Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 127201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
So he did his thing, then switched off Miguel’s phone and placed it back in its box before walking off from the table and heading along the broad alley of the outdoor shopping area with two-storey buildings on either side and long strips of colorful fabric draped overhead, among ornamental Middle Eastern-style lamps.
The massive structure of a hotel grew from a patch of trees ahead, beyond an urban highway, blocking the view of mountains surrounding the city on all sides, but Nero hadn’t come here for the natural beauty, so he popped into the drugstore across from a Levi’s and left it with a box of hair dye.
With that out of the way, he walked into a narrow alley connecting two shopping areas and headed for the bench where he and Miguel had agreed to meet.
And there he was, Nero’s prize, smoking in a slouched position, with elbows resting on his knees. They were both dusty after the day-long ride on a motorcycle, but Nero couldn’t help thinking back to the hours of having Miguel glued to his back. After taking Esteban’s truck to reach the nearest town, they’d had to swap to a less conspicuous vehicle, and the old motorcycle found behind someone’s home had been the easiest to steal.
Knowing Miguel, he was on the lookout for danger, but as perfect a beast he was, he hadn’t yet grown eyes at the back of the head. His dirty T-shirt couldn’t hide the fine shape of his shoulders, and Nero got a little kick out of spotting a group of teenage girls eyeing the man who would sleep in his bed tonight.
The two of them deserved respite after everything they’d been through, and he grinned just thinking about the place he’d booked them into over the phone. He deserved more of Miguel’s intense stares and wanted a space to be held down as if his man meant business.
“You got the clothes?” he asked, placing both hands on Miguel’s shoulders.
Miguel flinched and his eyes were instantly on Nero, inviting him in like twin black holes about to obliterate the intruder who dared touch him uninvited. But then he relaxed. “Yeah. I don’t like all the people and cameras here. Let’s get going.”
When he rose, tall and muscular, it passed through Nero’s mind that he could fuck with Miguel a bit by trying to hold his hand in public. But that wouldn’t be conducive to a pleasant evening together, so he dropped that idea. He led the way out of the shopping area and toward an older part of the city, where buildings were low, and the streets—way quieter.
“Show me what you got,” he said as they passed through a tunnel designed to connect the stores with the old residential area on the other side of a large street.
Miguel raised his eyebrows and drew in the last drag of smoke from his cigarette. “Just clothes. Were you expecting something… fancy?”
Nero chuckled. “I can tell you’re not into fashion just by looking at you. I’m curious what I’m gonna wear for the next few days,” he said as they walked up a mild slope with family homes on either side. A small restaurant advertised itself with a banner far ahead, but the area seemed quiet, and now that the streetlights were on and cast an orange glow on everything, the day seemed to have rapidly turned into night.
Or maybe they just hadn’t noticed it happen when surrounded by the bright glow of the stores?
Miguel cleared his throat and pulled out a black T-shirt still wrapped in crinkly plastic. He then showed Nero a pair of dark blue jeans with no discernible features. But the worst came when Nero asked about what Miguel got him, only to learn that it was the exact same set, in the same size.
“We’ve got belts if we need to adjust the waistlines,” Miguel said as if he honestly believed his choices made sense.
Nero understood the need to melt into the crowd, but this— “We’re gonna stand out if we’re dressed like twins.”
Miguel stared into the bag of clothes with a deepening frown, then huffed in annoyance. “Just get a flashy T-shirt then. Why was I assigned this part of the job?”
Because Nero wanted to install location software on Miguel’s phone, but that was a detail he wasn’t about to share.
He laughed and passed his hand over Miguel’s back, just fast enough to make it seem like a friendly gesture. “I get it. You’re having twincest fantasies. Should I call you big bro when you fuck me?”
Miguel scowled, but a flush hit his face. “That’s disgusting.” But he wasn’t claiming they wouldn’t fuck again, which was progress, because Nero feared there could be some backtracking coming his way.
“Your shopping says otherwise. Ah, or maybe it’s a prison fantasy, and those are our uniforms!” With a wide grin, Nero leaned closer, trying to catch Miguel’s gaze as they walked.