Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter One

“You sold me? You actually sold me to cover your goddamn bad debts?”

Jared Padalecki stared in open shock between his grim-faced father and the rough-looking guy in a suit who stood silently in the living room. A single piece of luggage, which had been packed for him while he’d been at work, sat by the front door. He’d come home to discover just how little his father thought of him and how much his life was about to change.

The 22-year-old lived on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada with his father and younger sister. Ever since Jared’s mother died when he was 10 years old, it had fallen to Jared to care for himself, his little sister, and also his father who was more interested in booze and gambling than his children.

He’d barely managed to finish high school, having to hold down two jobs to earn enough money to pay the rent and put food on the table. Despite his hectic schedule, Jared had graduated near the top of his class, but he’d known there’d be no college for him. His father did have a pretty good job at a local bank, but his paycheck generally went straight to the casinos. Any money his mother might have put aside had gone to her small funeral and his father’s debts. So he’d given up on the dream of going to college and worked to keep a roof over their heads. He saved as much of his paychecks as he could so one day Molly could get the hell out of this place and go to dance school. The 16-year-old girl was passionate about dancing and Jared had managed to stretch his meager wages to afford dance classes for her.

The 6’4” young man had been offered plenty of money from both strangers on the strip and friends of his father to sell his body or let them take photos of him in compromising positions but despite the need for money, and the desire to escape Vegas, Jared couldn’t bring himself to do something like that. So until his sister was of legal age, he would continue to struggle with two jobs and pray his father kept his vices under control. Now he realized just how far out of control those vices had gotten and what it was going to cost... him.

“Jared, it’s not like you’re making it sound,” James Padalecki tried to say over his son’s outburst. “I didn’t sell you. I just…”

“Uhh no, that’s pretty much what you did Padalecki,” the other man in the living room said. He was a rough-looking man, about 5’9”, with long black hair pulled into a ponytail. He was dressed in a crisp dark suit complete with a jacket despite the heat of the day. “You got in way over your head. It was either pay the boss the full amount or hand off one of your kids. You chose to give my boss your son for six months so he’ll erase your debt... providing you stay the hell out of his casino during that time.”

Jared’s hazel eyes had been huge before but now they about popped out of his head as he whirled back to stare at his father. “One of your kids ? You considered doing this to Molly? She’s 16 fucking years old, Dad!” he yelled and took the stinging hard slap to the face with barely a blink.

“You watch your mouth, boy!” James snapped, embarrassed at his son’s reaction since he’d insinuated to the man that Jared would go willingly. “I’m your father and you don’t use that kind of language in this house!”

“Fuck you!” Jared shot back, furious and not caring if he took another slap. He’d certainly had it, and worse, before. “You told me you weren’t gambling anymore! You told me all those nights you stayed out late that you were working overtime at the bank! You missed three of Molly’s dance recitals because you were ‘working’ and now... now it looks like you’ve been blowing all your money... and more obviously, at some goddamn fuckin’ casino! How much, Dad? How much of a tab did you rack up? Just how much am I worth?”

“Almost 150 grand,” the guy in the suit replied easily, smirking at the look of shock on the young man’s face. “Your old man ain’t a good gambler, kid. My boss felt sorry for him since he said one time that he was trying to win some cash to pay for his wife’s medical bills but... I’m guessing that was a story?”

Jared had been shocked to learn the amount since he barely had 150 dollars in his pocket and that obviously wouldn’t come close to buying his way out of this situation. Then he heard the rest of the guy’s words and lost it. “You used Mom?” he demanded, shoving his father back a few steps. “You had the goddamn nerve to use Mom as an excuse to buy you more time and credit to blow money we didn’t have? Mom’s been dead for 12 years and you had the nerve to use... you son of a bitch!”

James grabbed the boy’s arm and shoved him back against the wall, needing to get a handle on this situation before the man sent by the casino owner realized just how much he’d stretched the truth. “Goddamn it, you settle your ass down and watch your mouth!” he snarled lowly as he grabbed his son’s face and roughly held it still while he leaned in closely to make his point. “It ain’t none of your business what I do with my money or how I spend it! I could’ve kicked your useless ass out at 18, but I let you stay because you pay the rent so your sister won’t be homeless. Now if you don’t want Molly to take your place for the next six months with Ackles, you’re gonna shut your mouth, go with this guy, and do every goddamn thing his boss tells you or else it will be your sister.

“I’ve tried to set you up plenty of times with my friends to get the money to pay the casino, but you always turned ‘em down cause you think you’re too good to put that body to good use. You just want to barely scrape by waiting tables or taking phone calls. Now you’re going with this man and you’re going to be the good obedient son I said you were.” He glanced back to see the guy tapping his watch. “You’re going to go live in some penthouse and let his asshole boss fuck you or do anything else he wants to you for six months until my tab is paid off.”

Jared tried to jerk free, to shove his father away and maybe make a break for it, but he looked at the wall and a picture of his petite, pretty, and shy sister, swallowing the bile that threatened to come up at the thought of what men like this could do to her.

“If... if I do this... what about the rent? What about Molly’s dance classes? Or food? I... I won’t be able to work I’m guessing if I’m basically becoming some guy’s fuck toy for half a year. How will you pay for stuff? What will you tell her about why I’m not here?” He hated his father, he hated this guy he hadn’t even met yet, and he hated this situation, but Jared wasn’t about to risk his sister.

“You let me worry about the rent, and I’ll tell her you took a job out of state for the time you’re gone,” James shrugged, stepping back now that he was sure he’d gotten his point across. “I packed for you, so now get going. We don’t want to keep Mr. Ackles waiting.”

Looking at the single bag, Jared frowned. “That’s supposed to keep me for six months?” He scowled but worked hard to keep the disgust off his face when the other guy laughed.

“The boss will supply any clothes you might need... when he wants you dressed that is.” He let his eyes take in the ridiculously long arms and legs, shaggy brown hair, and baggy clothes before tipping his dark glasses down to eye the boy’s dick of a father. “This sure doesn’t look like the ripped and toned stripper-like body you bragged to the boss he’d be getting if he took the offer.”

“You offered?” Jared had almost decided he could grudgingly accept this unwanted deal as long as he thought the casino owner had made the deal, him for six months in exchange for wiping out his father’s debt. Now that he realized that his father had made the offer, basically selling him for sex or worse, he found himself getting agitated all over again. “What the hell did you tell this guy about me, Dad?”

“The truth!” James snapped while trying to talk his way out of the guy’s doubts. “He looks better when he’s cleaned up. Look, I promise he’ll be everything I said he was and more. He’ll be a good boy for your boss, won’t you, son?”

“Do I have a choice?” Jared muttered as he reached for the single bag that he knew probably wouldn’t contain anything he’d really want. “Can I go and grab a couple of other things?” he asked the guy in the suit.

“You’ve got five minutes,” the guy replied gruffly, adding as Jared turned to the steps. “Make ‘em count ‘cause you won’t be back here for six months.

Jared considered climbing out the window to try to escape this nightmare, but he knew if he did that then Molly would be placed in danger. He grabbed a couple of things he really wanted and hoped they weren’t taken off of him later. He considered writing a note to his sister but decided against it. He would just have to hope their father would at least keep his promise and take care of her.

He shoved what he’d grabbed into the bag and put a couple of smaller things into his jacket before going back down. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he could hear the guy, he supposed he should learn his name but wasn’t interested in that yet, reminding his father of the rules of the deal.

“Jensen’s cutting you one hell of a deal, Padalecki. You just remember to play by the rules or all bets are off. Your kid does whatever my boss wants him to for six months; you keep your ass out of his casino and clean up your act. You also don’t go calling the cops if you get hit with a case of guilty conscience for selling your kid to the boss to clean up your mess. We’ve got a lot more on you than you’ll ever have on him.”

“I know the deal, Kane,” James growled, looking up as his clearly disgusted son entered the room. “It’ll be fine, Jared. You’ve always done so good at taking care of your family. I know you’ll do this for me and Molly.” He reached up as if to hug his son only to frown when the boy shoved him away. “Jared.”

“I’m doing this for Molly’s sake, not yours, old man.” Jared felt sick, but he knew he was out of options. “Don’t pretend this is all good or that I’m going to enjoy myself because we both know what this really is. I swear that as soon as this is over, as soon as this guy gets his last pound of flesh outta me, I will take Molly from you because if you’d do this once, I will never trust you not to try to do it again.” He paused at the door to the house he’d grown up in and had struggled to keep. “I also never want to see your goddamn face again.”

As Jared stormed out of the house and toward the long black limo he assumed the guy had arrived in, the man in the suit coughed while rubbing his jaw. “Yeah, this should be a fun six months.”

The Open Road Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada:

“What in the goddamn hell have you gone and done now Jensen Ross Ackles?!”

Green eyes lifted from the computer screen at the sound of the woman’s irate voice and pictures on the wall shook from the force with which she slammed the heavy door of the office closed after entering.

“And a good afternoon to you as well, Ms. Smith,” he murmured and then blinked when his laptop screen was shut with a hard snap. “I take it you have an issue with something?”

At 26-years-old, Jensen Ackles was one of the youngest casino owners on the fabled Strip in Las Vegas. Most others in the business laughed or mocked him since they believed he’d just inherited The Open Road as part of his trust fund when he hit 21; that was actually partly true but there was also much more to the young man that very few people were even aware of.

Jensen had grown up in the life of gambling and conning. His father’s family were long-time gamblers with a string of casinos on the east coast while his mother came from a family of con artists and cheaters.

When his parents met, it seemed like a match made in heaven or so Jensen was told. He couldn’t prove it since to him it seemed like his parents were more interested in making money, or in his mother’s case spending his father’s money, than raising their only son.

He’d grown up traveling around the world with parents who barely paid any attention to him until he was older and his father decided it was time to teach his son the ways of the business.

Jensen had private tutors, bought and paid for friends, and had very little exposure to things outside of casinos, gambling halls, and even a few riverboats. He’d grown up hard with very little knowledge of how to socialize outside a boardroom or a casino, so he was completely aware that he wasn’t a friendly or overly social man. He’d much rather watch the casino that was now his from his office or private rooms than be on the floor. He seldom mingled with the guests unless he had to.

That day he was going over the numbers from the night before when his office was suddenly invaded by a very furious Samantha Smith, and Jensen didn’t have to guess what had brought his hotel manager and surrogate mother to his office. He figured someone had opened his mouth about why he’d had one of his rooms in his penthouse remodeled and the woman had found out about it.

“I just pinned those two morons you like to call bodyguards down and forced them to explain to me what’s been happening with the new construction in your penthouse.” She leveled cool blue eyes on him while leaning on his desk like she used to do when he was a kid ignoring his homework. “Tell me that they’re exaggerating that story. Tell me that you did not take that awful man up on his suggestion.”

“Padalecki owes me a lot of money, money that I’ll never see. Chad learned that everything he said about his wife’s illness and stuff was crap... so why shouldn’t I have taken him up on his generous offer?” Jensen gave a casual shrug, starting to reopen his laptop only to growl softly when it was slammed back shut and jerked away from him. “I get him out of my casino and out of my hair and I also get something out of it in lieu of the money that I’ll just write off as a mistake in judgment; a mistake that my father never has to know about.”

“Jensen! Did you agree to take that man’s son as payment for his debt?” Sam had been horrified when she’d heard the man had even dared to suggest the casino owner take one of his children as payment for the money he owed the casino, but the second it got back to her that Jensen might actually have agreed to the deal, she’d been upstairs and in Jensen’s office in a heartbeat.

Jensen gave up on working for the moment and leaned back in his chair to calmly nod. “I told Chris to go get the son and to make sure he understood that if he refused, I could always take his sister.” He shrugged. “It’s business, Sam.”

“Business? Since when is bartering for a living human just business?” the blond woman who had been in his life for years demanded sharply, narrowing her gaze at him. “Jensen, you’re not this cold or hard, or at least you shouldn’t have to be just to prove a point to your father. What do you intend to do with Padalecki’s son for six months?” she finally asked as the cell phone on his desk buzzed with a text. “Jensen?”

“Whatever I want,” Jensen replied, pushing to his feet after reading the text. “That’s Chris. My new toy is arriving so it looks like I should go meet him. You want to come?”

“No, I think I’ll wait until you come to your senses or when I can meet him when he’s probably not scared out of his mind,” Samantha shot back and turned on her heel to stalk out, pausing at the door. “I hope you realize what you’re doing before you make a mistake that you can’t come back from. You are not your father or grandfather, Jensen.”

Jensen waited for the door to close to blow out a hard breath. “No, but I might as well be,” he muttered and moved to head up to his private suite of rooms, which was off-limits to all but a few trusted staff and his bodyguards.

At 6’1” Jensen had a lean and rangy build. He wasn’t obsessed with working out, but he did it regularly to stay in shape. He had his passions and hobbies, but they didn’t include social gatherings, which he never attended unless he had to. He also didn’t try to sleep with every long-legged blonde who passed through the doors like most of the men of his family seemed to do.

He was brought up learning how to count cards, roll dice, run a pool table, and make sure people knew who he was and the respect the name Ackles deserved.

Jensen didn’t think he was quite as ruthless as his grandfather or even his father, but he accepted that he wasn’t warm and overly friendly either. He honestly didn’t care. He ran his casino to be a success and he wouldn’t be walked on by anyone, so if that made him seem cruel and hard, then he’d take that reputation and wear it with pride.

Running his fingers through his dark blond hair which was just long enough to be thick and wavy, he buttoned the sleeves on his shirt, which he’d unbuttoned and rolled up while he worked. He left the jacket off since Jensen hated to wear the full attire that went with his business suits.

He headed upstairs in the private elevator, interested to see just how skittish his new guest was going to be since Jensen knew the man he’d sent for pick-up wasn’t the friendliest at times either, especially given the fact that Chris Kane hated James Padalecki anyway.

Stepping out of the elevator straight into the massive and open living room, Jensen expected to be met by a smirking Chris or one of the other men who followed him around constantly. He protested having more than one bodyguard, but his father decided Jensen needed more protection than he actually cared to have.

But he found the living room empty and then realized there were loud voices coming from where the bedrooms and his private office were located. Jensen realized things were already not going according to plan and headed that way.

“Kid! You have two choices here that don’t involve broken bones! You can settle your ass down the easy way and park it, or I’ll put you in those goddamn cuffs before Jensen has a chance to!”

Hearing his long-time friend and chief bodyguard’s gravelly voice growling in the tone that usually meant Chris was at the end of his rope and one step from actual violence made Jensen frown. His frown of confusion turned into one of shock when he heard the next voice speak.

“Yeah? Try it asshole and you can add your dental work to the amount my so-called father already owes this bastard!”

James Padalecki had given Jensen a song and dance about his oldest child, his son, that had made him seem like a good deal.

“‘The boy’s 6’4”; he has broad shoulders, long arms and legs, and a great smile. He’s been flaunting himself in front of others since he was probably 12, so he’ll give you whatever you want; there won’t be any hassles.’”

Opening the door to the newly remodeled bedroom that was right next to Jensen’s master suite, the casino owner saw that his bodyguard was bleeding from the mouth. He was currently in a heated exchange with a gawky and gangly young man who did seem to be at least as tall as advertised, but Jensen was quickly deciding that the rest of that description had been a bunch of bullshit.

“You having issues, Mr. Kane?” he asked in the deep, firm, businesslike tone he used when wanting to pull off the bastard persona he’d gotten used to using in Vegas.

Chris Kane had known Jensen for 15 years; they’d met when they’d both been boys on vacation in Hawaii. Chris’s father had been the bodyguard for Jensen’s mother at the time and the two boys hit it off despite Jensen’s wealth and growing attitude.

Chris was two years older and despite their differences, he stayed friends with Jensen over the years. When Jensen got the chance to move full-time to Vegas, he’d come with him if for no other reason than to keep his friend from falling into a life even harder than the one he’d chosen.

Right then he was regretting his decision to let Jensen take that damn deal Padalecki had offered to get himself out of the hot seat because shooting the older man was certainly seeming a better choice than dealing with this kid of his.

Shoving the unruly and angry boy back, he turned to shoot his boss a dark look while jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “No, because now he’s all yours to deal with and I wish you luck. Jensen Ackles, meet Jared Padalecki, your new toy for six months.”

Jensen lifted an eyebrow at both the tone and the odd look he caught on Chris’s hard face. He turned to look at what the in-debt gambler had bartered off, only to feel pain as his head snapped back when an unexpected fist caught him on the jaw.

“Like hell, I am, asshole!”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Two

“Like hell, I am, asshole!”

The sudden, shocking pain in his jaw and the taste of blood in his mouth had Jensen Ackles’ temper spiking to the surface. He lashed out to grab the shirt of the struggling and cursing young man who’d actually just hit him, reacting on instinct even as Chris was saying something about damaging the merchandise.

“It’s my merchandise so I can damage it if I goddamn want to, Kane!” he snapped back, furious at the pain and also at how unruly this gangly kid was being given his circumstances. “I thought his goddamn father said he was docile and agreeable.”

“Get your hands off of me and I’ll show you just how docile and agreeable I am to being sold because my father can’t gamble asshole!” Jared snapped while struggling to free himself from who he now figured out had essentially bought him for a debt. “I’ll tell you like I told the bruiser here... I came here just to keep your perverted hands off my little sister, but if you think I’m gonna make it easy for you to fuck me or whatever else you want from me, you’re crazy!”

“Oh, you have no idea the things I have planned for you, pretty boy,” Jensen growled, having a quick debate with himself before eyeing the door of the room he planned for Jared. He’d decided to call it the playroom when he had it installed. “Chris! Cancel all my meetings for the day and anything I had planned tonight. It looks like my guest and I are going to get acquainted the hard way and faster than I originally planned.”

Chris frowned slightly. “Jensen, I need to talk to you about some stuff before you do anything,” he started as he caught the flash of temper in Jensen’s eyes when Jared tried to dig his heels into the thick carpet rather than move toward the other door. “Boss?”

“Talk to me tomorrow,” Jensen growled as he finally gained the upper hand by grabbing a handful of long thick soft dark hair and yanking it as he shoved the boy into the playroom. “He drew first blood. It won’t happen again. However he’s used to playing with others, he’s about to learn who’s the boss for the next six long months of his bought and paid-for existence!”

The door to the room slammed and Chris heard a shout and a muffled curse and then the lock on the door clicked into place. He sighed while wiping his mouth. He’d wanted to talk to his boss and friend about some of the stuff he’d picked up on at Padalecki’s house. He knew the father hadn’t been honest about his son, but Jensen’s temper was well known for being hot and fast, and he obviously wasn’t in the mood to listen. He just had to hope both men came out of the next half a year in one piece because he didn’t think either was fully ready for the other.

“Time to bet Murray which one will actually try to kill the other first,” he muttered and left the private penthouse since he knew that despite Jared’s attitude and feistiness, Jensen was more than capable of defending himself and teaching any lessons that needed to be learned.

Ever since the big black car pulled into the underground garage of The Open Road Casino and he was pushed and shoved into the private elevator to go clear to the top floor, Jared had been getting increasingly nervous, and when he got nervous he got mouthy.

He was scared, but he was also still angry. He was angry with his father, he was angry with this bastard who was now manhandling him into some room, but mostly Jared was angry with himself for not seeing what his father was doing and getting himself and his sister out of Vegas while he had the chance.

“Let me go!” he snapped, finally able to jerk away from the strong hand that had a hold of him when his hair was released. “Bastard!”

“Damn, you’ve got a mouth on you for someone that I was told was docile and agreeable. What happened to you flaunting yourself since the age of 12 and being up for anything I wanted?” Jensen shot back as he hit the lock on the door; a lock that would only open for him since he’d had electronic thumb locks put on the door to this room and the bedrooms.

He swore the kid’s face paled a little at his words, but just as he thought he might settle down enough for them to have a civil conversation, he was reminded that for all Jared’s gangly and gawky looks and big soft eyes, the damn kid was wicked fast and knew how to fight. As soon as he stepped away from the door, the boy spun around and only Jensen’s quick reflexes kept him from taking another shot to the jaw.

Jensen caught his wrist and quickly twisted it behind Jared’s back while shoving him roughly against the back wall of the room. He used his weight to pin the struggling younger man to the wall.

“You got one lucky shot in on me, kiddo. You won’t get a second,” he growled. He could see the moment when Jared’s attention was drawn to the room’s actual décor. As Jared drew in a sharp breath, Jensen used the moment of distraction to lock the wrist he wasn’t holding to the wall with a cuff attached to a short chain. With the boy secure, he stepped back to meet and hold eyes that looked confused for a moment, then shocked, and then the anger resurfaced. Jensen realized this was going to be a lot harder than he’d allowed himself to think. “Now, are you ready to hear me out or should I just gag you while I’m at it?”

Jared hadn’t looked at the room right away when he’d been shoved through the door. It wasn’t until he was pinned to the wall that he happened to catch something from the corner of his eye. As he was looking around in stunned disbelief, his ‘captor’ or host took the opportunity to chain his wrist to a wall. He noticed that all the walls had various chains, cuffs, and hooks on them as well as other things that came straight out of his worst nightmares.

He forgot his anger for a few seconds and his stomach twisted with fear as he studied the other things in the room. When his captor spoke again, threatening to gag him, his anger returned and he focused on the man in front of him. He tugged on the cuff, but it was quite secure. He opened his mouth, but then thought of the assortment of gags he had seen on a shelf and snapped it closed again. He was pissed off, but he wasn’t stupid.

“This is my playroom,” Jensen began as he watched the kid’s attention move between him and the various sex toys scattered around the small room. He was pleased that even though the boy had appeared to be on the verge of saying something, he chose to remain quiet. There was hope that maybe he would see the wisdom in being obedient.

“I had this room created just for you. You’ll be spending a lot of time here. I do have a bedroom for you; it’s right on the other side of this wall. Your behavior will determine if I allow you to sleep in there or not.” Jensen walked a few paces away, fingering a few of the toys and smiling as the boy swallowed nervously. “I’m sure you know what most of this stuff is used for, so we’ll skip the tutorials for now. I had hoped to have some time to talk with you, and explain the situation in more detail, but... you decided to push the envelope so to speak.”

“What is there to explain?” Jared demanded tightly, tearing his eyes away from the giant bed with straps and cuffs attached. “My Dad owes you a lot of money. You figured out you’d never get a dime out of him because he’s basically broke and a loser. My loving father apparently offered me up on a silver platter for six months and you decided to take his debt out of my ass.” He swallowed the bile that was once again threatening to choke him as he managed to meet the hard green eyes that were staring him down without flinching. “Is it any more complicated than that?”

Jensen ran his tongue over his teeth as he stared at Jared while slowly unbuttoning his sleeves again. Now that he had him basically still, he could finally get his first good look at him. As he studied the boy, he noticed a few things that definitely didn’t match the older man’s description.

The kid was tall and he was definitely good-looking, but in a boyishly handsome way with all that dark hair framing his face rather than a hot stripper way. He had wide shoulders that promised a strong build, but right now he was mostly all arms and legs. He either hadn’t yet filled out fully or else the loose and sloppy jeans and t-shirt were hiding a lot. Jensen also wondered if the kid was eating regular meals. He doubted it considering what little he knew about Padalecki’s oldest child and only son.

Jensen didn’t really give a damn about facts as long as the kid was legal since even in Sin City taking a minor into a casino, much less for what he had planned, could bring a lot of unwanted heat down on him. It was for that reason that Jensen had no real interest in the younger Padalecki child except for leverage with her brother. Well, that and the fact that Jensen wasn’t sexually attracted to females in general. He just didn’t plan on letting this bright-eyed, smarter than his father obviously thought he was, kid know that just yet.

“Nope, that’s basically it in a nutshell,” he finally replied, slowly moving his fingers up to begin to unbutton his shirt. He could tell the second the kid realized what he was doing. “So since you got that basically down, let’s see if you can catch on to the rest of the rules of the agreement your father made with me.”

Jensen turned his back and began to move around the room, touching various things as if considering them for use. “The deal is pretty simple. I get you for the next six months. You stay here; you are mine to do with as I choose and you don’t get a say. You will wear what I give you to wear, and you will do what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it. And you won’t give me any lip about it.”

“I’ll tell you right now that’s not gonna happen.” Jared gave a few sharp tugs on the chain but stopped when he realized his wrist would probably break before the chain did.

“Yeah, I’m starting to figure that out,” Jensen muttered sourly, turning to look at him. “So let me put it this way, if you fight me or give me too much lip, I’ll just gag you and leave you chained in here until you learn to be nice... or I can always ship you home and see how nice your sister... yeah, I thought that would be your reaction.” He immediately knew that he’d found the kid’s weak spot and would use it as needed. “Six months, Jared. Six months with me in exchange for not having your Dad’s bones broken or your sister here in your place. How hard those six months end up being will be totally up to you.”

“I’d rather you just broke my Dad’s hands or something,” Jared muttered as he slumped against the wall, realizing that he really was trapped in this situation. He flinched when a hand grabbed a chunk of his hair again to yank his head up. He realized that this Jensen guy could move quickly and quietly when he wanted to. He looked straight into hard, green eyes. “Whatever Dad told you about me? It’s lies. I’m not quiet or docile or agreeable or... anything else he said.

“I... I came here, I agreed to this because I... I don’t want Molly involved in any of this.” He tensed as calloused fingers moved down his chest to slip under his shirt, and he fought the urge to jerk away. “So, give me the rest of the rules. I get that I’m basically your fuck toy for six months. What else is there? Am I just supposed to sit in this room waiting for you to be bored and want to fuck me or... let your buddies have a go or…”

“Damn, you do have a vocabulary on you.” Jensen wasn’t sure he liked that and debated gagging the boy but decided he’d revisit that idea a bit later. Right then he wanted to play a little, see just how far this kid would take the fighting before he gave in. “I don’t share my toys, Jared. You’re lucky there. That means no one else gets to play with you but me. As for what you’ll do when you’re not amusing me? You can watch TV, listen to music, exercise... be good and you’ll earn more stuff... except…”

“Except my freedom,” Jared finished, freezing as a hard body pressed tightly against him. Suddenly this was becoming very, very real. “I can’t leave this place or call my friends or even my sister, can I?”

“No, that you can’t do... or at least not yet,” Jensen hedged, not wanting to take away all of this kid’s hopes or completely dash his spirit since, though he’d never admit it, he really did kind of admire the damn kid’s moxie. “Maybe if you prove to me you can be a good boy and stop acting the way you have so far, then maybe you can do something to earn a call to your little sister... unless you see her first... when you two trade places.”

Jared hated this man and his arrogant attitude, but he realized that Jensen held all the cards in this sick game. He knew that with a snap of his fingers, he could exchange him for Molly and that was not something Jared was willing to risk.

“You’re a goddam son of a bitch,” he hissed, hating to give in to the man, but for the sake of his innocent sister, Jared would force himself to do so. “I will never be the ‘docile, agreeable’ toy my father promised you, but if you promise to leave my sister out of this, I’ll go along with you want.”

“Oh, I know you will, sweetheart.” Jensen let his tone drop to the cold, callous one he used when doing business with certain people. He had perfected the persona of the cold-as-nails bastard his father taught him to be, and while it still didn’t fit him comfortably, he could use it when he suited him. “You may not want to be submissive, but you are going to be everything your father said you’d be for me, Jared. Starting right now…”

Before Jared had a chance to realize what that meant, he found his mouth claimed by a hard, hot, possessive kiss that both surprised and disgusted him. He tried to turn his head away, but a strong hand gripped his jaw, holding him in place. He told himself to stay still, to just let this happen, but the moment he felt a tongue pressing against his lips, trying to gain entrance to his mouth, all his inner courage fled and he instinctively tried to push Jensen away with his one free hand.

“Uh-huh, baby, not this time.” Jensen still held the boy’s jaw in one hand and now he used his other to grab his hand. “Your Dad did mention that you sometimes liked things a little rough, so I guess that’s the way we’ll play it this time.” He quickly spun Jared so that he was facing the wall and hooked his other hand in the matching cuff. “Guess we’ll get to know one another some other time. After all, I’ve got six months with you and all these toys and gadgets to play with.”

“Wait... what’re you…?” Jared started to panic as he felt hands pulling at his jeans, yanking frantically at the short chains linking his cuffs to the wall. He froze, however, at the not-so-gentle slap to the back of his head as if warning him to stay still as his jeans were yanked roughly down his legs along with his underwear. “Oh God,” he groaned, but quickly bit his lip and turned his face into his arm, afraid that anything else he said or did would just make this worse on him.

Jared was 22, but even though he had figured out by the age of 14 or 15 that he was probably gay, he had remained woefully inexperienced in the sex department. He’d had some sloppy kisses, and a few mutual hand jobs before, but nothing beyond that. He had no idea what to expect as his jeans puddled down around his ankles.

Jensen hadn’t really planned on fucking the kid on day one, but the physical altercation, the feel of the boy’s hair as he dragged him into the playroom, and the taste of his lips even as he tried to twist away had caused a certain part of his body to become extremely interested in the proceedings. He guessed now was as good a time as any to see what he was getting for the money his casino had lost.

The loose jeans easily slid down to the floor revealing a slim, but still rather decent body. He realized that the photos he’d been shown of Padalecki’s son must have been photoshopped, but he figured he could live quite happily with what he saw. Jensen quickly undid his own slacks while pressing himself against a tense back and teasing his lips over a straining neck. He could hear the boy’s breathing speed up, but he didn’t make a sound.

He grabbed a handful of hair to yank Jared’s head back when he noticed he’d hidden his face. “No, you keep your face where I can see it while I... fuck! What the goddamn hell?”

Jensen had debated on drawing things out or just shoving his cock into a hole that he’d been reassured was always loose and open because of all the crap this kid was into. He’d decided to just go for it, needing a quick release after the tension of the day. He’d pulled his cock out of his slacks, stroked it a few times, even though both he and it were already very attracted to this boy, and went to shove it into Jared’s ass, gripping his fingers into shaking thighs to hold him still. He froze in mid-thrust as he heard a strangled cry of pain that was quickly bitten off.

“What the fuck?” he demanded lowly, knowing there was no way in hell someone who’d done the things he’d been told this kid had should be this tight. No one was this tight unless he was a… “What the goddamn hell is this crap?”

Pulling out, he shoved himself back into his slacks and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Jensen stuck a finger in his mouth to wet it and ran it around the rim of the tight puckered hole, frowning as he once again heard a muffled sound.

Red flags were starting to pop up all over the place. He should’ve noticed them when the kid wasn’t docile or quiet or agreeable to this arrangement. He should’ve noticed them when the body didn’t match the photos. He definitely should’ve noticed them when the sight of the toys around the playroom and the cuffs on the bed had the boy’s eyes bugging out. But what finally made the casino owner realize that something was very wrong was the moment he pushed the tip of his index finger up past the rim and could barely move it.

He felt the body in front of him shaking and heard muffled sounds that sounded suspiciously like tears. Jensen replayed James Padalecki’s description of his son and started to see red.

“Son of a bitch!” he growled lowly, stepping to the side and grabbing another handful of hair. He jerked Jared’s head back painfully and forced him to look at him. “Talk!” he snapped, his tone one of command and fury as his green eyes flashed hotly with both anger and lust. “What game is your old man playing with me?” he demanded while grabbing a pale face in his other hand to hold Jared’s jaw. “Don’t you dare lie to me. When was the last time you had sex? Tell me the last time someone fucked you!”

“N-never!” Jared managed to get out between teeth clenched from pain, fear, and confusion. “I’ve... I’ve never had sex. I’m... I’m a virgin.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Three

“I’m a virgin.”

Those three words managed to turn Jensen Ackles’ blood to ice... a second before his temper exploded. He jerked away from the big-eyed boy, staring at him and trying to decide if he was lying only to discover that it was quite easy to read Jared’s face. He could easily read the truth there – this boy really was a virgin. Jared met his gaze, and while he was pretending to be brave about the situation, Jensen could tell that he was clearly in pain from what had nearly happened... something even Jensen drew the line over.

“Son of a bitch!” Jensen whirled and stalked out of the playroom, not even thinking that he’d left Jared cuffed to the wall, alone and with his jeans down around his ankles. He was beyond pissed and it showed as he stormed out of the bedroom, and down the hall to his private office in the penthouse suite. “Kane! Get your ass in here!” he shouted over the in-house intercom while grabbing for his desk phone. He was shuffling through papers on his desk searching for the phone number he wanted, when his office door opened without a knock. “What were you going to tell me earlier that I didn’t give you a chance to?” he demanded while stabbing at the buttons on the phone.

Chris Kane hadn’t been surprised when the call came for him, which is why he hadn’t gone very far away. He knew it wouldn’t take his boss long to realize the truth. He just wasn’t sure what Jensen would do once he did.

“That Padalecki lied through his teeth about a lot more crap than his wife being sick and needing cash for her medicine,” the bodyguard replied as he took a seat in front of the huge, hand-carved wooden desk. “I take it he lied about his kid being built like Adonis, too?”

Jensen shot his friend a dark look and when he heard the call picked up, he immediately put it on speaker so he’d have the freedom to stalk about the office. “You have one chance and one chance only to tell me what the hell game you thought you were playing with me, Padalecki!” he yelled. “If you think you’re making a fool of me and cheating me out of money you owe me, then you are playing a very dangerous game.”

“I... I don’t understand what you mean, Mr. Ackles.” James Padalecki’s voice came over the speaker and it was clear that even in the short time since Chris had left the man, he’d managed to get drunk. His voice was slurred as he protested his innocence. “I kept my end of the deal. I gave you my son. Your man picked him up so…”

“Oh yeah, you gave me your son for six months! The son you assured me would be quiet and docile, first lie! This kid probably hasn’t been quiet, docile, or agreeable a day in his life! He’s also not built quite like those photos you showed me. You know, I’d actually like the name of the guy who photoshopped them for you – he does good work. Your son would need to exercise a hell of a lot to get muscles like those; it doesn’t even look like he eats on a regular basis! But that’s not even what I’m really upset about. I’m seriously considering sending Kane back to your house to break your goddamn neck and I think you know why!”

When James Padalecki spoke up again, the fear was plain in his voice. “Did Jared not behave? I’m sorry, Mr. Ackles; I told him he had to cooperate. He promised me he would. Please don’t send Mr. Kane back. Would you like me to pack a bag for Molly? I’m sure she’d behave for you.”

Jensen felt sick to his stomach as the man callously offered up his teenage daughter. “Why would I believe you? You’ve already proven that you’re a damn liar! You sat in my office and told me that your kid has been flaunting his ass since he was 12 years old! You sat here and told me that he’d been into the heavy-duty hardcore kink crap since he was sixteen! You told me that he was experienced and would be happy to do everything I wanted!” Jensen stalked back to the desk and slammed his hands down on it. “Either you have another son you didn’t tell me about or you’re living in a dream world, Padalecki! The kid you sent me is a goddamn virgin !”

“No!” The frightened gambler protested. “If he said that to you, then he’s the one lying. I know my son’s put out plenty of times, and…”

“Shut the fuck up!” Jensen shouted. “I was just with your son and I can recognize a virgin ass! Now before I decide to rewrite the terms of our agreement... or before I decide to just void it and take every dime you owe me plus interest and the cost of my wasted time out of your ass, tell me just why the fuck you thought sending me a virgin with an attitude was a good idea!” He slumped in the chair behind the desk and glared at the speakerphone while shooting his smirking friend the finger.

“I-I’m sorry Jared’s being difficult, sir,” James stuttered, nearly dropping the bottle he’d been pouring from at the sharp cold voice shouting at him from the phone. He tried to think up another lie that might smooth things over with the irate man before he decided to give the useless kid back.

James hated dealing with the arrogant smooth-talking punk who owned The Open Road Casino. To him, Jensen was just an arrogant faggot riding on his family’s name and money, but he owned one of the best casinos on the Strip and one of the few that hadn’t barred him yet, so he was forced to play the game... until he racked up too huge a tab and the punk caught on to him.

The choice to basically sell his son or come up with the money he owed wasn’t hard. James had married his wife for the money he thought she’d have only to learn that she’d been disowned when she married him. He had planned to give up the kids after she died, but he was pleasantly surprised to find out that they were eligible for death benefits from the state. He had happily collected the money for them each month.

Once Jared turned 18, his benefits ended and he became useless to James. He’d tried to sell the kid’s ass to friends or associates after he learned his son was gay, but the damn little punk refused to put out. When the problem with Ackles came up, he figured he could take care of multiple problems at once. He’d clear his debt with the casino owner, teach his punk ass son a lesson about who owned his ass, and still keep the money the state supplied for Molly.

He wasn’t stupid enough to think that Ackles wouldn’t realize he’d fudged some details, but he had thought someone like him wouldn’t care if his useless kid was basically untouched. “Look, Mr. Ackles,” he began, keeping his voice as respectful as he could manage. “I realize that I may have, ummm, stretched the truth a little about Jared’s experience. I really did plan to have him broken in for you, but as you can see, the little jackass has a bit of an attitude lately. He really is into the hardcore stuff... I’ve seen the magazines he looks at and the websites he’s been to. He just needs someone like you – someone who is tough enough to show him how to take it up the ass. He likes to think he’s in charge, but he’s not. He’ll be everything I said he was for you. You just need to give him time and show him that you’re the boss.”

Chris raised his eyebrows as he listened to the man. He looked to see that Jensen was frowning a bit as he listened to the gambler continue to lie about his son.

Chris had been raised in an unconventional family with a bodyguard for a father and a professional psychic for a mother. After years of watching them practice their trades, Chris had learned how to read people to see through their lies. Even without being able to see Padalecki’s face, he could tell that every word the man said was a lie. He knew Jensen was good at reading gamblers on the casino floor, but he wasn’t sure his friend could pick up on the regular lies being tossed his way right now. He shouldn’t have worried.

“Y’know, I already knew you were a terrible gambler, Padalecki, but it turns out that you are an even worse father.” Jensen’s gut was twisted and he was torn. He honestly wasn’t sure what to say to the man.

Taking the deal for six months with his kid to clear the asshole’s debt had already been dangerously close to the ethical line that Jensen had for himself. He’d taken Jared under the assumption that kid was someone with some experience in sex, someone he could play with using some of the toys he’d acquired over the years. While Jensen was publically and professionally bi-sexual, his close friends knew he was gay and that he liked to play a little rough.

In fact, that was the main reason he’d taken the deal. He needed to find a way to balance his private needs and his public life. Hiring hookers was getting old, but he hadn’t found anyone who interested him enough to consider a serious relationship. He thought this kid would be the perfect fix. Not only would he be a semi-permanent sexual partner, but he would also be arm candy for a couple of social functions that were coming up. Now he wasn’t sure... did he want a virgin in his playroom? Not just any virgin, but a stubborn virgin who had no experience with sex and was probably as dumb as his old man to boot.

Jensen was getting ready to call the deal off and demand his money when Padalecki opened his mouth again, seeming determined to prove just how much of a douchebag he really was.

“Look, I understand you’re not getting what you expected. Let’s do this... give him back to me for a week or two. I have a friend who works the circuit; he can teach the kid whatever you need him to know. He’ll make sure Jared is ready for anything you might want and he’ll knock that damn chip off the brat’s shoulder. Because you’ve been so patient, you can even keep him for an extra two months and…”

“Shut the fuck up before I tell Chris to break your jaw just for being a bastard,” Jensen growled, tapping a pen on the desk and staring at Chris as he considered his options. The bodyguard could almost see the wheels turning in his friend’s head, but he stayed silent and waited for Jensen to make a decision. “Okay, I’m going to let the deal stand, Padalecki. I’ll keep this kid and let him clear your debt, but if I find out you lied to me about anything else, you can expect to be paid a visit. Oh, and remember that the deal also keeps you out of my casino. I don’t want to see your damn face on my property again even after your kid cleans up your mess!”

He hit the button to disconnect and had the strong urge to go take a shower just from talking to the man. “I swear, he has got to be one of the slimiest assholes I’ve dealt with in all the time I’ve been in the casino business... maybe even slimier than anyone I saw while growing up and watching Dad and gramps deal with them,” he muttered sourly, scrubbing his face with both hands before waving one at his friend. “Don’t start lecturing me or you’ll sound like Sam.”

“I tried to tell you earlier that the kid wasn’t anything like his old man said, Jensen,” Chris replied while tossing a cell phone on the desk. “I went through his bag and stuff. I figured if you kept him, you wouldn’t want him to have the phone. He’s also got an iPad in there; I think he grabbed it when I let him go back for some stuff.”

