12. Twelve

Carlos

Something warm wiggles against my back and my eyes flash open. I"m reminded I didn"t go to bed in one of my usual places last night. I"m no longer in Mexico. I take in Joey"s mussed hair and the light sleep lines running down his left cheek. Evidence of everything he"s been through over these last few days is more evident on his body underneath the morning light.

All the marks and bruises covering his tan skin leave me gutted and I lightly run my fingers over the rope burn that covers his wrists as if my touch will somehow offer healing abilities. Joey"s body tenses and his eyes open wide in panic. I don"t know why, but when he jolts up in bed with his back pressed to the headboard and his fingers closing tightly around the covers, there"s nothing I want more in this world than to offer him reassurance. "It"s okay, Joey. You"re okay."

I reach for him and he flinches, scooting closer to the edge of the bed. He rubs his eyes and his gaze travels around the room before landing back on me. "Carlos?"

I nod. "Yes. I"m not going to hurt you. You"re safe."

He swallows hard with the tension not loosening in his expression. "For now," he whispers. His words chill me to my core. The feeling intensifies when someone pounds against the door.

His eyes are frantic. "I don"t think I"m ready to go back, I"m not sure I can," he says with his words nearly muffled when he pulls the covers over his face.

I reach for him again. He doesn"t shift away this time and I squeeze his knee between my fingers. "It will only be for a little while. If I could take you away right now safely, I would, but you know if I try, we will both be shot dead. Then your friends would die too."

He nods, lowering the covers and stares at the door when the knock comes again. "You should probably answer that."

I toss the covers off my body, grunting in annoyance. "I guess they don"t believe in letting their high valued customers sleep in," I mutter under my breath.

"Maybe they want to make sure you"re happy with your purchase."

Let"s hope that"s all it is. The last thing I need is for them to figure out who I am so early on. That's another reason this rescue mission is time sensitive. I"m just hoping the amount of money I throw at them will be enough of a distraction. As long as they are getting their pockets lined, they have no reason to get suspicious or to breach the privacy of their customers.

I pull open the door to a different man from last night. This one has a red bandana tied around his head with his hair pulled back into a small ponytail. His dark brown eyes narrow in on me before glancing behind me. "I take it you enjoyed yourself last night. This one hasn"t given you any trouble, has he?" He gestures toward Joey who hasn"t moved from the bed.

I shake my head, stepping between the space and the door. "No. Not any that wasn"t welcomed. He was the perfect distraction and worth every penny. I always did like the ones with a bit of an edge."

The man smiles in satisfaction. "Good. We have breakfast delivered to all VIP guests around this time. Will you be checking out today, or joining us for another night?"

I glance back at Joey before meeting the other man"s gaze again with a smile on my face. "I think I"ll definitely be staying another night. I have more time to kill and I think I want at least one more taste of this one before I go on my way and maybe see what else you have to offer."

He nods with an evil grin. "Anything you"re looking for in particular?"

I resist the urge to grit my teeth at the next words that escape my lips. "Something younger perhaps. Much younger." I bite my tongue, swallowing back the foul taste in my mouth from my stomach recoiling in disgust. Many men make this same request daily and not for the same reason I am. If I could get away with purchasing some of Joey"s friends, then maybe I won"t have to make such a huge mess. "I"m also interested in the next auction being held. I"m thinking about returning home with a few souvenirs."

The man smiles wider, licking his lips and I want nothing more than to cut that disgusting tongue from his mouth. Soon. "We can definitely fill your request for the night and also maybe help you find the perfect forever plaything. The next auction is being held tomorrow evening in the basement level of one of our boss's nearby hotels. We will make sure we get a spot secured for you."

"Good. I was hoping for more than one. They never last long. I have yet to find the perfect one who didn"t break too easily."

He gestures behind me. "The older and broken in ones are usually perfect for that. You"re more than welcome to make an offer and I can run it by my boss. I doubt anyone would miss the little brat. Although my boss may have special plans for this one later."

I tilt my head to the side and my lips form into a thin line, not wanting to seem too eager by taking his bait so soon. "As much as I"ve enjoyed our time together, I"d like to keep my options open. I may want another night with him though. He can take a good beating better than most."

The man nods. "Sounds good to me. Well I"ll send someone to collect him shortly."

"What if I pay for a few more hours with him this morning?"

"Sorry, normally it wouldn"t be a problem. We do encourage you to pay as far in advance as you can. He was more popular last night than we thought he"d be, and he caught the eye of many men. In fact, two of them requested some time with him this afternoon, an hour each. If you want him for the night, I recommend you make that reservation soon."

I swallow hard, pressing my feet into the floor. Why didn"t I pay for more time? If I could keep Joey from being touched by these vile men then I wanted to jump at every opportunity offered. I just knew paying him so much attention early on may cause curiosity in some of these men. I also had some more touring to do around the mansion. I need to make sure I know my way around it—every exit, every secret entryway, and every blind spot.

