Disclaimer: All characters and events in this story are fictitious, and any similarity to a real person, living or dead is entirely coincidental and unintended by the author. "The Pretender" is a protected trademark and I’m just borrowing the characters. So, please don’t sue.
 

Release
by imagine

Though he felt the weight of several heavy blankets on top of him, Jarod could not seem to stop shivering. Rolling to his side, he hugged himself. Ignoring the soreness in his legs, he pulled his knees to his bare chest and burrowed deeper inside the coverings hoping for relief from the ice shards that seemed to slice through every inch of him. Though his eyes were closed, he was aware of the blazing fire in front of him and edged toward it in anticipation. He listened to the crackling of the logs, felt the dry heat caressing his face and smelled the heavy fumes of ash; but was disappointed as his body still refused to accept the warmth. Tightening the grip he had on his own flesh, Jarod murmured an almost inaudible plea for comfort and curled under the coverings.

A delicate breeze scraped his skin, followed by a dip in the mattress as another presence slid quietly beneath the quilts. Curious, Jarod began to roll to his back, only to be blocked by the warm, insistent touch of his companion’s arms as they wrapped around him, enveloping him without hesitation.  Too exhausted to question the form that angled beneath him and rubbed his limbs softly, he let himself be serenaded by whispered words of nonsense and reassurance. There was such strength and tenderness in the movements that Jarod relaxed, allowing the warm naked body to press against him.

He felt the hot whisper against his neck, the strong hands covering his, and the security that came with being one with another human being. It had been so long since he had felt such intimate sensations that Jarod moaned softly when the newcomer kissed him lightly on the side of his neck.

‘‘Ssshh,’‘ the voice murmured against his back, a tongue flicking over the cold flesh, ‘‘You’re safe, Jarod, it was just another nightmare. Go back to sleep.’‘

In the time it took Jarod to realize that the low voice was familiar, one hand released him and began a firm massage of his thick shoulder muscles. The caresses followed a trail of light, wet kisses that were being generously bestowed upon him, distracting the dark man’s weak attempts to identify his unseen partner. He arched into the slow, deliberate motions while the hand and lips moved to his back and neck, kneading his skin and muscles as if they were nothing but bread dough and inciting a tingling so intense that Jarod let out a breathless, guttural moan. The stroking continued, petting his damp hair with an open palm and gently sliding down the side of his face, a finger lightly tracing Jarod’s stubbled jaw before the hand finally came to rest in the hairs of his chest.

Simultaneously, the right arm snaked between his waist and the mattress, applying firm pressure to the tender muscles just above Jarod’s groin and urging him back. With little effort, he was drawn closer to the other person than he thought was possible, but, Jarod gratefully accepted the gift of body heat and the attention, grasping the hand resting on his heart in appreciation. He let the digits become intertwined, enjoying the soft circular motions the clasped hands made as they moved across down his center of his body.

‘‘Go back to sleep,’‘ the voice said again, the hot breeze of the words brushing lightly against his ear and cheek, ‘‘it’s all right.’‘Though he welcomed the comfort and yearned for the peace that sleep might bring him, the whispered tone was known to him, and Jarod began to open the heavy lids of his eyes. He shifted on the bed as something stiff and insistent formed against his backside, coaxing vague memories from the recesses of his mind. The body cradling him matched his movements, pulling at him until the bodies were again touching, refusing to allow him to break the physical connection. Not questioning the soft kiss that touched his spine, or the leg that rubbed against the top of his, Jarod’s eyes focused on the muscular forearm that dangled posessively around him. The embrace that held him was tight and insistent, the distantly familiar body swallowing his with little trouble or hesitation. Leaning his head against the chest of his caretaker, Jarod’s gaze slid slowly down the arm to the thumbless hand that was still cupped over his heart.

‘‘Lyle,’‘ he whispered, suddenly tensing against the pleasurable hold.

‘‘Ssssh,’‘ came the reply with a tender squeeze, ‘‘I’m right here, Jarod, I’m right here.’‘

Though he tried to fight it, tried to piece together how he had come to be in Lyle’s bed, Jarod was unable to do so. He was colder and more exhausted than he had ever been before; and, Lyle was promising him relief.  Silently, the Chairman’s son was promising the security and comfort Jarod craved and the pretender was incapable of resisting it. Telling himself he would make sense of everything later, Jarod let the heavy lids of his eyes close and snuggled against the man who held him. With little effort, he drifted back to sleep.

*********

An Hour Later:

Wrapped in one of the many quilts at his disposal, Lyle tossed another log into the fire and listened to it sizzle in time with the sleet that was bombarding the windows and roof. The blaze was hotter than he’d ever managed before, heating the large room quickly and giving them almost instant refuge from the storm; but, Lyle still wished the generator was operating. Adjusting the large pot above the flames, he was thankful that the black iron utensils hanging in the fireplace were functional as well as aesthetic; and, that he’d had the foresight to stock the pantry with canned goods and bottled water during his last visit. At least they wouldn’t starve.

He heard a soft moan and turned his attention from draping the wet clothing along the hearth as Jarod stirred under the coverings. His face was partially hidden but Lyle could still see that it was lacking any color and that the man was shivering uncontrollably again. Automatically, his mind recalled how Jarod had looked when he found him, and shuddered at how easily things could have been different.

The snow had been light when he started the trip from Blue Cove, and the forecast had not indicated any signs of trouble; but, when the flakes became heavier and turned to rain and then back to snow several times within a three hour span, Lyle had considered turning back. For some reason he could not explain, he had dismissed the idea almost immediately, and was now thankful he had.

The first sign he had that things were not right was about five miles from town. A snow-covered Jeep was stalled near a drainage ditch; and, from the amount of ice and snow encasing the vehicle, it was clear that it had been abandoned several hours. There were no foot prints leading away from the scene, which would be expected, considering the amount of snow and rain that had fallen, nor was there any sign of injury. Curious, he had gotten out to investigate, pulled open the frozen door and peered inside. The fuel indicator read 91empty’. Shaking his head in disgust, Lyle had gone on his way without a second thought.

About ten miles later, while crossing the wooden bridge that was the last landmark before his property, his eye caught a glimpse of a bright red object reflecting in the icy water. Again, his curiosity got the better of him, and, for the second time, Lyle unexpectedly exited his own vehicle. Trudging through the shallow water, he neared the snow drift that hid most of the item from view and slowly identified the colorful article as a jacket sleeve. A gloved hand poked through the end of the garment, extended with its palm toward the sky in what would have been an uncomfortable position had the body it was connected to been conscious.

