!” M whined.

“I’m not putting you down until you tell me,” Connor laughed.

Jack watched them with interest as he snacked on M’s lost hot dog. M continued to flail, refusing to speak up.

“Alright, then.” Connor threw M over his shoulder and stood up. He carried the boy inside at a slow, lumbering pace. M squealed all the way to the living room and Connor took him to the couch and tossed him down.

Connor climbed on top of M and grabbed his wrists. The blond bucked his hips up into Connor’s and whined with frustration.

“Why won’t you talk to me?” Connor asked.

“Because,” M gasped. “Because it’s Michael’s problem. Not mine. I like Marcus!”

“Bullshit.”

“Connor please!”

“Please what?” Connor laughed. He had the boy totally pinned. M twisted under his hold, making desperate little sounds. “Am I scaring you now? Are you going to have a seizure?”

M stuck his bottom lip out. “No.”

“Talk to me,” Connor said and he leaned down and kissed M’s pouty mouth. The boy melted beneath him. The bucking motion of his hips turned into sexy little rolls. “I know all your creepy secrets. You can tell me stuff, you know? I’m not going to hate you.”

M looked at him very seriously. He batted his pretty lashes and Connor released one of M’s wrists just so he could touch the boy’s soft face.

“You have to let me sit up first,” M said softly after a minute or two and Connor reluctantly got off the little blond. M sat up and smoothed his hair down fussily. He glanced nervously at Connor and finally started talking.

“I’ve been having dreams since we got here,” he said. “I know they’re memories because it’s the same thing every time. There’s a guy and he’s big and has long fingers that tear at my skin. He has… dark skin like Marcus’s and curly hair like him too, kinda,” M said, looking down at his hands balled in his lap. “He spins me around and presses something sharp to my throat and he… he rips my pants down and forces himself inside me.”

Connor felt all the good cheer drain out of him. He took M’s hand and rubbed it tenderly between his own. “It’s one of Michael’s memories. Isn’t it?”

“Yes,” M said. “In the dream, the pain lasts for what feels like forever. I always think it’s the most unbearable pain I’ve ever felt, but then the guy cuts my throat.”

Connor looked up at the gloomy boy beside him. He studied the little stress lines across his forehead and the faint circles under his eyes. Connor had been too busy and too full of himself to notice, but M’s exhaustion was all over his face.

M rubbed his throat over and over. “He cuts my throat and I feel myself falling fast. The guy keeps forcing his penis inside me though,” he said. “He’s grunting over me, ripping me apart, and then I wake up in a cold sweat.”

Connor pulled M into his arms. He didn’t know what to say.

“I had a bad feeling about Marcus when I first met him, even though he seemed nice and you like him and everything,” the boy said into Connor’s chest. “But the first night we were here I had that dream. I had it the second night, too.”

“Marcus isn’t a rapist,” Connor said.

“I know,” M said with a shaky breath. “The guy in the dream was older, I think. And he had long yellow fingernails that scratched my skin. Marcus has normal hands. It’s just… in certain lights, I sorta forget who he is and I feel all this fear rising out of nowhere and I… I feel like I’m going to pass out.”

Connor huffed. “That’s a fucked up memory,” he said. “I wish you didn’t have to experience it.”

M nodded. “It isn’t fair. I think Michael’s just trying to scare me.”

Connor smiled a little. He wasn’t sure if M’s mental battles with his human host were funny or not though.

M glanced at him strangely and Connor let the expression melt off his face.

“Well, we can’t change the past,” Connor said slowly.

“No,” M said sadly. “But I can try to be friendlier with Marcus. I feel especially nervous around him right after I wake up….”

Connor could understand that. He tilted M’s face up and looked deeply into his eyes.

“I promise, no one’s going to lay a finger on you while I’m around,” Connor said bravely. M fluttered his golden lashes. “I’ll always keep you safe, so you don’t have to worry about what happened in that dream becoming reality. Understand? You’re safe.”

M nodded slowly. Connor squeezed his cheeks together a little, making M’s lips pucker. He groaned as he leaned closer. He tasted the boy’s sweet pink lip with his tongue.

That lead into more kissing and gentle touching. M seemed saddened by admitting to the dream-rape, but Connor was making great progress in cheering him up. At least he thought he was.

By the time Connor pulled back again, M’s hair was mussed once more and he was smiling. His cheeks were flushed a charming pink.

“Let’s watch a movie,” Connor said, sitting up a little. “We haven’t done that in a while.”

M’s face brightened even more. “Yeah!” he said excitedly.

“We have the whole night to ourselves,” Connor said with good cheer. He got up to switch on the TV then wandered into the kitchen for the other malt in the fridge and to let Jack in the house.

Back in the living room, M flipped through the channels. He stopped on TNT. “Something’s coming on,” he said.

The dog had followed Connor into the living room and when Connor went to get his seat back, Jack hurried up and promptly laid at their feet.

“Jack!” M cooed. He leaned over the edge and scratched the mutt behind his ear. Jack looked like he was in heaven.

Connor cracked the top off his malt and settled in for the movie. M snuggled into his side, tangling his bare toes in Jack’s fur.

