H/C Bingo: Diagonal - 2
Title - You are My Weakness
Prompt - Blackmail
Fandom - RPF Kradam (Adam Lambert/Kris Allen, Brad Bell)
Rating - NC-17
Word Count - 3900
Summary - Adam and Kris are very happy together until Adam's past catches up to him and he finds himself forced to do things he never thought he would have to do again in order to protect Kris and Brad.
TRIGGER WARNING - dub-con, rough sex, unfaithfulness, prostitution.
Autohor's Note - The title is from one of Kris Allen's songs.
Adam was carefully cutting out the cloth when the door to his workroom opened and Brad said, "Your majesty, there is a customer out front who is asking to see you." Adam raised one hand and waved it dismissively at his manager. "I know you don't see customers," Brad snarked, "but he's very insistent and he's wearing...plaid." Brad dropped his voice on the last word like he was speaking Voldemort's name. Adam's scissors clattered on the tabletop and he flew past Brad like a whirlwind.
"Kris! Hi! You're here! You came! I mean, you decided to come see where I work. That's great! Um, I'll show you around and then we can go to lunch " Brad just stared at his boss.. Adam had a big smile on his face and he was babbling. Adam introduced Kris to Brad. "This is Brad. He's the brains of the business."
The short, cute, brown-haired man in plaid smiled back at Adam. "Of course I came, Mitchel. I've never seen an actual couturier at work before. I want to see where you work and what you do."
Brad smiled and shook hands with Kris. "I just have to ask. No one in LA wears plaid. Do you order your shirts from out of state?" Adam glared at Brad, who ignored him and reached out to feel the fabric of Kris' shirt.
Kris laughed. "I pretty much always wear plaid. It can be hard to find in LA, but I've found a few places willing to stock plaid shirts, so I have my sources." Before Brad could say anything else, Adam whisked Kris away to the back room.
Hmmm. This was new, Brad thought. The two of them hadn't known each other long enough for Adam to tell Kris his real name, but he was clearly smitten with the smaller man. Adam had never invited one of his boyfriends to work before. In fact, there had been no real boyfriends, just a few two or three week flings for the past three years while the two of them had built this business from the ground up. Adam had the flair for fashion and design, as well as the skills to make the garments they sold. Brad had the brains, financial skills and salesmanship to run the business end of things. They made a great team. They had both stopped looking over their shoulders now that MNC was beginning to be a success. Adam must be feeling safe enough to actually let someone else in. Brad just hoped it worked out for Adam. He deserved it.
Over the next few weeks, Kris came into the store often to take "Mitchel" away for lunch. Brad urged him to buy a new shirt or two just to get him out of that hideous plaid he always wore. Kris laughingly refused. Adam assured Brad in private that he was planning to give Kris some very non-plaid shirts for his birthday next month. Brad could see that the relationship between Adam and Kris was getting serious. It was obvious from a mile away that they both were falling in love with each other. He helped Adam plan a special birthday party for Kris.
Adam didn’t want to have the party at the apartment he shared with Brad since it was so small. He decided to have it at a restaurant. He found a good one with a small, private back room. He invited all his friends and Kris’ friends. Everything was all set and Adam was looking forward to surprising Kris with the party. The big night came and Kris was truly surprised and thrilled that Mitchel had taken so much time to prepare this just for him. The restaurant closed at midnight, so the party ended then. Mitchel walked Kris to his car and held him up against it with his weight, kissing Kris and pressing his pelvis into Kris'. They hadn’t slept together yet and Kris was wondering just when that was going to happen. Mitchel seemed to be taking things slow, way too slow for Kris’ liking. But he enjoyed the few minutes they spent together under the darkened street light. Finally, Mitchel sighed and said he better go, but asked Kris to come to the store on Monday so they could go to lunch like usual. Kris agreed and got into his car, driving away slowly, watching Mitchel in his review mirror until he turned the corner and Mitchel disappeared from view.
“Cute guy. Your boyfriend, I gather,” an all-too-familiar male voice said from behind Adam. Adam’s stomach dropped as he spun around.
“Desmond, what are you doing here?” Adam’s voice trembled as he spoke. “H-how did you find me? Us?”
Desmond’s laugh was low and mean. “It wasn’t hard. Remember how well I know you, Adam. I figured you would try your hand at making clothes. Turns out I was right. I just had to find out where you went to get started. Bringing Bradley with you was a foregone conclusion. Nice store you’ve got going there. I’ve seen ads and reviews for it. Looks like it’s going to take off and become a big-name enterprise.” Desmond threw his arm around Adam’s shoulders. “Well done, my pet. Seems you have it all now. A name-brand fashion business, a large group of friends and a sweet, adorable little boyfriend.” He pulled Adam hard against his side. “However, there is the small matter of you and Bradley skipping out on your debt to me. That is not cool with me. At all. Debts were incurred, debts must be paid.”
