Chapter 24 Daddy Shamus

Miguel called his uncle, who agreed to set up a meeting with his mother and Bently in the evening. Miguel looked more relaxed and confident in his decision, which pleased Shamus. When they finished their drinks, they ventured out to the sex toy shop. He wanted to take Miguel's pain away and let him have some fun. Today was a tough day for him and his family.

Rain lashed against the windshield, blurring the neon glow of the city lights into streaks of color. Shamus gripped the steering wheel tightly, the rhythmic drumming of the rain a counterpoint to the disquiet gnawing at him. He glanced at Miguel sprawled comfortably in the passenger seat. Miguel was humming along to the oldies station on the radio, oblivious to the storm brewing inside Shamus.

He glanced at Miguel again, then back at the road. "Remember when we talked about my aunt and uncle in the bar with Finn and Jimmy?"

Miguel tilted his head, amusement softening his features. "Yeah, the ones who practically raised you. Why did your dad throw you out?"

Shamus swallowed the lump in his throat, hesitated, then blurted out, "My old man kicked me out when I was twelve. He said I was an evil seed, a waste of skin." Shamus shrugged, a hollow gesture. "Doesn't matter to me much now, but back then. Just…hurt like hell."

He could still remember the cold, pouring rain that night, the fear that had clawed at his throat as he stood on the porch, his meager belongings stuffed into a backpack. His mom, bless her soul, had already left, taking his younger sister Lola with her. Shamus had been left behind, the collateral damage of a broken marriage. She wanted Shamus to leave with her, but his father made sure she didn't have access to him. She and his younger sister vanished, leaving no trace, as if they had never existed. His father had threatened to kill her if she came near Shamus.

Miguel's gaze met his as he turned down the sound on the radio, concern replacing the amusement. The music died in the car.

A wave of shame washed over Shamus. He hadn't meant to unload on Miguel, not when they were supposed to be having a fun weekend celebrating Miguel's birthday.

"My aunt and uncle took me in, raised me alongside their kids," he continued, his voice low. "They had two boys of their own, Finn and Jimmy, that you've met. They became my brothers. But there was a lot of sadness, you know? My aunt, she worried constantly, and Finn…well, he never quite understood why my old man did what he did."

"Living like that must have been painful. I'm so sorry you had to go through that as a child." Miguel comforted Shamus by rubbing his arm.

The rain mirrored the storm in his chest, and the words tumbled out unbidden. "Before he threw me out… It wasn't…a good situation," he continued, voice tight. "There was a lot of yelling, and…" He trailed off, the memory of his father's drunken rage too raw to voice.

He knew Miguel wouldn't pry, wouldn't push for details. But the unspoken question hung heavy in the air—how bad was it?

Shamus clenched his jaw. "There was…violence." The word tasted like sour milk in his mouth.

"What kind of violence?" Miguel asked.

A tightness constricted Shamus's chest. He hadn't spoken about this to anyone in years. But something about the rain, the quiet intimacy of the car, had loosened the dam holding back his past.

"There were the…the beatings and verbal insults," he finally confessed, the words scraping raw against his throat. "Started with a slap, then an open hand, then his belt. He screamed horrible things at me because he knew I was gay. He wasn't a good man, my father."

A heavy silence descended, broken only by the relentless rain. Shamus stole a glance at Miguel, bracing himself for judgment. But to his surprise, Miguel's gaze held only understanding and a deep sadness.

"Daddy Shamus," Miguel began, his voice gentle, "it wasn't your fault. You didn't deserve any of that." He kissed Shamus on the cheek.

The words, simple as they were, hit Shamus with the force of a tidal wave. Shame receded, replaced by a fragile sense of relief. He hadn't realized how badly he'd needed to hear that. He felt so close to Miguel at this moment. There was no way he would let Bently take him away. Their bond was unbreakable; they truly belonged to each other. His confidence in their relationship had grown as he watched Miguel bravely standing up to his mother, a difficult task to undertake. Her overbearing demeanor showed she was not one to be challenged; her words held undeniable authority.

