WK2: Armani Weekend
Chapter 2: Saturday

(Disclaimers in Chapter 1)

PARKER MERIDIEN HOTEL
ROOM 1246
NEW YORK CITY
EARLY SATURDAY MORNING

Byers woke slowly, and stretched with a quiet yawn. The first
thing he noticed was the warmth of Doggett's body next to him,
and he smiled. It had been years since he'd woken next to
anyone. He missed it, but didn't want to think about getting
used to the feeling; after all, it would only be for the
weekend. Still, there was no harm in enjoying it while he had
it. Shifting his weight, he rolled to wrap an arm around the
sleeping man, but paused in his motion for a moment when he saw
the leather restraint still buckled around his wrist.

How had he gotten so lucky, he wondered. It had been years since
he'd had so much as a date, yet somehow he'd found himself in a
situation where his fantasies were being made real. It confused
and frightened him. Nothing good ever seemed to come into his
life without something miserable balancing it out. He worried
that he wouldn't be able to hold onto this. No one had ever
wanted him for very long except Langly, and that was impossible
due to their circumstances.

He thought about what had happened last night at the club. His
life had always been an exercise in denial and he had never
imagined he could or would let himself go so far in such a
public situation. He couldn't believe he'd let anyone touch him
the way Doggett and Brentali had in front of anyone else, much
less five strangers. Three of whom, he remembered with great
embarrassment, were having orgasms over his public wantonness.
He blushed, knowing there was nothing to be done about it now.

What made it truly frightening, in his mind, was how much he'd
loved it all. What he'd done was so against his nature; allowing
himself to be exposed and vulnerable -- to be sexual -- in a
public place and in front of anyone other than the person he was
having sex with scared the hell out of him. What had made it so
compelling? He shook as he thought about it.

With a sigh, he tucked his body up against Doggett's back, his
arm around the man's chest, looking for comfort. It felt good.
Doggett smelled good -- warm skin and a hint of sweat and just
plain maleness -- and Byers buried his face in his Master's
shoulder for a moment, breathing him in. Doggett was undisturbed
by Byers' movement, snoring softly.

The leather restraints around his wrists still felt good. Their
presence was reassuring, though in a way Byers was only
beginning to recognize. He wondered what he would become if he
allowed himself to follow this path, to follow the disturbing
desires that filled him and drove him forward. He'd let a man he
didn't even know touch him in very intimate, sexual ways, and it
had never been his habit to pick up strangers. Doggett's
presence had been reassuring, but his own abandon to the danger
and the sensuality left a cold feeling in the pit of his
stomach. Had he been right to trust Doggett's judgment about
Brentali? Had he been right to even want such a thing?

He'd only had two relationships with other men that had been
even vaguely similar to this. Neither had lasted for more than
three months, and he'd known each of them for quite some time
before he'd agreed to anything sexual, much less the bondage
aspects of it, though he knew he'd wanted that. Shyness and fear
had held him back on so many levels. His ex had entirely refused
his requests, and in fact had been quite disgusted by them.
She'd told him that no 'real man' would let anyone treat him
that way; god forbid that he actually wanted such things. Her
rejection had been crushing, and it had been the last time he'd
ever asked anyone. 

Byers tightened his arm around Doggett's chest, wondering if the
man would think he was good enough. He'd already been taken far
beyond the limits he'd had with the other men who had topped
him. All the things Doggett had done with him yesterday were
unmapped territory in his soul. Every step was a challenge to
him. He feared he might not be able to keep up, or that his
inexperience would disappoint Doggett so much that he'd be
rejected again. Only keeping an emotional distance could buffer
the pain of another rejection like that.

With his previous tops, everything had been private. There was
never anyone else watching, much less participating. He'd been
tied to a bed or a chair, and sometimes had been spanked or
given a light flogging before he'd been fucked or sucked, but
that was the sum total of his experience. It had taught him that
he liked being bound, liked intense sensation and a certain
amount of mild pain. He knew that Doggett had many years more
experience than either of the men who'd topped him before, and
he was learning that there was much more to the entire scene
than he'd imagined. The possibilities weighed heavily on his
mind.

Doggett weighed heavily on his mind as well. The agent came
across as tough, prickly, and rather gruff when he was working.
When Doggett had approached him the first time, he'd been
surprised. His own quick agreement to the unexpected proposal
had surprised him as well. He hadn't been sure how things would
go, but the man had driven him to ecstasy. He'd been left
feeling awkward, uncertain, and fascinated, knowing only that he
wanted more of what he'd been given. Doggett was strong and
powerful and handsome -- hell, he was so damned hot -- and Byers
didn't understand what the man saw in him. It was obvious
Doggett could get guys like the Marine or the military groupies
anytime he wanted, and as many as he wanted, so why on earth
would he want someone like him?

It certainly couldn't have anything to do with experience,
because Byers didn't think he had any that qualified. It wasn't
about willingness or obedience either, as Doggett seemed quite
used to subs who knew their place and were well behaved. It
wasn't about looks; Byers knew he was distressingly ordinary and
unimpressive. It didn't seem to leave anything but some
inexplicable hormonal reaction, really. He wasn't quite ready to
rule out alien influence or government mind control just yet
either.

The more he thought about the whole thing, the shakier and more
uncertain he felt. Last night had been so good, so intense. The
experience was burned into his soul; he didn't think he'd ever
be able to forget the night if he tried, and he didn't want to
try. He'd learned more about himself than he'd thought possible
in those few hours. His reaction to the sub on the cross had
been nothing short of a revelation of needs and desires he
didn't understand, and it shook him to his bones. 

What had happened with Doggett and Brentali had been even more
visceral; his overwhelming desire to have Doggett fuck him in
front of the man left him trembling in the morning light. The
vehemence of his feelings chilled him to the core. Worse yet, he
could still feel a ghost of that desire creeping up his spine.
Had he really wanted that? Would he really have asked it, had he
been able to speak? He was afraid to answer his own questions.
If he let himself have an experience like that again, he was
terrified he might lose himself so deeply in that sensual space
that he might never come back.

Byers' shaking was what finally woke Doggett. He groaned and
rolled over, wrapping his arms around the slender man. Byers
burrowed into Doggett's arms, needing the shelter and security
more than he'd ever realized.

"Johnny? What's wrong?" Doggett's voice was sleepy, but
incredibly gentle. He stroked Byers' hair with one hand, holding
him close with the other.

Byers snuggled closer, letting Doggett hold him. "I've been
thinking about last night," he said quietly, "about what
happened. About how I felt when it was all happening, and how
I'm feeling right now. It's... I'm confused, Jack. I don't
understand what's going on in my head."

"It can be that way for a while after an intense scene, and I
know that for you, last night was really intense. It's okay.
You'll be just fine. Come here." Doggett raised Byers' face and
kissed him softly.

Despite the morning breath, Doggett's kiss was a soothing
reassurance. Doggett's confidence wrapped around Byers and
allowed him to feel a little of his own. Maybe things would be
all right if he just talked about what was happening inside him.


"You did so well last night, Johnny. I was really proud of you."


Byers sighed. "But you don't know what was going on in my head
while all that was happening."

Doggett ran the backs of his fingers over Byers' cheek. "Do you
want to tell me?"

Byers' breath caught. He wasn't sure if he dared. His inability
to trust raised its head again like some unsettled serpent.

Doggett sighed. He knew Byers would have to talk about it if he
was going to be able to deal with everything. "It's safe to tell
me. I promise that whatever it is, it's all right to talk about
it."

Byers struggled with himself for a moment, swallowing
uncomfortably. "I felt so strange," he said, "when I realized
that all those men were watching us, and then I realized that I
didn't care. I mean, I didn't care then. Now I'm... now I feel
really embarrassed. It's not... I'm not like that, Jack. I'm not
an exhibitionist. I don't like people seeing my body. I..."
Byers slipped into silence.

Doggett held him tighter. "There's nothin' wrong with your body,
John. You really are a handsome guy, even though I know you
don't believe that. Your shyness is another issue, but don't you
believe for a minute that you're not a good looking man. You
just wait until you see yourself in that Armani this afternoon.
You'll believe me then." Doggett smiled. "And what you did with
me and Sergio last night is nothin' to be ashamed of. I was so
proud of you. You were so goddamned hot I couldn't believe it."

"But those men --"

"Were loving every minute of it. But if being in front of other
guys like that makes you nervous, Johnny, we never have to do
that again. It's your choice, your limits."

Byers closed his eyes and pressed his face into Doggett's chest.
"But I don't understand, Jack. I'm so embarrassed, but I... I
liked it. I loved it. I wanted it to be just like that while it
was happening. Why do I feel this way now? Why did I want --" He
stopped suddenly.

"What did you want, Johnny?"

Byers took a deep breath. "When Sergio... when he asked you to
fuck me in front of him..." He paused for a moment and took
another deep breath, then let it out. "When... god, Jack, I
wanted you to do it. I wanted you to fuck me. I wanted you to
show him I was yours."

Doggett sighed and rubbed Byers' back. "Even if you had asked,
even if you begged, I wouldn't have done it. I wanted to, so
much, but I would never have done it." Byers could hear the ache
and the desire in Doggett's voice. "It wasn't something we
agreed to, John, and this is so new to you. If you're
embarrassed by what did happen in front of the guys in that
room, you'd never have forgiven me for going that far. No matter
how much you might have wanted it in the heat of it all, it
would have hurt you when you came down from the high you were
feeling, and I won't do that to you. That's why we set limits in
the first place." Doggett was emphatic, his voice insistent but
so gentle.

Byers hadn't realized until that moment just how emotionally raw
he still was. He broke down, weeping. Doggett had said exactly
what he'd needed to hear. It was a reassurance that he'd been
safe all along, safe from himself, no matter what he'd been
feeling during and after the experience.

Doggett held him, rocking him gently in his arms. "It's okay,"
he whispered, "you're okay. What you felt was okay, Johnny. It's
natural to want that when you're in that state. It's why you
negotiate first, when you're still rational. It's why you need
to be with someone you can trust, who won't push your limits or
abuse you. It's why  you need space to come down afterwards,
like we've got right now."

"I was so out of control," Byers said, struggling with his
tears. "I think I would have done anything. I'm not like that,
I'm just not like that!"

"I know, I know." Doggett brushed his cheek in Byers' hair, just
holding him and rocking him. "I wouldn't have let anything
happen that I knew you didn't want. It all turned out okay.
You're safe, and nothing happened that you didn't want. Focus on
that, okay?"

"I'm scared, Jack. I felt so damned good. I was floating, it was
so good. It was like I wasn't even in my body anymore. Your
body," Byers choked back a sob, "your body and these cuffs,
they're all that kept me together after we got back last night.
I'm scared because I want it so much. I want to feel like that
again, and it terrifies me."

Doggett shifted his weight and rolled so that he was partly on
top of Byers, still holding him tight in his arms. 

"It's okay to be scared, Johnny. Nothing's gonna hurt you, I
promise. You can feel like that again, but we'll go slow, okay?
Just you and me. We'll make it so you feel good like that again,
and we won't push you any further than you're ready to go. It's
okay to back off a little after you've pushed yourself so far.
You need to give yourself some breathing space, let yourself get
used to things." He kissed Byers' forehead. "As you get used to
it, you'll be able to do more. You'll be able to take things
further. It's so overwhelming and frightening right now because
it's all new. With time, you'll know what to expect and you
won't feel like this afterwards anymore. You'll get more
confident."

The weight of Doggett's body felt right to Byers. "Yeah, like
this," he whispered, already starting to calm down. "I need
this. It's helping." 

Doggett had been right. So much had been stirred up inside him
that it was hard to sort through. He wasn't sure he would want
to do much of anything today but just spend time being close to
Doggett and working on screwing his head back on properly. He
felt... clingy. He was used to feeling nervous, anxious, and
paranoid. Those feelings were old and faithful companions. This
one was uncomfortable, but he was fairly sure it wouldn't last
more than a few hours. And maybe next time, as his Master had
said, his reaction wouldn't be so intense.

"I'm right here for as long as you need me," Doggett said.

"I still want those things," Byers said. "I mean, I do, but I
don't." He looked up at Doggett. "I do, but not yet, I guess is
what I'm trying to say."

"Which things are you talking about, though? Being fucked in
front of Sergio? Being played with in front of other people?
Being up on that cross that you were so fascinated with last
night? Something else?" There was a mix of compassion and
curiosity in Doggett's voice. "Knowing this stuff will help me
know what you want and how to treat you," he said.

Byers closed his eyes, blushing. "All of it. All of that, and
other things... I want you to push me over the edge, Jack. I
want you to..." He took a deep breath. "I want you," he
whispered. "I just... I just want to be able to feel like that
again. I've never felt like that before. I've never been able to
lose myself like that, and it felt so good. But I'm afraid I'll
fall in and never come back. Why the hell does it have to scare
me so much?"

"Because you're looking into the abyss, Johnny," Doggett said.
"You're seeing some of the things you've been hiding from
yourself your whole life. You don't have to worry about coming
back, though. You always will.  Learning that what you want
isn't what you thought it was can be a hell of a shock to your
system. This is part of you. It would scare the hell out of
anybody to learn that they're not what they thought they were."
Doggett rolled some of his weight off Byers, and the bearded man
shifted with him, not wanting to lose the body contact. 

"Don't let go," Byers said. Doggett held him closer.

"I know you think you're not like that, that maybe that you
shouldn't want or like what you had last night," Doggett
continued. "But there's a part of you that really is that, too.
Part of you is a little bit exhibitionistic, part of you does
want to be watched, does want to be touched by more than one
person. Part of you wants to be pushed past your limits. And
that's okay. Those are the parts of you that loved what you
felt, that want to feel that way again. As you learn more about
those parts of yourself, you'll be more confident about knowing
what they want, how they react, how far they're willing to go --
and what things will be safe to do. It'll all fall together
someday and in the end, it'll just be you; everything you are
now, and everything you want to be."

"And when is that supposed to happen?" Byers said, brushing away
the remaining traces of his tears.

Doggett chuckled. "I don't know. It's not like there's some
calendar you can check it against. It ain't like that. It
happens as it happens, and it's different for everybody. You're
a pretty shy, quiet guy, and it may take you a long time to get
through it all. But maybe you're a hell of a lot braver than you
think, and it won't take that long at all. There's no way to
tell. You just gotta live it."

Byers sighed, nodding. "Story of my life," he said.

Byers finally stopped shaking, but wasn't sure he was ready to
get out of bed and face the day yet. Doggett stayed under the
covers, holding him for another few moments. "What do you want
to do today, Johnny?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Byers said. "I'm hungry, though."

"Do you think a soak in the Jacuzzi might help you feel a little
steadier?" Doggett asked.

Byers thought for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah. I think it
might. But I don't want to get up just yet."

"Well, I'm gonna have to in a couple of minutes, 'cuz I've gotta
piss like a racehorse," Doggett said, chuckling. He squeezed
Byers close. "Those wrist restraints, do you want 'em off yet?"

Byers nodded. "I think I can cope with that."

Doggett rolled Byers on top of him. "Gimme your hands."

Bracing himself on the bed with one arm, Byers leaned up
slightly  and let Doggett remove first one, then the other.
Doggett tossed them onto the bedside stand. Taking Byers' face
in both hands, he pulled him in for a kiss, and Byers slid his
tongue into Doggett's mouth. The kiss was soft and deep, and
both of them moaned as it went on. Byers was tempted to ask if
Doggett would fuck him before they got up, but realized he
genuinely wasn't ready for it yet. Long moments later, they came
up for air.

"Up," Doggett said, patting Byers' ass. "And don't nail me in
the bladder when you do it."

Byers laughed. "Just what I need to start the day, getting you
pissed off."

Doggett snorted. "Right now, it'd be more like gettin' yourself
pissed on."

Byers made a face. "Ewwww."

Doggett laughed. "Okay, that's one kink we can rule out." Byers
could only blush in response.

Byers rolled off Doggett, and Doggett got out of bed, hurrying
to the bathroom. After he relieved himself, he started running
water into the big Jacuzzi tub for Byers. Taking a few moments
to brush his teeth and shave as the water ran, he considered
their morning options.

He had to call Brentali and let him know how Byers was doing.
He'd do that while Byers soaked. He needed a shower as well, but
maybe Byers would want to shower with him after he was out of
the tub. By that time, the man might be feeling up to being
touched and played with a little under the hot, running water.
Doggett didn't want anything elaborate, but he wanted to indulge
himself a little. Perhaps Byers would be up to being sucked. It
would be an offer rather than an order; he wouldn't be upset if
Byers refused. Doggett knew his sub still needed time to sort
himself out, but it would be a good way to start the day if the
offer was accepted.

They'd have to do something about breakfast, but he really
didn't want to decide that until he discussed it with Byers.
They could do that after the shower.

Byers came into the bathroom and slid his arms around Doggett's
waist, resting his bearded chin on his Master's shoulder.
Doggett enjoyed the feeling, enjoyed the closeness.

"You doin' okay?" Doggett asked.

Byers smiled. "Wondered if  you'd fallen in. I need to use the
bathroom."

Doggett finished rinsing the shaving cream from his face. "Yeah,
okay. I just had to finish shaving. It's all yours."

"Thanks." Byers kissed Doggett's shoulder and let him go.
Doggett left the man to his morning routine.

Returning to the bedroom, Doggett wrapped himself in a robe and
tied the belt, then settled down in the living room with his
cell phone. He dialed Brentali's number.

"Pronto."

Doggett smiled. "Hey Sergio."

"Ah, John! How are you this morning, and how is your delectable
young friend?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Johnny seems to be doing okay. Still kinda
shaky, but I think we both expected that, yeah?"

"Yes, yes," Brentali said. "He did have that look about him last
night. Did he manage to sleep?"

"Yeah. Took a while for him to settle enough, though."

Brentali chuckled. "I assume you had to give him satisfaction
before that happened, eh?"

Doggett laughed. "What, you think I'm gonna tell you?"

"You always have before." Brentali's voice was smug and amused.

"Lyin' sack," Doggett said. "You just want to hear all the gory
details so you can whack off while I tell you."

Brentali snorted. "You have such doubts about my noble motives,
John. I just want to know that your new boy is properly cared
for."

"Want him for yourself is more like it."

"Perhaps. Or at least to watch."

Doggett chuckled. "Yeah, I knew that was comin'."

"John, I wish to ask you something." Brentali's voice was
slightly hesitant.

"What's that?"

"Last night..."

"What about it?" Doggett was curious now.

Brentali hesitated. "How long have you known your Mr. Byers,
John?"

"Met him about a year ago. He and his pals, they've done some
work for me in that time."

"Yes, so you said, but -- forgive me for being indelicate -- how
long have you *known* him?"

Doggett blinked. "About a month. Why? What's this about,
Sergio?"

Doggett could hear Brentali taking a deep breath before he
spoke. "Last night, John, when he was in distress, you said
something to him. It gave me pause."

"What was that?" Doggett was truly puzzled now.

"You called him... well, you called him something I have only
ever heard you call Barbara, before the divorce. When did you
become so attached to this young man that you're calling him
'babe'? Is this a serious relationship for you?"