Adam shivered. He and Brad had gotten as far from Miami as they could and it had been three years. He had thought they were safe now. But he knew how cruel Desmond could be. He had no idea what Desmond would demand from them for payment. He took a deep breath. “If you leave Brad alone, I‘ll do whatever you want me to do.”
“Oh, it‘s not just Brad you have to worry about now. It‘s your store‘s reputation, your personal reputation with your friends, and of course, that cute little boyfriend. You can kiss him good-bye as well if I tell people what you used to do for a living.” Desmond laughed that laugh again that made Adam quake in his boots. “But, since you so generously volunteered, I’ll allow you to pay off both you debt and Bradley’s debt. I’ll allow you to keep your business, your friends and your boyfriend, but you’ll work for me at least three nights a week.” Desmond got Adam’s phone number and, and as he was about to leave, he clapped Adam on the back and said, “Hey, cheer up! I’ll be like old times.” He laughed one last time and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. Adam stood there for several minutes, taking deep breaths and trying not to pass out. He finally made his way to his car and drove slowly home.
“Hey, man, I thought you’d gotten lost, or maybe you’d decided to go home with Kris at last. If you do, don’t forget to call me so I don’t worry!” Brad greeted him when he got home. Adam forced a smile and went to the kitchen to pour himself a generous glass of vodka, straight up. He joined Brad in the living room. “Um, why don’t you just go home with Kris and fuck his brains out rather than come home and get drunk?” Brad asked when he saw Adam’s glass.
“I’ve told you before, I don’t feel right about sleeping with Kris unless I tell him the truth and I’m sure that as soon as I do, he’ll be gone.” Adam sighed and took a gulp of his vodka. “It sucks.” He wasn’t talking about Kris now. He had no intention of telling Brad what had happened. This was strictly between Adam and Desmond.
Adam had lunch with Kris on Monday and Kris thought Adam seemed distracted. When he asked Adam about it, Adam said he was having trouble figuring out a particularly difficult pattern he was working on at the moment. He apologized and smiled as Kris, taking his hand across the table. Before they parted ways after lunch, Adam snuck in a quick kiss and smiled at Kris again, promising to have lunch again on Thursday. Kris worked as a bartender at a comedy club and he had Sunday and Wednesday nights off. He and Mitchel always had lunch on Mondays and Thursdays.
The next day, Adam was in the backroom drawing a pattern when his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number and his heart began to race. Sure enough, it was Desmond. “Hello Mitchel,” he greeted Adam gleefully. “I have a job for you. Tonight. It’s at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. Be there at 8:00. The reservation is for Room 1032 and is under the name ‘Rico Diaz.’ You’ll be spending the night. I hope you still have some of the clothes you wore in Miami. They were always a hit. You know what they like.” Desmond hung up. Adam was shaking like a leaf. This was really happening. All the memories came crashing back in on him. He thought he had left all that far behind him, but he had just been fooling himself. Of course Desmond would come looking for them and wouldn’t stop until he found them. Now the nightmare had begun again.
Later, Adam told Brad that he was spending the night with Kris and that he would see him at work the next morning. Brad was thrilled that Adam was finally going to let Kris in a little further. Brad had had a boyfriend for almost a year now and had told him everything. He was so happy and he wanted Adam to be as happy as he was.
Adam arrived at the Roosevelt and got the key to Room 1032 from the concierge, who told him the room was paid for in advance. Adam took the elevator up and tried not to hyperventilate and pass out in the crowded car. It seemed like forever and a split second all at the same time before the elevator reached the 10th floor. Adam hurried to the room and let himself in. He took his duffel bag into the bathroom with him and took a shower, changing into a silky, see-through black tank top and tight black leather pants. He left his feet bare. Then he put on glittery grey eye shadow, black eyeliner and black mascara. He carefully combed his hair to look purposely tousled, letting it fall across his left eye. Then Adam went out to the sitting room area and poured himself a drink. He curled up on the couch, sipping at his drink and waited.
At 8:43, there was a knock on the door. Adam downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and got up to answer the door. The man appeared to be in his late 40s. He wasn’t quite as tall as Adam. He was nice looking and seemed to be in fairly good shape. Adam was a little relieved. Desmond’s clients usually weren’t this ordinary looking. The man said he name was Stuart and Adam introduced himself as Rico. Stuart sat down on the sofa as Adam went to the bar to get them both drinks. Stuart had Scotch, Adam stuck to vodka.
