Caged

Caged - 12 - Negotiations

"Warden Sikes is moving you in with Tookie," Dom said abruptly the next morning. Brian nearly choked on the toothbrush he was using. "Seems he wants me to take personal care of a new bird showing up tomorrow."

Brian finished brushing his teeth quickly. "Eddy?" he asked eagerly as soon as he spat the paste out into the small sink in their cell.

Dom scowled darkly. "Yeah. Sikes is getting quite a roll of cash to make sure nothing bad happens to dear little Eddy while he's in here. He offered to split it with me if I'd watch out for the creep."

"You're not kidding me, are you?" Brian grinned lopsidedly out of his swollen lip, elated at the news. This was better than he had ever hoped. "This is fantastic!"

Dom snorted in disgust. "Yeah, fantastic." His face took on a strangely hurt expression. "Guess we did such a good job pretending to be a couple, that the Warden thinks Eddy'll be safe bunking with me."

Brian paused to think about what his friend had just revealed. He knew Dom hadn't wanted to get involved in the deal in any way. Now here he was, right in the middle of it.

"Why did you agree to it?" Brian asked softly.

Dom's jaw tightened and he turned his head to look toward the corridor.

"I'm sorry, Dominic." Guilt coursed through Brian. Here he was forcing Dominic to help entrap someone who had never done him any ill. "He threatened me somehow, didn't he? To make you agree." Brian guessed that only something like that would have enticed the big man to get involved any deeper than he already was.

Dom swallowed. "He was going to move you in with Vesneski." Agonized dark eyes turned to Brian again. "I couldn't let that happen."

Brian felt such a strange mixture of emotions. He took a step toward his large friend; unsure of exactly what he intended to do.

Dom stepped away. "We better get moving. Breakfast is waiting." Dom strode out of the cell and towards the kitchen.

~*~

"I'd be careful it I were you," Tookie warned.

The big bald man glanced around the familiar kitchen. Everything looked fine. He turned to the small man and tipped his head in question.

"If you're too harsh on Blondie I think you'll have revolt on your hands."

"You're kiddin', right?" he asked with amazement.

"Nope," Tookie said, his mouth curving into a smile. "You'll never guess who's rallying the troupes either."

"If you tell me, Markie, I'll shit my pants."

"Hope you brought a fresh pair of boxers with you then."

"Markie?" Dom said with wonder. He turned his head and sure enough the boy was edging close to where Brian sat on a milk crate next to the deep sink.

Markus Peerson was twenty-two years old and still had a layer of baby fat on his bones. He was quiet and shy. You would never guess that he was in the pen, serving 10 to 15 for armed robbery. He had latched onto Dom the first day he had spent in Rumsford, seven months ago. During all that time he had hardly spoken a word. Yesterday, defending Brian, was the most Dom had ever heard him speak. Now the boy was threatening to question his authority, to stand up to him, in order to protect Brian? Amazing.

Dom shook head. The baby of their group was starting grow up. He wandered over, staining his ears in an attempt to overhear what the boy was saying.

"…all right?" Markus was saying.

"Yeah," Brian answered in his husky voice. "I'm fine."

"I just wanted you to know--" Markus stopped abruptly, sensing Dom's presence. He looked up with steady, light blue eyes.

Dom scowled fiercely back. The boy held his ground for a few seconds before dropping his eyes.

"Wanted him to know what?" Dom growled, trying to intimidate the boy. He was curious to see how much backbone Markie had acquired.

Markus swallowed, fidgeted and then surprised Dom by lifting his chin. "I wanted him to know that I'd I've helped him out with Hernandez." The blue eyes held Dom's briefly before the boy moved away.

"What was that all about?" Brian asked softly.

"You're making some friends." Dom let his lips curve into a small smile as he gazed at Brian's black eye and swollen lip. "Shit, I'd have smacked you around sooner, if I'd have known it would bring out Mark's protective instincts."

Dom sniffed suddenly. His big nose wrinkled in distaste. "Who the fuck is supposed to be watching the English muffins?" He stomped across the tiled floor of the kitchen and pulled open the toaster oven to release a cloud of thick black smoke.

~*~

"Clear out," Dom ordered during their morning break. "I want to talk to Took."

His friends moved obediently down several rows on the bleachers, giving the two men some privacy.

"This about O'Connor?" Tookie asked.

"In a way."