The man was on his side, his face protected behind a rocky overhang that had iced over, and, from a distance, appeared to be nothing but a snow drift. Slightly annoyed that he now had an apparent dead body to deal with, Lyle rolled the corpse to its back. The sight of the pale, ice sheathed face startled the Chairman’s son to such an extent that he lost his balance a moment. Falling into the snow drift, he grabbed for the overhang to steady himself, his eyes frozen on the man that was laid out before him. Recovering as quickly as possible, he pulled his hand from its glove and checked the victim for a pulse.

Obviously exposed to the cruel winds, sub-zero temperatures, and precipitation for an extended period of time, Jarod’s breathing and pulse were so faint that they were almost non-existent. Lyle remembered hesitating for a split second, unsure of the best course of action. The town, and medical help, was at least fifteen miles away; which would easily translate to a drive in excess of two and a half hours. Yet, his lodge, and shelter from the storm, was only another two miles, and about half an hour, a way. Transferring the unconscious man to the back of his Expedition as gently as possible, Lyle provided CPR and covered him with everything he had available, including his own jacket, before continuing the journey. For the next mile and a half, he kept a closer watch on Jarod via the rear view mirror, than he did on the road in front of him.

Jarod moaned again, more urgently than before, and curled into himself as Lyle circled to the far side of the mattress. Slipping the blanket from his shoulders and draping it over the others covering his patient, he glanced around the room. Mentally taking inventory of the items he’d brought with him, and those that were stored in the house, he hoped to find something more to help ease Jarod’s discomfort and realized that there was nothing. He had only planned on being at the cottage a day, to make sure things were in working order, so hadn’t even packed a complete change of clothes for himself. Resigning himself to keep the pretender as warm and dry as possible until he was strong enough to care for himself, Lyle slipped under the blankets.

Though he was prepared for the icy feeling of Jarod’s skin, having experienced it when he relieved the man of his clothing and, later, when they‘d shared his body heat, Lyle was stunned to find that Jarod did not seem to have warmed at all. Wrapping his arms tenderly around the tight trembling mass, he drew Jarod as close as he could and was gratified when the man backed into him, searching for warmth.

*********

Four Hours Later:

Still cradled in the other man’s arms when he woke, Jarod turned to face the crisp blue eyes, sparkling with firelight. It hadn’t been a dream. The smile that met him was paradoxically dangerous and comforting, causing him to inhale sharply as his muscles tensed. It was excitement that mingled with Jarod’s confusion and fear, paralyzing him as Lyle ran a soft hand down the side of his face. Though he was still shivering, Jarod was no longer aware of it.

‘‘Well, hello, Sleeping Beauty,’‘ Lyle grinned, resting his hand at the base of Jarod’s neck, ‘‘how are you feeling?’‘

‘‘Cold,’‘ he answered softly, rolling to his back, ‘‘Tired.’‘

Staying beneath the blankets, Lyle slid over Jarod’s body. Feeling the muscles below him tense, he smiled and kissed the older man lightly on the lips before exiting the bed at the side opposite from where he had entered. Once in front of the hearth, he rearranged the assortment of clothing that were drying in front of it, then reached into the small pot hanging above the flames. Ladling the hot liquid into a cup, Lyle turned and moved to the bed.

Blowing away the steam that rose from the mug, he watched Jarod’s face earnestly, drinking in the dark, chiseled features he had missed for so long. The brown eyes, though more alert than they had been, reflected such vulnerability that he wanted to do nothing but capture the man with his mouth and manipulate him until he begged for release. The thought of having Jarod all to himself, with no threat of anyone from the Centre finding them, was almost more than he could handle. His mind quickly inventoried the items that could be used to bring the older man to a helpless, sexual frenzy and felt his body begin to react.  Swallowing the urge, he licked his lips and averted his eyes temporarily, reminding himself of the man’s condition and that the things he was considering would surely cause Jarod to have a heart attack. There would be plenty of time, later, for them to act out the fantasies he had been living off of for the last four years, he decided with a grin.

Placing the cup on the floor, he slid his hands beneath Jarod’s shoulders and raised him high enough from the bedding to slip behind him. Drawing a blanket around his back and another across Jarod’s chest, he effectively protected them both from any chill that might invade their space and lowered the dark man to him. Keeping his voice smooth and Jarod tightly cocooned in the blankets until the man finally relaxed, Lyle let his hands roam the firm, defined body under the pretense of warming. When Jarod shifted, the younger man lifted the mug from the floor and coaxed the chapped, full lips apart, watching closely as his patient’s tongue ran hesitantly against the rim. When Jarod pushed a hand through an opening in the blankets, in an effort to feed himself, Lyle pulled the mug from his reach.

‘‘You’re shaking too much, Jarod,’‘ he warned, ‘‘I’d rather neither of us end up with burns on the most sensitive parts of our bodies, if that’s all right with you,’‘ he replaced the blanket that fell from Jarod’s chest and smiled, ‘‘The idea, here, is for you to conserve energy and keep warm. Let me help you, Jarod, let me do all the work,’‘ he brought the mug to Jarod’s lips again, but this time, the man turned away, ‘‘What’s wrong?’‘ he asked, annoyance slipping into his tone.

‘‘Too hot,’‘ he whispered, hoping the slurring of the words wasn’t noticeable.

‘‘All right,’‘ he said sighed, stroking Jarod’s face as he lowered him to the pillows and moved from the bed, ‘‘I’ll be right back.’‘

His eyes wandered from Lyle’s tight, retreating figure around the large room, investigating as much as possible from his place in bed. The fireplace offered the only light, and, as far as Jarod could tell, the only heat; but, he was obviously not in Lyle’s bedroom. Though he was sprawled on a full size mattress, located an acceptable distance from the flames, the room held a leather recliner, sofa and loveseat as well as end tables and a desk. The windows were still shuttered, but it was obvious that the room was designed to be dark. Heavy, grey paneling, rust colored wood floors, grey stone fireplace, blood red lamp shades and mahogany trimmed furniture were all around, suffocating any light, other than from the hearth, that dared to enter.

His clothes were draped along the edge of the fireplace, and, his hiking boots were placed neatly beside them. The nylon backpack he’d carried was laying on the floor on the far side of the mattress.

A breeze of cold air, and the soft clifk of a lock engaging, interrupted Jarod’s mental tour of the room, diverting his attention toward to the spot where Lyle had disappeared. Swallowing his anxiousness, he searched the area for Lyle’s reappearance, then tried to sit up, hoping for a better view. As soon as his head was lifted more than a few inches, the room began to spin wildly.

‘‘Lyle?’‘ he called hoarsely, closing his eyes and leaning back to the mattress.

