2. Jared

2

JARED

A ll around him, lights flashed and music blared. Red and blue and purple. They all danced in a hypnotic sequence meant to enhance the appearance of his physique while giving the viewers what they really wanted—a purely erotic and sexual experience.

Men came from all over to La Maison de M , a private gentlemen's club that catered to the rich and powerful. Membership into this private club was expensive but well worth it if you were granted membership into this exclusive inner circle.

La Maison was a cross between a sex club, spa, and private resort—for men only. It was a place where gentlemen could come and be themselves without the judgment or prying eyes of the general public. What happened at La Maison stayed in La Maison .

Confidentiality agreements were signed, video surveillance monitored, and everyone had an understanding that the only way this worked, was if everyone abided by the rules.

That, and having to suffer the consequences of Matteo Sabarino's wrath. This last point was communicated through rumor and word of mouth. Matteo was smart enough not to document this threat or participate in its execution, but members disappeared or went to work with mysterious bruises. They were all whispers, but guests of La Maison knew who the real administer of justice was. If you broke the rules, you suffered the consequences.

Dropping to all fours, Jared began air-humping the stage. Thrusting his hips into an imaginary mouth… or ass… or whatever orifice you so desired. This realm was all about you, the guest . Anything you wanted, they tried to make it happen… and usually did.

Such was the magic of La Maison de M . A place where fantasies and desires came true.

Jared pumped deeper. Balancing himself with one hand as he continued to thrust faster and harder, making all the men around him lick their lips in envy.

The crowd went nuts.

Men loved watching him simulate fucking on stage. The hypnotic rhythm of his hips, the flexing contours of his muscles, and, of course, the ever-tempting bulge of his package.

Guests sought out Jared's company because he played into that ex-military vibe. People wanted to feel protected and ravished by a hot, muscular guy who they would have been too intimidated to approach in the real world.

Here at La Maison , everything was possible… for a price, of course. Fantasies came to life while desires were explored and fulfilled.

A fifty was slipped into Jared's tight shorts. He leaned over the stage and pulled the man in for a kiss on the cheek. The man blushed as he waved shyly at Jared.

A newbie, for sure. Most men who frequented this place were powerful people who had confidence oozing out of their pores. They sat back in their chairs, sipping their bourbon, while waiting for the companions to come to them.

Companion was a term used at La Maison to refer to Jared and his fellow dancers. Yes, they were exotic dancers, but they were also so much more. They were your friends. Friendly young men who engaged in conversation and spent the evening providing companionship as well as comfort for those who sought it.

They were also your lovers. They flirted with you, made out with you, and for those who sought a bit more private adult entertainment, La Maison offered private rooms that guests could rent out for a little one-on-one, private time together.

Some guests stayed the night, some stayed the weekend, while others only spent a few hours, eager to return home to their fortunes and families.

This shy, blushing man must be new to the world of fortune and power. He still had his training wheels on. Jared gave him another six to nine months before he joined his fellow brethren as one of the confident, powerful few. Too bad. He kind of liked it when they were shy and bashful. They were less Commander of the Universe when speaking to you.

Although, usually, men who sought out Jared's company were those who wanted to be controlled and ordered around in the bedroom. There was something about giving up power and control that many powerful men seemed to secretly crave behind closed doors. They spent every hour or every day being in control and making hard decisions, so it was nice to relinquish that control, even if only for a few hours.

Jared didn't mind. He liked giving orders and being in control. He was an alpha when it came to the bedroom.

Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted him. Isaac. The blue-haired pain-in-his-ass skater boy who did nothing but annoy the fuck out of him. Or so he claimed.

He'd never admit it to anyone, but that green-eyed fuck-face had somehow managed to sneak his way into his unsuspecting heart about two years ago. The boy might act like an immature idiot who only cared about himself, but deep down, Jared knew better. He'd seen the slips in Isaac's armor, the accidental glimpses of someone who actually cared about others.

It was those glimpses that had caught his attention and somehow found their way around his defenses and into his well-protected heart. No matter how much he tried to protest it or how much he tried to deny it, the little fucker had nestled his way in and had unknowingly carved out a home deep within his heart.

Once the song was over, Jared bounced off the stage and made his way over to where Isaac had a group of men hovering over him.

"Looks like you could use some help," Jared announced, placing his hands on his hips so that his package was on full display.

All three Japanese businessmen turned at the sound of his voice.

Their eyes lit up, and their smiles almost hit their hairlines once they laid eyes on him. It was a natural reaction to Jared's dashing smile and rocking hot body. He wasn't conceited; he just couldn't blame the poor guys for their lack of willpower.

