When Beck reached the end of the street, he stopped and asked, “You have an apartment here in the city?”

Travis snorted. “Yeah right. You think I have a place to live in the same city as Billy?”

“Travis.”

“Well yeah, okay, I do, but the rats pretty much keep me as a pet.”

Shaking his head, Beck announced, “Hotel it is.”

“Beck, I’m pretty much tapped out until Mariana sells the Gato,” Travis informed him, avoiding the other man’s gaze.

Beck shrugged and answered, “I can float you until that happens.”

Hopeful, Travis asked, “Really?”

“Sure. How’s 4.5% interest sound?”

At that, Travis did look at him, not surprised to find that familiar little smirk of his on the bigger man’s face. “Very funny.”

Beck flashed him a full-out grin and Travis just about melted at the sight. It was rare that the mercenary showed honest humor, but when he did, it lit him up from the inside. Travis could just about see the mischievous little boy Beck had been, probably driving his mother crazy with pranks while simultaneously melting her heart with those exact same smiles.

Returning his attention to the familiar streets of LA, Travis sighed deeply as he thought about the future. Once the money from the Gato came in, he’d be able to do pretty much whatever he wanted, but it didn’t bring him nearly the satisfaction that it should have. Mostly because he knew the Gato should be in a Museum, not stashed away in a private collection somewhere. Not that he begrudged Mariana or her people the benefits of the money, he didn’t, but it still irked.

The truck pulled to a stop and Travis looked around, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized where they were. Beverly Hills. A hideously expensive hotel. “Ah, Beck, man, I really can’t afford this.”

Beck flashed him another grin and assured him, “I’ve got it covered, don’t worry.”

“How can you afford this?” Travis questioned. “I thought you owed Billy a lot.”

“Travis. Do you really think that I got to be where I am because I’m bad at my job? I’m very good at my job and very expensive. The debt that I owed Billy, well, it wasn’t really about money.”

And from Beck’s tone of voice, Travis knew the subject was closed. Climbing out of the truck, since a valet had opened the door for him, Travis reached in back for his bag only to have it preempted by a different valet. “Ah, wait…”

“Travis, leave it. It needs to be disinfected anyhow,” Beck ordered, smirking.

Eyes rolling, Travis followed Beck into the posh hotel, nervously staying close to the big man. It wasn’t that he hadn’t been in places like this before, because he had; with Billy as a dad, it was impossible not to have been exposed to wealth. But he hadn’t grown up around it, hadn’t been accustomed to taking this kind of thing for granted. His mom had refused to have anything to do with Billy’s money and so Travis had grown up a comfortable middle-class.

When Beck stopped at the concierge desk, the concierge, a handsome, well-dressed man in his thirties, immediately greeted, “It’s wonderful to see you again, Mr. Beck. Your usual suite?”

Travis’ jaw dropped open.

Beck nodded and agreed, “That’s great. Can you have the adjoining suite available for my guest here? Travis, shut your mouth, you’re attracting flies.”

Travis closed his mouth, teeth audibly clicking shut.

“Of course, Mr. Beck. It will only take about an hour to prepare the suite,” the concierge assured him. “In the meantime, can I offer the young man some assistance in choosing new attire?”

A little offended, Travis opened his mouth to protest, but Beck’s hand clamped heavily on his shoulder and he subsided without a word.

“That won’t be necessary, but thanks Charlie. Oh, and this is Travis Walker, Billy Walker’s son.”

Charlie’s eyebrow rose slightly, but all he said was, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Walker.”

And now Travis understood the people who made the distinction about ‘Mr.’ being their father. He half shrugged and replied, “Good to meet you too. And please call me Travis.”

The eyebrow rose a little more as Charlie looked at Beck, who nodded.

“For now, Travis will just wait in my suite until his own is ready. I have some business to take care of,” Beck said.

Travis frowned and demanded, “What kind of business? We just got back to the country.”

“The kind of business that’ll get your ass kicked if you keep asking about it,” Beck retorted. “Get something to eat, hang out, take a nap, whatever.”

“But…”

“Travis.”

Sighing, Travis subsided again and muttered, “Fine. But don’t expect a rescue this time.”

Beck grinned again. “I won’t.”

Charlie slid two flat electronic keys over the counter with, “A pleasure, as always, Mr. Beck.”

Taking the keys, Beck nodded to the other man and replied, “Same here, Charlie. C’mon, Travis.”

Travis followed him towards the elevator where a bellhop, bellboy, whatever the hell they were called, waited with his duffel bag. He took the key Beck held out to him and asked, “When’re you going to be back?”