Doggett sat in stunned silence.

A few moments later, Brentali spoke again. "John?"

Doggett shook himself out of it. "I... Are you sure you heard
right?"

"Quite so, John. Are you all right?"

Doggett thought for a moment. He didn't remember saying it. He
certainly wasn't close enough to Byers that he would call him
that. "You musta heard wrong, Sergio. That's not possible. I
hardly know the guy yet. We've only played once before this
weekend." He knew didn't have that depth of feeling for Byers.
But the inexplicable attraction he felt... No.

Brentali sighed. "My friend, I do know what I heard. I found
it... quite curious. I know you don't attach yourself to other
men easily, and I wondered if you had perhaps found someone at
last. But if this makes you uncomfortable, I'll drop it. Have
you and your boy had breakfast yet?"

"Ah, no, we haven't." Doggett was grateful for the change of
subject. He didn't want to think about what Brentali had said,
or its possible implications.

"Then why don't you join me in about an hour?"

"Can we make it about an hour and a half? Johnny's taking a soak
in the Jacuzzi," Doggett said. "I don't want to have to drag him
out too soon."

Brentali's voice was cheerful. "Certainly." He laughed. "That
exquisite specimen of yours is in the bath and you're on the
phone with me? Such heedless neglect. At any rate, I'll expect
you to join me at Sarabeths' West then. I think it would be good
for your boy to get to know me as Sergio, rather than seeing me
only as an authority. It'll be my treat, all right?"

"That might be good for him. But about the treat, are you sure?"


"Oh, yes. Absolutely. Are we agreed?"

"Sure, Sergio. Thanks. I'll look forward to it."

"Ciao, then!"

Doggett smiled. "Ciao."

He set the phone down and went back into the bedroom. He could
hear the jets of the Jacuzzi running, and he went to the door of
the bathroom to check on Byers. 

Byers lay in the tub, his head resting on the back ledge, eyes
closed. His face was relaxed and calm, peaceful. It looked good
on him, Doggett thought. Much better than the stress he'd seen
when they were still in bed together, Byers trying to cope with
his fears. He liked seeing the shy, quiet man like this and
stood for several minutes in the doorway just watching him
affectionately.

Doggett wondered why Byers' trust was so important to him, why
he felt so possessive toward the man. He barely knew him. Other
bottoms had come and gone through his life, usually quickly and
without fuss. Byers had always struck him as a little odd, as
did his friends, but attractive nonetheless. Brentali had been
right when he'd said Doggett didn't get attached to other men
easily. He had sex with them, not intimate relationships. He
didn't know why this would change, particularly for a man like
Byers. Doggett had always thought that if he ever felt that sort
of closeness with another man, it would have been more like the
type he usually played with; strong, athletic, much more
conventionally handsome. It would have been someone military, or
in law enforcement, he thought. Someone whose experiences had
been not unlike his own, whose experience in the scene was akin
to his own.

Byers was a thin, wiry man, with an intellectual and emotional
intensity and a soft air of gentleness that Doggett found
appealing, but that gentleness was never anything he'd sought
out in his -- what -- toys? Personal amusements? Pets? Most of
the men he'd been with had certainly never been his lovers.
Byers was quiet and shy, and obviously inexperienced in the
scene, though he did seem to have clear concepts of his own
boundaries and some of what he wanted. 

He doubted Byers had ever been anywhere near the military in his
life before he'd been immersed in the conspiracies that threaded
through both their existences. Yet there was a well disguised
solidity to him just under the surface. He knew, as if by
instinct, that there was courage somewhere in Byers, a core of
something strong and resilient. There had to be, if Byers was
willing to face and act on the same desires that seemed to
terrify him so. Doggett suspected that once the man broke
through the fears holding him back -- and he was fairly certain
it would happen at some point -- he would be a seriously intense
player. The thought set Doggett's heart racing.

When Byers dropped his guard, opened himself to his own needs,
his sensuality burned brightly. Doggett knew that this was part
of what appealed to him about the shy man. Perhaps he was caught
by the dichotomy that Byers presented; the enigmatic everyday
formality of the quiet man in the suit, and the wild, desperate
abandon of the bound submissive who had been writhing in his
arms last night. Byers might not have ever been military, but
there was a sense of discipline and honor in him that Doggett
had rarely seen matched elsewhere. Did this add to his
unexpected and deepening attraction? 

The mystery of it gnawed at him. Doggett liked solutions and
neat packages, order and sensible explanations. Byers was neat,
orderly, and sensible, but at the same time, he was none of
those things. The paradox of the man was magnetic. Doggett went
to sit at the edge of the tub.

As he sat, Byers opened his eyes. He smiled up at Doggett.

"Would you like to join me?" Byers asked. He held a hand up to
Doggett.

Doggett grinned and shed his robe. It pooled on the floor at his
feet. "Yeah. Sounds good." He stepped into the big tub, sliding
down to lie beside Byers, his back to a row of jets. Byers
turned to face him, his back to the jets on the other side.

The heat of the moving water felt good on his body, but better
when Byers' body met his, face to face. They slid their arms
around each other, Doggett savoring the smoothness of Byers'
hot, wet skin against his own. He kissed Byers gently. 

"What took you so long?" Byers asked.

Doggett chuckled. "I had to call Sergio. I promised him last
night I'd let him know how you were doing. He asked us to meet
him for breakfast."

A whisper of anxiety crossed Byers' face for a moment, but
vanished in his clear blue eyes. "That sounds good," he said.
"I'm getting really hungry."

"We have a little time before we have to be anywhere." Doggett
caressed Byers' body with his hands, and slid against him,
buoyed up by the hot water.

Byers rumbled his appreciation quietly in Doggett's ear, almost
purring. "I'm glad." He kissed Doggett's ear and nibbled at the
soft skin behind it.

"Are you sure you want to go there? I didn't think you'd be up
for anything so soon after last night," Doggett said.

Byers sighed and held Doggett tight to his body. "I just feel
like I need to be close like this right now. Maybe a little
something more, but nothing too intense."

Doggett nodded. "I'd like to suck you," he said, running his
hand up Byers' thigh until he came to his balls. He cupped them
gently and caressed them, then stroked Byers' shaft slowly.

"Mmmmmmmm. Yeah, please. I'd like that." Byers' eyes closed, his
face softening in pleasure.

Doggett shifted his body until he was holding Byers' hips in his
arms, raising him partly out of the water. Bending down, he
started kissing and licking Byers' stiffening cock as the water
pounded against them both.

Byers moaned, arching his back, then slid his arms up over his
head. Even when pleasure was freely offered to him, it seemed he
needed the vulnerability of that exposure. His chest rose out of
the water, and Doggett took in the sight of his sub's wet,
slender body moving sensually under his ministrations. He
lowered his head and took Byers' rod into his mouth, licking and
sucking. Sliding his hands up Byers' back, he savored the
softness of the man's skin.

Byers felt good in his mouth, his length growing and thickening
with excitement as Doggett sucked. Both of them groaned and
sighed at the sensations, and Byers shivered as Doggett's strong
hands massaged his back and sides.

Doggett would have teased the man verbally, but he was in no
mood to talk. He sucked and licked and nipped at Byers' flesh,
making the bearded man writhe and whimper under him. Dipping his
head to take Byers in again, he tasted the salty liquid leaking
from the slit in the head of his sub's swollen shaft. He loved
the sound of Byers voice as he cried out wordlessly in pleasure.


Doggett's own rod was hard now as well, and he shifted his body
so that one of the water jets struck it as he moved. He
shuddered at the intensity of it, nearly coming from the
sensation, but held himself back. For a moment, he gave up
Byers' dick and slid his body up along the other man's, taking
his mouth in a deep, hard kiss. Byers groaned and wrapped his
arms around Doggett, thrusting against him, their cocks rubbing
hard against each other. The water jets and the feel of Byers'
body against his own were driving Doggett toward a quick orgasm.

He tried to slide back down, but Byers was panting, lost in the
sensation, and wouldn't release him.

"Let go, Johnny," he said, gasping with the force of his desire.

Byers loosened his grip, and Doggett slid down his body, leaving
a trail of nips and kisses as he moved back to the man's stiff,
hot shaft. He sucked Byers hard, using his tongue everywhere
along the man's length, caressing Byers' balls with an empty
hand. With a shout, Byers arched his back and he came, thrusting
wildly, Doggett sucking deep and swallowing his musky, salt
come. Doggett's own release came quickly under the force of the
water jets, and he slid up Byers' body again as he stretched and
thrust against him, shaking and trembling. 

The men held each other, breathing heavily, unable to speak.
Doggett lay cradled in Byers' arms, eyes closed, his head on his
sub's shoulder as they panted together. They lay there unmoving
for several minutes, each finding solace in the other's embrace.

Finally, still a bit breathless, Doggett said, "I think we need
a shower."

Byers nodded. He stroked one wet hand over Doggett's cheek, then
tilted the man's face up and kissed him softly. It sent a shiver
through him. "Thank you," he whispered, his lips still against
Doggett's.

Doggett reached up and turned off the jets, then got out of the
tub, leaving Byers to pull the drain. After a moment, he had the
water in the shower adjusted to a comfortable temperature, and
stepped in. Byers joined him, and they held each other under the
falling water. After a few minutes, Doggett handed Byers the
soap. 

"Do my back for me," he said. He handed Byers a washcloth.

Byers soaped the cloth and scrubbed Doggett's back, pleased with
the opportunity. It allowed him time to admire Doggett's solid,
athletic build, revealed in light and running water; something
he hadn't had a chance to do before. The feel of the man's
muscles under his hands was sensual and grounding. Byers loved
the way Doggett looked nude, and let his soapy hands stray down
his Master's back to his waist, then to his firm, tight ass.

"That's good, Johnny," Doggett said, his voice deep and rumbling
with pleasure. Byers wondered what it would be like to enter the
man, pressed against his back, hips striking that ass as he
thrust into him. The chance of that, he realized, was about
equivalent to that of being struck by a meteor while sitting on
a bench in Central Park. Still, the thought stirred him and his
stubborn prick rose. Once he finished scrubbing Doggett's back,
he wrapped himself around the man's body, pressing himself
close. He rested his cheek on his Master's broad back and
sighed.

Doggett took the washcloth from him. "Okay, turn around and I'll
do yours."

Byers let go reluctantly, getting in one more press of his hips
against Doggett's ass, and turned as he'd been told. Doggett's
large, strong hands felt good on his body, and Byers closed his
eyes to let himself feel it without any visual distractions. He
hadn't been touched so much in the last year as he had in just
the past day. He feared that after the weekend, when they both
went back to their daily lives, he would be left craving
physical contact without recourse. In the midst of his warmth
and the stirring in his groin, Byers wondered if he should
withdraw, not let himself become too attached to his body's
needs. He was well practiced in the art of self-denial.

But his body refused to shut itself off, refused to let go of
the sensation of Doggett's hands rubbing the nubbly cloth over
his back, down his waist, over his ass. He groaned quietly as he
braced himself against the wall of the shower stall with his
hands to let Doggett rub harder, getting deep into his muscles.
It was too good to back away from, too much to deny. He didn't
want to, even knowing that going without the contact after the
weekend would be hard for him. He knew the emptiness of missing
another person's touch far too intimately, but understood that
he had to deal with it if he was going to let himself enjoy the
weekend. This was why he'd come -- to be touched, to be fucked,
to be given some taste of his fantasies.

"Where are you, Johnny?" Doggett asked, his voice concerned.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Just thinking."

"Seems like you do an awful lot of that." Doggett's hands
caressed his shoulders and down his arms.

Byers nodded. "I worry too much."

"Why doesn't this surprise me?"

Doggett's arms slipped around him, broad hands soaping his chest
then his stomach, and Byers leaned back into his Master's
muscular body. It felt good. Everything about this felt good.
Leaning against Doggett was like leaning into a secure wall of
strength; being wrapped in his arms, like being surrounded by an
emotional fortress. Byers felt absurdly safe there. 

He knew it was absurd, because he never felt safe anywhere; all
safety was relative, all security an illusion. For all he knew,
there could be hidden cameras in the suite. The first thing he'd
done when they arrived and unpacked was pitch the room's Gideon
Bible down the closest laundry chute he could find in the
hallway. They were all bugged, he knew. Susanne had convinced
him of that the day his eyes had been opened to the
conspiracies, back in 1989. Byers never left one unmolested in
any hotel room he ever stayed in. Doggett had stared at him,
shaking his head in astonishment, but hadn't asked about it. 

"You feel so good," Byers whispered, not caring whether or not
Doggett actually heard him.

Doggett chuckled. "It's not a one-way street." He held Byers
tightly, pressing his own hardness against his sub's ass, as
Byers had pressed into him earlier. If they had more time and he
knew Byers was ready for it, he'd have happily taken the man
then and there. The memory of the tight heat of Byers' ass
around his rod was delicious and far too tempting, but it would
wait. He ran a soapy hand over Byers' genitals, appreciating the
heat and hardness, then slowly released him to let him rinse.

Byers shuddered and sighed, turning his trim body into the
water. He looked up at Doggett with longing in his eyes, and
something else. Doggett wasn't sure what that something was, but
it had echoes of the sadness that Byers carried with him
constantly. He wished he knew what he could do to take that look
away and replace it with something a little less haunted.

He watched as Byers washed his hair, appreciating the slender
man's movements, the lines and arcs of his body under the
running water. He honestly didn't understand why Byers seemed to
think he wasn't a decent looking guy. Byers was no gym bunny --
most guys really weren't -- but he was in damned good shape for
a guy who spent most of his life parked in front of a computer.
Doggett had heard rumors from Mulder about some of the Gunmen's
'funky poaching' expeditions, and guessed that it must be part
of the reason Byers looked so good. It didn't explain Frohike,
but then, what did?

When Byers finished rinsing down, Doggett swatted his ass
gently. "Out of the way. I need to finish up. You go get
dressed. Wear something casual, okay?"

Byers smiled ruefully and nodded. "As you wish."

"You look good in it," Doggett called out as Byers dripped his
way across the bathroom for a towel.

"I feel weird in it," Byers griped.

"You're already weird. Wear normal clothes long enough and
you'll get over feeling weird about it. Nobody'll ever be able
to tell you're peculiar unless you start talkin' about
Teletubbies and mind control."

Byers snorted as he dried himself. "The government starts early.
Cradle to grave, Jack, cradle to grave."

"You're paranoid."

"You already knew that. It doesn't mean I'm wrong."

Doggett laughed. "Sorry, Johnny. You're gonna have to prove that
Teletubby thing to me with more than just a couple of screen
captures and an alleged translation of their 'dialogue.'"

"You wouldn't say that if you had any idea what they're really
telling the children of America."

"What, do you guys drop acid and watch it to translate it or
something? It's a goddamn British show."

Byers shook his head. "Langly volunteered for that job. It
wasn't my idea. And Great Britain's in on the whole thing
anyway. Don't think for an instant they're not. They've been
pissed at us ever since we won our independence."

Doggett turned off the water. "You believe that hippie throwback
partner of yours about something as bizarre as that? When he's
frying, for god's sake? What's next? Back masking in Elvis
records? Disney drug rings?"

Byers grinned. "Another of Langly's pet projects. There's no way
Elvis is dead. And they don't call it 'The Magic Kingdom' for
nothing. We have indisputable proof that Mickey's been huffing
helium and getting strung out on crack for over 50 years."

"Oh, come on. Jesus, Johnny, Mickey's not even *real.*"

"That doesn't mean that Disney isn't at the center of a huge
media conspiracy." Byers paused dramatically, then laughed. "I
had you going there, didn't I?"

Doggett groaned and grabbed a towel, giving it a lightning quick
twist, and snapping out at Byers. The bearded man dodged the
snap and stuck his tongue out at Doggett, then laughed again.
Doggett roared and charged Byers, who yelped and ran for the
bedroom. Doggett caught him and tackled him, tossing the slight
man down on the bed and pinning him with his body.

"You don't think you're gonna get away with that, do you?"
Doggett asked, laughing.

Byers laughed breathlessly, then yipped when Doggett bent down,
biting his neck and sucking.

"We just took a shower!" Byers objected. "If you keep this up,
we'll need another one. And we have to meet Sergio for
breakfast."

Breathless, Doggett kissed Byers hard and fast, then rolled off
him, stood, and started drying himself off.

"You got me all wet again." Byers had a very silly fake pout on
his face.

Doggett snorted. "Tough. Go dry off again."

"Killjoy."

"Hey, remember who's supposed to be in charge around here."
Doggett tossed his damp towel at Byers. "If you're too lazy to
go into the bathroom and get a dry one, use this."

Byers stood and dried himself again with Doggett's towel.
Doggett grinned and started dressing.

SARABETH'S WEST
MORNING

"Do you think he'll be there yet? We're a little early," Byers
said, looking around the restaurant.

Doggett chuckled. "Sergio's always early. Look, he's over
there."

Doggett pointed off toward a corner table, where Byers saw
Brentali waving at them. Putting a hand on the small of Byers'
back, Doggett guided him toward the table.

"Ah, buongiorno, gentlemen," Brentali said. "Please, please,
have a seat." He motioned to the chairs opposite him. The men
sat, and Brentali grinned at them. "So how are you this morning,
Mr. Byers? Shall I call you Mr. Byers?"

"Um, John is fine," Byers said, "and I'm... I'm doing much
better, thank you."

"Please, call me Sergio," Brentali said.

Byers nodded. "Okay."

Brentali waved down a server, and menus were brought to  the
table. "I would like a ristretto," Brentali said, "and my
guests..."

"I'll have an espresso," Doggett said. "A cappuccino with
cinnamon for him." He motioned to Byers, who nodded.

The server nodded and headed for the coffee bar.

"So, I have two Johns across the table from me," Brentali said.
"This poses something of a dilemma." He chuckled.

Doggett and Byers looked at each other and shrugged.

"I think we'll be able to figure it out," Doggett said.

"Of course, my friend, of course," Brentali said, nodding.

"How are you this morning, Sergio," Byers asked. He wasn't sure
how to approach a conversation with the man. He'd never been in
a situation like this before.

Brentali smiled kindly. "I'm well, John, thank you. I must say,
it was quite a pleasure to spend time with you last night. I
hope we shall have the opportunity again sometime."

Byers blushed. Doggett slipped a hand onto Byers' thigh and
squeezed gently. "I... it was a unique experience for me,
Sergio." Byers looked down at the table, then back up at
Brentali. "I didn't have a chance to thank you last night. I
don't know what'll happen later, though. That's up to Jack." He
looked over at Doggett. Resting his hand on Doggett's in his
lap, he offered him a tiny, shy smile.

Brentali raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"We'll see what happens," Doggett said. "Right now, breakfast is
a more immediate concern for me. I'm starving."

"You were never one for skipping meals," Brentali said. "I don't
know how you stay in such fine shape."

"What do you want, Johnny?" Doggett asked.

Byers picked up a menu. He scanned it while the other men
examined their own. "Oh, I think I'll have the Eggs Benedict,"
he said. "Some bacon."

