Dead Heat: Forged in Fire

:: Michael ::

I couldn't believe that I'd said it.

I saw someone get murdered.

I hadn't said those words in nearly two years but then the word

murder

wasn't usually in my vocabulary.

Fear

was in it. As were

loneliness

and

tears

. Those words had been my constant companions. I felt all three as I gazed at Robby's face.

"What'd you say? You saw someone murdered?"

I nodded. It took me a few minutes but I told him my sad story. I had witnessed a murder and had been relocated by the Witness Protection Program. It was cathartic to be able to finally tell someone what had happened and I was happy that it had been Robby. "So what do we do now?"

"I have to call it in. We'll need to get a team in here ... "

"You can't call it in, Robby! He'll know where I am!"

"He who? The killer? Well, I hate to tell you this, but he already knows where you are. That's why your shop just got shot up."

He was right. I'd have to move again and leave my shop behind. "I guess I'll go home and start packing."

"Whoa! Wait a minute! Who said you had to leave?"

"I don't have a choice, Robby. I have to stay alive to testify and that means hiding." I looked over at him. "You want me to stay with you, do you?" His face darkened and I shook my head. "I didn't think so." I stalked over to the door. "God, I'm so stupid."

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Call whomever you need to. If you need me, you know where I'll be." I got into my car and feeling his cum seeping from my hole, I started to cry. "I'm so stupid." My whisper went unheard as I drove away. Alone.

* * * * *

:: Robby ::

"It's definitely a .38." Ernie, the lab tech showed me the slug that he'd pried out of the wall. "We should be able to get a good ballistics test on this."

"Great. Thanks, Ernie." I wasn't really thinking about the investigation that was going on around me. I was haunted by a pair of green eyes that had overflowed with sadness, mostly at my expense.

Clark smacked me on the back, his face lit by a smile. "It's got ya."

"What?"

"You know something? I've known you a mighty long time and I've never seen you act like this." Bristow whispered, "You're in love."

"No way." I was thinking of how Mike's body had responded to mine, of how silky-smooth his skin was, of how possessive his mouth was,

his tongue thrusting into my mouth ...

"Bullshit! You're thinking about him right now. I can see it in your eyes!" He followed me outside and I'd have given good money for the ability to smoke. Even more for a stiff Jameson and Coke. "You've got a big problem, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"He's under WPP and his cover's broken."

"Yeah, I know."

"If they know about this shop, it won't take them long before they find his house."

"Yeah, I know."

"And you're head over heels in love with him."

"Yeah, I know."

"Can you say anything else?"

"Sorry." I couldn't think. I was hurting too much. I wanted this to be like every other relationship I'd ever had: purely sexual and it wasn't. I knew it wasn't, no matter how hard I tried to deny it.

"Listen, Robby, I've never interfered in your life but you know I care about you, right?" I swallowed past the lump growing in my throat and nodded weakly. "You need to go over there and get him."

"What am I supposed to do with him?"

"I ain't gay! I thought you already knew what to do!" I looked up, caught his wink and instantly appreciated the lightness he was trying to bring to the situation. I smiled into his jovial face. "But seriously, Rob, I'd say take him to a hotel. Check him in for a night. Then, maybe we can contact someone in WPP and find out what the hell's going on. Sound good?"

"Yeah, Clark." I nodded, sliding into the driver's seat. "Thanks."

Because Mike had filled out the report, I already had his address. It turned out to be a condo, the second in a line of six. As I approached the front door, I noticed that the gate was wide open and the screen door was hanging, broken off by its hinges.

"Oh, God!" I drew my revolver and crept up to the door. "Michael!" There was no answer. A 60 watt bulb lit the stoop, its weak light shining into the entrance hall. "Michael!" A thick-walled vase was shattered just inside the entrance, a bouquet of white lilies and lilacs strewn over the wood floor. The kitchen was empty as was the living room. I backed up and headed up the carpeted stairs.

I found him at the top of the stairs, his skin pale in the hall light and a large blossom of red on his left shoulder. "Michael! Mike!" I shook him but he didn't respond.

Oh, God! He's dead!

"72-05, I need an ambulance at 2, 9, 6, 0 Windsor Lake. Repeat, 2, 9, 6, 0 Windsor Lake. And HURRY!"