“Probably not until late. I’ll see you in the morning,” Beck answered.

“But…”

“Travis.”

God he hated how just his name from Beck stopped him cold. Glaring, Travis snapped, “Fine. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He ignored the sensation of Beck watching him while waiting for the elevator, then pointedly stood to the side so he wouldn’t have to see the other man before the doors closed. Travis knew that look on Beck’s face simply because he’d seen it on his own face a million times before; Beck was going off to see a woman. And though he didn’t really want to admit it, that was the reason that he was so ticked.

Following the man with his bag into a room, Travis stopped short on realizing he A) didn’t have a tip and B) didn’t know how much of one was expected anyhow. Wincing, he said, “Look man, I’m really sorry. I’m all tapped out, or I’d have something for you. Beck’s putting me up here.”

But the man just smiled and said, “It’s taken care of, Travis, thank you. Mr. Beck includes a generous gratuity for the staff when he leaves.”

“Oh. Ah, good,” Travis replied, taken aback both by his name and the information. What, had there been a silent bulletin that went out in the thirty seconds he’d been at the concierge desk with Beck that he didn’t want to be called Mr. Walker?

After the man left, Travis had no idea what to do with himself. He wasn’t really hungry, and he wasn’t really tired, and he was too on-edge for either to be a viable option anyhow. Restless, he wandered the suite of rooms for a few minutes, checking out all the subtly expensive touches and noticing that this suite wasn’t nearly as ostentatious as the rest of the hotel. Not that that surprised him since Beck was a subtle kind of guy. Devious, really.

Grinning at the thought, Travis sighed and headed for a shower. That would help settle him down. The bathroom was nearly obscene, it was so big and opulent, almost at odds with the rest of the suite. Though really, it made sense, given that Beck was likely to come here bruised and hurt to recover. A bathroom with the works, catered to a man of his size, would be a serious plus for Beck.

Travis stripped and turned on the water, stepping under the instantly hot spray and groaning in pleasure as the firm beads of water struck his body. He stayed there a long time, not thinking about anything, just being in the moment and gathering himself for the uncertainty to come. When he turned off the still-hot water, Travis sighed deeply, letting go of all the stress and anger and pain that had plagued him for the last couple of years. Or, he started to anyhow.

Feeling better, he dried off and pulled on his boxers and padded barefoot into the bedroom. Smirking to himself, Travis sprawled onto the bed. Beck would just have to sleep on the couch when he got back. Served him right for not being there their first night back anyhow.

Yawning hugely, Travis closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

* * * *

Not sure what woke him, Travis froze in place, waiting for his senses to adjust to the darkness. He’d been too long in bad situations not to recognize a change in circumstance while sleeping. Whether if was an unfamiliar footfall, someone breathing, or even someone watching him, Travis always knew when something was about to happen.

“It’s just me.”

Relaxing at Beck’s voice, Travis turned over and found the other man a big lump in the darkness. “Scare me half to death why don’t you?”

“Hey, you’re the one in my bed,” Beck countered, moving away from the bed towards the dresser. “Why aren’t you in your own room?”

“I didn’t feel like it.”

“You didn’t…Travis, get your ass out of my bed and into your own,” Beck ordered, pulling his shirt off.

Grinning, Travis replied, “Make me.”

Beck paused, then turned to face him. “Excuse me?”

“I’m nice and comfy and don’t want to move. If you want me gone, you’re gonna have to choose Option B, Beck.”

“Oh for God’s sake,” Beck muttered.

To Travis’ surprise, Beck didn’t do anything except climb in the other side of the bed. “Ah, Beck?”

Beck punched the pillow a couple of times. “What?”

“What are you doing?”

“Getting some sleep, what’s it look like?”

“But…”

“Shut your mouth, or leave. Those are your options, Travis.”

Travis shut his mouth, absurdly pleased at the whole situation. Settling back down against the soft pillows, he sighed and curled up, snuggling against the bed. Sleep again pulled him down swiftly, aided by the fact that Beck was only a foot away and nothing could get to him with the mercenary so close.

* * * *

Finding Travis in his bed had shocked the hell out of Beck and he’d stood staring at the young man for several minutes before Travis had woken. In the dark, Travis hadn’t been much more than a lump under the blankets to look at, but Beck had stared anyhow. The simple fact that Travis would rather be in his empty bed, than in his own, told him a lot.

As he listened to the younger man’s breathing even out into that of sleep, he remembered the first time he’d laid eyes on Travis and grinned. When Mariana had asked him what type of man he was looking for, and he’d known full well what that had implied, and Beck had described Travis right down to the bewildered expression on his face, he’d noticed the interest in Travis’ eyes.