"He certainly does cause you enough problems. I hope he's worth it." The small man smirked. "But then, from the way he was howling the other night, I'm pretty sure you think he is."

Dom scowled blackly.

"You were partly responsible for that whole mess with Hernandez yesterday; the way you were rubbing your hands over him all day, drawing attention to him." The little man blinked up into his best friend's scowling face. "It's one thing to let the others see you abusing him but ..." he paused, "another to pet him like you were doing. Damn it, Dominic, don't you know that he lights up like a Christmas tree every time you touch him? Even I was getting aroused by watching the two of you making goo-goo eyes at each other when you thought no one was looking."

Dom flushed darkly beneath his olive skin and glanced nervously about.

"No, don't bother to deny it. You're crazy for him--it shows--and it's only a matter of time before someone uses it against you.

"Well, Took, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about," Dom rasped as he leaned into the small man's face. "That's why it's a good thing he'll no longer be my problem. He'll be yours."

"What do you mean?" Tookie asked in confusion.

"Sikes is moving him in with you."

The little guy's eyes blinked rapidly. "Me? ... Why?"

"Cause I asked him to, you little shit." Dom let him absorb that for a moment. "Seems like some powerful guy's fancy piece is going to be joining us in our happy home. Sikes has accepted a big payoff to keep the bitch pure as the driven snow until the rich sugar daddy can get him out."

"Who is this new guy?"

"Eddy Preston, Dev Jones' private piece of ass."

Tookie went pale and shuddered in fear. "Devlin Jones, the racketeer?" Dom nodded. "Holy shit, Dom. How'd you get stuck with that kind of responsibility?"

"Jones demanded Eddy be placed with someone whose affections were already claimed, so he wouldn't be a temptation. I guess Sikes figures I did such a good job with O'Connor," Dom sneered in self-loathing, "that he thinks I can keep this other one safe too"

"How are you going to manage it?"

"I'll talk to the Vesneski, Hernandez, Pig Pen and Robinski and work out a deal, split the money, do whatever's necessary."

"Don't forget Veracruz and Mad Dog--they've got some tough followers as well."

Dom nodded. "Thanks, Took."

~*~

Negotiating a peace treaty in the Middle East would be less complicated than the deal Dom eventually reached with the other gang leaders in Rumsford. He agreed to split his share of the payoff, if they'd help him keep Eddy safe. Promises, favors, threats, punches, and intimidation tactics all served Dom well. He managed to get all their cooperation except, as was to be expected, Vesneski's.

The tall man demanded more than Dom was willing to pay. Brian watched as they stood toe-to-toe in the corner of the break room, arguing softly. Vesneski's ugly face turned his way and Brian shivered in disgust. He had a good idea of just what the man was demanding.

"Ya' can't keep two pretty bitches happy, Toretto," Vesneski said with a sneer. "Why should ya' hog'm both?"

"Listen, Stan, and I'll tell ya' again." Dom leaned in threateningly. "I can't touch Eddy. The reason they're bunking him with me is because O'Connor is mine, exclusively. Got it yet?" Vesneski just looked blank so Dom continued. "Shit. You're not this stupid. Jones'll have all our balls if anything happens to his whore. He dotes of the bitch. The Warden thinks that 'cause I'm getting' fucked regular, I'll keep my dick away from him, and I will--but if ya' poke yer diseased prick in my bitch's ass that'll blow the whole deal--'cause I won't take yer leavings."

Vesneski blinked his small eyes, rubbed his crooked nose, hitched his pants up with his elbows, and tried, but failed, to understand Dom's confusing logic.

"Ya' gotta' give me somethin', Dom." The tall man finally said.

Dom smiled. "How about some T-bone steaks?"

"Ya' can get some?"

Dom nodded his head. "I'll get you a fresh one every Tuesday for a month."

"Six months."

"Three."

"Deal, and don't forget my share o' the bills."

They gave each other a nod, before rejoining their separate gangs.

"Vesneski's on board," Dom said with a sigh as he stepped over Brian and sank down onto the couch. "He wanted your ass." He tried, and failed, to resist the urge to ruffle the blond curls near his knee. "But, I talked him out of it. I think I actually managed to convince the fool that he somehow benefits from leaving you alone."

Brian flushed at the affectionate gesture and looked down at the floor.

Tookie rolled his eyes.

"Only you could pull this off," he whispered. "And try to keep your hands off him, would you please?"

Dom's raspy laugh came out like a soft bark.


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