Chapter 27

“Can we go somewhere Mouse can’t hear us?” Francesco stole a nervous look at the mouth of the cave.

Morgan finally turned and nodded. “So it’s about Ahab.” He kept his voice down. “Don’t worry. From this distance, he can’t hear us.”

“Yeah, it’s about him.” Francesco looked down. “You know what he’s in for, right?”

Morgan nodded.

“And you didn’t tell me,” he added and stopped, afraid of how accusing that sounded.

“It couldn’t do you any good,” Morgan replied. “I wanted you to have your own opinion of him. He told you?”

Francesco nodded. He raised his head, his eyes full of tears. Morgan sighed and offered him a sympathetic smile. He put a hand on his shoulder and helped him moved away a bit.

“Can you help him?” he blurted out.

Morgan caressed his hair and his cheeks. Francesco felt a sinking sensation in his stomach when the man shook his head.

“Why?” His voice raised for a moment. He clamped his mouth shut.

“It could cost me everything. I have some leeway here, but not outside the island. Let’s say that people have tried to escape in the past. All ways out are closely monitored.”

Francesco bit his lips hard. Suddenly, Morgan’s tenderness was annoying him. He brushed his hands away. “And? Aren’t you some big shot? Can’t you smuggle him out or something? You’re doing it for Anya, aren’t you?” He knew it wasn’t the same thing, and that he wasn’t even rational, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t dared to hope much, but now it still felt like crap to know he had hoped for nothing.

“What I do for Anya is agreed upon up the ladder. And I’m not smuggling him out.” Morgan didn’t seem upset of his outburst. “Sorry, kid. You’ll need someone with much more clout than me for this.”

Francesco looked up. “Karl,” he said and set his lips hard.

Morgan blinked a couple of times and frowned. “That a good idea?”

Francesco closed his fists. “It’s the only idea.”

He turned to walk away but Morgan caught his arm. “What are you thinking, Francesco? Talk to me.”

He stopped but didn’t face the guy. He hated him right now. “I’ll let him fuck my brains out. Then I’ll ask him. Don’t worry. You don’t have to tell me. I’m not that good a fuck. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t try.”

Morgan let out an aggravated huff. “What do you think Karl can do? Even if he wanted?”

Francesco saw red in front of his eyes. He pushed himself into Morgan’s face. “Why did you tell me to take care of him? Why? When you knew he got sentenced to remain here after we left? For all his fucking life? Can you fucking tell me?”

He hadn’t realized that he had raised his fist until Morgan caught his wrist and then pulled him into a tight hug. He was crying softly so Morgan cradled him in his arms for a while.

“I’ll talk to a lawyer, someone who knows the ropes. I’ll see if we can get a shorter sentence for him seeing that he’s young and has nobody to look after him.”

“How shorter?” Francesco sniffled.

Morgan sighed. “Ten if we work a miracle.”

“Ten?” His stomach sank. “Can he even survive here for so long?”

Morgan didn’t answer. He knew it anyhow.

“Then I just have to get real good at blowjobs and putting my ass up. Karl’s my only chance.”

“Francesco,” Morgan warned. “All right,” he added seeing that he was getting no answer, “you could try. Nothing’s worse than feeling like you’re not doing anything. But I’ll still work on a way to make things easier for Ahab. As much as I can.”

Francesco wiped his tears. There was no point on depending on Morgan. He was just a little gear in that machinery, and he should have realized that.

“I’m sorry if you offered your boyfriend up expecting to get me to help him escape from here,” Morgan said.

There was no reproach in the man’s voice, but Francesco still felt like he was held under a magnifying glass, and his actions judged. “No,” he said stubbornly. “That’s not why I did it.”

“No?” Morgan seemed surprised. He was still holding him, and his tree trunk like arms felt so falsely reassuring. “Then why?”

“You’ve got a good cock,” Francesco said. “I wanted him to enjoy it, too.”

Morgan was gentle as he caressed his face. He tipped his chin, and their eyes met. Francesco didn’t look away. “You don’t have to lie.”

“I’m not lying. If it’s one thing I can’t give him, it’s a cock like yours. Mine doesn’t compare.”

At that, Morgan chuckled. “Don’t sell yourself short, baby boy. You’re normal for your age and build. But thank you. I guess that’s a compliment.”

“Yeah.” Francesco wanted nothing else now but to go back and work on his plan again. “Yeah.” He nodded repeatedly.

“Hey,” Morgan called softly, “things will get better.”

He wanted to believe that. But there was no one to help him, and it all depended on him alone.

They were walking through the forest, single file.

“Did you ask Morgan to do something so that I don’t stay here when you all leave?” Mouse asked.

Francesco walked in front, so he didn’t turn. “Did you hear us?”

“No, but I bet you weren’t crying, and he wasn’t hugging you because your tummy hurt. So, did you?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “But he can’t do squat.”

“It’s all right,” Mouse replied. “He’s just a grunt, after all.”

“Ah, well, I should have asked about his rank before, I guess.”

“Before what? Before you got a dicking or I got a dicking?”

To his surprise, Mouse was laughing.

“Glad to see you in high spirits.” Francesco turned to glare at Mouse. “I was really hoping ... forget it.”

“Kekko,” Mouse hurried after him, “thank you.” He kissed him quickly on the cheek.

“What was that for?”

The beautiful green eyes stared at him with infinite love in them. “For caring about me. And you’re right. That daddy’s cock was super awesome.” He grinned and sauntered off. “You coming?” he asked when Francesco just stood there, unmoved.

He couldn’t get mad at Mouse. He couldn’t talk to him about hope when he knew his future was set in stone, dictated by some assholes who, without a doubt, didn’t know what hunger, or despair, or loneliness were. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

They both shouted in surprise when Karl jumped in front of them from behind one of the trees.

“What the fuck, moron?” Mouse snorted once they realized who it was.

“Are you on a fucking holiday or something? Where the hell have you been?”

“None of your business,” Mouse said and moved by him.

Karl’s eyes moved to Francesco. He froze. Could it be that the guy had watched them? Maybe even seen them getting freaky with Morgan? That would be so fucking bad.