Doggett nodded as the server returned with their coffee.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked. She looked down at
Doggett's hand on Byers' leg. Her eyes darkened and she glanced
away from the men, frowning.

Byers blushed, embarrassed.

Brentali saw the exchange. "Yes," he said. "I would like the
mushroom omelet with the Italian sausage. John?" He looked to
Doggett. Byers sipped his cappuccino to cover his uneasiness.

"Scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. He'll have the Eggs Benedict
with bacon." Doggett's hand caressed Byers' thigh. He picked up
his espresso and sipped it.

"Will that be all, gentlemen?" Her tone wasn't quite as friendly
as it had been.

"For the moment, yes," Brentali said, stiffening. He gave the
server a disapproving look. 

Doggett looked over, seeing Brentali react. He looked up at her.
"Do you have a problem with something?" he asked, glaring at
her.

The woman blushed. "Ah, n-no sir,"  she stammered, backing away
and hurrying for the kitchen to place their order.

Doggett looked over at Byers, who was still blushing, his face
partly hidden by his cappuccino cup.

"Johnny, are you okay?" Doggett asked softly.

Byers sighed. "I'll be all right," he said, miserable. He looked
up at Doggett. "I knew there were reasons I stayed in the
closet."

Doggett put an arm around Byers' shoulder. "She won't give us
any more shit." Byers was sure of that, but uncomfortable at
Doggett's public gesture.

"I'm very sorry," Brentali said. "I come here often, and have
never had trouble before. I'll speak to the manager if you
like."

Doggett shook his head. "I suspect she'll think twice before she
does something like that again, Sergio. No real need."

Brentali nodded. "You're probably right about that, my friend."
He looked over at Byers. "So, John," he asked, "what is it that
you do? John says that you are a researcher of some sort?"

Byers smiled, and chuckled quietly. "In a manner of speaking.
I'm an investigative journalist, really."

"Oh? This is fascinating. For whom do you write?"

Byers looked over at Doggett, then back at Brentali. "Actually,
my associates and I publish a small paper ourselves. It's called
'The Lone Gunman.' We investigate governmental and corporate
crimes against the public."

Brentali's brow wrinkled. "I've never heard of this publication.
Do you have much circulation?"

"A little over two thousand subscribers," Byers replied.

"Some of their stories are a little... uh... different," Doggett
said quietly.

"Is this available on the newsstand," Brentali asked, "or by
subscription only?"

Byers nodded. "Some newsstands carry us. There's one in Times
Square that does. Our circulation isn't large, but it's
international."

Brentali smiled. "This is impressive. I should find a copy. How
often do you publish?"

"Once a week," Byers said. "Thursdays."

"And John," Sergio looked to Doggett, "what have you been up to?
I have not seen you often since you moved to Washington. How is
the FBI treating you?"

Doggett hesitated for a moment, then looked down at the table.
"I got assigned to a different division. It's pretty small,
really obscure. They call it the X Files. I end up working on
some really weird shit, Sergio. Stuff you wouldn't believe.
Hell, you wouldn't want to believe some of this stuff." He
snorted, looking back up at Brentali. "Actually, Johnny's paper
publishes stuff about some of the cases that have come up in the
division over the years."

Brentali looked intrigued. "I know you mentioned you were
working with your old friend, Monica Reyes, but you were rather
reluctant to discuss your cases. From the sound of it, you must
be dealing with truly strange and unusual things, my friend."

"I chase ghosts, Sergio. And aliens. And a lot of even stranger
stuff than that."

Brentali raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Stranger than ghosts
and aliens? Why would the FBI have an interest in such things to
begin with? Are these ghosts and aliens engaging in federal
offenses?" He chuckled.

Doggett cringed. "Sometimes, yeah, weird as that sounds."

Brentali shook his head. "And how did such a fine man as
yourself get put in such an... unusual position?"

"I originally got assigned to a missing persons case on the
Special Agent in charge of the division." Doggett sighed. "We
finally found him, but things got really complicated, and I
ended up working there. It's been frustrating, but some of it's
fascinating."

"Jack and Agent Reyes, and Agents Mulder and Scully, who were
originally with the division, have cracked some vital cases,"
Byers said. "My associates and I have been able to help with
some of these investigations." He smiled, pleased.

"So you work as a consultant for the FBI, as well as publishing
a paper?" Sergio asked.

Byers shook his head. "Not officially. Our methods are... "

"Questionable," Doggett finished. Byers shot him a look.

"That's not entirely fair," Byers said. "I think
'unconventional' would be more accurate."

Brentali looked at them, skeptical. "This sounds quite
complicated."

Doggett and Byers nodded in unison.

 "You might say that," Doggett said with a snort.

"Too complicated for breakfast," Byers said. 

Sergio chuckled. "I shall take your word for it, John."

They looked up as the server arrived with their food. She placed
plates before each of the men. "Enjoy your breakfasts,
gentlemen," she said, eyeing Doggett nervously.

Doggett and Byers turned their attention to breakfast. "This
doesn't look too bad," Byers said, trying a bite.

Doggett grunted and  nodded, too busy eating to respond.

"John," Sergio said to Byers, "may I ask you a question?"

Byers looked up from his plate. "I guess that depends on the
question," he said, nervous.

Sergio nodded. "It's all right, you don't have to answer if you
don't wish to. I was wondering how you felt about last night.
You seem to be a rather reserved man, and I simply wish to be
certain that you don't regret your visit to the club, or our...
interaction."

Doggett looked up, watching Byers.

Byers shifted slightly in his seat. "I... well, no. I don't
regret it. It was... " Byers blushed again and smiled shyly,
looking at Brentali. "It was intense. Overwhelming, really. I
had a little trouble afterwards, when I was coming down. I've
never had an experience like that, and I guess I had to come to
terms with what it might mean about me, about who and what I
am."

Brentali nodded. "Yes, this is common with people who have
little experience in the scene. But you are doing well now, you
said?"

Byers looked down at his plate. "Yeah. I'm still not quite my
usual self, I think, but I'll be okay. I guess I'm just feeling
a little... off, still." He looked over at Doggett.

"We talked last night, and this morning," Doggett said.
"Everything'll be fine. Johnny's got some pretty strong
boundaries and he thinks things over a lot. He's the type that
gets through that stuff and comes out okay on the other side."
Doggett's eyes met Byers', and they gazed at each other for a
few minutes.

Brentali watched, silent, sipping his ristretto.

Byers thought he was holding up well, considering the direction
of the conversation. All in all, it seemed that their visit to
the club had been a positive experience, if not the most
comfortable situation in the world. But you couldn't push the
envelope if you never did anything outside its confines.

Doggett reached out and caressed Byers' cheek with the backs of
his fingers, and Byers closed his eyes, leaning slightly into
the touch. "You're doin' great, Johnny." Doggett said, smiling
softly. He sighed and went back to his food.

"Was it anything like you thought it might be?" Brentali asked.

Byers shrugged. "I honestly didn't know what to expect."

"Were you able to enjoy yourself?" Brentali took a bite of his
sausage and eggs.

Byers nodded. "Yes," he said very quietly. "Thank you. I don't
think I'll ever forget it."

Brentali smiled at him. "It was a great pleasure for me. You
seem like a fine young man."

Byers smiled, eyes lowered, but lit with delight.

"You keep that up, it'll go to his head," Doggett said,
grinning.

Brentali laughed. "Ah, but which one?"

Byers blushed and covered his face with one hand. "Please, not
in public."

"My apologies, John. I don't know you well enough yet for such
teasing in a place like this," Brentali said. "I shall not do so
again, you have my word."

"I do better with that sort of thing in private," Byers said.
"I'm used to it from the guys I work with, and a few other
friends, so it's really not an issue, but this is... it just
feels a little awkward." 

Byers glanced around the room, wondering if anyone had overheard
any of the conversation. It wasn't the sort of thing he was used
to talking about at all, much less in a restaurant where anyone
might overhear. The server's unfriendliness had left him feeling
uneasy to begin with, and the overt teasing didn't help. He
looked to Doggett, taking the hand that was still in his lap,
seeking reassurance.  Doggett's hand squeezed his for a moment,
and Doggett met his eyes again briefly.

He wanted breakfast to be over. It wasn't that talking to
Brentali bothered Byers, he was still just feeling a little too
sensitive to be in public. He thought he really needed another
hour or so of quiet and privacy before he'd feel completely
solid again.

"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Byers said. He rose
from the table to look for the bathroom, where he could have
some privacy for a few minutes. He needed to get his bearings
back, alone.

Doggett and Brentali watched him go.

"I'm sorry, John. I didn't mean to upset him," Brentali said.
"Are you going to go after him?"

Doggett shook his head. "No, I think he just needs a little
space for a few minutes. He'll be fine. He's tougher than he
seems. There's something really solid in him."

"He is a very sensitive soul," Brentali said. "Very shy, as you
told me."

"Yeah." Doggett was still watching in the direction Byers had
gone.

"It seems to me that, whatever you may think, something in you
has taken very much to this young man. You don't act this way
around your usual boys, John. I think he is more than that to
you, more than just a new toy. You are very gentle with him --
very protective. More possessive than I have seen you in a long
time."

"I don't know," Doggett said, looking back at Brentali. "He's
just... he's different, Sergio. I don't know why." Brentali was
right, at least to some extent. Doggett did feel more protective
of Byers than he'd felt about the other men he'd been with.
Byers was as emotionally together as any of them, though less
experienced. Doggett had trained and played with a few subs
who'd had as little experience as Byers. He didn't feel that
Byers needed gentler treatment than anyone else. The slender
man's fragility was more illusion than reality.

"He's an appealing young man, John." Brentali reached out and
took Doggett's hand for a moment. Doggett accepted the gesture.
"He has a seriousness about him. There is something very intense
in him. Perhaps this is what is calling to you. The other men
you play with, they are often serious players, but they are not
serious men. This is about more than just playing for you; I can
feel that. I see it in your eyes, and the way you look when
you're with him. You have him call you Jack. This letting
someone call you a special name is not your usual habit at all."
Brentali drew his hand back. "And I know you have been lonely
since your son's death and your divorce. That was such a
difficult, painful time for you."

Doggett shook his head. "I've had company enough since then. You
know that."

Brentali sighed. "Company perhaps, but no one who has been
worthy of you, I think. There was no spark in them, nothing to
hold your interest. It is no surprise that they never stayed
long. Such men are like swallows, John. They come for a season
and are gone."

"Why are you all on about this, Sergio?" Doggett asked. "This
isn't like you."

Brentali smiled, a rueful expression on his face. "Because I
have not seen you like this before. We've been friends for many
years, John; sometimes more than that." Brentali's smile
softened, and a knowing look passed over his face. "I know you
better than you think. Is it so unreasonable to care about a
dear friend when something so unusual seems to be happening to
him? I envy you, John. Your Mr. Byers, he strikes me as a good
man."

Doggett nodded. "He is. I don't really know him all that well
yet, but I've seen some of the things he's gotten himself into.
He puts his ass on the line in ways you can't begin to
understand. What he does, it's a hell of a lot more than just
bein' some journalist." Doggett couldn't help the tone of
admiration creeping into his voice. He gazed off in the
direction Byers had gone. "Johnny's got more guts than you could
ever imagine, looking at him. Sometimes you'd think he and his
buds are real flakes, but they've risked their lives to find the
truth." He looked back at Brentali. "Yeah. He's a good man."

Brentali looked up and motioned with his head. "He's returning
now. He looks rather better."

Doggett turned toward Byers and smiled as he approached. "You
okay?"

Byers nodded. He sat and took another sip of his cappuccino,
finishing it. "Could I have another of these?" he asked. The few
minutes of privacy had really helped him get himself together
again. He felt like he could face the day now.

"Of course," Brentali said. He waved the server over. "Another
cappuccino with cinnamon for my guest. I would like another
ristretto. John, would you like another espresso?"

Doggett nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"Yes, sir." The woman nodded and returned to the coffee bar.

"And what will you gentlemen be doing today, other than coming
to pick up the suit?" Brentali asked.

Doggett looked to Byers. "Did you have anything in mind for
today? We'll be doing a snazzy dinner tonight, but do you feel
up to doing anything else?"

Byers tilted his head. "You know, I've always wanted to go visit
the Statue of Liberty." 

Doggett smiled. "I think we can handle that. I hear the ferry
ride's nice too. Good view of the city. I think you'll like
that. Could be some long lines though."

"That's okay," Byers said. "It looks like it's going to be a
beautiful day. As long as the sunscreen holds out, I should be
fine."

"You should certainly be able to make the tour and return in
time to get your suit," Brentali said. "I look forward to seeing
you in it. I'm certain you'll look quite fabulous." He grinned
at Byers.

Byers grinned back, looking at Brentali with lowered eyes. He
was looking forward to it as well, though he didn't want to say
so. He remembered how he'd felt yesterday, with Doggett and
Brentali watching him try the suit on. They were doing a milder
version of their territorial dance around him this morning, but
he had to admit, it felt good. 

"He will," Doggett said, his voice low with arousal. He touched
Byers' shoulder. "I can't wait." The expression in Doggett's
eyes as he gazed at Byers was all the bearded man needed to
know. There was want there. It felt good to be so wanted.

The amount of attention Byers had been getting since he'd
arrived in the City with Doggett yesterday was heady and
exciting. Brentali had expressed an interest in playing with him
again, more than once. He'd been surprised by it, but hoped that
at some point -- though not this weekend -- Doggett would
consider it. Byers thought he might be able to go a little
further next time. It ran through him, electric and stimulating.
He enjoyed Brentali's attention, but wanted Doggett to claim him
in front of the man. Doggett's words last night, insisting that
Byers was his, had been searing in their sensuality. He wanted
to feel it again; wanted to feel it even more deeply.

Byers shivered minutely at the thought of Doggett taking him in
front of Brentali. He was beginning to get an idea of how much
the other Dom wanted him. Letting Doggett tease Brentali with
his body, feeling Doggett take him while the other Dom watched,
was a fantasy that had burrowed into him, snaking into his
bones. He finished eating his breakfast, trying to conceal his
arousal at the thought.

Their coffee arrived as he finished, and he took his cappuccino
and sipped as Doggett and Brentali made small talk. They caught
up with Brentali's more mundane activities since last time
Doggett had seen him. Byers knew there had to be more beneath
the surface that the two wanted to discuss, but understood that
this was not the place for such a private conversation. He was
curious about what Brentali did at the club, how he treated his
subs, and what kinds of things the man liked, but it wasn't his
place, or an appropriate time to ask.

Doggett finished eating and wiped his hands on his napkin. "I
gotta wash up. I'll be back in a minute."

Byers nodded.

"I'll see you shortly," Brentali said.

As Doggett walked away, Brentali turned to Byers. Byers looked
over at him, curious.

"John," Brentali said, "I have enjoyed our conversation. I must
leave for work when we're done here, but I wanted to speak to
you for a moment privately."

"About?"

Brentali smiled. "I mean no insult to my old friend John, but if
at any time you might find yourself looking for another Dom, I
would be most pleased to have you." He pulled a card out of his
breast pocket and handed it to Byers. "I do not ask you to make
some secret of this. John obviously knows of my interest in you.
But I would be quite delighted if you would stay in touch after
you return home."

Byers took the card and looked at it. He took out his wallet and
slid the card inside. "Thank you, Sergio," he said. "I have no
idea what's going to happen between me and Jack, though I'd like
to have more than just this weekend with him." Byers sighed,
wistful. "I do appreciate your offer, though, and I'd definitely
like to stay in touch."

"It never hurts to ask. I think we might be quite good together.
I find that I like you very much. I hope that whatever time you
spend with John is good for both of you. There is a great deal
he can teach you. He is a fine man, very honorable." There was
no subterfuge in Brentali's face. Byers didn't see any hint of
ulterior motive in his expression, nor hear it in his tone of
voice. There was interest, to be sure, but it seemed the
sentiment was genuine.

Byers smiled, blushing. He handed Brentali a card of his own
before slipping his wallet back into his pocket. It was
cheerfully accepted. Byers was struck by Brentali's classically
handsome Mediterranean features, his dignity, and the older
man's dark, passionate eyes. Doggett was equally handsome to
Byers, though his was a rougher, more athletic aesthetic. He
thought of his Master's sculpted, muscular body as they showered
that morning, of how he felt touching Doggett so intimately, and
knew what he wanted.

Yet, Byers wanted to get to know Brentali better as well. The
man intrigued him. His suave manners and the way he held himself
gave Byers the impression of keen intelligence and worldly
wisdom. The two Doms manifested different kinds of grace and
strength. It was the difference between a nobleman and a
warrior, Byers thought. Brentali seemed the kind of man who
might be a medieval Venetian merchant-prince, while Doggett was
well suited to facing the most difficult physical challenges.
Both would demand discipline and obedience; both contained a
powerful, magnetic sensuality. He felt the appeal of the power
they wielded, and was attracted to both men for their different
kinds of strength and authority. 

"I don't know what the future holds, Sergio, but I'm very
flattered."

Doggett returned to his seat a moment later. "You about ready?"
he asked Brentali.

"Yes, I really must be going to work now. It was most enjoyable
having breakfast with you both. I shall see you this afternoon
at the shop." Brentali stood and offered his hand to Doggett,
then Byers. "Have a fine day, gentlemen."

"Thanks, Sergio," Doggett said. "You too. And thanks for
breakfast. The food was good, even if the service left a little
to be desired."

"Thank you, Sergio," Byers echoed. "For breakfast, and for last
night."

Brentali flashed a brilliant smile at Byers. "A pleasure, John.
I shall see you this afternoon. Ciao, gentlemen." He turned his
attention to the bill.

Doggett put an arm around Byers' shoulders. "C'mon, Johnny.
Let's see about gettin' you a visit with the Lady."

LIBERTY ISLAND
NOON

"I never imagined she'd be this magnificent up close," Byers
said, his voice hushed. He and Doggett stood outside the massive
pedestal building, staring upward at the Statue of Liberty.
Byers had a look of awe in his eyes. " She's... in a way, she's
the personification of a dream to me. She's what it's all about,
why I do what I do."

Doggett nodded. "Yeah. She's had that effect on me, too. But you
know, all the years I lived in the City, I never came to visit
her. I always thought of it as a tourist thing, you know?" He
looked over at Byers. "I'm glad you wanted to come, Johnny. She
reminds me of what I fought so hard for over the years."

Byers sighed and looked at Doggett, a shadow in his eyes. He
pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I hope someday
the dream she symbolizes can truly manifest. The shadows in the
shadows, they make her promise a lie for too many people." He
shook his head sadly. "Here she stands, looking out to sea, and
all around her the truth lies scattered, ruined in the dust. The
lies and the deceit and the false promises seem to grow in it
like crabgrass." There was a harsh sadness in Byers' voice.

"Do you regret coming?" Doggett asked.

"No. I'm glad I came. She just makes me think."

Doggett put a hand on Byers' arm. "Seems like everything makes
you think."