Jensen took the phone; it was just a basic pay-as-you-go thing, nothing that would get internet, but he didn’t want the kid in contact with anyone right now. He tossed the phone into one of his desk drawers before considering the pricey tablet. He handed it over to Chris. “Let Chad work on this. It’s okay for him to play games, but I want to make sure what he can do with it is limited. Then put it in my desk drawer with the phone until he and I come to an understanding about the rules while he’s here. Also…” Jensen hesitated and looked at Jared’s phone. “I want you to assign someone to keep an eye on the father for the next week or so. Make sure he’s keeping his end of the deal and... make sure the daughter isn’t dragged into anything.”

“You know, Jensen, Jared paid most of the bills for his family. He also paid for dance classes for his sister. That bastard probably won’t let her keep going… the kid was worried about that before he left with me. I know it might hurt that cold, hard image you’re working so damn hard to keep up but... if you’re serious about doing this, about keeping this kid for six months, he’s gonna lose his jobs... two of them from what I picked up… and it might go a long ways towards smoothing his feathers if he doesn’t have to worry about his little sister so…”

“You want me to pay the bills for that asshole just to keep this kid happy?” Jensen snorted, but he did see the point his friend was making. “Give me a couple of days with him; let me see if his ass is even worth shelling out cash for bills much less dance lessons for his sister. Now go lose yourself while I go... aw fuck!”

Jensen had been so furious earlier that he’d totally forgotten he’d left the damn kid cuffed to the wall in the playroom with his jeans down to his ankles. He shot to his feet, ignored Chris’s questions, and bolted back to open the door; he felt a rare squirt of guilt settling in his belly as he stepped into the playroom. He shook it off, steeling himself to play his role and not show the kid any doubt or weakness.

“Kid?” He winced when he saw the shaking shoulders tense at his voice and noticed how Jared quickly turned his face into his arm, either hiding it or trying to wipe his face before Jensen could see it. “Okay... so here’s my problem… and my solution can be easy or hard depending on you, so listen up.”

Jared had gone slightly into shock after realizing he’d been left alone in the room, half-naked and cuffed to the wall. He’d struggled with the cuffs for a few minutes, considering shouting for someone to come let him go, but had then just sunk into his head.

He figured Jensen had gone to call his father so the odds were high that he’d be shipped home before the night was over. As much as he hated the whole situation, he actually didn’t want that to happen because he knew his father and he knew what the man would probably do once he got home. As more time passed with no sign of Jensen, Jared began to wonder if the guy would just keep him anyway and use the items in the room on him.

Although Jared was a virgin, he certainly wasn’t totally naïve. He’d seen some porn, and his father had taken him to some pretty questionable clubs before he realized the man was trying to sell him for cash to pay for his habits.

He’d seen some rather depraved things going on in those clubs, and he didn’t look forward to playing those games with Jensen, but Jared clearly remembered the threats made regarding his sister. He was determined to keep Molly from being hurt or used, and if that meant he had to put up with some rough sex or kinky toys for six months, he’d find some way to do it.

He was deep inside himself and didn’t hear the door to the room open, but the sound of a rough deep voice had him snapping back to reality. Jared realized with disgust that tears had trickled down his cheeks and he quickly tried to wipe his face on his shirt so Jensen wouldn’t see them. He was nervous about what Jensen was going to do to him, but he certainly wasn’t going to let the guy see it.

“I’m pretty sure I know what your problem is,” he muttered as Jensen approached him. “So what’s your solution?”

“Your old man lied through his teeth about pretty much everything as far as you’re concerned, and I think you know what the main thing is.” Jensen stepped closer to the boy, crowding him against the wall and placing his hands on his shoulders. “Now, I’m a man who doesn’t like to be lied to. I run a business to make money. Your dad owes me a shitload of it and that’s where you were supposed to come into play. You were supposed to provide me entertainment and companionship for six months.” Jensen felt the tension in the shoulders beneath his hands as Jared drew in a shaky breath. “The thing is... I ain’t much into virgins... and I’m sure not into kids with a mouth and an attitude like you’ve had since you got here. My first instinct was to ship you straight home to your loving father, but I’m starting to reconsider... if you and I can come to an agreement.”

Jared closed his eyes and let his head thump forward against the wall. He knew what Jensen was going to ask for, and he knew he’d be putting his sister in danger if he refused. Basically, Jared knew he was screwed, figuratively for now, but he would be literally screwed soon enough. “What do you want?”

“I won’t send you home. I won’t cancel the deal with your Dad. I’ll wipe his debt clean just like we planned. You will stay with me all six months. You will do what I tell you to do both in and out of bed. You’ll lose the attitude and you won’t ever take a swing at me again.” Jensen released the boy’s shoulders and stepped around so he could see Jared’s face. “Look at me,” he ordered, not surprised when he was shot a mutinous expression. “Yeah, breaking you in is gonna be fun I’m sure. It’s your choice, kid. Follow my orders, do what I say, or... you go home and I can go meet your little sister.”

“No! Damn it! No... I’ll do what you say!” Jared hated this. He hated this man, he hated his father, but most of all he hated the thought of Molly being exposed to any of this. “She’s just 16, you bastard. I’ll do it. I’ll be what you want and... I’ll try not to mouth off too much... just... just please leave her alone.”

Ever since their mother had died, his sister had been the only person in his life that Jared could honestly say he cared about. He accepted early on that it would be up to him to work hard, to make sure they didn’t end up homeless or starving. It was important to him that Molly live a normal life, so even after he was old enough to leave, he stayed with a father who was emotionally and verbally abusive to him just so he could keep his little sister happy and safe.

Now he was trying to convince his brain that this was just one more thing he had to do to keep Molly safe. Six months with this creep, then he could return to work and continue to save what he could until he had enough to send her to a dance school. Jared forced his eyes up to look into cool green ones and was surprised to notice that the guy he’d basically be indentured to for the next half a year was hot as hell.

“I’ll leave your sister alone if you can prove to me that you can follow instructions. Deal?” Jensen had no plans to go after the kid’s sister, but he wasn’t above using sibling love to get what he wanted out of Jared.

Jared was usually pretty good at reading people, but as he stared at Jensen, he realized that he couldn’t tell if the guy was being honest or not. He’d just have to take a chance that he’d keep his promise.

“Deal,” he nodded, twisting a hand restlessly. “I’d shake on it but... I can’t.”

Jensen stared at the boy, trying to decide if he was being a smart alec already, but then just shook his head and laughed. “You are going to make the next six months of my life very interesting, kid.”

Jared tried not to tense too much as his cuffs were unhooked from the chains but left on his wrists. “What... what do you want me to do?” he asked in a voice he hoped wasn’t shaking. He slowly started to reach for his jeans, planning to pull them up, but froze when a hand caught his.

“You can pull ‘em up just enough to walk over to the bed, but then I want them completely off.” Jensen thought he saw a momentary flash of panic in the kid’s eyes, but he had to admit the boy was able to hide his fear pretty well. “The bed in this room,” he clarified.

The order didn’t surprise Jared even if it didn’t thrill him much either. He tugged his jeans up but didn’t bother buttoning them as he followed the man to the bed in the playroom. He studied it, seeing hooks that would attach to the cuffs he still wore. “So, I guess you’re into the kinky stuff, huh?”

“Oh, sweetheart, just wait until you see some of the stuff I’m into,” Jensen smirked while motioning to the jeans. “Strip. I want to see what I’m actually getting.”

Jared knew his face was probably beet red as he slowly pulled his shirt off and then sat on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes and socks before finally slipping off his jeans and underwear. He found the opposite wall very interesting and forced himself to take slow, steady breaths as he felt Jensen’s eyes prowl over his naked body.

“Huh,” Jensen grunted and walked around slowly to take in the full scope of the long tanned body that he found himself admiring.

He saw that even though this kid, Jared, wasn’t quite as he’d been advertised, neither was he quite as gangly and skinny as Jensen had first thought. It was definitely a body Jensen could enjoy playing with for the next six months.

Jared was surprisingly tall, probably a good three inches taller than Jensen, but that didn’t bother him since he figured he still outweighed him and had him in the strength department. He knew that would change when Jared began to fill out the broad shoulders he had and learned to tone those long arms and legs into lean muscle.

All in all, Jensen was hard-pressed not to whistle lowly at the very impressive package he’d been given to play with and mold. He decided he was going to be jerking off in a cold shower tonight since he suddenly knew what he wanted to do with his toy. It was time to see if the kid was going to be able to follow orders.

“Here are the rules for our little experiment,” he began while moving to a cabinet and opening the doors. He shifted a few things around and pulled out the items he wanted. “Tonight we’re going to see how well you can follow orders. If you’re a good boy then I’ll keep you and your little sister will be safe.

“I’m only going to use two simple things tonight. The first one is actually something you might be glad to have.” Jensen held up what looked like a simple gold band, but Jared swallowed tightly because he knew what it actually was. “Do you know what this is, kid?” He was deliberately not using the boy’s name, wanting to see how long it took before he got a smart remark about it. He was both surprised and impressed when Jared stayed silent, biting his lower lip and nodding. “Speak up kid!”

“It’s a... a cock ring.” Jared had seen them used in clubs and on the porn videos he’d watched. He blushed even harder at the thought of both Jensen putting that on him, and his mouth dashed in front of his brain “I don’t think I need one right now. You do know what they’re for, right?” He glanced down at his cock, which was showing no interest in the events going on.

“Keep it up and I’ll stick that cock in a cage for the entire six months, wise guy,” Jensen shot back with a growl. He felt a stab of satisfaction when the kid paled as if realizing what he’d said. “Put it on.” He tossed the ring to a surprised Jared while turning to grab something else. “When was the last time you jerked off?”

Jared figured his face was blood red by this point as he slipped the gold ring over the base of his cock and closed the clasp with a wince. It wasn’t until Jensen cleared his throat that he remembered the question. “I... I guess a couple of nights ago. I... I was too tired from work last night so... ummm.”

“Okay... so pay attention to rule number one. For the next six months, your cock belongs to me. You don’t come unless I give you permission to. If you jerk off or rub off without permission, I will make you very sorry.” Jensen picked up his next item and smirked as the boy’s brave front faltered just a little bit. “I could fuck you into that mattress tonight, and believe me, that’s something I really want to do, but I need some time to think and you need to prove that you can be a good boy and follow orders. So for tonight I’m cuffing you to this bed and sticking this pretty little toy in your tight ass.”

The plug in Jensen’s hand was big, but it certainly wasn’t as huge as some Jared had seen in stores or in the clubs his father dragged him to. Jared knew it was still going to hurt like hell, but he shoved down his fear and nodded shakily.

“Get on the bed, on your stomach with your arms above your head,” Jensen ordered sternly; his roaming eyes noticed something on the wide back, but he put it off for later exploration.

Jared took a deep breath but slowly complied with the request. The casino owner quickly hooked the cuffs to the short chains attached to the heavy headboard. Jensen adjusted the chains so that the boy’s arms wouldn’t hyperextend but his movement would be limited. He briefly debated on cuffing his ankles as well but decided to see if the kid could keep still without additional restraints.

“You prove to me you won’t fight me, that you can be good in bed, and the cuffs won’t be needed... at least not all the time.” Jensen watched the tension in Jared’s arms, legs, and back as he fought his instincts to struggle at being restrained. “Now, relax ‘cause this is going to be tight. I’m putting a plug in just for a test.”

It was a test... for Jensen. He had to fight his own temptation to toss the plug across the room and just take the tight ass in front of him.

He slicked the plug up before beginning to insert it. Even though he was pissed at the kid, he would never try to insert a dry sex toy, especially not into someone who had never been taken before. The plug was a good size to start with. It would work to stretch the untouched ass and while it would be painful, it wouldn’t be unbearable and it also wouldn’t do any permanent damage to the boy. It certainly wouldn’t serve any purpose if he got hurt the first time out. Jensen knew it would also serve to show the kid who was in charge.

As the plug began to slide in, Jared bit down hard on his lip to keep from screaming. His muscles clenched, frantically trying to keep the invasion from happening. He tried to force himself to relax, drawing in quick breaths through his nose. He’d known this was going to hurt, but the burning pain was more than he expected. He turned his face into the pillow, trying to muffle his pained whimper. Finally, the plug was fully seated and Jared was able to draw a full breath. The casino owner stepped back from the bed, feeling his cock fill as he took in the sight before him.

“This had better be in when I come for you in the morning... if it’s not you will regret it,” Jensen warned in a low hard voice. He studied the boy for several moments. “Let’s make this a little harder for you. I’m going to give you one hand free. Let’s say I’m doing it to make it easier for you to sleep. If you pull the plug out or take the cock ring off, then I’ll know you can’t follow orders and your little sister takes your place. Be good and sleep tight, pretty boy.” He grabbed a handful of hair, pulling Jared away from the pillow and giving him a hard kiss. Then he abruptly turned and headed for the door.

Jensen heard a soft moan but ignored it as he reached the exit. He reached for the switch that would plunge the room into darkness but hesitated at a soft call of his name. “What?” he called back coldly with a forced disinterest that he thought worked well with the image he was building.

“Does... it... the light... oh, never mind” Jared gritted his teeth, trying so hard not to show any fear by asking for one light to be left on. He had to do this; for Molly’s sake, he had to get through it.

Jensen threw a puzzled glance over his shoulder before hitting the switch and sending the room into total darkness. He pulled the door shut behind him but stayed by it for a long moment, listening.

The playroom door could be locked from either side, much like most of the rooms in his penthouse. In addition to the thumb lock security, there was also a hidden sound system in the room that would allow him to hear what was going on inside. He was curious about Jared’s aborted question, so he went ahead and activated the system. He was surprised to hear Jared’s voice and he quickly turned the volume up on the microphone near the bed.

“…22 years old damn it! There is nothing in the dark. Get over it. Your eyes are closed anyway, jerk, so you’d be in the dark even if the light was on.” Jensen frowned before hitting a small button on the control that would activate a low light embedded in the ceiling. He told himself he had planned to do it anyway before walking away from the room.

He headed for his room, planning to shower and take care of his hard cock, but stopped and scowled when he saw Chris waiting in the hallway for him.

“What?” he demanded. Jensen was tired and emotionally spent because it wasn’t always easy putting up the wall of icy indifference that he did day after day. He had a hunch it was about to get a lot harder because it seemed that Jared was going to test a lot of his boundaries and rules.

“Your father’s on the phone for you,” Chris reported grimly, knowing better than nearly anyone how much Jensen hated the rare calls from Mark Ackles. “He found out about the money Padalecki owes you and he’s pissed.”

Jensen’s teeth clenched. The one thing he hated besides assholes and douchebags was a backstabbing traitor. He especially hated two-timing backstabbing traitors who pretended to be loyal to him but then went running to his family with his slightest mistake.

“Find out who the hell he’s paying off to tell him crap like this,” he snapped, refusing to let this go on. The Open Road was his. He’d been given title and control when he turned 21 so even though it was part of the Ackles’ casino empire, it was legally his. He just wished his controlling father would come to accept that and leave him the hell alone. “Also, tell the cook to prepare breakfast for two and serve it in my private rooms.”

“So you’re going to feed the kid on his first morning with you?” Chris asked with just a touch of sarcasm. “I thought you were playing the hardnosed bastard who would make him earn everything he got from you.”

“He’ll earn things like bits of freedom and use of his iPad... little things like that, but food’s different,” Jensen replied coolly as he detoured to his office rather than his bedroom to take this call. “I won’t have him starve. I think he’s done enough of that.”

He poured a glass of whiskey before sitting at his desk and reaching for the phone. He hated the fact that even now, at 26 years old, his damn fingers shook as he picked up the phone. “Hello, Dad,” he greeted tightly and then just waited for the man to let him have it. He didn’t have to wait long.

“Hello, Jensen. I think you owe me an explanation for losing $150,000 of my money. Do I have to fly out there early and take it out of your hide with my belt?”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Four

“Jensen! Jensen! Damn it! Jensen, wake up! Ackles, if you don’t get your ass out of that bed, I’m gonna let Chad take the damn door off that room!”

The loud and gravelly voice of Chris Kane seemed to pierce Jensen’s skull as he pulled a pillow over his face to dull both the pounding on his bedroom door and the pounding inside his skull.

He blearily tried to figure out why the hell Chris would be shouting at him and threatening his doors. He clearly recalled the scathing call from his father the evening before. He also recalled finally losing his cool and snapping back at his father, igniting the fight that he knew his demanding, never-satisfied old man had been looking for when he called. He vaguely remembered drinking most of the bottle of whiskey before crashing face-first in his bed. Why wasn’t Chris just letting him sleep off the resulting hangover?

Now as consciousness returned, he took inventory of his body; his head was pounding off his shoulders, his stomach felt sour, and his mouth tasted like something had crawled in there and died during the night. He was about to tell Chris that he could either shut up or start looking for another job when he remembered what he had done right before his father called. He suddenly bolted upright in bed.

“Son of bitch! The kid... crap! I... what time is it?” He staggered to his feet, nearly falling on his face, but managed to make his way to the door. He opened it to see Chris standing there with his fist raised to pound on the door again. Chad was standing in front of the playroom, studying the control panel as if trying to figure out how to get into the room without actually removing the door.

Jensen hadn’t planned on leaving the damn kid locked down in the playroom all night, especially not cuffed to the bed so he couldn’t even get to the small bathroom that was also in there. He remembered playing the hard and heartless role, wanting to give Jared a good scare before removing the toys, unlocking the cuff, and letting the kid move to the small bedroom attached to the playroom. The phone call from his father had derailed his plans and he cursed himself for getting so drunk that he had passed out and neglected to let the kid loose.

“It’s almost noon. You missed your 10:00 meeting, but Justin covered for you. I figured you had just been up late with the kid. The cook called me when she came to get your breakfast plates and realized that neither had even been touched. I figured we’d better come up to make sure you two hadn’t killed each other after I left you last night.” Chris jerked his head towards a tall guy with short light blond hair who was currently growling at the electric panel that wouldn’t let him into the room. “How’d you leave the kid, Jensen? Did you at least let him move into the bedroom?” He cursed as his boss ran a thumb over the lock to pull open the door and he caught sight of the figure on the bed. “Damn it! Jensen! You know better than... shit! Chad! Don’t leave yet! I’m going to need help I think.”

“I’m right here... maybe you’d notice if you’d stop growling at Jensen long enough to... holy shit! I didn’t think you were actually serious when you said you were going to lock the new kid up in here, boss!” Chad Michael Murray exclaimed from the door.

Chad had worked for Jensen for over six years and was part of Jensen’s small inner circle. His main role was computer wizard and all-around electronics genius, but he often joined Chris when an extra bodyguard was needed. He enjoyed his job. He enjoyed observing the people who came to the casino, and he absolutely loved getting paid to play with computers all day. While he enjoyed his job, he also still liked to have fun... much to the dismay of his employer who had struggled to get used to Chad’s rather quirky sense of humor.

Jensen shot a growl back to the door as he moved to the bed. The first thing he noticed was the smell, and he felt a sharp stab of guilt as he reached for the cuff still wrapped around a now chafed wrist. Jared’s free hand was gripping the pillow tightly enough that his knuckles were white.

Jared had endured a night of hell. The complete darkness in the room had bothered him, bringing back a silly childhood fear, but then a small set of lights set into the ceiling came on to give the room a dim glow. Then it was a matter of dealing with the plug in his ass and the ring around his cock. The thick plug had burned and hurt for a good long while before the pain finally settled into a dull throb. The cock ring was worse; it felt increasingly tight as his penis slowly insisted on reacting to the sensation of his ass being filled and stretched. When he shifted to try and relieve the burn, he felt something else react inside him and knew he was in serious trouble.

After several miserable hours had passed, he was ready to admit defeat; he closed his eyes and stretched his free hand back intending to remove the damn plug. Just as his fingers made contact, however, the memory of hard green eyes filled his mind and he thought of the toys in this room being used on Molly. He let out a pained groan and grasped the pillow instead.

Jared drifted in and out of sleep for the next few hours, but the pain in his penis and his ass never let him fall asleep deeply enough to feel rested. As morning approached, his other problem became urgent and he began to tug desperately on the cuff. He finally stopped when he realized that not only was he not making any progress at all, but his struggles were also making his ass and cock hurt even more.

Jared’s bladder finally gave in. It was humiliating to lose control while chained to the damn bed, but the pain had become excruciating and he had no other choice that he could see. He figured he’d be punished for soiling the bed, but the punishment couldn’t be worse than the pain he’d been enduring for the last couple of hours. He just hoped that the guy was actually going to return and release him at some point.

The room was windowless, so he had no idea what time it was when he began to hear sounds from the other side of the door. There was pounding and shouting and while he was relieved that someone was trying to get him out, he was also dismayed at the thought of anyone other than Jensen seeing him in this condition.

After only a few minutes had passed, the door opened and Jensen rushed into the room. He heard Chris growl at somebody named Chad and then an unfamiliar voice, probably Chad, cursing at Jensen.

“Shit, kid, I didn’t mean to leave you in here all night,” Jensen muttered as he tried to figure out where he’d put the key to the cuffs.

Lifting his face from where he’d buried it in the pillow, Jared slowly made himself look at Jensen. He expected to see a hard scowl; he expected to be beaten for soiling the bed; he expected to see a disgusted expression on the rugged face, but as he looked through blurry eyes, Jared wasn’t sure what he was seeing.

Yes, Jensen was scowling, but it didn’t seem to be aimed at him. Jared wasn’t sure who Jensen was angry at, but he was relieved that it didn’t seem to be him.

“Hold still. I’m taking this out now,” Jensen told him, stunned that the damn kid had managed to keep the plug in for so long. He gently slid the plug out, wincing as the boy was unable to suppress a low moan of pain. “Kid, roll over to your side so I can take the cock ring off.”

“Holy crap, Jensen! You left him chained up all night with that thing in his ass and a ring on his cock?” The gruff and gravelly voice was from the man who’d taken Jared from his house; the voice made Jared cringe when it went up a notch from anger to livid fury it seemed. “Damn it! You knew you’d left him like this and you got yourself goddamn drunk and passed out!”

“I’m well aware of what I did, Kane! Now shut the fuck up and get the water in the shower running!” Jensen shot back, noticing just how pale Jared’s face was. He also noticed the blood on the pillow from where Jared had bitten either his tongue or lip sometime during the night. He froze when a whimper escaped tight lips as his fingers brushed the cock ring. “Damn it. Kid, what the hell did you do here?”

“Y’know, this might go better if you’d actually use his damn name!” Chris snapped stepping closer to the bed to see what had caused Jensen to curse again. “ Jensen !”

“I know, I know.” Jensen knew the dangers of leaving a cock ring on for too long; he hadn’t checked to see how tight it was before leaving the room, and now he saw how red and angry the cock looked and how deeply the ring was digging into sensitive flesh. He knew Jared had to be in agony from that as well as the plug that had been left in his ass for too long. “Alright, you two get him into the shower, cleaned up, dressed, and then bring him to my room.”

Jensen wanted to make sure Jared was taken care of properly, but he was pretty sure that right now the kid wouldn’t want anything to do with him. He left the boy in the hands of his trusted associates while he took care of other business so he would be free later to spend time with the kid, get to know him more, and maybe work off the edge of the frustration and hangover he still had.

Jared sighed as he carefully sat up in the bed. He was surprised that nothing had been said yet about his mistakes but right then he didn’t care. All he really wanted was five minutes of privacy to relieve himself fully and clean up. Then he’d take whatever punishment came.

His legs shook as he stood up, gratefully slipping into a robe held out by the black-haired guy. From what the guy had said at his house, he suspected that his wardrobe would be limited or nonexistent most days, so he’d take pleasure in the times when he could be covered. He tried not to tense when fingers closed over his bicep to lead him out of the room and back into the original bedroom he’d seen the day before. He was then nudged into a bathroom which made his eyes grow wide.

Jared had noticed in his quick glance yesterday that the bedroom was sparsely furnished, so he expected the same out of the bathroom that was attached. He was actually kind of surprised that there’d even be one since he thought maybe shower privileges would have to be earned by his good behavior or how well he pleased Jensen. He glanced over his shoulder a little warily.

“Get cleaned up and dressed,” Chris ordered, nodding to the marble cabinets and huge marble tub with shower. “There are washcloths and towels in the top cabinet and some shampoo and stuff in the bottom. If the scent doesn’t agree with you, write down the kind you usually use and one of us will pick it up sometime. I’ll lay out some clothes for you by the time you’re finished.” He paused and studied the boy, noting the obvious wariness still shining in his dark eyes. “Jared, I know the boss didn’t make a great first impression... and I can’t promise his second’ll be much better since he’s hung over and being an ass but... Jensen’s not... well, he’s not as bad as he’s trying to convince you he is. Just... hang in there. Now get cleaned up. He’s got no patience when he’s hung over either.”

The door closed slightly but Jared didn’t even bother trying to shut it fully or look for a lock. He just chose to be grateful for the semi-privacy. He noticed the steam already coming up from the running shower so he shed the robe and stepped into the steam, groaning as the hard beads of water from the dual showerheads pounded into his aching muscles.

Not knowing how often he’d be able to have a hot shower, he wanted to savor the experience but he also kept the bodyguard’s words in mind. He figured he’d pissed Jensen off enough already, and he didn’t want to risk angering him further, so he quickly showered until he was clean... or at least he felt cleaner than he had earlier.

His cock was still sore from hours spent in the tight ring so he didn’t even bother touching it, not only because of the pain but also because he recalled the orders from last night: no jerking off without permission.

Jared winced as he gently washed his ass; he hoped the guy didn’t want to fuck him right away because while he didn’t think the plug had actually torn him up, he was sore and also still pretty tight. He considered trying to stretch himself with his fingers, but that was something else he hadn’t ever actually done. He decided that he would try to appease Jensen by getting on his knees if needed and promising him that he could learn... if given time.

He washed his hair quickly, then grabbed for a towel that was softer than anything Jared had ever felt before. He held it close for a moment, savoring the comforting texture before beginning to dry his body. Stepping from the shower, he smiled at the clean sweats that had been left for him. He knew they’d come out of his bag and was grateful that at least he’d be comfortable for a little while longer.

After pulling the clothes on, he sat on a bench to put on his sneakers but then thought of the plush carpets he’d seen. He decided that he wouldn’t risk getting the man’s clean floors dirty with his sneakers so stood up in just his socks.

Jared was giving the bathroom a final look to be sure he’d wiped the place down so it wouldn’t look dirty or used when he heard a soft chuckle from the door that made him jump.

“Dude, you do realize there is an entire housekeeping staff that comes in here to clean up, don’t you? You don’t have to clean up after yourself.”

The voice was new to Jared and when he turned quickly, as if caught doing something wrong, he saw a young blond guy leaning in the door watching him with bright, dancing eyes and a friendly teasing grin.

“I’m... ummm... I just figured cleaning up after myself... and him... would be part of the services I’ll be expected to provide,” Jared mumbled, eyes dropping to the floor as he shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “We didn’t exactly get to the nitty-gritty of what he expects me to do or stuff yet. Besides, I’m used to cleaning. It’s what I do... or did since I doubt I’ll still have that job when he’s done with me.”

“Huh, okay.” Chad had been told to hang out and wait for “the kid” while Chris went to make sure Jensen wasn’t puking his lungs up or passed out again. This was his first up-close look at James Padalecki’s son even though he’d been present when the asshole offered the kid up as payment for his debt.

It was part of Chad’s job as online and in-house security to watch the many TV screens that allowed the staff to keep tabs on the pulse of the casino, and he’d been the one to tip Jensen off to Padalecki’s losing streak. He’d noticed the man’s behavior even before the Pit Bosses on the floor began to see a trend developing with the man’s excuses and requests for credit.

The older man had set off Chad’s creep radar the first time he’d seen him face to face. When he’d essentially offered one of his kids in lieu of cash, it had tilted the radar off the chart. Now as he looked into deep hazel eyes on a boyish face, Chad realized just how out of his depths this kid really was and felt an instant liking beginning to form.

“Well, I’m sure the maids will love you then,” he finally replied and then stuck out his hand. “I’m Chad, by the way, in case you need to call one of us for something.” He watched Jared closely, noticing but not commenting on how wary and uneasy he was. It took the young man several moments before he finally reached out to shake the offered hand.

“There will probably only be a few of us that you’ll see regularly. Jensen pretty much keeps to himself unless he has to go out or onto the casino floor. He only has a few select bodyguards and staff who are even allowed up here to his private rooms.” Chad kept up a steady stream of chatter as he led Jared out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, and into the hall. “Aside from Sam, who’s the manager of the hotel and spa, you’ll probably mainly see me and Chris, the gravelly-voiced guy that I hear you’ve already drawn blood on, and a guy named Aldis. He’s the skinny black guy down the end of the hall... and he’s not usually covered in flour so he must’ve been in the kitchen bugging the cooks. I guess you might see Justin, but he stays mostly on the casino floor,” he continued while leading Jared a short way down the hall to a door right next to the room they’d exited. “Anyone else who comes up here will just be a visitor. Jensen will either introduce you to them or growl at them depending on his mood at the moment.”

Jared was trying to commit the names to memory, but then he stopped and frowned. “Why would he introduce anyone to me? And why would he growl at people who work for him?” he asked without thinking he should keep his mouth shut. He probably shouldn’t be asking questions about things that were none of his business. “I mean... it’s not like I’ll be meeting anyone. I’ll probably be kept in that room or the bedroom unless he wants a blowjob or something.” Jared couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice. “Maybe I’m wrong. After all, this whole fuck toy thing is pretty new to me... pardon my language... sir.”

Chad nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste to turn around to see if this kid was just pulling his leg. When he realized that Jared really was serious, he wasn’t sure whether he should put the kid back in the bedroom until he slapped the hell out of his boss or let the kid know that Jensen might be expecting a little more than just kinky sex for the next six months.

In the end, he decided to wait and see how Jensen ended up treating Jared. He also decided that he would make a habit of popping up to the penthouse several times a day at least until things got settled. He gave a swift and hard knock on the door, smirking at the grumble he heard that he took as his okay to enter the room.

“He alive?” he asked a scowling Chris while ushering a tensing Jared into the master bedroom where a table of food had been hastily set up by the open wall of windows. “Or did you toss him out the window?”

Jared’s eyes were practically popping out of his head as he listened to how these two men seemed to talk about their employer. Given Jensen’s ruthless reputation, he was surprised these guys still had jobs.

“No, I was tempted, but I would’ve had to break the window and it would’ve been a bitch to replace. He’s sticking his head under the faucet in the bathroom and hopefully shaving without cutting his own throat,” Chris replied with a jerk of his head toward the bathroom. He then cast a critical eye towards Jared knowing that the loose and baggy sweats were going to have to go. “What size are you?” he asked, sighing at the blank look he got in return. “In clothes. What size clothes do you wear and please tell me something other than XXL because we both know you are not.”

Jared was trying to figure out what his size had to do with anything; after all, this was the guy who had told him he wouldn’t be wearing clothes most of the time. He was trying to figure out how to answer when they all heard a muffled voice holler from the half-closed bathroom door.

“Just send Misha up to measure him! I want the damn clothes to fit him and he’s too tall and skinny for anything off the rack to look right on him!” Jensen was just finishing a fast shower and shave when he heard Chad’s voice, which told him his new guest would also be in the room. “But do it later! My head is still hurting too much to deal with him.”

“You can’t deal with that tailor even when you’re totally sober and thinking straight,” Chris shot back, but he made a mental note to schedule an appointment with the hotel’s resident tailor and shop owner for later that evening or the next morning. “You need a buffer or can Chad and I go back to work?” he asked curiously, not missing the way Jared’s face paled a little at being left alone with Jensen. “I can leave Chad as a chaperone in case you need one... or he does.”

“Get the fuck out and drag Aldis with you. I’ll call if I need anything and yeah, I know I have afternoon meetings before you remind me.” Jensen stepped out of the master bathroom while pulling a deep red button-down silk shirt on and beginning to button it with efficient fingers. “Leave me alone with him.”

Chad lifted a curious brow but Chris merely shrugged and nodded to the door. “Eat something... and make sure he eats too. The damn kid looks like a stiff desert wind could knock him over.”

“Get out before I remember how much you annoy me and fire you, Kane,” Jensen muttered with his back to the room as he searched for something on his dresser. He caught the wink and supportive smile Chad shot the relative stranger in their midst as the other two men left and shut the bedroom door. “So I guess I owe you an apology for this morning.” He finally spoke when he realized the silence was becoming thick and heavy, something he’d never liked.

Jared opened his mouth to say he owed him a lot of apologies but managed to shut it before those words escaped, trying to make a visible attempt to not be a smart mouth. Instead of speaking, he just shook his head while nervously slipping his hands into the loose sleeves of his sweatshirt so he could clasp his arms tightly while forcing his eyes to the thick carpet rather than examining the room or the man himself.

“Well, I don’t apologize a lot but... I made a mistake and you suffered for it. I shouldn’t have left you in the playroom for that long, and I really shouldn’t have left the plug in or the cock ring on all night. Pain for pleasure or for punishment is one thing, but you shouldn’t be in pain because I was careless.” He looked over his shoulder to gaze at the younger man and saw that his eyes were firmly focused on the floor. He was clearly nervous being alone with him. “I’m not usually a careless man; nothing like this will happen again while you’re my guest... Jared.”

It was the use of his name that had Jared’s head lifting in surprise since he wasn’t even sure Jensen knew his name. “Huh. I wasn’t sure you actually knew my name,” he commented then wanted to kick himself... be obedient and lose the attitude he reminded himself. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ackles. That was a mistake. I also owe you an apology for... well making that mess. I’ll clean the room and the bed and…”

“That’s been taken care of... or if it hasn’t been then it will,” Jensen replied, turning to lean on his dresser to take a better look at Jared. This was hardly the smart-mouthed angry boy from yesterday, and a piece of Jensen actually missed that spark of defiance Jared had shown. The boy in front of him now was too quiet and too accepting. He took in the worn-out, too-loose sweats and… “Where’re your shoes?” he asked suddenly when it hit him that Jared was only in his socks. “Didn’t Chris give them back to you?”

“Oh! Yeah, he did but... I... didn’t want to wear them and get the carpet or anything dirty so I left them off.” It was driving Jared crazy to be this agreeable with a man he feared in some ways and passionately hated in others, but he had yet to figure out all the rules in this very strange game “I... I can put them on if you want... Sir.”

Jensen’s fingers clenched on the dresser and he had to remind himself that he’d been the one to stress the damn obedience rule last night. He also figured Jared was probably waiting for the other shoe to drop from his soiling the bed due to Jensen’s own stupidity.

“Just call me Jensen,” he muttered after a long silence as well as an internal debate. He saw the raised eyebrows and the confused hazel eyes watching him as he pushed away from the dresser to walk slowly toward Jared. The younger man tensed noticeably as he got closer and Jensen had to fight the urge to tell him to relax. “I’m not really into the whole ‘Sir’ thing... at least not in the way you’re using it. So when we’re alone or if it’s just Chris or those other bozos you met, you can call me Jensen. If we’re in public, it’ll depend on the role you’re playing, but I’ll tell you beforehand so there’s no confusion.”

“In public?” Jared frowned at that, turning to follow Jensen with his eyes as he headed for the table where the food was set up. His stomach suddenly reminded him it had been a long time since he’d eaten; his last meal had been a protein bar he’d grabbed on the way home from the store. “What... what do you consider the public or being out in it?” he asked, panic building in his voice as he considered what this guy might do to him in public given the toys he’d seen in the playroom.

Looking up from his plate, which he was filling with food, at the change in tone, Jensen started to ask if the kid had an aversion to people when something on Jared’s face must have clicked and he realized what he must have thought he meant. He worked hard to keep his expression neutral while he picked up a piece of smoked bacon.

“Public. Sitting with me in my office during meetings, walking the casino floor with me, or... the most dreaded of it all... attending social functions with me,” he replied. Then he took pity on the boy and explained further because while teasing this boy was fun, Jensen didn’t want him to be petrified of anything like that. “What I like in the way of sex and what I have you do is between you and me, Jared. I don’t do public; I don’t do clubs; I don’t do the sex scene like that. I do like my kinky toys, but that’s just gonna be between you and me in private. Okay?”

Jared nodded, actually very relieved to hear that. He wasn’t even aware that he relaxed slightly now that he knew he wouldn’t be paraded around naked in public as a few of those guys his father knew had leeringly suggested.

“You either have a very colorful imagination for a virgin or you’ve been watching the wrong kind of porn.” Jensen sat down at the table but noticed despite the audible grumbling of an empty stomach, Jared hadn’t moved yet. Then he realized why he hadn’t sat down to eat and inwardly winced, guilt kicking up again since he recalled the lecture on following orders or being punished... and the not-so-subtle threats to replace the kid with his little sister. “Tell me where you got the idea I might be one of those guys who like having sex in the middle of a crowd while you sit down and actually eat something.” He nudged a chair out with his foot.

“I thought all kinky guys kind of enjoyed having an audience. My dad... a few months ago he tried to pawn me off on these guys in a club on the strip... he needed some cash... anyway, they kept talking about chaining me to this huge cross on the stage and taking turns fucking me. My dad was so pissed when I slipped out of the club before he could close the deal.” Jared’s voice was quiet as he slowly slipped into the chair, hoping he hid the wince of pain as he sat down. He quickly adjusted his position so he wasn’t quite centered on his ass, which was still sore from the plug. Of course, the new position caused his loose sweatpants to chafe the base of his irritated cock. He gave up on being comfortable and started picking listlessly at some food. “Most of the people at those clubs were like that so I just assumed... and since your bodyguard... the one who picked me up said you’d take care of my clothes when you let me wear any at all, I kinda figured that meant that I’d be chained to a bed or some... thing and just... ummm... are you okay? You’re not choking or anything are you?” He’d looked concerned as Jensen suddenly started coughing violently just as he’d swallowed a bite of bacon

“Chris... said what?” he managed to get out after a couple of seconds, waving Jared back into his seat when he started to stand as if afraid he really was choking; this time Jensen noticed the wince of pain as he sat. “Okay, that means he can’t bitch at some of the things I’ve said to you if he already put that thought in your damn over-imaginative head. No, no, Jared.” Jensen reached for a glass of water and then poured a large glass of orange juice and placed it close to a shaking hand across from him. “He... Chris must have been angry and just popping off. He knows…” Jensen paused and smiled for just a moment. “Okay, I gotta admit that the image is a nice one. I can’t say that I might not play with that idea for a night, but you won’t be expected to live here naked.

“I will be supplying your clothes because I’m pretty sure you don’t have the kind you’ll need to be in my office or accompanying me on the casino floor or for the parties we’ll be attending. Plus I want my tailor to fit you so that what I do get you will actually fit you correctly.” Jensen looked at the oversized sweatshirt. “You’re not as big as these clothes make you out to be... or was that the point of them?”

Staring at the plate of food in front of him, Jared bit his lip carefully. He wasn’t sure he should be talking this much. And it bothered him a little bit to be having a polite conversation with the guy he was trying to hate. He really was hungry, so he guessed he should keep talking and enjoy the food before the other side of Jensen’s personality came back to life and he found himself back in the playroom.

“I... I just like to be comfortable and loose stuff... is comfortable.” He took a bite of fluffy eggs and moaned with pleasure. He’d never tasted anything like this before, certainly not at the diner he worked at cleaning tables. Jared noticed Jensen watching him with a skeptical expression on his face. “Fine, the baggy stuff sometimes helps keeps the dirtbags at the diner and motel where I work... worked... from looking too closely at me or wanting to fuck me if they get me cornered in an empty room or the bus. Sorry. You probably didn’t want to hear all that. Dad says I talk too much when all I should use my mouth for is…”

Jared broke off and his cheeks went pink before he could finish the comment but Jensen had a hunch he knew what James Padalecki said to his son; it made him just want to hurt the man even more than he already did.

“I like to hear you talking,” Jensen admitted, sighing as he sat back to eye the younger man. “Look, we got off on the wrong foot and while I will probably still be a bastard, I don’t want you thinking that I’m going to beat you to death for something you might do wrong.”

Jared did not want to listen to Jensen trying to pass himself off as a nice guy and decided he’d had enough polite conversation. “Look, Jensen, I’m here to pay off a debt my father owes your casino. I guess that means you can be whoever, whatever, you want to be. I know what I’m here to do... basically... but if you want anything outside of the basics, you’ll have to tell me ahead of time so I can learn the details.” Jared still hated the situation, but he guessed having to have sex with Jensen, even rough sex, or whatever else he might want him to do was better than taking the chance that his little sister would be put in this situation. “I don’t know anything about rich people or the proper fork or spoon to use at parties, so if you plan on me being arm candy for these parties you’re talking about, you’d better know that upfront. You might want to take someone who won’t be a total flop or loser.”