‘‘It’s all right, Jarod, I’m right here,’‘ he answered, stepping under the archway, ‘‘What’s wrong?’‘

Commanding himself to regulate his breathing as the room came to a halt, Jarod shook his head, ‘‘Nothing. Where were you?’‘

‘‘I was adding fresh snow to your soup,’‘ he said, noting Jarod’s heavy concentration, ‘‘It’s still hot enough to warm you, but should now be cool enough to drink. Are you all right?’‘

‘‘You went outside? Naked?’‘ he asked, ignoring the question.

‘‘No, of course not,’‘ he sat beside Jarod and ran a swift hand over the bruised forehead, ‘‘my jacket and boots are by the door,’‘ placing the mug on the floor he leaned closer when his patient shot him a disapproving glance, ‘‘I was only on the porch a second, Jarod, and there’s no danger of anyone seeing me because there isn’t another house for miles.‘‘

Removing his hand with only slight satisfaction, he slid into position behind Jarod and quickly draped them both with blankets. Spotting the nylon bag at the side of the bed, a direct obstacle to where he had left the mug, he grabbed it by the zipper and tossed it on to the leather recliner.

‘‘You’re cold,’‘ he murmured, placing his hands over Lyle’s.

‘‘I don’t think you’re one to talk,’‘ came the concerned reply, ‘‘You must have been out there for hours,’‘ he slipped his legs over Jarod‘s, effectively pinning the man in place, then wrapped his arms around the man’s abdomen and moved into him.

Concentrating on his own movements, Jarod laid one arm over the embrace and let the other lightly follow the familiar firm muscles of Lyle’s thigh to the man’s crotch. Fingering the organ that was hardening against him, he spoke in a deep voice as he felt Lyle’s teeth and tongue nip at his ear, ‘‘I’m glad you didn’t encounter any squirrels, while you were outside.’‘

Lyle leaned forward, resting his head on Jarod’s shoulder and peered at the pretender questioningly, ‘‘What?’‘

‘‘You’ve always had such impressive nuts,’‘ he explained in a heavy voice, stroking the member, ‘‘I wouldn’t want you to be attacked.’‘

Enjoying the feel of the cool, intimate touch on his genitals, Lyle took a deep breath before answering, ‘‘Glad you like 91em, because, everything here,’‘ he motioned around the room with his head, and ran his hands down the man’s chest, ‘‘is now reserved for our private enjoyment, Jarod. From soup to nuts.’‘

Though a knowing smile graced Jarod’s face, he gave the man a squeeze and drew his hand to the man’s knee, ‘‘Something to look forward to,’‘ he said disappointedly, allowing his words to slur, ‘‘but I can’t . .‘‘

‘‘Jarod,’‘ Lyle answered tenderly, bringing his mouth beside Jarod’s ear, ‘‘just having you with me is enough for now. But your temperature was barely 95 degrees an hour ago, we have to get you warmed. Here, drink some of the soup.’‘

A knot formed in his stomach as he considered how Lyle would know what his temperature was, considering he’d been unconscious. Gripping the edges of the blanket tightly, he pulled the tight body against his and sipped at the hot liquid, becoming more and more undecided about the situation.

Pretend, he told himself, you have to pretend things are the way they used to be.

After swallowing about half of what was offered to him, Jarod refused any more and loosened his grasp on the quilt. It wasn’t that his appetite had been satisfied, because it hadn’t; it was Lyle’s steady gaze that stopped Jarod’s feeding. The heavy eyes, and the sight of the younger man licking his lips when the warm soup dribbled from his lips and down his chin, made Jarod pause. He knew what Lyle believed, and what was expected now that they were together, but, at that moment Jarod was unsure of all his feelings, including guilt.

Inspecting the mug, Lyle praised his patient while easily lowering Jarod to the pillows and snuggling beside him. After the multitude of quilts and afghans were pulled to just below Jarod’s chin, Lyle slid an arm beneath the man’s shoulders and drew the motionless man into his breast.

‘‘Lyle . .?’‘ Jarod’s voice cracked in unison with the fire.

‘‘Sssh,’‘ he whispered, ‘‘Sleep.’‘

‘‘How did I get here?’‘ he asked drowsily, ‘‘What happened to me?’‘

Shifting on the bed so that Jarod’s back and head were partially on his chest, Lyle answered quietly, ‘‘I was hoping you could tell me. I found you unconscious and half frozen beside the stream. I could barely find a pulse and had to do CPR twice, once in the car and once when I got you in the house,’‘ he ran a possessive hand along the side of the pretender’s face, ‘‘I was afraid I was going to lose you.’‘

Jarod closed his eyes briefly, at the words of concern.

‘‘Your jeep was on the side of the road about ten miles from where I found you,’‘ Lyle prodded, ‘‘Why didn’t you head back toward town when you ran out of gas? It was closer.’‘

‘‘I don’t know,’‘ he lied.

They stared at the root of the fire, each mesmerized by the popping and crackling of the kindling. The silence lasted so long that, had it not been for the fluttering of Jarod’s eyelids, Lyle would have sworn he had fallen asleep.

When Jarod spoke, his voice was soft and raspy, ‘‘After everything we’ve done to each other, you could have left me . .’‘

‘‘No, I couldn’t,’‘ he interrupted, pulling the man closer, ‘‘I could never let you die.’‘

He swallowed, ‘‘Are you going to take me back?’‘

‘‘Not while you’re like this,’‘ Lyle assured him, ‘‘You’d be too vulnerable to Raines.’‘

Shifting his weight against his protector, Jarod brought the man’s hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, ‘‘Thank you.’‘

Lyle let the hand fall away from Jarod’s face, resting it over the vibration he felt from the man’s heart, ‘‘You’re safe now, Jarod, I’ll keep you warm,’‘ he said softly, ‘‘All that matters now is that we’re together,’‘ he kissed Jarod’s neck, ‘‘You’re where you belong, you’re with me.’‘

Jarod closed his eyes and nestled himself into a more secure position against the other man. The reunion was not planned and, he was sure that it would have disastrous consequences when Lyle found out the truth; but, Jarod refused to ponder any of it.
 

‘‘That’s it,’‘ Lyle murmured, when Jarod turned toward him and wrapped an arm across his waist, ‘‘go to sleep. I’m not going anywhere.’‘

*********

An Hour Later:

Watching the steady rise and fall of Lyle’s chest carefully, Jarod slipped from his embrace and pulled a blanket around his shoulders. Slipping a pillow vertically beside Lyle’s body, he smiled when the man drew it into an embrace and buried his face in the covers. His equilibrium still shaky, Jarod grabbed the mantle for support and felt the fabric of his clothing that was still draped along the ledge. Deciding they were still too wet to be useful, he sighed and pulled the blanket tighter around his body.
 