Byers made a soft, rueful sound and turned his eyes to his feet.
"'The unexamined life is not worth living,' Plato said. Yeah.
Everything makes me think." He looked back up at the statue,
gestured high, to her head. "While we were up there in her
crown, looking out over the City, I felt it, Jack. I felt what
it must have been like when this was a new nation, and the
people had hope, and the ideals of liberty hadn't been sold for
a few pieces of silver. What the immigrants a hundred years ago
must have felt, seeing her for the first time, coming here
looking for that dream." He looked into Doggett's eyes.
"Sometimes my life gets so buried in the conspiracies and the
disinformation and the obfuscation that I lose sight of it all.
Sometimes it's hard to live in the midst of all my
disillusionment."

"I know what you mean," Doggett said. "I think we've all got
busted dreams and," he looked up at the weathered green copper
of the Lady, "tarnished icons. Some of us just see it more
clearly than others. You and me, we had our eyes opened, and
what we've seen burns."

"When the French brought her here, President Cleveland said, 'We
will not forget that Liberty has here made her home; nor shall
her chosen altar be neglected.' So much for the altar of
liberty," Byers said, bitter.

"I know you're not giving up," Doggett said. "That's not in
you."

Byers looked back at Doggett, a faint, wry smile bending his
lips. "No, you're right. I know I sound angry and bitter, and I
am, but the truth is I still have faith. Faith in individuals,
anyway. It never seems to matter how much gets thrown at me,
there's always some spark of it, hidden down deep."

Doggett nodded, looking back up at the statue. "I took an oath
when I joined the Marines, to defend the constitution against
all enemies, foreign and domestic. These days it seems like
there are a whole hell of a lot more domestic enemies than I
ever imagined. It seems like they're everywhere."

"We're both doing what we can, Jack," Byers said. "We're both
looking for the truth. We're trying to expose the men who want
to destroy the dream, whatever their purposes. I watched Mulder
for years, worked with him on all kinds of unimaginable
weirdness, and sometimes I think that once you strip away the
outer appearances, the only real differences between us were the
gun and the badge."

Doggett looked to Byers again. "You and the guys, you work
without a net. You don't have a budget or backup or the
protection that Mulder had -- that I have. Sometimes I think
that's the most amazing thing about you. Nobody pays you to do
this stuff. Most of the time, if you got caught at it, the least
that might happen is you'd end up in prison. How the hell do you
live with that all the time?"

Byers thought for a few moments. "The guys and I, we do this
because we can't do anything else. We have a responsibility that
we can't fulfill any other way. Working inside the government
would tie our hands and prevent us from investigating a lot of
the things we look into. But it's not... it's not really a case
of the ends justifying the means. I worry about that a lot,
because I know it might look that way sometimes. We do what we
need to, but there are lines we just don't cross. The men we
investigate, they have no lines, no uncrossable boundaries.
Nothing seems forbidden to them. There's nothing they wouldn't
stoop to. I wonder sometimes if there's anything they haven't
done in their desire for power and control over us all."

"You ever afraid?" Doggett asked.

Byers eyed him solemnly. "Always."

Doggett nodded, regarding Byers silently. His companion been
very quiet since breakfast, and silent as they'd stood in the
crown. He'd watched Byers as he looked out over the city, lost
in thought, an inscrutable look on his face. 

Byers began walking slowly around the base of the statue, quiet,
an intense sadness reflected on his face and in his posture.
Doggett moved to catch up with him.

"What if it wasn't like this," Doggett said, "if the
conspiracies and the corruption and all the weird-assed shit
we've dealt with didn't exist. What would you do?"

Byers shook his head. "I don't know. I'm not sure I can even
imagine it anymore. Once, I thought I knew, but that dream's
gone. My life is too different, and I'm not the man who could
have lived like that anymore."

Doggett's hand went to Byers' back, making soft contact as they
walked. "I'm not talking about reality, Johnny. I'm just
curious. Being who you are now, what would you want if you could
walk away from it all today? If you could be anything, do
anything you wanted? Would you keep doin' the paper? Would you
still live with the guys? Would you go somewhere else, do
something else?"

Byers sighed. "I don't think I could ever leave the guys. I
might not live under the same roof with them, but they're the
best friends I've ever had. They're closer to me than my own
family ever was. They accept me for what I am, and that's been
rare in my life. No, I wouldn't leave them. But I don't know
what I'd do. I guess I'd try to find someone to love, someone
who loved me; settle down somewhere." He thought of Langly, and
closed his eyes for a moment. A fantasy was all it could ever
be, and he knew it. 

"Maybe... maybe I'd be a writer. Maybe I'd go back to college
and get a Masters or a Doctorate and teach. Maybe I'd code for a
living. Maybe I'd be  a research librarian or an archivist. I
haven't thought about it much, really. There's been no reason
to." Byers looked at Doggett.

"I don't know," Doggett said. "Those sound like good things to
want. Basic stuff. A quiet life, somebody to love that loves you
back. Makes perfect sense to me."

"What about you?" Byers asked.

Doggett chuckled. "You probably won't believe this, but I think
I'd be doin' pretty much what I'm doin' right now. Even if the
conspiracies vanished tomorrow, there would still be plain old
crooks around that needed catching. I don't think we're ever
gonna run out of bad guys."

Byers smiled and snorted. "You're probably right."

They continued walking, heading for the ferry dock. "You getting
hungry?" Doggett asked.

Byers nodded. "Food sounds good. Not here though."

"Shit no. National Park food? Stuff would gag a starving rat."

Byers smiled, more with his eyes than his mouth. "What did you
have in mind?"

"I know a real good deli," Doggett said. "Best damned Reubens
around."

"That sounds like it has potential," Byers said.

"Cheesecake afterwards, at Junior's? The Grand Central Station
kiosk?"

Byers' eyes lit up. "Why aren't we there already?"

"Because you haven't got your ass on board the boat." Doggett
chuckled as they approached the boarding area. They boarded
together, Doggett's hand still at Byers' back. "You wanna sit
somewhere, or hang out on the deck?"

"I think I'd like to stand on the deck and watch the water,"
Byers said. "It'll be cooler there with the wind coming over the
water than in the passenger cabin."

Doggett nodded. The weather had taken a turn toward the typical
sticky humidity of a New York summer, and the breeze would feel
good. Byers found a convenient place near the bow, and leaned on
the railing. Doggett leaned next to him.

Byers was quiet as the boat loaded, looking out at the City's
skyline, lost in thought. All around them, tourists watched the
water and the skyline. Most of them took photos and chattered
loudly.

Doggett decided not to disturb Byers, falling into his own
silence. He thought Byers seemed a little more withdrawn since
breakfast, but figured that the man was still just working
through last night in his head. As the passenger ferry pulled
away from the island, Byers looked up at him.

"Tell me about Sergio," Byers said.

"You seem to be pretty interested in him," Doggett said.

Byers sighed. "Well, sort of, yes. I think he's more interested
in me, really."

"Yeah. He is."

"At breakfast, while you were away, he gave me his card. Wanted
me to stay in touch with him." Byers blushed a little. "He said
if I was ever looking for another Dom, I should look him up."

Doggett chuckled. "Doesn't surprise me, the way he's been acting
around you."

"What do you think of him?" Byers asked. "Really."

"He's an old friend," Doggett said. "I've known him for years.
He knew me before I was married. He sorta showed me the ropes
when I started getting interested in playing like this."

Byers lifted an eyebrow and spoke softly. "Were you and he..." 

Doggett didn't answer the unfinished question. "If you ever did
end up with him, I know he'd be good to you. He'd treat you
right, teach you a lot. Sergio's a decent guy. I've always been
able to trust him."

Byers paused, thinking about it, then nodded. "I'll keep that in
mind."

Doggett slipped behind Byers, sliding his arms around him as the
bearded man leaned on the railing. Resting his chin on Byers'
shoulder, he said, "As long as you remember I'm not done with
you yet."

Byers leaned his cheek into Doggett's hair and chuckled. "I
should hope not. The weekend's not even over yet. You can't dump
me until I get the Armani."

"And dinner," Doggett said. "And the show. Don't forget the
show."

"Oh, god, how could I forget the show?" Byers said in mock
horror.

"Goof," Doggett said, sliding his body closer to the man in his
arms. 

Byers shifted slightly. "Are you sure we should be doing this in
public?"

"Everybody's too busy lookin' at the view to bother lookin' at
us, Johnny. It's okay here." He raised his head and nuzzled
Byers' ear, breathing into it gently and running the tip of his
tongue along its edge.

A delicate shiver ran through Byers' body and he sighed. "I'm
not used to this," he said. "It feels good, Jack, but it doesn't
feel safe, if you know what I mean. Especially after that
waitress at breakfast. I just think we should be a little more
circumspect."

Doggett nodded. He didn't want to push Byers' boundaries for
something minor like this, at least not today. "Okay," he said,
loosening his arms and stepping back to the railing. He turned
his head to look at Byers. "But sometimes, you really are more
paranoid than you need to be."

"No matter how paranoid you are, you're not paranoid enough,"
Byers said. "I prefer to keep things more private. You never
know who's watching. Or what."

"What actually happened there, anyway?" Doggett asked. "I just
saw you and Sergio getting upset, and figured she must have had
some kinda reaction to us."

Byers nodded. "She saw your hand in my lap, saw you rubbing my
thigh, and gave me a rather dirty look before she turned away.
It really wasn't much, but I've already got more than enough
people out there who'd just as soon kill me as look at me. I
don't like giving anybody more reasons." He sighed.

"I understand. But there are times and places where it should be
okay for us to just be who we are. I don't talk about it at work
or anything, but I'm not hiding very much when I'm on my own
time. Like I said, Monica knows."

"Did your ex?" Byers asked. 

Doggett was surprised at the question. "No."

"Were you... seeing anyone while you were married to her?"

Doggett looked down into the water. "Not until after Luke died.
Things were pretty strained after that. We tried to work it out,
but it wasn't happening, so I started going back to the club.
I'd been with guys before we married, but afterwards, no. Not
until things started falling apart, anyway. She thought I was
seeing Monica because we were working together on the case, and
she'd be around the house, but it wasn't true. I didn't start
seeing her until after Barb and I split."

"I'm sorry," Byers said. "That wasn't any of my business. I had
no right to ask you that."

"It's okay," Doggett told him. "It surprised me, but it didn't
bother me. We don't know each other too well yet. I guess this
is just part of that."

"We'll be pulling into the dock again in just a minute," Byers
said, looking up.

Doggett looked up with him. "We'll get a cab when we get out of
here. The deli's gonna be crowded, but the food's worth it." He
straightened up and rested a hand on Byers' back again. "Come
on."

ARMANI EXCHANGE
AFTERNOON

"Ah, so good to see you again," Brentali said. "Did your visit
go well?"

Doggett and Byers looked at each other. "Yeah," Doggett said.
"It was a good morning for it." 

Brentali stood before Byers, laying a hand on his shoulder.
"Your suit is ready for the final fitting, and I must say, I'm
very much looking forward to seeing it on you, John," he said, a
purr in his voice.

Byers could feel the purr slide down his spine. It caught his
breath, and even if he'd had his eyes closed, he would have felt
Brentali's gaze as it swept up and down his body. Standing
between the two Doms was like walking through a high voltage
field. He felt the hair on his body rise.

"So let's get on with it," Doggett said. 

Byers felt Doggett move closer, hand sliding along his waist in
response to Brentali's touch. The two men might be old friends,
but Doggett's territorialism was expressing itself loudly.
Brentali stepped back with a smile and led the way to the
fitting room. Doggett's hand slid softly across Byers' ass
before the contact was gone, and they followed Brentali. Byers
closed his eyes and took a deep breath as they walked, trying to
settle himself. The sexual tension between the three of them
vibrated around him.

He could almost feel himself between them, naked, their hands on
him, their mouths hot and sweet, their bare bodies caressing his
-- he pushed the thought from his mind and blinked, focusing. As
they entered the fitting room, Brentali called on Ernesto, who
had been there yesterday.

"Espresso for Mr. Doggett, and cappuccino with cinnamon for Mr.
Byers," Brentali said.

"Yes, sir," the young man replied, and scurried off to bring
coffee.

"John," Brentali said, waving Byers up to him, "come here,
please." Byers followed him. "Frederick!" Brentali said.

The tailor appeared from between a set of racks in the back of
the room. "Yes, Mr. Brentali?"

"Mr. Byers has returned for his final fitting."

"Oh, yes sir." The tailor smiled. "Please, come with me," he
said, motioning to Byers. He disappeared into the racks again
for a moment, then reappeared with the suit, and several other
items of clothing. A moment later, he led Byers back into the
dressing rooms.

"He told  me you talked to him at breakfast," Doggett said,
settling into the couch.

Brentali nodded. "I knew he would. I told him he should do so."

"You know I don't mind you talkin' to him, or even seeing him,"
Doggett said, "but I don't want you trying to take him away from
me."

Brentali nodded as Ernesto returned with the coffee, placing the
cups on the small table next to the couch. The clerk vanished as
quickly as he'd come.

"Have I ever done such a thing to you?" Brentali asked, looking
over at Doggett.

Doggett shook his head. "No."

"You know I am trustworthy, John. And I don't believe he would
come to me at this time even if I wanted to make such an
attempt. I simply offered him choices for later." Brentali
seated himself next to Doggett on the couch. "You yourself have
so often said that you rarely see the same man for very long."

"I know." Doggett sat looking at Brentali for a moment. "But I
don't think I've ever had a guy that you were this interested in
before." He grinned and sipped at his espresso.

Brentali laughed. "This is also true," he said. "Besides, he is
too shy to wander from Dom to Dom looking for perfection. I
think he will be with you for a while, unless you dismiss him.
Or at least that he would seek your permission before he moved
on to someone else."

Doggett pondered Brentali's words as he drank his coffee. He
nodded. "Yeah, he probably would."

Both men were distracted as the tailor led Byers out to the
dias. Doggett's eyes widened, and he heard Brentali's sharp but
quiet inhalation. Byers was stunning. The suit flattered the
man's body, giving an illusion of broader shoulders tapering
down to his slender waist and hips. The grey of the suit and the
deep burgundy of the shirt and tie brought out the color of his
skin and eyes. Byers was looking at himself in the wall of
mirrors, a broad, pleased smile on his face. 

"Mmmm..." Doggett rumbled a quiet sound of appreciation. Byers
seemed to be standing taller than he had been before, the slight
slouch gone, shoulders back, head high. The difference was
amazing. Doggett felt a stirring in his pants, and his chest
tightened as he looked at his sub. "Damn," he said quietly, "he
looks good."

"Oh, yes, my friend," Brentali whispered. 

Doggett grinned. "Put a bow on him and I'll take him just like
that."

Brentali chuckled. "You must pay for the suit and the other
clothing first, John. But yes, I do agree. I should like to take
him myself."

"Can't wait to unwrap that package," Doggett said. He could see
the flush of arousal on Brentali's skin and in his dilated
pupils. He raised his voice slightly. "Turn around for us,
Johnny."

Byers looked over at them, still smiling, and did as Doggett
instructed.

"Are you sure you don't want to share?" Brentali asked, his
voice wistful but low with lust.

Doggett looked at him and snorted. "Not even in your dreams,
Sergio. He's mine tonight." He turned his eyes back to Byers,
who was moving slowly in a  circle on the dias.

"We should check the seams and the fit," Brentali suggested,
rising from the couch. Doggett rose to follow him.

"You look damned good, Johnny," Doggett said as they stepped
onto the dias.

Byers' broad smile brightened. "This is great," he said,
excited. "I don't think I've ever looked this good in my life."

"Remove the jacket, please," Brentali said. "Let's see how the
cut lies on you."

Byers unbuttoned the jacket and handed it to the tailor.
Brentali bent to examine the seams, tugging here and there.
Byers looked down at him, looking slightly embarrassed as
Brentali's hands moved on his legs and his waist, wakening an
erection. Doggett noticed Byers' condition, and it only served
to stimulate him more. He wanted to drag Byers back to their
room that instant and do terrible things to him.

"This is a fine job, Frederick," Brentali said. "Excellent, as
always." Brentali's fingers slid up the side of Byers' hip as he
stood to face the tailor.

"Thank you, sir," the tailor said. "Will that be all?"

Brentali nodded. "Yes, go to the dressing room and wait a moment
for Mr. Byers to return, then get the merchandise ready for the
sale. Thank you."

The tailor left for the dressing room, leaving the three men
alone in the fitting room.

Doggett placed a hand in the center of Byers' chest, taking in
the sensual feel of the burgundy silk under his palm. With a
slow, gentle stroke, his hand slid to Byers' waist. The cloth
was soft, and Byers gasped quietly at the touch. He moved a step
closer and bent to Byers' ear. "I should take you right here,"
he whispered.

Byers' eyes closed and he swallowed, breath quickening, his fast
pulse pounding visibly at his throat.

"I bet you'd love to have Sergio watch, wouldn't you."

Byers whimpered. 

Brentali looked at Doggett. "You shouldn't tease him so," he
said. "But I must tell you, the effect is delicious." Brentali
touched Byers behind his other ear, then slipped his fingers
down the younger man's neck to the line of the shirt's collar.

Byers shivered and gasped. Brentali's fingers moved over Byers'
collar, then down over the silk on his chest, ghosting over a
nipple on their way to his hip. Byers moaned quietly, trembling.

"Go change, then come sit down and have your cappuccino,
Johnny," Doggett said. "Don't forget to bring the suit and stuff
with you." He moved his hand from Byers' waist up to his chest
again and pinched his other nipple before he stood back. 

Byers whimpered again, then sighed as both men's hands left his
body. He opened his eyes and looked at the men standing in front
of him. "Yes, Sir," he whispered to Doggett, his voice unsteady.
Doggett could see the heat in Byers' eyes.

Doggett and Brentali moved back to the couch as Byers hurried to
the dressing room.

"You have such style," Brentali said.

Doggett grinned. "I learned from the best." He picked up his
espresso again and sipped.

Brentali chuckled and pulled a pad from his breast pocket.
Taking a pen, he wrote up an invoice. "It's gratifying to see
you play him like a fine instrument."

Doggett took another sip at his espresso, silent. The look in
Byers' eyes and the sound of his voice were still running hot in
Doggett's veins. He wanted nothing more than to get the man back
to their room and see that look again, where he could do
something about it. His fantasy of Byers in the Armani was close
now.

"Here is your total, John," Brentali said, handing Doggett the
invoice.

Doggett looked at it and nodded. He pulled out his wallet and
handed Brentali two credit cards. "The suit on this one," he
said, indicating one of them, "and the rest of the stuff on
this."

Brentali took the cards and rose, moving to the door of the
fitting room. He called Ernesto, and the clerk arrived quickly.
"Please take Mr. Doggett's cards. Use this one for this charge,
and the other for the rest of the items."

"Yes, sir," the clerk replied, and vanished again.

"He shall return shortly with your receipts for your signature,"
Brentali said.

Doggett nodded. "Right."

Byers approached from the dressing room, the suit bagged on a
hanger slung over his shoulder, a box under his other arm. The
tailor followed him after a moment, then left the room.

