Infuriating, page 17
Day held Jackson’s face in his hands, their foreheads pressed together, lips pressed together, his cock trapped between their bodies, rubbing against their sweat-slicked bellies, as warmth began to pool low in his belly. “I’m close, Jackson.”
Jackson growled at the sound of his name on Day’s lips. “You can come, baby. I wanna feel it. Come for me.”
Day moaned low and long as his second orgasm hit him, his whole body shivering as he came between them. Day dropped his head to rest on Jackson’s arm, too blissed out to help Jackson find his pleasure. But Jackson didn’t need help. He gripped Day’s hips, driving his cock deep three more times, before he was shouting, his hips grinding against Day, emptying himself inside for the second time in as many hours in a way that made him feel claimed...even loved.
Neither of them made any attempt to move; Jackson stayed buried in Day, even soft. Day pressed kisses into Jackson’s chest, his eyes drifting shut as sleep began to overtake him. Jackson cuddled Day close, and even though they were sweaty and sticky and covered with drying cum, Day wanted to stay just as he was, safe in Jackson’s arms.
“I know you don’t believe me, Day, but I love you just as you are.”
Jackson’s words were so quiet, Day almost thought he imagined them. He burrowed closer. “I don’t know how to trust that, not after two weeks. Maybe not even after two years. You just have to give me time, Jackson. If you love me like you say you do, you’ll give me time to see that you can love me no matter how bad I get.”
“I’m a patient man, Day. I’ll wait forever, as long as you’re here with me.”
“Your mom was right. You really are a romantic.”
Jackson kissed Day’s forehead as he drifted off to sleep.
“I got some info on your guy,” Webster said by way of greeting.
Jackson dug his palm into his eye, grunting in response, his phone tucked between his face and his shoulder. Day was sound asleep on top of Jackson’s chest, head tucked right up under his chin and hands tucked under Jackson’s back. They’d stayed up late and then fallen asleep on the couch and Jackson was feeling it.
“You know it’s, like, eleven in the morning…right, boss?” Webster asked, tone chipper.
“You know I can fire you and hire five guys just like you for the cost of your salary…right, employee?” Jackson grumbled.
Webster snickered. “But would they be as pretty as me? I think not.”
Jackson wasn’t in the mood to play games. “Just tell me what you got before I do fire you, pretty boy.”
Day stirred at Jackson’s slightly elevated voice, wiggling his naked little body against Jackson in a way that he definitely wasn’t mad about. “Who are you calling pretty boy when I’m right here naked, hard, and horny?” Day pouted, voice sleep soaked.
“Hush,” Jackson said before adding, “You know I think you’re the prettiest boy.”
“Uh, should I call you back, boss? Sounds like your pro-bono client has some additional duties for you to attend to.”
“Webster…” Jackson said, his voice a warning.
“You tell him, Daddy,” Day grumbled, stretching his limbs with an audible groan before snuggling deeper into Jackson with a sigh that puffed into his face, his morning breath making Jackson grimace, then smile. Day didn’t seem in any hurry to wake up, and if Webster didn’t have anything concrete, Jackson had no interest in leaving this spot until he was good and ready. He’d be more than happy to spend every day waking up with his arms full of sleepy, snuggly Day, bad breath and all.
“Dad—” Webster started, the question in his voice evident.
Jackson cut him off. “If you finish that word, I will not only fire you, I’ll blacklist you to every security firm in the entire world,” he warned.
There was another snicker from Webster before he said, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fine. So, the guy you’re looking for, Oscar Delgado, is in charge of the payroll for Day’s main camming account, which is interesting because while Oscar Delgado doesn’t have a record, Oscar Salazar does.”
“Who the fuck is Oscar Salazar?” And why should Jackson give a shit?
“A two-time felon who’s done two short stints in prison. One for attempted rape and another for second degree murder, which got bumped down to manslaughter. He got eight years but only served four before he was paroled for good behavior.”
