He sat on the floor on the opposite side of the room, but despite the fresh T-shirt and jeans, and the scent of shampoo in his hair, he still smelled blood in the air. Sandro looked so peaceful when asleep. As if he didn’t own some fucked up torture dungeon.
And yet, no matter how much Kevin’s instincts screamed at him to flee, to call the cops, and leave this terrifying turn in his life behind, he couldn’t force himself to betray Sandro’s trust. Not because the monster tucked into the comforters on the floor was devastatingly handsome, or because he knew just the way to make Kevin’s body thrash in pleasure, but because Kevin’s heart burned with such endless love for him that throwing it away was impossible even after discovering the truth.
When Sandro groaned, finally breaking the silence, Kevin stilled by the wall, his heart pounding in a furious rhythm. He both dreaded and anticipated this moment. The need to ask questions had eaten Kevin from the inside for hours, but now that Sandro was waking up, Kevin’s mouth was dry as a desert.
What was he supposed to say? ‘Why is there a torture chamber in your house’?
Sandro’s consciousness seemed to be coming back at a rapid pace because when he pulled on the binds, his eyes went wide open and he zeroed in on Kevin, sitting up. His head still lolled from side to side, but he reminded Kevin of a shackled wolf ready to bite, not the man who swooned over homemade pasta.
“Kevin? Sweetie? What is this?” He blinked several times, as if still struggling out of his sleep.
“We need to t-talk,” Kevin said, unable to stay calm.
“Roberto? Is he…?”
Kevin swallowed, remembering how he held down the pillow as the massacred body twitched. “He’s gone, okay?!”
Sandro nodded. “Thank you for not running, baby. You saved my life, it was very brave of you—”
“Cut the bullshit!” Kevin got to his feet and hugged himself, feeling claustrophobic in the small room that only contained a bed, a wardrobe, and a lamp. “I need to know what’s happening!” He had to turn his back on Sandro to compose himself, because his eyes already itched to shed tears again.
“No, you don’t,” Sandro said in a stern voice. “All you need to know is that you stayed with me for a year, and for what you did down there, I will double your pay. You can go back home, start a new life, and forget about all that happened.”
When Kevin faced him again, Sandro had moved to sit against the bed and watched Kevin’s every move, as if he expected him to attack and readied himself to strike back. Despite him being the one bound, he seemed like a predator on the prowl.
Kevin still remembered vividly how Sandro had smashed Roberto’s head against the floor time and time again. It had impressed Kevin how unshaken Sandro had been, but now, he saw it for what the fight was. Proof of experience. Kevin didn’t need to hear Santo say he’d done such things before to know the truth.
Kevin spread his arms in frustration. “Roberto’s dead, and I… I…” Killed him. “And that room…?”
Sandro rose, and the rope dropped to the floor. Kevin screamed and dashed for the door, but Sandro was there first and slammed it shut right in front of Kevin’s face. Kevin narrowly avoided smashing into him, and stopped close enough to smell the mix of Sandro’s favorite lemon and bergamot cologne. And blood.
“How—?”
Sandro exhaled. “You were never good at rope work, baby boy. Why did you have to do that?”
Kevin’s heart beat so fast the thudding in his ears was getting him nauseated. Should he have run? Called the police? All the choices he’d made leading up to this moment flashed before his eyes. Leaving home, choosing to go into an arrangement with an older man for money, allowing Sandro to cut him off from the internet and dictate rules for his life.
Killing Roberto.
“R-Roberto said you killed all the boys before me! I panicked. Please say he lied…” Kevin rubbed his eyes, terrified that his love for Sandro could have made him miss all the red flags.
“He did lie. I’ve never killed a lover. So despite this fear, you still wanted the money enough to stay?”
Kevin’s head snapped up and he met Sandro’s eyes. “What are you talking about? It’s not about money!”
Sandro cocked his head. “What is this about if not money? Are you really trying to blackmail me right now?”
Kevin just stared back at him, his head a balloon devoid of all thought. “What? No! Blackmail? Why would I—?” He pushed at Sandro’s chest, even though he ended up being the one to take a step back. “I can’t believe you would just get rid of me like this! After the year we spent together all you want to do is write me a check and throw me out? Out of sight, out of mind, huh?” He rubbed his eyes, because there was no way he could fight the tears gathering in his eyes. “I trusted you! It was our anniversary, and I thought—” He had to gasp for air. “I thought you’d want me to stay. I’ve never loved anyone like this before. You take care of me, you protect me, you shower me with affection. I know you’re not a psycho, so what is that room? What happened? There must be a reason for it!”