It had been more than a simple, ‘Who the hell are you and what do you want?’ interest. Travis had given him the once-over in less than a second, and Beck knew that the young man had liked what he’d seen. It hadn’t been until Billy’s name was mentioned that Travis had shut down and acted out.

Not that Beck blamed him, he’d have done the same thing if Billy were his father, too.

Shifting closer on the bed, Beck paused a minute to see if Travis woke and, when he didn’t, moved until he was right behind the younger man. Still just the same steady breathing with that little whisper snore that said Travis was sound asleep. He’d gotten really familiar with it over the last two weeks, first the time in the jungle, then on different planes and in seedy motels until reaching the US and delivering Travis to Billy.

Beck closed the remaining distance, spooning up directly behind Travis so their bodies touched at most points. He put an arm over the young man’s waist to hold him and was gratified when Travis sighed in his sleep and scooted back, snuggling into the embrace. Oh yeah, he definitely hadn’t been mistaken about the interest Travis had shown.

Grinning, Beck slid his arm under Travis’ pillow and closed his eyes. The next morning was going to be a lot of fun.

* * * *

When Beck woke, Travis was still curled up in his arms and he sighed deeply, nuzzling the back of the other man’s neck. Travis’ firm backside was nestled against his cock, providing a seriously nice haven. His hand slid down Travis’ hip and between Travis’ legs, lightly cupping the half-hard cock through the boxers.

Travis mumbled and shifted in his sleep, causing Beck to grin and lick along the ridge of Travis’ neck. He slowly rubbed the respectable length in his hand, enjoying the shudder that ran through Travis at the caress.

“What…Beck?” Travis muttered through a yawn, then froze, as if realizing exactly what position he was in.

Taking advantage of the rare silence, Beck slipped his hand under the boxers and gripped Travis’ shaft in his hand. Travis moaned, arching into his touch, and his head turning to mouth at Beck’s arm. Beck hissed in pleasure and rubbed his cock against Travis’ ass, nipping at Travis’ throat.

“Oh, God, nice, Beck, sure as shit didn’t expect this kind of wake-up call,” Travis exclaimed as Back’s hand moved faster.

Chuckling, Beck answered, “I’m doing something wrong if you can string a sentence together.”

Travis offered a wordless complaint when Beck took his hand away, but it was ignored. Beck tugged at the offending boxers and Travis got the idea. It took less than a minute for them both to strip and then he turned Travis on his back and attacked the other man’s mouth. He devoured it, slow and wet and nasty, exploring the other’s mouth to his own content as he moved to kneel between Travis’ legs.

Breaking the kiss, Beck took a second to just look at the young man stretched out and smirking up at him. Long, lean body, nicely muscled, and the perpetual scruff along Travis’ chin that just made him all the more…endearing. Not a word Beck used on a regular basis, but it fit. And the changeable green-brown eyes were darkening, even as Beck watched.

“Well? What’re you waiting for?” Travis practically purred, his legs drawing up so his heels were flat on the bed.

Beck snorted. “I think I need to find a better use for your mouth.”

The smirk reappeared as Travis replied, “I’m not disagreeing.”

Climbing off the bed, Beck strode to the bathroom, ignoring the wolf-whistle Travis sent after him. It didn’t take long to find some lube stashed discreetly under the sink and grabbed it along with some massage oil. When he got back to the bedroom, it was to a Travis sprawled on his stomach, legs splayed blatantly apart. Blinking in surprise, Beck arched an eyebrow and questioned, “Not even a token argument about who’s on top? I think I’m disappointed.”

Travis laughed and looked over his shoulder at Beck, eyes sparkling merrily. “I’ll get you next time.”

“Confidence. I like that,” Beck retorted, climbing back on the bed.

Pouring oil on his fingers, Beck rubbed them together then roughly caressed Travis’ ass all around, ignoring the hole altogether. Travis shifted with a complaint, but Beck ignored that one, too, continuing his massage and moving up the small of the back to the muscled sweep of the spine and broadening shoulders. By the third pass, Travis was limp against the mattress, putty in his hands, which was exactly how Beck wanted him.

Beck squirted lube onto his fingers and slowly pushed one inside the opening to Travis’ body. It went in fairly easily, though Travis gasped and contracted around his finger when he was half-way in. “Easy, relax, Travis.”

Travis breathed deep and relaxed on the exhale, doing something mentally that his body responded to physically. Thoughtful, Beck moved his finger deeper and found the resistance mostly gone. Interested, he said, “You’ll have to teach me that later.”

“Sure thing,” Travis replied lazily.