“Point noted... teach you what fork to use at a party,” Jensen smirked but his smile faltered when he noticed that Jared mostly picking at his food. “I want you to make a list of your favorite foods, and anything you really don’t like. Also, write down anything you’re allergic to so my cook doesn’t accidentally feed you something that might kill you. Killing my sex toy won’t look good for me.”

Jared lifted his eyes up with a small frown but he couldn’t tell if the other man was serious or joking. He nodded tightly, remembering that despite the casual feel of this meeting, he was basically just a bought and paid-for sex toy with no freedom except what Jensen saw fit to give him. He felt himself bristling again.

“I really don’t know if I can do this. I’m not sure I will be submissive to you 24/7.” He suddenly felt the need to get that out into the open. He knew it was a risk, but he decided he’d take Jensen’s anger. “I mean, I’ll try... I told you I would try to obey, but... I won’t promise to be good at it since... well... I’m trying to be quiet and not backtalk you too much but... that’s just not me.”

“Gee, I never would’ve guessed that, kiddo,” Jensen snorted, glad he hadn’t taken a drink of water before that comment was tossed out into the air or he’d be choking again. He realized with startling clarity that no, this boy was not the type who could survive as anyone’s 24/7 sub... and Jensen kind of liked that about him.

“I don’t believe I ever mentioned you being a sub... just a toy... but now that you mention it... what kind of sub do you think you could be?” he asked slowly, running the tip of his finger around his water glass while eyeing Jared shrewdly.

Jared guessed he’d walked himself into that question. “The kind who will choose to obey at certain times like in bed or that room or... maybe at parties if you wanted me to... but if you try to put a collar on me I will probably try to break your arm.”

“Huh,” Jensen grunted while hiding his smile behind his hand as he took this in. “So if I tell you that I won’t expect total obedience 24 hours a day, would that make this easier for you?” he inquired curiously, recognizing that this was an independent young man who was used to fighting the wolves of Vegas to take care of himself and his kid sister. Putting him in this situation was like trying to train a wild animal used to living in the jungle.

“Maybe... I have another question. Will I be able to keep at least one of my jobs to support my sister while I’m with you? Maybe a daytime job while you’re busy with the casino?” Jared was pretty sure he knew the answer but he needed to hear it so he could try to adjust fully to his new position.

“No, you won’t be able to do that,” Jensen replied, adding with a slow smile. “How could I get a blowjob after a long meeting if you weren’t with me in the casino?”

A fork clattered to the table and Jared quickly decided he was done eating. He could see the other side of Jensen coming back, and he forced himself to nod. “Okay... If... if I obey you... if I do something for you now to make up for what happened this morning and what I did last night... would you... could you reassure me of something?” he asked as he carefully wiped his mouth with a linen napkin.

“I thought I already did that. I told you I’d leave your sister alone as long as you obeyed me,” Jensen reminded him; he was beginning to regret using that threat since every time he did he saw a bit more life leave Jared’s eyes. He saw that this time as well, but he also noticed a spark of determination. “What else do you want? Maybe we could work something out.”

“I don’t give a damn about my Dad. Not after the things he’s done. I don’t care if he sleeps on the street or under a bridge like he told me to do so often when I refused his orders but... I do care if my sister has a warm place to sleep and food to eat. My Dad sure as hell doesn’t.” Jared stared at his hands for a long moment before standing slowly, seeing he had sharp green eyes on him the second he moved and sort of feeling like a caged animal being studied.

“The only reason he cares about Molly at all is that he gets a check for her from the state every month, but she never sees a dime of that money, just like I never saw a dime of it. I... I really need to know that she’s going to be okay while I’m here. I have a small bank account that my dad doesn’t know about. I’ve been trying to save a little bit of money. It’s not much because I was paying most of the bills, and for Molly’s dance classes.” His voice was soft and sad. “I was trying to save enough to send her away to school when she got out of high school.  That’s probably not going to happen now. Anyway, if I give you the account number, and let you have access to it while I’m with you, would you make sure that Molly’s classes are paid for? And would you maybe let me text a friend, or you could send the text, to ask her if Molly could stay with her while I’m... away? I’m pretty sure this friend would take care of her and buy her whatever she might need while I’m... here.” Jared met the glittering green eyes. “I’m offering to do whatever you want me to do. Just let me help my sister. I don’t want my father to be able to do this to her.”

Jensen returned the boy’s gaze; he could see a tinge of fear in his eyes, but he realized that Jared was more frightened of what might happen to his sister than of what was going to happen to him. Despite his earlier threats to the girl, Jensen knew he couldn’t let anything actually happen to her. And her only source of protection was going to be with him for the next six months.

He hesitated long enough to make it look it like he was giving serious consideration to the proposal. The longer he was silent, the more worried Jared became. “Okay, kid... I’ll have Chad take care of the money side of things... but if you really want to text that friend... you’ll have to give me something to make it worth my while.”

“Man, you weren’t kidding about being a bastard.” Jared couldn’t keep the words from coming out and he saw Jensen’s expression harden. “Fine. I’ll earn the right to text Gen so she can take care of my sister.”

Before Jensen could try to figure out what that meant, Jared pulled his sweatshirt off over his head and let it drop to the floor tugging his sweatpants down and gesturing towards the bedroom. “Go ahead. Fuck me. Fuck me raw.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Five

“Fuck me raw.”

Jensen stared at him in shock. There were a lot of things he’d expected to hear from the young man he’d taken as payment for a huge debt owed to his casino by the boy’s father, but an invitation to fuck him was not one of them. The owner of The Open Road Casino was glad he was still seated.

Jensen was still hungover, so it took him several moments to fully comprehend what Jared was offering. He still didn’t quite have a handle on the situation to begin with. He knew that the kid wasn’t anywhere near as experienced as his father had originally claimed, but the offer he was making indicated that he had some understanding of Jensen’s expectations.

Jensen stared at the boy who was standing naked in front of him, blushing like crazy still but meeting Jensen’s eyes defiantly. Jensen wasn’t sure how to respond. After all, he was a 26-year-old man with needs and certain parts of his body were reminding him of just how long it had been since he’d had sex with anyone, much less someone who looked like Jared or who was offering what he just had.

Last night Jensen had been ready and willing to fuck the mouthy kid into the wall of the playroom... until he found out Jared was a virgin. Then, despite being a cold-as-ice jackass, he’d managed to pull back.

Jensen might be determined to play the bastard. He had an image he was fighting to maintain after all, but there was a huge difference in keeping up his image and intentionally causing pain and damage to a young man. Right now the young man was just trying to get him to help protect the sister he loved.

Running his tongue over his teeth as he slowly stood, he let his eyes roam over the tall body that stood beside his bed. Jensen’s brain filled with images of spreading Jared out on the bed and taking him and his cock began to twitch as he stepped forward. As the kid turned to face the bed, fingers nervously clenching into fists, Jensen’s eyes caught the redness of the hole where the plug had been left too long, and he knew that if he did what he wanted, what Jared was telling him he could do, it would tear sensitive skin and put Jared out of commission for several days.

Of course, if he backed down right now, it might give the boy the wrong impression. Jensen slowly approached the bed, debating on how to show that he was still in control without actually doing anything that would cause Jared more pain or damage.

He picked up the sweatpants and held them out to the now-confused young man. “My place, my rules, my timing,” he remarked easily, watching as Jared pulled the sweats back on. “Don’t get me wrong; I have plans to do just what you offered, but it’s gonna be under my terms. I choose the time and place, kiddo.”

“I... I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do. I just... I just thought this is what you’d want from me before I could make that text to get Molly settled…” Jared stopped talking and let his eyes drop to the floor. First, the casino owner almost raped him, but now he was turning down Jared’s offer. Jared couldn’t figure the guy out. “Tell me what you want me to do then.”

“Oh, there’s plenty I want you to do,” Jensen murmured, stepping close enough to reach out and touch Jared’s face with his fingers. He watched the eyes that met his stare, seeing wariness as well as an expectation of pain and shame. “Maybe this weekend I’ll spend hours showing you in detail the things I want you to do for me... but for right now? Right this second? Kiss me.”

The idea was spur of the moment and totally not what Jensen planned to say. He was really interested in what else Jared could do with those soft plush lips, but as he stood close enough to him to brush those high cheekbones and watched Jared chew his bottom lip nervously, he suddenly wanted to taste him.

“You... you’ve kissed me before,” Jared muttered. He was surprised to feel nervous about kissing Jensen when it should’ve seemed so much easier than what he had offered.

He’d had plenty of kisses in his life, but most had been wet, sloppy, disgusting messes delivered by older men his father had pushed him toward. He had never had a serious kiss and felt that nothing that he did would be good enough here, but as Jensen lifted a single eyebrow as if reminding him who was in charge, Jared took a shaky breath and leaned closer.

Jared had never initiated a kiss before; he generally found himself the recipient of an unwelcome kiss, so this was new to him. It ended up being very awkward even though he really did try since he didn’t want to anger the man by being a failure.

Jensen tried to hide his smile as the kiss ended. It had been disappointingly short and embarrassingly awkward, but more than that, it proved that this kid didn’t have any more experience with kissing than he did with sex. There was promise, however, and Jensen moved his hand to cup the back of Jared’s neck, holding him still when he tried to pull back. “Not bad,” he murmured. “Not good... but not bad either, so it’s a start.”

He brought Jared back in for a deeper kiss, much harder than the boy’s had been, and he felt the tension in the body that was pressed against him. A small piece of Jensen wondered what it might be like to kiss this boy if he took his time slowed it down and kissed him like he would have if... if he actually meant something to him.

He considered trying it, but a sudden buzzing of the intercom broke the moment. Jared gasped in surprise at the annoying sound and took a step back while Jensen’s eyes narrowed in annoyance at the damn interruption. “If the casino’s not on fire then you better have a damn good reason for this,” he growled into the box he now suddenly hated.

“Yeah, sorry.” Chris’s voice didn’t sound even a little bit sorry. “It’s your moronic tailor. He’s pacing the hall and saying he has to fit the kid right now... I don’t know... I don’t think he’s going to go away.” Chris’s tone clearly spoke of both annoyance and amusement... annoyance at the tailor and amusement that Jensen would be even more annoyed at the schedule change.

“I said tonight or tomorrow. Buy the guy a watch if he can’t tell time.” Jensen hated the often eccentric and exasperating tailor who owned one of the casino’s most exclusive clothing boutiques, but he also wouldn’t trust anyone else on the Strip for what he wanted.

Suddenly a new voice came over the intercom. “Oh, quit griping and hogging the new boy! I have time now, not tomorrow. So if you want my measuring tape skills, you’ll let me do my thing; otherwise, you’ll wait two weeks until I choose to work you into my busy schedule!”

Jared blinked in shock while Jensen rubbed his face and cursed under his breath before snarling to Chris to bring the asshole up.

“Umm, I thought you had a bad reputation. Do any of your employees actually... fear you?” Jared asked softly, curious since the ones he’d met so far certainly didn’t seem intimidated by their boss.

“Actually, yes, they do.” Jensen threw a dark look at Jared who took another step back, sorry now that he’d asked the question. “99% of the people who work here are terrified of me... like you should be. The ones I’ve let you meet are some of the very few who know I can’t fire them because they keep me from killing people on a daily basis.” The casino owner let out a breath of annoyed frustration. “Misha... he’s a whole different story. He doesn’t care what he says or who he says it to. He can get away with it because he’s that good at what he does and he knows it. So he’s probably gonna say a lot of stuff that will be insensitive or insulting, but just stand still, let him measure you and poke you with pins, and then I can throw him out and go to work.”

Jared had never been to a tailor before; he didn’t know anything about clothes that didn’t come from Walmart or a second-hand shop, so he almost went into shock when he stepped into the living room and was suddenly surrounded by a whirlwind of sound and activity that was caused by one single man.

Misha Collins was as colorful as he was loud. The tailor was wearing a flashy Hawaiian shirt over Bermuda silk shorts and combat boots as he strolled around his newest project while offering a very clear and suggestive wolf whistle.

“I can see why you’re not willing to share him with the public.” He shot a wide and leering smile at Jared before looking to where Jensen was sitting on the sofa, watching him much more closely than he normally would’ve. “This one’s like a pre-Greek God... he’s a flower about to bloom... he’s clay waiting to be molded... he’s…”

“Mine,” Jensen finished for him. His voice was soft but the stress he put on the word was plain as he watched the tailor’s eyes roam over Jared’s body. The young man stood nervously on a small stool, wearing only a pair of briefs so the measurements would be perfect. “You’re here to measure him for clothes, not to leer at him. So use that tape measure for something productive before I decide to wrap it around your throat.”

Jared had almost gotten used to Jensen’s rough and deep voice, but that tone as well as the clear threat nearly caused him to fall off the stool. He shot a quick look of surprise over at Jensen while Chris coughed from where he was leaning against a wall just observing the scene.

“Touchy, touchy,” Misha smirked at the casino owner, but knew not to push the man any further tonight, so he pulled a tape measure from his box of gear. “So tell me, handsome, what kind of clothes are we looking to make for you?” he asked Jared curiously. He let out a gasp and turned to Jensen. “Oh, I have some gorgeous leather chaps he’d look awesome in... I’d just have to take the waist in a tiny bit and let out the length. And some bikini briefs or…”

Jared’s cheeks were already flushed just from the way the guy was looking at him, but those questions as well as the outfits he was suggesting had him fighting the urge to jump off the stool and find a closet to hide in. Luckily, before he could react, he was saved by a sharp voice from the sofa.

“Misha.” This time when Jensen spoke, he rose to his full height and stepped closer to stare down at the tailor who was on his knees measuring an inseam. “I’m sure Chris told you what type of clothes I want for him, so keep your damn thoughts out of the gutter, your opinions to yourself, and just finish measuring him. I want him to have some clothes that won’t make him look like he’s swimming in them.

“He’ll need some slacks, shirts, a couple of good suit jackets as well as a regular jacket. I also want him fitted with jeans, t-shirts, and stuff like that.” Jensen’s hand moved up to run over a tense arm without thinking about what he was doing. “Pretend this is a normal job for some guy off the street and you’re not ogling him. Use the common sense you should have and give me what I want. I don’t want Jared to feel like he’s a piece of meat on display, so I want the clothes to fit him perfectly: not too loose, not too tight... perfect. Do we understand one another?” he asked in a low dangerous tone that left nothing to the imagination.

“Yep, boring stuff, got it,” Misha nodded but still shot Jared a bright smile and a friendly wink. “He must have big plans if he’s buying suits... or he wants someone else to be bored silly in those meetings he has to sit through or…”

“Chris! Can we find a new tailor if this one gets lost in the desert?” Jensen demanded while giving the man’s leg a not-so-subtle kick with his shoe.

“Not one who will put up with you and your crap,” Chris replied while checking something on his phone. “Just let Misha work. The sooner you stop letting him get under your skin, the sooner you can kick him out and either cancel the rest of the day or actually work.”

Jared managed not to squirm too much as the tailor worked with tape measures and then pins as he tried various styles of pants, shirts, and jackets on him. The younger man was becoming exhausted from trying stuff on only to have Jensen turn it down for being the wrong style, the wrong color, too loose, too tight, or just out of the question.

It seemed to take forever but finally, the tailor and Jensen seemed to come to some sort of agreement about what Jared would be wearing. Jared wasn’t even aware when Misha stopped manipulating his body, having long since zoned out after the guy began muttering about the way he was either too long in the arms, too tall, or too skinny.

A hand snapping in front of his face brought his attention back to see Jensen watching him with something between concern and amusement while he addressed Misha who was still fussing with a soft blue piece of material he’d been stitching by hand for the last several minutes.

“When can you have something actually ready for him to wear?” Jensen asked curiously. He noticed that his hand was rubbing Jared’s arm again. He seemed to gravitate toward touching Jared whenever he was close enough to touch; he wondered if the kid realized that or the fact that he wasn’t tensing quite as much now either. “The sweats he has just aren’t going to cut it with me.”

“Yeah, obviously... those should definitely be burned,” Misha snorted while tossing Jared the shirt. He did some quick mental calculations. “I can probably have a few basic things ready for this afternoon or evening. Everything else will be finished in the next few days.” He’d already been told this was a rush job and after getting a look at the sweatpants and sweatshirt Jared had on originally, he guessed he knew why. “The suits and the jacket will take longer since those are going to be custom-made, but the jeans and other stuff just need to be altered to fit him. What about shoes?” He happened to notice the kid was just in socks. “Does he have any or…”

“Yeah, send up a few pairs of shoes, too.” Jensen held out a list that he’d been making. “And this stuff too. Add it all up and Chris will pay you and Chris? Send Chad up to my office sometime today because I need him to do something.” He turned to Jared who was still looking a little shell-shocked by the tailoring experience. “Do you have any jeans in that bag you brought?” he asked.

Jared had never been around anyone like Misha before and had certainly never been put through anything like this. He would never look at clothes the same way again. It took a few seconds for Jensen’s question to register and then he blindly nodded. “Umm, yeah, I think so,” he mumbled and lifted the blue shirt in his hands. “What do I do with this?” he asked, thinking the tailor had forgotten it as he’d been ushered out by an impatient Jensen.

“Put it on, genius. Then go get your jeans and sneakers on and come with me down to my office. I believe we have some business to take care of.” Jensen watched as those hazel eyes widened and then he caught his first glimpse of what might have been an honest smile as Jared realized what he was saying and quickly went to change.

“Should I ask what you’re doing? Or maybe I should ask if Chad’s about to do something illegal?” Chris asked from where he stood watching this exchange.

“Chad actually won’t be doing much of anything. You’ll be doing most of the work once I get the details from him. I just want to have Chad run a background check on the woman Jared says can take care of his sister for the next six months. You’re going to arrange it so that she’s given money every month to cover the girl’s living expenses as well as those dance classes and anything else the girl might need while Jared’s with me.” Jensen would have Chad check to see what was in the kid’s bank account, but he seriously doubted it would be enough so he’d arrange for the funds to be taken out of one of his own accounts.

“You going soft after less than 24 hours with him, Jensen?” Chris teased, laughing at the rude gesture he was shot. He turned as Jared stepped back into the room, nervously adjusting the leaner-fitting shirt, which actually managed to show that the young man did have a slight build. “I’ll go find Murray and we’ll meet you in your office in 10 minutes.”

Jensen’s head was still hurting, but he’d taken some pills for it before dealing with Misha, so now it was more of a dull ache. He studied Jared’s new outfit as the younger man looked back at him warily.

The soft blue shirt fit him very nicely, and Jensen was impressed at what Misha’s magic needle had done in just a few minutes. The old battered jeans had definitely seen better days with visible patching on both knees and one back pocket. They were loose, but not as baggy as the sweatpants had been, and Jensen looked forward to seeing what the boy would look like in jeans that were made to fit him perfectly.

Nodding to the private elevator, he noticed the careful way Jared walked, as if worried about his battered and grungy sneakers leaving prints on the clean carpet. Jensen wondered if he’d ever been that paranoid about making a mess and figured probably not.

“Can you give blowjobs?” he asked suddenly in the heavy silence of the elevator, catching the faint pink tinge that came over Jared’s cheeks. He decided that he liked making the kid blush.

“I... I’ve tried it a couple of times but... I... I... it didn’t work out very well.” Jared replied slowly, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. “I know I owe you something for doing this, so I’ll do my best.”

“Of course, you will,” Jensen replied, trying not to let it bother him that Jared’s earlier smile had disappeared again. “I don’t mind giving you some tips the first few times and you don’t have to deep throat right away.” Jared’s face paled noticeably at that comment. Jensen realized that any experience the kid did have with blowjobs was probably his father’s doing.

The private elevator opened directly into his main office in the casino, something Jensen had purposely arranged. That way he could come and go without answering to anyone. His staff knew how to reach him if he was needed and his secretary always knew when he was in the office because he turned the radio on to classic rock music unless he was in a meeting.

“Sit down,” Jensen ordered, pointing to a chair beside his desk. “Write down the woman’s name and address, the name and the address of the place where your sister takes lessons, and anything else you think is important.” Jensen had grabbed Jared’s cell phone from his private office earlier and now he placed it on the desk in front of him. “Does this thing even text?” he asked suspiciously eyeing the ancient device.

“Yeah,” Jared replied as a small smile returned. He figured Jensen must have one of the latest smartphones on the market and wouldn’t know what to do with his cheap flip phone. “I don’t actually use it much. Basically just to text Molly... I don’t really like to talk on the phone and I couldn’t afford any sort of data plan. I just want to send a text to send to Gen to make sure Molly can stay with her.” He noticed Jensen’s dark expression. “I won’t tell her the truth; I’ll make something up so she won’t worry and so Molly won’t be scared.”

Jensen looked up as Chad knocked and then entered. He took the paper with the hastily written details and nodded. “Okay, you can text her yourself. Tell her you took a temporary job out of state or something and ask her to let your sister stay with her. Give her Chris’s number in case she needs anything.” He slid a card with the bodyguard’s number across the desk. “Tell her she won’t be able to reach you, but Chris will so she can contact him. You can tell her that she’ll get a stipend every month to cover whatever your sister needs.”

“Thank you, Sir... I mean…” Jared glanced to where Chad was standing pretending to not be there. “Mr. Ackles.”

“Do people actually call you that?” Chad asked with a smile once Jensen stepped away from the desk. He joined Jensen at the computer while Jared struggled to word the text to his high school friend. “So what’s up, boss?”

Jensen eyed the numbers on the paper as well as the name of the bank... a bank he happened to hold majority stock in. “Find out his balance... but when you set up the transfer of funds to this woman, use my private account. I doubt he has it to cover the costs now that he won’t be working.” He gave his instructions firmly but quietly, choosing to ignore the way Chad’s eyes bugged out of his head. “Don’t you go giving me grief either. I am not getting soft. I just think he’ll be a better toy if he’s not worried about his sister. Also? Tell Chris to make sure Padalecki knows to steer clear of his daughter during this time. I don’t trust him to not actually try to sell her. He probably thinks he can get away with it now that Jared’s not around to protect her.”

Chad knew that Jared’s big soft eyes were bringing out his own protective streak, but he was surprised that Jensen seemed to be affected as well. “Whatever you say, boss,” he agreed, taking the paper to see what he could find out. “Oh, and Aldis says Justin had some issues on the floor earlier, so you might need to check in with him later.”

“I have meetings this afternoon and plans for tonight, so Hartley needs to just handle things unless it’s an emergency,” Jensen shot back. He turned to see that Jared had closed his phone again. He stared at it sadly for several moments before slowly handing it back to Jensen. “Okay kiddo, I have business to take care of, so Chris is going to take you back up to the penthouse. You can get some actual sleep if you want or watch TV until I’m done. Then we’ll see just how much you appreciated me letting you arrange things for your sister.”

Jared bit his lip to keep back a sarcastic comment. His sister wasn’t safe yet, and he knew Jensen could cancel the arrangement if he wanted to. Instead, he just silently followed the bodyguard into the elevator.

“Jensen! Dude! Tell me you’re going to give him a little bit of freedom. You’re not seriously just going to make him be your personal sex slave or arm candy.” Chad was frowning as Jensen sat down to read the morning reports like nothing was any different than usual for them. “Come on, you can’t just expect him to stay in your penthouse waiting for you to fuck him or snap your fingers at him to blow you under the table at a meeting.”

“I can do whatever I want with him thanks to his father owing me money,” the casino owner remarked coolly, flicking his eyes up to the blond man. “If you plan to keep drawing a paycheck, I suggest you pay attention to what I pay you to do and not who I fuck or what I do with him when I’m not using him.”

Chad thought about a snarky response to that but drew back at the last second to just glare at his employer. He grabbed the paper with the information Jared had provided ready to storm out of the office, but he paused briefly. “You know, Jensen, when you did this?” He held up the paper with the information that would help keep Jared’s sister safe. “I started to think you’d grown not only a heart but maybe a set of balls, too. I thought maybe you’d try to stand up to your father instead of trying to be a duplicate of the bastard he was to you and all those people who work for him overseas. I guess not.”

The door slammed shut, leaving Jensen sitting at his desk a little shocked by the normal even-tempered Chad’s outburst.

“I am nothing like my father,” he murmured, but then closed his eyes and thought back to the harsh, snide, chiding words the older man had tossed at him the night before. Jensen knew his father was the reason he worked so damn hard to be so cold, so unfeeling, and so perfect in the running of his casino.

He thought about how Misha had just assumed he’d want the leather chaps and tight sexy clothes for Jared and the not-so-veiled sexual comments the tailor had used when talking to the clearly shy and overwhelmed young man earlier. It was obvious that Misha had believed Jared was some sort of hired whore for Jensen’s sexual pleasure.

Jensen thought about how Chris had told Jared that he’d supply him with clothes when he let him dress at all. He thought about how nervous the boy was around him, not even sitting down to eat without permission.

He recalled being a child and watching his father backhand a servant for speaking out of turn or for doing something without permission. He also recalled the women he knew his father kept on the side and the closets full of sexy, skimpy clothes he caught sight of one day when he’d been roaming their summer house in Venice as a small boy.

Jensen also thought about how his other employees avoided his eyes when he was on the floor, how they rushed to fix mistakes, and how they cringed when he snapped and yelled... like his father would do.

“Son of a bitch!” he yelled and gave the contents on his desk a sudden shove, sending everything to the floor before he slumped back in his chair with the sickening realization that he was indeed becoming just like his father.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Six

Jensen’s mood was sour for the rest of the afternoon, and he easily snapped at his poor secretary and even at Chris a few times. The meetings with various department heads moved quickly because people could tell that it was not a good time to bother their employer with trivial matters.

By the time he got through with meetings, Jensen’s nerves were stretched, his head was pounding again, and he just wanted to go up to his penthouse. He was standing up to leave his office when Justin Hartley, one of his floor bosses, barged in snarling and ranting about drunken, moronic cowboys who couldn’t hold their liquor. Jensen held up a hand and Justin paused long enough to notice the strained expression on his boss’s face. “Is anyone actually injured or dead?” the casino owner asked, relieved when his floor boss shook his head. “Then this is why I pay you , Hartley. I don’t want to deal with this crap if I can help it. You’re free to call security and have the guy escorted out the next time he causes trouble.” Justin let out a terse nod and exited the office again.

He did notice that Chad had avoided him all afternoon, only sending a damn text to say he’d taken care of everything. When Chris stuck his head into the office long enough to say that the background check on Miss Genevieve Cortese looked clean, Jensen merely nodded.

Jensen rubbed his aching head and picked up the phone to dial Misha. The tailor told him that he’d already had some jeans, shoes, and t-shirts delivered and more would be arriving tomorrow. After a moment of hesitation, Jensen told him to go ahead and throw in the leather chaps he had mentioned; if everyone was going to treat him like he was a bastard, he might as well go ahead and embrace the role.

“And just when I thought you might be different!” Misha huffed before he slammed the phone down.

“I wish people would make up their goddamn minds,” Jensen muttered sourly. He was rubbing his face as he stepped out of the elevator, planning to go in search of aspirin, when he suddenly had an angry, loud Jared in his face.

“You son of bitch! You had no right! No damn right at all!” Jared was pure angry emotion; there was no sign of the subdued kid Jensen had sent back up here six hours ago to sleep or do something. “Give it back! Give it back right goddamn now or else…” Jensen wasn’t expecting the sudden shove and he took a stumbling step back against the now-closed elevator doors.

“Or else what?” he challenged lowly, grabbing one of Jared’s wrists and holding it firmly even as the boy tried to pull back. The temper that had been simmering all day now bubbled up. “Wake up on the wrong side of the bed after your nap, kiddo?” he mocked, twisting the wrist he had hold of and pushing Jared across the floor until the back of his knees hit the sofa and he sat down heavily. Jensen leaned over him and grabbed a handful of hair, forcing the boy to look up at him. “What the fuck set you off?”

“You had no right to take my damn iPad!” Jared shot back. A piece of him knew any ground he’d gained in proving he could obey Jensen was quickly fading away, but he’d been furious when he’d looked in his lone bag for the device only to find it missing. Not only was it the only item of any actual value that he owned, but it also had pictures of Molly as well as the only picture he owned of their mother on it. “You can keep me locked in that freaky sex dungeon! You can keep me naked or make me suck your damn cock, but damn it that iPad is mine! It’s not like I can actually do anything to hurt you with it. I can’t even contact anyone with it since I don’t know your wifi password. Why the hell did you take it? Give it back you bastard!”

“Earn it,” Jensen replied before he could stop himself. He hadn’t taken the damn tablet for any other reason than to make sure Jared couldn’t use it to contact anyone outside the casino. He hadn’t considered the fact that the boy wouldn’t have any internet access. He had planned to give it back after the boy had behaved himself for a few days. He actually didn’t even think the kid would miss it since there were electronics all over the penthouse that made the little iPad look puny. Clearly, Jared hadn’t just napped or explored the place, but instead, he had gone for that one particular item... Jensen wondered again why it was so damn important to him.

Now he was stuck in a difficult position. He really didn’t care about the iPad now that he knew Jared couldn’t use it to contact anybody, but if he simply gave it back, Jared would think he could throw one of these little hissy fits whenever he wanted to get his way, and that would not work at all. But if he didn’t give it back, he risked having an unruly, uncooperative Jared on his hands. He quickly figured out a compromise.

“You want that little thing back so badly? Then shut the fuck up and show me how much you want it.” He gave a hard yank on the long hair in his grasp and felt his cock stir at the sound of pain Jared let out.

Jensen didn’t generally get off on causing serious pain. Sure, he liked to play rough, but he drew the line at causing real pain or harm to his partner. Tonight though he was on edge, and this damn kid was pushing his buttons in all the wrong ways.

He knew if he fucked him right now, in his current state of mind, Jared would probably end up hurt. He had plans for that ass later down the road, so he’d see just what else this boy was willing to do.

“Then tell me what the fuck you want me to do!” Jared jerked under him, trying and failing to pull his wrist free. Jensen knew the sofa wasn’t the right spot for what he had in mind, so he jerked the kid up and shoved him down the hall. Jared suspected he knew where they were heading even before Jensen growled it.

“Playroom, now. Take your shirt off and kneel in the center of the floor, smartass.” Jensen was tired and frustrated. It had been a long and stressful day following a long and stressful night. He was not in the mood to take any crap from the kid who belonged to him for the next six months.

Jared did as told, but Jensen was sure he heard a muttered ‘Bastard’ as the boy’s knees hit the floor. He chose to ignore it and moved to the cabinet to eye the array of items it contained. He picked out a couple and then stalked back, meeting defiant hazel eyes.

“I know I said this morning that I liked hearing you talk, but I really don’t like what’s coming out of your mouth right now, so you’d better find a middle ground real fast. Otherwise, you’re gonna find your ass cuffed to that bed and any freedoms I give you will be few and far between.” He dangled a pair of cuffs from his fingers, seeing a flash that might’ve been fear before it was quickly hidden by the hair Jared let fall into his eyes. “No, there won’t be any of that, kiddo.” Jensen pushed the unruly bangs back so he could see the boy’s face. “I want to see those eyes of yours.”

Jensen hooked one cuff around Jared’s wrist and then tugged both arms roughly behind his back to hook the other cuff. He felt to make sure they weren’t too tight since he’d decided not to use the padded cuffs this time even though he had them. Then he showed the boy the other item he’d grabbed as he knelt in front of him. “Ever wear these before, sweetheart?” he asked, already knowing the answer by the way the kid tensed. The expression in Jared’s eyes told him that while he hadn’t worn nipple clamps before, he sure as hell knew what they were. “You mouthed off a bit too much, so now you get to wear these while we play. If you please me enough, I might take them off... or I might make you wear them all night.”

The sight of the nipple clamps made Jared tense, but a low voice warned him to stay still as fingers began to rub over his chest, rolling a hardening little nub before the first clamp was hooked on and he gasped as the painful sensation hit him.

Jensen watched Jared’s face closely, not commenting as he closed his eyes since he understood the pain he’d be in briefly; he did watch closely to make sure he didn’t look like he was in too much pain before attaching the second clamp.

“This chain that runs between them?” He let the leftover length of chain fall against a rapidly rising and falling chest, impressed that Jared was handling the pain so well for his first time in clamps. Jensen had seen hardcore doms break out screaming at the first use of a nipple clamp; of course, he’d chosen to use a set that wasn’t too tight. “It can be hooked to a cock ring or a collar... but I’m trusting you to not need the ring tonight and... we’ll talk about the collar another time. I seem to remember you threatening to break my arm if I tried to put one on you. You wouldn’t be able to do much about that right now, would you?”

Jared recalled saying that earlier, but he was surprised that Jensen remembered it and was grudgingly grateful that the man didn’t put one on him while he was helpless. He managed to give a tight nod, not trusting his voice yet since his body seemed to be in the process of figuring out if it was still in pain or not. He wasn’t sure what was happening as the sharp pain from the clamps seemed to have been replaced by an odd rush that he wasn’t sure how to explain to himself.

“What you might be feeling is your body turning the pain to pleasure; there’s a very fine line between pain and pleasure and one quite often leads to the other.” Jensen loved watching Jared’s face as the young man sorted out new emotions and sensations he hadn’t felt before and wasn’t sure how to react to. “The clamps can be used to punish, but they also can give pleasure... if you let them. You might be amazed at the pleasure I can make your body feel with my toys.”

“Fuck you,” Jared gritted, refusing to believe that he’d ever want to feel pleasure from this man even as a piece of his mind was calling him a liar as he watched Jensen remove his shirt and then undo his zipper while laughing at his words.

“No, baby, that’s what I’m gonna be doing to you soon.” Jensen liked the spark of defiance Jared seemed to still have even if it was a pain in the ass to deal with. “Tonight? Tonight we’re gonna put that smart mouth of yours to better use and see just how well you can give a blowjob.” He slipped his fingers back through soft dark hair to pull it back so he could see Jared’s eyes as it hit him what he wanted from him, lips curving into a slow smirk. “Suck me and make it good.”

Jared had known it was coming, but his stomach still dropped as he watched Jensen take his cock out of his slacks, running his fingers over it a couple of times, the impressive length swelling at his touch. He swallowed a few times and prayed he didn’t mess this up too badly. Molly was counting on him even if she didn’t know it.

“No biting either,” Jensen decided to add even though he didn’t think the kid would risk showing his dislike of the situation by biting him. He held his cock still while tightening his fingers to control Jared’s head as the boy slowly eased forward. He took too much too quickly and Jensen pulled his head back at the first cough. “Go slow, kiddo. I know you’re in a hurry to get this over with but choking yourself ain’t gonna help.” He waited for Jared to stop coughing and resisted the urge to brush the tears off his cheeks. “Now, just take the head in slowly and suck it until you can take a bit more.”

Jared’s cheeks were red. He hated being ordered around, but since he really didn’t know what the hell he was doing, he knew he needed the guidance. The last blowjob he’d given to one of his father’s friends had been fast and messy; he’d basically just had to kneel there while the guy fucked his mouth. He did want to get this over with, but he also knew that Jensen wouldn’t be satisfied if he didn’t put in some effort, so he took a shaky breath and leaned forward again, taking just the head between his lips.

“Good boy,” Jensen nodded, loosening his grip on Jared’s hair only when he was certain he wouldn’t have to yank him back again, but he kept his fingers massaging slowly over his skull as the boy hesitantly began to suck him. “That’s it. Just go slow and... mmhm!” He groaned at the feel of hot lips locking tighter over his cock, and then the little sucking motions Jared was giving him just about did him in.

Jensen had paid professionals for blowjobs that didn’t have his cock hardening this fast, and it turned him on, even more, to know that Jared wasn’t doing it on purpose; he was simply trying to figure out how to get through this. “Take... take me... a little deeper,” he instructed, voice dropping lower while he struggled against the need to thrust into those hot lips, not wanting to startle or choke Jared. “Use your tongue if you can.”

Jared’s eyes lifted slowly, watching Jensen’s reactions. Normally when this was happening, he’d keep his eyes closed, but Jensen had said he wanted to see his eyes and so he was trying to keep them open. Now he moved them up to see Jensen’s face and was a little stunned to see the look of pleasure there.

Hearing the instructions, he risked going a little deeper, but not too deep even as Jensen shook his head as if telling him he had gone far enough. The use of his tongue was something he had never done, but Jared began to hesitantly move his, giving light little licks to the underside of the cock in his mouth. He gasped at both the moan his actions drew from Jensen and the first taste of precome hitting his tongue.

Jared froze at the taste of the precome and waited for the thrusting to start, but Jensen remained perfectly still except for the fingers that were gliding through his hair, nails scraping against his skull which caused an odd tremor to shoot through Jared.

“Go ahead, Jared. You’re doing fine,” Jensen coaxed him, straining to not move which he suspected was what the boy was waiting for. “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

Jared did as instructed and kept sucking Jensen’s cock, feeling it grow in his mouth as the drops of pre-come began to increase to a steady stream. He was surprised not to feel completely grossed out as he had on other occasions, but he swore that there was something about the flavor hitting his tongue that was different... or maybe it was because the man wasn’t rutting against his mouth, making crude sounds or mocking him with every thrust.

Relaxing a bit more, Jared grew more confident in what he was doing and began to suck even deeper. He heard Jensen’s deep voice coaxing him, urging him on, even though the obvious strain could be seen on his rugged face and in the muscles of his legs as he struggled to keep from moving forward or forcing his cock deeper than Jared could take.

The sound of the cuffs rattling took both men by surprise; Jared didn’t expect to want to use his hands at all, but he suddenly had the urge to touch Jensen’s legs, to maybe even wrap his fingers around the part of the cock not in his mouth. That desire both startled and concerned him.

Jensen heard the cuffs rattle and the sound brought his brain back from the bliss of the hot mouth sucking him off. He looked down and was shocked to see a tinge of lust in those dark hazel eyes and he felt his orgasm approaching.

“You’re doing so good, sweetheart,” he murmured and was surprised to mean it given Jared’s obvious lack of experience. “Use your tongue a bit... fuck! Yeah, just like that. You’re gonna make me come just with those lips and that tongue. Don’t overthink it, just do what you’ve been doing so well.”

Doing well? Jared didn’t think he was doing well. He was just doing what he needed to do, but he realized that he must be doing something correctly to get Jensen’s voice to sound like it was and to make his face look almost relaxed. He decided to lean in to take Jensen a bit deeper and try to use his tongue a bit more. He felt the room starting to spin a little bit and wished he could use his hands to balance himself. A sudden voice startled him, “Hey – keep breathing kiddo!”

Jared blushed when he realized that he’d been so focused on the blowjob that he’d forgotten to breathe. He sucked in a breath through his nose only when Jensen reminded him to and that cleared the dizziness. He also realized with a shock that as he moved his tongue over and around the cock in his mouth, he was enjoying the taste of Jensen. He sort of wondered what it would be like to swallow, and then he suddenly realized he’d never told the man that he hadn’t swallowed before.

Jensen caught the sudden flash of panic on Jared’s face, but he was too far gone to stop things now. When he felt the flick of a tongue lick over the slit in his cock, he knew he was close, a lot closer than he expected to be this soon. “Do that again,” he ordered gruffly, voice filled with desire and need as he felt his balls starting to tighten. “Jared? Have you swallowed anyone before?” he asked, suddenly suspecting the reason for the panicked expression and receiving his answer when long lashes hid those big eyes.

Jared knew what was coming but he’d come this far, and he knew it was almost over. So he sucked just a little harder while moving his tongue over the head again as Jensen had requested and felt the man in front of him jerk before come began to flood his mouth. He realized with some shock that he’d actually made the man come just by sucking him off, no touching had been involved and his mouth and throat hadn’t been harshly fucked.

His mouth being flooded with hot come had him choking as he tried to swallow, but before he could figure out what to do, the fingers he’d almost forgotten were in his hair suddenly tightened to pull him back and Jensen shifted so that he came on the mat that was on the floor and his own stomach instead of making the boy swallow or splattering his face as he’d seen so many others do to their partners.

It stunned Jared to watch Jensen’s face as he used the hand not in his hair to stroke over his cock, milking his own climax for as long as possible and then sinking to his knees in front of him with a limber gracefulness that Jared knew he’d never possess.

He was also shocked that Jensen hadn’t forced him to swallow or come all over him like others had done before and his shock must have shown on his face because he saw a small grin on Jensen’s lips while his fingers slipped out of Jared’s hair to curve over his neck.