***

Connor was awakened when a set of lips wrapped around his cock. He sat up on his elbow, a groan catching in his throat as he looked down.

Connor was stretched out on the couch. He didn’t remember laying down, but obviously, he must have at some point. His legs were spread and M had taken some liberties with his bottom half. His jeans and boxers were pulled down to his mid-thigh and his cock was out and fully exposed.

M was naked. Completely. And he laid on his belly between Connor’s legs. He had his lips around the head of Connor’s cock. That’s what had woken Connor in the first place, but another wave of arousal washed over him as he looked into the blond’s shimmering green eyes.

M gently cupped Connor’s balls as he leaned down to swallow more of his dick. He slid his lips further down the shaft and Connor fell back against his pillow with a groan.

It was pitch black outside and the dim glow of the street lamp outside colored both their skin a deep yellow.

M was already deep throating him. The kid clearly had no gag reflex. He kissed the base of Connor’s sticky, wet cock shaft and then he bobbed his head up and down while he clenched and gripped the head with his throat muscles.

Connor bit down on his lip painfully. “Is Marcus home yet?” he hissed.

M shook his head. Connor didn’t see it so much as he felt it. M pulled his cock left and right a few times. Then he sucked Connor deep into his mouth and teased his thick length with his tongue.

Connor’s cock was hard as a rock. He reached out and slid his fingers through M’s hair, gripping him firmly. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to fuck so badly…

M was reading his mind apparently, because after he swallowed Connor’s dick a few more times, he let it pop out of his mouth, the shaft gleaming with wetness.

M smiled at Connor. There was something… different about him tonight… he sat up, spat in his hand, and then reached behind himself to slick up his asshole. He didn’t look away as he climbed into Connor’s lap and angled the wet cock to meet his dark hole.

Connor watched with bated breath. He looked between their bodies, sobbing with anticipation as his cock got closer to M’s puckered asshole. And then the boy gasped and Connor felt his cockhead breach the tight ring of M’s anus.

The boy’s mouth twisted a little with the pain, but he didn’t hesitate. He slowly took the first few inches into his body and moved his hips up and down. He danced on Connor’s dick and diligently worked the length deep into his clenching body.

Finally, M got the whole length inside him. He started to move, but Connor grabbed the blond’s hips, urging him to wait. He felt very close to cumming right now and he didn’t want to yet, he wanted it to last…

M sat astride Connor’s hips, panting, impaled on 10 inches of thick cock meat. He waited for Connor, smiling down at him with an otherworldly beauty.

Connor rubbed M’s provocative little hip bones as his head spun with desire. The boy looked gorgeous sitting like that, his asshole stuffed full with cock. His bare skin shone as little trails of sweat rolled down his smooth, flat chest.

He was hard too. His dick curved up a bit as it stuck out straight and proud before him.

M moved a little, working Connor’s dickhead deeper inside his hot little hole. Connor groaned and jerked his hips up to meet M’s and the boy took that as permission to start moving again.

He leaned on Connor’s chest and started to fuck himself vigorously. The moist length of M’s erection slapped against Connor’s stomach over and over at the end of every thrust. The sound of it was obscene. M rocked back and forth in a steady, methodical rhythm and buried his face against Connor’s chest. He whimpered with pleasure, leaving wet kisses across Connor’s sweaty flesh.

Connor wrapped his arms around M and brought him closer. Their chests and stomachs pressed together… he could feel M’s hardness throbbing and leaking pre-cum between them.

From there, he kept one firm hand on M’s hip and with the other, he turned the boy’s face closer to his and he kissed his sloppy, delicious mouth.

He sucked on M’s sexy lips, loving the sound of the boy’s desperate moans. The boy wiggled in his lap and Connor dug his fingers into M’s hip to hold him still for a minute.

M groaned as he wiggled on Connor’s cock some more and flexed his muscles. Connor was trying to pick a good angle though and when the boy was seated just right, he drove his cock into M’s open body. The blond threw his head back and cried out wantonly.

Connor did it again, angling for M’s prostate a second time. The boy fucked his hips back to meet Connor’s strong thrusts and suddenly they’d struck up the perfect rhythm.

They rutted against each other, breathing in one another’s hot, sticky breath, their sweaty skin sliding together, and their bodies moving in a determined race for orgasm.

Connor reached between their bodies and he grabbed M’s cock. The boy moaned low in his throat and bounced on Connor’s dick some more.

Connor masturbated him thoroughly. He rubbed and stroked M’s pulsing cock shaft in time to the thrust of their hips.

All of a sudden, M’s cock twitched in Connor’s hand and he sat up a little and groaned again. His back curved and he arched his hips, spearing himself further and deeper on Connor’s cock.

Then he started to cum, the pearly fluid sprayed out across Connor’s stomach.

Connor drove his fingernails into M’s soft flesh and he hissed. M’s asshole was strangling his dick right now! The little blond’s whole body seized up tight as he came in long spurts that made him cry out like a whore.

Connor grabbed M around the waist and held him tight as he fucked his cock into the boy’s quivering little butthole.

