4. Isaac

4

ISAAC

" F uck!" Isaac shouted, tripping off his board and almost cracking his skull on the concrete below. He straightened himself, tossing his shoulders back before pulling up his jeans that were riding lower than was safe for skateboarding.

He glanced around to see if there were any witnesses to his near-death mishap.

Empty. The coast was clear, and his dignity was still intact.

Not that anyone else ever came to this part of the chateau. It was a little hidden area not far from where the maintenance crew did most of their work fixing things that were too big or too noisy to fix onsite.

This was his little slice of heaven. This was where he came to chill out, relax, and get some boarding done.

A couple of years ago, a few of the guys had helped him build a mini skate park. It wasn't anything too crazy. Just a few ramps and open spaces in which he could work on his tricks without killing anyone or anyone having to bear witness to his own scraped knees or cracked-open skull. Apparently, blood was bad for business, and a dead skater boy even more so.

Most of the guys had their own individual hobbies. Teo had his yoga, Jared had his gym, Diesel had his… vices. And Isaac… he had his skateboarding.

Turning his attention back to the device that tried to end his life, he scowled.

The wheel on his board had come loose again, even after he had just spent the last ten minutes fixing the damn thing. The board was old and on its last leg, but he refused to get rid of it because it held… sentimental value.

Running his hands through his hair, he walked over to where the piece of shit board rested, mocking his sorry ass for nearly killing him.

"Come here, you little asshole," Isaac growled before bending down and scooping up the little bastard.

Sitting back down on the concrete, he picked up the screwdriver and began unscrewing the wheel once again. He inspected the wheel, trying to figure out why the fucker kept trying to leave the rest of the board. Clearly, the wheel had issues and was no longer happy living with the rest of his compadres.

Not finding anything wrong, he picked up the screw he had just removed and noticed that the edge looked stripped. Perhaps that was the reason it kept loosening while he was trying to board. He would have to see if one of the maintenance guys had a spare screw he could use to replace this worn-out one.

Staring at the skateboard, Isaac thought back to when he had first received this board.

It was two weeks after he arrived at the chateau, and he was still trying to get his bearings and adjust to not having to live his life on the streets. Food was plentiful, he had a roof over his head, a warm bed to sleep in, and a shit ton of people around him to keep him entertained.

It was all so… overwhelming.

He'd been seeing a therapist for about a week now, which was also weird and a bit tough to get used to, but he trusted Matteo and wanted to give this whole legit life a fair trial.

Needing a break from all the chaos, he decided to venture off into the back of the chateau, where some of the maintenance guys like to do their work—fixing machines, working on cars, even smoking a joint or two.

It was mid-afternoon, the sun was shining, and there was no one around to interrupt his thoughts and feelings.

Perfect.

Isaac lay down on the concrete, took a deep breath, then stared up at the sky.

It was peaceful.

Warm.

Quiet.

No one was shouting. No one was trying to steal his stuff. No one was…

Then it finally dawned on him.

Being here, he could finally relax. He didn't need to always be so on guard. So up in arms all the time.

Here, no one was out to get him.

Feeling safe and relaxed, for the first time in a long time, he closed his eyes and just… breathed.

"You know, there are much more comfortable places to sleep than on the cold hard concrete," a voice said from above him.

Isaac opened an eye and stared up at the silhouette of a large beast of a man. The man was tall, with bulging arms and deliciously thick thighs. The whole view was… yummy.

He raised a hand to shield the sun from his eyes. He hoped to get a better look at the hunk standing over him.

Large brown eyes smiled back from under a neatly shaved head of hair. The man wore tight black jeans and a white crew-cut T-shirt that clung to every muscular curve of his body.

Holy shit. Talk about an instant boner. Could the man be any sexier?

Realizing he still hadn't responded, Isaac smiled up at the man, hand still shielding the sun from his eyes.

"I heard it was good for your back lying on something hard. Personally, I prefer sitting on something hard, but to each his own."

That was a lie.

In all the years he had been sexually active, he had never once taken a dick. Sure, he'd thought about it, but he found that when most guys saw the size of his dick, they either wanted to spend their time sucking on it or insisted that he top. As such, he had never had the opportunity to experience the rough pleasures of being pounded himself.

Maybe. Hopefully. One day.

The man above him smirked.

That was a good sign, right? The guy seemed like he was interested. Shit. Was he an employee or a customer? Was he even allowed to speak to whomever this guy was? Isaac wasn't working at La Maison de M—he was just spending some time here. Speaking to Matteo's doctor friend and taking some time to figure out his next move.

"I'm Isaac." He decided not to be a total weirdo and introduced himself, holding his hand up in the air for the beast-man to take.