“I am very impressed,” Jensen told him and had the sudden urge to kiss Jared, to taste himself on his lips, but he held back since he didn’t want to seem too intimate. He then noticed how tense Jared seemed and moved his eyes down and smirked. “Have a problem there, kiddo?”

Jared forced himself to shake his head no even though it was taking every ounce of strength he had not to try to find something to rub off on since his hands were still cuffed. He hadn’t expected to get hard while sucking Jensen off. He had never gotten hard giving blowjobs before, but he had this time and now he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He doubted if the man would give him permission to jerk off after all the attitude he’d given him earlier.

“I’ll... I’ll be fine,” he managed to say but then gasped as he felt his hips arch forward when a hand suddenly dove between his legs and began to rub him off through his jeans. “Huh? Wha... oh God,” he groaned, shocked and unsure what to do until those fingers on his neck pulled him forward, chest bumping into Jensen’s as lips claimed him in a deep hot kiss.

“Come, Jared, now.” The order was given in a low whisper against his ear as teeth pulled the sensitive earlobe and tugged it teasingly. “Come for me.”

Jared’s body was tight, confused. He didn’t expect Jensen to let him jerk off much less to feel his hand rubbing him through the rough denim of his jeans and gentle teeth tugging at his earlobe, but what pushed Jared over the edge was when the chain between the nipple clamps was given a gentle tug. He felt a burst of pain followed by a low burning sensation that went straight to his already hard cock and he felt himself come with a sudden cry of pleasure.

Jared’s climaxes were generally brought on by his own hand on his cock, and he couldn’t recall one ever being as intense as this one. He wasn’t sure if it was because of his nerves or the pleasure-pain of the nipple clamps or that the man who had caused the climax was hot as hell. He didn’t want to think of Jensen like that, but he would sort out his confused emotions later... right then he just wanted to feel this sensation for as long as he could.

Jensen hadn’t planned to do this. The plan had been to just unhook Jared and send him off to shower and take care of himself but something changed as he looked into those damn big eyes and stunned boyish face. Jared had seemed so shocked that Jensen hadn’t degraded him by coming in his face or forcing him to swallow and that caused feelings in him that the casino owner hadn’t ever felt before.

Now as he watched Jared’s face as his body rocked against Jensen’s hand to try to get as much from this moment as possible, he considered that there might be more to this kid than he originally thought. He was just about to pull back when he saw a flash of white and then was cursing as Jared’s body went limp with a moan of pleasure. He realized that the sudden unexpected force of the organism on top of the stress and exhaustion had knocked the kid out.

“Jared?” He caught him against his chest for a moment and then shifted to lay him on his side as his hands were still cuffed behind him. He felt for a pulse and was relieved to feel it beating strongly. He couldn’t hide his smile this time and was actually glad the kid was out of it and couldn’t see it. He thought about trying to wake him up but decided to let him sleep.

When Jared started to wake up it took him a few seconds to figure out where he was and what had happened. The last thing he remembered was being in that damn sex room with... Jensen.

Frowning a bit, he moved and looked around to discover that he was in a bed. A look around the room, which was softly lit by a low light on a table across the room, told him he was in the bedroom he’d been given, the one that was attached to the playroom.

Jared recalled sucking Jensen off and then he remembered the man’s touch; even through denim, it had been skilled and perfect while his teeth had teased his earlobe until Jared had come in his jeans and must have passed out.

A piece of him was surprised that he wasn’t waking up on the playroom floor still cuffed with those clamps on his nipples. As he rolled over he noticed his hands were free and the mild abrasions on his wrists caused when he struggled to be free to touch Jensen were cleaned and bandaged. His nipples still felt sensitive, but the clamps were gone. He’d also been cleaned and dressed in a soft pair of sleep pants that were definitely new since Jared didn’t own anything this soft or new-looking.

He was a little confused about what had happened or how long he’d been out. He rolled over and caught sight of the pillow beside him, feeling his throat tighten. He picked up his iPad that had been placed there along with a single white rose.

“Oh God,” Jared whispered and suddenly had a real fear that before these six months were over he was either going to kill Jensen or fall in love with him.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Seven

Jensen stared at the boy sleeping beside him. Tonight was the first time he had asked Jared to remain with him rather than return to the small bedroom off the playroom. Jared had looked a little wary when he made the request, but he quickly schooled his features and nodded his agreement before cleaning up and slipping on a pair of sleep pants. After a few minutes, when it was clear that Jensen wasn’t going to make any further demands, the younger man had curled up on his side and quickly dropped off to sleep. Now Jensen couldn’t sleep... and he couldn’t stop watching Jared.

Nearly two months had passed since Jared had come to stay with him. After the rocky start, life had settled into a somewhat predictable routine. Jensen spent his days in the office and his evenings with Jared. The young man had managed to be obedient... most of the time, but he still struggled to control his angry comments. When Jensen requested a blowjob, the kid dropped to his knees but never without some not quite under his breath curse. When Jensen pulled out his toys, Jared glared at him but took the requested positions and allowed his body to be used.

When Jensen had decided that it was time for Jared to lose his virginity, the younger man had paled noticeably, but he hadn’t put up any sort of fight as Jensen cuffed him to the bed. He clearly remembered that night.

“Did you do what I told you to earlier?” Jensen asked once he had Jared’s hands securely cuffed to the bed in the playroom and began to work on getting the jeans down long legs.

“Yes,” Jared replied softly, trying to swallow down his nerves. He’d been trying to mentally prepare himself for this moment since his arrival two weeks ago.

He and Jensen had been doing more stuff as the days progressed; some things he really hadn’t liked, but he had to admit that some of the games had driven him insane with pleasure. He couldn’t deny that Jensen seldom just took pleasure; he usually made sure that Jared reached his orgasm as well; which both confused and worried him.

Jensen had taught him how to insert plugs and dildos in his own ass because it seemed to please the man to no end to know Jared had one in all day, that he would have to go about his boring days with it in until Jensen arrived to either fuck him with it or remove it. The worst ones were the ones that vibrated since Jared never knew when Jensen might choose to hit the damn remote control button to send the thing vibrating against his prostate.

It had been one of those that Jensen had told him to insert when he called up earlier in the day, ordering him to lube it and put it in his ass so he’d be stretched and ready when Jensen finished with his meetings.

Jared started to worry when it took Jensen longer to come up from his office; he knew it meant that either his day had run long or his meetings hadn’t gone well. One look when the man had stepped out of the elevator told him which one it had been, so the younger man knew not to expect any playful teasing that night.

When Jensen looked worn out and on edge, he was rougher than usual, and the hard kiss that claimed his mouth told Jared that Jensen’s day had sucked and his own night was about to. He had to convince himself to be obedient when they entered the playroom and Jensen ordered him onto the bed on his stomach, but as the cuffs were attached, Jared’s stomach started to twist. He somehow knew the time had finally come for him to lose his virginity. He tried to mask his nervousness and bury the dreams he’d once had of how this moment would be for him because, in his dreams, he hadn’t been cuffed to a bed about to be fucked by a man he still didn’t know if he loved or hated most of the time.

Jensen had gotten the jeans off, skimmed out of his own slacks, and grabbed a condom and the lube, quickly using both. “Relax for me, kiddo,” he ordered gruffly, groaning as he took in the dildo that was still encased in Jared’s ass. He removed it with more speed than he normally would have, but his day had gone downhill suddenly and he desperately needed to relieve his tension. The moment he’d seen Jared and kissed him that night, he’d known what he was finally going to do.

It occurred to Jensen briefly to slow down, to give Jared time to adjust, since even though the dildo had stretched him enough to take Jensen’s cock, he was still a virgin, but Jensen’s own needs quickly overruled that notion the moment the head of his cock slipped in past the still tight rim.

“Oh fuck,” he moaned as tight muscles clamped down on his cock and his hips gave a couple of hard and fast snaps to take him flush. Jensen heard some muffled sounds that he thought might be gasps but he was too far gone at the moment to really pay attention.

It didn’t take long. Jensen thrust rapidly with short grunts and the occasional murmur to tell Jared how good he was, how proud Jensen was of him for taking him so easily the first time, and then Jensen felt his climax hit him, hips snapping forward to ride out the rush of orgasm. It was in the final moments that something occurred to him and shifted slightly to make sure his cock hit that spot inside Jared, enjoying the sounds the boy made as he learned that his body was made to feel pleasure, that he could feel pleasure even as Jensen took his own.

Jared had groaned at the burning pain since while he was stretched, Jensen was a lot bigger and thicker than the toy. Jensen taking him as he had with no hesitation had hurt a lot, and he had struggled to be quiet, biting the pillow to muffle the sounds he knew he was making. Then Jared began to realize the pain was slowly fading away; the burn was being replaced by a feeling of pleasure.

He wasn’t certain if he should be feeling pleasure from this, but Jared wasn’t foolish enough to fight it. If Jensen allowed him to feel it and then touched him in ways to make him come, then Jared would take it. This time was no different.

Jared had heard the man use a condom so he knew he wouldn’t feel him come in his ass and he was torn at the confusion he felt over that as well. He still managed to know from the way Jensen’s hips jerked and then his lips moved over his neck that he’d climaxed and then he felt him hitting a certain spot and it only took a few strokes of Jensen’s fingers on his cock to make him come himself.

It was Jensen’s every dream come true; he had a beautiful young man willing to fill his wildest fantasies. So why didn’t he feel fulfilled? Why was he wide awake while his companion slept?

He didn’t think Jared was miserable anymore. He thought that maybe Jared was even starting to enjoy some of the things they did together. After all, Jensen always made sure Jared received pleasure as well as gave it. Jared had even grudgingly admitted that he’d probably had more orgasms in the past two months than in the past two years.

He’d said something about it to Chris the previous evening and the bodyguard had jumped on the opportunity to share his opinion. He’d pointed out that Jared hadn’t been anywhere other than the penthouse or Jensen’s main office since he arrived. He’d pointed out that unless he or Chad had time to visit, the kid was pretty much alone all day while Jensen worked and that he was probably bored out of his mind.

“How the hell can he be bored?” Jensen had demanded as he’d scrawled his name on various documents that required his attention. “I’ve got more electronics up there than a damn Best Buy! Besides, he’s on that tablet thing all the time or doing push-ups or who knows what else... he sure as hell doesn’t sleep since I can hear him rattling around when he should be sleeping.”

“Jensen, he’s been here 60 days and aside from you, me, Chad, or maybe Aldis, the kid hasn’t seen anyone else. Yeah, your penthouse may be a fucking palace but surely you’ve heard the expression ‘gilded cage?’ You haven’t taken him anywhere in over two months.” Chris had looked frustrated, but he also seemed relieved to be getting his worries out in the open. “I know you’re probably trying to keep him from being the subject of rumors, but people are already whispering. I mean the cooks know you have someone in your penthouse and you’ve fired three maids since he arrived.”

“I fired them for being in my place when they weren’t supposed to be and because they were spreading lies. There has never been anyone in my penthouse other than Jared.” Jensen stared at the paper in front of him rather than the lifted eyebrow because he knew his friend was correct. “Maybe I just don’t want to share him.”

“I’m not saying you have to toss the kid into a sex orgy, Jensen. I’m just saying put some of those expensive clothes you had made for him to use and walk him through the hotel lobby... maybe even take him in one of the damn rooms of the casino for a night. Besides, if you plan to dress him up and take him to Pellegrino’s party this coming weekend, you’d better get him used to being with you in public.”

Jensen suddenly realized why he couldn’t sleep. He was feeling conflicted about taking Jared out of the penthouse and he absolutely didn’t want to attend the event at Pellegrino’s casino this weekend. He shifted onto his back and then froze when Jared shifted in his sleep and pressed back against him. He started to nudge the boy back to his side of the bed but decided the warmth of the long body was soothing. He closed his eyes and the rhythm of Jared’s steady breathing finally lulled him to sleep. 

“What if I just don’t show up?” he asked Chris the next morning even though he already knew the answer. It was a question he asked every damn year and every damn year he got the same answer: if he failed to show up at the huge gala party thrown by Mark Pellegrino, owner of Devil’s Lair casino,  it would look bad. Then his father would have additional ammunition for his battle to prove that Jensen was too immature to run The Open Road. “He’s a bastard.”

“Yep, no doubt, but he’s also the owner of one of the largest casinos in the city and it looks good if you play nice,” Chris replied, giving Jensen a steady look. “It’s not like anyone wants to be there, but the chance to attract new investors is always a plus.”

“Bullshit. It’s a chance for wealthy casino owners and their spoiled brats to leer at the women and men brought to the party and for them to have an open excuse to get drunk, use drugs, and fuck the hired whores Pellegrino employs over there.” Jensen shook his head with disgust, glancing at his calendar to see what he had scheduled for the day. “Chris, those assholes will chew Jared up and spit him out if I take him there.”

“Then get him used to being with you in a crowd. Show him how you want him to act ‘cause I thought him being your arm candy was one of the reasons you took the deal with his old man.” Chris sighed and met his boss’s eyes. “He needs to get out of the penthouse, Jensen. He needs to go somewhere, if not with you, then with me or Chad.  You’d better let him have a little space now or else when he gets it this weekend, you might not be able to control him... and that won’t look good for you or him.”

Although he hated to admit it, Jensen knew that Chris was correct. “Fine. Make reservations for two at The Pointe for 8:30... get my usual table. We’ll see how he does there and... maybe I’ll even shock the floor staff by making an appearance. Have you seen him today? How’s he doing?” He tried to make his questions sound casual.

The day had started out on a sour note when Jared had awoken in Jensen’s bed. He had been shocked to find himself pressed against the older man and had pulled away so abruptly that he ended up tumbling out of the bed. “What the hell, Jared?” Jensen had snapped as the young man scrambled to stand up. “You think I’m gonna molest you as soon as you open your eyes?”

“I guess you can do whatever you want to do,” Jared had muttered standing quietly by the bed. “What are my orders this morning?”

The two men had traded tense comments over breakfast until Jensen had made the mistake of asking Jared what he planned to do that day. The calm, agreeable Jared was nowhere in sight. “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll sit in the living room. Or, hey, I might walk to the kitchen; it’s always really exciting in there. I have so many options; I’m not sure how I’ll decide.” The younger man had pushed away from the table and thrown a biscuit at Jensen’s head before storming back to his room and slamming the door even though they both knew it couldn’t be locked.

“No, I haven’t been up there today. He still gets uncomfortable around me so I sent Chad and Mike to check on him... you know, make sure he wasn’t trying to pick the lock on the glass door to the balcony or rigging something up to kill you.” Chris flashed a grin at his boss before standing to make the dinner reservations. “He’s not like the people you’re used to dealing with Jensen. Jared’s had to take care of himself and his sister since he was a kid... he’s got a pretty strong will that you’re battling against. Maybe you should stop pushing so hard and treat him like a person and not an object. Maybe he’ll stop seeing you as the enemy.”

“Yeah, he seems to think I’m that most of the time,” Jensen muttered sourly, looking up to see his friend watching him. “What? That kid is as cranky as a bear when we’re not making out or when I don’t keep his mouth busy.”

Chris paused to consider this since it was a touchy subject and also one that crossed the line from bodyguard to friend. “Is it really ‘making out’ when he still considers himself a sex object paying off a debt, Jensen?” he asked carefully. “He’s also not always cranky. It depends on how you treat him. Have you seen his smile in the mornings when you leave him a rose or some little thing? Have you noticed that he always looks for you when he steps into the room for breakfast to see if you’re there or if he’ll have to eat alone like he has the last few mornings? Have you used those sharp eyes to see how he cringes at times when he thinks he’s said something stupid and that’s usually when he starts snapping at you? Have you ever noticed that even when he’s fighting with you, he never pulls away but even leans into your touch?

“No, I doubt if you’ve ever noticed any of those things or the half a dozen other little things that Chad and I have observed even in the little bit of time we’re around you guys. You don’t notice because you’ve never been taught to look at anyone as anything but a commodity or a thing. You don’t see Jared as a person; you don’t realize he’s just a kid who’s still confused about his place here or exactly what you expect of him.” Chris saw a twitch in Jensen’s jaw and knew he was pushing it, but he would rather be the one to piss his boss off than have Chad go off on him and get fired. “You confuse the hell outta that kid when you treat him like your boyfriend one minute then in the next minute you act like he’s just an object to be used or leered at. You told me once that you never wanted to be like your dad; you never wanted to treat the people around you like how he treated his people, even his mistresses. Well if you don’t come to some sort of decision about how you’re going to treat that kid, then you will end up just like him.”

Jensen frowned as the office door was pulled shut and he was left alone to think on the strong words of one of the few men he considered a friend. “Damn it!” He scowled as he stood up to pull on the suit jacket he’d shed early in the day because he swore it was feeling too tight. “Maybe if the damn annoying kid would act like…” He stopped to sigh, understanding that Jared’s reactions were mostly in defense of Jensen’s behavior or how he feared things were going to be when something new happened.

Riding up the elevator, Jensen took a deep breath to ask for patience since he could already imagine how Jared would react when he told him to dress in something nice because they were going down to explore the casino and then to have dinner in an actual restaurant.

Stepping out into the penthouse, Jensen stopped and blinked, wondering for a moment if he’d stepped into another dimension. Normally when he arrived upstairs, the place was as quiet as a graveyard and Jared was either sulking in his room or lying on the floor in front of the sofa staring at the ceiling or reading on his iPad. This day it sounded like a war was going on in the entertainment room.

“No! Goddamn it! Son of a bitch! I did not just die again!”

“Dude, how the hell can you even call yourself a bodyguard when you keep getting shot in a video game?”

“Kane and this smirking bastard beside you are bodyguards. I am a computer genius who just happens to know how to use a gun and break into places. Besides, that goddamn sniper is sneaky... now shut up before your little digital head gets... oh no. How the fuck did you do that?”

“Hey, he’s pretty damn good... can I try to teach him how to shoot a gun in real life?”

“Oh yeah, yeah, that’s just what Jensen needs: you teaching Jared to shoot a damn gun, Rosenbaum. When I walked in here earlier he was muttering a few interesting choice death scenarios, so we might have to go back to Madden or NHL on the days they’re bickering.”

“I don’t bicker. He’s just an asshole most days. It’s not like I’d ever actually hurt him anyway... Kane would snap my damn neck... I just wish... I don’t know... I guess I wish he could be like he is sometimes all the time. Chad! You just shot Mike!”

“Yeah, because he thinks he’s being sneaky and that I don’t know how he’s controlling the sniper who shot me.”

“Uh, no I wasn’t but I will next time! Jared’s controlling the sniper by remote control. He rigged it up ‘cause you never move from that one hidey-hole, jackass!”

“What!? Jared! Dude! I thought we were buddies here!”

“Yeah, we are, but you ate my donut this morning. Anyway, I told you to stop hiding in the same place... you should’ve listened to me. Sorry, your head splattered all over the screen though.”

Jensen followed the noises to his entertainment room where multiple video games were kept as well as vintage video game machines, a pool table, and other things. Although he had shown the room to Jared when he first arrived, he’d never seen Jared show any interest in it.

He recognized Chad’s voice as well as that of another bodyguard, Michael Rosenbaum. Jensen had never seen Rosenbaum up here before, but he knew Chris trusted the man, so he wasn’t worried about it. He was about to enter the room but stopped at the door when he heard a sudden sound, one he’d never heard before. It took a second or two for him to realize that the new sound he was hearing was laughter, Jared’s laugh; it was a pure happy sound as Chad made a face and tossed a handful of popcorn at the younger man for killing his video game character.

In the two months that Jared had been with him as part of the deal to pay back his Dad’s debt, Jensen hadn’t ever heard him laugh or seen the smile that lit his face as he played games with his employees. The boy was clearly relaxed and having fun... something that never happened when Jensen was around.

It felt weird for him to see Jared sharing this smile, one that showed he had dimples, with Chad and Mike, and Jensen began to understand a little more of what Chris had been saying. Suddenly Jensen really wanted to have that happy dimpled smile aimed his way instead of the wary tense expression he knew he’d see the moment Jared realized he was there.

Jensen considered announcing his presence, but he liked knowing that Jared was actually enjoying himself for a little while, and he didn’t want to see that wary shell go up the moment he saw him, so he quietly slipped out of the room to take a shower and change clothes. It would also give him a chance to think about this and readjust his plans.

He was just finishing dressing when he heard a soft knock. He knew who it was since Chad never knocked that quietly and Mike wouldn’t come close to the master bedroom. “Come on in, Jared,” he called while bending over to tie his shoe.

“Hey,” Jared murmured from the door, standing just outside the master bedroom. He was always careful to not go in unless invited since despite all of Jensen’s reassurances, there were still lines he didn’t think he should cross. “Umm, I... I didn’t hear you come in. Sorry. I lost track of the time or else Chad would’ve been gone and not…”

“Getting his brains splattered on the TV screen?” Jensen smiled; he really would’ve liked to have seen his friend’s face when that happened since Chad considered himself a video game guru, especially at Call of Duty.

“You heard us?” Jared frowned as he took this news in. He hadn’t even considered the time until he happened to look at the clock on the DVR and realized that Jensen should’ve been done working. It hadn’t hit him that the man might’ve seen or heard them until now and he wasn’t sure if he was in trouble or if the men might be. “I’m sorry if Chad and Mike needed to be working or doing more important stuff. I... I won’t let Chad... or I mean I won’t go in there again or…”

“Jared, it’s fine. You can play video games and kill Chad as much as you want. But just so we’re clear, Rosenbaum cannot actually teach you how to shoot a real gun,” Jensen replied when he heard the change in tone and realized Jared was worried his new friends might be in trouble. “That room is open to you anytime you want to use it. If you want to play a game or shoot pool or something, you can. You don’t need my permission to enjoy yourself. I mean, the stuff’s in there to be used. In fact... maybe one day you could give me some pointers so I don’t keep getting killed in the first five minutes of that damn game.”

Jared had just been about to thank Jensen when that comment reached him and he swore his eyes bugged out. “You play Call of Duty?” He never would have thought that Jensen would play anything but pool or some other fancy game like polo or tennis so this shocked him.

“I try to play it but Chad keeps killing me which he loves to throw in my face,” Jensen nodded, wondering what in the hell people thought of him if it shocked Jared to learn that he actually played video games. “I’m better at kicking his ass at Madden or sports games which he hates so it evens itself out. I take it this surprises you?”

“Oh. I... I... I guess I just didn’t think someone as busy or rich as you would be interested in playing video games,” Jared ran his socked foot over the plush carpet; he still hated to wear even his new sneakers on the rugs up here. “I guess I always thought rich people played tennis or polo or gambled on horses or played poker and stuff.”

Jensen chewed the inside of his mouth to keep from smiling at the basic idea of rich playboys as shown on TV even though he knew quite a few sons and daughters of his father’s friends did just those things.

“I play some indoor racquetball sometimes to keep in shape when I don’t feel like working out, but polo confuses the hell out of me. Poker or gambling are part of my daily business so they aren’t much fun for me these days,” he told him as he finished tying his shoe and moved to find his watch. “I like playing video games or pool or stuff ‘cause it’s... normal, which I don’t always get to be around here as you’re about to see.”

Jared wondered why Jensen wouldn’t feel normal in a place he owned. He shrugged that off and then took in the way Jensen was dressed. He was not in the usual jeans he put on when he was done with work for the day. “Are... you going out?” he asked and found something a little disappointing in that idea, not that it was any of his business if Jensen had plans for the night. “Nope, never mind. It’s none of my business. I’ll just get out of your way so you can finish getting…”

“ We’re going out... or at least we’re going down to the casino for a while and then to dinner in one of the restaurants,” Jensen corrected. He met startled eyes in the mirror while sliding his watch onto his wrist. “You don’t have to wear a suit but maybe we can choose something a bit more suitable than…” He had to fight to keep a straight face and realized Misha must have been sending more loungewear up as he took in the soft cheetah print pants. “Please tell me there’s not a matching shirt for those pants or I might seriously have to have Misha’s head examined.”

“Uhhh, sorry, but there is... I don’t really like it so I just pulled a t-shirt on since I figured it was just me here anyway.” Jared shrugged and hoped Jensen never caught sight of some of the other weird and wild items the tailor had sent up with a smirking Chad. “Wait. Did you say we were going down to the casino? As in out of the penthouse? As in where I actually have to figure out an outfit to wear?”

“I’ll help you with the outfit and it’s not that big of a deal but... yeah, I’m taking you out so can you at least pretend not to hate my guts too much?” Jensen saw a quick flash of a smile and while it was nothing like he’d seen on Jared earlier, it was a start. He’d just have to work on figuring out how to get the boy to aim those dimples at him and maybe even laugh a few times.

“I know how to behave in front of your employees,” Jared replied, thinking he should be angry that Jensen was telling him how to behave in public, but he was too happy that he was actually going to see something other than the penthouse walls or Jensen’s office to even care about anything else. “Do you think you can stop acting like an ass?” he asked while hurrying to see what the hell kind of clothes might work for this. “I know better than to ask you not to leer at me or make stupid comments since people will already assume I’m a whore for hire or something like that so I’ll be good.”

Something about the way Jared said that made Jensen’s gut clench but he couldn’t see a way to change Jared’s place in his life or to start treating him differently without losing the power and control others needed to see him have.

He considered making a comment when he took a look at the number of neatly folded clothes and boxes from Misha’s shop as well as a plethora of new shoes of various styles scattered in the room; he began to realize he hadn’t considered the amount of clothing he’d ordered and how small and basic this room was.

“You said no suit but I’m guessing jeans wouldn’t be right either... I think this pile of boxes has the dress slacks or whatever you call them and I hung up the good shirts so they wouldn’t wrinkle since my ability to iron is non-existent if you even have one of those in this place.” Jared took his cue on shoes from the ones Jensen had on even if the shiny leather made him wince since he was used to battered sneakers or worn boots. “Any color choice? I swear he sent up every color in existence and I few I think he invented just to annoy you... and don’t look in the dresser because some of that stuff is really out there.”

Jensen made a low sound in his throat while vowing to kill Misha, but right then he was gazing at Jared with a considering eye, thinking he might have to let Samantha up here sometime to plan the boy’s wardrobe if he was actually going to take Jared to Pellegrino’s party. He could barely plan his own outfits beyond the basics much less put one together for Jared.

Poking in the boxes until he found a pair of navy slacks, he held them out while opening the closet that was definitely too small for the amount clothes that he noticed had been carefully hung in it. Jensen pulled out a nice deep blue polo shirt that he thought would go well with the slacks. He handed it out and moved to the living room, giving Jared privacy to dress.

“These do not look right on me,” Jared muttered as he stepped out, nervous and uneasy in the tailored clothes. He prayed he didn’t slip and fall in the dress shoes when he realized how slippery the soles felt even on the carpet. “Even if people don’t immediately think I’m nothing but the hired help or something, one look at me in this stuff and they’ll figure it out. I think maybe staying in the penthouse isn’t a bad idea after all.”

Jensen looked up only to feel his breath catch as he watched Jared come toward him, nervously picking at the well-fitted shirt, which showed off his physique a little better than the clothes Jared was used to wearing. Jensen found himself gazing at the long slightly built body encased in tailored slacks and a trim-fitting polo shirt that showed off tanned arms.

“You look great,” he managed to say. He actually wanted to say hot but decided Jared might not accept that from him yet... or at all since Jared only saw himself as someone paying back a loan, something that Jensen was suddenly having a hard time remembering. “This might be a good time to mention that I’ve been invited to a party at another casino next weekend; it’s the kind of invitation I can’t get out of and... I want you to come with me.”

Jared stopped in mid-step to stare at the man like he was insane. “Excuse me. Didn’t you just hear me just say I don’t look right in these clothes? And now you’re talking about a full out suit and tie affair - one where I might have to know about wines and forks and... casino stuff? Jensen, did you drink on the job today? You do realize that I am not capable of learning this stuff in that short of time?”

He might not be happy with his current circumstances or with Jensen a lot of the time, but Jared also didn’t want to embarrass the man or cause his business harm by saying or looking or doing something wrong in public. “I’m close to having a panic attack right now just because we’re going down to the casino you own... I don’t look right or know how to act or what to say or…” He stopped when Jensen stepped closer to run his fingers through Jared’s hair, smoothing stray strands back out of his worried eyes.

“Tonight is just me showing you around and having an actual meal in a real restaurant,” Jensen began calmly, giving him a smile. “You’ve been right. I should’ve been taking you out more but... I’ve had reasons for not doing that and none of them are because I don’t think you’re good enough. Tonight is just that, showing you more of who I am and what I do and having an actual meal that you get to choose from a real menu. Maybe we can even have an actual conversation that doesn’t evolve into a fight.”

“Who are you and where is the guy that has been here?” Jared wasn’t sure how to react to this change. He’d gotten almost used to Jensen’s change in moods and behavior but something about the man just seemed different to him so he decided to see how the night went.

“Cute, real cute, kiddo,” Jensen smirked but didn’t take offense as he knew his moods had been all over the place with Jared and decided to try to make a change in that as well. “Ever been in a casino before?” he asked as he motioned him into the elevator.

“Not really,” Jared admitted, rubbing his hands nervously on his thighs and hoping he didn’t make too many mistakes. “A couple smaller ones off the strip after Mom died cause Dad would go and forget to come home. The bouncers would let me in long enough to find him and try to get him to come with me but I figured out pretty quickly what was more important and it sure wasn’t his kids.” He stared at the floor of the moving elevator. “I used to ride the bus to a hotel I worked at outside of town and saw all the big casinos. I used to wonder what the insides of some of them were like, but I never felt confident enough to even step in the front door of one to see. They just weren’t my life.”

Jensen kept his distance like he normally did in the elevator since he could tell from the start that Jared was uneasy with small spaces and the elevator made him nervous. This time he took a careful step closer and slipped a nervous hand into his. “Well, they are now and you are good enough,” he told him, leaning closer to place a softer kiss against Jared’s lips even as they felt the elevator come to a stop and the doors began to open. “Welcome to my world, sweetheart.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Eight

The elevator doors opened to the main lobby of The Open Road Casino, revealing a world unlike anything 22-year-old Jared Padalecki had seen before.

His eyes were huge as he stepped out of the elevator car, taking in the wide-open multi-floor lobby that served as both the hotel and casino’s massive grand entrance. The sounds of the casino were loud as were the sounds of people, and there seemed to be classic rock music playing all over the place but what immediately drew his focus was the focal point of the lobby.

Sitting in the middle of the glossy, white and black marble lobby on a spinning platform in the middle of a sparkling pond in front of a large colored waterfall was a shiny black 1967 Chevy Impala that looked showroom new.

“Wow! Is that real or just a model?” Jared asked, forgetting the rest of the amazing lobby and moving closer to the glass and gold wall that surrounded the pond and car. He would’ve given his soul for a closer look at the classic car.

“No, it’s an original ’67 Chevy Impala. I picked it up at an auction about 10 years ago and restored it to mint condition.” Jensen had seen the excitement in Jared’s eyes the moment he saw the showpiece in the center of the lobby, and he wasn’t sure if he felt impressed or amused that out of all the things in the lobby Jared could’ve picked to focus on, it was the car that was still Jensen’s pride and joy outside his casino. “It even has the original engine. That sure was a bitch to restore but it runs.” He tapped a small control on the side of the wall. “The platform has a ramp that extends if the car ever needs to be moved or I want to start it... which I try to do at least once a month or so.”

“You rebuilt it yourself?” Jared’s fingers itched to touch but he knew he’d never have that chance so he settled for walking around the wall to stare at the slowly spinning classic car. “Even the engine?”

“Yeah, I do more than sit in my office or play cards,” Jensen chuckled. He could see that they were attracting attention from his staff who were not used to seeing him in the lobby, but he ignored them in favor of watching Jared. “You like old cars, Jared?” he asked, seeing the answer in the way the boy looked at the car.

Jared did. Before his mother passed away, his big dream had been to be a mechanic who rebuilt classic cars... either that or a racecar driver. Now he settled for admiring cars on TV or in magazines and he wondered what he’d have to promise Jensen for the chance to just sit in the lobby and stare at this one.

“Think I might be able to hear you start the engine sometime?” he asked with a little sound of hopeful wistfulness in his voice as he moved back to where Jensen was standing.

“I think that can probably be arranged,” Jensen replied with a motion around. “Want to look around or stare at the car? There are other cars scattered around and there is more to see.”

Stepping away from the centerpiece gave Jared his first real glimpse of what Jensen had meant. The Open Road was a huge multi-level casino with various styles of restaurants on one side, a hotel on the other, and various shops, boutiques, and spas scattered in between.

While there was marble and glass all around, the place still managed to have a classic feel to it with various old cars scattered here and there and other vintage racing things. Jared wondered why Jensen would choose this décor for his casino.

They passed Misha’s boutique, which was nestled between a spa and a luggage shop. Jared saw shops that sold jewelry, handbags, shoes, and even upscale pet supplies. Jared raised his eyebrows as a cat on a diamond-studded leash strolled out of the small store. Jensen merely smiled and pulled him along.

Jensen pointed out various items but after a few minutes, Jared began to have trouble focusing on his words. He noticed they were getting odd looks from many of the employees and the few times someone approached Jensen to speak to him, it was almost carefully as if they feared him.

Things changed when they stepped onto the casino floor; several men in suits who circulated the floor nodded politely to their employer’s face, but Jared noticed that a few shot dark looks at Jensen when his back was turned.

Jared was a good judge of character and the behavior of the men bothered him. Jensen had explained that they were floor bosses, the people who dealers took signals from or went to if there was trouble. Jared realized that this meant the men had a lot of responsibility in the casino and he had the feeling that while they did lip service to keep their jobs, they didn’t respect or fear Jensen like most of the other employees had.

He also noticed how more than a few people looked at him, and he tried not to let it bother him even though he knew what people thought he was as Jensen showed him around the casino floor.

There were rooms with rows and rows of noisy slot machines; other rooms seemed to be dedicated to poker machines. There were also plenty of roulette tables and poker tables as well as tables for blackjack and any other form of card playing or gambling that could be imagined.

He saw people of all ages gambling at the tables or putting coins in the machines and a piece of Jared couldn’t help but wonder how many of them had children at home, how many were blowing away money their family needed.

“The casino is usually very careful about who we extend credit to,” Jensen began as they stood back to watch the tables in one room. “The floor bosses are supposed to gauge the person, to see if the person seems too high risk. Your Dad... your Dad slipped under the radar of some of my sharpest men... he even had me fooled, so while he sucks at gambling, he’s a pretty great liar.”

“Yeah, we agree on that at least,” Jared muttered. “He’s been conning people since before I was born. I can remember some of the fights he and my Mom had before she got sick. I guess I just didn’t think he’d go this far... I’d like to hope he’ll learn his lesson after this, but... I doubt it. So, do people ever actually win or…” He clamped his mouth shut, mentally cursing himself for basically insulting the man who controlled his life for the next few months.

“My casino isn’t like some on the Strip. I run an honest place and we do pay out; we actually pay out a great deal. Sometimes it’s small amounts from the slots; sometimes it’s larger chunks at one of the tables, but I do run an honest place, Jared,” Jensen remarked and was surprised that he didn’t feel insulted or take the quiet concern he saw the wrong way. “You want to see a few of the tables up close or the slots? We have time before dinner.”

Jared loved numbers and was quite interested in how a casino worked, but because of his Dad’s addiction to gambling and what it was now costing Jared, he was naturally leery of the tables. Jensen noticed his discomfort.

“Hey, you’re not going to develop a gambling habit just from watching a few hands of poker or blackjack or putting a few coins in a machine.” Jensen wanted to slap himself for not thinking about what could be a very real fear for Jared given how he’d grown up knowing what casinos and gambling cost his family.

“Maybe later.” Jared was interested, but he wanted to do a bit of research on the odds for such games. “Do you still play cards anymore?” he asked, eyes roaming the sea of happy and unhappy people; he could easily see which ones were winning and which ones weren’t. He also noticed a few who looked like they’d had too much liquor and those were being carefully watched by the floor bosses.

Jensen had followed his gaze to some guys at a blackjack table who were getting a bit too loud but before he could motion one of the floor bosses over, a couple of Chris’s security appeared at the table so he knew the situation would be handled.

“I haven’t played professionally in a while,” he admitted as he took Jared’s elbow to nudge him through the crowd toward where the fancier restaurants were located. “When I took this place over, I basically put all my focus into running it and being a businessman instead of a gambler. Business is more important than entertainment as my father likes to say.”

Jared heard the slight change in tone and was about to ask something, but then he felt his mouth drop slightly as he was led into a large, crowded, and lavish-looking restaurant. As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a short skinny Maître d’ in a spotless tuxedo.

“Mr. Ackles! Welcome, welcome! It’s been too long. We’re so glad to be able to have you and your… guest… dining with us this evening!” The too eager to please Maître d’ spoke with an accent that was obviously fake as he grabbed menus and a wine list before leading them through the packed dining area to a private booth set off to the side. The table had already been set with glasses of water in fine crystal and china plates. “Please sit. Your server will be over shortly to start you off.”

Jensen motioned Jared to slide in first and the young man took from the setting where he was supposed to sit in the booth so he did so, nervous already about dropping, breaking, or spilling something. He got even more worried when an open menu was placed in front of him.

The first page had items listed in a language that he could only assume was French. Jared tried to look casual as he flipped the page and was relieved to see the items listed in English... he swallowed audibly at the prices, noticing Jensen was glancing over what he guessed was the wine list.

“Do you eat here often?” he asked, surprised that it didn’t seem as noisy where they were despite the crowd.

“Sometimes, it depends on what I feel like having,” Jensen replied as he glanced over the wine list with a quick eye. When the waiter came over with a sample bottle, the casino owner’s lips curled in distaste and he waved it away, ordering the kind he preferred. When the waiter stepped away to get the new bottle, he returned his gaze to Jared. “Do you know what you want?”

“Does this place come with a translated menu? Even the page in English seems a little complicated for just food.” Jared struggled to find something simple, something he recognized. He looked up at the sound of a chuckle and glared at the casino owner. “I’m serious. How many languages do you speak anyway? I only speak one and the one I speak ain’t on this menu.”

Jensen tried to wipe his smile away. He hadn’t really considered that this restaurant might be a bit overwhelming to someone used to eating at diners. This was his go-to place when dining in the casino. “Can I order for you?” he asked, trying to frame it as a request and not an order. He held his breath while Jared seemed to consider his offer.

“Nothing with raw fish or snail eggs,” Jared replied as a way to give his host permission to order. “What wine did you order? Doesn’t wine have to be paired with certain foods or something like that?”

“Sometimes, not always. I ordered something sweeter, something I thought you might like. I know you usually drink soda, but this place doesn’t have that.” Jensen realized that he really hadn’t thought this through when he told Chris to make reservations. Next time he’d take Jared to one of the smaller, more casual places that Jensen insisted be put in after he took over the casino.

When the waiter returned with the wine, he properly opened it and poured Jensen a small sample to test; he also delivered a small plate of appetizers. He took their order with a stiff smile while glancing between the two men, gave a nod, and then vanished.

“Your employees know you’re gay, right?” Jared asked, eyeing the strange-looking finger food nervously until Jensen assured him it was just fried cheese balls.

“Yeah, not so much. They think I’m more bi-sexual than gay since I have been seen with the occasional female companion, but that was mainly to keep my parents happy.” Jensen felt eyes on them and knew it was more from his staff than from other diners; he guessed he’d be having a full staff meeting soon. “They don’t see me out a lot these days, so just my being here is a surprise to them. Don’t let it bother you. If it seems to get too bad, I’ll speak to Marcel and have him deal with it.”

Jared shrugged, fingers moving restlessly over the silk tablecloth until a hand caught them and he was surprised to feel Jensen hold his hand loosely. “It doesn’t matter about me anyway. I’m nobody. It’s you who’s gonna have to deal with it more. I know what they think I am... in a way they’re right. I’m sure it’s very obvious that this place is about 20 levels above me in class.” He glanced around. “The classiest restaurant I’ve ever been was probably when I saved for months to be able to take Molly to Red Lobster for her 16 th birthday.”

“What did you do on your 16 th ?” Jensen asked but before Jared’s frown could be translated into words, a low cough was heard causing both men to look up to find Chris Kane standing there looking even grimmer than usual. “Do I even want to know why you’re interrupting us?” he asked in a clearly unhappy voice.

Chris had seriously debated over tracking Jensen down since he’d been the one bitching at him to take Jared out in the first place, but he also knew he had to involve his employer in the situation he’d just been alerted about.