They spent a few minutes on small talk. The first thing Stuart wanted to know was how old “Rico” was. This was usually the first question any client asked. Adam knew the drill. “I’m 23,” he answered. He was actually 30, but the clients always liked younger men. Stuart smiled with satisfaction.
“Des said you were a looker and knew how to dress. He wasn’t lying. You look positively delectable in that outfit.” Adam blushed. He hadn’t heard this type of remark in three years and it made him uncomfortable. Stuart thought it was adorable.
“Well, shall we head for the bedroom?” Stuart asked after finishing his drink. Again, Adam finished his quickly and they both went into the bedroom. Stuart insisted on undressing Adam, then made him lie down on his stomach while he took his own clothes off. It seemed Stuart wasn’t much for foreplay. He got Adam on his elbows and knees and briefly worked him open with a little bit of lube, then stated that he preferred to go bareback. Adam immediately rolled off the bed and reached for his clothes.
“Sorry, that’s not happening. Desmond is very clear about that with all his clients.”
Stuart jumped off the bed and grabbed Adam’s clothes from him. “Ok, pretty boy. Take it easy. Desmond did tell me condoms have to be used. I was just hoping you’d be ok with not using one. It’s not a deal-breaker. I’m more than willing to use one for your pretty ass.” Finally reassured, Adam got back on his elbows and knees on the bed. Stuart rolled on a condom and lubed it up a little. Without warning, Stuart entered Adam hard and deep. Adam cried out and gripped the sheets with both hands. Stuart laughed and kept thrusting, going harder and faster with each stroke. This was the kind of client that Adam remembered all too well from Miami. Tears were running down his face by the time Stuart finally climaxed.
Stuart pulled out and discarded the condom. He slapped Adam hard on the ass and asked cheerfully, “Was it good for you, pretty boy? It was great for me!” Adam dropped down on his stomach and wondered how he was going to make it through the night. Stuart was going to want at least one more session before morning, maybe two more. The thought made Adam sick to his stomach. His ass ached and he knew he had bruises on his hips where Stuart had held him in place.
Stuart put on one of the bathrobes provided by the hotel and left Adam on the bed while he went out to the sitting room and ordered from room service. After the food arrived, he called Adam out for dinner. After they ate, Adam made them drinks again and they sat on the sofa. Once Stuart regained his stamina, he had Adam get down on his knees and give him a blow job. Again, he tried to get Adam to skip the condom, but Adam refused. Stuart was a little more annoyed this time, but agreed again.
Later, after another punishing session in bed, Stuart finally fell asleep. Adam wanted to sneak out, but knew Desmond would kill him if he did. He fell asleep, exhausted, near dawn. When he woke up, Stuart was gone, but he had left Adam a $100 tip on the dresser. Adam showered and got dressed, then he hurried to work. He wondered how in the hell he was going to pretend to be cheerful in front of Brad and Kris today.
Adam got another call from Desmond on Thursday. He had another client for Adam to entertain. The details were the same - the Roosevelt Hotel, Room 1032 under the name of Rico Diaz. He had to be there by 8:00 tonight and be prepared to spend the night. Adam again told Brad he was going to spend the night with Kris. He got to the hotel and went through the same ritual. This time he dressed in a shimmering silver top with the same black leather pants and no shoes again. He had his vodka while he waited. This time, it was almost 9:00 before there was a knock on the door. Adam had already finished his drink. He answered the door to find a large, middle-aged man standing there. He said his name was Lee. He walked in and watched Adam with predatory eyes as he went to get both of them a drink.
When Adam returned to the sofa, Lee pulled him down to sit on his lap. Lee did believe in foreplay, it seemed, as he let Adam hold his glass and give him occasional sips so he could have his hands free to let his hands roam over Adam’s body. He soon had Adam’s shirt off and was stroking his nipples with one hand while stroking his crotch with the other.
In the bedroom, Lee had Adam remove both their clothing, then he had Adam lie down on his back. He spread Adam’s legs and pushed them up, kneeling in front of him and sliding on a condom. “Desmond tells me you don’t mind it rough. Let’s see.” He pushed inside and began pounding into Adam like a jackhammer. Adam thought he was going to pass out. The only thing that kept him from pushing this brute off and running from the hotel was the thought of Kris finding out what he was doing. He thought of Kris and his smile and his kisses. It was the only thing that got him through that night. The next day, he was too sore to do more than drag himself home. He stayed in bed, not going into work. He spent half the day crying, realizing that he had to break it off with Kris because as long as he was working for Desmond, he could never have a real relationship with Kris. It wasn’t fair to keep Kris dangling like this. He had to let him go so he could find someone who could be honest with him and love him the way he should be loved.