"I know. I'm Jared," the hunk of a man replied, taking Isaac's hand and helping him up from the ground.

To be honest, after spending so much time living on the streets, he felt right at home lying on the ground. Actually, this spot was a lot nicer—and cleaner—than places he lay in the past.

Standing chest to chest, their eyes locked on one another.

"It's nice to meet you, Jared. Are you a guest? Or do you work here?"

The man's lips pulled back in a smile, showing off his pearly white teeth. "I work here. I'm one of the dancers."

Shit. Were co-workers allowed to fool around? Well, technically, Isaac wasn't a co-worker, he was just a guy… visiting… for an undetermined amount of time… So… well… the lines were a little blurred when it came to that.

Isaac took a step back, deciding it was better to play it safe and not ruin Matteo's generous offer by fucking one of Matteo's employees.

He did have some class and self-control, after all. He hoped.

"How are you finding this place so far?" Jared asked, eyes never leaving Isaac's.

There was something warm and gentle in his eyes. Isaac felt the butterflies begin to stir.

Taking a breath, Isaac walked over to an overturned crate left beside a pile of junk. He took a seat on top and ran his hand through his magenta hair. Yes, his hair was magenta… not purple… not rouge… but magenta.

"It's been good so far. Been mostly hanging around the house, taking in the sights and trying to stay out of everyone's way. You guys got a lot going on around here."

Jared took a seat next to Isaac.

"Yeah, it can be overwhelming at first, but you get used to the chaos and constant activity. I've been here a couple of years now and love it. The guys who work here are amazing, and most of the clients who come here are pretty decent guys. Always generous."

So, Jared was a prostitute…

"So, this is a big whorehouse?" Isaac asked, still not one hundred percent sure what La Maison de M was.

A chuckle escaped Jared's lips.

"Don't let Matteo hear you call his baby a whorehouse. No, this place is so much more than that. La Maison is a place where men can come to be themselves. They are able to explore their sexuality, indulge in their fantasies, and just come to relax and enjoy themselves in a safe and non-judgmental environment. And no, I am not a prostitute."

Isaac's cheeks blushed. How did he know?

"I know what it's like trying to get settled into a new place, especially when you don't know anyone, but you know me now. Anything you need, just come and ask."

Jared picked up the skateboard he had placed next to him when he first sat down.

"Here, I got you this. M said that you enjoyed skateboarding, and it didn't seem like you owned one. So, I thought I would pick one up for you."

Stunned, Isaac had no idea how to respond. Holding the sleek wooden board in his hands, he admired the detail painted on the surface. A skull, engulfed in flames, with roses intertwined along the edges.

Badass.

That was the only word he could use to describe it.

His skateboard.

Given to him.

For no reason.

By someone he didn't even know.

But… why?

Speechless, he turned to face Jared.

"I… Umm… It's… I… I love it. Thank you." Isaac paused, still trying to wrap his mind around the kind gesture. Then he looked up at Jared. "But… why?"

He wasn't used to people giving him presents unless they wanted something in return. But Jared didn't seem to be looking for anything. It just didn't make any sense to him.

A warm smile greeted Isaac. "I just thought that you might enjoy taking her for a ride whenever you get overwhelmed or are looking to have some fun. Think of it as a ‘welcome to the family' gift." Jared patted Isaac on the back, then got up and began to walk away.

A few steps away, Jared stopped, then glanced over his shoulder.

"If you end up staying, me and my buddy Diesel can build you a ramp or something to skate on. Beats rolling around in circles in this concrete jungle." Jared let out a chuckle, then continued his walk back toward the mansion.

Isaac stared down at his gift and fought back tears. No one had ever given him such a thoughtful gift… just because.

Knowing that people like Matteo and Jared existed made Isaac want to stick around just a bit longer.

Staring down at the skateboard now, he refused to give up on her. He was going to make sure that this bitch-ass wheel stayed connected. This was his gift, and he wasn't throwing it away.

"You know, it might be time to throw out that ratty old thing and just buy a new one," a deep voice said over his shoulder.

Isaac smiled.

"You know, I keep throwing this junk away, but it magically keeps coming back. Kind of like your herpes… keeps coming back no matter how hard you try to get rid of it." He refused to admit the real reason he didn't want to get rid of his most prized possession.

"Suit yourself. Here, let me take a look."

Isaac passed him the wheel and held up the screw. "I think we just need a new screw. The damn wheel keeps loosening."

Turning the object around in his hand, he nodded. "Yeah, you might be right. Let's go see if one of the maintenance guys has a spare."

Jared turned and began walking toward the maintenance area, still checking out the screw as he walked.

Picking up his board, Isaac couldn't help but stare at the two muscular globes that jiggled under Jared's shorts as he walked.

Now that was a fine piece of man-ass.