“Yeah, sorry about this but... there’s a skimmer over at table 98,” he replied and saw Jensen’s jaw twitch while Jared’s eyes moved between them in confusion. “A skimmer is a dealer who’s skimming the bottom of the pile to make sure a certain player gets good cards while others get worse ones,” he explained, before turning back to Jensen. “It’s Carla, so that means Justin can’t handle it since they just broke up. I was going to deal with it but I know how you feel about skimmers and cheating so I thought I’d see if you wanted to…”

“Yeah, I need to handle this.” Jensen was angry and it showed in his voice as well as in his face as he slid out of the booth, motioning Jared to stay. “This won’t take long. I just have to go fire some little twit who thinks it’s okay to cheat me. The other employees need to see what happens when they don’t follow my rules. I never should’ve hired her to begin with. You stay here, wait for our food. I’ll be right back.”

Jared opened his mouth to say he’d come along but then thought better of that plan. He didn’t want to get in the way and clearly Jensen was upset and didn’t want company. Hopefully, his good mood would return after the situation had been dealt with. He sat back and nodded, catching Chris’s small look of apology for interrupting them.

He sat at the table, nibbling at the cheese balls and sipping water until both were gone. Jared realized that Jensen had been gone for a good while and no food had been delivered, nor had his water been refilled which seemed strange in such an upscale restaurant. He looked around, but their waiter was nowhere in sight. He was hungry, but he knew he wouldn’t eat without Jensen. He began to feel uncomfortable as he noticed the cool looks of the staff as they moved around waiting on other tables or seating new guests.

“Excuse me?” the Maître d’ who’d seated them finally made an appearance at the table and instantly Jared felt uncomfortable and out of place. “Has Mr. Ackles left for the evening or…” He drew off with a motion of his hand as if struggling not to be outright rude. “The waiter told me he had to cancel the meal since it looks like…”

“Oh.” Jared supposed it would look like he’d been left. He wasn’t honestly certain he hadn’t been since Jensen had now been gone for over an hour. He had really wanted to believe that Jensen might have been trying to make some amends for his recent callousness, but how long could it take to fire one dishonest dealer?

Of course, he couldn’t see him leaving him there, especially since there would be a bill and Jared had zero money. He didn’t even have his damn wallet; another thing he’d bitch about when he found the casino owner.

“There was something wrong in the casino that he had to take care of, but he said he’d be back,” he told the man. The tuxedoed gentleman looked at him skeptically and Jared felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. “I guess you want me to leave?” he asked and shoved out of the booth.

“We do have guests, paying guests, waiting for a table,” the man said placing a bill on the table.

Jared had been bored but now he was hurt and angry as well so he tossed his napkin on the table. “Of course. If you want me to clear tables or wash dishes to pay for the cheese things and water then I will... or you can page your damn boss and tell him to come pay you since apparently he didn’t mean the crap he fed me earlier.” Jared took the man’s sniff and turned back to mean he was free to go and he quickly did just that.

As he stepped out of the restaurant, Jared looked around, trying to recall where he was and how to find the elevator to go back upstairs. He didn’t see any sign of the elevators so he wondered if it might actually be easier to find Jensen in the mass of casino rooms and slot machines.

Dinner at this freaky place had been Jensen’s idea. All Jared had wanted was to get out of the penthouse for an hour or so. If his lack of class embarrassed the man enough to dump him then he’d better find someone else for that party he mentioned because that would definitely be out of his league.

Jared stepped into the casino to see if he could spot either Jensen or Chris but was quickly lost in a sea of people. He began to wander the floor just looking at things. The slot machines and poker machines were in different styles with different themes and he smiled as he saw that one whole row was dedicated to a classic car theme.

He paused to help a little old lady pick up her small bucket of winnings, declining her attempts to give him some of the coins for helping her out.

Jared thought he might like to spend time with the slot machines but then he noticed the roulette tables and headed that way. Other than his little sister and old cars, if Jared had one other love it was numbers. He loved trying to figure out the odds as he watched TV shows with cards or other number games. Seeing the huge roulette wheel and table in one room had Jared heading that way without further thought to Jensen or finding him.

There were many roulette tables in the room and several were packed hip to shoulder with people trying to urge a little ball to land on their lucky number. Jared stepped up to one of the less crowded ones to watch a little old man with a thick Texas accent coax both the dealer and the ball to give him a break. Jared began to watch the plays and soon lost himself in the mental strategy of the game.

When the dealer asked if he wanted to play, he politely shook his head with a shy smile. “Is it okay to just watch?” he asked the older black woman.

“Sugar, since you look so sweet, you can stand by my table and watch until the cows come home.” She laughed while spinning the wheel and dropping the ball with a skilled hand.

Jared wasn’t sure how long he stood there just watching the people pick colors and numbers. He noticed a few had a system they seemed to follow, but he soon realized that their “systems” were actually making the casino money rather than the other way around.

He enjoyed the little old man’s system of stubbornly sticking with his one number and color even when the ball never came close to hitting. The elderly man cheerfully insisted that every number had its day.

Jared suddenly realized how much time had passed and figured he’d better either find Jensen or head back to the penthouse. He politely thanked the dealer for letting him watch for so long and was turning to leave when suddenly he found himself boxed in, pressed back against the table with some obviously drunk cowboy leaning far too close into his personal space.

“Well now, where you goin’, good lookin’?” The man was older, probably in his mid-50s, and dressed in an exaggerated outfit complete with a huge hat, gaudy belt buckle, and boots. He had a thick accent and the smell of booze nearly made the surprised younger man nearly gag. “I’ve been watchin’ you lookin’ at me and I think you should come on over to my table and sit a spell or... maybe we’ll just go someplace else and play a few private games.”

Jared had been startled by the man’s closeness and the smell of booze. He also didn’t like anyone getting that close to him, especially since the guy’s intentions were pretty clear. He swallowed the instinctive need from his youth to panic at both the body pressing against his chest while arms and legs boxed him in against the table. He twisted his head away as the drunkard attempted to give him a sloppy kiss.

He heard the dealer barking an order at the man to leave him alone but the man was obviously not paying her any attention. Jared was just about to try to shove him away, to take care of the drunk on his own when the matter was taken out of his hands as the body trapping him was jerked away revealing an extremely pissed-off Jensen Ackles.

“What the hell is going on?”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Nine

Jensen Ackles was beyond pissed. The matter with his dealer had taken a lot longer than he’d expected since not only did she throw a fit, causing a scene in the middle of the busy room, but then some frat boys at her table decided to get involved, so that meant calling security in to manage the situation.

When the floor was calm again, Jensen had pulled the dealer into a private room on the floor to explain that she’d been caught... again. He held up her file and reminded her that she’d been warned on two previous occasions about skimming the bottom of a deck to get her friends favorable cards. When he’d told her she was being fired this time, he’d then had to deal with the threats of a lawsuit until finally Jensen pointed out that the cameras had caught her cheating the casino. Her claims of sexual harassment didn’t work either since her ex-boyfriend, his floor boss Justin Hartley, hadn’t been near her table in the months since they had broken up.

Before the ordeal was over, Jensen had taken a blow to the face by an enraged frat boy as well as a stinging slap from his now ex-card dealer before she stormed out of the casino. His temper was close to the boiling point by the time he and Chris, who had decided to stick close for the moment, made it back to the restaurant. Jensen just about lost it when he found Jared gone and the table cleared. He confronted a stuttering Marcel in the kitchen.

“I left Jared at our table to wait for our food while I went to handle a problem that required my personal attention,” He jerked the skinny man up to his toes by the front of his starched white shirt and bowtie. “Now he’s gone and someone else is being seated at my table. Tell me where he went and why your damn waiter said he canceled our order?”

“We... we thought you’d realized that your... your companion was not... suitable for someone of your importance and influence. So when the waiter informed me that you’d been gone for over half an hour, I told the kitchen to cancel the order... I certainly wasn’t going to feed someone like... that in my... ugh!” He gasped when he was suddenly shoved back against the stainless steel freezer with Jensen in his face.

“You know nothing about him except for the fact that he didn’t fit the mold of who you want to serve. You saw a boy who was uncomfortable in this atmosphere... an atmosphere that I placed him in without thinking, but as far as you knew, he could’ve been some rich kid from back east or something!” Jensen had never noticed people’s looks or attitudes as much as he seemed to be doing now and wondered when had it started to matter to him.

“He was obviously out of his element, sir. He even offered to wash dishes to pay for the appetizer and water,” Marcel replied stiffly, clearly not used to being manhandled in this way and not understanding Jensen’s reaction to what he saw as a simple matter. “I’m not sure where he came from or why you were treating him to such an expensive dinner, but there was also the matter of what my other diners might think of me allowing someone... like him... to remain when you clearly left him so…”

Jensen’s eyes narrowed to slits and he tightened his fingers, only vaguely aware of Chris murmuring lowly into his earpiece. “I was busy firing someone and kicking assholes out of my casino. The bruise on my jaw should show you that I was busy elsewhere. You had no right to make my guest feel unwelcome or cancel our meal without hearing anything from me first. It is not your place to judge a man who was clearly with me to begin with. You can be sure that I will be placing a call to the home office of this restaurant to inform Pierre of this matter. Now... did he say where he was going?”

The threat of a call to his superior had the man swallowing thickly as he was already in trouble with the home office for another matter. The transfer to this location was his last chance. “N-no,” he stuttered, going on quickly when he saw Jared’s face darken even further. “He just said something about what you told him earlier being lies and then he left. I didn’t care where he went since…”

“You’d better start to care and you better hope I find that kid,” Jensen growled, jerking his head over at the hand to his shoulder. “What?”

“Chad said there’s an issue over at one of the roulette tables,” Chris reported grimly. “Jared’s involved.”

Jensen had just been about to snarl to have security deal with it before he heard Jared’s name, and then he was moving out of the kitchen and the restaurant with Chris on his heels. “What the hell’s the issue and... oh, fuck no. That isn’t happening,” he growled when sharp eyes located the trouble at one of his most popular roulette tables.

He quickly caught sight of Jared even through the crowd of people, and he also saw the flash of emotion that crossed the younger man’s face when the cowboy with the big hat and bigger ideas pressed him back against the table, boxing him in and cutting off any escape Jared might have made.

Jensen was through the oblivious crowd of gamblers and tourists even as he saw the cowboy lean in a little too closely and then he had the asshole by the back of his neck, jerking him back away from Jared in the next second.

“What the hell is going on?” he demanded in a low growl, eyes hot and hard, putting his back to a clearly startled Jared while shoving the other man two steps back.

“Hey! This ain’t none of your business, boy!” the drunken cowboy yelled, outraged that he was interrupted. He tried to shove Jensen out of the way, grabbing for what he plainly saw as his toy for the night only to meet an immovable weight when Jensen didn’t budge. “This young buck’s been watchin’ me all night and was just about to take me up on my offer to…”

“Jensen!” Chris’s voice snapped even as he was moving to grab for Jensen’s fist before it could connect with the cowboy’s face. “I’ve got this! Settle down and take Jared out of here.” He squeezed the wrist he had a hold of with more force until he saw a flash of green flick his way. “I’ve got this.”

Jensen glared at his friend; he really wanted to pound someone’s face that night. He didn’t like to see anyone that close to Jared and the drunken cowboy clearly only had one thing on his mind; even now he was trying to shrug off the hands of the black-suited security men who’d been summoned.

“This is my casino so everything that goes on is my business, asshole,” he growled at the older man, smelling the booze and hearing the shouts even as Chris was snapping orders to have the man tossed out. “It’s also my damn business when you have your drunken hands on someone who doesn’t belong to you. Now cash out your chips and get the hell out of my casino and you,” he whirled to grab Jared’s arm. “Come with me, now!”

Jared was still trying to catch his breath after holding it so the smell of alcohol didn’t make him sick, and he stumbled as a hand roughly grabbed him and started pulling him through the crowd, toward the elevators. It took a moment for his brain to kick back in, and then he started to dig in his heels. “Hey! Wait a second! I didn’t do anything wrong so what’re you pissed at me for?”

“I left you in the restaurant and found you by the roulette table being accosted by some drunk cowboy! That should tell you why I’m pissed!” Jensen shot back, fury, frustration, worry, and aggregation all serving to increase his temper. His face was starting to throb and his head joined in as he thought about the rumors that would be flying through the casino by morning. “I told you to wait for me!”

“I did wait for you! Your French buddy canceled our order since he thought you’d dumped my ass... and honestly? After waiting so long without a single word back from you, I wasn’t sure you hadn’t!” Jared yelled. He considered applying more strength and refusing to budge, but he could feel the curious looks they were getting already. He hated to be the center of attention, so he let Jensen practically drag him through the casino to the private elevator. “Would it have killed you to send someone back to tell me you were going to be longer than you expected or something? You know damn good and well that I was out of place there and what that guy thought I was!”

Jensen did know that; in fact, it had been confirmed by the Maître d’ himself. He knew he’d made a mistake by not having word sent that he’d been held up longer and for Jared to either wait or come join him. “Fine! Maybe I should’ve done that, but you should’ve stayed where I left you. And if you felt like you had to leave, you should’ve come and found me right away instead of wandering the damn casino alone!”

“I’m 22, Jensen. I can take care of myself just fine with drunks and assholes; God knows I’ve done it before!” Jared jerked his arm free the moment the elevator doors closed and shoved Jensen back a step. “I was looking for you but if you didn’t notice, it’s a big casino! I got distracted watching the roulette table and your dealer said it was okay to watch. I admit that I lost track of time; I was just about to come up here when that drunk pinned me in. Before I could shove him back or say anything, you were there! You didn’t even give me a chance to say anything. God, you didn’t have to cause a damn scene! Now everyone’s going to stare at me, even more, the next time we go downstairs... if you ever let me go down again... apparently you don’t think I can handle a casino... or maybe you just think I’ll do something stupid like flirt with some drunk ass cowboy even though I know who I belong to right now!

“I know this deal is nothing but sex and power for you! I know all you see me as is an item! Someone you own because my damn father owes you money but gave you me instead! So I guess what that guy in the restaurant thought about me was actually right! Maybe that’s all I am, all I am good for. Maybe I should’ve given in to my dad a lot sooner... I should’ve let him turn me into a goddamn hooker and sold my soul and body for money! Well fuck you!” Jared’s emotions had been on a roller coaster since he left the restaurant with doubts and insecurities swirling around him. “Fuck you, fuck my dad, fuck this whole screwed-up life!”

Jensen had seen Jared angry; hell he figured he’d seen him angry more than he’d actually seen him happy in the two months he’d had him, but this time he felt that there was something more to the outburst than just how he’d treated him or what had happened in the restaurant or with that drunk.

“Jared…” He was trying to control his fury at being shoved but the kid wasn’t making it easy. He was still running on the anger from earlier, and he realized he’d better not touch the kid right now because if he did and Jared lashed out again, then he might very well explode. He started to turn away from Jared, anxious now for the elevator to reach the penthouse, but Jared also shifted so the men were still facing each other.

“I guess you proved your damn point!” Jared knew he should probably shut up, but he’d been biting his tongue for two months. Now that he was finally letting his frustrations out, he couldn’t seem to stop the flow. He knew if he kept pushing Jensen he’d probably end up being tied to the bed; he could clearly see danger in the other man’s eyes right then and knew it wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge, but he couldn’t seem to shut up. “I knew this trip down to the casino wasn’t out of the goodness of your heart! I knew there had to be a reason, and yeah, I get it! You proved that I don’t belong down there. You proved that I should just sit my grateful ass in your penthouse and wait for you to pay attention to me! You proved that I’m nothing but what my dad sold me as! You proved it, so I hope you find a suitable date for your party next weekend ‘cause it sure as hell ain’t gonna be me!”

The moment the elevator doors opened, Jared stormed out without a backward glance at Jensen but he didn’t get far before strong fingers were wrapping around his bicep and in his hair.

“We’re not done, kiddo,” Jensen growled, jerking him back. Suddenly his head snapped back as a surprise fist landed on his already sore and bruised jaw. “Son of a bitch! Jared!”

“You might not be done but I am!” Jared tried to jerk his arm free but his struggles only caused Jensen to twist his fingers in his hair even tighter. “Did you think I was eyeing that drunk tonight?” he demanded. “Do you think what he said was true? That I’d go with him? If you think that little of me, then you do think I’m just a whore!”

“I never said you were flirting with the bastard; I just said you should’ve stayed in the damn restaurant!” Jensen let go of Jared’s arm to rub his jaw but kept his grip on his hair to keep him from leaving. “I’ve never called you a whore and you need to stop calling yourself that... damn it!” He grabbed the swinging fist just in time and twisted it painfully behind the boy’s back even as he was shoving him over the back of the sofa. “If you don’t calm the fuck down, your gonna find yourself cuffed for the next week!”

“You didn’t have to say it! I saw the looks tonight!” Jared tried to push up, to get Jensen’s weight off of him, but he went still when his head was jerked back and Jensen released his arm to grip his jaw instead. “Was that your plan, Jensen? Take me down and show off your latest toy? Is that the plan for that so-called party? Lead me around on a leash while you get drunk and show me off to make nice with your ugh!”

The blow to the face as he was jerked off the sofa was unexpected and it succeeded in shutting Jared up. He was shocked at the hard fist that took him back a couple of steps. While there had been plenty of rough sex and kinky toys in the weeks that Jared had been here at the casino, there hadn’t been anything that he would consider actually violent other than some hair-pulling. This was the first time Jensen had ever raised a hand to him and it shocked the younger man.

Of course, it wasn’t the first time Jared had been hit. He’d grown up being pushed around and hit by his father. The day he’d come to the casino he had bruises on him but Jensen, no matter his anger or attitude, had never raised a hand to him... until now and that confused and worried him.

“Jensen…” he started to say, but his words died on his lips when he saw the look in Jensen’s eyes. He suddenly realized that something that night, whether the small fit he’d just thrown or whatever had happened in the casino, had pushed Jensen farther than he’d ever seen him pushed and the man’s temper was surging past the tight rein it was usually on.

Jensen had been on the brink of losing control even before Jared’s final comment. He’d been dealing with problems at the casino all day, things he hadn’t told Jared or even Chris about. He was also stressed about an upcoming visit from his parents and the party that he really wanted to avoid. The events of the evening topped off by a rebellious boy and his final comment had been just enough to make that wired control snap.

“That is not what I planned!” he snapped, Jared’s last comment making him see red. “Not for tonight and not for that goddamn party! I wouldn’t ever do anything like that to you! I didn’t want to expose you to those looks tonight but business got in the way and I had to leave you alone! All I said to do was wait for me! That’s all you had to do!”

“That was kind of hard to do when I was pretty much kicked out of the place!” Jared snapped back, annoyed that Jensen still wasn’t seeing reason. He gasped as the fist hit him again, this time landing a little harder. He tried to reach out to defend himself only to realize that Jensen was both agile and strong. Jared lost his balance only to be grabbed and shoved toward the hall... toward the playroom.

“Then you find me, damn it! You don’t go roaming around!” Jensen yelled, shoving, pulling, and manhandling Jared through the bedroom and into the playroom before he was even fully aware of what he was doing. “There are reasons I tell you what to do and reasons I expect you to follow every goddamn order I give you!”

“Because you’re a goddamn control freak?” Jared knew he needed to shut up; something about Jensen’s eyes and the tightness of his jaw told him that the man he’d come to know, the man who had been in perfect control of his life and his emotions, was not in control right then and that this was going to hurt.

“You have no idea what control I have or why I have to have it!” Jensen felt himself backhand the boy, and saw Jared stumble back onto a bench in the room that he hadn’t used with him yet. He heard a soft cry of pain and knew he should stop, but Jensen was not thinking clearly anymore, and stopping was not an option. “You think you’ve seen all there is to see about me? You think you’ve been here long enough to know who I really am? Why I do the things I do? Kiddo, you know nothing! But you’re about to learn a big lesson! Don’t piss me off when everyone else already has!”

Jared stumbled, hitting his elbow on the bench and letting out a soft yelp as pain surged through his arm. The pain increased when strong fingers jerked him up by that arm and his hair and he felt a flutter of panic in his stomach. “Jensen! Wait! I’m sorry, I was wrong. I know I was wrong for just leaving and not finding you but please calm... mhm?!”

Something hard and round was shoved between his lips and for the first time since arriving at the casino, Jared was afraid of being actually hurt. This was a side of Jensen that he hadn’t seen before and this side was one that Jared did not like or trust.

Jensen had used a variety of sex toys, but this was the first time he’d used a gag. The moment the strap of the ballgag was fastened at the back of his head, Jared knew things had changed and all bets were off.

“I’ve told you that mouth of yours was going to get you in trouble... I thought you’d eventually learn to keep it shut... I guess not. Tonight is not a night I want to hear your lip, kiddo, so tonight you get to start getting used to having something other than my cock in your mouth.” Jensen’s voice was hard, ice cold, colder than it had been even that first night. Jensen used the handful of hair he had like a leash to pull the younger man over to a taller metal bench. He pulled the polo shirt off roughly before locking the boy’s wrists into the steel clamps that were on the frame. “Hold still!” he ordered as Jared tried to pull loose.

Jared froze at the crack of command in Jensen’s voice. He knew struggling was useless anyway because there was no give at all in the clamps trapping his wrists. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing as rough hands removed his belt and yanked his slacks down his legs. His pants, shoes, and socks were unceremoniously pulled off and he felt cold metal clamp over his ankles.

Jared opened his eyes again when he felt Jensen step away from him. As he watched the man yank open a cabinet, it sunk in that Jensen was not in control of himself right now. That meant anything could happen and Jared had no way to voice pain or even to beg him to stop. Even if he wasn’t gagged, he wasn’t sure that the man would even hear him because he realized that Jensen’s eyes were not quite focused even as he pulled something from the cabinet of toys.

Jared tried to twist away, but he couldn’t escape the blindfold that was wrapped around his head. He felt panic wash over him as he lost the ability to see what Jensen was doing as the older man returned to the cabinet.

“Have you ever been whipped before Jared?” he asked and reached for a short leather whip with several strings and little knots on them. “No, don’t do that,” he caught a handful of hair when Jared tried to shake his head, making muffled protests through the gag. “Remember... pain can lead to pleasure.”

Jared knew that... several times now Jensen had proven that pain administered under the right condition could morph into pleasure, but the man had been in control and playing on those occasions. This time he wasn’t in control and Jared wasn’t sure how much playing would be done. He choked back a cry at the stinging sensation on his back.

As the pain burned over his back, shoulders, ass, and legs, a piece of Jared tried to remind himself that Jensen was not in control; something had caused the man to snap. He tried to remain quiet because he quickly realized that straining against the clamps or making noise increased the strength of the blows. Finally, the whip dropped and he heard the sound of a zipper being lowered and felt fingers running over his abused ass. Then he felt something much thicker nudge against him, and Jared was suddenly glad for the gag in his mouth.

Jensen had lost his control and his instincts. The anger and emotions that he’d been battling for months had finally reached the boiling point, and Jensen lost himself in the wave of feelings swamping him.

He wasn’t truly aware of anything, not his surroundings or the young man he’d locked in steel cuffs over an unmovable frame. Years of buried emotions suddenly poured out even as he shoved his hard cock into an unprepared ass. This was the first time he’d taken Jared this roughly, without any prep or lube.

Jensen heard the muffled sounds under him but was too far gone to be able to stop; he didn’t even really register them for what they were, cries of pain and probably pleas to slow down or even stop. The feeling of tight heat as stretching, tearing inner muscles closed over his cock increased the burning in Jensen’s blood. His hips pumped furiously, fingers of one hand tight in long hair to pull the boy’s head back as he ran his lips over his neck, sucking and biting the salty skin. The fingers of his other hand slid around to play and knead the little nubs of the heaving chest before moving up to grip the boy’s throat, squeezing a little tighter than he ever would’ve normally.

It was a rush of power, of control, to feel the stillness of the body under him and he felt his balls begin to tighten; with a moan, Jensen felt his climax hit him with a strong rush that seemed to wash away the red haze that he’d been seeing through all night. A sudden rush of other memories from his youth, of things he’d sworn to never let out or ever repeat, hit him as he came hard into the limp body that he was still thrusting into roughly as he came back to full awareness.

“Mmmmm, Jared,” he murmured, nuzzling the back of the boy’s neck and kissing the side of his face like he often did after they’d finished for the night. He instantly froze when his lips touched hard rubber and he tasted tears. He blinked several times, trying to make the image in front of him morph into something else. He took in the gag, the blindfold, and the pale, bruised body that he was still inside of. “Oh my God. What have I done?”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Ten

“Oh my God. What have I done?”

Jensen pulled out and nearly fell to his knees as he realized he hadn’t even taken his slacks off but just unzipped them enough to get his cock out. Then he caught sight of the angry, bloody welts littering Jared’s back, shoulders, legs, and... he stopped thinking clearly for a second as he took in the blood and come dripping from the younger man’s ass. He began cursing himself violently when it clicked that he’d just done something he’d sworn never to do, taken Jared violently without prepping him or using any lube.

“Jared? Jared?” Hands shaking, voice rough and raw sounding, Jensen managed to get his slacks zipped before stepping around to catch a drooping face between his shaking hands. He felt sick to his stomach as he gently pulled off the blindfold and took in the tears on a sickeningly pale face that felt clammy to his touch. “Jared! Damn it! Hang on, sweetheart. I’ll... I’ll get you off of here and... hang on.” The boy didn’t react to his words and he was frighteningly limp on the frame.

Jensen knew he needed to free Jared from the frame, to get him onto a bed and cleaned up, but he realized with a sick feeling that he was going to need help. Not only would he need help treating Jared’s wounds, but once the boy started to wake up, and he prayed he was just passed out, he also knew he’d probably want nothing more to do with him.

He hurried to jerk open the door to the playroom, jamming a chair in place to keep it open, and keyed the in-house intercom that would put him into direct contact with… “Chris! Damn it, Chris! Get up here and... and bring Sam!” He hurried back into the room without waiting to see if he got a response or not. His focus zeroed in on the exact damage he could see, and he had to wonder what he couldn’t see while trying to remember just what the hell had happened.

He recalled the night before and his decision to try to start treating Jared differently, hoping that maybe they could actually come to some sort of arrangement, and maybe the kid might start smiling more. He recalled wanting to give him a bit of freedom and a decent meal... but the night sort of went to hell when he was called away and things never got right again.

Jensen had been fighting stress and crap for months, but he thought he was keeping everything under control even if he might have been a bit more snappish than usual. He knew that in many ways he was just as proud and as stubborn as the boy he was becoming increasingly attracted to which is why he hadn’t shared all the trouble he’d been handling with anyone. Now as he worked to get Jared free, to get the damn ballgag out of his mouth, he realized that between those worries, the stress of dealing with the debt owed to the casino by Jared’s father, Jared’s belligerent attitude at times, something had just snapped inside him. Jared’s outburst about the collar and leash had been the final straw for him. He had lost control, and the boy he’d been trying to change his behavior toward had paid the price.

A soft whimpered moan emerged from the boy as he finally got the strap undone and carefully eased the gag out. He was disgusted with himself when he noticed which one it was and tossed it angrily across the playroom.

They’d just begun experimenting with gags. Jared had been unusually resistant about that particular kink of Jensen’s and it had taken him weeks to find one that Jared could tolerate without gagging or panicking. The one that he had just pulled out was definitely large enough that it would have choked the boy on top of everything else.

“Jared? Hey, c’mon, kiddo, open your eyes for me now,” he urged in a softer voice while he started on the cuffs holding Jared’s wrists to the cold metal frame. “It’s okay. It’s over. I’m... this never should’ve happened. I…”

“What the fuck did you do?” Chris Kane’s outraged voice was heard from the door where he’d stopped at the scene he saw.

He’d been busy downstairs when he heard Jensen’s call and his tone of voice along with the order to bring Samantha Smith along had told the head of security that something bad was going on. Several scenarios had run through his head as he rode the elevator up, but what he saw in front of him now had not been one of them.

“Just help me get him loose and into a bed then you can bitch at me all you want.” Jensen didn’t look up; his eyes were locked on Jared’s face while he undid the cuffs while Chris hurried across the room to hastily jerk the ankle ones loose. Jensen was quick to catch the limp body as Jared crumpled now that there was nothing holding him up. “Easy. Easy, Sweetheart, I’ve... Chris and I’ve got you and I’m getting you out of this room.”

“What the fuck, Jensen?” Chris demanded in a low growl as he helped his boss support Jared’s weight. He heard the elevator ding its arrival and knew the next sound would be a loud, vicious, and pissed-off Chad Michael Murray who had gone to find Sam after Jensen’s frantic summons. “I thought you said you wouldn’t go this far with him yet. Son of a bitch! What the hell did you do?”

“I don’t know!” Jensen yelled, grabbing a blanket off the bed in the room. As he started to wrap it around the shaking, unconscious Jared, he saw the finger-shaped bruises on his throat and realized he must have choked the boy at some point during this nightmare. “He... we were... well no, we weren’t fighting at first. He was yelling, I was simmering, and then... he hit me but…”

“Damn kid’s really gotta stop hitting people,” Chris muttered even as Chad was coming in the bedroom door, staring with wide eyes. “Later!” he snapped at the man before he could turn on their boss. “Help me with Jared. Is Sam on her way up?” When Chad nodded, Chris jerked his head, calling him further into the room. “Help me get the kid into a bed, but not this one. I don’t think he’ll react well if he wakes up in this room, especially after last night.”

Jensen looked toward the bed in the small bedroom that was attached to the playroom. He had given Jared that bedroom just because he was being a dick, choosing to play the hardass with a kid pulled into this mess by his bastard father. “Not that bed either. Take him to the bedroom down the hall; use the bedroom on the other side of my office.” He saw Chris frown even as he felt the rage pouring off a practically vibrating Chad as he moved to Jared’s other side to help support him, all but elbowing Jensen out of the way. “Take him there and then move all his stuff, all the clothes I bought him plus the stuff he brought from home to that room. That room should’ve been his, to begin with. I’ll... I’ll be in the game room if Sam needs me or when one of you wants to take a shot at me for this.” He paused for a moment, looking like he wanted to say more or stay with Jared, but then he just shook his head and hurried out.

“I will be fired by the morning,” Chad muttered, furious at Jared’s condition and even more furious that the asshole who’d done it hadn’t even stuck around to see how bad his little sexual conquest might have hurt the young man. “I will be fired but Jensen fucking Ackles will be bleeding worse than this kid is and…”

“Let me handle Jensen. You stay around and help Sam when she gets here. I’ll make Aldis get his ass out of bed and move all the stuff into this room.” Chris was just as angry, but he’d known Jensen for years and knew something serious must have happened to cause the snap in control. “Chad! I know how this looks and I’m not condoning it. I’m not saying Jensen doesn’t deserve a beatdown; I’m just saying let me talk to him before you get in his face. Stay with Jared and... oh, hey Sam.”

Samantha Smith stood in the doorway of the much larger, much more lavish bedroom with her blue eyes staring at the pale-faced, bruised boy the two bodyguards were carefully placing in the King-sized bed. Her eyes narrowed as her face filled with anger. “He said he would never follow in that bastard’s footsteps about things like this.” She waved Chris off. “No, I don’t want to hear any excuses. I want you to leave me with this poor boy so I can clean him up and treat his injuries before he wakes up... and you better tell that hardheaded jackass that I will be having words with him when I’m finished because he has now crossed the line, Chris.”

“I’m on my way to talk to Jensen right now, Sam.” He nodded to a still grumbling Chad. “He’ll stick around in case the kid... in case Jared wakes up since he knows him and is comfortable around him. Aldis will be arriving soon, carrying clothes in. Just ignore him and do what you can and... I’ll see what the hell happened to cause this.”

The woman rolled her eyes but then turned her attention to ordering Chad to get her some hot water, the good first-aid kit, some bandages, and some loose, comfortable clothes.

“Shit,” Chris muttered as he stepped out of the bedroom. He quickly dialed Aldis’s number. He didn’t give him many details, just told him to move all of Jared’s belongings to the new room. “After you’ve finished moving all of his stuff, stay close in case Sam needs you to get anything. The less Chad’s out of the room, the better the odds that I can keep his hotheaded ass employed past tonight.”

“What the hell happened?” the tall skinny black security guard wanted to know when he arrived, only to blow out a breath when Chris ignored him, brushing past him and toward the front of the penthouse. “I don’t get paid enough to put up with these guys,” he muttered but began to follow orders.

When Chris got to the game room, he wasn’t surprised to see the liquor cabinet open but was surprised to see that none of the bottles appeared to have been touched. Jensen appeared to be content with hurling darts into the dartboard across the room, hitting the wall more than the target.

“So Chad and Sam both want your ass. I’m not sure I should be stopping them. Care to tell me what the hell went down tonight after you took him off the casino floor?” He quietly shut the door and pulled off his jacket; this wasn’t employee/employer now. This was him speaking to his friend. “Jensen! Do you have any goddamn idea what you did in that room tonight? Do you know how badly you could’ve hurt that kid? Do you…”

“Yes! Alright, yes, I know exactly how badly I could’ve and probably did hurt him!” Jensen threw the last dart in his hand before whirling to confront his friend. Chris took inventory of the actual concern and anguish along with guilt and something else showing on his rugged face and in his eyes. “I know I fucked up! I know any shot I had of convincing him I’m not a monster, that I’m not like those assholes in the clubs his old man took him to, is gone! I know and... damn it, Chris! I don’t want to be like him! I swore I would never be like my Dad or ever lose control like that or…”

Chris took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “Okay, first calm down. Now take a deep breath and step back. You are not your father. Yeah, you have some bad habits but for the most part, you keep that side under control. What broke the control tonight?” he asked, frowning when Jensen turned away from him. “Jensen? That kid’s been here two months and he has done his best to push every button you have. I’ve seen you get pissed at him, but nothing he’s done so far has triggered a reaction like this so…”

“It wasn’t his fault.” Jensen refused to place the blame on Jared when he knew who was at fault for this night: him. “Yeah, I yelled, he yelled. Yeah, he got in a lucky shot too but... it... I started to lose it when he said I’d been trying to lead him around and show him off... and then he said that I planned to take him to Pellegrino’s party on a leash and let it turn into a fuck-fest... that’s when I lost it but... there’s other stuff that’s been going on that pushed me to the limit so when he said that I... snapped and... well, you saw what happened.”

“Yeah, I saw, and you’re gonna be working like hell if you meant that you want to show Jared you’re not an ass.” Chris leaned on the pool table, noticing the edge on Jensen’s face. “What else is going on that you clearly haven’t told me about? Jensen, you know I’ll stand by you no matter how badly you act, but Chad actually likes Jared so he might need a bit more explanation to keep him from punching you or rigging the elevator to fall on you. And Jared sure as hell is going to need an explanation about why you suddenly flipped that switch and went all monster Dom on him.”

“No.” Jensen tensed at the thought of explaining things that he felt were his business. “I will apologize to him but…” He stopped to look at his hands and a flash of them using that whip on Jared’s back came back. “I’ve worked so damn hard to not be my father but still prove to him... to everyone that I’m not just some gay playboy playing businessman. Now I can almost see myself turning into what I swore I never would, Chris,” he murmured, fingers touching the bottle of whiskey before he turned and walked away. “Are they right? All this time of making myself hard, cold, untouchable... have I backed myself into becoming him?”

As probably the only true friend Jensen had, and the person who knew him best, Chris understood how important it was to the man to not be like his father. He knew Jensen had consciously molded the image of a hard, cold, callous, and uncaring casino owner who was just out for profit and fun, but that the actual man, the man that Chris knew, was someone totally different. He just worried that maybe Jensen had lived the lie for so long that he could no longer remember being someone else.

“No, but you will end up being him if you’re not careful. You have got to start letting other people in, Jensen. You have got to let other people see that you really aren’t just the hardnosed businessman.” He quickly continued speaking when he sensed the argument coming. “I’m not saying you have to let the board or all the staff see the real you yet, or even at all, but I’m talking about letting that kid see something other than what he has. You said you wanted to show him something different. Well, if you really want that then do it. Be that different man... the man I know you really are, that Samantha knows you are. Be that guy for Jared.”

Jensen stared at Chris like he’d grown a second head. “Did you see what I did to him? Did you look at his back or…” He shook his head because he could still recall his horror as the realization came back to him. “I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t go straight to the damn cops and file charges for assault and illegal imprisonment. God, I never should have taken his old man’s offer.” Jensen ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair.

“Well, I can make sure he doesn’t file any charges.” Chris had done worse to protect Jensen in the past. He didn’t think it would come to that this time but Jensen’s next response had the bodyguard’s eyebrows shooting up when he found himself shoved and shoved hard.

“You touch him, if anyone working for me touches him then we are done,” Jensen growled, eyes dangerous. “I will fire the first man who hurts him or tries to keep him from leaving if that’s what he chooses to do. When he wakes up... tell him the debt’s paid and he can leave.”

“The deal still has four more months on it,” Chris reminded him and wondered if Jensen had any clue as to what was happening or what he’d called the kid earlier.

“I never should’ve taken that deal. Sam was right. Bartering lives, using him like I was... like I want... no. And tonight went too far. Even if he forgives me and doesn’t press charges... I can’t trust myself, not around him.” Jensen turned to look at Chris, pain, and guilt plain on his face. “There’s something about Jared that... he was playing video games with Chad and Mike earlier, and he smiled. He really smiled, Chris, and he laughed. He’s got a great laugh. I wanted to try to do something to get that smile on his face more but I blew that. And maybe it’s better this way; he’s better off going back to…”

“To what?” Chris challenged. He wasn’t certain if encouraging Jensen’s line of thinking was wise, but this was the first time in years that he saw a crack in his friend’s ice-cold exterior. “Go back to the father who sold him in the first place? Go back to working two jobs to support himself and his kid sister because their old man can’t stay out of a casino? You think that’s any better than a little rough play with you? You and I both know Padalecki won’t hesitate to sell him again to the next guy he owes money to. And the next time it might be to someone a lot worse than you.”

“So he stays four more months and still goes back to hell. It’s better letting him go now while this casino and I self-destruct,” Jensen shot back. He heard a sound from the bedroom that had him torn between going to check and running for his office. In the end, he chose what he thought would be better for both him and Jared. “Give him anything he needs. Tell him... tell him I said I’m sorry.”

“Jensen!” Chris started to reach out to grab for his friend before he could retreat, but he wasn’t fast enough. The man hurried out of the game room, and Chris knew Jensen would either go to the main casino office or the private gym downstairs to hide until this blew over. “Except why do I get the damn feeling that this kid isn’t gonna see this as simply as Jensen does?” he muttered and headed back to the bedroom, steeling himself for several different reactions.

Chad paced the bedroom restlessly while occasionally helping Aldis move things in and tried not to look too closely at what Samantha was doing or how pale his new friend still looked.

“If I get fired for punching the boss or tossing him off his balcony, I could always go back to my old job,” he muttered to himself, frowning as he took in the pink pair of trousers in his hand. He held them out for Aldis to hang in the huge walk-in closet, knowing they’d been snuck in by that damn tailor sometime when no one had been paying attention.

“You didn’t have an old job. Dude, you were hacking banks and governments for fun,” Aldis pointed out from inside the closet where he was trying to match shoes after Chad had just chucked them all inside. “Besides, Kane would rip your head off those skinny shoulders if you tried to hurt Jensen.”

Chad made a snorting sound but turned at the sound of his name being called. “Yo?” He stepped back into the bedroom to see that Samantha must have finished because she was packing up the first-aid kit. Jared had been dressed in a pair of soft, loose sleep pants but no shirt. He was lying on his side so Chad could see the livid marks on his back as well as some bruises littering his torso that were gonna be nifty colors by the morning. “He okay?”

“Well, I’m sure he’ll be upset when he wakes up. From the marks on his face, it looked like he was gagged pretty tightly. I’m not sure if he passed out from pain or from lack of oxygen, but either way, it’s going to be hard when he regains consciousness. Make sure he’s not alone. Will he be okay? Given how bad it could’ve been... how bad I thought it was when I first arrived... yes, I think he will be.” The woman spoke quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping young man.

“He still looks pretty bad to me,” Chad muttered unhappily. He’d known Jensen had a temper. Hell, he’d seen the man lose it, but only on employees who had deserved it. This, what he saw with Jared, was something different, and he wasn’t sure what to think or feel.

“Just don’t go growling or yelling.” Samantha wasn’t happy with Jensen either but she still had to hope the young man she’d watched grow up was somewhere inside the hard shell she’d watched him form over the last few years since he came to Las Vegas.

She glanced down to gently run her fingers back through dark hair as it fell into a boyish face and wished that this boy could’ve met Jensen under different circumstances. “He looks so sweet like this.”