Using more lube, Beck worked two fingers into Travis’ body and this time, the resistance was one of dimensions. Travis’ body was simply not used to this, even if he’d done it before, and that told Beck that it had been a while. He moved slow and easy, stretching his new lover with care and searching for the happy button. When Travis gasped and jerked without warning, Beck grinned. “Found it.”

“Ooh yeah,” Travis agreed, pushing back against his fingers for more.

Beck obliged, curving his fingers on the in-thrust and rubbing over the prostate a few times until Travis was moaning and shuddering. He added another finger, putting more force behind his thrusts and gritting his teeth as his own cock demanded entry into Travis’ body. He was a lot bigger than three fingers, though, so he pushed his own needs aside and continued working Travis until the young man was constantly groaning and pushing back.

“Shit! Condoms!” Beck exclaimed, withdrawing his fingers. He rolled off the bed and ran to the bathroom, ignoring the curses that Travis yelled after him, and found them in the same basket as the lube, big surprise. Running back, he winced at Travis’ irritated expression and apologized, “Sorry.”

Eyes rolling, Travis rolled onto his back and demanded, “You think you can manage it now, big boy?”

“Travis,” Beck warned.

“What? Do I need to bring out Mr. Lightening?”

Beck grabbed Travis’ cock and squeezed. To his surprise, Travis jerked and shuddered at the almost too-tight grasp. He snorted to himself thinking, Should’ve realized he was a pain junky with the beatings he kept provoking from me in Brazil.

As it was, he simply tore open the condom package and rolled it on himself, sighing in relief as he stroked his own cock in the process. He lubed himself up slowly, enjoying the heated gaze Travis kept on him and the friction for his own neglected body. Leaning over Travis, he pushed the strong legs up, lining his cock to Travis’ hole and rubbing it there lightly.

Travis’ head fell back and he groaned, “Just do it! Sadist!”

Laughing softly, Beck stroked himself a few more times just to tease the other man, and then pushed inside. They both groaned at that, and Beck had to stop just to keep control of himself. When he was ready, he moved deeper and, though he went slow, he didn’t stop again. Not until he was balls deep in Travis and staring down into hazel eyes almost swallowed by the black of the iris.

“Beck,” Travis whispered, his eyes closing and swallowing convulsively.

Beck dipped down and sucked on the suddenly enticing Adam’s apple, grazing it with his teeth as his hips started moving. He sucked on it, then transferred his lips to Travis’ and kissed him as hard and deep as his cock was going into the willing flesh. Travis’ fingers clutched at his back, nails digging sharply into his skin, urging him on. Taking the silent order, Beck upped the pace, thrusting in and out of Travis with force enough to scoot them up the bed.

Travis’ arms went up over his head, hands gripping the headboard to keep them in place. Lost in the sensations, Beck couldn’t have stopped if he’d wanted to, and he definitely didn’t want to. The only determination he had was not to come until Travis did, and he was barely hanging onto that with sheer willpower, his body demanding release as his cock owned Travis’ body.

A gasping moan hitched from Travis into their kiss and Beck felt the warm spatter of come on his chest and abs as well as the rake of fire along his back. Freed from constraint, he slammed into Travis, seeking his own release and getting it only seconds later. Lunging into Travis one last time, he came hard, filling the condom and wishing it was Travis he was marking with his seed, instead of latex.

Panting, Beck held himself upright only long enough to carefully pull out of Travis, then collapsed onto the bed. Travis crawled almost on top of him, plastering himself to Beck and nuzzling his throat even as his breathing evened out into that of sleep. Grinning, Beck wrapped his arms around the young man and yawned, following him shortly thereafter.

* * * *

Throbbing pain in his ass told Travis that it most definitely hadn’t been a dream, as did the steady rise and fall of Beck’s chest underneath him. Groaning to himself, knowing that he was going to be in serious pain if he tried to move, Travis stayed right where he was.

“You all right?”

Startled, Travis hissed in pain when he jumped in surprise. “No, damnit. My ass hurts thanks to that pole you call a cock.”

Beck chuckled and Travis suddenly found himself scooped into the other man’s arms as Beck climbed off the bed. He clutched at the broad shoulders and clenched his teeth as he was brought into the bathroom. Beck set him down in the tub and climbed in with him, turning on the hot water from the shower and plugging the tub.

Several warm, deep kisses and a hot soak under the shower mellowed his mood a lot and Travis pulled back enough to grin up at Beck and ask, “So…how’s this better my chances for you going treasure hunting once the money comes in from Mariana?”

Eyes rolling, Beck ordered, “Shut your mouth, Travis.”

Travis grinned and did as ordered.