"Have a seat," Doggett said, indicating the space next to him on
the couch. 

Byers put the suit and box down on the arm of the couch and sat.
He looked at the cappuccino cup. "May I?" 

Doggett passed it over to him. Brentali returned and sat on a
chair near them.

"You look really good in that, Johnny," Doggett said. "I want
you to wear it at dinner tonight."

"Of course," Byers said, nodding as he held the cup to his lips.
He looked like he'd collected himself again while he was
changing back into the jeans and shirt he'd chosen for the day.
Doggett noticed Byers was watching him and Brentali over the rim
of his cup, his clear blue eyes curious and alert.

"Do you like it?" Doggett asked.

Byers smiled as he set the cup on its saucer. "Yeah. It looks
really good. I was amazed."

"You weren't the only one," Doggett said softly.

"You wear it well," Brentali said, a slight note of regret in
his voice. "Will I be seeing you again before you leave?"

"I'm not sure," Doggett said. "Probably not, though. Tomorrow's
pretty full, and we're leaving for D.C. early Monday because
I've gotta be back at work that morning."

Brentali leaned back in his chair. "Should you bring him to the
City with you next time you visit, you must let me know ahead of
time. We should set aside some time to visit. Perhaps you will
come to my house."

Doggett looked over at Byers, who seemed surprised. "If I bring
him again, I'll let you know."

Byers' face flushed slightly, but his expression didn't change.
Doggett could hear his breathing quicken again, though, and knew
the quiet man wanted that visit. A lot depended on how the rest
of the weekend went. And on what happened after they both got
home. He watched for a few minutes as Byers turned his attention
back to his cappuccino, focusing on the coffee.

The clerk returned with Doggett's receipts. Doggett signed them,
and took his copies and his cards back.

"Well," Doggett said, setting his empty cup down and rising from
the couch, "we've gotta be goin' and I know you have work to do.
Thanks for everything, Sergio. It was really good seeing you
again." He reached out and shook Brentali's hand, and the
Italian gave Doggett a quick kiss on either cheek.

"You should not be so long between visits, John. The journey up
here isn't so far. You still have friends here, you know."

Doggett smiled, genuine affection in his eyes. "I know, Sergio.
The job takes me all over the place, though, and it's hard to
make plans, or to get away. I'll try to do better. You say hi to
Mac and Artie for me, would you? Tell 'em I'm sorry I missed 'em
this trip."

"Of course, of course." Brentali turned to Byers. "And I hope I
shall see you again, John. You know how to contact me." He held
a hand out to Byers.

"I hope so too, Sergio," Byers said, shaking Brentali's hand, a
shy smile on his face. "I'll be in touch."

"Yes," Brentali whispered. His fingers trailed slowly across
Byers' palm as their hands parted.

"Come on, Johnny," Doggett said. "Grab your suit and stuff." His
hand found the small of Byers' back again as they walked away.

"Oh, John --" Brentali laid a hand on Doggett's shoulder. Byers
didn't notice, continuing out the door without him.

Byers walked down the street for a few blocks when his attention
was caught by a shout, and an armed man running down the street
toward him. Jumping back, Byers pressed himself into the wall of
the building behind him as the sidewalk cleared. Two officers
with drawn guns ran in pursuit of the man, shouting at him to
stop. People dropped to the sidewalk as a shot was fired, and
Byers ducked into a doorway.

Nervous, Byers looked around for Doggett. Not seeing him nearby,
Byers scanned the street for the tall, handsome man. He saw no
one even vaguely resembling him. Two more shots rang through the
air, and he heard screams. Looking around quickly, close to
panic, Byers realized they must have been separated in the
confusion. The only logical thing to do was get back to the
hotel as fast as he could and wait for Doggett there. He hoped
everything would be all right. He ducked and ran.

***

When Doggett finished talking to Brentali, he looked up. Byers
was missing.

"Damn," he said. "Johnny must have wandered off when we were
talking."

"I'm sure he is nearby, John," Brentali said. "It's unlikely
that he would leave without your permission, unless he did not
realize you were not with him."

"Well shit," Doggett said. "I gotta go find him."

"He will probably return to the hotel if you are unable to
locate him. John is an intelligent man."

Doggett nodded. "Yeah. That would figure. I gotta go."

He walked out into the street and heard shots not far away.
Looking for the source of the sound, he scanned the street
quickly.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two uniformed
officers pursuing a man down the street. He turned and ran to
intercept the fleeing perp.

"FBI! Freeze!" he shouted. The running man looked at him and
fired. Doggett abruptly shifted his trajectory, though he knew
the man had fired wide of him. He had to be stopped before he
killed a bystander.

The two officers had seen him and heard him shout. One pointed
in an arc along the street, indicating where Doggett should
move, and he sprinted in that direction. Another shot, and the
three converged, trapping the perp along a wall in front of
Rockefeller Plaza. As the man tried to take aim at one of the
cops, Doggett body-slammed him into the stone. They fell in a
breathless heap on the sidewalk.

The runner struggled, wild-eyed and far stronger than he should
have been. Doggett did his best to keep him pinned, wrestling
the perp for his gun. Seconds later, the two officers dashed up.
One held a gun on them while the other threw himself into the
fray to help Doggett disarm the man.

Once the perp was disarmed and cuffed, Doggett was immersed in
explanations of his presence. He started filling out paperwork,
and giving a statement as soon as he was able to catch his
breath. The cops' radios rattled with static and reports. With
at least half a dozen shots fired, several civilians were down,
and there were ambulances on the way. General descriptions of
the shooter's victims came over the radios several minutes
later, and Doggett's heart stopped.

"...male Caucasian, probably mid-thirty's, blue eyes, dark hair,
beard..."

"Oh, Jesus. Johnny." Doggett's eyes widened. His stomach
knotted.

"What's up?" one of the cops asked him.

"I'm in town with a friend -- that could be him." He looked
around for the nearest ambulance.

"Oh, man. Go check it out. Take this." The cop handed him a
card. "We'll have you finish the paperwork later."

Doggett ran down the street, looking for one of the medics. He
waved his bureau ID to get close enough to the ambulance to find
an EMT. "FBI," Doggett said. "Somewhere you got a guy,
mid-thirty's, blue eyes, beard -- where is he?"

"Over there," the EMT said, pointing a few yards down the
sidewalk. Two other medics were bent over a body on the
pavement, obscuring Doggett's view. Doggett hurried to them,
breathless.

The man on the sidewalk was covered with blood, his face partly
concealed by an oxygen mask. "Guys, please, let me take a look
at him. I got a friend gone missin' in the crowd. This might be
him."

"Who are you?" the blond medic asked. He grabbed a syringe as
the other medic inserted a saturate saline IV into the man's
arm. 

Doggett was breathless, panting. "FBI. Please, just let me take
a look." He flashed his badge and ID at the man.

"Move your arm, Phil," the medic said. The other EMT shifted
slightly, allowing a better view of the fallen man's face.

Doggett leaned in closer, half panicked.

It wasn't Byers. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Thank
god. It's not him. Sorry to bother you."

After Doggett's heart stopped slamming into his ribs, he spent
most of the next hour filling out paperwork. He was relieved
that he hadn't brought his gun, figuring he'd have had to fire
it, and then he'd have been there all night. Lost in the bustle
of the work, he forgot the time. Eventually, he looked down at
his watch. With a start, he realized that Byers was probably
back at the hotel, freaking out, wondering where he was.

He ran for a cab.

PARKER MERIDIEN HOTEL
ROOM 1246
MID-AFTERNOON

Byers paced the living room of the hotel suite, close to panic.
He'd been waiting for Doggett for almost an hour and a half, and
his cell phone was turned off or maybe the battery was dead, so
Byers had been unable to raise him. What the hell had happened,
and why had Doggett been gone so long? Had he gotten involved in
the police pursuit? That would be about par for the man's
personality. Compulsive law enforcement behavior definitely had
its down side.

His paranoid imagination saw Doggett bleeding somewhere,
wounded. Byers shuddered. He went to the phone stand and pulled
out the yellow pages, flipping to the hospital section. As he
reached for the phone, the doorknob rattled.

Byers jerked around at the sound.

"Johnny?" Doggett's voice was urgent.

Byers hurried to Doggett, reaching out to touch his arm. "Jack,
are you okay?" he asked, breathless. "What happened? Where were
you?" Doggett took him into his arms, and held him close. Byers
returned the embrace. "I've been going crazy worrying about you.
I couldn't get you on your cell. I was just about to start
calling emergency rooms. What the hell was going on?"

Doggett took a slow, deliberate breath. He loosened his grip on
Byers and pushed him gently toward the couch. "I need to sit
down," he said. He pulled his phone from his belt. "Damn, the
battery's drained," he said.

"What happened?" Byers said again, sitting and pulling Doggett
down next to him.

Doggett looked at him. "Sergio stopped me to ask me a question
when we were leaving. When I turned around, you were gone. I
walked out into the street to look for you and the next thing I
knew, I was in the middle of a fuckin' firefight."

"Well, why did it take you so long to get here?" Byers was
worried and angry.

"I went after the perp."

Byers glared at Doggett. "You *what*? There were people shooting
out there! What the hell were you thinking? Did you have your
gun with you?" he shouted.

"Uh, no." Doggett looked sheepish. "I didn't think about it
until after it was all over. I just ran to help out."

Byers closed his eyes and counted to ten, then spoke slowly, not
wanting to shout again. "You went after a guy with a gun,
unarmed."

"Yeah."

"And he was shooting at people."

"Yep."

"Jack, that was incredibly stupid of you."

Doggett shook his head. "It's what I do, Johnny. You know that."

Byers sighed and took Doggett's hand. "You're not on duty, Jack.
This isn't even your jurisdiction."

Doggett nodded. "I know. I just reacted. I was a cop here for
years; it was instinct."

"It was dangerous."

"Everything's dangerous. Breathing's dangerous. Who knows what
you could be inhalin'?"

Byers' lips twisted into an ironic smile. "I think that's my
line."

"Johnny," Doggett said, subdued, "they had some civilians down
on the street. I had no idea where you were, or what happened to
you." He swallowed, forehead wrinkling. "One of 'em... one of
'em answered your description. At first, I thought he might be
you and I had to find out. Guy was shot up pretty bad. I was
worried."

Byers closed his eyes. "Oh, damn. I'm sorry." He looked back up
at Doggett, concerned. "I had no idea. Are... are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I am. But just be here for a while, okay?" Doggett
said softly. He pulled Byers into his arms and buried his face
in Byers' hair, holding him tight.

Byers inhaled deeply, letting his breath out slow. He settled
his back into Doggett's broad chest and pulled his legs up onto
the couch. "I'm here, Jack. I'm fine." He could feel Doggett's
breath, warm in his hair. The feeling was comforting and
relaxing, and he hoped that Doggett was feeling some of that
sensation as well. Doggett's arms around him reminded him of the
morning, when Doggett had held him in the shower. He wanted to
lose himself in his Master's strength again, knowing the
sensation of safety was a lie. 

They sat curled together, silent, for almost an hour. Neither of
them moved, except to shift their weight from time to time. 

Doggett held Byers, face hidden in his sub's hair, breathing in
the scent of him. It was soothing to just sit with the man in
his arms. Byers was paranoid and a little twitchy, but once
they'd settled into each other, he had been a steady, firm
presence. The warmth of Byers' body was comforting after the
scare he'd had. Doggett appreciated it, though he recognized the
sharp, acrid hint of lingering fear in Byers' scent.

Eventually, he trailed his lips down to Byers' ear, kissing it
softly. "I want you," he whispered.

Byers' arms tightened around his, one hand taking his wrist.
"What do you want, Jack?" His voice was quiet and thoughtful.

"Nothing fancy. No toys. Just you." Doggett needed to give his
relief at finding Byers safe a physical outlet, and release his
anxiety. He shifted on the couch, turning Byers' head with one
hand, and their lips met, soft and gentle. Doggett ran the tip
of his tongue along Byers' lips, and the man's mouth opened,
accepting the warm, wet flesh. They sighed together.

"Bedroom?" Byers asked.

"No, here. I don't want to move. I want you here."

Byers turned his body to him. After a second soft kiss, he began
unbuttoning Doggett's shirt. Doggett's hands slid over Byers'
body, caressing his back and shoulders as Byers opened his shirt
and leaned in to kiss his throat.

Doggett felt Byers' lips on him, beard tickling, his tongue
running along the line of his collarbone as Byers' hands roamed
over his chest. Tension seeped out of Doggett's body as Byers
moved, kissing and stroking his ribs. He reached to Byers' waist
and tugged the shirt from his pants, then pulled it up over
Byers' head. Byers let him pull it off, then went back to his
silent kisses.

"Get up for a second," he told Byers. As his sub shifted and
stood, he slid the length of his body onto the couch. "Come
here," he said, pulling Byers down on top of him. Their bare
chests met, arms around each other, and he closed his eyes and
sighed at the feel of Byers' weight on him. It was comforting
and solid. He wanted the man more for reassurance than for heat
and desire. 

Sliding his hands down Byers' back, he cupped the slim, firm ass
in his hands and pulled him down against his groin. The feel of
Byers' hardening cock against his body, their legs intertwined,
sparked his own erection and he pressed up slow and hard into
Byers' hips. They kissed again, harder and deeper this time,
groaning. Byers thrust down into him, and Doggett's body
answered, hungry.

After long minutes of slow writhing together, Doggett reached
between them to unbutton Byers' jeans. With a quick motion, he
pulled the zipper down, then tugged them down over Byers' hips
to his thighs. "Take 'em off," he panted.

Byers kicked off his sneakers and pulled his jeans and boxers
off. Before he tossed them aside, he reached into one pocket and
pulled out a condom and a small tube of lube. He handed them to
Doggett, pulled his socks off, and lowered himself back onto
Doggett's body, his knees on either side of Doggett's hips.
Doggett dropped the condom and lube onto the rug next to the
couch and pulled Byers' mouth to his with both hands, kissing
him and stealing his breath entirely.

Byers broke the kiss, leaning back to breathe heavily. He tugged
at Doggett's fly, opening it, then slid Doggett's jeans down far
enough to expose his hard, thick rod. Before Doggett could say
anything, Byers' fist was around him, stroking him. He moaned,
deep and urgent. Reaching up, he stroked Byers' chest, then ran
his hands down the man's sides to his hips. Searching fingers
caressed Byers' ass, spreading his cheeks.

"Jack," Byers whispered, his eyes closing. He moved up Doggett's
body, still stroking him, letting Doggett reach down to play
with the soft, puckered skin of his entrance.

"Want to fuck you, Johnny," Doggett gasped. His hips bucked up
into Byers' body.

Byers was panting. "Yes." He reached down and grabbed the
condom, opening the packet, then lubed Doggett's shaft. With a
slow, steady stroke, Byers rolled the condom onto him. Doggett
let him spread more lube on his aching dick, then held his hand
up for some of the lube. Byers squeezed some out onto his
fingers, then leaned forward to let Doggett slide a finger into
him. He groaned as Doggett penetrated him.

Doggett felt a cool thread of liquid drip onto his stomach from
Byers' cock. Byers' eyes were closed, an enraptured expression
on his face. Doggett was surprised by how ready his sub was, so
he slid two more fingers into him.

"Ohhhhhhhh, god Jack, yes. Fuck me." Byers' voice was heavy with
need.

Doggett pulled his sub's hips over his own, then guided the man
down and let Byers slowly impale himself on his thick, swollen
shaft. He grunted as Byers slid down his length and took him in.
Byers groaned, deep and throaty.

"Please, Jack." Byers was trembling. He spoke through gritted
teeth. "I want it hard. Take me hard."

Doggett's heart skipped a beat at the intensity of Byers'
request, and he dug his fingers into the man's hips and thrust
up, striking deep into Byers' body. They both cried out,
wordless, reveling in the feeling.

After a few strokes, they fell into a hard, fast rhythm. Byers
rode Doggett, eyes closed, moaning, tossing his head as Doggett
drove into him. 

"God, Johnny, so good--" Doggett grunted again as he thrust hard
into Byers. He was gasping, his senses overwhelmed by the tight
heat of Byers' ass squeezing and stroking him. Pulling Byers
down to his chest, he wrapped his arms around him and kissed the
groaning, bucking man. Tongues entwining, their teeth clicked
together as their mouths moved urgently. Byers' arms tucked
under Doggett's body and he could feel the man's fingers digging
into his shoulder muscles. Byers' hands were stronger than he'd
realized, but the discomfort was far outpaced by the intense
pleasure of fucking the man, and he moaned into Byers' mouth.

Doggett could feel Byers' body tensing, and knew he was close to
coming. He grabbed Byers' hips and slammed into him twice, three
times, as Byers shuddered and shouted, spraying come between
them, biting down on his shoulder.

"Aaaaaah!" The sudden pain pushed Doggett over the edge. He kept
bucking into Byers, thrusting into the man's tight core with all
his strength, shouting as he spasmed and came. His thrusts
slowed as he panted and gasped. Byers' body was limp, slumped on
top of him, panting equally hard.

"God, Jack," Byers gasped, "oh, god."

They clung together on the couch, catching their breath, bodies
still joined. Doggett kissed Byers' neck, sucking the soft flesh
gently. 

"Need to move," Byers panted, "back hurts."

"Shit, sorry," Doggett said, releasing him from his awkward
position. Byers sat up and stretched his lower back, still
impaled on Doggett's softening cock. 

Byers let Doggett slide out of him, then stretched the length of
his body out over Doggett's own. He sighed as he settled down
again, and Doggett wrapped his arms around him. They rested for
a few minutes.

"We're gonna need a shower," Doggett said. He ran his fingers
over Byers' cheek. "God, you're so good."

Byers kissed him softly. "I really needed that," he said.
"Thanks."

"Me too," Doggett said. "Feeling better?"

Byers nodded. "Yeah. You?"

"Uh huh." Doggett rubbed his shoulders where Byers had grabbed
and bitten him. "I think I'm gonna have bruises."

"Oh, damn. I'm sorry, Jack." Byers gave him an embarrassed look.
"I didn't mean to do that. I was a little out of it there."

Doggett nodded. "It happens. At least it'll be under my shirt
where nobody'll see it."

"Let's go get cleaned up," Byers said. He rose from the couch,
offering Doggett a hand up.

Doggett took Byers' hand and got up as well, pulling his clothes
off. His shirt was a mess, semen spattering the front on one
side. His jeans had survived intact, at least. He pulled the
condom off and tossed it as they entered the bathroom. Byers was
starting the water, leaning into the shower stall. Doggett could
see the beginning of bruises on Byers' hips where he'd held him.

"Looks like both of us are gonna have some sore spots, Johnny."
He ran his hand over the still-red fingerprints on Byers' hips.
"Sorry about that."

Byers looked down at the bruised spots and sighed. "At least
they won't keep me from sitting down," he said with a soft
snort.

Doggett pushed Byers into the shower and followed him in. They
had marked each other. It hadn't been intentional, but there it
was; tangible evidence of their sex and the intensity of their
joining. Semen would wash away, but the bruises would linger for
days. Doggett wondered how long Byers would linger in his life.
He picked up the soap and started washing Byers' back.