Adam didn’t hear Brad come home since he was crying again. Brad came into the bedroom quietly. “Adam, what’s wrong? You never cry, or you haven’t in three years, anyway. You’ve been acting strange this past week. What’s going on?”
Startled, Adam buried his head in his pillow and muttered, “Nothing. I...Kris and I broke up. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That’s odd. Kris doesn’t know about this supposed break-up. He came into the store today and wanted to take you to lunch. He also said you hadn’t spent the night with him last night. Now tell me what’s going on!” Brad ordered.
Adam froze. His mind raced. How could he explain all this to Brad? To Kris, who now thought he was a big fat liar, which he was? Adam slowly rolled over in bed and looked at Brad. He took a deep breath and the whole story just sort of spilled out. He was sobbing, as was Brad, by the time he finished. Brad held him in his arms, rocking back and forth. When both men had finally calmed down and Brad could speak, he said, “Adam, we’re not helpless any more. We can hire a lawyer and take care of Desmond once and for all. Plus, do you really think our friends would leave us just because of our past? They either have had similar backgrounds or know someone who has. They don’t care. I love you to death for protecting me from Desmond, but let’s take care of him together.”
“But what about Kris?” Adam asked in a very small voice. “I don’t want him to find out. I’m not sure he would forgive me.”
“There’s only one way to find out and you know you need to find out,” Brad replied. “I’m betting Kris won’t care. He’s head over heels in love with you.”
The lawyer Adam and Brad hired made short work of Desmond. If he ever came near either one of them or any of their friends or family, he would go straight to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Now for the really scary part. Adam invited himself to Kris’ apartment one Sunday night. He had told Kris that he needed to tell him something important, which had Kris slightly nervous. The way Mitchel had been acting the last couple of weeks, Kris was sure Mitchel was going to break up with him, tell him he’d found someone new, someone more interesting.
The two were sitting in Kris’ living room, one on one end of the sofa, the other on the other end. Mitchel wouldn’t look at Kris. He stared into his drink, trying to get his courage up to tell Kris the truth. He took a deep breath and started, “Kris, my real name isn’t Mitchel. It’s Adam. Mitchel is my middle name. Brad and I used to live in Miami. We ran away from a bad situation three years ago and came here to LA. I, we were trying to become singers, cut an album and hopefully become pop stars. This man came along, Desmond. He loaned us a lot of money to get started, promised he would help us reach our dreams. But nothing panned out. Suddenly, he turned harsh and demanding and told us we owed him thousands and thousands of dollars. He said we needed to ‘work off’ our debts to him. By that, he meant we had to entertain clients for him. Sexually. He said if we didn’t, he would have us arrested and thrown in jail for stealing his money. We became...”
Adam paused and took a long drink. Kris reached out and took his hand. Adam tried to pull it back, but Kris wouldn’t let go. “We became prostitutes for Desmond. His clients weren’t nice men. They wanted young, pretty boys they could...use. It was horrible. That lasted for two years. Finally, we couldn’t stand it any more and we took off. We ended up here three years ago. We built MNC up and were finally feeling safe and successful. Brad has a boyfriend and I met you. Things were great.
“Then, a month ago, the night of your birthday party, Desmond showed up right after you left and told me if I didn’t finish paying off our debt, he would ruin our business, he would tell all our friends about our past and he would tell you. I couldn’t let him ruin everything we had worked so hard for, so...” Adam took a deep breath, pausing for a long minute before continuing. He pulled his hand away from Kris and moved to stand behind the recliner where Kris couldn't reach him. “I agreed to start seeing clients for him again. I saw two. It was just like being back in Miami. I was just a piece of meat to them and I feel so ashamed. Then both you and Brad figured out I was lying about where I was on those two nights, and I finally told Brad what was going on.” Adam moved to sit on the edge of the recliner and dropped his head into his hands, sobbing.
“I’m so sorry. I'm not a couturier. I'm just a prostitute. I never meant to hurt you or lie to you. I hope you find someone you can trust and will be faithful to you.” Kris fell to his knees in front of Adam. Tears were running down his cheeks.