“Are you trying to tell me that Oscar Delgado and Oscar Salazar are the same person? Because if they’re not, I might still consider firing you,” Jackson murmured, wishing this conversation had happened after coffee.
“I’m telling you that Oscar Salazar has reinvented himself as Oscar Delgado, and Oscar Salazar no longer exists. It takes skill to disappear and reappear as a completely separate person. Like, it takes technical skills or Fed friends. I suppose he could have turned state’s evidence on somebody but I sincerely doubt it. It would take me a lot longer than two days to dig up information if the Marshalls had shoved him in witness protection. This was thorough but by no means Fed thorough.”
“So, you think this Salazar guy could be Day’s stalker?”
There was a creaking on the other side of the line as Webster moved in his ancient office chair. Jackson hated it, but Webster was weirdly superstitious about the chair. “I’m just saying if he managed to disappear himself and reappear a year later with a new life, he definitely has the skills to hide his location. Also, he seems to have frequent phone meetings with Day, which your boy said seemed contrived. He’s local. His home address is less than five miles from Day’s apartment, and the cam headquarters is right here in LA. Maybe he wasn’t trying to hide his face but his voice?”
“I can’t do much with maybe,” Jackson rasped.
Webster sighed. “You could hand it over to the cops, let them interrogate him. It just seems like one too many coincidences.”
“I’m going to go down there and question him myself,” Jackson said. “I’ll take Day. If we surprise him, we might be able to get his knee-jerk reaction to seeing Day there in the flesh.”
“That’s a bad idea, boss. What if he flips and pulls a weapon?”
“I’m not leaving Day alone and I’m not leaving this up to Jimmy. We have the element of surprise on our side and the fact that he’s at his place of employment where nobody knows him as anything but an upstanding citizen. If anything, he’ll try to play dumb and act innocent. If he’s lying, I’ll be able to tell.”
“You’re the boss, boss, but if you end up on the six o’clock news, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Jackson shook his head. These idiots had no respect. “Shoot me everything you have including his home and business addresses and his previous record.”
“Yeah, on it. But how are you going to get to him if he’s working? Are you just gonna waltz in there with your little Kewpie doll cupcake on your arm and demand to see the payroll guy so you can interrogate him?”
“I have one nerve left, Webster. And you’re getting on it.”
The truth was, Jackson had zero idea how he was going to convince the cam service to let him talk to Oscar, the head of payroll, but that wasn’t going to stop him. He’d think of something on the way. All he really wanted was to see the man’s reaction to being confronted with Day there in person. If he was as obsessed with Day as his stalker was, Jackson would see it on his face no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He’d conducted countless interrogations in the military. He was great at reading people.
“The details are in your inbox. Watch your six, boss.”
Jackson didn’t say goodbye, just disconnected, setting his phone back on the table and wrapping his arms around Day. “Time to wake up, sleepyhead.”
“Just five more minutes, Daddy,” Day groaned.
“We got a lead on who might be after you. Don’t you want this to be over?” Jackson asked, sliding his hands up and down Day’s spine.
“And then what happens?” Day asked, voice quiet.
Jackson frowned, staring down at the top of Day’s head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, do I just go back to my apartment? Back to camming? Are we dating? You said you think I’m the one for you and that you’ll wait until I’m ready, but do you really want to be this forty-year-old captain of industry type with your sex worker boytoy at work functions? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing for you?”
Jackson caught Day under the chin. “If you want to keep camming, I’m fine with it. I don’t want to control your life. But if you don’t, we’ll find you something else. Something different, something that meets your skillset.”
“Like what? I can’t fill out applications. I can’t read or write. Hell, I can’t even sign my name. There’s nothing else out there for me, Jackson. I don’t want to cam, but I don’t want to sit at home while you pay my bills, either.”