"You gonna be okay to go to dinner tonight?" Doggett asked.

Byers nodded. "Yeah. When are the reservations for?"

"Seven thirty," Doggett said. "Rainbow Grill."

"Rockefeller Plaza?" Byers sounded impressed.

"Yeah. It's got a great view of the city. You'll like it."

"Sounds interesting. How's the food?"

"Top notch stuff," Doggett said. "Turn around, let me get your
front."

Byers turned and Doggett soaped Byers' chest and stomach. His
lathered hands trailed gently over Byers' cock and balls, soft
and sensual.

"Mmmmm," Byers growled. "Don't get me started again."

Doggett grinned. "And why not?"

Byers laughed. "Because you're gonna kill me with all this sex.
I need to work up to it, not start out running a marathon like
this."

"But what a great way to go," Doggett said, smiling. He handed
Byers the soap. "Your turn. And don't lie to me. You love this."

Byers blushed, smiling. "Yeah, I do. I can't believe what you do
to me." He washed Doggett's body, then slipped his arms around
him. 

Doggett felt Byers' hands slide over his back, then slip down
along the curve of his ass, coming to rest where his thighs met
his hips. Doggett returned the embrace and kissed Byers, their
wet bodies sliding together sensually. Despite his protests,
Byers seemed starved for contact, almost insatiable in his
desire to touch and be touched. It didn't fit with the image
he'd had of Byers, the shy, guarded hacker in the suit, formal
almost to the point of absurdity.

"You're so different like this," Doggett said. "Most of the time
when I've seen you, you just seem distant, like you want
everything at arm's length. Why are you like this now? It seems
like you can't get enough of this."

Byers looked up at him. "I'm not really sure," he said. "It's
hard for me to be like this. Sometimes I think I shouldn't be. A
lot of times I just feel safer if I don't let people close.
But..." Byers hesitated. He looked down, leaning into Doggett's
chest. 

Doggett held him closer as they stood under the falling water.
"But what?"

"But I need this. I hate doing without it."

"But you don't trust anybody enough to let them this close,"
Doggett said.

Byers nodded.

"And you don't trust me, but you let me get close to you
anyway."

"It doesn't make any sense, does it?" Byers said.

"You're tryin' something that's really hard for you," Doggett
said, rubbing Byers' back. "It takes time. I'm not gonna hurt
you, Johnny. I got no reason to. I like you."

Byers nodded. "But I'm not really your type, either."

"No, but it doesn't matter. You're different, but in a good way.
You're interesting. You're a decent guy. I'm enjoying being with
you. And you're a hell of a hot fuck."

Byers chuckled. He looked up into Doggett's eyes. "You're pretty
damned hot yourself." Byers' fingers trailed across Doggett's
hips and ass, gentle and sensual.

"Come on, let's get out of the shower," Doggett said. He kissed
Byers again and turned off the water. They stepped out onto the
mat and dried each other off.

"What now?" Byers asked.

Doggett took his wrist and led him into the bedroom. "I think I
just want to lie down for a while." He sat on the bed and pulled
Byers down next to him. "Come lie with me. We can talk some more
if you like, or we can just be quiet."

Byers nodded and they lay together on top of the covers, naked,
holding each other. Byers rested his head on Doggett's shoulder,
his body partly covering Doggett's. He closed his eyes, and
Doggett lay there for a while, watching him, running his fingers
idly through Byers' hair. It was soft and slightly damp. 

Doggett was still a little shaken by the thought that Byers
could have been shot in the street earlier, and his temporary
case of mistaken identity. He sighed quietly, trailing his
fingers over Byers' shoulder blade. The man's soft, pale skin
felt good under his fingertips. There was something very right
about being here with him.

Doggett's shoulder was sore where Byers bit him. He rubbed the
spot absently.

"Let me do that," Byers said. "I'm sorry. I didn't intend to
bite." He kneaded Doggett's shoulder gently with one hand.

"It's okay," Doggett said. "It felt good. Made me come hard."

"I think I was a little occupied right then."

Doggett laughed. "Oh yeah. I could keep you occupied for a long
time, Johnny." He rolled on top of Byers, arms wrapped around
him, hands holding his shoulders. He leaned in and bit at Byers'
neck.

"Uhhhh," Byers moaned. "You really *are* trying to kill me,
aren't you?"

"It could take hours," Doggett said. "Days. Weeks, even."

They both laughed.

"We should give it a try," Doggett said, with a wink.

Byers looked at him. "You're a very bad man, trying to murder
your obedient servant like that."

"You'll die with a smile on your face."

"I would, at that." Byers smiled and relaxed. "Thanks."

"For what?" Doggett asked. 

"For trying to understand. For being good to me." There was a
lonely ache in Byers' voice.

Doggett brushed Byers' face with his hand. "Most people don't, I
guess?"

"They find out what I do, how I live, and most of them treat me
like I'm insane." Byers looked away, sadness in his eyes. "I bet
Sergio will too, if he looks up a copy of the paper."

"I don't know, Johnny. It's possible, but I think he likes you
well enough to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Yeah, right. What the hell does he see in me, anyway?"

Doggett chuckled. "Aside from that sweet ass of yours, you
mean?" He ran a hand over Byers' ass and squeezed gently.
"Probably some of the same stuff I do. Intelligence, steadiness,
passion, your willingness to take risks. And I know how he
responds to shy guys; you hit all his buttons, I guarantee you
that. There's lots of good things about you. You care about
stuff, and it shows."

Byers blushed again, embarrassed.

"You're also awful hot when you blush," Doggett said with a
grin.

"Right," Byers said, utterly unconvinced.

Doggett shook his head. "You need to learn how to take a
compliment. Don't gimme that shit. Smile at me and say, 'thank
you, Sir.'"

Byers laughed and looked back up into Doggett's eyes. "Thank
you, Sir." He still didn't sound convinced, but Doggett wasn't
going to push it. Byers' small, shy smile made his heart beat
faster.

Doggett suddenly realized why Byers effected him the way he did,
why everything about this seemed so intense. The other men he'd
been with over the years had been playing games in the most base
sense. They were full of bluster, taking absurd pride in their
careful pretenses of submission. What bravery they might have
had was largely bravado and over-done attitude, like the Marine
at the club the night before. They were willing to take physical
risks, but very few were willing to stretch themselves
emotionally. They weren't willing to admit that they were ever
truly afraid, much less discuss the things that frightened them.
It seemed the only things they discussed were limits and scenes
and what toys they wanted to use. Doggett had been playing
surface games with shallow men for years; men who cared more for
appearances and costumes and the perfect set of stripes on their
backs than for genuine honesty and emotion.

Byers might be fearful and paranoid, but he was honest about it.
He had a hard time with trust, but he understood that and was
trying to get through it. The "trust" Doggett had gotten from
the other men in his life had been a sham -- a trust that only
went as far as the game did. Byers was striving for something
far deeper, far outside the games of dominance and submission.
Doggett saw that Byers wanted to give him the same kind of trust
he gave the other Gunmen; a trust that meant he was willing to
put his life in Doggett's hands, and to risk his own life for
him. What Byers offered, hesitant and afraid, was both a
treasure and a terrible burden. Once given and accepted, even if
they never played together again, that trust could never be
broken. Like Langly and Frohike, Doggett would be a friend
closer than family.

The understanding hit like klieg lights on a moonless night,
blinding. Doggett wondered if he was ready for a trust and a
friendship like that, yet he wanted it, more than he could say.
He hoped he'd be able to offer Byers that same gift. He wondered
if he was sane. Was wanting something so deep from another man
entirely rational? He needed time to think.

The sound of Byers' voice was in his ear, but what he'd said
hadn't registered.

"Hmm?" Doggett said. "I'm sorry, I was thinking."

"I was wondering when you'd want to get ready for dinner."

Rolling over, Doggett looked at the clock and blinked. It was
already six o'clock. "Damn, where did the time go? When did I
get back here?"

"About two thirty," Byers said. "We spent a lot of time talking.
And doing other things."

"I guess." He rolled onto Byers and held him close for a minute,
then got up. "We should probably start getting ready now. I
gotta pull my suit out, and then I need to make sure you're
dressed right. I had some plans for the evening, if you're up to
it."

Byers sat on the edge of the bed, curious. "Like what?"

Doggett reached into the bedside drawer and pulled out the
leather cock and ball harness from the previous night. "Like
this," he said. "I want you to wear this again."

Byers eyes widened, and he took a deep breath. "Oh, yes," he
said quietly, his response a low moan. His shaft rose as Doggett
watched.

"You really like that, don't you?" Doggett watched Byers'
reaction carefully.

Byers nodded and swallowed. He licked his lips. "Yes," he
whispered. His upper body was flushing, and his nipples rose. 

It took all Doggett's self control to keep from pinning Byers to
the bed and fucking him again. "Come here," he ordered. His own
rod was rising in response to Byers' arousal. It had to wait.

"Yes, Sir." Byers rose and stood before Doggett, his hands
clasped behind his back, legs slightly spread.

"Good," Doggett said. "You're a very good boy, Johnny." He knelt
before Byers and began to bind his sub into the harness.

"Thank you, Sir," Byers whispered, eyes half closed. His face
was nearly glowing with delight as Doggett fastened and
tightened the black straps around him. He was trembling slightly
by the time Doggett finished.

Doggett took in Byers' arousal, his half closed eyes, the look
on his face. "Perfect," he said. "You're such a slut for this.
Stay there like that until I bring you your clothes."

"Yes, Sir," Byers answered.

"And bend your knees a little. I don't want you passing out on
me." Doggett ran a hand over Byers' bound balls and up his stiff
dick.

Byers grunted at the touch, shifting his weight slightly as he'd
been told. "Yes, Sir."

Doggett pulled his suit from the closet and started dressing,
his eyes on Byers. His own suit was a darker grey than the one
Byers wore, and his shirt and tie were a deep, sapphire blue. In
his imagination, he could already see Byers in the Armani,
kneeling, hands bound behind his back. He could feel Byers'
mouth on his rod, sucking him deep. The thought sent a flush of
heat through him. The simplicity of the fantasy surprised him,
but it had caught his imagination the first time he'd taken
Byers, and hadn't let go. The fact that Byers loved sucking dick
and did it extremely well only added to the image's appeal. It
would keep him focused through dinner, and Doggett knew the
anticipation would only build.

Doggett quickly finished dressing, then brought the suit and new
clothes to Byers. He opened the box and took out the burgundy
silk boxers, the new socks, the burgundy shirt and tie. He laid
them on the bed and got Byers' new shoes from the closet where
they'd been put yesterday. Taking the Armani from its bag, he
laid that on the bed as well. The color matching was flawless.

"Get dressed," Doggett ordered Byers.

"Yes, Sir." Byers started slipping on the silk, sighing as it
slid across his skin. The texture of the soft cloth glowed in
the light. Doggett sat on the bed and watched, approving. 

As Byers finished up, he slipped the tie around his neck.

"Come here. I'll tie that."

Byers looked over at Doggett, the cloth in both hands. "Yes,
Sir," he replied, and moved to stand before his Master.

"You may not be wearing a collar," Doggett said, looking Byers
in the eyes, "but I can claim you just as well with this." He
took the tie in his hands and slowly tied a full Windsor at
Byers' throat. "You're mine, John. Tonight, you belong to me."
Doggett's voice was commanding, seductive. He knew Byers
wouldn't be able to resist his words, or the sound of his voice.

Byers shook as Doggett spoke, and Doggett could hear the slender
man's heart hammering. His sub's blue eyes were dark with desire
and a need to please.

"Your body belongs to me. I can give or withhold your pleasure
as I see fit. You're mine to take as I will. I can fuck you
until you scream, or I can leave you frustrated. You will not
question me. Tonight, you exist for my pleasure until I release
you from your bondage with my word and my kiss. Do you
understand?" Doggett gently adjusted the finished knot at Byers'
throat.

"Yes, Sir," Byers whispered, panting.

Doggett put his arms around Byers and kissed him, then looked
him in the eyes once more. "John Byers, you are mine."

RAINBOW GRILL
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
65TH FLOOR

"We'll have the Scampi."

Byers watched as Doggett ordered for them. He hadn't been asked
what he wanted. Tonight, he hadn't expected to be asked. Shrimp
Scampi sounded wonderful, and he had no intention of
complaining. As far as Byers was concerned, life was just about
perfect.

He sipped at the white wine his Master had ordered. It was
exquisite, and he knew it had to be hideously expensive, like
everything else in this place. Byers wondered how Doggett could
afford this. He knew what Doggett's annual salary was, and this
-- the suit, the club, the hotel, the food, the show -- wasn't
the sort of thing he could do very often, if he could do it at
all. The question would wait, though. It wasn't his place to
ask. Not tonight; not here.

They had been seated near a window, and the view of the south
end of Manhattan was incredible. The skyline was beautiful in
the early evening light. Doggett looked magnificent in the dark
suit and deep sapphire blue ensemble he wore. He knew that his
own new suit looked just as good on him, and the feeling was
deeply satisfying. The harness that was wrapped tight around his
cock and balls was deliciously stimulating. Byers was happy to
be in a place like this, as Doggett's companion. If he weren't
so hungry, he'd be even happier to be back at the hotel,
enjoying whatever erotic delights Doggett had planned for him.

"The food here's great, Johnny. You're in for a real treat,"
Doggett said, his face light and relaxed. He was smiling. Byers
thought he looked particularly handsome that way. So often he'd
only seen Doggett in the midst of a case, stressed or angry.

"The Shrimp Scampi sounds great, Sir." He took another sip of
his wine. "The whole weekend has been incredible so far. How
often do you do this?" Byers asked. He thought it might be a
more subtle way to ask about what he really wanted to know.

"Once a year, maybe twice," Doggett said. "Usually I get a new
suit for myself once a year when I come and do the weekend, but
this year, I really wanted you to have it." Doggett's voice
gentled and deepened. "You look incredible, Johnny. You stand
taller when you're wearing that. You look like you're proud of
yourself. It's a good thing to see."

"Thank you, Sir." Byers smiled, blushing, and lowered his eyes
to the table as the salads and antipasti arrived. The waiter was
fast and efficient, and Byers almost didn't notice his presence.

Doggett grinned at him. "I can't help thinking about what I want
to do to you when we get back from dinner," he rumbled, quiet.
Doggett's eyes gleamed with arousal, and Byers held his breath
as he tried to will his cock not to leap in his lap. He didn't
succeed.

Byers waited for Doggett to begin eating before he picked up his
fork and began taking samples of the antipasti onto his own
plate. After tasting his salad and a few of the delicious
tidbits, he looked back up at Doggett. "What did you have in
mind?" he asked, trying to put as much seduction as he could
into the quiet question.

Doggett chuckled. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise
anymore, would it?"

"Well, not technically," Byers said. "But I'm sure the
sensations would still be surprising."

"Tell me, Johnny, did you ever have an urge to be a lawyer?"
Doggett smiled, amused.

Byers and Doggett nibbled salad and antipasti and sipped at
their wine as they talked. Byers laughed. "No. Just a
bureaucrat." 

Doggett tilted his head and gave Byers a strange look. "Now
there's one you don't hear every day."

"I got better," Byers said. "Besides," he continued, "I know you
have two degrees in Public Administration. Tell me how that's
not supposed to be bureaucratic. Uh, Sir." Byers grinned.

"Don't forget that I own you tonight," Doggett said, his voice
low and dangerously sensual. "I may just decide to leave out
some things that I know you'll like, you keep talkin' like
that." There was a look of distinct and devastating intent on
his face. 

Byers leaned back in his chair and swallowed nervously. "Yes,
Sir," he said. His pulse raced, wishing Doggett's hands were on
him, wanting the man's mouth on his. Even though he knew it was
an idle threat at this point, he didn't want to take a chance on
stepping over any lines, as he had at lunch on Friday.

Doggett smiled at Byers and they ate quietly, digging into the
Scampi when it arrived.

Doggett's dominance satisfied something deep in Byers. The way
Doggett had claimed him with his words and his kiss before they
left for dinner stirred Byers in more than just a physical way.
It was as though Doggett had known and understood what he needed
to hear, what made him feel wanted and secure. Their time
together pushed at the boundaries of Byers' paranoia. He
wondered again what it would feel like to be able to trust
Doggett as he trusted his two dearest friends. Would Doggett
understand how deep and significant such an act would be? The
man threw the word around as though it had little genuine
meaning for him.

For Byers, trust was a matter of life and death. Trusting the
wrong person could kill him. Opening himself that way was a far
greater vulnerability than being naked, or giving himself
sexually. It wasn't even so much that giving his trust meant he
was willing to risk himself; he'd done so willingly for total
strangers on more than one occasion. Trust, for Byers, was a
matter of willingness to put his life and safety into the hands
of another. It was a willingness to let the one he trusted see
the truth of his pain and the suffering that had been part of
his life for so long. Trust was a willingness to give the
trusted one everything that he was, and still believe that he
would not be deliberately hurt or abandoned.

Byers didn't even truly trust Mulder or Scully, though he'd
known them for years. Their positions and the risks of their
work meant that betrayal always stood on the edge of the
shadows. Though Mulder was medically retired now,  his
insatiable curiosity and his obsessions kept him too close to
the shadows for comfort. Mulder was, in fact, the last person
Byers would want to call if he needed to be bailed out of jail;
he had no guarantees that Mulder wouldn't be distracted by
something five minutes later and leave him there for a week.

Byers could almost trust Jimmy now, knowing that the golden
retriever of a man would never deliberately hurt a friend in any
way. Doggett's work, though, was like Scully's -- how could he
ever be sure that the conspirators wouldn't turn Doggett into
something... not human?

Then again, how did he know that Frohike or Langly wouldn't come
home some day as shells of themselves, harboring something evil?
Would their eyes be awash with the black oil, or their bodies
filled with something even more insidious and deadly? He
shuddered.

Doggett's face flashed concern. "Johnny, are you all right?"

Byers nodded. "I'm just thinking, Sir. Like I said, I worry too
much." He looked up and met Doggett's ice blue eyes. They
carried a dark hint of worry. Did the man genuinely care about
him? Was he more to Doggett than just a convenient, fuckable
body? Considering what Doggett had said of his history with
other men, it was hard to tell. Byers rarely saw honest concern
in anyone's eyes when they looked at  him. It had gotten to the
point where he simply didn't expect to see it any more.

Doggett's hand slid across the table and he took Byers' hand.
"Try to let it go for a while, okay? We can talk later, if you
want." Doggett's grip was warm and solid. Byers squeezed and
slid his hand away, unwilling to let anyone see something
resembling public affection or a display of reassurance. The
waitress at breakfast had convinced him that the closet was
still the safest place.

"I know this afternoon was pretty stressful for both of us,"
Doggett continued. "This is what my life is like. I know yours
really isn't that much different."

Byers nodded. "That's true. I generally try to avoid people with
guns, though." He thought back to the times he'd been held at
gunpoint, knowing it was likely to happen again. "It's not my
idea of a good way to spend a vacation."

