Collision Course

Collision Course 11: Dom

Dom felt the body pinned beneath his flinch. He heard Brian's soft cry and some small semblance of sanity returned.

Christ, what the fuck was he doing?

He looked down and was surprised to find his fingers digging deeply into the pale flesh of Brian's backside. He jerked his hands away and took a half step back.

Brian chose that moment to suddenly rear upright and twist around. Dom, already off balance mentally as well as physically, staggered as Brian's elbow connected with his throat. Dom's legs, entangled in his loose pants, couldn't find footing. He spun and fell, hitting the car's rear quarter panel heavily on his way to the cement.

Whatever small amount of sanity and control he'd recovered, fled as rage flared once more. He snarled at Brian, his dark face twisted and his teeth bared. Gathering his legs beneath him, he sprang forward and upward, only to come to a sudden and devastating halt in mid-air.

Apparently, when he had stumbled into the car, the force had been enough to shake loose the previously stuck driver's side door. For as Dom used all the power of his heavily muscled legs to launch himself at Brian, the Charger's door swung open. In the collision of steel and shaved skull, the door won.

Dom hit the floor hard, shaken but not stopped. He struggled to his feet. Brian's fist streaking toward his jaw was the last thing he saw clearly before the stars that had been sparking behind eyes exploded into super-novas.

Vaguely, he was aware of what was happening. Through a swirling mist, he watched Brian defy all laws of gravity as he walked across the ceiling to pull the garage door up and close it. Up? No, wait, Brian was the one on the floor and Dom was the one pressed to the overhead. Dom squeezed his eyes shut, willing the room to stop its mad gyrations.

His body was moving. The room was tilting again and he was sliding backwards across the floor. Brian was close. Dom could hear the other man's panting breaths, as if Brian were involved in some heavy physical labor. Dom turned his head and was surprised when his face brushed against Brian's arm.

"You weigh a ton."

Brian's voice so close to his ear made Dom's head ache.

Dom felt something hard pressing into his spine, he felt his arms pulled backward and held fast by -- even half-conscious he knew what was wrapped around his wrists -- handcuffs.

Nausea filled him and he tried to decide which was worse: the rolling of his stomach, the throbbing in his head, or the thought of being chained.

===

Dom's senses returned to him slowly, but much sooner than he wished.

He found himself sitting on the garage floor, his legs were stretched out in front of him, and his arms were pulled behind him. They were cuffed around the metal leg of the heavy workbench. A quick glance down confirmed the fact that it was bolted to the floor. No sense in even trying to get loose.

Dom was alone … except for the damn car. He scowled at the thing.

"Bitch," he muttered as he glared at it. He'd always felt like it hated him and the ache in his head was proof that it …

… it had stopped him from hurting Brian.

The thought of what he had done -- nearly done -- sickened Dom. Fuck! He'd come here to talk to Brian, not to … attack him … not to rape him. Self-loathing filled Dom as he tried to remember what had triggered him to act that way.

His brain felt fuzzy and confused, much the way it had felt years ago, when he had nearly beaten a man to death. Then, he hadn't been able to stop until the act was done -- not until it had been nearly too late. Too late for the poor bastard that he had continued to beat right up until his arms had given out. The man had lived, if you could call it that. Dom's beating had caused permanent brain and nerve damage -- for a racecar driver that was worse than death.

And here he'd nearly done something just as horrible to Brian.

Dom shook his aching head trying to clear it, trying to understand. He'd come so far, so damn far. He’d come across two continents, he'd come to a city where he was still a wanted man, he'd come out of the closet and for what?

He'd been greeted by the sight of Brian kissing another man in the middle of the street. He'd been tormented with even more uncertainty and despair. He'd tried to go, tried to leave, but had been drawn back by a ghost from his past -- the car. The fucking car, that Brian must have spent a fortune restoring. He'd been stunned to see it, had been trying to figure out why Brian had it, what it meant, when Brian had turned. Blue eyes that had haunted his dreams had narrowed and the man Dom had traveled so far to be with had scowled fiercely at him -- told him to get out. A knife in his back wouldn't have hurt so much.

The sight of Brian had filled Dom with rage. The bare feet, the mussed hair, the God damned hickey -- a violent red suck mark on his belly -- was proof that Brian had bedded the little bastard. Proof that someone else had been stroking the golden skin. Proof that Brian didn't belong to Dom.

Everything was blurred after that, just shadows and random thoughts. He knew he'd said things he shouldn't have. He knew he'd done things he shouldn't have. Shame filled him and he leaned his head back against the table leg and groaned as he tried to sort through what had occurred.