M gasped at the invasion, but he didn’t complain. He whined a bit, but put his arms around Connor’s shoulders and let himself be filled over and over. He made beautiful sounds and slowly worked Connor into a tizzy with his luscious body and finally, Connor came… He was so turned on… M’s body literally milked the sperm out of him. His clenching little anus was like a talented mouth. It sucked all the juice out of Connor and left him completely satisfied.

Connor kissed M again as he finished unloading. The boy had a huge, weary smile on his face and it made it hard to kiss him properly, but Connor didn’t care.

He sagged into his pillow when it was over. He was so tired… He could barely keep his eyes open.

M slithered off Connor’s limp penis and Connor groaned as his wet cock and balls were assaulted with cold air. But then M laid down on his chest and the cold chill disappeared.

They kissed for a few moments. Connor knew he was going to pass out though.

“Go back to sleep,” M whispered and Connor let himself fall back into dream world.

***

The next time Connor woke up, it was with his cell phone ringing in his ear.

He rolled off the couch, groaning as he searched blindly through the jeans he’d kicked off at some point in the night.

He found his cell in his back pocket. Marcus’ name was on the screen…

“Hello,” Connor grunted into the receiver.

“Hey, dude, sorry to wake you up. You sound terrible,” Marcus laughed.

“Wrong number,” Connor said hoarsely, annoyed, and he started to end the call when he heard Marcus yell his name. “What?” he snapped.

“I’m… kinda stuck in the middle of nowhere,” Marcus said with another laugh. “Things went okay with that girl from Tinder. She said we could go back to her place for the night and everything was fine until we get here and I see all this… 50 Shades of Bondage shit.”

Connor sighed. “Where are you?”

“I’m pretty sure you won’t know the street name. I’ll text you the address. Look it up in Google maps.”

Connor rolled his eyes, but reluctantly agreed.

When Marcus let him get off the phone, he glanced up to see M sitting up on the edge of the couch. He watched Connor with wide eyes.

“Marcus needs help,” Connor explained, if M hadn’t already guessed.

The blond nodded slowly, but he didn’t say anything.

Connor got a text and he quickly copied the address Marcus sent him into Google. He cursed immediately. The place was 40 fucking minutes away!

He checked the time. It was close to 4 in the morning. No wonder Marcus was bothering him. If he couldn’t get home soon, he’d end up missing work.

Fucking Marcus, Connor thought bitterly, but he got dressed and pocketed his phone and his keys. “Do you want to come, too?” he asked the blond on the couch.

M shook his head and Connor shrugged. He’d tried. Fuck this, he just wanted to get this over with already!

“Stay with the dog then,” he said. “I’ll be back by morning.” He turned to leave, locking up behind him. M watched him go in silence.

Connor got in the truck and started it up. He tore out of the cul-de-sac, glancing down at his phone for occasional direction. He was annoyed and sleepy. He still felt a little drunk too, but he calmed down as he drove the dark, desolate roads. Absently, he switched on the radio, thinking some music would improve the calm mood.

When the radio came on, the sound crackled. A buzzing sound poured into the cab and then static ripped through the air.

Connor jabbed the power button. Chills went up his spine as the sound died down and the night was filled with silence once more.

He trembled and looked around cautiously. There were no other cars on the road, no other people… the sun was still a couple hours away from rising yet.

And then he spotted a figure moving down the sidewalk in front of a dark shopping mall.

He peered at it as he rolled past and as he watched, the figure turned just so. A beam of light from Connor’s truck lit a pale face with dark shaded glasses.

The agent.

Connor continued on, but he glanced wildly over his shoulder as did. He should stop… He should go back… He turned to face the road again when Google told him to make a right in 50 feet. Maybe that had just looked like the agent. Maybe that hadn’t actually been him…

A red stop light glowed ahead in the upcoming intersection and Connor gripped the wheel tight, not knowing what he should do.

He stopped for a few seconds, and then the bitch in the Google app broke the silence and reminded him to make a right.

He scowled and made a right-hand turn. Then he slammed on the brakes.

“Fuck!”

The same dark figure skittered across the street, heading away from him now. Connor was halfway around the corner, stopped on the pedestrian crosswalk.

“What the fuck!” he hollered out the window, but the man walked away quickly and didn’t turn. He vanished into the dark city block.

Shaking, Connor stepped on the gas and jetted off down the street. He passed a fast food restaurant and a gas station on the corner. The lights were on inside both establishments, but not a single living soul populated the businesses.

He followed Google maps for a few more minutes. She wanted him to jump on the highway and Connor barreled down the deserted street on his way to the entrance ramp.

The light ahead was green and as Connor approached it, he saw the same damned figure standing on the corner.

He clenched the wheel tight and sped up.

The man in black looked up, just as Connor sped towards the corner.

It was him. It was the fucking alien.

A crackling sound started and static blasted through Connor’s phone. He screamed and drove straight at the agent. He wasn’t fucking playing this time!

His eyes were on trained on the agent. Connor hadn’t realized the alien stood right in front of the lamp post on the corner. In an instant, the agent vanished in a flash of light and then boom!

Connor plowed straight into the lamp post. It bent and swayed and Connor yelled with shock and fury.

He leapt out of the truck and stumbled and fell into a bit of broken glass. The front of the truck was wedged into the metal post and the windshield was all spit to hell.