* * * * *

For most of the next day, Mike stayed in a coma. I requested guard duty and Clark fought for me to get it. Felder wasn't pleased, but he granted my wish. I sat outside his room, my face carved from stone while my heart churned in my chest. I'd get up every once in a while to check on him but he was always the same. Clark came to relieve me and I walked into his room, standing at his bedside.

"Mike," I started, rubbing my fingertips across his arm. "It's Robby." The beeping of the EKG machine filled the silence. "You've got to wake up." I didn't know what to say, I felt so uncomfortable. I couldn't help but put my finger on his pale lips and trace their outlines. "Please, Mike. Please come back to me."

"He's on too much anesthesia to hear you, Officer." The night nurse murmured as she checked his drip. "I'm lessening it now so we hope to hear him respond in a few hours."

I sat in the oversized chair beside his bed and fell asleep, gazing at his super-pale face.

Please, God! Don't let him die!

I drifted off to sleep, my hand on top of his.

* * * * *

"Robby."

I thought I heard my name but it sounded so far away.

"Robby!"

I shot up out of the chair, acutely awake and totally disoriented. My eyes found Clark who was standing on the opposite side of Mike's bed and he gestured downward. Mike's eyes were open, glazed and unfocused. "Call the nurse!" He left and I bent near Mike's face. "Mike. Mike." His beautiful eyes blinked and turned towards me. "I'm sorry, Mike. I'm so sorry."

"No need." He whispered. His cold fingers clasped mine. "It'll be over soon."

"No!" I couldn't believe that he had said that and I was furious with him. "Mike, you can't die!"

"Why not?" He licked his cracked lips slowly. "No reason to stay."

"Of course there's a reason to stay!"

"What?"

I looked down, gazing into his eyes. "Me, you asshole! Me!"

His eyes closed. "You don't care about me, Robby." His voice was soft and frail. "Go back to work."

"Michael." His name left my lips in a tormented whisper. "Please don't die. Don't leave me." His eyes opened, focused on me and closed.

* * * * *

:: Michael ::

My entire body ached when I awoke. I wanted to stretch but my brain said no. I flexed my feet and fingers, glad to know that I was not paralyzed but I couldn't seem to think straight. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the last thing I'd seen and kept finding Robby's deep brown eyes.

"Michael." The softness of his voice washed over my body. "Please don't die." My heart froze in my chest. "Don't leave me." I couldn't talk. I wanted to but nothing came out. He saw my open eyes and shouted, "NURSE!"

After what seemed like a thousand pinpricks and examinations later, he returned to my side, Clark grinning over his shoulder. I ignored Robby, instead thanking Clark for his protection. Robby's partner stepped outside, leaving us alone.

"Mike."

"What, Robby?"

"I'm sorry." I let him squirm for a moment, suddenly feeling better.

"So?"

"Please talk to me." He looked like shit and I was loving every minute of it! "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. Did they get the bullet out?"

"Yes." His hand moved over my bandaged shoulder. "No problems."

"Good."

"Mike, did you see who shot you?"

"No. The person was in my upstairs closet. How's my house?"

"A complete mess. We tried to clean most of it up but ... "

"Yeah, I know. Thanks anyway."

Then he looked into my eyes. "Hurry up and heal. You're staying at my house when the doctor releases you."

"No, I'm not." I started to feel the encompassing warmth of the sedative that the nurse had slipped into my IV drip.

"Yes, you are. I'm not letting anything happen to you again."

"No, I'm not." It was becoming harder to speak. "I want you to have a guilty conscience."

His brown eyes gazed deeply into mine. "I already do. Let me make up for it."

I blissfully succumbed to the sedative. "Fuck you, Robby."

* * * * *

Robby wouldn't take no for an answer, which was no surprise to me. If he wasn't patrolling the hallway outside my door, he was sitting at my bedside and ordering the nurses around with a gentle

please

. My third day in the hospital, FBI Agent Cal Morton came into my room, introduced himself, then asked Robby to leave.

"I'd rather that he stay."

The agent didn't like it, but he allowed Robby to stay.

"We were sorry to hear your problems, Mike." Morton began. "It's been two years. We thought you were safe here."

"I'd be safer if you would find that piece of shit and get this over with."

"We've been trying, Mike. We were close to him in Florida but he disappeared. But you won't be safe until we find out who ordered the hit."

