Gage had to get even. If Luis hadn’t stabbed him in the back by sleeping with Snake, everything would have turned out differently. Gage wouldn’t have wound up taking care of his sick mother without an ounce of support from his flighty, selfish twin brother. He wouldn’t have had to lie to his mother on her deathbed and tell her Luis had called and said he loved her just to make his mother feel better.

Gage bit his bottom lip as he fastened the black strap at the back of Luis’s head, making sure the gag was in place. Gage knew it wasn’t painful because Donny had fastened the strap just as tightly to his head many times. But when Gage realized he wasn’t sure when he’d see Donny Vitelli next, a thought that hadn’t occurred to him until now, a feeling of extreme sadness passed through his entire body. More than that, Gage hated to waste his most romantic toys with his twin brother, especially the gag and handcuffs. He should have thought ahead and had ropes and duct tape handy.

When the gag in Luis’s mouth was set tightly in place, Luis slowly regained consciousness. He lifted his head and looked up at Gage. When he tried to speak, nothing but a few quiet groans came from his mouth. Luis looked down and noticed his wrists and ankles were bound together and he couldn’t move. His eyes opened wide and his head went back as if he were in a state of panic.

Gage was still naked. He put his hands on his hips and smiled down at his twin brother. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not exactly sure yet what I’m going to do with you. So stop that annoying moaning, stop trying to move, and just try to relax.”

Luis wiggled around and tried to move forward so he could stand up. But he toppled over and landed on the floor with his face beside Gage’s bare feet.

Gage glanced down and shook his head. “I told you not to move,” he said. “You never did listen to anyone, always wanted to do things your way, no matter what anyone thought. Some things never change, Luis.”

Luis looked up at him and moaned again. He seemed to be pleading with his eyes.

But as Gage was about to reply, there was a knock on his door and he turned fast. For a moment, Luis and Gage both stopped moving. Luis’s eyes darted back and forth and he took a quick breath through his nose. Gage had no idea who could be there at this hour. The only one who knew about the narrow path that led back to his apartment between his building and the building next door was Donny, and Donny was supposed to be at work, dealing with that important case he couldn’t talk about.

There was another knock and a deep voice said, “Hey, it’s Donny. Let me in.”

Gage glanced down at Luis and said, “Keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you. And don’t try anything. He’s a friend of mine. I’ll get rid of him.”

“Hey,” Donny shouted through the locked door. “What’s going on in there? If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you had another guy in there.”

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Luis rolled his eyes; he did know better.

Gage smiled and said, “I’ll be right there, Donny.” Then he looked down at his twin brother and said, “Keep your mouth shut. I’m warning you.” For added effect, he pressed the sole of his bare foot to Luis’s cheek. “Are you going to be good?”

Luis closed his eyes and nodded, with Gage’s foot pressed against his cheek.

Then Gage turned and walked toward the door. He fastened the chain lock before he unlocked the door so Donny couldn’t come in or see anything that was going on inside. Gage didn’t want Donny to even glimpse his new hairstyle. If he did, Gage knew there would be too many questions. “What are you doing here at this hour? You’re supposed to be working.”

Donny pushed the door forward and said, “We wrapped up this case tonight and I figured I’d come by and surprise you.” His large hand wrapped around the door and he pushed forward. “Let me in. You’re freaking me out now.”

“I can’t,” Gage said, feeling his chest cave in. He’d never turned down Donny before. He’d always been there to submit to Donny’s every request and desire, even when he didn’t feel like it.

“Why? What’s going on?” Donny’s voice contained a hint of disappointment now. “Are you okay?”

Gage glanced back toward his living room bedroom area and rolled his eyes. All he could see were Luis’s cuffed ankles and his bare legs. “I’m fine,” he said. “But I’m coming down with a bad cold, is all. I took some medicine and all I want to do is sleep. I’m sorry.”

“You were fine earlier.”

“I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t sure,” Gage said. “But on the way home from work every muscle in my body started to ache. And I look terrible right now.”

“Well, let me in and I’ll take care of you,” Donny said. “I’ll put you to bed and make you tea in the morning.”

“No,” Gage said, with an abrupt tone. “I want to be alone.”

Donny hesitated for a moment, as if Gage’s tone had hurt his feelings. Then, in a lower voice, he said, “Are you sure you’re okay? This isn’t like you.”

“I’m fine,” Gage said, trying to make his voice as reassuring as possible. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Okay?” Then he pushed the door hard, closed it right in Donny’s face, and clicked the lock fast so Donny couldn’t open it again.

When Donny jiggled the knob and noticed it was locked, he must have turned and headed back down the wooden steps; he didn’t say another word. Gage heard his heavy footsteps and he sank back into the door and sighed. Gage pictured Donny sulking on his way down the steps, with his shoulders slumped and his head bowed down. He had strong feelings for Donny, but had always known deep down they didn’t have a future. For as nice and as wonderful as Donny was, Gage had a feeling Donny would wind up living his entire life in the closet and keeping a male lover on the side so none of the other cops, or his Catholic Italian family, found out he was gay. Even though Gage had strong feelings for Donny, the thought of living the rest of his life in this same situation with Donny, in a broken-down Brooklyn apartment above a grocery store, just barely scraping by to make ends meet, seemed dismal at best. There had to be something more, and Gage knew a good opportunity when he saw one.

So he crossed back to where he’d left Luis lying on the floor and said, “I have big plans for you, bitch. Oh, you have no idea the things we’ll do together now.” Then, as Luis watched with bulging eyes, Gage gathered up the clothing he’d removed from Luis’s body and put them on himself. He was silently amazed at the way five-hundred-dollar jeans fit his small ass so well. When he slipped his feet into Luis’s soft leather shoes, they felt as if they’d been custom made.




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