“I’ve already found someone like that. Someone who loves me, will be faithful to me and who will do anything to protect me. Someone I happen to love very, very much. Now kiss me...Adam.” Adam obeyed. Brad was not at all surprised to get a text saying, ‘C u in am. maybe’
Prompt - Blackmail
Fandom - RPF Kradam (Adam Lambert/Kris Allen, Brad Bell)
Rating - NC-17
Word Count - 3900
Summary - Adam and Kris are very happy together until Adam's past catches up to him and he finds himself forced to do things he never thought he would have to do again in order to protect Kris and Brad.
TRIGGER WARNING - dub-con, rough sex, unfaithfulness, prostitution.
Autohor's Note - The title is from one of Kris Allen's songs.
Adam was carefully cutting out the cloth when the door to his workroom opened and Brad said, "Your majesty, there is a customer out front who is asking to see you." Adam raised one hand and waved it dismissively at his manager. "I know you don't see customers," Brad snarked, "but he's very insistent and he's wearing...plaid." Brad dropped his voice on the last word like he was speaking Voldemort's name. Adam's scissors clattered on the tabletop and he flew past Brad like a whirlwind.
"Kris! Hi! You're here! You came! I mean, you decided to come see where I work. That's great! Um, I'll show you around and then we can go to lunch " Brad just stared at his boss.. Adam had a big smile on his face and he was babbling. Adam introduced Kris to Brad. "This is Brad. He's the brains of the business."
The short, cute, brown-haired man in plaid smiled back at Adam. "Of course I came, Mitchel. I've never seen an actual couturier at work before. I want to see where you work and what you do."
Brad smiled and shook hands with Kris. "I just have to ask. No one in LA wears plaid. Do you order your shirts from out of state?" Adam glared at Brad, who ignored him and reached out to feel the fabric of Kris' shirt.
Kris laughed. "I pretty much always wear plaid. It can be hard to find in LA, but I've found a few places willing to stock plaid shirts, so I have my sources." Before Brad could say anything else, Adam whisked Kris away to the back room.
Hmmm. This was new, Brad thought. The two of them hadn't known each other long enough for Adam to tell Kris his real name, but he was clearly smitten with the smaller man. Adam had never invited one of his boyfriends to work before. In fact, there had been no real boyfriends, just a few two or three week flings for the past three years while the two of them had built this business from the ground up. Adam had the flair for fashion and design, as well as the skills to make the garments they sold. Brad had the brains, financial skills and salesmanship to run the business end of things. They made a great team. They had both stopped looking over their shoulders now that MNC was beginning to be a success. Adam must be feeling safe enough to actually let someone else in. Brad just hoped it worked out for Adam. He deserved it.
Over the next few weeks, Kris came into the store often to take "Mitchel" away for lunch. Brad urged him to buy a new shirt or two just to get him out of that hideous plaid he always wore. Kris laughingly refused. Adam assured Brad in private that he was planning to give Kris some very non-plaid shirts for his birthday next month. Brad could see that the relationship between Adam and Kris was getting serious. It was obvious from a mile away that they both were falling in love with each other. He helped Adam plan a special birthday party for Kris.
Adam didn’t want to have the party at the apartment he shared with Brad since it was so small. He decided to have it at a restaurant. He found a good one with a small, private back room. He invited all his friends and Kris’ friends. Everything was all set and Adam was looking forward to surprising Kris with the party. The big night came and Kris was truly surprised and thrilled that Mitchel had taken so much time to prepare this just for him. The restaurant closed at midnight, so the party ended then. Mitchel walked Kris to his car and held him up against it with his weight, kissing Kris and pressing his pelvis into Kris'. They hadn’t slept together yet and Kris was wondering just when that was going to happen. Mitchel seemed to be taking things slow, way too slow for Kris’ liking. But he enjoyed the few minutes they spent together under the darkened street light. Finally, Mitchel sighed and said he better go, but asked Kris to come to the store on Monday so they could go to lunch like usual. Kris agreed and got into his car, driving away slowly, watching Mitchel in his review mirror until he turned the corner and Mitchel disappeared from view.
“Cute guy. Your boyfriend, I gather,” an all-too-familiar male voice said from behind Adam. Adam’s stomach dropped as he spun around.
“Desmond, what are you doing here?” Adam’s voice trembled as he spoke. “H-how did you find me? Us?”
Desmond’s laugh was low and mean. “It wasn’t hard. Remember how well I know you, Adam. I figured you would try your hand at making clothes. Turns out I was right. I just had to find out where you went to get started. Bringing Bradley with you was a foregone conclusion. Nice store you’ve got going there. I’ve seen ads and reviews for it. Looks like it’s going to take off and become a big-name enterprise.” Desmond threw his arm around Adam’s shoulders. “Well done, my pet. Seems you have it all now. A name-brand fashion business, a large group of friends and a sweet, adorable little boyfriend.” He pulled Adam hard against his side. “However, there is the small matter of you and Bradley skipping out on your debt to me. That is not cool with me. At all. Debts were incurred, debts must be paid.”