"Mine either," Doggett said.

Byers quieted again, eating more of his dinner and focusing on
the flavors to take his mind off his anxieties. It was
delicious, and he'd seen desserts on other tables, so he knew he
wanted to try to leave room for something. Actually, if he
didn't count the afternoon's little 'adventure,' it had been a
really good day. He was also very much looking forward to
discovering what lay in Doggett's imagination for him when they
returned to the hotel. They didn't have to be up the next
morning, so he hoped whatever it was would be exquisitely
lengthy and drawn out. He wanted very much to lose himself in
the physical and set aside the worries that plagued him. 

Much as he lived in it, Byers hated being anxious and paranoid.
He really wished he could just stop and stand back from it, like
Doggett seemed to. Then again, Doggett was a skeptic. Byers knew
that Doggett wouldn't believe some of the situations he'd been
in over the years. Hell, he'd been there and seen things with
his own eyes that he barely believed. It really wasn't
surprising that people thought he was crazy. When he got right
down to it, he was probably just as much of a nut job as Mulder.
Maybe more so. At least Mulder used to get paid for chasing
ghosts and aliens. Byers did it out of some twisted sense of
duty. There were days when he wondered if he had some deeply
buried death wish hiding in him somewhere. Considering some of
the stupid things he'd done over the years, he'd actually have
to build a case against the argument.

He chuckled humorlessly at his private ironies. Better to think
about the leather around his cock and balls. Sitting back, he
let himself feel it. He watched Doggett eating and thought about
the man's broad, strong shoulders. He could picture Doggett
nude, his defined muscles rippling as he moved. If he
half-closed his eyes, he could almost feel Doggett's mouth on
him, feel his Master's hands gliding up his sides, leather
restraints on his wrists. He wanted it badly. The harness held
him snugly as his shaft stirred, and he rumbled a quiet,
decadent sigh.

Doggett looked up and smiled. "Thinking about tonight?" he
asked, keeping his voice low.

Byers smiled back and nodded. "Oh, yeah."

"Good. So am I." The smile broadened into a sly grin. "You're
gonna be so sore tomorrow," he said.

Byers shivered, delighted. "I can't wait."

The waiter arrived again. "Would you gentlemen like dessert?" he
asked. "We have a wide variety of delights for your palate. May
I tell you about our specialties this evening?"

Doggett turned his grin on the waiter. "No, that's okay.
Tiramisu and coffee for both of us, please."

"Certainly, sir. An excellent choice." The young man took their
plates and spirited them away.

Byers closed his eyes and sighed happily. "That sounds really
good," he said.

"The best you can imagine," Doggett said.

"I can imagine things a hell of a lot better than tiramisu right
now," Byers said, giving Doggett a lascivious look.

Doggett laughed. "Yeah, and you can wait for 'em, too. Tempting
as it might be to spread you right here, I'd kinda like to be
able to come back again."

"Of course, Sir," Byers said. He bit his lip at the image
Doggett had created in his mind. More threats to bend him over a
table. He wondered if Doggett had a thing for sex in dining
rooms, and hoped they would explore the thought more thoroughly
in private at some later date.

The tiramisu and coffee arrived, just as delicious as Doggett
had promised. Byers was convinced he could get high on the
intensity of the perfectly balanced flavors. There was a
strange, erotic undertone to the meal, and he wasn't sure if it
was its decadent perfection or his own mood, but it warmed him
to the core. By the time he finished, he felt he could almost
float out of the restaurant; happy tongue, happy dick, happy
stomach. He anticipated his body being even happier when they
got back to the hotel.

PARKER MERIDIEN HOTEL
ROOM 1246
NIGHT

"Bring me the wrist restraints," Doggett said. His voice was
rough and aggressive. 

"Yes, Sir." Byers shivered with anticipation as he took them
from the bedside drawer. The padded black leather was soft and
sensual in his hands.

Doggett looked at him with dark, hooded eyes, and Byers could
feel his Master's gaze burning into him. He handed the
restraints to Doggett.

"Turn around."

Byers turned, and Doggett cuffed his wrists together, then
turned him back to look in his eyes once again. Byers tugged
against the restraints, heart beating hard and fast with his
increasing arousal. His anticipation had been growing since
they'd left the restaurant to return to the hotel, and he could
tell that Doggett was excited.

"You should see yourself, Johnny. You wouldn't believe how hot
you look like this," Doggett said. He took Byers by one elbow
and led him to the closet door, which was adorned with a
full-length mirror. Byers let himself be turned to face the
mirror.

Doggett stood behind him; taller, older, far more muscular. His
Master's light blue eyes were dark with heat and lust, and his
hands were on Byers' shoulders, forcing him to face himself. The
contrast of Doggett's deep sapphire shirt and dark grey suit
against Byers' lighter suit and burgundy shirt was a study in
hue and contrast. 

Byers' eyes scanned his own face and body. He'd never seen
himself aroused before, and it surprised him. His face was
flushed, his expression soft and intense, lips slightly parted.
The suit he wore revealed more of his body than the casual jeans
and short sleeved shirt he'd worn earlier in the day, though he
was wearing more, and covered much more completely. He realized
in that moment that exposure had little to do with the amount of
flesh one showed. Instead, it was the cut of the clothing, the
way it lay on the body's curves and planes. Though he had never
considered himself a handsome man, looking like this, dressed
this way, he could almost understand what Doggett might see in
him -- at least as a sexual object.

"Look at yourself," Doggett whispered. His hands slipped down
Byers' arms from his shoulders, the followed the line of his
waist to his hips. 

Byers watched as he felt Doggett's hands moving on him, the pace
of his breath increasing. He could hear Doggett's breath
quickening in his ear.

"Do you see what I see when I look at you?" Doggett asked. He
kissed Byers behind one ear, and Byers shivered, a cold silver
wire burning down his spine into his bound cock and balls.
Doggett's hands slid up Byers' chest, touching him light but
firm, sensual without a trace of tickle.

Their eyes met in the mirror, and Byers froze, holding his
breath. Doggett pressed Byers back against his chest, and he
could feel Doggett's pounding heart through their contact. His
Master's hardness met his bound hands, hot and throbbing as
Doggett's arms wrapped around him, and he gasped for air,
panting hard.

"Yeah, Johnny. You want that, don't you?" Doggett's voice
lowered to a dangerous growl that rumbled through Byers' body.
He pressed his hips closer, letting Byers touch.

Byers caressed Doggett's shaft with his fingers, panting. "Yes,
Sir." He watched in the mirror as Doggett's eyes narrowed.

Doggett's hands moved down Byers' chest, slowly unbuttoning his
jacket. When Doggett's fingers reached his waist, they curved
down further, around Byers' hot, hard cock. Byers whimpered at
the teasing touch and tried to arch into his Master's hands.

"Don't move," Doggett whispered in his ear. "Just watch yourself
in the mirror." The hiss of Doggett's breath in his ear sent a
shudder down Byers' back. He watched, though instinct demanded
he close his eyes and concentrate on the physical sensations.

With a slow, torturously sensual movement, Doggett lowered
Byers' zipper. Byers watched in heated fascination, panting, as
his Master's hand slid into his pants. He could feel Doggett's
warm fingers meeting the bound flesh of his leather-strapped
shaft and balls.

The sound Byers heard coming from his own throat was half purr,
half baritone groan. Doggett slowly slid Byers' hard member out
of his pants. The image of his swollen cock and balls buckled
and clipped into the leather harness, pulsing as it stood high
and dark from his fly, made Byers' knees weak. It was the kind
of image he looked for on the net when he allowed himself time
to indulge his private fantasies.

"You are so beautiful, Johnny, so fuckable." Doggett traced a
finger along Byers' throat, just barely touching his skin, and
Byers shuddered.

He watched Doggett's face near his own, his Master's darkened
eyes burning into him. Byers could feel the pounding of his own
heart and Doggett's as they stood, bodies touching. Sliding his
bound hands along Doggett's pants, he found the zipper and tried
to open it.

"No," Doggett snapped, quiet. "You only get what I give you,
when I'm ready to give it to you. You don't take. If you want
something you ask, and I make the decisions." He slapped Byers'
cock.

"Aaah!" Byers jerked back into Doggett's body, reeling from the
intertwined pain and pleasure shooting through his body. "Yes,
Sir," he panted, "I'm sorry, Sir." Doggett knew he liked the
sensation, and hadn't slapped him hard enough to cause more pain
than he could handle. Byers felt himself getting harder as he
steadied his balance. He whimpered with need and frustration. If
he felt this hot and horny so early in the game, he was certain
he was in for a night he would remember for a long time to come.

"If you want cock, you have to beg for it, Johnny." Doggett's
voice was stern.

Byers' knees turned to water at the words and the sound of his
Master's voice, and he slumped back into Doggett's arms.
"Please, Sir," he whispered.

"Please Sir, what?" Doggett asked.

Byers was panting, eyes half closed, still leaning against
Doggett's chest. "I want to touch you, Sir. I want your cock.
Please, let me touch you."

Doggett slid a hand behind him, and he could hear the zipper
being pulled down. "I'm not sure you want it enough. That wasn't
very convincing."

He could feel his Master moving behind him, pulling his hard
shaft out of his pants. He wanted to touch, but kept his
control. Byers' eyes closed and he let his head roll back onto
Doggett's shoulder.

"Please, Sir," he let his want into his voice, "I need it, Sir.
I want to feel you. I want your cock in my hands. Let me touch
you, Sir. Let me please you."

Doggett chuckled in Byers' ear. "That's a little more
convincing, but it's not good enough yet." Byers felt the head
of Doggett's cock run along the tips of his fingers, the edges
of his palms. It was hot and stiff and the skin was velvet soft.
His fingers twitched and he ached to take it in his hands and
stroke it.

Byers let out a frustrated moan. "It's so hot, Sir. I love what
you're doing. Please, Sir --" Byers' voice cracked, "please, I
want it so much."

Doggett ran the tip of his cock across Byers' motionless palm,
slow and soft, as he slid two fingers across Byers' lips.

"Ahhh..." Byers lips parted and the tip of his tongue met
Doggett's fingertips. 

"That's sounding better, Johnny," Doggett said quietly. He
slipped his fingers into Byers' mouth, and Byers licked them and
began to suck. The slight salt of Doggett's skin tingled on
Byers' tongue.

"Mmmmm..." Byers tilted his head down toward Doggett's hand,
sucking the length of both fingers into his mouth.

Doggett's lips brushed Byers' left ear. "Look at yourself,
Johnny. See how you look when you're sucking. Look at the
expression on your face."

Heart racing, Byers struggled to open his eyes, then looked into
the mirror. The raw need in his face shocked him, but he was too
busy sliding his tongue along Doggett's fingers to react
visibly.

Doggett slid his fingers from Byers' mouth.

"Ah --" Byers reached for them with his lips, but Doggett kept
them moving. He watched as Doggett's hand slowly moved down his
body, not touching him. His eyes widened as Doggett's fingers
drew close to his cock. The wet fingertips met the head of his
cock, spreading the growing drop of pre-come that had been
gathering there, threatening to slide down his shaft. Byers
groaned and bucked up against Doggett's fingers, but his Master
pulled back, keeping only a feather soft touch at the throbbing,
sensitive tip of his flesh.

Doggett traced tiny circles around the slit in the head of his
shaft, and Byers wailed with frustration and pleasure. A hard
pinch and Byers yelped. Doggett's hand  moved away. Doggett
touched the tips of his fingers with his tongue, tasting Byers'
essence, and smiled.

"I know you want it," Doggett said. "You always want it. You're
such a slut for my rod, Johnny. You want to touch it. You want
to suck it. You want it up your ass. You make me so hot."
Doggett sucked at Byers' neck, teeth and tongue moving roughly
on him.

"Yes, Sir," Byers groaned. "I want it, I want all of it. Please,
Sir..."

Doggett pulled his mouth away and put his hands on Byers'
shoulders. He moved and turned Byers then shoved him to his
knees. "I'll give you a little of what you want."

Byers found his nose nearly touching Doggett's hard, dark shaft.
The scent of the man was hot, like burning musk. He took a deep
breath, then looked up at his Master.

Doggett pulled a condom from his pocket, tore the packet open,
and held it before Byers. "Put it on me."

Without a moment's hesitation, Byers took the proffered condom
in his lips and began to position it on the tip of Doggett's
thick rod. With lips and tongue, he slowly unrolled the condom,
sliding it down the length of his Master's cock as Doggett
hissed and moaned. Byers felt Doggett thrust forward, slow and
strong, into his mouth as the condom unrolled under his tongue.

Once he was sure the condom was secure, Byers began sucking in
earnest, licking and massaging his Master's hot length with lips
and tongue. He moaned as Doggett thrust slowly into his mouth,
taking him in deeper with each stroke.

As he caressed Doggett's cock with the length of his tongue, he
noticed that he was positioned so that he could see what was
happening in the mirror if he looked a bit off to one side. He
wondered if Doggett had done this deliberately. Watching himself
kneeling, wrists bound behind him, cock and balls bound and
standing at attention before him, with Doggett's shaft in his
mouth sent a bolt of incredible erotic fever through him. With a
grunt, he opened himself and swallowed his Master's rod, his
lips meeting Doggett's body.

Doggett groaned, loud and sustained, then took Byers' hair in
his hands and started fucking his mouth deep and fast. "God,
Johnny! Take it!" Doggett's balls slapped his chin, and he had
to fight to cope with the swift, aggressive thrusts. After a few
strokes, Doggett regained control of his body and slowed to a
more comfortable speed and intensity. 

Byers closed his eyes and gave Doggett's thick erection his
absolute attention.

"Oh, yeah..." Doggett said, panting. "Suck it, Johnny, take it
deep." Doggett thrust a few more times, then pulled back and
Byers caught his breath, gasping. "You're so good, you feel so
good," Doggett said softly, then thrust his cock into Byers'
mouth again, deep, sliding down his throat. Doggett muttered,
"Love to fuck you like this." Byers growled from low in his
chest, sending his Master into another spasm of fast, deep
thrusts.

Byers thought that if Doggett didn't withdraw soon, he'd come,
but that was fine with him. He loved the way a shaft would throb
in his mouth and throat when the moment of orgasm arrived, loved
the frantic, uncontrolled sounds of someone coming because he
gave them pleasure. There had been times when he'd come himself
when he sucked another man, just from the sounds and the oral
sensations.

He wished he had his hands to work with, and struggled with the
restraints around his wrists, pulling at the leather. The
struggle itself felt good, and the sight of it seemed to set
Doggett off even more, his pace and intensity picking up.

"Nnngh, yeah. Oh, god, Johnny, fight it. Love it, oh god, love
watching you like this, suck me..." Doggett's fingers tightened
in his hair, and he pulled Byers' face closer as Byers suckled
his Master's cock. He was running short on breath now, and
squeezed, sucking deep and hard, pushing Doggett toward the edge
as hard as he could.

After two or three deep, staccato grunts, Doggett spoke again,
nearly incoherent. "God, uhh, take it Johnny..." He panted hard,
driving into Byers' mouth with short, sharp thrusts, then roared
as he came.

Byers backed off quickly, getting his Master's cock out of his
throat, though Doggett was pulling at his hair. He needed air.
After a few deep gasps, filling his lungs again and again, Byers
sucked gently at the tip of Doggett's dick, enjoying the way the
man was shuddering.

Doggett sank to his knees in front of Byers and took his face in
his hands. He was still breathing hard, but Byers could see his
eyes were barely open. "Love how you do that," Doggett said,
panting. "So beautiful." He took Byers' mouth with his own,
kissing him deeply, and Byers slid his tongue along Doggett's,
feeling the soft, ticklish caress of tender flesh.

With a moan, Byers leaned forward slightly, his body begging
silently for contact. His bound cock was throbbing hard, the
pressure of the leather straps becoming almost painful with an
erotic intensity he loved. He wanted to rub himself against
Doggett's body, their cocks meeting, hot and slick. He wanted
Doggett's hands on him, exploring his body through the silk he
wore under his suit. Byers wanted to be touched everywhere with
an intensity that made him shake. He struggled with the wrist
restraints that kept his hands behind him, even as he wanted and
needed the feeling of helplessness they brought.

As he struggled, Doggett wrapped his arms around him, enveloping
him in warmth and strength. Edging closer, Doggett pulled their
bodies together then rested his chin on Byers' shoulder. They
both knelt, motionless, relishing the solid contact. Byers
rubbed his cheek against Doggett's.

"Please, Sir," he whispered, "I want more."

"Don't worry, Johnny," Doggett said quietly, "we're nowhere near
done yet." He ran his hands down Byers' back, stopping to caress
his waist, then sliding them down to hold the curves of Byers'
ass in his palms. "You were so good. You gave me just what I
wanted."

Byers bit his lip and whimpered.

"Patience," Doggett said. He looked into Byers' eyes, intense.
"I know you want what I have planned for you. I'll give you
things you need. I'll push you over the edge." 

Byers shook, his heart hammering. Everything that Doggett had
done to him, done with him since their first time together, had
been good. "What will you do, Sir?"

"Be patient. You'll see." Doggett  stood, then slid his hands
under Byers' arms and helped him stand. Byers' knees were
slightly wobbly, but Doggett let him lean as they walked over to
the bed. "Lie down and rest," Doggett said. "I've gotta do
something. Just close your eyes and wait for me."

"Yes, Sir." Byers lay on the bed on his side and closed his
eyes. He could hear Doggett moving around the room, getting
things out, shuffling things around, opening and closing a door.
There was the scratch of a match and a momentary scent of
sulfur. He wondered what was happening, what kinds of things his
Master had planned for him. Lying there not knowing what Doggett
was doing filled him with anticipation.

There was silence for a few minutes, and Byers turned his head
without opening his eyes, trying to locate Doggett in the room.
He rolled slightly, turning his body for a more accurate idea of
what was going on around him, but heard nothing. He hadn't been
told not to move, simply to lie down, close his eyes, and wait
for his Master. His cock was still hard, as the harness was
tight enough to keep him from losing his erection, though some
of the urgency of his arousal had faded. He felt good, but very
curious.

The sound of Doggett's voice close to his ear startled him. "Now
you get your reward for making me come like that."  The bed
shifted as Doggett leaned in and traced the tip of his tongue
along the inner curve of Byers' ear.

Byers shivered and gasped as his Master backed away. He could
feel Doggett untying his shoes, then slipping them off his feet.
The socks went next, and Doggett's warm hands rubbed each foot
for a moment. It was soothing and erotic at the same time. A
shudder tingled its way up his body as Doggett's fingers traced
the insides of his legs from ankles to the angles of his inner
thighs, moving softly, almost tickling through the cloth. He
writhed at the touch, groaning.

"Relax, Johnny," Doggett said. "Let yourself enjoy it." Byers
felt Doggett's weight shift the mattress again, as the man
positioned himself between Byers' legs. There was a ghost of
presence near Byers' shaft, and then soft, warm breath
surrounding it.

"Yes," Byers moaned quietly. He shifted his hips blindly toward
the source of the breath, but Doggett's hands held him down by
his hips.

