Everyone's Man – 61

 

Colin watched out the back window as the bus pulled away from the station.

 

I'm not running away, he told himself. I'm not!

 

And he wasn't. But there was something he had to do and he couldn't do it there, not in the city where everything had happened. Not when he knew Dane could find him if he wanted to.

 

When he'd left the condo and Dane behind he had made two stops before arriving at the bus station. One was at the bank where he drew out his paltry savings. The money wouldn't get him far, but it would take him away from Winterfield. The second stop was to buy some clothes. He and Dane never had gone shopping, though the detective had picked up a pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts for him.

 

The bus was half-empty which gave him a seat to himself. He curled up on it and reached up to turn on the light. Then he read the headline again. Prominent Men Busted In Sex Raid. There was a picture of two of them as they were brought into the station, their heads covered by coats to hide their identities from the prying photographers. Colin shuddered, forcing himself to read the article. It told him nothing he hadn't known already based on the phone call from Dane after the bust. The men were to be arraigned and he was certain they'd bond out and be on the streets again by evening. Not that that would affect him. He wouldn't be around even if they did know who he was. But he wasn't leaving because of them.

 

Slowly he drifted off to sleep, lulled by the motion of the bus. He awoke with a start when the driver announced they'd arrived at their destination. Groggily, he gathered up his backpack and stumbled out into the morning sunlight.

 

The first order of business was breakfast, then finding a motel, and finally getting in contact with Ray. Only then would he be able to put his plan to work.

 

* * * *

 

The john exploded, filling the condom with his seed. When he finally came down, he patted Colin's head. "You're as good as advertised," he commented as he removed the condom, tied it off and tucked himself away, before taking out his wallet. "That earns you a little bonus." He cocked an eyebrow at Colin. "And more next time if you let me fuck that cute ass."

 

Colin smiled, fighting a momentary feeling of panic. "Perhaps. We'll see."

 

After the man left, Colin fell back onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling. He'd been here for two weeks and so far he'd been unable to take the next step and let himself be fucked. In his head he was ready, but each time one of the johns had suggested it he just couldn't face the idea. His body would go cold as his hands and ass tightened in fear. And each time they left he told himself, Next time. But so far there had been no next time.

 

Sighing, he got up and went to shower. Twenty minutes later he was out and dressed. Scooping up the money the man had left he split it in half, minus the tip. He put his share into his wallet and the rest in his pocket to give to Ray when they met later tonight.

 

As he left the motel room he glanced back at the bed. It shouldn't be so hard. I'm a whore. It's what I do. Next time I will. I have to. Closing the door firmly behind him he nodded to himself. "I'll do it, damn it. The past is the past. This is now. There's no future for me if I don't."

 

Three hours later, he was sitting in a booth, looking across the table at Ray.

 

"We have a new client," Ray told him after pocketing the money Colin gave him. "He prefers that you meet him at his hotel rather than him coming to you, and for the amount of money he's willing to pay, I told him you would."

 

Colin shrugged a shoulder but his stomach clenched in fear as he remembered another hotel room and another client. It's not the same, it's not! That's over now. He forced himself to remain calm.

 

"Makes me no never mind, as long as he understands the ground rules."

 

"He does. He's waiting for you." Ray handed him a slip of paper with the name of the hotel and the room number. "What he wants is maybe…a little weird," he said. "But not too weird. Look, I've met him. He's not the type…" He patted Colin's hand. "You can handle it."