I need to know the number of guards that stand in each room and need to find the main man who runs this place. I need to know who I"m dealing with in case my plans go south and if there are any chances of getting in the man"s good graces, it works in my favor to know what they are. "I"ll grab my wallet. I would like him for the night and for all of tomorrow. I want him secured in my room when I leave for the Auction and waiting for me when I get back."

"We can have that arranged. Do know you are welcome here for as long as you"d like. This place always makes the best home away from home."

The invitation isn"t as friendly as it sounds. Translation: you can stay as long as you keep giving us money in exchange for the company of many young men who are here against their will. I'd killed many men like this one before. I"ve taken down men who"d kidnapped children, women, and family members. Men who"d done heinous things and even people who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I am not proud of the things I had to do all those years ago when my brothers and I were barely getting by with little food in our stomachs and hardly any clothing on our backs. There were many jobs I"d completed in the past that haunt me to this very day. I"ll enjoy the moment I get to take down this sick fuck standing in front of me though. If anything, it may even help me sleep better at night.

I close the door the moment the man turns around to head back toward the elevators. Joey immediately climbs off the bed in nothing more than the thin sheer white nighty and a pair of white lace panties. It made perfect sense why he'd turned so many heads last night. I didn"t want to think about him wearing anything special for other men. I didn"t want to think of other men touching him at all. Only Isaiah should be allowed to touch him...and me. Wait...what…no. Not me. I"m here for one reason only and it has nothing to do with me or what I want.

"What about the days after tonight and tomorrow?" Joey asks with his bottom lip trembling.

"I don"t plan on being here that long. I need to know everything you know. Names, locations, and dates."

"The guy in charge goes by the name of Ivan. The auctions are held the second Friday of every month. They keep us in a white stucco mansion usually in the middle of nowhere. There was a large angel fountain in the center. It"s all I can remember about the house. I spent most of my time inside a white van or the dark basement." Then his eyes light up and his gaze is met with mine. "The smell in the air. It was tinged with fish and lake water. There was a blue water tower behind the house."

I smile with a bit of hope spiking through my body. "Perfect. I"m guessing that"s where they have the rest of the boys. They may even take you back there at some point in case my plan doesn"t go the way I need it to. Do you know who will be at the next auction?"

He lowers his head. "Yeah. Jackson, Jacob, and AJ. Trenton is somewhere in the mansion. He was in the same van as me. There are others I don"t know well, other boys who…"

I frown. "I"m sorry, Little one, but you do know we can"t save them all. I know it seems selfish and unfair. I wish things were different. These men are everywhere, and they will never stop. We will get out who we can, when we can."

He nods, gripping the blankets. "I understand. It"s just Knowing I will be free and have another chance at living when they don"t...it"s something that will be hard to live with."

I walk closer to him, sitting on the edge of the bed as he bends his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. I place my hand on his and before I can say anything else a knock comes to the door. I sigh, running my hands through my hair. "I"ll see you soon."

He nods, not meeting my gaze. "Yeah. If I"m still alive by then. Everyone in here is a ticking time bomb. You never know when your next blow job will be your last. Especially now that I"ve been rewarded with a new accessory."

"You are going to make it out of here. I will kill them all if I need to. In the meantime, try to do what you can to convince them to remove the explosive from your ankle. Be sure to remain on your best behavior, but don"t over sell it."

"You are one man. You said it yourself you can"t go against them all alone, remember?"

"One man with many friends who are much scarier than these men are."

The knock comes again, and I take my time, making my way toward the door. The man with the scar on his face is back and he is staring down at his watch when I open the door. "Good morning, Mr. Masters. We will be taking your toy away for a bit and will have him back to you by dinner time. My boss would like to invite you and the other special guests for brunch down on the second floor in one of the conference rooms. We will all meet down there at noon." He hands me a brochure. "If you"d like a little something extra while you enjoy your meal, there are many options for you to choose from. The sooner you decide the better. The best ones always go fast."

I stare down at pictures of a few different boys listed the way dishes would be on a menu. They are numbers with descriptions, not good enough for names. I swallow back the bile creeping up my throat, trying not to make my disgust apparent. "I prefer to eat with zero distractions if that"s okay with you. I"d also like to save up my energy for tonight. I"m not as young as I used to be."

The man chuckles softly the way an old friend would. "Of course. You are always free to change your mind later. Feel free to hold onto that. Sometimes it"s good to have something to help you relax while in the company of new friends. Maybe even help you work off all those calories from lunch."

I force a smile on my face trying to prepare myself for the horror that awaits me in my near future. I"ll have to find another way to release my anger before I get to the second floor for brunch or else I"ll end up slitting all their throats before even getting the chance to eat my first bite of food. There"s no way I"ll be able to stomach anything with the things my eyes would be forced to witness. I"ll have to try to deliver my best acting skills if I want to get Joey and I out of here alive.