Adam shivered. He and Brad had gotten as far from Miami as they could and it had been three years. He had thought they were safe now. But he knew how cruel Desmond could be. He had no idea what Desmond would demand from them for payment. He took a deep breath. “If you leave Brad alone, I‘ll do whatever you want me to do.”
“Oh, it‘s not just Brad you have to worry about now. It‘s your store‘s reputation, your personal reputation with your friends, and of course, that cute little boyfriend. You can kiss him good-bye as well if I tell people what you used to do for a living.” Desmond laughed that laugh again that made Adam quake in his boots. “But, since you so generously volunteered, I’ll allow you to pay off both you debt and Bradley’s debt. I’ll allow you to keep your business, your friends and your boyfriend, but you’ll work for me at least three nights a week.” Desmond got Adam’s phone number and, and as he was about to leave, he clapped Adam on the back and said, “Hey, cheer up! I’ll be like old times.” He laughed one last time and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. Adam stood there for several minutes, taking deep breaths and trying not to pass out. He finally made his way to his car and drove slowly home.
“Hey, man, I thought you’d gotten lost, or maybe you’d decided to go home with Kris at last. If you do, don’t forget to call me so I don’t worry!” Brad greeted him when he got home. Adam forced a smile and went to the kitchen to pour himself a generous glass of vodka, straight up. He joined Brad in the living room. “Um, why don’t you just go home with Kris and fuck his brains out rather than come home and get drunk?” Brad asked when he saw Adam’s glass.
“I’ve told you before, I don’t feel right about sleeping with Kris unless I tell him the truth and I’m sure that as soon as I do, he’ll be gone.” Adam sighed and took a gulp of his vodka. “It sucks.” He wasn’t talking about Kris now. He had no intention of telling Brad what had happened. This was strictly between Adam and Desmond.
Adam had lunch with Kris on Monday and Kris thought Adam seemed distracted. When he asked Adam about it, Adam said he was having trouble figuring out a particularly difficult pattern he was working on at the moment. He apologized and smiled as Kris, taking his hand across the table. Before they parted ways after lunch, Adam snuck in a quick kiss and smiled at Kris again, promising to have lunch again on Thursday. Kris worked as a bartender at a comedy club and he had Sunday and Wednesday nights off. He and Mitchel always had lunch on Mondays and Thursdays.
The next day, Adam was in the backroom drawing a pattern when his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number and his heart began to race. Sure enough, it was Desmond. “Hello Mitchel,” he greeted Adam gleefully. “I have a job for you. Tonight. It’s at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. Be there at 8:00. The reservation is for Room 1032 and is under the name ‘Rico Diaz.’ You’ll be spending the night. I hope you still have some of the clothes you wore in Miami. They were always a hit. You know what they like.” Desmond hung up. Adam was shaking like a leaf. This was really happening. All the memories came crashing back in on him. He thought he had left all that far behind him, but he had just been fooling himself. Of course Desmond would come looking for them and wouldn’t stop until he found them. Now the nightmare had begun again.
Later, Adam told Brad that he was spending the night with Kris and that he would see him at work the next morning. Brad was thrilled that Adam was finally going to let Kris in a little further. Brad had had a boyfriend for almost a year now and had told him everything. He was so happy and he wanted Adam to be as happy as he was.
Adam arrived at the Roosevelt and got the key to Room 1032 from the concierge, who told him the room was paid for in advance. Adam took the elevator up and tried not to hyperventilate and pass out in the crowded car. It seemed like forever and a split second all at the same time before the elevator reached the 10th floor. Adam hurried to the room and let himself in. He took his duffel bag into the bathroom with him and took a shower, changing into a silky, see-through black tank top and tight black leather pants. He left his feet bare. Then he put on glittery grey eye shadow, black eyeliner and black mascara. He carefully combed his hair to look purposely tousled, letting it fall across his left eye. Then Adam went out to the sitting room area and poured himself a drink. He curled up on the couch, sipping at his drink and waited.
At 8:43, there was a knock on the door. Adam downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and got up to answer the door. The man appeared to be in his late 40s. He wasn’t quite as tall as Adam. He was nice looking and seemed to be in fairly good shape. Adam was a little relieved. Desmond’s clients usually weren’t this ordinary looking. The man said he name was Stuart and Adam introduced himself as Rico. Stuart sat down on the sofa as Adam went to the bar to get them both drinks. Stuart had Scotch, Adam stuck to vodka.