His eyes darted toward Lyle as he took a few steps toward the doorway, then stopped. Turning back to the fireplace, he pulled a hurricane lamp from the ledge and lit the candle carefully in the hearth. Then, moving carefully around the mattress and sofa, he headed into the dark hall.

To his right was the outside door, sufficiently latched with a dead bolt and chain. The small window at eye level revealed nothing but more darkness, and Jarod couldn’t help but wonder what time it was. Or, for that fact, what day it was.

To his left was the staircase. Holding the lantern in front of him, he climbed the thirteen steps slowly, stopping half way to catch his breath.  It annoyed him that he was so exhausted, but the thought that Lyle might catch him in the act urged him on. Taking a few deep breaths, he followed the short hallway at the top of the steps to the first door. It opened easily and, thankfully, without a sound. However, the room was empty.  As he pulled the portal shut, he noticed an iron slide lock and deadbolt on the outside of the door.

‘‘What, exactly, are your plans for this room, Lyle?’‘ he whispered.

The next room was obviously Lyle’s bedroom. Decorated with black lacquer furniture and oriental carpeting, it was light and, yet, rigid in design. He noted that there was no blanket on the bed and realized that it was currently draped around his naked body. Pulling it closer for reassurance, he slipped into the chamber and moved directly to the gold trimmed dresser.

Opening the top drawer, he stopped abruptly and glanced at the door before sliding his hand inside. Expecting to find clothing of some type, he was startled to find the compartment filled with framed photos of various sizes. Each snapshot was face down and stacked neatly against the walls of the drawer. Curious, he turned the top frame to face him and found an image of himself staring back. Obviously cut from a DSA that was recorded shortly before his escape, the photo showed him in the Centre gym, sweat streaming down his face, his T-shirt clinging to him as he pulled himself above the chin-up bar. A second photo showed him at a much younger age, sleeping peacefully in his room. Replacing the items with a new found uneasiness, he reached for a smaller photo and felt his heart lunge into his throat. Again, it was his face that stared back, but this time it was one of the Polaroid’s that Lyle had taken of him at Red Rock. His hands were tied cruelly behind his neck and his face was turned away from the camera, a small cut noticeable above his eye. Absently, his hand moved to where the injury had been before putting the photo back where he had found it. Closing the drawer, Jarod opened the one beneath it, not wanting to know if he was the subject of any other photos.

It took ten more minutes before he found what he was looking for in the bottom drawer. Stuffed between contracts and tax documents, Jarod pulled at the envelope with a shaky hand. Carefully, he peeled back the unsealed flap and exposed the parchment to the frigid room air. Satisfied with the document’s authenticity, he returned the item to its sheathing and folded it against the inside of the blanket as he started out of the room.

He could feel the heat from the fire place as soon as he stepped from the bottom stair, and welcomed the glow. His eyes trained on Lyle’s still form, Jarod made his way to the recliner and pushed the folded envelope deep inside the nylon back pack. As he secured the zipper, Jarod noticed his hands were shaking again. The short trip to the unheated second floor had taken more out of him than he had expected.

Keeping the blanket around him until he was sitting on the mattress, Jarod slid beside Lyle and pulled the warm body close. The man stirred, smiled slightly and wrapped his arms around Jarod lovingly.

‘‘You’re shaking,’‘ he whispered, not opening his eyes, ‘‘Where were you? I was beginning to get worried.’‘

Jarod kissed him lightly on the lips, in an effort to distract the man from his questioning.

‘‘Watching the snow fall,’‘ he lied.

Lyle pulled his head back and looked suspiciously at the man in his arms, ‘‘Watching the snow fall?’‘

He nodded and motioned to the hall way, ‘‘The entire time I was in the Centre, I only saw it snow once,’‘ he explained smoothly, his fingers dancing lightly over Lyle’s chest, ‘‘so, now, I watch it every chance I get. It helps me relax.’‘

Rubbing his hands along Jarods back, Lyle answered, ‘‘You could have opened the shutters, you know,’‘ he smiled, nodding toward the windows on the far side of the room, ‘‘at least you would have been warmer.’‘

‘‘I didn’t want to wake you,’‘ Jarod ran his fingers along Lyle’s lips, and added softly, ‘‘but, now that I have, what are you going to do to warm me up?’‘

Lyle grinned at the question, running his mouth over the thick fingers as he slid on top of the dark man, ‘‘My absolute best.’‘

The kisses were light and playful at first, Lyle’s tongue flicking inside Jarod’s mouth and then slowly down his chin and throat. The moaned responses urged him lower, hands on his shoulders pushing at him, massaging him as he moved. Slipping one hand between Jarod’s legs, he looked
up at the face of the other man and grinned when the dark eyes met his.

‘‘Remember, Jarod,’‘ he said, ‘‘let me do all the work.’‘

Pressing his lips to Jarod’s again, this time more insistent, his hand lightly stroked the inside of the muscular thigh. Arching slightly, Jarod bent both his legs at the knees and slid his arms to Lyle’s waist. The pretender gripped his companion’s skin tightly, then released it, moving lower until finally laying his hands on the man’s buttox, his fingers sliding easily into the crevice. The muscles tensed and relaxed as Jarod began probing the area; but, Lyle shifted, seizing Jarod’s mouth again with such force and urgency that the pretender replied in kind. While their lips, teeth and tongues interacted wildly, Lyle slid his hands to Jarod’s, pulled them from their probing and pinned them to the bed.

Hovering over the restrained man a moment, Lyle caught his breath and watched the dark eyes beneath him soften and then fire again with passion. Lowering his face again, he moved lower on Jarod’s body, his lips wrapping themselves around one nipple and then the next as his tongue danced over the stiffening nubs. Excited by the stifled cry his torture produced, Lyle suckled lightly on the breasts before continuing his rediscovery of the man beneath him. Moving at a deliberately slow pace, he tasted the tight torso, letting his mouth gently massage the cracked and abused skin and whispering his intentions breathlessly at every opportunity. Soon, he was pressing on the growing organ with the weight of his own swelling member and enticing urgent pleas for release from the pretender.

Gripping the side of the mattress tightly after his arms had been freed, Jarod gasped desperately and arched into Lyle’s body as the younger man‘s hands caressed his flanks, moving inward and lightly investigating the mound of dark, curly hair with a touch that seemed to awaken and taunt every nerve in his body. He heard himself cry out when the warm mouth enveloped him, panting and bucking as the tongue played along his shaft and sucked lightly on the tip. Long fingers danced and probed inside of him, pushing Jarod’s control to its limit. When he could stand it no more, he let out a guttural cry, pushed himself deeper into the man’s throat and fulfilled himself with a shudder.