Jackson kissed Day’s lips. “As much as the idea of you being here and naked every night when I get home sounds appealing, you are so much more than just a body. You’re incredibly smart. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who can speak more than two languages, much less five. You have a gift. You also have a disability that probably hasn’t been re-examined since you were a child. You have more options than you think, Day, I promise, but I didn’t get where I am in life by worrying about what other people think. My inner circle knows me and my values, my family knows me and my values. It’s their opinion that matters, and they see in you the same things I do. Stop acting as if loving you is some kind of act of charity. I promise you, between the two of us, you’re the catch.”
That brought Day up onto his forearms, his elbows digging into Jackson’s ribs hard enough to make him grunt. “How do you figure that?”
“I’m really boring, Day. I go to work. I go to the gym. I come home, take a shower, eat my dinner on the couch while watching football or whatever else happens to be on. I like to walk along the water. I like to eat Cuban food in hole in the wall places. I hate clubs. I hate fancy parties. I hate concerts and fireworks because the noise and the lights trigger flashbacks to a time I’ve worked hard to put behind me. My idea of a big night out is maybe going to a restaurant that won’t make me wear a jacket, but nobody cooks better than my mom, so honestly, I would rather just eat at her house.”
“To me, that all sounds like a vacation. I’ll take boring any day. I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my whole life when I wasn’t afraid. Ever. There was always some kind of impending doom hanging over me. Every decision was mine to make and every failure mine to claim. Except here. I like that you just make dinner without making me pick what to eat. I like that you just tell me what to do and I do it. Sometimes, at my old place, I wouldn’t eat all day because the simple act of deciding whether to eat a Pop-Tart or ramen seemed like too big a decision. It’s sad that there’s somebody who wants me dead and this is still the most relaxed I’ve ever been. ”
Jackson frowned. Did he make the decisions? He supposed he did. It wasn’t intentional. He was just used to being in charge. Getting shit done. Day had never voiced a complaint, so Jackson assumed he didn’t mind. It had never occurred to him that it was something Day wanted or even needed for his own peace of mind. “I like taking care of you. I like that you let me take care of you.”
Day’s smile grew flirty. “You can take care of me now.”
Jackson knew Day was deflecting with sex. When things got too intense, the conversations too heavy, Day always went back to being the sex kitten. Jackson cupped Day’s face, tugging him close until their lips met, then pulled back before Day could deepen the kiss. Day whined, but Jackson shook his head. “No. Uh-uh. We need to track down this guy once and for all and get this figured out so we can figure us out without the fear of somebody trying to hurt you looming over us. Okay?”
Day folded his hands on Jackson’s chest, dropping his chin on top to give Jackson a sullen look. “Fine, but Webster’s right. If we end up on the six o’clock news, I’m going to be real mad.”
“Oh, please. You’d love it if you ended up on the six o’clock news. Hell, you dress like you anticipate being followed by paparazzi.”
“It’s not my fault I have an eye for fashion and a need to be visually interesting. We can’t all live our lives in mostly monochromatic color pallets,” Day countered.
Jackson rolled his eyes. “Well, when this is all over, you can pick me out an entirely new wardrobe if you like. My sisters would love it.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Day said before sliding off of Jackson, making sure to pause to rub against Jackson’s morning erection on his way by.
“You’re such a tease.”
Day shrugged one shoulder. “You’re the tease. I offered, you refused. That’s on you.”
Jackson lurched from the couch, crouching low and snagging him behind the knees and upending him over his shoulder, smacking his ass as Day yelped indignantly.
“What are you doing? Put me down.”
“You wanted me to take care of you, right?” Jackson asked as he marched up the stairs. “We’re going to take a shower and you’re going to take care of me first, and if you stop squirming, I’ll make sure I take good care of you, too.”
Day sagged against Jackson, all the fight leaving his body as he played Jackson’s butt cheeks like bongos. “Yes, Daddy.”