They spent a few minutes on small talk. The first thing Stuart wanted to know was how old “Rico” was. This was usually the first question any client asked. Adam knew the drill. “I’m 23,” he answered. He was actually 30, but the clients always liked younger men. Stuart smiled with satisfaction.
“Des said you were a looker and knew how to dress. He wasn’t lying. You look positively delectable in that outfit.” Adam blushed. He hadn’t heard this type of remark in three years and it made him uncomfortable. Stuart thought it was adorable.
“Well, shall we head for the bedroom?” Stuart asked after finishing his drink. Again, Adam finished his quickly and they both went into the bedroom. Stuart insisted on undressing Adam, then made him lie down on his stomach while he took his own clothes off. It seemed Stuart wasn’t much for foreplay. He got Adam on his elbows and knees and briefly worked him open with a little bit of lube, then stated that he preferred to go bareback. Adam immediately rolled off the bed and reached for his clothes.
“Sorry, that’s not happening. Desmond is very clear about that with all his clients.”
Stuart jumped off the bed and grabbed Adam’s clothes from him. “Ok, pretty boy. Take it easy. Desmond did tell me condoms have to be used. I was just hoping you’d be ok with not using one. It’s not a deal-breaker. I’m more than willing to use one for your pretty ass.” Finally reassured, Adam got back on his elbows and knees on the bed. Stuart rolled on a condom and lubed it up a little. Without warning, Stuart entered Adam hard and deep. Adam cried out and gripped the sheets with both hands. Stuart laughed and kept thrusting, going harder and faster with each stroke. This was the kind of client that Adam remembered all too well from Miami. Tears were running down his face by the time Stuart finally climaxed.
Stuart pulled out and discarded the condom. He slapped Adam hard on the ass and asked cheerfully, “Was it good for you, pretty boy? It was great for me!” Adam dropped down on his stomach and wondered how he was going to make it through the night. Stuart was going to want at least one more session before morning, maybe two more. The thought made Adam sick to his stomach. His ass ached and he knew he had bruises on his hips where Stuart had held him in place.
Stuart put on one of the bathrobes provided by the hotel and left Adam on the bed while he went out to the sitting room and ordered from room service. After the food arrived, he called Adam out for dinner. After they ate, Adam made them drinks again and they sat on the sofa. Once Stuart regained his stamina, he had Adam get down on his knees and give him a blow job. Again, he tried to get Adam to skip the condom, but Adam refused. Stuart was a little more annoyed this time, but agreed again.
Later, after another punishing session in bed, Stuart finally fell asleep. Adam wanted to sneak out, but knew Desmond would kill him if he did. He fell asleep, exhausted, near dawn. When he woke up, Stuart was gone, but he had left Adam a $100 tip on the dresser. Adam showered and got dressed, then he hurried to work. He wondered how in the hell he was going to pretend to be cheerful in front of Brad and Kris today.
Adam got another call from Desmond on Thursday. He had another client for Adam to entertain. The details were the same - the Roosevelt Hotel, Room 1032 under the name of Rico Diaz. He had to be there by 8:00 tonight and be prepared to spend the night. Adam again told Brad he was going to spend the night with Kris. He got to the hotel and went through the same ritual. This time he dressed in a shimmering silver top with the same black leather pants and no shoes again. He had his vodka while he waited. This time, it was almost 9:00 before there was a knock on the door. Adam had already finished his drink. He answered the door to find a large, middle-aged man standing there. He said his name was Lee. He walked in and watched Adam with predatory eyes as he went to get both of them a drink.
When Adam returned to the sofa, Lee pulled him down to sit on his lap. Lee did believe in foreplay, it seemed, as he let Adam hold his glass and give him occasional sips so he could have his hands free to let his hands roam over Adam’s body. He soon had Adam’s shirt off and was stroking his nipples with one hand while stroking his crotch with the other.
In the bedroom, Lee had Adam remove both their clothing, then he had Adam lie down on his back. He spread Adam’s legs and pushed them up, kneeling in front of him and sliding on a condom. “Desmond tells me you don’t mind it rough. Let’s see.” He pushed inside and began pounding into Adam like a jackhammer. Adam thought he was going to pass out. The only thing that kept him from pushing this brute off and running from the hotel was the thought of Kris finding out what he was doing. He thought of Kris and his smile and his kisses. It was the only thing that got him through that night. The next day, he was too sore to do more than drag himself home. He stayed in bed, not going into work. He spent half the day crying, realizing that he had to break it off with Kris because as long as he was working for Desmond, he could never have a real relationship with Kris. It wasn’t fair to keep Kris dangling like this. He had to let him go so he could find someone who could be honest with him and love him the way he should be loved.
