Russian Roulette: Flashbacks [male x male]

Ch. 23: Remember what I told you?

Then

Cheering sounded all around them, though Phoenix barely noticed it. He just stared at Jace with possessive pride, not even sure how to proceed from there.

What did a man do when his dreams came true?

He thought about it for a moment, with Jace's expectant face right in front of him. The necklace around his neck constantly reminded him of how he had given the phoenix in him to Jace a second before. There were so many things he could do, so many options that his mind blanked out. There was only one option that surfaced over and over. Like a rock skipping on a pond, except in reverse. It came from a distance and broke the surface, was small, and made small ripples around it as it came closer and became larger and larger. The ripples spread until the rock hit him smack in the face with the only thing he could do.

Seize the moment, make the best of the gift he had just received, and fucking enjoy it!

"Come on, Baby boy. I think we need some privacy." Phoenix opened his arms and got ready, and Jace did not disappoint. He basically climbed up his body and clamped his arms and legs around him as he had done during aftercare, and Phoenix gladly held his ass to support him. The soft suede patch on Jace's arm pressed against the back of his neck. The familiar coconut smell, the feel of the weight in his hands, and the tightness around his waist from Jace's muscular legs gave him chills of excitement. When Jace finally nestled his head into the crook of Phoenix's neck and sighed as he relaxed, Phoenix could have burst with joy.

That was heaven.

Then it hit him; Jace had planned it. Jace never wore harnesses like that one; he wore stylish button-ups to appear casual and still look good. But the harness was attention-seeking and fucking sexy on him. He had come there that night with the sole purpose of presenting, and Packard had been in on it. He had to have been. Packard never ordered him around. He usually gave out notices about meetings in advance, and Phoenix planned accordingly. Nothing in the meeting had been urgent enough to not get taken up in a pre-scheduled meeting another day. Phoenix turned to Packard and gave him a stern but questioning glare.

Packard threw his hands in the air and pointed at Chess at the bar. "Sorry, man. He promised me a date. And from the looks of it, you don't seem to mind too much that it was a setup."

Phoenix gave Packard a nod and carried Jace away through the massive crowd that finally began to disperse. He went straight for the bar where Chess stood next to some tiny twink Phoenix had seen hanging around Brannon a few times. Both had self-pleased smiles on their faces that Phoenix could not help but notice. Jace had good friends, it would seem.

"Chess, I don't like being manipulated. But in this instance, I'll forgive you. And you'd better keep your word to Master Packard."

Chess inclined his head and then smiled with confidence. "I won't let him down, Sir."

"Good boy. And thank you for helping my little koala here." Phoenix gave Jace a squeeze and got rewarded with the tiniest moan. That precious sound only made him want to squeeze Jace more. He turned to walk to his playroom when Chess called after him.

"Oh, by the way. I told the bar to switch all your drinks tonight to alcohol-free. Only the ones you had before Jace and I got here were regular. Just FYI, Sir."

That made Phoenix chuckle into Jace's soft hair. He momentarily let go of Jace with one hand and lifted a thumbs up to Chess without turning around. The conniving, little matchmaker. It made sense why he had not felt any buzz from the drinks, though he had consumed a few before he had noticed Chess and Jace arrive. He was not 100% sober, but he was not plastered either.