Shamus offered Miguel a watery smile. "Thanks, Miguel. Yeah, I know that now."

Miguel remained silent, but Shamus felt his gaze burn into him, a silent understanding passing between them. He stole another glance at Miguel, a flicker of gratitude warming his chest. "I wouldn't be who I am without my aunt, uncle, Finn, and Jimmy."

With a gentle touch, Miguel reached over and squeezed his shoulder, conveying his support. "You're lucky they were there," he said. "And hey," he added, a touch of humor returning to his voice, "you turned out all right in the end. You became the best daddy protector ever, and I love you so much."

Shamus managed a smile, a ghost of the one that usually lit up his face. "Yeah," he said, "thanks to them I can be a loving and kind daddy for you. That's why it's so important that you meet them next weekend."

"I'm honored you want me to meet them. I'm sorry my mother didn't have kind words for you, but that will change. How could it not? She'll see how good you are to me."

The rain continued to fall, but inside the car, a fragile warmth had taken root. The screech of brakes echoed through the parking lot as Shamus pulled to a stop in front of a building bathed in an aggressive pink glow. A giant neon heart throbbed above the entrance sign proclaiming "Love Shack." Miguel stared at the sign, his mouth agape. With a quick motion, they released their seatbelts, the sound of the buckles echoing in the car.

"Stay inside," Shamus warned, "until I come around with my umbrella to protect you from the rain." Shamus grabbed the umbrella from the back seat and opened it outside as he ran to Miguel's side of the car. Carefully, he held the door open for Miguel, ensuring he stayed dry from the pouring rain. As they walked under the umbrella, the sound of raindrops hitting the fabric provided a soothing rhythm. Side by side, they walked inside, their arms brushing against each other.

"Wow! I've never been to this type of store before," Miguel said.

"There are lots of fun things. Let's walk down the aisles and let me know what you like."

Miguel followed Shamus to a wall of vibrantly colored implements followed by rows upon rows of skimpy lingerie. The air hung heavy with a strange mix of incense and something vaguely chemical.

"We're not buying any implements," Shamus said.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to spank you with one of those." As Shamus glanced at Miguel, he couldn't ignore the wicked smirk playing on his sensual lips. "Unless you want me to."

"What about that paddle with the cute kitty on it?" Miguel asked.

"Okay, let me pull it down from the wall." With a gentle tug, Shamus freed the kitty paddle from its place on the wall, causing a faint scraping sound. "This is going to be fun to use on you." His Miguel was a lot more playful than he had imagined.

In the aisle, Miguel picked a basket from the neatly arranged pile. With a quick exchange, Shamus took the basket from Miguel and carefully placed the paddle inside, feeling its smooth surface.

"What about sexy underwear?"

"I like leather or lace ones."

"Pick out four different ones you like and put them in this basket."

Miguel picked out a pair of skimpy black leather underwear, as well as a vibrant red lace G-string, and a neon green one, and a navy one as well. Shamus picked out a sexy black lace one and added it.

"All great choices." Shamus leaned over and whispered into Miguel's ear. "All very sexy for you to walk around in at home."

As they walked down another aisle, they were greeted by a colorful display of pet play costumes and toys.

"What's pet play?" Miguel asked.

"Your daddy becomes the handler of his pet. You'd be a pet. The handler trains and plays with the pet. You can be a kitty or a puppy or a horse. Would you like to try that?"

Miguel looked through everything, including the leash and toys, to go with it.

"Would you teach me how to be your pet kitty?"

"Let's pick out some of the adorable kitty items, toys and tails that are anal plugs." Shamus selected paws for hands and feet, a collar, and a leash. He put them in the basket. Miguel was fascinated by the thought of dressing up as a kitty. He bought two shiny green kitty bowls, one for food and the other for water. Then they added a variety of items to enhance their experience: condoms, gels, and a vibrating butt plug.

"I know this guy who has pet play parties on the weekends. We could go if you like. You'd meet daddies and their boys. They have contests with the puppies and kitties."

"I'd love to go. Never been to anything like that."

"We could practice at home, but we won't do it all the time.

"It sounds fun."