“Where did you fucking go!” Connor screamed as he pulled himself up and spun around, looking for someone, anyone, on the empty street. “Fucking coward! Come get me!” he roared.

“I told you I wanted the boy,” said a stiff voice from behind him.

Connor turned. The agent stood just a few paces from the truck. There was a gentle smile on his bloodless lips. Connor charged at him, itching for some pay back.

As soon as he reached the agent, a battle cry on his lips, the guy dodged out of his way. Connor twisted and swung his fist around and the agent hopped back, just out of reach.

Connor growled. He covered his head and threw his body at the guy, but stumbled and fell when he ran into nothing.

He jumped up to his feet, brushing his knees off. “Freak!” he spat. “Fucking fight me!”

“Why?” The agent stood just a few feet away, so temptingly close, but Connor didn’t make a fool of himself once more, changing at nothing… “So I can win?” the agent laughed, but there was no humor in it. It didn’t sound real.

“What the fuck do you want from us!” Connor shouted.

“I want permission to study my colleague,” the agent said with that same, bloodless smile. “I have a purpose, a mission. I’m going to save my entire race with my research and you will get to watch in awe as we improve your world,” he said. “You should really help me, Connor. I could make your life a lot easier–”

“Shut UP!” Connor yelled.

“If I could just peel back his scalp–”

Connor’s grit his teeth together and growled.

“If I could take a little peek at his brain–”

He screamed and rushed for the agent once more. This time, he thudded into the guy.

The agent was almost 6 inches taller and his body felt like a wall of bricks. Connor grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and pressed his face up into the alien’s. He stared into the dark glasses.

Red and blue lights flashed in the reflective lenses. Connor blinked and whirled around.

A cop car pulled up beside him and the passenger window rolled down.

“What’s going on, son,” some old fat cop said through the window. He had a cup of coffee in his hand and a box of donuts on the seat beside him.

Connor turned back to the agent only to find he was completely alone and holding onto nothing. He dropped his arms and looked around for the man in black.

But he was gone.

He heard a car door shut and he looked up to see the cop poking around his truck. He took out a pen light and examined the damage to the lamp post Connor had hit. When the fat pig straightened up, he shone it in Connor’s face.

“Have you been drinking tonight?”

Oh, fuck this!

“No,” Connor snapped. “But I am being stalked… Did you see that guy I was just with?”

“What guy?” The cop reached through Connor’s front window and grabbed something off the dash. He peered at it under the light. “What’s this?” He held up the pack of cigarillos Nathan had given him earlier.

The cop didn’t wait for an answer though, he just opened the top and smelled inside.

“Why don’t you have a seat on the curb there,” he said. And then he radioed in for backup.

Connor huffed with frustration, but he sat on the curb. Surely, they’d let him go soon…

***

The cops didn’t listen to him. They took him down to the station after Connor watched them tow the truck away.

The fat cop he’d started with swore he smelled alcohol on Connor, and even though the bit of weed they’d found in the truck wasn’t a big deal, it just added to the whole driving while under the influence.

So, Connor got to sit in the back of a police car. He got fingerprinted and booked for the night and then they tossed him in a cell, alone, to sleep off the booze.

Connor was fuming with anger, but he kept a level head. He didn’t freak out and he didn’t start cursing everybody in sight. He didn’t see how that would help.

It was maybe 6 in the morning when he finally managed to lay down on the cot in the back of the cell.

He practiced some deep breathing and tried to forget about the mess he’d just landed himself in. He shut his eyes and stared at the backs of his eyelids.

Hours passed, not that they let you know what time it was, or anything. It actually felt like days had passed in the tiny, windowless room, but they hadn’t tried to feed him yet and Connor was pretty sure they weren’t starving inmates for days at a time.

Connor was miserable.

He couldn’t stop thinking about M, alone and abandoned. Hopefully, Marcus would figure out another way to get home and that when he did, he’d know what to do.

Of course, Connor wasn’t sure he knew what to do, but shit… They had to let him call somebody soon, right?

He laid on his cot, a strange mixture of boredom and stress eating at him.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming his way and he sat up, looking down the narrow hall.

It was a lady cop. She looked almost as bored as Connor was and she stopped in front of his cell and yawned. Then she proceeded to start unlocking the door.

“Am I getting out?” Connor asked anxiously.

The lady cop gave him a bored look. “Someone’s here for you.”

“Fuck yes,” he sighed and waited to be released.

Julie was waiting out front for him. She had her hands clutched before her, her eyes already full of tears.

“Connor,” she sobbed and she pulled him into a bear hug.

Connor put up with the emotional onslaught for a minute. He felt awkward. There were a lot of cops watching them. “C’mon mom,” he muttered through his teeth.

“Alright, let’s get you out of here,” Julie said quickly. She looked around at the station, at the sleepy cops behind the metal detectors. She put her arm around Connor’s shoulder and led him outside.

She’d brought her shiny red sportscar. It was parked out front, next to a handicap space.

“Can we get my truck out of impound,” Connor asked as he waited impatiently next to the car. She hit the door unlock and Connor dove inside.

“That’s not going to be possible,” she said as she got herself situated behind the wheel. “Your father is the only one who can do that. You aren’t on the title.”