“He’s a sweet kid who doesn’t deserve any of this crap,” Chad replied darkly, catching a sudden movement that had his bodyguard side kicking in; he moved to catch a hand before it could react to a touch that was unknown to Jared. “Jared. Hey, kiddo, calm down there. You’re good. You’re safe. That’s just Samantha, the hotel manager and head nurse at times. The boss called her up here to take care of you,” he said in his most reassuring voice as he watched long lashes flutter a few times before one eye slowly opened halfway.

“He’ll need some ice for his face to take that swelling down some,” the woman was saying as she eased off the bed to avoid frightening the younger man. “Aldis, get that and some water so he can take some pain pills.”

Aldis tossed off a salute as he moved to follow those orders, passing a grumbling Chris on his way through the hall. “Dude, if you don’t say something good, Chad and Sam will probably take their anger out of your hide before the boss’s.”

Chris knew that, but he wasn’t certain if the news he had would be considered good or not. He stepped into the bedroom and saw that Jared was just starting to wake up. He could already tell that the kid was confused to be waking up in a strange room... hell, he was probably confused all the way around.

Jared had slowly been regaining awareness since the first touch of something cold to his back. The pain was bad, but nothing compared to what he had endured earlier, so he struggled to stay silent until he realized he wasn’t in the playroom anymore.

The feel of the room was different and he slowly became aware that he was lying on a much softer bed than the one he was used to. The voice speaking softly to him wasn’t familiar and that left him confused and a little bit worried. He thought he recognized Chad’s voice, but it seemed muffled or distant at times. Jared heard Aldis shouting something about purple sequined shirts, but it was the soft female voice that was very close to him that had Jared struggling to wake up more.

He didn’t know the woman or why she’d be around him until it slowly registered that she was cleaning the cuts on his back and below where that whip had cut him. Jared wanted to bury his face into the soft, fresh-smelling pillow and just sleep but something in Chad’s tone was telling him to wake up and reassure his friend that he was fine... well he would be fine.

It was when the woman’s fingers touched his hair that Jared jerked. He’d never been one for casual touches like that since his mother passed away. He’d learned to accept them from Jensen, but only Jensen and those were few and far between. Jared hoped it would be at least a day or so before the man wanted to play like this again. He shifted slightly, wondering why he wasn’t hearing Jensen’s voice or smelling that awful aftershave he seemed to like.

Hearing Chad speaking to him, telling him it was safe, made him pry one eye open with a groan. He recalled the blows he’d taken, as something had seemed to snap inside Jensen. While a piece of Jared knew he should be scared or even furious, he was mostly curious about what had caused the seemingly always-in-control Jensen Ackles to snap like he had.

“Hey, take it easy now, and don’t try to move, especially your back,” Chad was saying as he saw a surprisingly clear hazel eye open to stare at him. “It’s all good, kiddo. Can you sit up to swallow some water?”

“How can he sit up if you just told him not to move, genius?” Chris asked from the door, rolling his eyes at the gesture that got him and stepping more into the boy’s line of sight. “You awake and with it?” he asked gruffly, wincing when Samantha slapped him in the head.

“Christian Kane! How dare you expect this boy to be ‘awake and with it’ after what just happened to him?” she demanded in an outraged tone of voice. “Where’s Jensen so I can slap him for doing this?”

“Probably in the main office or the gym, so how about you go make sure if he is downstairs, he’s not trying to drown himself. Maybe you can find out from him what the hell he’s hiding that caused him to snap?” Chris returned but didn’t step any closer to the bed since he knew Jared was still wary around him. “What happened?” he asked seriously. “I got the boss’s version. Now I want to hear it from you.”

Jared tried to remember exactly what had happened. He worried that whatever he said might get him in more trouble with Chris, who was still watching him expectantly. He struggled to carefully push himself up on an elbow, noticing the soft white bandages covering his wrists where he’d ripped them open struggling in the cuffs on the metal frame. He thought back to the moment the night had started to spiral out of control.

He knew that both of them had gotten too angry; in some way, a piece of Jared accepted he had done wrong, but would never willingly admit that to Jensen. He still thought the man had overreacted to events down in the casino, but he clearly recalled that it hadn’t been until he said what he had about being led on a leash that the casino owner had truly snapped.

“I…” He licked his lips to try to wet them since he was still having trouble moving his mouth and he hoped his jaw hadn’t been put out of place from that huge ballgag. He gratefully nodded to the woman as she held out a glass of ice water with a straw. “Thank you,” he murmured before trying to focus his one eye that would open on Chris. “He overacted; I popped off. He grabbed me; I hit him. That’s happened before. He... he lost it when I accused him of leading me around, displaying me... and then I asked if he planned to do that at that party he said he was taking me to this weekend... I asked him if he planned to use a leash.”

Samantha gasped as she heard this and ached even more for both young men. She knew this boy wouldn’t have understood why that particular remark would have set Jensen off, but it still didn’t excuse Jensen’s total lapse of control either.

“I knew I’d gone too far but... it was like it wasn’t Jensen anymore or... like he wasn’t there or... I don’t know how to explain it.” Jared didn’t want to take the pain medication that Sam was holding out, but his ass and back were hurting like hell, so he did. He swallowed the pills before looking around the lavish bedroom he was in. “This... this isn’t my room or his. What... where am I?”

“Well, this was originally supposed to be your room,” Chris told him, surprised by how well Jared’s version matched up to Jensen’s. Part of him had expected the kid to turn it around more to make it completely Jensen’s fault... a lot of people in his place would have done so. “But I’ve been instructed by Jensen to inform you that the debt’s been wiped. As soon as you’re well enough, you’re free to go.”

The surprise that announcement brought was nothing compared to the one caused by Jared’s response once he found his voice again.

“… …No.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, lives Gambled

Chapter Eleven

“… … No.”

Chris Kane was sure he’d just heard wrong. He’d just passed along Jensen’s news that he was releasing Jared from the deal four months early. The damn kid should’ve been thrilled; after all, he had fought against the deal right from the very first moment. Surely he didn’t just refuse the offer.

“What?” He tossed a look over to where a clearly shocked Chad Michael Murray was standing beside the bed. “Did you hear me? I said, Jensen said he was wiping the debt clear and that you could go.”

Jared had heard the bodyguard, and the piece of him that had fought this deal tooth and nail also couldn’t believe he’d just said ‘no’ to the offer of his freedom. He wasn’t certain why he was refusing, but in his gut, Jared knew it was the right thing to do. He might not approve of, or even like Jensen 90% of the time, but it was that other annoying 10% that had him not just grabbing his few personal items and running for the door.

“Yeah, I heard you,” he replied. His voice was tight with pain, and his throat was still dry and sore, but he was able to hold the glass on his own as he drank the water slowly, grateful for the ice as it helped soothe his burning throat as well as his sudden nerves. “Where’s he at? Why isn’t he throwing me out in person? What the fuck, excuse me, ma’am, didn’t I do right that he decided to give up on me or…”

“Holy shit,” Chad muttered and had to sit down before he fell. “Jared, did Jensen hit you in the head one time too many? Dude? Why would you think him deciding to grow a heart and let you out of this crappy deal is because you didn’t do something right? Kid! Think for a minute. He beat you and basically fucked you raw. It could be considered rape in some eyes... hell, in most eyes... for sure in my eyes. He probably had a case of a guilty conscience after realizing how badly he’d hurt you or…”

Jared looked at the blond. “But... I accepted the deal. I knew that meant there’d be rough sex when he demanded it. Sure, I didn’t like it, and sure it hurt, but wasn’t that part of the deal with my Dad? Isn’t that what Jensen basically said I was here for?” He looked around the bedroom at the people there, not fully understanding their shock at either his words or his refusal. “My Dad owes him money. I won’t allow my sister to be used so…”

“Jared!” Chris was fighting the urge to either throttle this kid for his naïve view of things or hug him for actually trying to stick it out, albeit for the wrong reasons. “Your sister won’t be touched or used. Jensen said the debt’s wiped clean, and he means it. You can leave here, take your little sister home from where she’s staying, and never hear from or see Jensen again.”

“Until my Dad decides to do this again either at this casino or some other place on or off the Strip?” Jared wasn’t stupid. He knew if his father owed one casino then eventually, if he didn’t already, he’d owe another and the cycle of abuse would continue until Jared could get himself and Molly the hell out of his reach. “Just cause I was a virgin when I got here, doesn’t mean this was the first time my Dad’s tried to do something like this. One time he was trying to convince the Vice-President of a bank to float him a loan. The guy wanted to use a whip on me, that’s how he got his jollies, and my Dad was more than happy to let him. That asshole did a lot worse than Jensen did. I lost consciousness before he could do anything else.”

While Chris was processing this news and planning on who to have Chad hack in the morning to get more information on Padalecki’s past, since they’d clearly missed a lot in those initial cursory peeks, Jared suddenly decided to get out of bed only to almost fall. “Hey! Kid, plant your ass back in that bed before Sam slaps me again!” He caught Jared on instinct, feeling the young man tense as if expecting a blow, but all he did was coax the hardheaded boy back onto the bed. “You’re serious? You are refusing Jensen’s offer of freedom?”

“Maybe not... the whole offer. Maybe he might consider a rewrite?” Jared was positive he was either concussed or fevered for what he was about to suggest. “Unless... unless I did screw up and he can’t stand to be in the same room with me? Is that why he made you tell me? Is that…?”

“God! You must be the most infuriatingly obstinate kid in all of Vegas!” Chris groaned, trying to kick at Chad who was now fighting not to laugh. Samantha remained by the door, waiting to see how the situation played out. “Jensen is trying to do what he thinks is best for you. He feels bad for what he did because he lost control and losing control is not something he likes to do. If you stick around, if he decides to listen to whatever crazy ‘rewrite’ you have in that head of yours, maybe he’ll feel secure enough to open up about why that is and why he’s not really as cold or hard-assed as he tries to make his employees think he is.”

“Are you talking about the guy I’ve been working for?” Chad questioned, wincing when this time he wasn’t able to dodge Chris’s kick to his leg. “He sure seems like a cold hardass to me.”

“Shut up,” Chris growled but kept his eyes on Jared’s still pale face. “You could walk out of here right now. You don’t know how rare it is for Jensen to do what he’s done in this case.”

Jared knew he might be making a huge mistake, but he’d survived all this time by working hard and following his instincts, and his instincts were telling him to stick this out. “I want to speak with Jensen,” he replied in response to that. “You’ll have to physically kick me out of here if he won’t talk to me.”

Chris looked at the boy seriously for a long moment, debating his choices, before finally shrugging. “Just remember that I gave you a shot at an open door. When I walk out of this room, that shot is gone; whatever happens next is between you and Jensen.” He saw the flicker of hesitation and at least knew the kid was actually thinking before he gave a nod. “This is not what Jensen is expecting, so I’m not sure when, or if, he’ll see you. When he’s like this, he tends to avoid people but... until then just... hang out here, rest, and maybe try to get some sleep. I’m sure that’s what Sam’s busting to say behind me anyway.”

“Yes, because this boy has been through hell; he probably hasn’t slept well since he’s been here.” The hotel manager wasn’t sure just what had been happening between Jared and Jensen for the past two months, but now that she’d actually seen the young man and saw his stubborn determination to stick it out, she thought she might be paying closer attention to the situation as well as giving Jensen a swift kick in the ass. “Let him sleep and go make Jensen do the same. If Jensen has to attend that party this weekend, and I don’t see how he’s going to avoid it, he’s going to have to talk to Jared sooner rather than later.”

Mutual groans were heard at the reminder of the party over at The Devil’s Lair Casino that coming weekend; the one that Chris had just told his friend he couldn’t skip. “Fine. Chad, I guess you can go back to whatever you were doing; Sam, you track that color-blind tailor down and remind him that he needs to fit Jared for a tuxedo, just a standard damn tuxedo, and it needs to be ready this weekend. Jared, you probably need to go back to sleep for the rest of the night. You still look pretty rough.” Chris looked up at the ceiling as if for patience. “I’m gonna try not to get shot or have anything thrown at me when I drop this new wrinkle on the boss.” Chad and Sam both nodded in agreement, but Jared remained sitting on the edge of the bed staring mutinously at Chris. “Oh, Kid, do not give me any hassles... not when I’m this close to actually being on your side.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” Jared’s response was mostly stubborn habit since Jared knew if there was anyone other than Jensen that he would be made to listen to, it would be the head bodyguard. “But I am tired, so I will try to sleep... but is this seriously my room or…”

“Yes, this is your room now.” Chris jerked a thumb to the closet. “It actually has a decent-sized closet for all those clothes and shoes. Aldis and Chad put all your stuff away in here. You can check everything out tomorrow or whenever you wake up. If you need anything during the night or in the morning before Chad or I show up, if you’re in pain or anything, there’s a button on the nightstand that works in the in-house intercom system. Chad, you can link this room directly to your line as soon as you get back to the computer room, right?” The blond computer guru flashed him a thumbs-up.

Jared wasn’t sure how to respond to the new room or the change in attitude from the gruff bodyguard, but the pain medication started to hit him so he merely nodded, dropped back to his side, closed his eyes, and was out even before Sam urged the two men out of the room.

“Flip a coin for telling Jensen the kid refused to leave?” Chad really wanted to see the boss’s expression when he received the news since for as long as he’d been working for Jensen, there had been very few occasions when someone refused an order or an offer.

“Are you trying to get yourself fired or your body dumped in the desert?” Chris shook his head. “I’ll handle telling him. You go hook the intercom up ‘cause odds are good he’s going to be sore when he wakes up. Also, tell Marta in the kitchen that Jared’s going to need breakfast in bed. Now, I get to go find the boss.”

As it turned out, finding Jensen wasn’t hard. Chris located his employer crashed on the sofa in his main office and after a long moment of debate decided to let him sleep and drop the news on him when he woke up, hoping he’d be in a better mood.

Jensen’s mood upon waking was sour as it always was when he fell asleep anywhere but in a bed. It took him a couple of seconds to put things together enough to recall why he was on the sofa in his office and why his muscles felt like lead. Then he rolled over to see Chris leaning against the edge of his desk holding out a mug of coffee.

“Gimme.” He reached for the mug and took a deep swallow. The coffee was strong enough to shoot his system full of caffeine for days, and his eyes began to water as he coughed at the taste. “Who the hell made this?” he asked when his throat would work again.

“Sam,” Chris replied, adding with a small smirk, “She wanted to be sure it woke you up.”

“I think I’ll be awake for the next three days if I drink the whole mug,” Jensen muttered but took another sip while managing to sit up to look at the clock on the wall. “Didn’t I have a meeting with one of the departments this morning?” he asked, pushing to his feet and forcing himself not to ask the primary question that was on his mind. “I also want a meeting with the dealers so what happened last night does not ever happen again.”

Chris nodded while tapping the blackberry that was on the desk beside him. “I rescheduled the department meeting for tomorrow, and I’ll arrange a meeting with the dealers for then as well. Today you have something else to take care of.”

The head of security had spent most of the night and all morning going over ways to do this that might not trigger Jensen’s instinctive need to react or go cold, but there wasn’t a good way to break the news. He knew Jensen was used to things going his way, one way or another.

“What?” Jensen asked, starting toward the elevator, planning to go up to shower and change. “Did you... was he... I mean, did you talk to him?” He paused to sigh. “How bad did Sam say he was hurt? Did he need a hospital? Did you make sure he’ll be taken care of?”

“Oh, you’ll want to avoid Sam for a day or two since she was less than pleased with what happened.” Chris followed him into the elevator after quickly sending a text to Chad. “The kid’s got bruises and his back is bound to be sore as hell, but he’s going to be okay. Sam didn’t see anything that required an actual doctor... and yeah, I talked to him. I told him what you said and... that’s where he threw a monkey wrench into your plan.”

“Huh?” Jensen started to turn to throw Chris a sour look of confusion when the elevator doors opened and he was instantly pinned by hazel eyes on a still-pale face with deep bruises showing in sharp contrast. “Jared.”

Jared had woken up in serious pain but managed to reach the glass of water and bottle of pain meds that had been left for him. He’d lain still in the super soft bed until the pain subsided to a tolerable level. Then he managed to survive standing up and moving to find clean clothes. He didn’t plan on moving much or seeing anyone today, so he pulled out the softest loungewear he could find in the much larger dresser to slip into before heading for the smell of food.

The main cook, Marta, a petite Hispanic woman, had clucked at him about being out of bed, insisting that she would’ve been happy to make a tray up for him, but Jared had just smiled and eased into a chair to eat at the table.

Chad stumbled in as Jared was finishing breakfast and grumbled about morons trying to cheat a casino in front of a thousand security cameras. He stuck his head under the kitchen faucet while Marta shouted at him in rapid Spanish.

Jared was worried about how his decision the night before might have been received by the casino’s owner. A hesitant knock on the master bedroom door had told him that either Jensen wasn’t in the room or he was ignoring him; something that made him even more nervous.

He didn’t doubt his choice; he just wasn’t sure how Jensen would take it. Jared spent the morning and the early afternoon silently plotting the arguments he’d use when the time came. He ignored Chad’s not-so-subtle attempts to get him to lie on the sofa in the game room while he blew people up on a game or lie in bed while he tossed out anything sparkly in the closet. By the time Chad’s phone buzzed and he relayed that Chris was on his way up with Jensen, the younger man hoped he at least appeared calm even though his stomach was in knots. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if Jensen’s temper was still out of control and the man wouldn’t even listen to him.

The obvious shock on Jensen’s face told Jared that either Chris hadn’t talked to the man yet or he hadn’t been expecting the number of bruises he was sporting. He knew one eye was still swollen, but Jared had managed to get them both open even though his sight through the one was a little blurry.

“Uhm, hey,” he murmured, sensing that Chad had stood up as if not sure how Jensen might react as intense green eyes appeared to be looking him over before shooting Chris a hard look in instant silent demand.

“Jared refused your offer to cancel the deal... in his words… he’d like you to rewrite the terms of your arrangement,” Chris remarked easily, calm but taking a step forward in case Jensen reacted badly.

Seeing Jared standing in the living room as if waiting for him was the last thing Jensen had expected to see. He’d hated himself for what he’d told Chris to do the night before, for being too cowardly to offer the boy his freedom in person. After he left the penthouse to blow off steam, he thought about trying to see if Jared would speak to him again, to try to maybe come to an agreement, to see if maybe the kid would consider hanging around a little longer.

Jensen then decided he’d been alone too long if a kid who he basically purchased and who had an attitude that rivaled his seemed like a good companion. He tried to convince himself that he’d done the right thing by letting Jared go. Until he found himself looking into those damn soft eyes, one bloodshot and swollen and was torn between taking a step towards him or back. Then it clicked what Chris had just said.

“Refused it?” He tossed his bodyguard a look before narrowing his eyes at the boy in question. “I... I let you go. You didn’t want to be here in the first place. I said I’d wipe your Dad’s debt clean and you could leave free and clear.” Jensen stared at Jared, unsure and more than a little suspicious since trust was not easily come by for him. “Why would you refuse or... rewrite what? The deal?” He watched the boy’s tousled head nod once. “Crap. Someone get me more coffee... or a whiskey so I can make sense of this. But let me shower and shave first. Kane! Tell me what the hell you should’ve or what he’s talking about while I do that.”

As Jensen moved toward the hall and the master bedroom with a smirking Chris following behind, Jared frowned a little until Jensen stuck his head back into the living room. “Be in my office and be ready to make your pitch. You have one shot to convince me not to boot your ass out of here personally.”

“If he’s willing to give you that much, then I’d say it’s a safe bet that he’ll probably give in after a lot of bartering,” Chad remarked from where he dropped back into a chair with a blown-out breath of relief. “Jensen’s a natural gambler who comes from a line of con artists, so it’s in his blood to make you work for whatever you want, but he’ll let you come out on top... okay, sorry. Given the nature of this deal, I probably should’ve chosen a better phrase.” He shook his head as if trying to rid himself of those images. “Nope, now I need to go scrub my brain.”

Jared blushed a little but then decided to go grab something from the kitchen before Chad showed him which door led to Jensen’s personal office. Since this was personal business and not casino business, it would best be handled here.

He looked around the office to see a large hand-carved desk that was cluttered with papers, files, stacks of poker chips, and cards; it was the complete opposite of the well-ordered office he saw the times Jensen had taken him down to his main office.

This room looked messy and unorganized, but somehow comfortable at the same time. There were chairs scattered around, a leather sofa across the room, and a small gas fireplace that Jared suspected was more for show and ambiance since the room had the feel of an old-fashioned drawing room. He’d seen several of them in the magazines his mother used to collect.

“Sit wherever looks comfortable and just relax. You’ll be fine,” Chad told him from the door. “Chris will share the bare bones... damn it! Chris will tell him the basics, but he’ll just demand to hear it from you anyway, so just tell him what you want. Try to keep your temper for once because the boss will probably try to scare you off... don’t let him rattle you. Hopefully, I’ll see you later.”

“Later? What? You aren’t staying?” Jared was surprised and a little uneasy at this revelation. He would’ve felt a little calmer with Chad there since he suspected Chris would be around and the man still made him uneasy.

“Chris sticks around for business deals. I’m more the computer hacking/bodyguard type who will probably be doing some of both before this is over,” Chad replied with a cocky grin, giving the nervous young man a thumbs-up. “Jared, you can do this. Any other person would’ve been out that door last night so for whatever reason you chose to stay... stick with it.”

Jared knew the main reason he wanted to try this, and he tried to ignore the other reason that kept popping into his head. He just kept telling himself that it was stupid, that it was just his inexperience talking.

He gingerly sat in one of the hard chairs in front of the desk, nervously tapping his fingers on a small piece of paper he’d been writing on in the kitchen since breakfast. He was trying to work his brain around a way to sound like he knew what he was doing and not some nervous kid talking out of his ass.

Unaware of how nervous Jared might be as he waited, Jensen had whirled to confront Chris the moment he followed him into the master bedroom. “What the fuck?” he demanded, not sure how he felt that Jared hadn’t taken him up on his offer immediately and gotten the hell out because now he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to let the damn kid go so easily. “Did you stop being scary? Did you not tell him to go before I changed my mind? Why is he still here?”

“You sound more upset that he’s still here than that he turned down your offer to let him go.” Chris had noticed the tension in Jensen the moment he saw Jared and had to admit he found it interesting to see his friend thrown off balance by something as simple as one gawky young man. “I gave him the whole song and dance. He flat-out said no. Then he said something about a rewrite, so I’m thinking he’ll go with writing off his old man’s debt in exchange for something else, but he’s keeping that to himself.”

Jensen muttered curses as he hurried through a shower that was more to wake his brain up than to get clean. He also was buying time to get a better hold of his suddenly off-centered emotions. “Why can’t that damn kid make my life easy and just take the offer and go away?” he grumbled, staring at his face in the mirror before shaving the faint stubble.

“Do you honestly want him gone, Jensen?” Chris asked from the doorway as he held out a choice of shirts, not surprised when the t-shirt was jerked from his fingers and pulled on.

“Of course I want him gone! I only took him to try to get something back out of a debt, but he’s been more of a pain in my ass than anything else.” Jensen wondered if he sounded as sincere with that comment as he hoped he did but had his doubts when his friend merely raised his eyebrows. “Damn it, Chris! Despite it all, Jared’s just a damn innocent kid... with a chip on his shoulder. I’m no good for him. All I can end up giving him is hassles.”

“I’m not telling you to marry the kid, Jensen.” Chris bit his lip to keep from smirking when he saw the tremble in Jensen’s hand while he grabbed for a pair of jeans, something he very rarely wore unless he wasn’t planning on leaving the penthouse. “I’m just suggesting you listen to him and see what it is he wants. Maybe you two can work out a deal... after all, it’s kind of last minute for me to find you a date to Pellegrino’s party this weekend.”

“I hate you,” Jensen growled, but he knew Chris was right on all points. He knew he could handle Jared if he kept up the act he’d been using from the start... but then he thought of those dimples and how he really did want to get to know Jared better and maybe, if he could learn to let go, let the kid in to see the real him. But first, he’d have to see just what kind of ‘rewrite’ Jared had in mind.

 Jensen paused after opening the door to his private office; he saw the way Jared was sitting in the chair, tilted more on his hip because the hard seat was probably causing his bruised and sore ass serious pain. He also noticed the nervous way his fingers were tapping on a wrinkled sheet of paper. Finally, his gaze landed on the bandages on both wrists, another reminder of what losing his temper had almost cost him... might still cost him unless he could work this deal out in a way that suited them both.

“So... let’s get down to business.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twelve

“So let’s get down to business.”

Jared jumped a little at the hard cold voice he heard right before the office door closed with a click that sounded unsettlingly final. His heart was suddenly thumping wildly as he turned in the seat to see Jensen and blinked in surprise.

In all the time that he’d been here, Jared could not recall ever seeing Jensen dressed in anything other than suits or dress slacks with button-up shirts. Looking up now, he took inventory of the faded jeans that fit the man’s lean build and a black t-shirt that stretched enticingly across his chest. Jared supposed he had known that Jensen was well built, but he hadn’t really let himself pay attention before; he reminded himself that now wasn’t the time to either.

Jared swallowed and quickly stood, letting out a slight hiss when his back touched the chair, and he wasn’t quite fast enough to hide the wince of pain as he started to sit back down before his ass reminded him why sitting might not be advisable for the moment.

“Sit down, I have a feeling this might take a while.” Jensen had seen and heard the sound of pain and felt another kick of guilt in his gut because he knew it was his fault that Jared was hurting.

Sitting sounded great, especially since his legs were still a little shaky, but Jared knew he’d never last sitting in the hard unforgiving chair. He began to politely decline when suddenly a different chair appeared behind him, one that was slightly wider, with a soft leather seat and back.

“Sit down, Jared.” Jensen kept his hand on the chair until Jared slowly lowered himself into it, still catching the pain and how he shifted more to his hip but didn’t want to make things any more awkward by bringing up his discomfort or offering a cushion.

Surprised by the new chair but also silently grateful, Jared eased himself into it until he was comfortable. Only once he was settled did Jensen move to sit in the chair behind the desk. That was when Jared noticed they were alone, which was another surprise.

“Where’s Chris?” he asked before he could think not to. “Chad says he always sits in on your business stuff.”

“Usually he does and he’s around if you’d feel better with him being here... but since this is more of a private thing, I thought it best if it was just between you and me.” Jensen also knew that Chris still made Jared a little nervous so that was another reason he’d told the man to wait outside. Now, however, he was wondering if the boy might be more wary around him without a third party present. “Do you want me to ask Chris to come in?”

Jared considered the offer, but he knew if he was going to make this work, he would have to get over any fears he might have of something like last night happening again, so after a moment he shook his head. “Are... are you angry that I didn’t just take your offer and leave?” he asked suddenly, fingers moving nervously over the paper.

“I think I’m more surprised than angry,” Jensen admitted honestly. “You’ve been clear from the start that you didn’t want to be here or with me so after I... after last night and what I allowed to happen, I thought you’d jump at the chance to be free of me. Why didn’t you leave, Jared?” he asked. “What is it you hope to gain by staying when you can barely look me in the face right now?”

“I want your help,” Jared replied honestly, seeing no point in lying or beating around the bush. “I need help to get out of Vegas; at the very least I need to get Molly the hell out of here before she ends up in a situation like this one day.” Jared forced himself to meet Jensen’s eyes as he slid his paper across the desk. “I... I tried to write what I was thinking down but... it might not have come out too clearly as I’m not really sure how to phrase it or…”

Jensen eyed the wrinkled sheet of paper for a few moments before taking it. He suspected he knew what Jared might want from his explanation but still, he was impressed and surprised by the obviously careful thought with which the paper was written.

He had been expecting a straightforward deal request along with a whole list of things Jared refused to do in light of what had happened last night, but as he read, Jensen realized the paper was mainly a list of things the young man wanted for his sister with very little regard for himself.

“Huh,” he grunted, reading over the paper again before looking up to see bruised, swollen, and shadowed eyes looking at him nervously. “There seem to be some things you left out of this.” He laid the paper on the desk and slowly stood up, catching the way Jared flinched and knew he’d really fucked up if even a simple move had the kid tensing as if expecting a blow or some type of violence.

“What?” Jared’s face went blank. He’d put everything he could think of on the list, but he knew this wasn’t his area of expertise. Then he recalled Chad’s words about Jensen liking to barter. “So... what... what else do you want?”

“What do I want?” Jensen’s lips curved a little as he came around to sit on the edge of the desk. “Well, I think we both know I want a lot... but what I meant was what else do you want?” He tapped the paper with a finger. “This is actually a lot more impressive than I was expecting. I can tell you put an awful lot of thought into it. Sure, it’s is kind of rambling and my lawyer will probably beat his head trying to type up something formal, but I mostly see what you’re willing to do and give me in return for me helping you get your sister away from your father, out of Vegas and into a dance school.” He saw the nod and still how blank Jared appeared. “What’s in this for you, Jared? What do you ultimately want out of what you’re offering me for my help?”

Jared frowned, not understanding. The only thing he really wanted was for his sister to be safe and able to follow her dreams. He knew it was too late for him, but she still had a chance at a normal life. Anyway, what the hell did it matter to Jensen what he got out of it if the man’s own desires would be met.

“I... I know Dad will get in over his head again. I know if I go home now, he’ll just do something like this again. He’ll use me and he’ll eventually try to use Molly... I can’t let that happen. Jensen, I have to be able to get her out of this city, away from him before she’s sucked into this life or worse. Hell, you said you would’ve…”

“Jared, despite what I might let others believe, I’m gay. I was never interested in your sister as anything but a bargaining chip with you since it was pretty clear she was your weak point.” Jensen hadn’t planned to reveal that, but he found that he didn’t want Jared to keep thinking he was a threat to the girl he was basically offering to sell his soul for. “You do realize, though, that your sister is still a minor and your father has legal custody of her?”

“Yeah, but I also know he doesn’t give a crap about her except for the little bit of cash he gets from the state and the sympathy from others that lets him do whatever the hell he wants.” Jared carefully eased forward in the chair. “He’d give up his parental rights for a price or... the right pressure from the right sources.”

Jensen’s eyebrow lifted as he considered that. “You asking me to... threaten your father? To get him to sign over custody or guardianship of Molly to you?” He wasn’t sure whether to be worried or impressed.

“Not to me,” Jared corrected. “He’d never give her up to me. But he would give her up to Gen or someone else I would trust with her.”

Reaching back for the paper, Jensen’s eyes flicked over it again before meeting Jared’s. “So let me see if I understand this correctly before we get down to serious details. You’re essentially offering yourself to me for a period of 12 months... I can do whatever I want to do with you in exchange for helping you secure your sister’s freedom from your father. You want me to pay for her to go to a dance school as well as cover her other expenses. Is that basically it?”

“Yeah,” Jared nodded, not understanding why Jensen seemed to be having difficulty understanding his requests; he thought he’d spelled it out pretty well.

“The only thing you say is non-negotiable is the whole collaring thing... and you mentioned an aversion to leather outfits which tells me that Misha’s been talking again.” Jensen flicked his eyes over the paper again. “You haven’t set many limits here, Jared. Hell, you really haven’t set any. What else do you want put in here to keep yourself safe?”

Jared looked at him for a long moment, not sure of how to answer that. “I... I didn’t think you’d want any limits... I mean what I’m asking from you is probably a lot more expensive than what my Dad owed you so…”

“Yeah, I’m not saying doing what you’re asking will be easy or cheap because it won’t be but... I’d also like to try to avoid a year of constant fights and going between wanting to throttle you or pound my head in. I also really, really don’t want you to be terrified of me or of what I might do to you. So how about we set a few rules to start with and then we can either remove or add to them as needed... if I agree to do this.” Jensen stretched back to reach into a desk drawer for a legal pad and a pen, missing the way Jared’s eyes widened as his black t-shirt road up with the stretch. “So no collars or leather... what else? What else is off-limits? And what else do you want from this deal? For yourself, not just for Molly.”

“I thought I had to do what you wanted. That’s what you said at the beginning.” Jared was getting confused and that was making him agitated; he wished Jensen would pick one damn mood and stick with it because he was once again unsure what to expect from him in this all too reasonable mood. He just wanted to make a deal to ensure Molly’s safety. “I don’t know what to say to this. I never know what mood you’ll be in from one day to the next and that seems to determine what toys you like to play with or how far things go. If I had a say, I’d want to make sure that what happened last night doesn’t happen again... but since I’m giving myself over as a toy I guess I don’t get a say in that.”

“And there’s the Jared I’ve come to know... all lip and attitude even though you really have no clue what I’m asking.” Jensen chuckled, pushing off the desk to pull a chair over so he could sit beside Jared rather than on the other side of the desk. “First, what happened last night? That will never happen again. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place and…” He paused to take a slow breath. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I scared you and for losing control like I did. It won’t happen again.”

Jared stared at the rugged face. “You make it so hard to know how to react to you,” he complained, confused but really not ready to get into talking about the whole thing. He wasn’t ready to recall the pain or his feelings last night. “I just want Molly…”

“Okay, I get that and she will be taken care of.” Jensen wasn’t sure how yet, but he was already certain he’d be taking this deal. He also wasn’t sure why it was so important to him that Jared get more out of the deal or that they had a few more safeguards in place this time. “Other than your sister, once you do walk out of here, once our deal is over, what do you want for you Jared?” he asked when it finally hit him that Jared really wasn’t looking that far ahead.

“It doesn’t matter what I want. This isn’t about me. This is about me keeping my promise to give Molly a shot at her dreams,” Jared replied, fingers clenching on his knee. “I gave up my dreams a long time ago. This, what Dad did to me here, shows me that if I want to give my sister her freedom, if I want to get her the hell out of this city, I need to do whatever I have to do... even give up my freedom.” He stared at the legal pad in Jensen’s hand before looking up. “I’d rather make this deal with you... unless something I did wrong last night makes you doubt my ability to please you for a year. I can do better, Jensen. I won’t be perfect since I admit, I have an attitude, and having to do this, even for Molly, grates on my last nerve, but I have to face reality. Even working two jobs... hell, even if I could manage to work five jobs, I’ll never be able to afford the kind of school she deserves to go to. She got a letter of interest just a week before all this happened, so she’s going to get into someplace awesome. I’d rather sell myself, body and soul, to you for... whatever you dream up, than let her down like Dad has so many times.

“You ask me what I want to put on that paper? You ask about things that I won’t do or would rather you not do to me other than asking me to wear a collar or anything leather?” Jared bit his lip, not wanting to ruin his chances of having his offer accepted but also not wanting a repeat of last night. “Can I suggest a day’s break between... times... if you leave more than just a few bruises?” he asked tightly. He saw Jensen’s eyes drop to his bandaged wrists and swore he saw a flash of something like guilt on the man’s face. “I also want a way out in case you ever lose it again. I’m not asking for a safeword or anything, I’m not sure that would have helped last night anyway, but I want a way to call either Chad or Chris in case you lose it and aren’t yourself because that, last night, was not you. Or maybe it was and I just let myself be fooled by how you’ve been the last two months but…”

“No, that side never should’ve come out with you or anyone. I…I let my emotions and crap that had nothing to do with you get in the way, so when you said that one thing, I just snapped at you.” Jensen’s tone was tight but he stayed seated, jotting notes on the paper. “If I agree to this then you and I will have to sit down and actually have a long talk because staying a full year... or more if I include a provision to extend your contract if it suits me, then you’ll need to know things about me to understand why I am the way I am at times.”

“Oh, the Sybill thing has a better excuse than you just being nuts?” Jared asked then groaned as sharp green eyes shot to his. “Sorry. I will try to work on the sarcasm, but it’s hard. It’s... ” He paused, not wanting to say too much until he was sure Jensen would go for his offer. “Okay – you want to negotiate? How about I give you an extra three months if you take that one thing out of the playroom? And can we talk about the size of gags... at least until I get used to them?”

Jensen had been taking notes for things to be put into the official papers, but he nearly dropped the pen, lifting his head to look at Jared. “So, it looks like only two months with a gambler has started teaching you things.” He ran his tongue over his teeth to keep from smiling as he sat back in the chair to tap the pen on the paper. “You think you’re ready to try to barter with me though, kiddo?”

“Maybe not, but you didn’t seem to want to take my offer as is, so I guess I can give it a shot,” Jared shrugged. “Besides, how much worse off could I be trying to barter with you?”

“Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea,” Jensen chuckled, settling back in his seat after tearing off a sheet of paper and motioning to the desk. “Grab a pen and write out a list of wants and don’t wants and I’ll do the same. Then we’ll go through them and see what I’m willing to give you in exchange for things on my list.”

As Jared moved to do as he was told, Jensen let himself smile. The deal was a given. He’d known that even before he stepped into the office, but Jared’s sudden desire to try to barter with him pulled at both the gambler and businessman in him, so he’d draw the process out. He found that he liked the way Jared chewed his lip while concentrating and how those long fingers ran through his hair. He decided this would be an interesting negotiation, to say the least.

Almost three hours later found Chris Kane stalking the hallway and muttering about stubborn morons who were both determined to either drive him to drink or become a hermit in the desert.

“What the hell’s up?” Chad’s voice demanded as he came up to the penthouse because he couldn’t stand the anxiety of not knowing what was happening upstairs any longer. “It’s been hours. Has Jensen decided to take the kid up on whatever crazy scheme he came up with? Or have they killed each other and you’re trying to figure out a way to dispose of the bodies?”

Turning, Chris jerked a thumb at the still-closed office door. “Take a look but keep your mouth shut or Jensen will growl. I’m not sure if I should find that scene cute or... scary.”

Frowning, Chad silently eased the office door open enough to peek in. He had dire expectations of what he’d see given how temperamental he’d seen the two men in question be towards one another. He was especially worried now considering Jared’s wounds and Jensen’s lack of real sleep, so when he opened the door he expected to hear sharp voices, insults, probably a few threats, or even some objects from the desk being hurled. What he actually saw was enough to have his eyes bugging out.

The first surprise came when he saw Jared sitting behind the large wooden desk. In all the time that Chad had been working there, he’d never seen Jensen allow anyone behind his desk much less in his chair. Then he realized where Jensen was and knew for certain something was seriously off.

Jensen was leaning over the desk as he stood beside Jared using a pen to point to things on pieces of paper. His hair was sticking up as if he had been running his fingers through it. Chad had seldom seen his employer with a hair out of place, especially when discussing business.

“No. No way. If I give that up then you’ve got to give something else up too.” He pointed to an item on the list near Jared’s hand. “That!”

“Aww, c’mon!” Jared shot a disbelieving look beside him. “You’d make me give up healthy food just to get that fucking machine removed from play? Y’know a few more Brussel sprouts wouldn’t kill you.”

“I’d choke to death then kill you before putting one of those things in my mouth, Jared.” Jensen made a sour face while leaning on his elbow to tap the paper. “Give ‘em up or I keep the machine.”

Jared chewed his lip, unaware of how Jensen groaned softly whenever he did that. “How about I give ‘em up for six months and I agree to try that sound thing you were mumbling about in exchange for nine months without the fucking machine?” He lifted his eyes to offer a slow smile. “If I have to have a dildo of any shape or size shoved in my ass, I’d rather it was by your hand than some stupid machine.”

“Fuck,” Jensen moaned and scratched the fucking machine off his list while writing something on Jared’s list that would keep the foul green things off the menu for six months and he made a note on his own list to explore sounds more. “Fine but I’m not budging on this one. I get the final say in all the clothes you wear when we’re out and nothing sparkly anymore.”

“Hey! Don’t blame that on me! Go talk to that guy you swear is a tailor. He’s the one who keeps sending that stuff up,” Jared snorted, leaning over more to eye Jensen’s list before looking back at his to point at something. “I want this and it won’t kill you to give in on it.”

“No, but it might kill my image,” Jensen muttered as he stared at the request for at least one night a week and one weekend a month when Jensen would put all casino business aside and relax with Jared, either playing real recreational games or watching movies.

He thought about arguing or bartering to get Jared to agree to explore something else sexually, but then the thought of having that hard body hopefully leaning into his on the couch watching movies, sappy ones if he judged this boy right, made him change his mind so with a mock forced breath, he gave in to that demand.

“Anything else right now? We can put in a cause and effect clause that allows one or both of us to ask for something to be added or removed as we see fit.” He found himself fighting back the urge to take that well-chewed-on bottom lip into his own mouth to just suck on it. Standing this close to Jared as they bartered back and forth was driving him crazy and the negotiations had taken a lot longer than Jensen expected.

At first, he had been really just humoring Jared, curious to see what he might come up with once he’d finally gotten the kid to actually speak up for himself regarding the things he did or didn’t want to do during this deal. Within the first 20 minutes, however, Jensen had to admit that he might have underestimated Jared’s ability to negotiate.