"Relax," Doggett said again. "Don't move. Just let it happen."

When Doggett's soft warm lips kissed the tip of Byers' cock, he
gasped, and Doggett held him down. A hot, wet tongue caressed
his head, sliding gently along the slit. He moaned again,
loudly, now hard as marble. The harness around him held him
tight, amplifying every sensation. 

"I love the way you taste, Johnny."

Byers spoke softly, pleading. "Please, Sir, suck me." He licked
his lips, dick aching with need, his balls tight in their
restraints.

"No, Johnny. Just this for right now. I have other plans for
you." 

He could feel Doggett move, then there was an arm behind his
back, a hand supporting his head, and he was raised to a partial
sitting position. A glass touched his lips and he sipped. The
water was cool, with a tiny hint of lemon in it. Byers suddenly
realized how dry his mouth had become, and drank eagerly. Held
like this, the glass at his lips, he felt oddly out of place but
cared for. There was an incredible feeling of gentleness to the
situation, and the man who held him.

When the glass was taken from his lips, an odd image struck him.
"Share water," he whispered to himself, remembering an old
science fiction novel.

"Never thirst." Doggett's voice was soft, almost inaudible in
his ear. Before Byers could say anything, Doggett's lips met his
and they kissed. It was soft and passionate at the same time.
When Doggett broke the kiss, Byers opened his eyes slightly and
looked at his Master in the room's dim, flickering light.

"I never knew y --"

"Hush. Talk later. Keep your eyes closed, or would it be easier
if I blindfolded you for a while?"

Byers closed his eyes. "Blindfold me, Sir," he said. It would
remove the temptation for him to look until Doggett decided it
was time for him to see again. Doggett eased him back onto the
bed, got up, and returned a moment later. A softly lined
blindfold that smelled of leather was placed over his eyes and
fastened at the back of his head.

Doggett's hands were at his waist again, and he could feel his
belt being unbuckled, his pants unbuttoned. There was a tug, and
Byers raised his hips to let Doggett pull his pants down. The
cloth slid down his legs and over his bare feet. He heard them
hit the rug with a soft chuff. Warm hands trailed up his legs,
teasing against the grain of the rough hair along the outside of
his calves and thighs.

"Mmmmm..."

"How do you feel, Johnny?" Doggett's hands slid along his flesh,
trailing to the sensitive insides of his thighs. A moment later,
warm breath touched his skin, followed by Doggett's lips and
tongue.

"Ohhhhhh," Byers panted, "oh, feels good, Sir." The weight of
his body was on his arms and hands. He knew it would get
uncomfortable if he stayed that way for long, but his Master's
mouth on him was a sensual delight.

Doggett's mouth moved away from his legs, and Byers whimpered,
until he felt a soft, wet tongue licking the tip of his cock
again. He groaned softly and arched his hips upward.

"Little slut," Doggett said, his lips barely brushing where his
tongue had just been. "You just can't wait, can you?"

Byers squirmed, raising a knee, and Doggett's hand slid down the
back of his thigh to cup one cheek of his ass. "Love how this
silk feels on you," Doggett growled, running his hand softly
along the curve of Byers' ass through his boxers. Byers sighed
at the caress, his body heated and aroused. Doggett's other hand
slid down to join the first, lifting his hips gently then
sliding up to his waist. With a swift, careful movement, Doggett
pulled at the waistband of Byers' boxers and started sliding
them off.

Byers cooperated, hoping Doggett would touch and kiss his bare
skin as the soft, slippery fabric moved down his legs. Suddenly,
without a word, Doggett flipped Byers over onto his stomach and
finished pulling the boxers off.

"Uhh, yes!" Byers spread his legs. Doggett's hands were on his
ass again, caressing his cheeks, running short, blunt
fingernails over Byers' sensitive skin. It felt good. The next
thing he knew, a pillow was being tucked under his hips, his
bound shaft buried in the soft cool cushion. He gave a
satisfied, horny sigh.

Byers heard a shuffling, then felt cool leather being buckled
around his ankles. He gave a soft gasp and whimpered. Was
Doggett going to spread him on the bed and tie him down? He
hoped so.

Doggett's hands spread his legs further, stroking his inner
thighs. Byers could hear Doggett's breathing speeding up. A few
moments later, Doggett's fingers trailed along his tight balls,
then tickled softly up the crack of his ass.

"Ahhhhh..." He was so hard, so ready for Doggett to fuck him.
"Please, Sir," he moaned, "I want your cock in me."

Doggett chuckled. "We're nowhere near that yet, Johnny. There's
so much more to come before I slide my rod into you. But I'm
gonna love it when I'm ready to take you." Doggett's voice was
low, almost a growl. He slid the tip of a finger over Byers'
anus, pausing for a moment to push in gently without
penetrating.

Byers whimpered and wriggled under Doggett. "Oh, god."

Before Byers knew what was happening, Doggett's mouth was on the
curve of his ass, biting and sucking, and Byers moaned, deep and
throaty. Doggett's fingers separated the mounds of muscle. He
panted hard as Doggett's tongue slid along his skin and down
between his cheeks to find the soft, sensitive skin of his
opening.

Byers gasped. "Unh, unh, yeah, unh..." Doggett's tongue licked
and prodded him, hot and wet and so soft. He tried to buck back
into Doggett's mouth, but his Master had spread his legs too
wide for him to get any leverage. He could feel Doggett's tongue
dipping into him, penetrating him. His bound shaft was twitching
hard. Though he was close to orgasm, the harness was so tight
around his swollen dick now that he couldn't come. It was
agonizing and blissful and he was falling hard into his most
submissive space, losing himself to his Master's power.

Doggett raised his mouth. "You're beautiful, Johnny. I wish you
could see yourself. You're so hot." He slid one finger into
Byers' tight ass and Byers cried out, incoherent. Doggett worked
his ass slowly with the finger, driving Byers wild with desire. 

"Unh, god, more," Byers begged.

Doggett's finger slid out of him. There wasn't time for Byers to
anticipate Doggett's next move before a stinging slap landed on
his ass.

"Ahhh!"

Another slap landed, then another, and Byers' hips jerked. He
wanted it, wanted the pain and the pleasure. "Yes, unh, yes..."
He was gasping, Doggett's hands leaving burning places on his
ass. Doggett slid his finger back into Byers. 

Byers fought against the restraints around his wrists,
struggling hard, shouting. He needed to move, needed to give in
to the unbearable urge to pump his hips, to slam his hard shaft
into something and fuck, to impale himself on his Master's rod
and let the man take him until he screamed.

Suddenly, Doggett's full weight was on him, pressing down over
his entire body, finger no longer in him. "Slow down, take it
easy." The voice was quiet and soothing in his ear. The larger
man's weight stilled him, and he gasped and panted, trying to
catch his breath. "Hush, Johnny, hush."

Byers felt Doggett's kisses on his cheek and neck. 

"Lie still for me, okay?"

Byers nodded, no longer struggling, but trying to catch his
breath. His ass stung from Doggett's blows.

"I'm gonna stand you up. I want you to stay where I put you, and
don't move from that position until I move you again. Do you
understand?"

Byers nodded again. "Yes, Sir," he said, still panting. His head
was swimming, and he felt like his whole body was vibrating,
barely under his control. His body ached exquisitely with desire
and frustration.

Doggett slipped his arms around Byers' chest and slid him back
along the bed, then pulled him to a kneeling position. "Okay,
step back. Be careful."

Byers slid one foot to the floor, then the other, his legs
shaking. Doggett's arms were still around him, and he leaned
back into his Master's body with a relieved sigh. He could feel
Doggett's hot, hard rod against his ass and rubbed against it.

"Wait for that, Johnny. Just hold still." Doggett's hands
slipped to his throat, loosening Byers' tie. He leaned his head
back against Doggett's shoulder, letting himself feel his
Master's fingers moving. When the tie was unknotted, Doggett
began unbuttoning Byers' shirt, teasing Byers' skin with his
fingertips as he loosed each button.

Byers' head rolled to one side, his cheek meeting the warm skin
of Doggett's neck and jaw. He kissed his Master softly. "Please,
Sir, I need to be fucked."

"I'll give it to you when I'm ready," Doggett said. His hands
moved over Byers' naked chest, stroking and caressing him. Byers
sighed happily, his cock aching as it twitched in its harness.
Doggett played with his nipples, rolling them in his fingers,
then squeezing and pinching them hard, pulling them sharply.

"Ahhhhhhhh..." Byers arched back against Doggett's chest,
panting again, his head thrashing back and forth on Doggett's
shoulder. 

Doggett wrapped him tightly in his arms and pressed his hard rod
against Byers' ass. "You want it bad, don't you?" he said. "You
want me in you up to my balls."

Byers whimpered and nodded.

"You want me to fuck you until you can't feel anything but my
hard rod slamming into you and my balls slapping on yours."
Doggett was growling into his ear, thrusting up along the crack
of Byers' ass.

"Yes Sir, oh god please, fuck me now, I want it so bad, want
you, take me, fuck me..." Byers knew he was babbling, but didn't
care.  

Doggett's hand slid down his body, brushing softly over his
stomach then caressing Byers' straining, throbbing shaft. The
tips of his fingers stroked Byers' balls and Byers moaned.

"Please..."

"Not yet."

Byers groaned, disappointed and desperate.

"I'm gonna separate the restraints on you to take the rest of
your clothes off. Don't move."

Byers nodded, saying nothing, still leaning back against
Doggett's body. He could feel his Master's hands at his wrists
and heard a clip open and close. His hands hung free behind him,
but he didn't move them. Doggett took his shoulders and eased
him forward slightly, then slid the suit jacket and the silk
shirt down his arms and off his body. Tossing them aside, he let
Byers lean on him again.

"Come with me." Doggett led him slowly across the room by his
shoulder. He was startled when his back gently touched the cold,
flat expanse of a door. "Hands above your head," Doggett
ordered.

Byers raised his hands. Doggett took first one wrist, then the
other, and clipped them to something so they were spread out
over his head. With a gentle nudge, Doggett tapped at Byers'
ankles with one foot. "Spread 'em."

Again, Byers complied, and the leather restraints around his
ankles were similarly secured. He was bound, spread eagle, to
the door. He tugged against the restraints, but they were tight
and there was no give. He couldn't move. His heart raced with
fear and anticipation.

"It's not the cross," Doggett said, "but it'll do. Prepare
yourself, Johnny. You're about to have a taste of what you
want."

Byers didn't think his dick could get any harder, but Doggett's
words sent a cold thrill through his body. "Yes," he groaned. He
could picture the man he'd seen on the cross yesterday, then saw
himself there. He could still see the floggers striking in his
mind's eye, hear the slap of leather on flesh.

"Hit me, Sir," he whispered. "I want to feel it."

Doggett's fingers touched his chest gently, and Byers flinched,
expecting a sharp blow. "Uh..."

"You're not ready yet," Doggett said. "You need to be prepared
for it." His Master's hands roamed sensually across his body,
sometimes tickling, sometimes scratching. Byers could feel
Doggett's fingernails scrape across his nipples, and groaned in
response. Doggett's lips closed over one fleshy peak, sucking,
then biting.

"Unnnh." Byers relaxed as much as he could into the bondage. He
could feel the pull along his arms and into his shoulders as his
wrists took some of his weight. Doggett was licking and nibbling
his way down Byers' stomach. He felt helpless and vulnerable,
knowing that Doggett could do anything to him and he'd be unable
to resist. It was terrifying, but he was filled with a familiar
sensual rush, like the one he'd felt the first time Doggett had
tied Byers to his own bed. He could feel himself starting to
float, dizzy in his arousal, knowing the best was coming. Unable
to stay silent, he made small, animal sounds of fear and
pleasure.

Doggett's hands moved over him, touching Byers everywhere. The
tips of Doggett's fingers trailed, almost tickling, along Byers'
arms and legs, along his sides, up his chest to his throat, even
over his face. Byers moaned and tried to move, but couldn't, as
Doggett's nails scratched him all over his chest and sides.

Soon, hands and fingers were joined by a new sensation. "This is
the flogger, Johnny. Feel the strands move over you." 

Byers panted and groaned as Doggett brushed them along his
chest, slow and soft at first, then picking up speed and force a
little at a time.

"You like how this feels, don't you?" Doggett asked. The strands
began slapping at him gently, moving down his chest from just
above his nipples.

"Yes Sir, please Sir, ahhhhhh..." He was slapped again, harder
this time, along the center of his chest. "Oh, god." It was
amazing. Byers groaned and begged for more as the blows got
progressively harder. The flogger struck him solidly, thudding
against his ribs, leaving a hot, stinging feeling behind. "Unh,
yes, ahhh."

"You're gorgeous like this, Johnny. You should see yourself. You
look so beautiful spread like this, your cock all hard, those
stripes on your skin." Doggett's voice was low, filled with
desire. He spaced the blows expertly, leaving every inch of
Byers' chest stinging. "Makes me want to fuck you. Makes me want
to take you right here, just like this."

"More, Sir, please..." Byers begged. He was lost in the
sensations, craving the sting, and when Doggett switched the
blows from his chest to his thighs, Byers moaned and grunted
wordlessly. He wanted to feel the sting everywhere, wanted it
along his back, over his ass, on the backs of his legs. "Please,
Sir!" 

"God, I love to hear you beg, Johnny." Another blow fell on
Byers' chest. Doggett was rumbling and growling as he spoke.
"You're mine. I'm gonna fuck you so deep when I'm done with
you." He struck Byers again. Byers thought that if the harness
around his cock and balls was looser, he could come from this
sensation. He was throbbing hard in the leather, and could feel
his shaft jumping with each new blow.

"Yes," Byers gasped. "God, yes." When no new blow hit, Byers was
confused. "Please, Sir, please, again..."

Doggett's voice was close when he replied. "We're gonna turn you
around now, Johnny. You're not ready to take too much of this at
once."

"Want more," Byers groaned.

Doggett's mouth took his, and they kissed hard. Doggett's hands
skimmed over Byers' stinging skin, but his hands -- it was fur,
Byers realized. His Master was soothing his burning skin with an
unimaginable softness. He was trembling as he groaned into
Doggett's kiss. His Master caressed him with the fur until Byers
lost track of everything but the softness on his flesh. The
contrast and combination of pain and pleasure left him
disoriented. In this state, Byers realized he'd been cast over
the edge and into the abyss and never even noticed. Though he
could hear and feel everything, he was connected to his body by
the thinnest of threads. He was in heaven.

Doggett moved one hand, fiddling with the restraints, then
Byers' hands were free. He broke the kiss, holding Byers' hands
together with one of his own. He released Byers' ankles and
turned him to face the door.

"Spread, Johnny." Byers held his hands and feet apart, leaning
his chest into the door. The cool wood was soothing on his
heated skin. He felt Doggett bind him again and back away.

Again he felt Doggett's mouth and teeth on him, his Master's
hands and the scratch of his nails. The flogger played across
his back, soft at first, then harder as Byers moaned and cried
out, begging for more. Doggett moved the sharp blows from his
back to the flesh of his ass, down to his thighs, and back up
again, giving Byers pain and pleasure in an intensity he had
only fantasized before.

"Please, more," he begged, his whole body burning with the
erotic rush. "Harder, Sir."

Several more blows fell, then Doggett stopped again. Byers
thought his Master had finished, but he wanted more. "Please,
Sir, please don't stop."

He felt Doggett's cool hand on his burning ass. "I'm not quite
done yet. You can take a little more here than on your chest.
I'm going to use the belt on you."

Byers slumped slightly, whimpering, "Yes, yes, yes..."

The next blow was harder and much more focused than the
flogger's strands, leaving a sharp line of fire across Byers'
ass.

"Ahhhhh!" Byers was so far gone now that he was flying. He never
wanted to go back. His body begged to live in this state of
burning ecstasy. Another blow flamed across his ass, then a
third and a fourth. "God, unh, more, oh god, please..."

"It's enough," Doggett whispered in his ear.

"No, please, oh god don't stop," Byers begged.

"You've had enough," Doggett said again, and the softness of the
fur returned, soothing the fire in his muscles. "I'm going to
take you now."

"Yes," Byers whimpered.

When Doggett released him from his bondage, ankles first, then
wrists, Byers slumped, unable to stand. Doggett caught him, then
carried him to the bed. His Master lay him down carefully. Byers
could feel him loosening the straps of the harness.

"No," Byers whined. "Not yet."

"If I loosen it, you'll be able to come when I fuck you. It'll
be intense," Doggett said. "It'll be the best thing you ever
felt. After that, I'll take it off you. Your body needs to rest
soon."

"More," Byers pleaded.

Doggett rolled Byers onto his stomach. There were slicked
fingers at Byers' ass, then the tip of Doggett's thick shaft
touching him. "Do you want me to fuck you?"

Byers groaned. "God, please, Sir."

"I bet you'd love to have Sergio watching this," Doggett said,
pushing slow and hard into Byers' body. "Watching me take you,
watching me claim you as mine."

"Ahhhhh! Yes, yes!" Byers shouted, "god, Sir, yes!" The thought
of Brentali watching Doggett do this to him -- tease him, beat
him, fuck him -- cracked Byers open, and he came, screaming. 

Doggett's rod kept pumping into him, slowly and mercilessly.
"You love it, don't you Johnny. You want to be my slut. You wish
you could have this all the time, don't you?"

"Ahh, ahhh, oh god, yes Master, god..." Byers gasped, still
coming, "fuck me Master, please!"

"Say it again," Doggett groaned, thrusting faster and harder.
"Say it!"

"Please Master, god, fuck me Master!"

"Yes," Doggett shouted, slamming into Byers. "You're mine,
Johnny, mine! Aaaaaah! Aaaah!" 

Byers could feel Doggett coming inside him, plowing into him
hard and fast, almost violent in his passion. They thrashed on
the bed together, crying out, Byers in ecstatic flight, Doggett
pumping him intensely in the throes of his own orgasm.

Finally, exhausted, Byers went limp. He was gasping hard, as
though he'd been running for hours. Doggett slowed, then lay
quiet on Byers' back, his chest heaving.

Sweaty, sore, and aching, but sated, Byers drifted. He was aware
of Doggett slipping slowly and carefully out of him, leaving his
ass sore. He was too exhausted to move as Doggett rolled him to
his back and removed the harness from his cock and balls, gently
massaging them to ease them.

Doggett left for a few minutes, and when he returned, he slipped
the blindfold from Byers' eyes. Byers sighed, then blinked,
letting the dim light in. Doggett's face was close in front of
his. His Master's eyes were soft and gentle. Leaning in, he
kissed Byers.

"Your service is over for the night," he whispered. "You are
your own man."

Byers nodded, still unable to speak from exhaustion.

Doggett cleaned him, then helped him into bed, pulling the
covers over him. "You were incredible," Doggett whispered. He
traced Byers' jaw with his fingertips, soft and slow. "You have
no idea how good you were."

A faint smile curved Byers' lips as he closed his eyes. He was
asleep before Doggett slid into bed with him.

~~end chapter 2 of 4~~