“So, what? I don’t have a ride now?!” Connor cried. He glared out the windshield, at the police station sitting cheerfully in the bright morning light.

“We’ll figure something out, try not to worry about it today,” she said as she backed out of the lot.

Connor folded his arms and glared at everything that passed. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to not do that,” he whined. “I’m missing work because of it… I can’t go in tomorrow either. They hired me because of the truck.”

“Your partner… Marcus was it? He called and woke me up. He said he’d take care of your boss today if I could bail you out.”

Connor scoffed. “Oh yeah? And then what?”

“We’ll figure something out,” Julie said for the second time.

Connor huffed.

What had he been thinking last night? Besides wanting to finally get the upper hand on the agent, losing his truck to do it had been so fucking stupid.

He hated himself right now… and maybe the aliens, too. But fuck Julie and her cheerful non-answers.

They’d figure something out?

That wasn’t an actual plan!

Julie seemed to know exactly where she was going through, despite Connor’s refusal to direct her and possibly speed up the process.

He wasn’t looking forward to seeing M and his friend from work… They probably thought he was totally useless right now.

“Greg is going to freak out if I try to get you a new truck,” Julie said suddenly. “But you obviously need one.”

Connor groaned.

“I need you to sit tight for today,” she said. “But everything’s going to be alright. We won’t let you lose your job and you can’t be without transportation. I’ll talk to Greg about it tonight.”

Connor shook his head. “Don’t do it, mom. I don’t want to be responsible for you getting your head knocked off.”

Julie smiled weakly. “It won’t be like that,” she said. “Greg’s upset about the windows and Nathan’s car, but you’re still family.”

“He doesn’t give a shit!”

Julie pressed her lips together.

“I’m completely on my own! That’s how it always is!” Connor cried. “Greg’s going to come down with his fucking iron fist and tell you I’m no good and that I don’t deserve anything and that’ll be it. I can’t depend on you, mom. I don’t even know why you’re here.”

“That’s not fair–”

“Isn’t it? You let him kick me out. You’re completely powerless in your own home!”

Julie frowned and stared straight ahead, avoiding Connor’s angry glare. He huffed and fell back in his seat, glaring out the window instead.

A couple minutes later, Julie pulled up outside Marcus’ duplex. She parked and Connor started to get out. He just wanted to get away from her.

“Connor wait…”

Connor glared over his shoulder at the woman. He kept the car door partially open and waited tensely for her to speak.

“Do you know why I had to leave you with your dad?”

“Had to?” Connor sneered.

She nodded solemnly. “Six months after I left your father, Greg got his job transferred down to Florida. Your dad knew I wanted you, he’d been threatening to take full custody even though we both knew he didn’t really want you. I… got scared. I figured I could just… take you and that we could all run away and start new lives down here. So, I did,” she said with a sad smile. “I went to the trailer and you were running around, all by yourself.” She sniffed. “You were 4 years old, maybe.”

Connor sneered, but he wanted to hear this. He shut the door and leaned back, ready to hear more lame excuses.

“You lived with Greg and I for about a week–”

“Wait, what?”

Julie’s sad smile grew wider. “I took you that day,” she said. “You were happy to see me. I thought things would finally start to get better.”

“I… don’t remember that,” Connor said. He remembered Julie leaving… but the memory was so old and wrapped up in everything Marshall had ever told him. He couldn’t remember it clearly.

“I’m surprised you father didn’t tell you about it,” she said slowly. “Your father never let me forget it.”

“Forget what?”

She sighed again. “We were staying in a motel room at the time so quarters were cramped…” she said. “I knew immediately there was going to be a problem. You were hyper and excited to be away from your dad. Greg didn’t have a lot of experience with kids and he didn’t have any restraint when it came to drinking.”

Beside her, Connor snorted. He didn’t know what the point of this story was, but he hoped it wasn’t going to end with ‘poor Greg’.

“I tried to keep you away from him. I took you to the pool all day, we went for walks, we sat outside and watched the clouds…”

Connor rolled his eyes. He didn’t remember any of that normal, mundane bullshit. He remembered learning to swim in the creek behind the trailer because the mean neighbor boys kept pushing him down the bank.

“But one afternoon, it rained and I put on a movie for you while Greg cracked open a beer. I thought you’d get sleepy and take a nap, but you were loud and inquisitive. You were four,” she said. “You couldn’t help it, but Greg got so frustrated with your silly questions, he smacked you across the face.”

Connor quirked an eyebrow.

“You started crying. You told Greg you hatred him and that pissed him off so badly. I tried to get in between you two, but Greg started screaming you were a brat and that you were ungrateful.”

She sobbed as she retold the memory, but Connor was numb. The story was about him, apparently, but he felt nothing.

“He took his belt off and he strapped you across your back,” she cried. “When I tried to stop him, he hit me for the first time. I was in shock. I watched the whole thing happen in a panic. I let him put big red welts all over your skin.”

“I still don’t remember that,” Connor said neutrally.

“I waited for Greg to fall asleep and then I took you back to your dad,” she said, pressing her fingers into her eyes. “He laughed when I showed up, crying and bruised and carrying you over my shoulder. He took you right out of my arms and told me he wouldn’t let me come back. He said I had to lie in the bed I’d made.”