Lyle pulled Jarod’s yielding legs over his shoulders and slid inside the man, finding a guilty pleasure in the fact that the pretender was too spent to resist. Using his own precum for a lubricant, he rocked into the stretched opening with an urgency all his own, expanding it more with each motion. Grabbing Jarod’s hands, and gripping them tightly as he forced himself deeper into the man, he ignored the pretender’s cries and emptied himself with an equally liquid roar before finally collapsing forward.

There was a moment when the room echoed with nothing but their heavy breathing, then Lyle’s lips caressed Jarod’s again, allowing the Pretender a hint of what he tasted like. Sinking beside the man and holding the drained body against his, Lyle stroked the dark hair lovingly as their breaths regulated and the pounding of their heart beats subsided. Not moving from the embrace, Jarod ran a gentle finger down the side of Lyle’s face and neck, following a thin trail of sweat over the curves and edges until it disappeared in the hair that spread along the massive chest. Sliding his hand over the muscles until it was tucked below Lyle’s arm, Jarod let out a soft sigh of contentment and closed his eyes, nodding slightly when Lyle told him to sleep.

*********

Three Hours Later:

He woke up in bed alone. Drawing his hand back to his side of the mattress, and away from the cold sheets, he pulled the blankets tighter and moved to his back, whispering his lover’s name. He couldn’t recall Lyle ever being so gentle with him, so loving, and, now that he had recovered from the intimacy, Jarod wanted nothing more than to reciprocate.

Opening his eyes, he found the Lyle sitting across from him in the recliner. Dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, the younger man was holding the nylon back pack in his lap and a scowl of anger on his face. Jarod felt his heart skip a beat as they made eye contact.

‘‘What are you doing all the way over there?’‘ he asked as playfully as possible, ‘‘Take off your clothes and come back to bed.’‘

‘‘Stop it.’‘

He sat up, supporting his weight on his elbows and shot the man his best confused look, ‘‘Stop what? What’s wrong, Lyle?’‘

‘‘You didn’t come here for me, did you? You didn’t even expect me to be here’‘ he growled. Before Jarod could respond, Lyle stood and threw the bag at him, hitting the man in the arm, ‘‘Have I always been such an idiot? I saw you come back into the room, Jarod. But I wanted to believe you when you told me you were watching the snow. I wanted to believe things were different.’‘

Though the pretender flinched in surprise, he kept his eyes focused on the approaching Lyle and pulled himself to his feet.

As soon as Jarod was standing, Lyle slapped him across the face with the back of a closed hand, propelling him back onto the mattress, ‘‘You may as well admit it,’‘ he continued, staring down at him, ‘‘You came here to find this and leave before I ever knew you were here,’‘ he produced the envelope from the back of his jeans, ‘‘What happened, Jarod? The Genius didn’t plan on a freak storm? Didn’t plan on me being at my own lodge? Didn’t plan on running out of gas?’‘ he spat, ‘‘Well, you should have known what to do to prevent hypothermia, so maybe you’re not as bright as I thought. Or maybe you’re just a bit too vengeful for your own good. Which is it, Jarod?’‘ he taunted, ‘‘Was the thought of hurting me again so powerful that you lost all common sense?’‘

Still stinging from the blow, Jarod placed a protective hand over his cheek and glared up at the man, ‘‘And, this surprises you? he demanded in a harsh tone, ‘‘After everything you’ve done to me . .’‘

‘‘Everything I’ve done to you? If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead.’‘

‘‘And, if it weren’t for you, my brother would be alive.’‘

‘‘You Son-of-a . .’‘ Lyle faced the fireplace, then pivoted back, ‘‘When are you going to stop blaming me for that?’‘ he demanded, ‘‘I told you before, I wasn’t aiming at him. He stepped in front of the damn bullet.’‘

‘‘So, it’s Kyle’s fault that he’s dead? He thought you were going to kill me, Lyle. He was trying to protect me.’‘

‘‘I would never kill you. You know that now, and you knew that then. That’s why you didn’t . .’‘ he let his voice trail off and shook his head, ‘‘Besides, your brother wasn’t exactly an angel. He enjoyed the things he did to me that night, Jarod, and you never tried to stop him.’‘

‘‘You kidnapped a pregnant woman and buried her alive! We needed to know where she was, and you weren’t talking. Besides, after the little experiment you let Raines run on me, you have no right to whine about what Kyle may or may not have done to you.’‘

Lyle grabbed the empty mug from the floor and flung it across the room, satisfied with the startled reaction it exacted from Jarod. Pacing wildly in front of the fire, his eyes trained on the dark man, he continued in a rough voice, ‘‘I told you I was doing that for us. Why won’t you just believe me?’‘

‘‘Us? Letting him kill me was supposed to be beneficial to our relationship?’‘ Jarod shot back, between coughs, keeping an apprehensive gaze on the younger man’s agitation, ‘‘Tell me, Lyle, what the hell is wrong with that picture?’‘

‘‘He didn’t kill you, did he? Why can’t you understand that I would never have let anything happen to you. I knew exactly what the risks were. All Raines wanted . .’‘

‘‘All Raines wanted was to use me as a guinea pig while Sydney was gone,‘‘ Jarod finished in a cracked voice, ‘‘and you let him,’‘ Jarod wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and slid from the bed to the sofa, ‘‘You let him!’‘

‘‘It’s called networking,’‘ Lyle retorted, ‘‘You know, I-wash-your-back-you-wash-mine.’‘

‘‘I don’t want to know about the backs you’ve washed,’‘ Jarod responded disgustedly, ‘‘especially if any of them belonged to Raines.’‘

‘‘Stop it. You are not this dense, Jarod. You must see ..’‘

‘‘All I see is a man I thought I used to look forward to visiting with.  A man who offered me comfort in return for trust. A man who promised he would help me escape,’‘ the edge in Jarod’s voice faltered only briefly, swallowing the cough that was threatening to erupt, ‘‘The problem was that the man I was dealing with was, and is, a compulsive liar.’‘

‘‘I meant everything I ever told you,’‘ Lyle said, moving in front of him and softening his voice in like, ‘‘I never meant for you to be hurt .’‘

‘‘What did you think would happen when you hung me by my wrists and used a car battery and jumper cables on my body? Was that supposed to be some kind of foreplay? Because, I have to tell you, I wasn’t all that crazy about it, Lyle.’‘

‘‘I only did that when Sam was present,’‘ he said, slowly sliding his arm around Jarod’s shoulder, ‘‘I needed something to show the Triumvirate that you were being punished, and I had to make it look real. You weren’t exactly cooperative.’‘

‘‘Imagine that.’‘

‘‘Damn it, Jarod,’‘ he pulled angrily away and moved to the fireplace, ‘‘I don’t enjoy hurting you, you know. Everything I do is for your own good,’‘ his back to the flames, he faced Jarod again, ‘‘Why can’t you see that all I want to do is take care of you? I’ve apologized for Kyle a million times, what more do you want? I did not mean to kill him.’‘

‘‘What about Emily? She almost died because you threw her out a window,‘‘ Jarod argued, wishing Lyle would step away from the glare of the fire so he could read the expressions on his face.