Jared was smarter than he either realized or let on. He was also stubborn and tended to dig his heels in much like Jensen would when he really wanted something or didn’t want something in the case of the first time he stood his ground about something in the playroom.

“You won’t ever leave me chained up or cuffed all night on the bed or the low bench... and if I do something wrong and you think I need to be punished, it can’t involve anything public or leaving me in small places or the dark.” Jared had bitten his lip uneasily at the last one and Jensen recalled the kid’s reaction to being left in the dark the first night in the playroom.

“Agreed,” he’d murmured, longing to brush back the unruly dark hair that kept falling into tired eyes, but he suspected that his touch wouldn’t be accepted this soon, so he held off. “I’ve already told you that I don’t do the public thing so that’s never going to be an issue, sweetheart.”

Jared studied the lists, which looked surprisingly even considering all the give and take that had been going on. He also considered the pet name that Jensen had just used; normally he hated them and wondered if he should ban them as part of the deal. He thought back over the past two months, remembering the few names Jensen had used and also how Chad and Chris often affectionately called him, “Kiddo.” He decided that he honestly didn’t mind them... so long as it was only Jensen or his close friends using them and that’s what he said to the man in question.

“You... you just called me ‘sweetheart’ for the second time... and Chris and Chad, they call me kiddo all the time.” Jensen started to look concerned, so Jared quickly finished his thought. “…I really don’t mind... with them, I get that I’m younger than all of you and I probably look even younger... and I kind of like it when you call me sweetheart. But... only you and them. Nobody else. Okay?” He looked up and was surprised to see Jensen nodding.

Jensen let it go unsaid that he’d make damn certain no one else called Jared anything but his name. He’d already accepted that for this deal to work for the period Jared had chosen, he was going to have to let the kid have a lot more freedom than he had been, and that would mean officially coming out of the proverbial closet to his staff.

“Anything else right now?” he asked and could tell by the sudden nervousness setting in that there was and he thought he knew what that was. “Jared, I know you want to call and speak to Molly. I won’t stop you but could you go with the original idea that you’re working out of state? Just until I get the ball moving on getting your Dad’s legal hold loosened?” Jensen knelt now so he could look up into Jared’s face as he tried to explain his reasoning. “As long as your Dad thinks everything is still the same, you’re here paying off his debt, he’ll pay attention to the warning he’s been given to leave Molly alone, leave her with your friend. If you tell her anything different, she might feel like she has to tell him, and then he’ll know something’s up. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

Jared did. He hated it, but he really did understand. Molly was young and naïve; she still loved their father because thanks to Jared’s hard work, she didn’t really understand the things he had done. If he told her anything about what was going on with him, she would probably tell their Dad and then he might find a way to take her or do something to make it harder to pull off what would already be a tricky act.

“Can I still call her sometimes just to see how she is?” he asked quietly, placing the pen down as a way to say he was satisfied with the lists as they were, and any further decisions were in Jensen’s hands. “I promise I won’t tell her where I am or anything like that.”

“Yeah, Jared, you can even call her right now if you want.” Jensen saw the surprise that crossed the battered and still pale face but then it turned into a slow, hesitant smile. “You can use this phone if you want. I’ll give you some privacy while I take these papers out to the assholes in the hall. Chris can run them to my attorney who will draw up papers, and if you still agree to it all once it’s all in writing, you can sign it.” He gathered up the papers and scattered notes before placing his telephone in front of the obviously wary Jared. “I really fucked up last night didn’t I?” He reached out a slow and cautious hand to carefully run a finger down a bruised cheek. “I’ll make it up to you, I swear. Now, call your sister. I’ll be out front when you’re finished.”

Jared started to reach for the phone only to pause, looking up. “Jensen?” he called out just as Jensen had reached the door. The older man turned to look back at him. “Thanks for... considering this. I’ll try not to be such a pain in the ass.”

“Oh, I’m sure you and I will still be butting heads plenty.” Jensen knew that because he’d been hiding from his emotions, from his real self for years, so relaxing and letting someone in, much less maybe trying to learn to truly care for someone wasn’t going to be easy. “Make your call. I have two bodyguards to kick out of my place. Hey! Do I pay you two to eavesdrop?” he demanded gruffly as he left the room, giving Jared privacy to make his call.

Chad had scrambled away from the door, but it was clear that Jensen had known he was there, so he didn’t bother to go far as his boss held out a handful of papers to Chris with orders to have Jeff draw something up and null the previous contract.

“Then tomorrow we’re going to have to sit down and figure out a few things, like who owes me favors at the state and county level and who can help us get Padalecki’s legal rights to his daughter severed. I’d rather do that than resort to flat-out bribing the bastard with money.” Jensen headed for the living room to fall onto the sofa, aware of the dark stares he was getting. “What? Jared wants financial and legal help to free his sister so he can send her to dance school somewhere and I get Jared for... I think we finally settled on two years.”

Chad’s mouth started to open, but before he could let loose with a string of foul words and insults about how much of a bastard Jensen was to use the kid even after what he’d already done to him, even using his love for his sister to do it, a hard hand grabbed his neck and squeezed.

“Was this his idea or yours?” Chris asked while trying to control Chad and look over the paperwork in his hand. He could see that while it might look bad for Jared at first glance, it seemed like Jensen had actually managed to give the kid a lot more than he had originally asked for. Now if it just worked out like this, he might keep his sanity but he had his doubts.

“He was mostly concerned with getting Molly out. He kept saying he’d given his dreams up a long time ago and he would rather sell his life and soul to me than anyone else.” Jensen hadn’t cared for the quiet, fatalistic viewpoint the boy seemed to have and he secretly planned a few surprises for Jared along the way; surprises that would include finding out just how smart the kid really was and what he might be good at besides annoying the hell out of him. “I know I have to change. I know what I want out of this deal, and I know it won’t be easy on any of us but... I promise... you have my word that I won’t let what happened last night happen again and... Chris? Schedule a full staff meeting for Monday as well. I’ll do this after that stupid party.”

Chris was making mental notes about everything he needed to do and how many steps ahead of Jensen he’d need to stay to make this crazy deal work when he suddenly frowned. “You hate little staff meetings, boss. Why the hell would you want a full one?” He was suddenly more than a little worried as Jensen sat up to offer a smirk that the casino owner didn’t often use; that smirk was reserved for the wild gambler that Jensen used to be... the one who would do things before Chris could talk him out of them. “Jensen…”

“What? You told me I needed to be more honest.” He stood up to head for the kitchen to find food and coffee before going to check on Jared, looking back with a smile. “What’s more honest than telling the staff that I’m gay and Jared’s moving in as my lover?”

As Chris stood there unmoving in actual surprise, Chad finally was able to pull free. He shook himself to straighten his jacket and then stared at Jensen’s back. “Holy shit. This can’t be good.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirteen

The worry of what would happen at Monday’s meeting was only one of the stresses that Jensen Ackles’ bodyguards and the man himself would have to deal with over the next few days.

The rest of that first day was spent having the new contract drawn up with all the little side things that Jensen had added. He decided not to go down to the casino office that day so he could stay close like he told Jared he would, letting Chris deal with the lawyer.

Jared ended up talking to his sister for over two hours. He was careful to sidestep her questions about where he was working, what he was doing, and when he’d be back. Instead, he just kept encouraging her to work hard in school, keep up her dance classes, and help Gen around her house.

He was somewhat disturbed to learn that their father had been calling her recently, asking her to skip classes and have lunch with him. Fortunately, Molly knew what was important and had refused his requests; eventually, Gen had found out about the calls and had made a call of her own. After that, their father’s calls had stopped which made Jared wonder who Gen had called and why their father was showing a sudden interest in Molly.

By the time he disconnected, he felt a little better to have talked to her, but he was worried as well. He hoped Jensen kept his word about helping him get her away from their father permanently because he feared what their father had been doing in the two months that he’d been at the casino.

He stepped out of the office after making certain the desk was straightened up again. Jared was pretty hungry since he’d only picked at breakfast and he and Jensen had worked right through lunch. He figured he’d go see what might be in the kitchen for a snack, but then he smelled something that instantly had his mouth watering and his already growling stomach getting louder as he hunted down the smell.

“I cook delicious meals and this... this is what you have brought into my kitchen?” Marta was standing by the stove tapping a large butcher knife against the palm of her hand while glaring at the huge cardboard box sitting on the counter. “This is what you plan to feed that boy tonight?”

“I thought you’d like a night off for once.” Jensen wasn’t sure what made him suddenly decide to have Chad go get pizza from a place on the Strip. After all, it had been a long time since Jensen had wanted fast food or anything that wasn’t cooked by Marta or a chef at the casino.

He’d been accepting Samantha’s lecture on his behavior over the phone after he’d called her to ask her if she thought she might be able to give him some etiquette tips to help smooth Jared’s nerves about going to that party when he just suddenly had the craving for pizza. He hoped Jared liked pizza since they never did talk about the kid’s likes, only what he was allergic to.

Now he was remembering why he didn’t piss off his cook because Marta might be small, but she had a wicked temper and was very territorial over her domain. He was in the process of trying to soothe her ruffled feathers and keep her from stabbing either him or the pizza when he looked over to see Jared in the door sniffing the air.

“Please tell me you like pizza before she goes off on another rant about how you’ll starve tonight without a full meal.” Jensen hoped he hadn’t made another mistake, but then he caught the first sight of a small but actual smile as Jared’s eyes went to the box a moment before he did.

“What kind?” he asked, fingers itching to flip open the box lid, but he held off as he took an even deeper sniff to try to guess. “Pepperoni and cheese?”

“Yeah.” Jensen took his eyes off the no longer muttering cook to watch Jared’s face as he opened the box to reveal steaming hot, gooey with cheese and sauce, pizza. “I wasn’t certain what toppings you liked, so I just went with something basic this time and now I just really hope that you actually like pizza, or else Marta will probably gut me. Do you like it?”

Jared’s response to that was to reach into the open box to grab a slice, ignoring the heat and the cheese that pulled up as he bent it slightly to take a huge bite even though he knew it would burn the roof of his mouth. “Oh my God,” he groaned at the first bite, relishing the taste despite the heat. “This is so good. It’s been so long since I’ve had pizza that I almost forgot what it tasted like and as long as you never order any with fish stuff or covered in onions, I think we’re good. Can I have another slice?”

“You don’t have to ask, Jared. You can eat as much as you want of anything here,” Jensen had thought he’d gotten that through to the younger man, but then he reminded himself that it would take him some time to regain a lot of the trust he’d lost. “Just maybe let it cool down some so I won’t be asking Sam to treat third-degree mouth burns?”

“But that’s the best part of fresh pizza,” Jared argued while finishing his slice and going immediately for another one, accepting a napkin from Marta who finally gave both young men a smile much like she would her own children when accepting she’d lost a battle. “The heat, the gooey cheese that drips down your fingers and mouth along with the sauce and... umm…” He broke off suddenly to swallow, trying not to think too much about the image that just popped into his head.

Jensen’s gaze moved to Jared’s mouth as if he was also having the same image. He had to force himself to look away before he decided to see what that pizza tasted like if he kissed Jared right that moment. “Marta, breakfast is still scheduled unless you think I should just feed him cold pizza.” He grinned at the sharp response that got him as the woman left with orders to not mess her kitchen up too badly. “It’s my damn place. If I want to leave a dish in the sink I will,” he muttered under his breath but then offered a smile to reassure Jared he wasn’t serious or angry. “Grab the box while I hunt for plates and something to drink.”

Usually, they ate in the dining room even though the kitchen had a small nook with a table and chairs and an awesome view of Vegas. “Can we eat in here?” Jared decided to ask.

“Sure, that’s fine.” Jensen had noticed Jared was more at ease in the kitchen and other settings that were more relaxed, without things that could easily break. He grabbed a can of soda, which he’d told the staff to start stocking for Jared, a bottle of water for himself, and a couple of plates before joining Jared at the table. He noticed the young man was switching his attention between the pizza and the view outside. “So…”

It was rare for Jensen to find himself at a loss of words or unsure what to say, but this was also one of the first times in years that he was actually trying to have a conversation with someone without his many shields or his act of cold indifference in place.

He wanted to ask Jared so much. He wanted to ask him how he was feeling, or if he needed anything for pain, or if he already regretted making the deal, but he didn’t want to risk making the young man uncomfortable. He found that he was really enjoying just sitting at the small table eating pizza, and he once again regretted his decision to take Jared to a fancy restaurant last night. He also enjoyed watching Jared’s face as he ate food that he clearly enjoyed; Jensen knew that he needed to find out what other foods might bring such pleasure to his face.

“So I take it Misha’s going to be coming around since that party you mentioned is this weekend?” Jared decided that was a safe topic as he’d sensed a certain uneasiness in Jensen now and wasn’t certain why. “I think Chad said something at breakfast about a purple sequined tuxedo or... Jensen?”

Jensen almost choked to death on a bite of hot but oh so delicious pizza when he heard this and the wrong image came into his head as he coughed. Grabbing for his water, he felt a strong hand hit him on the back a couple of times until he waved Jared back into his seat.

“I am so going through that closet to remove anything with sequins that he might’ve snuck in and you were too polite to refuse. And if he charged me for them, he’ll be giving me the damn tuxedo for free,” he growled, swearing to hurt that tailor or start looking for a new one since he clearly wasn’t getting his point across to the man.

“It didn’t seem right for me to refuse anything he sent up even though some of the stuff is just too…” Jared paused, trying to find a good word but finally resorting to a helpless wave of his hand that he hoped made sense to Jensen.

“I’ll take care of it.” Jensen got the message and would be delivering his own soon. “Maybe you should be the one to go through your closet. Anything you don’t like or know you won’t wear or is in a color you don’t like, just set it to the side and I’ll have Chris handle it... or I will when he does show his face to fit you for a tuxedo since Pellegrino, the bastard, made this a black-tie deal.”

Jared hated having to dress up, and he was also a little worried about this party, but he would try to trust Jensen’s assurance that it wouldn’t be anything too bad. “Is there a book or an app to teach me proper manners in a few days?” he asked while debating another slice of pizza.

“No, but Samantha can give you a crash course on a few things.” Jensen finished his second slice while nudging the box to encourage Jared to have more. “You won’t be expected to have enlightened discussions or get into long-winded talks about anything. In fact, if you don’t want to say anything to anyone except a greeting, I won’t be offended. They’ll be lucky if I say more than that.”

“If you don’t want to go and you don’t like the other people or even the man hosting it, then why go?” Jared asked curiously, finally having enough pizza for the moment.

“Business is like politics,” Jensen shrugged, standing to look for a container since he knew that if he just shoved the box into the refrigerator, he’d get a harsh lecture from Marta. “Sometimes you have to do crap you don’t like to keep things running smoothly. I don’t like socializing with people as you might’ve guessed since I’m not good at it. I also don’t like people in general because I learned early on that most of them lie. You also might’ve guessed I’m not the friendliest type, so it’s hard for me to go to these things and just smile and try to butter up the new investors. Part of me feels that if they’re investing in one casino, especially one like Pellegrino’s, then I don’t want them investing in mine.”

Jared leaned back in the chair with a little furrow on his forehead. “Why would investors want to invest in multiple casinos?” he asked in confusion. “Wouldn’t that be counterproductive for them seeing as how the casinos would compete with one another?”

“Exactly what I say!” Jensen exclaimed, thrilled that finally, someone seemed to see his point. He then stopped to turn and look at Jared, a little surprised at how quickly he’d come to that conclusion when even Jensen’s business advisors couldn’t seem to get that point pounded into their thick skulls. “How do you know so much about business? I thought you only finished high school. Did you actually take some college business classes?” He once again kicked himself for not learning more about this kid who continued to surprise him.

“Huh? What? Me? Oh, no!” Jared seemed shocked by the question, eyes going wide at the thought of anyone thinking he knew anything about business. “I like math and numbers and all, but it’s more like a hobby,” he admitted, giving a slight shrug. “I knew by junior high that I’d never go to college despite my grades. By high school, I was working two jobs constantly, on top of keeping up with school. So, no, no business classes here. What you said just seemed like common sense to me.”

“I wish my business advisors would see it that way,” Jensen muttered, thinking to himself that he wished his damn father saw it that way as well, but he decided to leave that topic alone for now. “But until they do, I have to attend parties I don’t like, or even worse, host a couple... those are really not fun. Ask Chris or Chad since I make them attend those.”

“I’m your bodyguard. I attend everything you do anyway including the shindig coming up this weekend,” Chris Kane remarked with a roll of his eyes as he entered the kitchen with an envelope in his hand. “Your lawyer tactfully wanted me to tell you to learn to write your notes out because he can’t understand chicken scratch. He also thinks you’re insane but to sign this, have him sign it, and he’ll make everything official in the morning.” He tossed the envelope at Jensen before opening the refrigerator for a beer. “I also put out a couple of calls on that other thing. As soon as I hear back, you’ll know it.”

Jensen nodded his thanks while taking the contract out and eying it closely to be sure that everything he’d wanted was included as well as the things Jared had agreed to. He smiled at a few additions he’d asked for, hoping the kid wouldn’t argue over them since they were all in his favor.

“Do you want to read it over or do you want me to get Chad to come up and translate for you? I swear lawyers get paid so much because they don’t work in English.” Jensen had learned young how to read a contract; his father had him doing it before he was 12. He knew most people, however, couldn’t decipher legal speak very well. He wanted to be sure Jared understood what he was signing even though it was basically what they agreed upon, only in larger words.

Jared took the crisp white pages after wiping pizza grease from his fingers and looked them over as best as he could. He recognized most of what they’d talked about in the office which pleased him. He saw the parts that involved Molly were also in there, and there were even a couple of additions he hadn’t asked for, including giving his little sister a monthly allowance on top of her expenses and any tuition payments.

As he read further, Jared’s throat tightened and he paused to reread a couple of spots to be sure he understood them correctly. “You added this?” He pointed to the one clause that Jensen had hoped would go overlooked for the time being. “And this other stuff? Why? I told you that this wasn’t about me. That I just…”

“I know you said you were only interested in having Molly taken care of, and she will be, but the way I see it, if you actually survive these two years without killing me, then you should come out of it with something.” Jensen slowly moved closer to where Jared stood at the long marble island in the center of the kitchen. “We can discuss that later on, but you’ve said a few times that you gave up your dreams, of going to college and stuff, so maybe this is a way for you to take a few of those dreams back.”

Jared dropped his eyes to avoid allowing the other man to see the sudden wetness that was welling up. He didn’t understand Jensen at times and that scared him more than his temper last night had. He wasn’t used to anyone thinking of him or wanting to give him something even though Jared knew that whatever Jensen gave would have been earned by the time the contract was over. With shaking fingers, he reached for the pen on the counter to sign his name, still feeling a lump in his stomach at what would come next for him. He told himself again that as long as his sister would have a shot at a good life, he’d accept whatever he had to.

“I guess I should’ve asked before signing, but when does this take effect?” he asked quietly, placing the pen back on the counter. He was painfully aware of the rawness in and around his ass as well as the welts and bruises on his back. He was also suddenly tired and guessed it was because the deal was finally in place and he knew Molly would be safe, but he wasn’t certain what Jensen would want from him that night. “I mean, not that I’m trying to get out of anything or cheat you out of using me for anything or whatever but…”

Jensen heard Chris choke on his beer as Jared spoke. He hadn’t planned to do anything with the young man that night because he knew he’d still be sore and bruised, but he guessed he should’ve mentioned that to Jared earlier.

“I think Chris has a few things for me to take care of in the office up here since the next few days are probably going to be crazy so while I take care of that stuff, why don’t you go take a shower or a bath and just relax.” Jensen felt his friend’s eyes hit him because there was no business to take of, but he wasn’t prepared to just admit to Jared that he was feeling too guilty to actually touch him yet. He also wanted to give the boy a chance to try to really relax. “Go explore your new room; I don’t think you’ve really had time to do that yet. Maybe you can get all the sequin stuff out of that closet before I do. I’ll come find you after I get this stuff taken care of, okay?”

Jared nodded gratefully and left the kitchen with a careful nod to Chris, unsure if he should be happy or a little upset that Jensen was busy.

Stepping into the new bedroom, Jared paused to look around. Jensen was right; he hadn’t had much of a chance to check things out before. He saw that while it was a little smaller than the master bedroom, it was huge compared to the one he had before. The bed was large and the frame was made of heavy dark wood with four posts that matched the two dressers and nightstands. Looking at the dresser, Jared blinked when he saw his cell phone lying there, but he left it alone to continue looking around the room.

The walls had several fancy old paintings that he was certain whoever Jensen had paid to design the room had hung. The floors were covered in the same plush carpet as the rest of the penthouse. He was pleasantly surprised to see a small sitting area across the room with a loveseat, a reclining chair, and a fireplace with a large flat-screen TV mounted above it.

Jared was torn between checking out the contents of the closet or actually taking the chance to soak in a tub since he wasn’t sure how long Jensen would be. When he stretched his sore back muscles, the thought of hot water won out.

The bathroom that was attached to his new room had him blinking in disbelief. It was large and all marble with a huge sunken tub and a roomy shower stall with multiple showerheads, one of which pulled off on a hose. The sink made him wonder how it was suspended since the bowl seemed to be floating out of the wall. As he looked in the mirror over the sink, Jared cringed and wondered if he really looked as bad as he thought he did.

He rarely took baths since he was usually in a hurry, but tonight Jared decided to soak, hoping the hot water and the whirlpool jets would help soothe his sore muscles.

Starting to fill the tub with hot water, he paused to sniff the numerous bottles beside it. He gave a quick look over his shoulder before pouring a dollop from one of the bottles into the tub and really hoping that Jensen didn’t catch him soaking in bubbles. Jared had a sudden thought and made a note to ask Jensen if his penthouse had cameras in it.

Stripping out of his loose clothes, he stepped carefully into the tub and adjusted the flow of hot water before lowering himself down, not bothering to mask the sound of pleasure at being able to stretch his long legs out in the tub and just lean back and relax for a few minutes.

Jared closed his eyes since they were also sore, hoping he didn’t fall asleep and accidentally drown himself. He couldn’t help but wonder what Jensen was doing right then and what he would want to do later.

“What the hell are you doing?” Chris was demanding as he followed his friend to his office after Jensen signed the contract and handed it back to him. “You don’t have anything to do unless it’s to tell me just what’s going on that has you worried. Or if you know what the hell you’re doing with him.”

Jensen bypassed his desk to go over and stretch out on the sofa in his office, wondering why none of his damn furniture was comfortable and vowing to fix that one day. “I wanted to let him have time alone to think or just soak in a tub, so I used work as an excuse to leave him alone. I couldn’t admit that I’m scared to touch him yet,” he replied, then sighed. “As for the rest? I’ll tell you about that after the party. I need to focus on Jared and making it through this nightmare with Pellegrino before facing the crap mess I have made of everything, hopefully before my father makes an appearance.”

“Y’know your folks won’t be thrilled if you admit you’re gay publicly,” Chris remarked, leaning on the chair beside the sofa. He didn’t bother to sit since while Jensen didn’t have anything to do, he actually had several things to do in order to make sure Jensen could remain undisturbed. “You know the old saying... live a lie for business while keeping your toys in private.”

“Yeah, and it’s partially because of that life lesson that I flipped out on an innocent kid last night and hurt him.” Jensen shook his head while pushing to sit up, tired but too wired and on edge with guilt and nerves to want to sleep. “And I know what you’re going to say. I’ll tell Jared more about me, my life, and all that fun stuff after I convince him that I’m not going to jump him again or beat him senseless.”

Chris could have lectured Jensen on that topic, but he knew in the end, it wasn’t his place so he merely grunted, took the envelope, and started to turn for the door. “I’ll have Misha ready for whenever you want him tomorrow,” he said instead, pausing at the office door to look back. “Y’know despite what you think right now, you are not like your father, Jensen. You never will be because he never would do what you’re doing for Jared and his sister without taking a lot more of a price outta that kid than you are. Get some sleep.”

Jensen merely nodded. He listened for the sound of the elevator to tell him he was alone in the penthouse with Jared. He stayed still for a little while longer before finally deciding to go see if Jared had followed his suggestion to take a hot bath or shower or if he’d decided to clear out his closet. Either way, he hoped the boy was relaxed and maybe wanted to just talk for a little while.

Walking past the old bedroom had Jensen pausing with his hand on the knob, but he knew he wasn’t ready to enter that room or the playroom yet. He would have Chris remove the items he’d promised Jared he would and then he’d see about a slight remodeling of the room itself. When he’d originally conceived of the idea for a playroom, the plans had been hastily thrown together, designed to be terrifying and intimidating. Now he wanted something different.

Pausing by the door of Jared’s new room, he took a breath before knocking; something he’d never done before, but felt he needed to do after last night. Waiting a couple of seconds for an answer and receiving none, Jensen frowned. He thought about leaving the boy alone but then worried that something might be wrong since he had yet to see Jared’s actual injuries for himself. He quietly turned the knob, knowing it would open because it didn’t have a lock. He decided to have to have a locksmith come up and put an actual lock on the door so Jared would have that security if he ever wanted it.

Stepping into the room, Jensen stopped where he was when his eyes landed on the bed, unaware of how his lips curved into a slow soft smile at what he saw.

Jared must have opted for a bath since he could see a damp towel on the floor beside the bed, but he noticed that the bathroom had been wiped down and showed no sign of having been used. He recalled Chad mentioning to him how Jared had always cleaned the other one after he’d showered and how the housekeeping staff loved how Jared picked up after himself.

Stepping closer, Jensen noticed that Jared had pulled on a pair of sleep shorts that were loose enough not to hurt the still angry-looking welts that littered his legs and, he thought with a frown, his ass as well. He hated himself even more as he studied the ones that were visible on Jared’s back and shoulders. It would take days for those marks to fade.

Jared had lied down on his stomach in only his sleep shorts with one arm tucked under the pillow and his other arm outstretched on the bed. As he watched the boy who was sprawled bonelessly in the center of the much larger bed, Jensen had to wonder how the hell he’d gotten any sleep in the other bed, which was probably half the size of this one.

He heard a soft murmur that had him looking down before kneeling beside the bed and slowly, carefully brushing his fingertips over a bruise on Jared’s face. “I’m so sorry I hurt you, Jared. I did things to you that I swore I never would... losing that much control is one thing I never wanted to do... I’m going to try to change because I refuse to let my family make me into someone I’m not.” He whispered his words into the silent bedroom while letting his eyes settle on the sleeping young man. He loved how innocent Jared looked while he slept, the boyish face almost at peace despite the pain he had to be in. “I know the next few months won’t be easy as I try to stop playing the part that I have for so long but I promise I will never hurt you like this again.”

Wanting to let Jared sleep, Jensen stood but leaned closer to let a whisper-soft kiss, something he had never thought of doing with anyone but this boy, brush over Jared’s temple. “Sleep, Jay,” he murmured, unaware that he’d once again used a nickname for Jared as he eased out of the room and shut the door. He leaned against it for a long moment to settle his suddenly beating heart as he had a startling and somewhat terrifying thought. “I’m falling in love with him. God help us both.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Fourteen

Misha Collins enjoyed flair. He enjoyed life. He enjoyed colors; the brighter and bolder the better was his creed for life. It was also how he operated his boutique on the main floor of The Open Road Casino.

From the moment his doors opened, his unique fashion style was a hit with both tourists and regulars who lived in Las Vegas. His high fashion, bold outfits were a hit on the Strip. He sold and tailored for anyone who could afford his prices, but he had his favorite clients, the ones that he would drop everything for, leaving his boutique in the hands of his workers to make an appearance to handle the styling and tailoring personally.

One such favorite client was the casino’s rather grumpy and stiff owner, and now his new plus one had topped Misha’s list as well. Misha was thrilled that the drop-dead gorgeous hunk seemed to be a permanent fixture in Jensen’s penthouse.

Misha wasn’t blind or dumb. He suspected there was a slightly unsavory reason as to why Jared had shown up originally, but he felt a slight change in the air when he lugged his huge rolling cart out of the elevator one morning after being summoned by Chris Kane.

“So what color tuxedo do we want to dress your boy in on this fine day?” he asked cheerfully only to be stopped in his tracks when he was hit square in the face with a sequined purple shirt. “I take it you disagree with a few of my choices, Jensen?” he asked dryly while in truth he had been wondering how long it would take the casino owner to see some of his picks since he’d known Jared was too polite to refuse them.

“That’s a mild understatement,” Jensen Ackles replied from where he was sitting, flipping a hand to the box of wildly colored clothes that he’d pulled out of drawers and off hangers that morning while Jared blushed at a couple of things that he hadn’t wanted him to see. “If you charged me for this stuff, either take it off the price of the tuxedo or replace the items with things of Jared’s choosing... of his choosing Misha, not yours.”

Misha made a point of fussing over the man’s lack of style and hate for color, but even as he was doing this, he was setting his stuff up to do the fitting as he knew Jared would need a tuxedo. After all, the party at The Devil’s Lair casino that weekend was all the talk in his shop lately.

“How fitted do you want the tuxedo to be?” he asked curiously as Jared rolled his eyes as the always-despised tape measure was pulled out. “You know the drill, hot stuff. Strip to your drawers... unless you’re wearing those bikini briefs... then please God give me a moment to get my heart going again.”

“Misha…” Jensen’s voice was low, warning as he saw the way Jared pulled back slightly. “Back off.”

Jared was hesitant to remove his shirt but did so slowly. He missed the flash of pain and guilt that crossed Jensen’s face as he moved to slip out of the lounge pants that he’d put on since he knew the tailor was coming to fit him that day. He missed Jensen’s expression but he didn’t miss the one that hit Misha.

“What the goddamn fuck happened to him?” Misha demanded, dropping the tape measure and the light and flirty words that had been on his tongue the second he looked up and caught a glance of Jared’s back. He stood up quickly, catching the sudden nervousness on Jared’s face as if worried he was in trouble, but it was Jensen’s face as well as the way he responded to Jared that made the tailor pause.

“He’s not angry with you, Jared. He’s angry with me,” Jensen soothed after he shot to his feet the second the younger man tensed at the sharp tone used. He stepped closer to the young man but refrained from touching the tight arm like he wanted to. “You take the tone down when you’re around him. You can go into my office if you want to scream at me for the mistakes I made the other night. Other than that, it’s Jared who I have to apologize to. It’s Jared who I have to work to get to trust me again. Not you. Now you can fit him for a tuxedo or you can judge me for the bastard I am.”

“Or I can do both which I will,” Misha snorted, giving Jensen another long look before shooting an uneasy Jared a wink and a smile. “So again, what color are we talking about here?”

Jared’s lips curved a little once he saw that Jensen and the tailor weren’t going to get into a fight like he thought they might. He was surprised to find himself actually relaxing a little once Jensen moved to stand closer to him. Something also made him curious as he replayed Jensen’s words about regaining trust in him.

“Black,” he finally murmured when he realized both men were waiting on him to reply, quickly adding, “Plain black too. No sparkles or sequins or anything crazy. Just plain black like a tuxedo should be.”

“You guys are so boring,” Misha grumbled but reached for his tape measure and one of the outfits he’d brought with him. “Try these on and we’ll work our way to the jacket.”

Jensen sat on the back of the sofa while Jared was fitted for the tuxedo pants. He kept his mouth shut for the most part except for a couple of warning coughs. “Fit him like you would me,” he finally said when he saw what was happening. “I’m not showing him off; I want the pants to fit correctly, not too tight and not too loose.”

“Translation: you don’t want Pellegrino or anyone else there looking at his adorable ass.” Misha nodded smartly and adjusted a couple of lines before reaching for the pins. “Hold still or this might pinch a lot.”

Jared tried not to squirm but it was hard. It seemed to take even longer than before to be fitted and he wasn’t sure if Misha was going more slowly because it was a tuxedo or if the tailor wanted to see how long it would take for Jensen to snap on him. He rolled his eyes at every little flirtatious comment sent his way as they finally got to the jacket part.

“What’s this thing and why do I have to wear it?” Jared asked suddenly as Misha was securing something around his waist so he could fit the jacket properly. “It looks like a giant fanny pack without zippers.”

Jensen snorted and wasn’t fast enough to hide his laugh as Misha’s eyes grew like saucers at Jared’s opinion of the cummerbund. “I usually call it something else when I have to wear one,” he admitted, stepping closer to adjust the jacket to the way he wanted it to sit on wide shoulders. “There. Make it fit like this and have it done by Saturday morning... better yet, by tomorrow night,” he instructed the tailor as the elevator opened to allow Samantha Smith to enter. “Well, if you thought the last few hours were painful, this is going to be pure torture,” he said with a smile to the woman and a wink over his shoulder.

“Oh, I’m making you sit in on this little lesson of etiquette and proper manners too, Jensen,” the hotel manager shot back while offering Jared a bright smile after he’d just finished pulling his shirt back on. Misha just shook his head as he packed his stuff up and collected the box of rejected clothes. “Send him down or bring him into the shop sometime and he can choose some things to replace these since you obviously have no taste in clothes. I’ll alter them to fit him correctly if needed.”

“I have great taste in clothes as long as they don’t blind me!” Jensen yelled as the elevator was closing. “I really need to find a new clothing store for the casino so I can get rid of him,” he muttered under his breath, dropping to the sofa. Jared sat down on it as well, but kept a cushion between them; Jensen still took that as a positive step and tried to remember not to push or demand like he was used to doing. “So... just how painful is this going to be? I could just shove a fork in my eye... save us all some time.”

“You shush yourself,” Samantha responded and headed to the dining room with a look back. “Well? You boys coming or not? I have a hotel to manage for you unless you want to see about ordering fresh linens and toilet bowl cleaner for the housekeeping staff.”

Jensen groaned but heard a soft laugh as Jared stood up, waiting for him to do the same before moving to follow the woman. “Fine, but I swear the next time I have to host one of these damn things, I’m making it casual,” he muttered, adding, “And by casual I mean jeans and t-shirts or maybe even a Hawaiian theme. Man, that would thrill Misha since then half of his clothes might actually fit in.”

Jared laughed at the thought of Jensen in a Hawaiian shirt as he followed him into the dining room. When he saw the full place settings already on the table, he immediately found himself tensing until he felt a gentle touch on his hand. He glanced over to see Jensen watching him thoughtfully.

“It will probably just be a buffet-style dinner, but Sam wanted to be sure to give you a basic run-through of proper silverware usage just in case.,” He forced himself to slip his hands into his pockets to avoid touching Jared like he really wanted to.

“Jensen, I really can’t do this. I’m not smart enough to remember all this stuff if I get nervous,” Jared protested, frowning as he took in the multiple forks and spoons as well as plates and bowls. “The way I grew up, if we had two plates that matched we were lucky and those I bought at Goodwill. My dad sold my mom’s good china and silverware right after she died. I mean, you just tell me what to say or what not to say or tell me to just keep my mouth shut. That I can do, but there’s no way I’m going to be able to handle all this stuff without embarrassing you.”

“Sweetheart, I can barely handle this stuff without embarrassing myself,” Jensen replied, turning Jared more toward him rather than the table. “I learned which fork to use at a proper dinner when I was five and nine times out of ten, I still mess up. So even if you mess up, I won’t be angry with you.” He nodded to Samantha and the table. “I just thought it would be easier if you had a heads up to what might come sometime.”

Jared looked at the table as if it might attack him before sitting down. “Did your folks get angry with you when you were little and messed up?” he asked innocently, catching the woman’s startled glance and Jensen’s sudden scowl from the corner of his eye.

“Every damn time,” Jensen murmured, taking a seat across the table and looking at Samantha. “She won’t yell at you though. Sam only yells at me.”

“Why?” Jared asked curiously.

“Because he’s a stubborn hardheaded boy who likes to get his own way too often,” Samantha replied with a smile. “We’ll see how much he remembers about this silverware setting and then move on.”

As it turned out Jensen did actually recall the different forks, spoons, and place settings for each course of a formal dinner. He was less successful at polite conversation, and after several very obvious faux pas, Jared realized that he was intentionally messing up so that Sam would scold him because every time she did, Jared grinned at him.

“Jensen, how do you plan to survive the evening at this party if you can’t contain your snarky attitude?” she finally demanded after finally deciding it was time to quit.

“Who the hell said I planned to stay at Pellegrino’s stupid party all evening?” Jensen countered, shuddering as he stood up to stretch after three hours of etiquette lessons that still made no sense to him. “I said Jared and I would go, make an appearance, shake a few hands of people that I don’t actually despise, and grit my teeth when I congratulate the asshole on a successful party. Then I’m taking Jared the hell out of that cesspit and we’re either coming back here or going for a drive down the Strip.”

Jensen could feel the woman winding up for a long-winded lecture and he suddenly wasn’t in the mood. “Sam, Pellegrino and I hate one another. You know it and I know it. Hell, he knows it, too! We’ve had bad blood between us ever since I turned this place around after it was put in my name when he thought he could buy it from my father. He invites me to these things for the same reason I invite him to mine... we have to. Now, go order your linens or something. I’m tired of being social.”

Jared frowned as Jensen stalked out of the dining room. He had noticed the man getting tenser and more on edge, but he wasn’t sure what it was about something as simple as silverware and manners that upset him. He still wasn’t sure of his place or what was expected of him so he debated about going after him while offering a weak smile to Samantha who didn’t seem surprised by the abrupt departure.

“Don’t let his mood swings worry you, honey,” she told him after she’d put everything away. “Jensen will eventually break down and tell you about his early life. It’s that time that he hides from... it’s part of the reason he tries to pretend to be this cold asshole. Just give him time to learn how to have someone around besides Chris or other employees.”

Nodding, Jared walked her out since it seemed like the polite to do. Once the elevator closed and he was alone, he let his forehead fall against the wall, unsure of what to do or where to go. He heard a slight noise behind him and turned to see Jensen standing in the doorway leading to the hall watching him. “Oh. Umm... sorry... I didn’t hear you. Do you have to go down to your office or…”

“No, I’m taking the rest of the week off. If anything happens in the casino that absolutely needs my attention then Chris or one of the floor bosses will call for me. I wanted some free time so maybe you and I could talk or... something.” Jensen hadn’t gone far after he’d left the dining room.

He’d heard the woman who’d been more mother to him than his own reassure Jared, encouraging him to give Jensen time to learn to be more open and honest. If anyone knew why he was the way he was it would be Samantha. Jensen just needed to find the right time to make himself sit down and try to talk to Jared... and he didn’t think right then was it.

“Oh, so... what do you want to talk about... or do?” Jared asked, stepping away from the elevator. His stomach was fluttering nervously, but he reminded himself that he’d willingly sold himself to Jensen, so he couldn’t whine much about whatever the guy wanted to do. He couldn’t help but hope, however, that he’d move slowly back to the physical side of things; he’d like another day or so to recover. Of course, it didn’t look like the guy really wanted to touch him anyway.

Although he was officially on vacation, Jensen decided to head down to the casino even though it might shock the shit out of his floor staff. “You said you liked math,” he began, seeing the wary nod. “Let’s go down to the casino for a bit, your choice of the room or game. No business, just fun. Okay?”

“Seriously?” Jared didn’t think Jensen would let him back in the casino after the mess of the other night but getting a nod made him smile. “Let me change?”

“Just pull on some jeans and your sneakers. You’re with me, so we get to ignore the dress code. If I say you’re fine then you’re fine.” Jensen wanted Jared to feel relaxed and it seemed like the kid preferred being in jeans and t-shirts.

Jensen wondered what his employees would say or do if he went down in jeans like he often wanted to. Since he didn’t want to shock them more than he was planning to, he was wearing slacks and dress shoes but a collared polo shirt. He knew the evening dress code called for men to wear at least a sports coat, but he figured there should be certain perks to being the owner.

He smiled as he saw Jared in dark denim jeans, a soft red shirt, and his favorite pair of sneakers. His smile dimmed a little as he thought that Jared had probably chosen the red shirt because it was slightly too big and wouldn’t bother his still-healing back.

“What’s wrong?” Jared had seen the change in Jensen’s smile and looked down at his outfit. “Should I change or…”

“No, you’re fine,” Jensen assured him, grabbing his wallet and cell phone. “Let’s go.”

It amused Jensen that once again the first place Jared headed was to see the Impala in the center of the lobby. He figured if left to his own devices, the kid would stand there for hours just looking at the car. He made a mental note to take him over to the garage he kept across town one day soon and let him see what he kept in there.

“So, do you want to wander around some?” he asked after Jared finally pulled his eyes away from the car to look toward the crowded casino floor.