"Always have room for you at our table," the man known as Mr. K replied, patting the empty space beside him.

Some guests preferred not to use their real names around the dancers and often introduced themselves with just a letter as a last name. Some men were closeted and feared others finding out, while others were CEOs of major corporations and didn't feel comfortable with exotic dancers knowing their true identities.

Jared really didn't care. As long as the guys paid him and followed the rules, they could call themselves whatever the heck they pleased.

"Thanks, Mr. K," Jared said, sliding in next to the man.

He glanced over at Isaac. He crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue, hoping to solicit a chuckle from the young man.

His efforts were rewarded. There was nothing sweeter than the sound of the young man's laughter, especially when it was directed at him.

Good. At least Isaac wasn't pissed that he had joined their group.

Jared didn't like it when Isaac entertained so many guys all at once. Groups like this often got rowdy and didn't realize how forceful they were becoming, especially when drinking and partying in one of the suites.

Whenever parties asked Isaac for a group session, Jared made it a point of either forcing his way into the group or inviting himself into the room in order to stand guard and make sure that Isaac was safe. Isaac, of course, was oblivious to this fact.

The boy liked to party and sometimes didn't realize the dangerous situations he was putting himself in. Sometimes, Jared wondered if Isaac was purposely putting himself in these situations because he craved danger and unconventional sex.

"Don't think I can handle these gentlemen on my own?" Isaac joked, leaning into the guy on his right.

"No, I just wanted to show you how a real man entertains," Jared responded, swallowing a shot, then leaning over and giving Mr. K a deep and dirty kiss.

Yes, there was lots of tongue and a few deep groans coming from the man currently being devoured.

Eventually, Jared released the man, allowing him to come up for air. He then picked up another shot and fed it to Mr. K while the rest of the table cheered.

"Who wants shots?" Isaac shouted, picking up the bottle of whiskey and pouring the group of men another round.

Jared sat back and watched as the blue-haired party demon began feeding the group shot after shot in different seductive poses. One man sucked a shot directly from Isaac's mouth; another licked the amber liquid out of the crack of Isaac's ass, while another man asked if he could suck a shot out of Isaac's belly button. This last request was a tad challenging, considering Isaac's stomach was flat, and the liquid kept escaping. Finally, Isaac realized that if he sucked in his stomach, it created a small cavern from which the eager CEO of a certain unnamed tech company was able to suck the shot right out of Isaac's belly button.

Masterfully played, young man.

In between rounds, the feisty ball of energy teased the group by dancing on the table and grinding into their laps. Eventually, Jared joined Isaac on the table, and both began grinding together and exploring each other's bodies. Nothing gets a man's blood pumping faster than seeing two hot men going at it in front of them.

It was all part of the gig. Guests bought the drinks, while companions provided the entertainment. They laughed with them, they drank with them, and they flirted with them. But in the end, they always followed Matteo's number one rule: always be aware. That included not getting so drunk that one didn't know what was going on around them.

Matteo had taught them all how to take shots without actually consuming any of the alcohol themselves. Okay, so they drank some of it. They were only human, after all. But as the guests got drunker, they barely seemed to notice that the boys were hardly touching their drinks.

Some dancers let the liquid trickle from their lips as they danced, mixing with their sweat as it disappeared from sight; others chose to discreetly empty their shots when no one was looking. Each dancer had their own method of staying sharp while keeping the drinks flowing.

Over the next two hours, Jared and Isaac played with the group by grinding up against them, feeding them drinks, and even air-humping a guy or two brave enough to lay on the sweat and alcohol-soaked table before them.

Matteo had specially built tables brought in that were low enough to the floor for dancers to easily step up onto and would comfortably support the weight of multiple men. They were the perfect tables to place around the many booths that guests loved to sit at and enjoy the entertainment.

Isaac's laugh was intoxicating. He seemed to love the attention and knew how to get a crowd roiled up.

It was tough. Jared loved seeing Isaac smiling and having a good time, but at the same time, he hated watching horny older men clawing at Isaac's body.

They were all so… grabby.

As Isaac entertained, Jared made sure to keep the glasses full and the liquid disappearing down each and every person's throat. This was how business was done. These men paid good money to enjoy themselves and indulge in whatever pleasures they might have.

It was nearing the end of the evening when Jared noticed Mr. K lean over and whisper something into Isaac's ear. With his hand, Mr. K discreetly pointed over at two of his buddies, who were smiling like drunken idiots.

Isaac smiled and nodded.

"Where are you going?" Jared asked the second Isaac stood up from the booth.