Adam didn’t hear Brad come home since he was crying again. Brad came into the bedroom quietly. “Adam, what’s wrong? You never cry, or you haven’t in three years, anyway. You’ve been acting strange this past week. What’s going on?”
Startled, Adam buried his head in his pillow and muttered, “Nothing. I...Kris and I broke up. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That’s odd. Kris doesn’t know about this supposed break-up. He came into the store today and wanted to take you to lunch. He also said you hadn’t spent the night with him last night. Now tell me what’s going on!” Brad ordered.
Adam froze. His mind raced. How could he explain all this to Brad? To Kris, who now thought he was a big fat liar, which he was? Adam slowly rolled over in bed and looked at Brad. He took a deep breath and the whole story just sort of spilled out. He was sobbing, as was Brad, by the time he finished. Brad held him in his arms, rocking back and forth. When both men had finally calmed down and Brad could speak, he said, “Adam, we’re not helpless any more. We can hire a lawyer and take care of Desmond once and for all. Plus, do you really think our friends would leave us just because of our past? They either have had similar backgrounds or know someone who has. They don’t care. I love you to death for protecting me from Desmond, but let’s take care of him together.”
“But what about Kris?” Adam asked in a very small voice. “I don’t want him to find out. I’m not sure he would forgive me.”
“There’s only one way to find out and you know you need to find out,” Brad replied. “I’m betting Kris won’t care. He’s head over heels in love with you.”
The lawyer Adam and Brad hired made short work of Desmond. If he ever came near either one of them or any of their friends or family, he would go straight to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Now for the really scary part. Adam invited himself to Kris’ apartment one Sunday night. He had told Kris that he needed to tell him something important, which had Kris slightly nervous. The way Mitchel had been acting the last couple of weeks, Kris was sure Mitchel was going to break up with him, tell him he’d found someone new, someone more interesting.
The two were sitting in Kris’ living room, one on one end of the sofa, the other on the other end. Mitchel wouldn’t look at Kris. He stared into his drink, trying to get his courage up to tell Kris the truth. He took a deep breath and started, “Kris, my real name isn’t Mitchel. It’s Adam. Mitchel is my middle name. Brad and I used to live in Miami. We ran away from a bad situation three years ago and came here to LA. I, we were trying to become singers, cut an album and hopefully become pop stars. This man came along, Desmond. He loaned us a lot of money to get started, promised he would help us reach our dreams. But nothing panned out. Suddenly, he turned harsh and demanding and told us we owed him thousands and thousands of dollars. He said we needed to ‘work off’ our debts to him. By that, he meant we had to entertain clients for him. Sexually. He said if we didn’t, he would have us arrested and thrown in jail for stealing his money. We became...”
Adam paused and took a long drink. Kris reached out and took his hand. Adam tried to pull it back, but Kris wouldn’t let go. “We became prostitutes for Desmond. His clients weren’t nice men. They wanted young, pretty boys they could...use. It was horrible. That lasted for two years. Finally, we couldn’t stand it any more and we took off. We ended up here three years ago. We built MNC up and were finally feeling safe and successful. Brad has a boyfriend and I met you. Things were great.
“Then, a month ago, the night of your birthday party, Desmond showed up right after you left and told me if I didn’t finish paying off our debt, he would ruin our business, he would tell all our friends about our past and he would tell you. I couldn’t let him ruin everything we had worked so hard for, so...” Adam took a deep breath, pausing for a long minute before continuing. He pulled his hand away from Kris and moved to stand behind the recliner where Kris couldn't reach him. “I agreed to start seeing clients for him again. I saw two. It was just like being back in Miami. I was just a piece of meat to them and I feel so ashamed. Then both you and Brad figured out I was lying about where I was on those two nights, and I finally told Brad what was going on.” Adam moved to sit on the edge of the recliner and dropped his head into his hands, sobbing.
“I’m so sorry. I'm not a couturier. I'm just a prostitute. I never meant to hurt you or lie to you. I hope you find someone you can trust and will be faithful to you.” Kris fell to his knees in front of Adam. Tears were running down his cheeks.
“I’ve already found someone like that. Someone who loves me, will be faithful to me and who will do anything to protect me. Someone I happen to love very, very much. Now kiss me...Adam.” Adam obeyed. Brad was not at all surprised to get a text saying, ‘C u in am. maybe’