Page 23 of Pain Play

Marco’s pleas jolted him into action. He shoved Marco behind him in an almost simultaneous motion as he slammed the door closed, smacking the brass latch-guard into place. Sweat gathered on Terry’s upper lip, his breath coming in short pants.

Is it him? Did Master Joe or his partner, Norm escape somehow?

Marco tugged on his hand, yanking him from his terrible thoughts. “Come on, Terry. Can I sit with you until we find my Master?” His voice was as soft as ever, but the lilting Spanish accent was tinged with fear. “I need you right now, I don’t want them to take me away.”

Terry regarded Marco’s tear-streaked face, his heavily-lashed brown eyes staring up at him as if Terry could miraculously protect him somehow.I already proved how hopeless I am at that.He frowned.But I won’t let what those assholes did to me leave me cowering every time the fucking doorbell rings or someone knocks on the door.

“Okay, let’s sit on the couch together while you fill me in on what’s happening. Or… should I call nine-one-one?”

Marco squeezed his hand tighter, shaking his head. “No, they won’t help. They never do. But you’ll hold me, right? I need someone to hold me and Master isn’t here and I don’t trust or like anyone else except you.”

Terry arched his eyebrows. “Uh, of course Iwantto do that, but what about Master Gerard? Will he be angry with me?”Will Phil?

“I won’t kiss you, I promise.” Marco tugged harder.

“A-all right.”So out of my element here.He offered Marco a smile. “We’ll figure this out together. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Marco smiled back in his unique way. Teeth were never involved, nor a wide grin or the crinkling of his eyes. For Marco, his smiles would encompass a brightening of his typically calm and somewhat blank features accompanied by a slight pull at the corners of his mouth.

“Thank you, Terry. I knew you would help.”

Help? I have no fucking idea what’s going on.

Terry allowed himself to be led to the living room, marveling at how comfortable Marco seemed in a house he’d never been to before. Marco reached the long sofa and landed on it before yanking Terry’s hand with both of his until he’d plopped down onto it to join him. Right as Terry sucked in a breath to speak, Marco crawled into his lap and snuggled up to him. Terry snapped his jaw shut.

Oh boy. He tentatively wrapped his arms around Marco, not sure if he was doing the right thing after all.I need to get hold of Phil immediately.

“Uh, Marco, how did you get here?” He remembered overhearing Gerard tell Phil at one point that Marco didn’t drive.

“I called the limo service my Master always uses. I don’t like riding with strangers, but the one driver we use the most often was available.” Marco shuddered. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if he hadn’t been on duty.”

Terry rubbed Marco’s trembling back. “But he was, and that’s what matters. Can you tell me why you’re so afraid?”

Marco buried his face in Terry’s neck, the shaking increasing as hot tears splashed against Terry’s skin. “He’s so bad,sobad. He lies when he talks about love, not like Master. Ineedmy Master.”

“Shh, it’s okay, we’ll find Master Gerard and he’ll fix everything.”

Marco peered up at him. “Oh, thank you, Terry. I knew I should come here.”

Speaking of Master Gerard…“Marco, how come you weren’t able to get hold of him?”

“I had to break my phone. The moment I knew it was him, I had todestroyit so he couldn’t… sotheywouldn’t find me.” Marco blinked away more tears, but his voice no longer shook. “They have locaters inside the phones, you know. They can find you from your cell. But maybe he already knew I was there at the house, had already found me and was trying to keep me on the line so he could snatch me away while my Master wasn’t home.” Marco buried his face again and clutched at Terry’s shirt. “We have to find Master,right now.”

Terry swallowed hard.Jesus.Maybe Marco had issues they weren’t aware of, was delusional. Nothing he was saying made any sense.

“Yeah, excellent plan. Let’s find Master Gerard.” Terry licked his lips, his throat dry from his recent panic. “Uh, can you let me up so I can grabmyphone? I left it on the kitchen table.”

Marco tensed in his embrace. “Don’t let me go.”

“No, no. Of course not. However, I’m pretty sure my Master andyourMaster are out together working. The kitchen is close, right behind us. All I gotta do is run there, grab my cell, then run right back. Then we can call them, and everything will be fine.”

Marco gave him another soft smile and Terry released some of the tension he only just realized he’d been holding.

“Okay. I trust you. But very fast, okay?”

“Very fast. I promise.”

Come on, Master Gerard. Please be with Phil.