"I'm just going to use the jack. Then take this party upstairs."

"The what?"

"The jack," Isaac repeated before rolling his eyes and huffing. "The loo or toilet to you laymen British folk."

Jared shook his head. "You're such a brat."

"I know, but you love me. You gonna join us?"

Jared glanced over at the three horny businessmen currently finishing the drinks in their glasses.

"Yeah, I think I might." It wasn't that Jared wanted to get naked and raunchy with these guys, he just needed Isaac distracted for a little bit. "Go, use the bathroom, and I'll finish up here."

Isaac shrugged and then walked off into the crowd.

"Gentlemen," Jared called, picking up the half-empty bottle of whiskey from the table. "How about we have another quick round before my buddy gets back?"

The guys cheered as Jared gave them each a double shot. They raised their glasses, then downed the amber liquid in a greedy gulp.

Japanese men and their egos. If there was one thing that Jared could always rely on, it was that. They never wanted to be showed up.

"One more!" Jared shouted, quickly filling each of their glasses and hoping to get another shot or two in before Isaac came back.

" Kanpai! " they all cheered before downing the second double shot. Kanpai , he had come to learn, was the Japanese equivalent of "cheers."

Jared smiled and began pouring a third shot when Mr. K held up his hand.

"What's the matter?" Jared asked, passing the man's friends each another shot. They each downed the shot without waiting for their friend to answer.

"I… I think I haf haaad enouf," the man slurred, slowly teetering back and forth.

"Are you sure?" Jared asked, glancing over at Mr. K's friends, who were also starting to sway like the ocean. Each of their heads began to lower.

"You know, perhaps it would be best if you guys went back to your rooms and called it a night. You look like you've had a bit too much to drink," Jared suggested, knowing full well that the men would be battling their own pride. Admitting defeat to alcohol was no laughing matter.

The man beside Mr. K nodded while his friend slumped back in his seat.

"Yes… perhapsss… righ…" Mr. K started but was unable to finish.

Jared flagged down two of the security guys standing watch at the door.

"I think these guys may have had too much to drink. Do you think you can help them all get back to their suite? They're staying in the Frontenac Suite ," Jared explained, sliding out of the booth so that Matteo's hired muscle could collect the drunken messes currently slumped in their seats.

Once the guys were gone, Jared quickly reached into his underwear and pulled out the wad of bills he had collected throughout the night. He quickly counted, glancing up every once in a while to make sure that Isaac was nowhere in sight.

Five hundred and fifty.

He quickly shoved fifty back in his briefs, then folded up the remaining five hundred in his hand.

"Where did everybody go?" Isaac asked, eyes wide and his mouth askew.

Jared glanced up, startled by the stealthy mole.

"Oh, the guys changed their minds. They were pretty drunk and decided to head back to their suite instead. They asked me to give you this."

Jared handed Isaac the cash and hoped that he believed his story.

Isaac stared down at the handful of bills before lifting his head to meet Jared's gaze once again.

"That's strange. They seemed perfectly fine when I left."

Shrugging, Jared took a sip of his whiskey, then stared back at him. "Not sure what to tell ya. But hey, at least you made all that cash without having to swallow a dick."

Isaac slid in next to Jared. The guy looked confused and off-kilter.

"Yeah, I guess. What about you? Did the guys pay you as well?"

"Yeah, man. Already got it safely stashed beneath my balls," Jared joked, giving his buddy a wicked smirk.

"You're such a dude," Isaac chuckled, pressing his elbow into Jared's arm.

He hated lying to Isaac, but the thought of him having sex with other men made Jared's gut twist.

Lately, Jared had been running interference. He'd been doing what he could to get the guys to leave early. Then, to cover his tracks, Jared would make up some excuse as to why the men had suddenly changed their minds. Sometimes, the excuses were so flimsy Jared was convinced that Isaac would see right through them.

To this day, Isaac had not caught on. Feeling guilty and not wanting Isaac to miss out on any potential earnings, Jared would give Isaac all the cash he had earned that night, telling him that it came from the guys who had mysteriously left— minus a few bills for himself because, hey, he needed some cash for himself.

"Okay! Well, since the night is done for both of us, how about we head to the kitchen and see if Levi baked us any cookies," Isaac suggested, his smile reaching from ear to ear.

Jared had managed to dodge another bullet, at least for this evening. Tomorrow would be another story.

Feeling awfully proud of himself, Jared slid out of the booth and slung his arm over Isaac's bare shoulders. "Let's go get you a cookie."

Isaac chuckled beneath his arm as they made their way toward the kitchen.

Yes, this was a much better way to end an evening.