Connor stared at his mother. He felt bad for her more than anything. “Why didn’t you get away from Greg?” he asked.

“Because your dad got custody of you. He used the marks Greg put on your back to get me declared unfit as a mother. I wasn’t allowed to see you. I had no one left. No one would listen to me or believe me.”

Connor shook his head. “Your weak, mom.”

“I know I am,” she cried. “I failed you. And then your dad dragged out the divorce for the next few years, trying to get some kind of spousal support on top of the child support. He made everyone’s lives more difficult just because he could.”

Connor laughed bitterly. So, his entire childhood had been nothing more than a pissing contest? Marshall had hung onto him because of the paycheck and spite?

“I love you, Connor,” Julie said and Connor looked over to see the woman had taken her hands away from her face. She had mascara tracking down her cheeks and her nice permed hair was a little rumpled on one side, but determination burned in her blue gaze.

She cleared her throat and spoke passionately. “I’m going to help you, baby. Greg isn’t running the show anymore, I am.”

Connor liked the sound of that. He felt a strange stirring of pride when faced with Julie’s resolve. Still, he had his reservations and a lifetime of being disappointed by the adults in his life.

“I guess I should go,” he said, looking towards the duplex. He thought he saw the blinds move.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Julie said. “I’ll figure something out tonight.”

Connor nodded. He got out of the car in a strangely somber mood.

“Please try not to stress out,” Julie said behind him. “I’m here. You aren’t alone.”

Connor swallowed and nodded.

“I thought for sure you remembered me taking you back to your dad’s all those years ago,” she said softly. “I tried to reach out to you, more times than I care to admit, but every time you didn’t respond, I figured you were remembering what I’d done and that you’d never forgive me.

“I don’t remember,” Connor said.” But I guess I can forgive you. I just… I wish you wouldn’t let these shitty men control you. It seems like you’re better than that.”

Julie smiled a little. “Maybe I am.”

They made plans to talk later, to discuss whatever brilliant plan she’d cooked up. When Julie pulled out of the cul-de-sac, she put down the top on her car. Her hair streamed behind her as she waved goodbye.

Connor watched her go. He didn’t know what to think anymore.

***

Marcus walked to the corner store while Connor got cleaned up. Marcus came back with some fresh meat and some beer and the three of them, plus the dog went out back to cook it.

“So, your mom’s going to help out, right?” Marcus said as he poked the steaks on the grill. Jack sat at his feet, watching like a hawk for any food droppings.

“I guess.” Connor rubbed a hand across his face. He took a gulp of beer and leaned back in his plastic chair. “I wish I didn’t need the help though. I think Greg would rather hang me than help me.”

“Were you really that drunk last night?” Marcus asked. “On two malts?” he laughed. “Fuck, I said you sounded bad on the phone, but I didn’t think you were intoxicated.”

Connor glanced at M. He and the blond had been tip-toeing around the topic since Connor had got back.

He hadn’t said anything, but M knew what had happened last night. Connor got the feeling he’d watched the whole thing happen somehow.

“Remember that stalker I told you about?” Connor started, keeping his eyes locked on the blond.

“Shit… “ Marcus flipped the steaks while Jack licked his chops. “Someone was messing with you?”

“Fucking freak,” Connor muttered as he drained his beer. “Standing in the middle of the road. He wanted me to hit him.”

“Huh?”

Connor waved Marcus’ question off. He wasn’t going to explain. The only person he needed to tell sat beside him, playing with the hem of his running shorts.

“Well, I told Derrick you needed a few days off,” Marcus said. “I got the day off, too. We’re both truck-less losers now.”

Connor sighed and crushed his beer can in his fist. It wasn’t even 5 yet. He was nervous about Julie’s phone call tomorrow. He hoped it wouldn’t go as badly as he thought it would.

***

It was early in the morning when Connor woke up the next day. He and Marcus drank beer on the patio most of the night, bullshitting about nothing important.

Connor didn’t remember joining M on the couch last night, but he must have. He was there now, on his side with his head on top of his pillow.

M had his phone on. The screen lit his unsmiling face.

Connor sat up a little. His head hurt, but it was just a normal hangover feeling. It didn’t feel like an alien was standing in the backyard or whatever.

M looked over as Connor propped himself up on the arm of the couch. They looked at one another for a long moment.

“The agent wants to scalp you,” Connor said. “He wants to look at your brain.”

M nodded slowly. “Mother followed you last night.”

“And she didn’t do shit? “ Connor snapped.

M’s bottom lip trembled.

“If I wasn’t afraid I’d be helping aliens take over the earth, I might just hand you over,” Connor said bitterly. “I’m so sick of all this crazy shit, M.”

The blond looked down at his phone. “She couldn’t–”

“Do anything, I know,” Connor rolled his eyes. “The agent can do whatever he wants, but you guys can’t do anything. Fucking excellent.”

M hung his head. “I’ve got more bad news,” he said. “From Jamie.”

Connor scratched his fingers through his hair. He already knew what M was going to say.