The headquarters of WPI sat in the heart of LA in a glossy, mirrored building that stood head and shoulders above the surrounding buildings. The interior of the lobby smelled like canned air and lemon scented cleanser. A waterfall took up the entire east wall and provided a white noise to mask the calls the three receptionists fielded behind the shiny pale wood lacquered counter.
“They own this entire building?” Day asked Jackson. “Like, all this is for Camscape?”
“No. WPI is a holding company. They own several cam companies, a few of the larger adult film companies, some adult toy sites, and other various entertainment companies of the less adult varieties.”
Jackson had called Detective Jimmy to ask him to arrange a meeting with WPI’s head of security but told him not to tell them what it was about. Jackson’s plan had seemed crazy at first, but even if Oscar was a crazed stalker and a murderer, Day found it hard to believe he would whip out a gun and start firing in the midst of all these people in their fancy business clothes, surrounded by ten foot palms and greenery that made Day feel like he was in some sort of arboretum.
Day wiped his sweaty palms on the knees of his black jeans and once more shifted in his seat. He felt underdressed beside Jackson, who looked like he belonged in a place like this with his perfectly tailored gray slacks, black cashmere sweater that clung to his muscles, and sleek black loafers. He looked more than like he belonged. He looked hot. The moment they’d entered, the women behind the front desk had exchanged knowing glances and sly smiles. Jackson really was everybody’s type.
Jackson leaned in, his lips moving against Day’s ear. “Relax, baby. You know I won’t let anybody hurt you, right?”
Day gave a hesitant nod but that wasn’t really his concern. Here, in this huge business lobby, somehow, the idea of Oscar being his stalker seemed almost too absurd to consider. He knew it was a bizarre thought to have. It wasn’t as if all stalkers lived in darkened basements, moving through sewers or darkened city streets like cartoonish super-villains, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all wrong. “Something’s off about this.”
Jackson frowned as he looked at Day. “About what?”
Day twitched, his hand spasming in a sort of aborted gesture. “This. All of this. I just don’t think he’s our guy,” he finished with a whisper.
“Well, if he’s not, we’ll keep looking. This is the first solid suspect we’ve found, so we’ve got to let it play out and see how things go.”
“Yeah, I guess. I’m just so ready for all of this to be over. It’s like being followed by a ghost. I can feel him around me all the time, but he hasn’t made a direct threat against me, so it feels surreal, impossible even that somebody would think I was worth killing for. I know that sounds crazy, but my brain can’t make the leap from a guy I’ve talked to once a month on the phone being somebody so obsessed with me he’s willing to kill.”
“People who are this level of psychotic have no problem achieving the level of mental gymnastics that allows them to imagine a relationship with a total stranger. There have been several cases of stalkers killing over people they’ve never even met face to face. That is what makes them so hard to catch. It’s why often nobody even knows the obsession was there at all until it's too late to save the victim.”
Day shivered at that but shook his head. “But does this Oscar guy have a history of stalking or some kind of history that makes him a more likely candidate than any random guy off the street or even in this building?”
“He’s got enough of a history to make me think he’s capable of this, yes.” Day gave Jackson a flat stare at his lack of an answer. He sighed. “He has a history of rape and manslaughter.”
Day swallowed audibly. “Jesus.”
“That’s not going to happen to you. Nothing will happen to you. I promise.”
Day didn’t have a chance to answer. A man in gray slacks and a pale pink button down shirt walked towards them with purpose. He was fit, mid-fifties with snowy white teeth and a widow’s peak. He wore black framed glasses. He looked like everybody and nobody, but when he extended his hand, first to Jackson and then to Day, he gripped both their hands with a friendly confidence that made Day feel even more certain they were on the wrong track.
“Mr. Avery. Marcus Lane, head of security. I spoke with your detective friend, but I’m afraid he gave very little information on the phone. How can I help you?” The man spoke to Jackson, but his eyes kept moving back to Day, his gaze questioning.