The man smiles, showing off his jagged, stained, gappy teeth. "Come on, boy. Let"s get you cleaned up and ready for the next client. You can leave that outfit here for later." He winks. "I"m surprised it hasn"t been ripped to shreds."

"That"s only because I made sure to bring extras with me. I love to see my toys in pretty silky things after being battered and bruised by my own hands. The combination of the two is always breathtaking. This one doesn"t bruise as easily as the others but I see that as a challenge."

He nods. "You are a twisted man, my friend, and you"re definitely in good company here."

Joey stands beside me in the same black panties he'd arrived in last night with his hands dangling in front of his body. The man with the scar pulls a pair of cuffs from his back pocket. "Hands behind your back, boy and turn around. Not that you could get very far if you manage to run away with that lovely new bracelet around your ankle. Now isn"t the best time to be brave, wouldn"t you agree?"

Joey turns around without responding, doing exactly what the man says. The man binds his wrists together with the cuffs and drags him into the hallway. "See you at brunch, Mr. Masters."

I nod, with a closed mouth smile. "That you will." With luck it would be the last and only brunch I'd ever attend at this hell hole. If I can"t keep my emotions under control, it may be the last meal these men ever have. Stick with the plan. The most important part of the mission is that I get Joey out alive and back in the arms of the man I'd spent the last ten years wishing was mine.

I pace around my room a little bit trying to get my nerves and frustration under control. I don"t want to think about where the man took Joey and what would be happening to him in the next few hours.

After looking up a few things on my laptop and making phone calls, I get dressed in a different suit, another one that belongs to Isaiah. It even still smells like him. Straightening my collar, I hurry out the door and step onto the empty elevator. I fold the brochure and stuff it in my pocket. Maybe it could be of use later when I need to identify which of these boys is Joey"s friends.

The second floor is empty as I walk past the bare walls painted a burgundy color. There are double doors at the end of the hallway with a sign that says conference room 202. A large man with a serious expression who looks like he could take me down with one punch stands tall outside the door, making himself appear more threatening. "What"s the name?"

"Masters."

He stares down at a clipboard in his hands and nods before spinning around to open the door. "Go on in, they"re all waiting for you."

The room is quiet when I enter. All eyes are on me except for the men who are being forced to kneel and continue their task at hand. I bite my tongue as I take a seat at the end of the long steel table.

"So happy you can join us, Mr. Masters," the man with the scar on his face says. "There are menus on the table. We will be ordering soon. We have beverages available if you"re thirsty and a few appetizers as well." He gestures toward some of the men shaking in a corner, forcing their eyes on the ground.

"I"ll just take some coffee for now please. No cream or sugar."

The man nods and clicks his tongue. "You, boy in the corner. You"ll be taking care of Mr. Masters this afternoon with whatever he may need."

The boy nods, with his bottom lip quivering. He struggles to move his feet and when I get a look at his sprained ankle, it makes perfect sense. He also wears a bracelet around his ankle similar to Joey"s with a blinking red light. His feet drag across the carpet as he carries the pot of coffee in his hands. His hands are unsteady the whole way and the liquid swishes around in the glass from his trembling hands. I place my hand on his when he"s about to pour the coffee in my cup. "I can take care of it from here, thank you."

The men start talking among themselves, filling the room with laughter. The boy kneels beside my chair, staring down at the floor. I lift his chin with my fingers, forcing him to meet my eyes when no one else in the room is paying attention. "What"s your name, boy?"

"Whatever...you...want it to be." He sucks in a breath.

I sigh, shaking my head. "No, what"s your name?"

He swallows hard, licking his cracked lips. "Trenton," he whispers.

My chest rises and falls as I inhale and exhale too quickly. Joey was right, he is only just a boy and doesn"t belong here. None of them do. I"m not sure how I"ll get him out of this room, and I have a feeling I won"t see him again after today if I don"t think of a way. I"m about to start fabricating different ways in my mind and then the man with the scar answers another guest"s question a little too loudly. "Si, all the boys you see here are available for purchase. Consider this a bit of sampling," he says with a chuckle.

I bite back a grunt and stare back at Trenton. "How would you like to come home with me, boy?"

Trenton"s eyes water and he stares at the ground again. "If that would make you happy, sir, I would be glad to go home with you," he says with shaky words.

"Is everything okay over there?" the man with the scar asks. "The boy is behaving himself, right?"

I smile, standing up. "Yes, I"ve just decided I would like to make my first purchase. I think he will fit in my home perfectly."

The man straightens his suit, standing taller. "Wonderful. That one has been trouble since he"s gotten here. I think a man like you will be good for him. I sure hope you aren"t done with your shopping so soon."

I shake my head, my lips curling up into a smile. "Not even close."