“Jamie said Greg and your mom had a really big fight last night,” M said to his phone.

“Fucking shit,” Connor cursed bitterly under his breath. “What time is it?”

“Almost 6.”

Connor rolled off the couch and looked around for his boots and his keys. Then he realized his truck wasn’t sitting out on the curb. He thought about it as he put his boots on. He was still wearing his jeans from earlier and his faded blue t-shirt was a little rumpled, but it’d do.

“We’ll use Uber,” Connor said with a flash of inspiration, thinking about the last time he’d been abandoned without a vehicle. At Hannah’s house, actually.

Connor thought about the friend request on Facebook. He had to check that soon…But he signed into Uber first, finger-combing his hair and scowling at the brightness on his phone.

“What are you doing?” M looked over his shoulder.

“We’re going to check on my mom,” Connor grunted. “I knew this would happen. I told her it would.”

M worried his bottom lip.

Connor got an Uber car headed his way, he didn’t know why Marcus hadn’t thought of it last night, the fucker…

He paced the front room as he waited, glancing out the blinds every minute or two.

“Can I come?”

“Just wait for me here,” Connor said. “I don’t know what’s even going on over there.”

M nodded, but he didn’t look happy about it.

A couple minutes later Connor saw a car angle into the drive. It cut through the grass, seeing the busted truck at the last minute, apparently. Connor sighed and shoved his phone in his pocket.

“I’ll call you,” he said and then he was heading out the door.

The Uber ride was short and uneventful. Connor sat in the back and stared out the window at the houses flashing past.

When they got to Julie’s neighborhood, he straightened up in his seat. He didn’t imagine this was going to go well, but he had to make sure Julie was OK…

The driver was a creepy looking, half-bald dude with thick round glasses. But his rating on Uber was almost perfect, so…. The guy pulled in Julie’s driveway and gave out some generic “have a good one” line.

Connor wasn’t listening. He nodded at the Uber guy and got out of the car with his heart in his throat.

The Uber car backed out of the driveway and Connor was left standing in front of the fancy house, alone, at 6:30 in the morning.

He went to the door and paused on the front step as the security light clicked on. He took a deep breath, steeled himself for what was to come, and knocked lightly on the door.

He only had to wait a couple seconds. A shadow crossed the little window at the top of the door and Connor heard it unlock.

Nathan opened the door.

“You’re… up early,” Connor said in surprise and he pushed past the teen immediately, stepping into the hallway.

Nathan let him in without blinking an eye. He shut the door again, locking it absently. He wore boxers and a wife beater, stuff he liked to wear to bed, but the teen didn’t look rested at all.

Connor looked him up and down slowly. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Nathan frowned, but his eyes trailed up the stairs. “Dad… he…”

“He what?!” Connor snapped.

“Shh!” Nathan put a finger over his lips. “He’s been sleeping for maybe an hour now. We don’t want to wake him up.”

“Fuck this.” Connor wanted to spit he was so angry and frustrated. “Where’s mom?”

Nathan pointed behind Connor, towards the kitchen. “Don’t freak out,” he said carefully.

Connor turned on his heel and strode into the kitchen. Julie and Jamie were sitting together at the island. Jamie had her arm around Julie’s back and the older woman had her head down. Connor couldn’t see her face.

“Mom,” he said.

“Oh, Connor, I thought that was you,” Julie said with a nervous laugh.

“Mom, what…” he trailed off as Jamie finally moved back a little and Connor caught a glimpse of his mother’s face.

She had a big red mark across the left half of her face and bruises around her eye. It wasn’t closed, yet, but Julie was going to be sporting a black eye for some time.

Connor started at his mother’s face in shock. Julie met his eyes for a moment and then she looked away.

Connor felt rage explode inside of him.

“Everyone needs to pack up their shit,” he said firmly. “We’re all leaving this place. Today.” His fingernails dug painfully into his palms. He was serious as a heart attack.

He was going to fucking kill Greg!

“Connor–”

“Mom! Did you see your fucking face!” he yelled. “We have to get out of here. Nothing is worth this bullshit! Not a fancy house, or a car, or shit load of money in the bank. Nothing is worth this kind of abuse!”

Julie gingerly touched the split skin on her cheek. She winced and shut her eyes in pain.

Jamie gently touched her hand. “Please, Julie. I don’t feel safe here.”

Julie sniffled a little, but that seemed to hurt her face too. She moaned and leaned over the counter, cradling her head in her arms. “I can’t to the bedroom,” she said weakly. “Greg’s sleeping.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Connor said quickly. “I’ll get your stuff. Do you need anything in particular?”

Julie moaned. “Just some clothes…”

Connor nodded. He turned and started upstairs, pushing past Nathan in the doorway.

“I’ll come help,” Jamie called and she jumped up and hurried after him.

The two of them got up to the second floor and together they crept down the hall. They both stopped in front the master bedroom and Connor glanced at the girl beside him.

“When we go in there, start grabbing shit. I’m gonna deal with Greg.”

Jamie nodded, her eyes wide.

Connor pushed open the bedroom door and they snuck inside.

Greg was flat on his back, asleep in the middle of a large bed.

Connor stepped closer, his eyes on the large man before him. He didn’t see the small pile of men’s clothing on the floor and he stumbled over them.