At least one thing was certain, after the scene he'd witnessed in the street, he was pretty sure Brian liked men. But maybe Brian could only get it up for small, girlie-looking guys, Dom thought with despair. Dom had met a few alphas like that in Rio. They were disgusted by men as big as him and only went after the delicate sort. Was Brian like that? And if he was, what business was it of Dom's? He had no right to feel so betrayed.

Or was Brian renting his ass out? Had Mia really even implied that? Now, with the heat of rage gone, Dom wasn't sure. But if he wasn't whoring then what was the cop doing out front? Was Brian involved in some other kind of undercover work?

Could this possibly be about him? Had the cops known he was going to show up here? Had Brian decided he'd been a fool when he'd let Dom go and pissed his career in law enforcement away? Is that why he'd chained him? To use for a trade? Hijacker for the return of his badge?

Dom knew he had to have answers and, with a groan of despair, he also knew he still had to have Brian. If it was possible, he wanted him more now than ever. He'd take Brian no matter what he was up to. Even if he were whoring, even if he was involved in some new scheme, even if he planned to turn Dom in -- it wouldn't matter. Dom'd still take him. He'd drag Brian back to Rio and make him clean his act up, that's how far gone Dom was.

But now … shit. He'd ruined everything. Any chance he might have had. After what he'd done, Brian would hate him. Dom pulled at his restraints, twisting his wrists and flexing his arms.

"Your brain start working yet?"

Dom lifted his head slowly. Brian was standing just inside the interior door of the garage, leaning against the jam. He'd apparently just come from the shower. His hair was damp and dark. It had been combed, but small ringlets were already beginning to spring free. He'd put on a gray T-shirt that hung loosely from his broad shoulders. His hands were thrust deeply into the front pockets of a pair of black denim jeans. Black, leather sneakers encased his feet.

Brian's face was in shadow and Dom willed him to move forward so he could see his eyes. See if they held hatred. See if they still held the same soft, beseeching look that he remembered so well, the look that haunted him for over a year and filled his dreams with erotic images.

"Unfortunately … yeah," Dom said softly. Brian remained quiet, remained in the shadow and Dom began to feel even more uncomfortable. "You gonna trade me for your career? Try to get back on the force?" Dom heard himself demand. Fuck. He should be apologizing, not throwing out more accusations.

"Hadn't planned on it," Brian said casually.

Some of the tension eased within Dom. "Then get these fuckin' cuffs off me."

Finally, Brian moved. He walked toward Dom and stood looking down at him for a moment before squatting beside him. "Why'd you come here?"

Brian's eyes were as wide and as blue and as soft as Dom remembered. They looked, not at Dom, but at some point deep within him. They promised everything, but Dom knew they couldn't be trusted. They hid the soul of a liar and maybe a …

Dom swallowed down the jealousy that was starting to fill him again. "Who was that you were … kissing?" Dom tried to keep his voice from going too deep. "One of your *clients*?"

Brian winced and his eyes dropped briefly before meeting Dom's again. "It's not like that, Dom. I do have clients, and, yes, the man you saw me with is one them … sort of. But I don't sleep with them. I protect them." Big blue eyes sought understanding. "When I got kicked off the force, I signed on with a private security company. I escort prominent people to parties. Hang out near them, shadow them, and make sure they get home in one piece."

"And do all your clients spend time in your house … leaving hickeys on you?" Dom demanded to know.

"No," Brian said simply. "Just him."

Dom glared fiercely at him, but the blue eyes held steady, unashamed.

"He's your lover, then." Dom felt his heart constricting painfully.

"Not yet, but probably soon," Brian said softly.

Dom felt the pressure in chest release in a rush. Blood roared in his ears and his relieved breath left him in a 'whoosh'.

"You're right, Dom. I *am* gay," Brian said in misunderstanding. "I'm sorry that upsets you so much, but I --"

"Upsets me?" Dom repeated in wonder. Oh, shit. He'd been a fool. "What was the cop doing out front?" he still needed to know.

"What cop?"

"The one in the unmarked car, the one you waved to?"

"Him? That was Larry Noster, and yeah he was a cop -- years ago. Now he's in the same line of work I am. He's head of security for … my friend."

"He was watching out for that drab little shit?"

Brian's sudden grin lit up the garage. "I'm not sure if he'd be flattered by that description or if he'd have a fit."

Dom scowled. Enough talk about the other man in Brian's life. "You gonna get these cuffs off me?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"What did you come back for?" Brian asked.

Here it was, the moment Dom had traveled his long road to reach, the moment of truth. He took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and said --

"You."

.