‘‘That was an accident,’‘ he said, ‘‘She fell.’‘

‘‘You sure seem to have a lot of accidents that only affect people I care about, don’t you? Was kidnapping Zoey an accident, too?’‘ he pressed, his tone and eyes becoming harder with each word.

‘‘That was Cox’s doing.’‘

‘‘Right,’‘ he spat, ‘‘Face it. You don’t care about anyone except yourself, Mr. Lyle, you’re amoral, diseased and sadistic. Just like your father .. both of them.’‘

Stiffening at the words, Lyle stepped over the mattress and grabbed Jarod by the hair. Before he could react, the pretender was pulled to the bedding, his head forced over the edge of the mattress, his arms angled, outstretched and pinned cruelly to the wooden floor. While their faces were within an inch of each other, Lyle spoke in a slow, hot voice, his breath dusting Jarod’s cheek, ‘‘You have no right to say anything like that to me. I tried to protect you. It was you, Jarod, you who betrayed me time and time again.’‘

His breathing suddenly labored, Jarod narrowed his eyes at his aggressor, ‘‘You’re insane, Lyle. You always have been.’‘

A thin smile grew across the light man’s face as he increased his pressure on Jarod’s body, ‘‘Is that so? Well, you’re mine, Jarod. You always have been.’‘

When Jarod opened his mouth to protest, Lyle muffled him angrily with his own lips. His tongue pushed deeper and deeper into the man’s airway, relishing the bucking beneath him and the moaned protests that weren’t able to find a voice. Knowing the stiff fabric of his jeans was irritating the bruised and cracked skin of his victim, Lyle rubbed himself against the bare body as he tortured the man’s mouth. The more Jarod struggled, the harder he pressed, until, finally, in one motion, Lyle released Jarod and pushed him from the mattress.

Rolling to his side, and drawing his knees closer to his body, Jarod covered his mouth with his hand and began coughing, but Lyle ignored it, ‘‘You’re pathetic,’‘ he announced, ‘‘Calling me insane after all you’ve done is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. In case you’ve forgotten, Dear Jarod, let me list some of your sins,’‘ he stepped behind the pretender and grabbed him by the hair, ‘‘Your betrayal cost me my thumb, remember? You held a gun on me, letting me believe you were going to kill me in the Appalachians, and refusing to believe my motives for *saving* Sydney’s son,’‘ when the coughing continued, he released the man angrily and stepped to the side, ‘‘You kidnapped my wife, manufactured her 91death’ and let my family believe I was responsible,’‘ he turned toward the still convulsing man, ‘‘Do you think that’s the mind of a stable person, Jarod? Hmmm?’‘

‘‘My mind is the product of the Centre,’‘ he shot back, his eyes tearing from the jagged spasms, ‘‘What did you expect?’‘ taking another deep breath, he waited until the coughing stopped, then glared at the man, ‘‘Besides, I never kidnapped your wife. She left you because she was afraid.’‘

‘‘She was afraid because of things you told her. You and that innocent face, that tortured voice,’‘ he clarified, ‘‘It was bad enough you helped her disappear,’‘ he accused, ‘‘but then you had to make it look like I killed her, didn’t you? And, why? Because you couldn’t allow me to be happy with someone else,’‘ he waited until Jarod shot him a look of protest, then, continued, ‘‘You locked me in a transport container with Parker, leaving not so subtle insinuations about my past. Now, not only does she believe I killed two women in college; but, you’ve got my sister wondering if I’m a damn cannibal,’‘ his voice was almost pleading, ‘‘When are your games going to stop, Jarod?’‘

He answered with another cough.

Turning away from the naked man, Lyle tossed the envelope into the fire and watched as it was turned to ash. Then, taking a bottle of water from the mantle, he turned and held it out to Jarod, who accepted it without a second thought. While he swallowed the contents eagerly, Lyle moved to the recliner and watched him devour the liquid.

‘‘How did you find out about April?’‘

Wiping his face with the back of his hand, Jarod took a breath and looked up, ‘‘Nothing you do is a secret to me.’‘

Lyle shot the pretender a pitying look and turned away, ‘‘So, you were going to wreck another of my marriages, is that it? Why?’‘ he rubbed his face, ‘‘I don’t understand. You left the Centre. You left me. Why won’t you let me get on with my life?’‘

Jarod laughed softly and moved slowly to the sofa, ‘‘Why should I? You and your family want nothing more than to take me back and lock me away.  Why shouldn’t I try to destroy at least one of you before you can?’‘

Lyle responded with a sad shake of his head.

‘‘So, what happens now?’‘

Lyle glared at him.

‘‘Are you going to take me back to the Centre?’‘

‘‘Why shouldn’t I?’‘ he looked away, sadly, ‘‘Whether you’re in the Centre or on the outside, you blame me for everything bad that happens,‘‘ he made eye contact, and leaned forward, ‘‘At least at the Centre, I can keep an eye on you.’‘

Bringing the water to his mouth, he stopped abruptly, ‘‘An eye, huh? Seems to me you kept a lot more on me, and in me, than that. Whether I wanted you to, or not.’‘

‘‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’‘ he threatened.

‘‘You’re a smart man. Figure it out.’‘

‘‘Oh, so now I raped you?’‘ he stood and moved angrily from the chair, stopping in front of the sofa. Grabbing Jarod by the hair, he leaned over him and pushed the dark man against the back. He saw the flash of fear in the dark eyes and yanked the man even further, ‘‘Is that what you’re saying? I raped you?’‘

Jarod swallowed hard, ‘‘I never said that.’‘‘‘No, but you will,’‘ he answered, releasing the man with an angry push, ‘‘You’ll tell Sydney, Parker, April, anyone who’ll listen, once I bring you back,’‘ he continued, his eyes trained threateningly on Jarod’s movements, ‘‘And they’ll believe you because you’ll make them. You know exactly which buttons to push.’‘

Jarod responded with a hard, thin grin and turned toward the fire. A moment later, Lyle’s fist connected with Jarod’s jaw and effectively knocked the man out.

*********

An Hour Later:

‘‘Jarod, come on, wake up.’‘

He felt a light, but insistent slap on his face and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he realized was that he was cold again. As his eyes moved from the dark grin on Lyle’s face, he became aware that he was encased in a sleeping bag and his hands were tied behind his back. Jarod struggled a moment against the restraints, then defeatedly lowered his head back to the pillow he had been provided.