It was Greg’s work shirt and his trousers and belt…

Behind him, Jamie started to rifle through Julie’s dresser. She pulled out a few things here and there and then she ripped open the closet door beside it and started to push stuff around in there, too.

Connor didn’t pay her much attention. He grabbed the belt off the floor and looped it around his fist. He went to the bed and stared down at his fat, ugly excuse of a step-father.

The tub of lard was in a stained white undershirt and a big, saggy pair of briefs. He snored aggressively. His entire body trembled with the power of his heavy breathing.

Greg’s head was propped up with 4 different pillows and his pudgy hands were folded on the swell of his enormous belly. He was utterly relaxed.

Connor sneered looking down at him. He was going to enjoy this...

He jumped up on the bed and boldly straddled Greg’s shoulders.

Greg snorted and his eyes jerked opened. He saw Connor standing over him and he started to sit up groggily, but Connor leaned over him and snapped the leather belt around his bloated neck. Greg let out scream of anger as Connor shoved the rounded end of the belt through the shiny metal buckle and pulled it closed. Tight.

Greg choked and sputtered. Spit sprayed out of his fat, protruding lips and Connor pulled the belt tighter around his step dad’s airway.

Connor grinned with a malicious kind of joy as he watched the bastard struggle. “I should kill you for what you did to my mother,” he said as Greg’s eyes bugged out of his head.

Connor heard a squeak behind him. It was Jamie. She’d just popped out of the walk-in closet with a gym bag full of Julie’s clothes and stood with it over her shoulder. She gaped at the scene on the bed with terror in her eyes.

“Get moving!” Connor snapped at her and she scurried out of sight.

Connor turned back to Greg. The fat man’s face was red as usual and his tongue stuck out a little. He eased up. He wasn’t actually going to kill him.

Greg gasped for breath and his pudgy hands flew to his throat.

Connor sneered. “I’m taking my family away from you,” he spat. “We’re taking your Hummer, too, and you aren’t going to come after us,” he said.

Greg was a lump on the bed. Connor let go of the belt completely and jumped down.

“Good fucking riddance,” he said on his way out.

Downstairs, Jamie was arguing in hushed tones with Nathan in the hallway. Connor didn’t care what they were talking about, he took Julie’s bag of clothes off Jamie as he passed.

“Get your shit together guys. We’re leaving in 5 minutes.”

Nathan and Jamie stared at him like they were both hard of hearing.

“C’mon!” Connor slid the bag high up on his shoulder and he clapped his hands a few times to get their attention. “I didn’t fucking kill, Greg, ok?” he huffed and funnily enough, that seemed to relieve both the teenagers significantly. “Seriously you guys?”

“You did have a belt around his neck,” Jamie pointed out.

“Yeah and then I let him go,” Connor said with a shrug. “OK, now, get your shit together. We’re taking the Hummer.”

Jamie grabbed onto Nathan and pulled him upstairs. Connor trusted her to get it handled.

Back in the kitchen Julie still had her head on the counter.

“C’mon mom. We’re leaving,” Connor said, coming up behind her to pat her thin shoulder.

“Are we?”

“Yeah.” Connor spotted his mother’s purse across the room and he went to grab it. “Where’s the keys to the Hummer?”

“The laundry room,” she muttered.

Connor nodded. “Let’s go,” he said, taking her arm and with zero resistance in her body, Julie slid off her stool and stood on shaky legs.

Connor went around to her other side, so he had a arm free. He put it around Julie’s waist and led her to the laundry room door.

He took them through, switching Greg’s set of keys for Julie’s. Then they went into the garage. Connor swallowed when he looked up at the massive tank of a vehicle.

They definitely wouldn’t be inconspicuous.

“Please, I don’t want to drive it,” Julie said tiredly.

“I wasn’t going to make you.” Connor unlocked the doors and threw Julie’s things in the back. “Sit up front with me?” Julie answered by going around to the passenger side. She got in and closed her eyes.

The door to the laundry room opened and the teenagers rushed in behind them. They both had bags over their shoulders.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Connor said and everyone got in the Hummer. Nathan reached up between the seats and pressed the garage door opener. “Thanks,” Connor said as he absently adjusted the mirrors.

Nobody said anything as they backed out onto the road.

“I have to pick up M first,” Connor said as they drove out of the neighborhood. The Hummer rode like a dream. He could definitely get used to this…

“Then where are we going?” Nathan asked for the back.

Connor shrugged. “Somewhere cheap. Probably a motel.”

Nathan made a face. Connor could see him doing in in the rearview mirror, but he didn’t ask any more questions.

Beside him, Julie curled up in her seat. Nathan and Jamie held hands in the back.

M would probably be secretly pleased when Connor showed up with a cool new car and with the rest of the family tagging along.

Connor wasn’t pleased, of course, but he was relieved. He was glad Julie was out of that big, fancy, miserable house. Nathan could go back to his dad if he wanted, but Connor wasn’t going to let Julie return…

He saw Marcus’s street up ahead and hit the turn signal. He was already bracing himself for the next part of the craziness that had become his life. Whatever came next, he was just going to have to roll with it.