Blood In The Water

2

Connor's not stupid. He knows better than to get involved with the New York mob. Though, he didn't seem to know better than to get involved with a possible front. The kid's probably been running favors without even knowing it. Though, delivering an envelope of money uptown at the end of the month and leaving it on a doorstep for his boss maybe should have seemed a little more suspicious to him than it did. He never paid it much thought, he just assumed that New Yorkers are strange. He didn't have room to pay it thought, Gino pays him a fair salary, enough to live alone, enough to feed himself, and enough to stay the hell out of Ohio. Maybe he ignored it on purpose.

He spent his entire walk to and from the car, constantly looking behind him. Jumping at every sound. Every cracked branch, every distant shout, every car horn. Every man walking down the street was a potential threat, in his mind. A heartless, mindless henchman following him home to fulfill his bosses orders without question. Though, he's never heard of crime bosses flirting with you before sending their men after you. Maybe he wasn't flirting at all. But what the hell was that, if not flirting? Connor's not new to being flirted with. When he first arrived in New York City, there was a little speakeasy that he would frequent. Where men of similar interest could socialize, away from the public eye. He was a big hit, there. A pretty young thing, no wife waiting for him at home. Everybody wanted him. He was gifted more drinks, cigars, and praise than a king.
He is, however, new to being flirted with by murderers. He's new to being flirted with by men that own the city, men that could buy and sell him without batting an eye. Maybe that's exactly what he wanted. To buy and sell him.

Connor's not a complete idiot, he knows what the mob does. And selling sex is usually a part of that.

Maybe that's what this was all about to begin with, reeling him in, just to be thrown into a ring with a dozen other nameless strangers, for the sole entertainment of Kevin Price and his deviant little friends.

Connor arrived back at his shabby Brooklyn apartment in record time, locking the door and all the windows, behind him. Not that it would help him, if he were truly in trouble.
He pulled Kevin's phone number out of his pocket and slipped it into the junk drawer, positioned beneath the telephone. It couldn't hurt to keep around, considering he works in a possible front. Jesus fucking Christ, Connor, what have you gotten yourself into, now?

He chose not to worry himself too terribly much over it. Or at least try not to. Well, try and fail, but he at least had to try. To do his dishes, make himself some dinner, and try forget this entire weird night.

Though, the lingering sense of unease never quite seemed to elude him, no matter how he tried to distract his anxious mind. Even when his boyfriend knocked on the front door, it felt like gunshots in his ear

"W-Who is it?!" Connor called out, reaching for the knife block on his counter. As if a kitchen knife could protect him from Kevin Price's henchmen. Trying to evade Kevin Price is like trying to evade death, itself. Even Connor knows that.

"It's me, Genius!" His boyfriend called through the door, lifting a weight off his chest

Connor let out a sigh of relief, unlocking the door to greet him. He was still dressed in his work attire. Tall, jet black hair and dark green eyes - he was an attractive man, there was no denying it. Though his fortunate physical attributes seemed to come secondary to a remarkably foul attitude.

"Steven, you scared me.." Connor scolded his guest

"Why? Expecting someone else?"

"Sort of.."

"One of your little whores from work?" Steven removed his suit jacket and poured himself a drink to unwind, per his usual routine.

"Come on.. I don't even talk to people at work, I know you don't like it.." he looked down at the floor in undeserved shame

"Then who were you expecting?"

"...a hitman."

"Pardon?"

"..there- there was some guy smoking outside of work today, right next to the door.. I told him to scram, he wouldn't leave. I yelled at him... found out about a minute too late what Kevin Price looks like.. and what kinda gun he carries.." Connor breathed out a heavy sigh

"Jesus, Connor, what the hell's the matter with you!?"

"Nobody told me what he looked like!"

"I shouldn't be here, he's gonna kill you.."

"Well- I don't think he is! I mean... maybe. But... not really..."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"He.... was flirting with me, I think. He gave me a cigarette.. kept telling me how pretty I was- I don't think he wants to hurt me.."

"..so you were flirting with him?"

"No, of course not-" Connor tried to roll his eyes, but was stopped by his guilt. Though he wasn't exactly sure what he had to feel guilty for. It's what he always does, the minute Steven starts grilling him like this, he convinces himself he's done something wrong

"Then why was he flirting with you?"

"I don't know! Maybe he just thought I was attractive, is that so implausible? Why are you yelling at me?"

"Because you're flirting with other guys, like a fucking slut!" Steven shouted, his words like daggers in Connor's chest as he grabbed roughly at the front of the redhead's shirt "you've got no fuckin' self respect"

"Steven, I did not flirt with him! Will you just listen to me?"

"No, your whoring around is gonna get both of us fucking killed!" Any semblance of tenderness previously found in his eyes was now absent, leaving nothing but thunder in its wake

"Steven, please, just stop yelling, one of the neighbors is going to call the police again!"

It'd happened more than once. Somebody in Connor's building calls the police because of Steven's shouting. It always scares Connor, even more than the yelling. The police, while not having been particularly kind, have never gotten them into trouble. It's pretty obvious they're together, they could both be put in jail for that, alone. The police have been generous enough to just let them both go. But he doesn't want to keep running that risk.

"Please, just stop yelling-" Connor attempted to make peace by taking both of his lover's hands

"Get your fucking hands off of me, you know exactly what you did!" He shoved Connor back, slamming him carelessly against the kitchen counter

"I'm sorry!" He whimpered, the breath escaping his lungs as he was thrown harshly against the sharp corner of the yellowed laminate counter with force that would undoubtedly bruise him "please.."

"Is this what you came to New York for? To get on your knees for half the city?"

"Steven!"

"I cannot believe you.. are you really that fucking stupid, Connor?"

"I'm not stupid! And I'm not a whore! I didn't do anything wrong, will you just listen to me? I'm upset and- and I had the weirdest fucking day of my life, and I just want someone to talk to!"

"No. You don't get to play the sympathy card, not after you spent the day on your knees for a man who could fucking kill us!"

"I didn't flirt with him, I didn't do anything, what's the matter with you?!"

"What's the matter with me? What's the matter with you, whoring around for every man in the city until you find one who'll let you blow your way to the top! ...You'd better be fucking careful, Connor. Because if I find out you're sniffing around him again - or anyone else - you're going to regret it" Steven tossed his now empty glass to the counter, in his anger, not even flinching as it shattered. Connor, of course, ducked for cover from the shards of flying class that only just missed his skin

By the time he stood back up, Steven had already gone. Leaving Connor in tears to clean up the broken glass that now decorated his kitchen floor.