‘‘Where are you going?’‘ he asked, a little more urgently than he planned, noting Lyle was dressed in a parka, boots and scarf, ‘‘You wouldn’t leave me here, like this, would you?’‘

Lyle knelt beside the man and ran a soothing hand over his forehead before kissing the purplish bruise that had emerged, ‘‘Don’t worry, Love,’‘ he smiled, ‘‘You’ll be safe and warm.’‘

Jarod pulled again at the cloth that restrained his hands, glaring fiercely at the younger man, as he tucked a heavy blanket over around the top of the sleeping bag, ‘‘Lyle, there’s no heat in this room. Are you trying to undo what you did? Do you want me to freeze to death now?’‘

‘‘Maybe,’‘ he rocked the restrained man to the side, leaned over him and made sure the blanket he had laid down earlier hadn’t slipped from place.

‘‘Lyle . .’‘

‘‘Oh, stop your whining,’‘ he demanded, showing Jarod the additional strips of cloth he had at his disposal, ‘‘Or I’ll gag and blindfold you as well.’‘

His heart pounding, Jarod’s eyes darted around the empty room, looking for an escape he knew wasn’t available. When he looked back at Lyle, he was heading toward the door.

‘‘Lyle, don’t leave me here,’‘ he called, ‘‘Please.’‘

Turning to face the man, he leaned against the door jam and smiled, ‘‘Don’t worry so much, Jarod, you’ll be perfectly warm if you just lay still. I’ll be back after I make a phone call in town,’‘ he held up his cell phone with one hand and put the other on the door knob, ‘‘Damn thing doesn’t work out here.’‘

Jarod opened his mouth to call after the man again, but was interrupted by the sound of the locks engaging on the outside. Pushing himself further into the heavy sleeping bag, he listened quietly until he heard the motor of Lyle’s vehicle fade in the distance. He was alone. Again.

*********

Two Hours Later:

Retrieving the metal canister from the back of the snowmobile, Lyle trudged through the crusty snow and stopped at the rear of the Jeep. Forcing open the cover to the gas tank, he emptied the contents of the can into the vehicle and moved to the driver’s seat. As he expected, the SUV started after the third attempt.

Leaving the snowmobile where the Jeep had once been parked, Lyle headed back toward the lodge with a grin. By the time he got back, Jarod would probably be more confused and frightened than ever. Too bad he wasn’t done with the man yet.

*********

‘‘You’ve been back a long time,’‘ Jarod accused, ‘‘How could you leave me here?’‘

‘‘Believe it or not,’‘ Lyle answered, sliding the blanket from the sleeping bag, ‘‘it wasn’t that difficult. Now, before I let you out, we need to set a couple of rules.’‘

‘‘Rules?’‘

He ran a soft hand along the side of Jarod’s face, ‘‘It’s not that I don’t trust you, Jarod, but, I don’t,’‘ the hand wrapped itself around the prone man’s neck and pressed down slightly, ‘‘If you make, even the slightest of moves to escape, I’ll make sure the first thing Willie sees when he arrives is you, au naturale, bound, gagged and blindfolded in a position that even he won’t be able to resist taking advantage of in some way. Do I make myself clear?’‘

Jarod nodded, but pulled against the restaints anyway.

‘‘Good,’‘ he smiled, slipping his hand into the bag and taking hold of Jarod’s arm, ‘‘now, let’s get you clean and warm,’‘ he smiled, ‘‘it might be your last chance to bathe as a free man.’‘

The air was colder than he expected, goosebumps forming immediately along his body. Automatically, he stepped back from the wood floor to the pile of blankets he had been nestled under moments before, hoping to grant some relief to his bare feet. His eyes, though locked onto Lyle’s cold stare, suddenly unsure about what was in store for him.

‘‘Don’t look so frightened,’‘ he laughed, ‘‘water only melts sugar and you, my dear, are far from sweet. Unless of course, you would rather

not have a bath.’‘

‘‘A bath?’‘

He nodded, ‘‘I’ve been boiling water now for,’‘ he glanced at his watch when he felt Jarod tense at the word 91boiling’, ‘‘almost two hours with nothing but your comfort in mind. The bathroom is nice and cozy,’‘ he circled Jarod seductively, running his fingers between the cheeks of the man’s behind and then along his groin, ‘‘I told you before that everything here is for your enjoyment,’‘ he grinned, sliding the fingers of one hand between the man’s buttocks and the other against his genitals, fondling and squeezing everything within his grasp, ‘‘but, since you’ve decided I’m a liar, I don’t want to disappoint. The enjoyment will be purely mine.’‘

Jarod found himself relieved when Lyle slipped one hand to his arm and the other to his abdomen and allowed Lyle to guide him to the small room across the hall. Steam rose from the large bathtub, and, though he hesitated at first, Jarod found the water was not as scalding as he expected. He watched Lyle closely as the man removed his shirt and knelt beside the enamel fixture.

‘‘What about these?’‘ he asked, lifting his arms still bound behind him.

‘‘What about them?’‘ Lyle dared, sponging the man’s chest gently, ‘‘You don’t really expect me to remove them, do you?’‘

‘‘Well, it would be nice.’‘

Dipping his hand below the surface of the water, Lyle took hold of Jarod’s member, ‘‘And, why exactly should I be nice?’‘

Jarod shifted at the touch, biting back the small gasp that the fingers produced, and stared silently at Lyle. The blue eyes that met him were hard and determined, drinking in the emotions flashing across Jarod’s face as the fingers probed everything they brushed against.
 

While the left, thumbless hand, continued its underwater exploration, Lyle’s right hand rubbed a soapy washcloth down the pretender’s back and arms. He could feel the pounding of Jarod’s chest and watched as the man’s breathing became more and more eratic. Suddenly, he leaned over the edge of the tub, grabbed the back of Jarod’s neck and pressed his mouth against his captive’s harshly, hoping to bruise the sore, weather beaten lips until they bled. The movement sufficiently startled Jarod and Lyle, wanting to keep the man off balance, pushed him against the wall of the tub. Then, holding the man by the hair and pinning him back, lowered his face to Jarod’s chest. Water lapped over the taut abdomen and pectoral muscles as Jarod struggled for control, but Lyle held him in firmly in place. Licking at the salty moisture, sucking on one nipple then the next, gently bringing each to firmness, while his hands kept Jarod pinned against the fixture. Slowly, he felt the rippling of relaxing muscles under his fingers as one hand slid down the long body and buried itself in the mass of course hair. His mouth, still toying with the copper nubs, became more insistent until the playful nips became a firm and angry bite causing Jarod to let out a scream.