"Who's the shooter?"

Morton pulled out a file and handed it to Robby. Inside were the particulars of a goon named Conrad Bass. He had pockmarked cheeks, a military buzz cut and a sneer on his curled lips. I could see Robby memorizing his features and my heart fluttered to think that he cared that much. "Conrad Bass. If you ever see him, don't mess with him. He's as bad as they come." Robby nodded to him, then Morton turned back to me. "We need to relocate you."

"No. I'm tired of running, Agent Morton. I'm staying put."

"Mike, do I need to remind you that you're laying in a hospital with a bullet wound in your shoulder?"

"No, you don't need to remind me." I rotated my shoulder, wincing a little. "But I'm not going to run like a scared rabbit."

"He'll be staying with me, Agent Morton."

"No, I won't."

"Yes, he will." Robby didn't even look at me, talking to Morton as if I didn't exist. "He'll be safe with me."

"That's good. It'll be better for me, too, having a contact with someone in local law enforcement."

"Excuse me, did anyone just hear what I said? I'm not staying with him!"

Robby and Morton completely ignored me as they continued talking about security arrangements and Conrad Bass. I sagged in my bed. I didn't want to stay with Robby. He didn't feel the same way I felt about him and I didn't want to get into an unrequited relationship. I knew that I was in more trouble than having Conrad Bass after me.

"Get well, Mike. I'll talk to you tomorrow." I shook Morton's hand and Robby escorted him to the door.

Then I heard the lock click.

Robby walked over the side of the bed, settling carefully on one side of the mattress and drawing the sheet off of my body. "What are you doing?"

"Convincing you that it's a good idea to stay at my place."

"Robby ... "

Those were the last words I spoke for a long time. His mouth covered mine, ending my futile protests and my sleeping cock quickly awoke. Robby's tongue traveled along the seam of my mouth, sliding in and sweeping over mine. I shuddered, my skin tingling. I felt his fingers in my hair, rubbing my scalp and neck and I moaned at the pleasant sensation. He pulled back, looking into my eyes.

"Are you convinced yet?"

I shook my head. "No."

Again, he applied the exquisite torture of his kisses, their heat taking my breath away. His fingers found the tie to my gown and he drew it down my uninjured side, then gently over my bandaged shoulder. I trembled at the cool air sliding over my naked skin, then trembled again at the look in Robby's eyes as he surveyed my body. His hand slid over me, from collarbones to pectorals, caressing and worshiping as he went. I hissed in pleasure when the rough pads of his fingers circled my nipples, making them rise into hard points.

He leaned down and sucked the left one into his mouth while his fingers played with the other one. "Are you convinced yet?"

I gasped as his teeth grazed my sensitive nipple and he pinched the other simultaneously. My entire body tingled and my prick twitched. "No."

His hand moved down my body, over my clenched stomach muscles, following the golden line of hair that ended in a mound of curls and my straining cock. His fingers encircled my stalk, squeezing gently, then moving down to cup my heavy balls. I moaned, arching against his hand as it returned to my cock and gave a hard tip to root stroke. He knew how to work me and I loved it. Over and over, he stroked, his grip sensuously hovering between firm and feathery, sending electrical tingles down my spine and into my asshole. I wanted to cum but he held me back, grasping the bottom of my stalk. My toes were curled, permanently, I thought.

His breath was hot in my ear, his tongue licking the lobe. "Are you convinced yet?"

"No."

He leaned up and kissed me again, straddling me on all fours. Then, he moved down, his wet, hot mouth leaving a trail over my neck, my nipples and my stomach. I closed my eyes, feeling the heat of his breath on my quivering stomach, then his tongue giving my cock a long lollipop lick. I groaned, gritting my teeth. He licked twice more, then sucked the head in, pressing down until most of my cock was in his mouth. "Oh, Robby." I breathed. With each pass, my prick grew thicker in his hot mouth. I couldn't take it but couldn't find the words to warn him.

I shouted his name as I came, my asshole pulsing as I shot a wad of thick cum down his throat. I felt him swallow as I loosed another and another load, my head swimming with the pleasure. He made sure that I was clean and replaced my gown, tucking me in.

"Now are you convinced?"

I sighed, drifting off to sleep, his lips gently pressed against my forehead.

"Yes."