‘‘When I’m done with you,’‘ he warned, his hands still gripping opposite ends of the man’s body, ‘‘You’re going to be sorry you ever thought to betray me,’‘ he met the man’s soulful gaze and shook his head, ‘‘Things could have been so different, Jarod. We could have been happy. This is all your fault.’‘

Before Jarod could respond, Lyle covered him again, pushing his tongue deep inside the accepting mouth, forcing his victim’s head against the edge of the enamel rim and gripping the unresponsive member. Only when Jarod began to twist in pain, did Lyle finally pull away. Standing, he caught his own breath, then reached a hand around the older man’s arm, ‘‘Stand up,’‘ he commanded.

Jarod complied wordlessly, knowing anything he tried to say at the moment would come out as a breathless squeak. Lyle pulled him from the tub and turned him, so they weren’t facing. Slowly running his hands down the wet form, he relished the trembling that had begun again and leaned into the man. Letting his tongue and lips slide across Jarod’s back, he reached behind him and pulled a towel from counter. With one hand, he pushed the cloth between his captive’s legs, forcing the limbs to separate.

‘‘Lean forward,’‘ he whispered, sliding his hand across the man’s waist for support, ‘‘Good boy.’‘

‘‘Lyle . .’‘

‘‘Say another word and I gag you,’‘ he warned.

Jarod gasped as Lyle pushed the towel between his cheeks, sliding the length of the cloth roughly through the crevice before violently inserting a finger into the tight muscle. The pressure that was applied was unrelenting and bordered on vicious, but despite the volence, Jarod heard himself moan softly as his body began to respond. The strips of cloth that held his wrists together were stripped from his skin and Jarod immediately lowered his head, grabbing the bar on the wall in front of him for support. Lyle’s tongue and lips made their way down his spine, his finger withdrew from the cavity and his hands separated Jarod’s buttocks as far as the man’s body would allow. Spreading his legs, the pretender waited for the fingers to slide into him again, to expand the muscle he knew was still tight, in preparation for Lyle’s swelling organ.

Lyle leaned forward and rested his hand on Jarod’s hardening member, ‘‘It took me all this time to find out you like it rough. Amazing.’‘

He stroked it harshly until Jarod’s whispered pleading became more urgent. Smiling to himself, he moved his hands to the pretender’s shoulders tracing the well defined arms with his fingers before pulling the limbs away from the wall. Lowering the arms to the man’s groin, he positioned the pliable digits carefully before biting Jarod lightly on the neck and stepping away, leaving Jarod grasping his own member.

‘‘You may as well begin, you’re never getting it from me again,’‘ he whispered hotly, his fingers scratching the naked back.

Jarod turned slightly toward him, confusion and frustration merging in his eyes.

‘‘Painful, isn’t it?’‘ Lyle asked with a thin grin as he picked up his shirt.

Still breathing heavily, Jarod turned toward the door as Lyle tossed his folded clothes into the room, ‘‘Do whatever you have to do, then get dressed,’‘ he commanded, closing the door, ‘‘I’ll be downstairs.’‘

*********

An Hour Later:

Lyle was sipping at his hot chocolate when Jarod appeared in the doorway, pale and breathless. His eyes were lowered and his movements were slow and shaky, using the wall and furniture for support as he stepped across the room. Lyle could tell Jarod was shivering again and felt a tightness in his gut. Maybe he had gone overboard. Though his first instinct was to comfort the man, he refrained, reminding himself that Jarod was no longer any more than a Centre lab rat.

‘‘I’m impressed,’‘ he grinned, looking away, ‘‘I didn’t think it would take you that long. It never did before.’‘

Ignoring the man, Jarod moved slowly to the sofa and wrapped himself in a blanket.

‘‘I’m not going back without a fight,’‘ he said, hearing the absurdity of his statement echoing in his weak voice.

Lyle laughed and moved beside the man, ‘‘I really hope not. I’m looking forward to the next time we meet.’‘

He looked at Lyle soft, questioning eyes, ‘‘Next time?’‘

Sliding from the sofa he handed Jarod what was left of the hot chocolate and slipped into his parka, ‘‘There’s plenty of wood, food and water for you to last at least a week,’‘ he said calmly, ‘‘Try not to burn down the place, though, okay? April and I wanted to spend some time here in the Spring.’‘

‘‘You’re leaving me here?’‘ Jarod’s eyes darted around the room, expecting to see Willie or one of the other sweepers move from the shadow.

He nodded, ‘‘Think of it as a final gift.’‘

‘‘What?’‘

‘‘By coming back with the intent to betray me,’‘ Lyle explained, ‘‘you gave me closure. Without realizing it, I’ve been waiting for you for four years. Now I can stop. You released me, Jarod, now I’m going to do the same for you,’‘ he kept his eyes on the pretender, even though the man averted his, ‘‘No more games, Jarod. No more controlled jealousy because I find out about another Nia, Rachel or Zoey. No more.’‘

Jarod looked up and grinned, ‘‘You really think it’s going to be that easy?’‘

‘‘I never said it would be easy,’‘ he answered, calmly, ‘‘but, it will be done. Because, when I bring you back to the Centre, I don’t want to feel guilty for what happens to you.’‘

‘‘When you bring me back?’‘ Jarod countered, watching Lyle move toward the door, ‘‘Don’t you mean IF?’‘

Lyle glanced up the stairs, ‘‘Don’t bother going through any of the other rooms, you’ll only exhaust and frustrate yourself, and you need to rest. All my belongings are in my car,’‘ he reached for the door, aware that Jarod had stood and was moving toward the hall, ‘‘Your Jeep now has enough gas to get you back to town, but you might want to wait until you’re a little steadier on your feet,’‘ he said, lifting his own backpack over his shoulder, ‘‘And, for the record, Jarod,’‘ he faced him without a smile, ‘‘Now that we’re over, I will catch you.’‘

‘‘You can try.’‘

‘‘Have you ever known me not to succeed at something I really wanted?’‘ he pressed.

‘‘So, you do *want* me, afterall.’‘

‘‘In a cage,’‘ Lyle clarified, ignoring the crooked eyebrow of the other man, ‘‘and as far away from my wife, and real life, as possible.’‘

‘‘So why not take me back now?’‘

‘‘Like I said, consider it a parting gift. You have a week.’‘

Jarod watched as Lyle disappeared behind the door, then moved closer and stared out the small window. His Jeep was parked in the driveway beside Lyle’s vehicle, scraped free of all the ice and snow that would have accumulated in the last twenty-four hours. Shaking his head, he turned his attention on the man as he climbed into the Expedition.

‘‘See you soon,’‘ he whispered, his arms automatically wrapping around himself.
 
 

THE END
 
 

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