“No, I’d like to go to the roulette table if we could.” Jared figured he’d get around to the other games later, but he was still fascinated by the roulette game. “Do you know if the lady dealer at that table where I got into trouble is working today?”

Jensen had to think a moment. While he didn’t know all his dealers by name anymore, he did know that one so a quick text to Chris got him an answer as well as a lot of questions that he ignored. “Yeah, she’s actually working the same table it seems.” He moved an arm to motion Jared ahead of him but noticed the second they stepped onto the floor and the crowd thickened, Jared moved closer to him. Then he noticed why and merely met and held the gaze of the security guard who’d been eyeing Jared’s jeans and sneakers. “It’s fine, Jared. They’re not going to say anything to you; go ahead to the table.”

“How soon before Chris is down here?” Jared knew the head bodyguard would show up sooner or later since he didn’t think Jensen had told him before about this trip to the floor.

“Probably not too long,” Jensen muttered, following Jared to the table of his choice. He was glad to see it wasn’t as packed as some of the others were. He dug into his pocket and slipped a bill into Jared’s hand. “What do you know about roulette?” he asked as Jared took a seat near the dealer, the same older black woman who’d been nice to him that night. She once again shot him a bright smile that didn’t dim or change as Jensen stayed beside him but didn’t sit.

“It’s a game of odds, usually in the dealer’s favor like all casino games are,” Jared replied, blinking as he saw the bill he’d been given was $100. The dealer took it from him without question and exchanged it for various colored chips. “I put a chip on a colored square with a number of my choice and then see if that ball lands on that number. If the ball lands on my number I win, if it doesn’t…” He looked over his shoulder. “You win.”

“I like this boy, boss,” the dealer remarked with a laugh as she watched Jared carefully place a $5 chip, the smallest one he had, on a red circle with the number 7 on it after he’d silently debated his choices.  “He’s good-lookin’, polite, and sweet as can be. You treat him right now.”

Jensen’s lips curved into a smile as he carefully placed a hand on Jared’s shoulder. He felt Jared tense for a moment, but then he saw him relax before he could move away. “Let’s see how he does,” he murmured and watched the ball drop and start to spin.

Jensen was more naturally drawn to card games, and he wondered how Jared would be at a simple game like Blackjack, but after the first few spins, he realized that despite losing several chips, the younger man wasn’t becoming bored or discouraged like many others often did. In fact, he noticed that Jared was actually relaxing more as he took in the bets of the other players, noted how many times the ball landed on the same number, and how often the same color was called in a row. It was just beginning to dawn on him what Jared was doing when he heard a voice in his ear speak up.

“He’s gauging the odds.” Chris Kane had been up in the control room watching the floor, more intently now that he knew where his boss was when Chad called him over to watch one particular screen better.

He saw Jared sitting at a roulette table with Jensen just casually standing behind him. He’d been amused to see the light way Jensen’s hand seemed to be moving across Jared’s shoulder without going down his back, but then after a few turns on the wheel, the bodyguard took more notice.

“Son of a bitch,” he’d muttered when it hit him what he was seeing, and then he grabbed his radio. “He’s gauging the odds. He’s trying to figure out the numbers to weigh which one might hit next. Jensen, I’ve never seen anyone do this except for the pros over in Monaco when we were kids, and most of them used some type of technology, but I swear he’s just doing it naturally.”

Jensen watched Jared consider his chips and the number board before once again placing a single chip on a number that he’d already played three times before, but then placed another chip on a totally different number just as the ball dropped. With one hand on Jared’s shoulder and the other in his pocket, he watched the ball spin until it hit... on Jared’s second choice.

It wasn’t a big win but it was still a win, and as a small pile of chips was placed in front of him by a smiling dealer, Jared’s smile came out, full and happy. “I won?” he asked as if shocked. “Jensen? Did I win?” He turned slightly to glance beside him to see Jensen’s eyes were a deep green as they stared at him and Jared felt his throat tighten. “I won?”

“Yeah, sweetheart, you won.” Jensen knew he should be upset since any win cost his casino money but the sight of those dimples was worth any money he might lose that night. “Think you can do it again?” he teased, ignoring the groan in his earpiece that he’d slipped in just to hear Chris and Chad bicker over what Jared was doing on the floor.

As it turned out, he could. Over the next 90 minutes, Jared’s little system managed to get him quite a pile of chips as well as a small crowd. Even though there were others in the place winning larger sums, it seemed like the floppy-haired boyish-looking young man who looked a little out of place was more interesting to watch.

Both Jensen and the dealer tried to get him to bet more than one chip at a time, or to at least play one of the larger chips, but Jared steadfastly refused and continued with his own system.

Jared didn’t mind that he still didn’t quite know what he was doing or that he’d win some chips and then lose some back. He was enjoying himself. He was also enjoying hearing Jensen laugh as he stood beside him to watch him win and then lose. He was so lost in the game that he stopped paying attention to those around him until suddenly a huge, and rough hand reached through the small crowd of people to grab his shoulder and jerk him roughly around.

“Alright, punk! I don’t know how the hell you got past the front door in those clothes or what the fuck you think you’re doing, but I’ve been watchin’ you cheat over here and it’s time for you to come with us!”

The two dark-suited security guards were large and well-built and apparently unaware of Jensen’s rule that all suspicions of cheating should first be reported to a floor boss.

“What?” Jared was startled and he tensed at the hard jerk as it nearly pulled him off the stool even as the dealer and several people in the crowd complained. “What’re you talking about? I’m not doing anything wrong!” He tried to object when the man yanked again only this time another voice was heard.

“Leave him alone!” Jensen had turned away slightly to speak to a chuckling Chad over the radio, but he quickly turned back at both a curse from Chad and the sound of a disturbance behind him.

Turning to see one of his security guards, Jensen couldn’t put a name to the face and that bothered him, grabbing a shocked Jared and yanking him bodily off the stool instantly had his temper igniting as he caught the flash of pain on Jared’s face as well as his confusion.

“Leave him alone. He’s with me,” he told the man who seemed intent on dragging the younger man away from the table. He stepped forward to intercept the man but was stopped when another hand grabbed his arm. “You don’t want to do that,” he told the other guard lowly, hearing Chris shouting in his ear that he was on his way and so was the floor boss. “Get your hands off of me and tell your buddy to get them off of Jared or neither one of you will have a job by the morning.”

The other guard, a little wider than his buddy but just as rough and with the same demeanor, sneered as he looked at Jensen like he was looking at dirt on his shoe. “This place doesn’t cater to your kind, pretty boy,” he growled.

“My ‘kind’?” Jensen felt the fingers tighten on his arm and flicked his eyes from Jared back to the guard. “What kind is that exactly, asshole?” he demanded, hearing the dealer speaking sharply to the men to stop this crap by her table. “Cause I don’t think you have any goddamn clue who I am, do you?”

“It don’t matter who you or your low-class faggot boyfriend are, hustler! This place don’t tolerate cheaters or gays; now get your ass moving before I send you moving with my shoe up your ass!” the security guard snapped, jerking Jensen’s arm as his other hand was raising.

“Jensen!” Jared had been pulling on the other guy, trying to get loose when he saw the sudden blow blindside Jensen, sending him to the floor with a grunt. “Jensen! Stop it!” he yelled even as the crowd of people began moving back from the violence even as more gathered on the fringe of the floor. “He owns this place! You can’t... ugh!”

A hard elbow to the back of his neck took Jared to one knee, shooting pain down his spine and blurring his vision. As the other security guy kicked a still stunned Jensen in the side, however, Jared ignored his own pain and lunged forward, pushing to his feet in front of Jensen. Before he could open his mouth, a hard shoe drove into the side of his knee knocking him back to the floor. A fist grabbed his shirt collar and dragged him away from Jensen.

“You ain’t nothing, boy! This ain’t your place and it sure as hell ain’t his!” The guard who’d grabbed Jared was reaching under his jacket while twisting the collar of his shirt into his still bruised neck. “Cheaters and hustlers don’t belong here and neither do your kind! Now I’ll show you what happens to troublemakers around here!” he said threateningly while pulling a pistol out and brandishing it at the crowd, which went wild and began to disperse in a panic. Jared’s breath caught in his throat and his blurry, watery eyes went wide as the barrel of the pistol came to rest only inches from his forehead…

“ No !”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Fifteen

“NO!”

The casino floor around the roulette tables had gone wild when the fight began but the moment a gun was brandished, it turned into all-out pandemonium.

People were shouting, trying to get away in case shots were fired. The dealer had abandoned the table to push her way through the crowd, trying to get to the front of her table, fully intent on stopping this madness all by herself. She was relieved when she finally caught sight of the floor boss and other security making their way through the crowds.

The big tough guy with the gun aimed it with a sneer at Jared who had frozen in place with his hands held slightly in front of him. Suddenly a hand grabbed the man’s wrist, jerking it and him around and into the table with a hard shove. “What the fuck?” he demanded then grunted when a hard fist landed in his face and he realized who’d hit him. “Mr... Mr. Hartley!” he stammered.

“Well, I’m sure glad you seem to know who I am considering neither of you jackasses were smart enough to recognize the man who used to sign your paychecks!” Justin Hartley had been one of the main floor bosses at the casino for the past six years. He occasionally filled in as a bodyguard when needed and right then he was glad he still carried a sidearm when he was on the floor.

He’d been across the casino in the poker room when a furious Chris Kane had radioed him, ordering him to get his ass over to the roulette room and stop what was happening. Justin hadn’t known exactly what was happening until he got closer and now he knew this was an all-out fucked up situation.

Keeping the one guy pinned, the tall blond-haired man shot the other guard a sharp look as other security guards arrived on the scene. “You! My best advice is to move back but stay real still cause if Jensen doesn’t get up to kick your ass then the pissed-off bodyguard coming through the crowd right now will. Hey, Kane. What the hell is going on?”

“Talk to me after I find that out from these two bastards!” Chris Kane was beyond livid. He’d been amused as he’d watched Jared from the control room, and he’d been thrilled to actually see Jensen laugh a couple of times. That had also been a huge shock to some of the room monitors who’d barely seen their employer smile much less laugh. Then the moment the two guards, men that Chris couldn’t place right away, decided to play tough guys, he knew the moment was shot. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, asshole?” he demanded to the guy who’d still been kicking at Jensen even as two security guards yanked him away. Two others helped Jared to his feet only to have him jerk away from them and limp over to where Jensen still lay on the floor, legs drawn up to protect his midsection from the hard kicks. “Boss! You okay?” Chris asked, gun out and in the man’s face.

“No, but I will be as soon as I can stand up and kick this bastard’s ass all over the parking lot,” Jensen gritted out, in pain and furious but then another voice had him shaking his head to clear it and swearing. “Jared.”

What had happened had startled Jared because he hadn’t seen it coming; he hadn’t expected such violence from men who worked for Jensen. But then he recalled some of the dark looks Jensen had gotten the other night, and he wondered just how many of his own employees Jensen actually knew personally these days since he reportedly spent so much time in his office and not on the floor.

He was used to being talked down to, it was something he had dealt with for most of his life. He also accepted that this was not his kind of place, that he didn’t belong here, but for just a few short moments, down here with Jensen, he felt like he fit in. Then the guy grabbed him, and the bubble burst, but to Jared’s surprise, he was more upset at seeing Jensen hit and then kicked than about the blows he had taken himself.

The man’s uncaring attitude and his clear bigotry bothered Jared, but then he saw him kicking a man already down, a man who’d just tried to defend him, and he was beyond angry.

“Jensen told him who he was!” he told Chris, shoving away hands that tried to steady him as the knee that had been kicked threatened to buckle as he took a couple of steps. He put all his frustration and anger into the punch he threw at the guy who’d kicked and hit Jensen. “Jensen told you who the fuck he was!” The man staggered back but didn’t fall as the guards maintained their tight grip on him. Jared then turned back to Chris, his eyes still flashing. “He told them both who he was and to leave me alone. When they said something about the dress code, he told them that I was with him and that it didn’t matter if I wore my jeans and sneakers. They didn’t listen to anything he said! And then this bastard hit him from his blind side then he kicked him after he was down!” His fists were still clenched as he turned once again to Jensen’s attacker.

“Get this crazy lowlife away from me!” the guy yelled, starting to draw back when suddenly a hand was on his throat and he was shoved back into a pillar as green eyes burned into his.

“First mistake you two assholes made was not following your mandate.” Jensen’s voice was low, hard, and pissed off. He was ignoring the pain in his arm, his ribs, and head as he finally got his hands on the man who’d hit him. “It is not floor security’s job to interfere with anything until a floor boss calls for you, and since there was no floor boss around, there was no reason for either of you to have approached this table.

“Your second mistake was putting your hands on Jared. No security in my casino ever puts his or her hands on a customer unless he’s being unruly and again, unless you are called by a floor boss. And you especially never put your goddamn hands on that man unless you want me to feed you your goddamn lungs.

“Third and final mistake? As if the first two weren’t bad enough? Putting your hands on me.” He leaned in closer to glare at the man and saw pure hate, which told him that he needed to look into his employees a lot more closely. He also knew it was time to bring Chris into something he hadn’t wanted to do yet. “You claimed not to have known me, or known that I own this place. All you saw was someone you thought was a hustler and a gay one at that.” Jensen’s lips curved slowly into a hard cold smile, ignoring the hand that touched him as Chris tried to gain control of the situation. “Well, you were actually right on both things. I used to be a hustler and before this is settled, I probably will be again. I’m also gay and will no longer hide that from anyone. But I think you knew exactly who I was but in case you didn’t and still don’t, let me introduce myself…”

Jensen’s fist flew hard and fast to hit the man in the jaw before turning to eye his partner. “My name is Jensen Ackles. The Open Road Casino is mine and no one, not my father, not the stockholders, no one is taking this place from me.” He growled as another hand touched his arm, but this time Jensen didn’t jerk away from it.

He moved his hand up to cover Jared’s, looking over to see both shock and worry shining in eyes that were too wide for his liking. “You tried to stand up for me.” He aimed this remark at Jared, trying to get his tone back to something close to normal because he’d seen the kid cringe from his harsh tone before. “I heard you tell him to stop.”

It had startled Jensen that Jared would try to interfere on his behalf given how wary and jumpy he still tended to be around him. He also wasn’t used to anyone trying to protect him other than the people he paid to do stuff like that. He had been further surprised to hear the actual anger in the young man’s voice when he’d been yelling just a few moments ago.

Now Jared seemed to realize what he’d done, what he’d said, and how Jensen seemed to be almost in awe. He hoped he wasn’t blushing too badly as he tried to keep his weight off of his injured knee; he didn’t want to fall now and ruin the moment, but it was getting really hard to stand. “You... tried to do it for me,” he mumbled, glad his bangs had fallen into his face some, but that caused him to miss the sudden flash of raw emotion on Jensen’s face at his words. “I just thought it was right to do the same. Was I wrong?”

“No, Jay, you weren’t wrong.” This time Jensen heard himself use the short nickname and saw the sudden surprise that came over the younger man’s face at its use and also caught the faint pink that came to his cheeks as well. “You weren’t wrong and I hope neither is this.”

Before Jared could process the new nickname, a name he used to hate but somehow didn’t really mind here, he felt hands on his face. He tensed slightly as he thought of Jensen’s earlier anger, but the touch while firm was not rough or hard and the eyes that held his were heated, not cold like they had been that other night.

Jared seemed to know what was coming. He also seemed to sense that Jensen was giving him time to refuse since the man had promised nothing in public but this, to Jared, wasn’t punishment. It also wasn’t showing him off despite what it might look like to others. He seemed to sense that this was something Jensen needed to do for both of them and he gave a slight nod. Then lost his breath as lips covered his in a kiss that was nowhere near soft or tender, but neither was it hard and cruel like others had been either.

He started to lean into the kiss but forgot his knee until it seared and he fell forward, feeling Jensen catch him as the kiss broke. He realized that the whole room had gone suddenly silent and his cheeks flamed, but the arms that slid around him only tightened slightly, keeping him steady.

“Get those two dicks out of my casino and make sure they’re officially fired,” Jensen snapped at Chris as he shifted to support Jared more as Chad shoved his way through the now-thinning crowd with a snarl and a few threats until he got to them.

Chris nodded and also made a mental note to find out who had hired the “dicks” in the first place because it sure hadn’t been him. He was starting to turn away to take care of business when Jensen called out once again. “Hey, make sure all the floor and hotel security understand that this had better never happen again. Anyone who doesn’t like working for me now can ask for his or her final paycheck and get the hell out cause this is who I am and I won’t pretend to be anything else anymore for anyone... damn it, Chad! Get out of my face so I can get him upstairs and make sure his knee isn’t damaged.”

“ Hel -lo? You got kicked in the ribs, boss,” Chad Michael Murray reminded him. “I’ll be getting both of you upstairs.” He gently eased between the two men ignoring the grumblings from his boss. He tried to help Jared, but the young man kept refusing assistance until his knee suddenly buckled and he nearly fell completely. “Kid! Stop giving me a stroke tonight! I don’t get paid enough to deal with you and the boss getting beat up by assholes who are supposed to work for Jensen.”

Jared didn’t understand that. Out of everything that had happened in the past twenty minutes, he was still confused about why Jensen’s own guards would have done this. “Did I do something to start all this?” he asked as he limped, with Chad’s support, toward the elevator. He suddenly wondered about his chips, but since it had been Jensen’s money that he’d been playing with in the first place, he decided not to worry about it. Surely the money would end up back in the hands of the casino owner.

“No, Jay, none of this was your fault,” Jensen said reassuringly as they moved slowly along. It took much longer than usual to get from the casino floor to the main elevator as crowds of people, customers and employees alike, kept asking if they were okay and if everything was alright. By the time they finally made it into the elevator, Jensen was quite pleased that he hadn’t snarled at too many people.

His ribs were on fire, his arm hurt, and he wanted something to make his head stop pounding, but even more importantly, he wanted Jared in the penthouse and off that leg. When they finally entered the living room, he motioned Chad off and coaxed Jared down to the sofa, slumping beside him as Chad shoved a padded ottoman under Jared’s knee. The younger man sat, but he didn’t relax and he still looked troubled. “I... I don’t think I was cheating, Jensen. Was I cheating?”

“No, sweetheart, you weren’t cheating,” Jensen assured him, listening to the sounds of Chad in the kitchen as he searched for an icepack. “I’m not sure what you were doing, but I’m sure it wasn’t cheating. Remind me to let you loose at the blackjack tables next time. I want to see you work that brain to outsmart my dealers.”

“What do you mean?” Jared winced as he gingerly tilted his head from side to side. His neck hurt from where he’d taken an elbow to it, but he didn’t want to say anything as he saw Jensen lifting his shirt to examine the bruises already forming on one side. “It wasn’t that big a deal. I like playing around with numbers. Even though I hate having a gambler for a father, and I hate what gambling has cost my family, I still like numbers and basically gambling is just numbers.”

“Math geek,” Chad teased as he came back into the living room with a couple of icepacks, realizing he’d have to call down to the main kitchen for a lot more as he took in the two men on the couch. “The kid’s a math geek, boss. I can barely add without a machine and he was outthinking a damn roulette wheel.”

“You can’t outthink a wheel, Chad,” Jared snorted, gasping as the cold pack was placed on his knee. He was debating on transferring it to his neck, but then he felt one placed there and held by fingers he knew were Jensen’s. He sighed as the cold began to numb the pain in both his neck and his knee. “I was just trying to figure out the odds on where the ball would land. Sometimes it worked and others it didn’t. I was having more fun figuring the odds than trying to win.”

“Oh my God,” Chad groaned, shaking his head and swearing he was going to sit the kid down soon to explain to him the actual point of being in a casino. “So what other hobbies do you have that might bounce the fringe of being legal?”

Jared didn’t understand why Chad was making such a big deal about what he’d done; it was something he’d been having fun with before he and Jensen were interrupted. “Nothing much. I like to read books, even though I don’t usually have a lot of time for that... and I guess I like to balance numbers... especially when people say something won’t balance. It kind of becomes like a mystery to solve.”

Chad blinked and Jensen looked over curiously. “What kind of numbers? Any kind?” he asked, an idea nibbling in his head even though he knew it wouldn’t be popular with his actual paid accountants.

“Yeah, probably,” Jared shrugged, wincing as his neck hurt, but he ignored that as he tried to turn his head to see Jensen. “It’s just something that I did to kill time between jobs. Plus, it came in handy when I was waiting tables so I could be sure I wasn’t getting stiffed at the end of the day. I knew how much in tips I’d gotten and what percent the diner kept. Numbers actually help me relax too so…”

“So if I were to let you into the casino’s computer accounts, you could... see if my numbers are off or... if anything looks weird about them... if something did seem off, could you see where?” Jensen asked curiously. He knew everything about numbers as they related to gambling, but when it came to balancing budgets or ledgers, he was lost. He had always paid people a lot of money to take care of his accounts... now he wasn’t sure if he trusted those people. After what just happened, he wasn’t sure if he trusted anyone really.

Jared started to nod, but then something in Jensen’s voice made him stop to realize the man was seriously asking him to look at actual reports. “Wait, I’m not an accountant, Jensen. This is just a hobby for me. If you’re talking about the casino’s accounts... I wouldn’t want to screw up or…”

“In the last 12 months, over a quarter of a million dollars has reportedly gone missing out of the corporate funds. My father’s high-priced assholes are trying to say I’m stealing from my casino, cheating my investors.” Jensen heard something drop and knew Chad had not been expecting to hear that news. “My high-priced assholes seem to agree with his high-priced assholes, but I’m not cheating anyone. No matter what it might look like on paper... screen... whatever, I know I’m not, and if the accounts say money is missing then someone working for me is fucking me over and playing with the books.”

“So that’s what you meant the other night when you said you and the casino might be crashing.” Chris’s voice spoke from where he’d just exited the elevator with a white envelope in one hand and two bags of ice in the other, which he passed off to a grumbling Chad. “This is what’s been going on that you haven’t told me or anyone about? You’ve been trying to deal with your old man and those sharks alone? Why?” he demanded. “If you can’t trust me then…”

Jensen sighed. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you yet,” he muttered unhappily. “There are probably only four or five people in this whole place that I trust implicitly and you’re number two... sorry but you got bumped from one recently,” he added with a low cough and a side look that went unnoticed by the young man it was aimed at since he was batting Chad’s hands away from trying to get the leg of his jeans pulled up to see his knee. “I was also hoping to get it figured out, that maybe it was just a mistake in the accounting department, but it seems like it’s more complicated than that.”

“And because you know your Dad and I aren’t great pals and I’d probably call him up just to tell him off?” Chris snorted, a little calmer at Jensen’s reasoning even if he wasn’t thrilled that someone was stealing from the casino and casting blame on the man who’d built it back up.

“That too,” Jensen nodded with a small grin, noticing the envelope and starting to ask about it when he heard Chad cursing as he won the battle of the jeans. He looked to see what Chad was cursing about and suddenly pushed himself upright to look at the bruised and swollen side of Jared’s right knee. “Shit! Does that need a hospital?” he asked, hating to hear the screaming from Samantha this was going to get him. “Can you walk? Do you want a doctor? Chris, tell me you threw those two out of my casino... or better yet, took them out to the desert and lost them!”

Chris tossed the now forgotten envelope on the sofa between the men as he knelt to examine the knee, seeing how Jensen’s hand went to Jared’s arm to keep him from reaching out to stop him from touching the obviously hurting knee.

“I think we can hold off on the hospital for now. We can see how it looks in the morning. He just needs to stay off of it tonight, keep it propped up, and keep icing it.” The bodyguard had plenty of experience with torn muscles and blown knees so he knew while painful and bad to look at, Jared’s knee could have been a lot worse. “Unless he wants a trip to the ER? Jared?”

Jared blinked. “No,” he refused with a shake of his head. “It’s okay. I don’t have insurance anyway and…”

“Jared, the casino would pay for this since you were hurt here,” Chad spoke up.

“No, not unless I have to... like if I can’t walk by Saturday night.” Jared hated hospitals and would do almost anything to avoid them. He just wished one time he could go into the casino without some kind of trouble happening. “I... I think I would like to go prop it up and maybe take something for my neck.”

“Chad help him into his bedroom and grab more pillows,” Jensen ordered, and then noticed the envelope on the couch. He picked it up and held it out to Jared as he started to stand up. “Take this with you.”

Jared was in the process of figuring out how to stand up without falling when the white envelope with a picture of an Impala on an open road on the front of it was thrust at him. “What’s this?” he asked, sitting back down to open the item only to feel his mouth drop open. “What... is this?”

“After everything settled down and I was done dealing with those assholes, who no longer work here and who were not actually legally hired by our staff by the way, Justin came up to me and said he cashed you out. This is your winnings from the table,” Chris told him, hiding his smile as Jared’s eyes grew wider. “Keep it on you and don’t let Chad con you out of any of it playing video games.”

“But... but this should go to Jensen,” Jared argued, refusing to even count the bills as he tried to hand the envelope back only to blink when it was pressed more firmly into his hand. “You gave me the money that was turned into chips so that means this belongs to you.”

“You won it, sweetheart. In my casino, whatever you win is yours to keep,” Jensen told him, squeezing his fingers closed around the cash envelope. “Keep it. You can use it if you want to go play roulette again or slots or anything. Or if you want to stay out of the casino, you can spend it or save it. Your money, your choice.”

Jared stared at his hand. “I... I should send it to Molly,” he murmured with a frown. “Or put it in the bank so her expenses with Gen will still be…”

“Jared.” Jensen eased up to the edge of the sofa, moving his hand up to turn the worried face towards him. “Your sister is being taken care of. I want you to take this money that you won by working that obviously huge brain and actually spend it on yourself. Now, go get that knee propped up, and make sure you yell if you need me for anything during the night.”

Jared still wasn’t sure what to make of Jensen’s moods or the way his tone could change so rapidly but right then he was in too much pain to care. He took the envelope and let Chad pull him to his feet and then realized he had no choice but to also let the man help him hobble to the bedroom.

“Jensen?” He paused at the door to the hallway to look back. “I’m sorry if something I did caused all this to happen tonight but... if you were serious about what you said about me looking into your numbers I’d... I’d like to try.”

“Go get some sleep. We’ll see how you feel tomorrow and we’ll talk more about it then.” Jensen waited until he heard the sound of the bedroom door closing before slumping back on the sofa with a low groan of pain, reaching up for the pills Chris had retrieved from the first aid kit and swallowing them dry. “Who the fuck hired those assholes if it wasn’t our people?” he demanded, thinking he knew and if that was the case, then he’d be raising holy hell the next time his father called.

Chris held out a bottle of water before sitting on the ottoman to toss a rolled-up file he’d removed from his jacket to Jensen. “According to our very confused HR director, who did not like me calling him back into the office to figure this out by the way, sometime last year when the computers were upgraded, several employee files mysteriously appeared. They didn’t mention it to you or me since they had what looked like your signature on them and no one red-flagged the workers... until now.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m having all those employees pulled in when they report to work in the morning. I will also more than likely be firing their asses and sending a fax to your father telling him to keep his stooges out of your business.”

“I don’t get why he’s pushing so hard.” Jensen was tired. He was half tempted to say the hell with it and let his family have the damn casino, but he wasn’t a quitter. He also wouldn’t let them make him quit under a cloud of doubt either or else his reputation in this city or any other he might choose to set up in would be ruined. “If there’s a way to find the money trail or figure who’s infiltrated us and is stealing the money, I can lay it on his doorstep and all hell will break loose,” he muttered as he stood up. “I’m taking a shower and checking on the kid. Kick Chad out and call me if you find out anything else.”

Chris saw the bruised ribs and scowled again. “Are you really going to let the kid loose in the accounts?” he asked, running his tongue over his teeth while he also decided to have a little fun as well. “And when did I get bumped to second? Should I worry that you’re becoming a little too attached too quickly?”

“Jealous that I like someone better than you, Chris?” Jensen smirked as he pulled his t-shirt off fully and tossed it at his friend. “He might actually find something... you saw him... he’s obviously got this thing about numbers. Besides, it’ll keep him busy until I figure out how much he’s forgiven me or we actually talk. Besides, the accountants we pay sure aren’t doing me any good. We’ll see what happens. Oh, and make sure he gets an ID and a key card in case he leaves the penthouse without me, you, or Chad... and tell security that if anyone hassles him, I will fire their asses.”

“Oh, I think people figured that out already,” Chris replied with a chuckle. “Jensen? You know kissing that kid like you did tonight will get back to the board. I’m not telling you not to use him as a tool to make a point or anything but…”

“That’s not why I did it, at least not the only reason.” Jensen didn’t ever want Jared to think he’d kissed him just as a way to send a message. “I think I’m in trouble a lot worse than just dealing with the casino’s problem, Chris. For an annoying pain in the ass who just started as someone I planned to use and play with... I... I think I’m starting to care too much for him... and that’s not good for either of us, especially right now.”

“Just give it a try. Be yourself... the guy I know you are, not the asshole you pretend to be most of the time. Maybe, just maybe, what started as a bad thing might turn out to be the best thing that’s happened to you in a long time, Jensen.” Chris clapped his friend on the shoulder and then headed to go collect Chad and hopefully grab a couple of hours of sleep before he had to be up and firing people.

Jensen wasn’t sure about that. He knew the reasons he played the role he did. He also knew his family didn’t have the best track record when it came to loving relationships. He had grown up hearing that relationships were only good for making an impression on important people, so Jensen had grown jaded and unwilling to risk a heart already bruised and cold by letting himself risk being used.

Now he wasn’t sure how he felt because every day he spent with this big-eyed boy with a cockiness that both impressed and annoyed him, Jensen knew he was losing pieces of that locked-up heart, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that or if Jared would even care.

After showering some of the aches away, Jensen paused in the doorway of Jared’s room to see that he’d fallen asleep with his knee propped up and a melting ice bag resting on it while a heated massage pillow had been placed under his neck.

Jensen wasn’t foolish. He knew that by tomorrow it would be all over Vegas that he’d basically come out and had kissed some hot young man in the middle of his casino. He also knew the odds of Pellegrino or someone at the party making a scene were high and that was enough to nearly make Jensen back out of going, but he knew that if he did that, it would seem like he was ashamed of his actions and he wasn’t that at all.

“I guess we’ll roll the dice and see what happens, kiddo,” he murmured before closing the door and heading off to try to sleep before he had to deal with the fallout in the morning.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Sixteen

The morning did bring some fallout but nothing that Jensen hadn’t been expecting. Since technically he wasn’t working until Monday, he decided to leave the PR to Chris and their PR person and lounge in bed later than usual.

His head was still sore and a few of his ribs were definitely badly bruised although he didn’t think any were broken. Jensen was about to bury his head under a pillow and go back to sleep when he heard something crash from somewhere in the penthouse; that got him up and moving.

Jensen pulled on his slacks and grabbed a shirt to pull on over his head, but ignored his shoes for the moment as he jerked open his door to listen, realizing the noise had come from Jared’s room.

Knocking only once, he was opening the door even as he heard a muffled and disgusted voice calling back. He shot a confused look at the stripped bed and the bundle of sheets and blankets on the floor beside it, but didn’t waste time investigating before moving to the bathroom.

He started to ask what had happened, but as he entered the room, it was immediately apparent. He frowned and quickly knelt beside the huge sunken tub from which the younger man was struggling to get out. He’d clearly fallen backward and was currently half in and half out, sopping wet, and very naked.

“Jared! Stay still. What the hell were you trying to do?” he demanded, hoping his voice didn’t sound as gruff as it sounded, but he was still half asleep and now his heart was in his throat. He realized that Jared’s still swollen knee must have given out on him. “Did you hit your head?”

Jared was blushing at Jensen finding him like this, but he guessed it was better to have Jensen find him naked than anyone else.

“No, I don’t think so. I might’ve hit my neck again or a shoulder, but I think I managed to keep my head from breaking your tub.” Jared was disgusted with himself for not even being able to take a bath and get dressed for breakfast without causing himself injury or Jensen stress. “Sorry if I woke you. I thought I’d soak my knee before breakfast.” He blew out a disgusted breath when he was finally sitting up on the edge of the tub, and then it hit him that he was naked and also that Jensen must have seen the bedclothes. “I didn’t jerk off, Jensen, I swear. The ice bag melted during the night and it leaked so everything got wet so I took the sheets and stuff off before coming in here and... ummm…” He trailed off while trying to reach for a towel or something to cover himself with when a hand caught his wrist.

“Don’t move,” Jensen ordered. While tight, his tone wasn’t cold or angry, but Jared still froze in place, unsure of what might be coming next. He knew he couldn’t expect Jensen to wait much longer before using him for sex; he was surprised the man had waited this long. The next question caught him off guard. “How long has it been since you’ve jerked off?” he asked. Jensen watched Jared’s narrowed gaze as if surprised he’d asked him that, and then he remembered that damn rule he’d laid down the very first day.

Jensen did some quick mental math to figure out the last time he’d jerked the younger man off and groaned softly. “I take back a lot of the crap I’ve said about you not following orders well,” he murmured as he realized painfully that it would’ve been nearly a week since Jared had had any relief. He noticed that his cock wasn’t fully hard, but it also wasn’t soft and limp either and his balls seemed full and heavy. He thought of the last night in the playroom. “Jared? I know I told you not to touch yourself at all or come unless I said you could but... after that night in the playroom, have you…?” He saw the blush but he also saw the struggle on Jared’s face as well. “Sweetheart, I swear I won’t punish you if you tell me the truth... did you jerk off any time since then?”

“I…” Jared took a deep breath. “A... little,” he whispered, going on quickly as if to try to explain himself. “The morning after I woke up dreaming of... never mind that... I was still half asleep and started to but then I remembered what you said... so I stopped and... I haven’t since. I swear. You can check the sheets if you want... they’re just wet from melted ice... but…” A gentle finger touched his lips, cutting off his ramblings.

“Can I touch you, Jared?” Jensen wondered when the boy would stop looking so shocked when he asked him a question rather than give him a command or just act. He was realizing more and more just how much of an ass he had been to Jared in his time with him. “Will you let me touch you now and make you come?”

Jared was wondering if maybe he had hit his head as he looked at Jensen warily for a long moment. “Shouldn’t I be doing that for you?” he asked, noticing as green eyes moved to look at his still bruised back. “I’m okay now... most of the marks are pretty much healed. My ass is still a little sore, but it’s not bad. I think I... I can take you if you want me now or... huh?” He frowned as the finger returned, this time lingering to softly trace his lips. “Jensen? Don’t take this wrong or think I’m being lippy but... are you drunk this early?” The finger hadn’t left his mouth so his words were slightly muffled.

“Hmm, I think you’re lippy even when you try not to be,” Jensen replied, but he tipped Jared’s face up so he could see he wasn’t angry. “No, I’m not drunk. In fact, I just woke up when you crash-landed in the tub. Can I touch you, Jay?” he asked again, seeing the boy’s eyes wide eyes at the nickname. “I guess I’d better ask if I can call you that name. I think I have a couple of times already but... since we agreed on no nicknames unless you say it’s okay... can I?”

“Yes,” Jared murmured then blinked as Jensen lifted an eyebrow curiously. “Oh! Yes to... to both.” He gasped as strong fingers closed over his cock and prayed he didn’t come right then.

He figured he should be doing the same thing for Jensen; after all, he was supposed to be the one providing services, but when he started to move his hand toward the front of the man’s slacks, he heard a soft command to stay still and did as he was told. Then he was too lost in the sensations for any further coherent thoughts as with just a few long smooth but steady strokes, he felt his cock fill and harden and his balls tightened after days of need. Before he could even try to hold back or warn Jensen to stop, Jared was coming with a cry that he bit off quickly by biting his lip so hard he tasted blood.

“No, let me hear you, Jared.” Jensen could feel his own cock hardening just from this act, from just touching Jared and watching his face as he came hard and fast. White strips of come hit his hand as he continued to stroke the cock, listening to the small gasps and the moans of pleasure as Jared slowly gave into the feelings and the noises that came naturally. “That’s it, sweetheart. That’s it.”

In the past, Jensen hadn’t paid any attention to his partner’s pleasure and they hadn’t cared much one way or another so long as he paid them, but with Jared it was different. He had let him come either on his own hand or Jensen’s a lot more than he’d originally planned when he first met the naïve young virgin but now as he watched him, he wondered what it would be like to watch him come on his cock.

Jared swore his eyes rolled back as he finally felt his body go limp with a soft whimper until the fingers eased away as his cock became too sensitive. He heard water running and then felt a warm cloth wiping over his stomach and down his legs until he was clean. By then he could pry his eyes back open, and he started to reach for Jensen’s slacks again, determined to return the favor.

“I’ll…” he started to say only to feel Jensen catch his hand, giving him a slow smile that made Jared’s stomach flutter in a way he didn’t really understand. Jared followed Jensen’s gaze down to the front of his slacks, which had a very obvious damp spot.

“I’m good. Trust me,” Jensen told him with a chuckle, surprised that he’d come in his slacks just from watching and listening to Jared’s orgasm. “Let me get you up now and into the bedroom. While you’re getting dressed, I’ll go shower and change before Marta sends the cavalry, or worse Chad, to find out why we’re late for breakfast.”

“Who are you?” Jared asked in a slightly awed voice then dropped his head so his hair fell into his eyes. “Sorry. Bad habit. It’s just that I can’t get used to these mood-switches.”

Jensen understood that feeling only too well, but he didn’t say that as he grabbed a large towel for Jared to wrap around his waist as he helped him to his feet. He steadied the younger man as he watched him avoid placing any weight on his right leg and knew he’d be calling for the casino physician. “Sunday, assuming we both survive the party from hell, you and I will sit down and maybe I’ll bore you with some details of my life very few people know about,” he said while brushing the hair back out of Jared’s eyes. “Now you change while I go shower and dress.” He sat Jared on the bed while grabbing a pair of lounge pants and a shirt and handing them over. “I’ll be back so just wait for me. Do not try to get to the kitchen by yourself.”

Jared didn’t want to seem weak or unable to take care of himself, but he considered the priceless vases and other artifacts he’d seen sitting around and guessed it wouldn’t be good if he fell and broke Jensen’s things, so he nodded in agreement.

He waited until the man stepped out of the bedroom to release a shaky breath and noticed his hands were shaking as well. He’d wanted to reach out, to touch Jensen, but he didn’t want to rock the boat as long as things appeared to be going smoothly and Jensen wasn’t yelling or being cold. Jared wondered how long this switch would last because he liked this version of Jensen a lot better than the other one.

Jensen knew from the smells in the penthouse that breakfast was already cooking so he quickly showered and shaved before dressing casually. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and thought of Jared’s innocent question.

“Who are you?” he asked himself in the mirror. There were moments when Jensen wasn’t always sure who the hell he was anymore. “I guess it’s time to finally find out.”

By the time he got back to Jared, he saw that he’d dressed and was trying to stand, but the knee appeared to be shaking badly. “I’m going to call the casino physician to come look at that. You might have to wear a brace to support it... or you might be sitting out the party... which at least gives you an excuse,” Jensen said as he caught Jared’s long arm to support him.

“No, it’s fine... I don’t need a doctor,” Jared argued but then sighed at the look he got. “Fine, but no hospitals. And I’ll make it to your party with you. I can take pain. I’m not a wuss.”

“Never said you were, sweetheart,” Jensen replied as they stepped into the kitchen to be greeted by the smells of breakfast and a very angry cook.

Marta ranted in rapid-fire Spanish for 20 minutes as she served breakfast at the little table in the kitchen rather than the dining area after she saw Jared limping and was told what happened the night before.

“Are they fired? Are they gone? I take my skillet to them for hurting my boy... and I suppose you as well, Señor Ackles.” She kissed Jared’s forehead after checking his knee herself and then went to prepare another bag of ice for it. “Eat, both of you. Oh, and that crazy man was by and dropped off clothing.”

Jensen took that to mean Misha had stopped by with Jared’s tuxedo. “Thanks, Marta... oh, and call Seth and tell him I want him to look at Jared’s knee. If he orders a brace, Misha might have to make a quick alteration to allow for it under the pants,” he told her while watching Jared eat.

He could see the shadows of pain the younger man was hiding and silently gave him props for not wanting to let on how much pain he was still in. He frowned as he also noticed how stiffly Jared was holding his neck and decided on another appointment. “Also, call down to the salon and see if Inga’s free for a private.”

Jared was focused on eating cinnamon blackberry waffles so he missed all of Jensen’s instructions... or so the casino owner thought until hazel eyes lifted curiously. “Who’s Inga and a private what?” he asked as another waffle appeared on his plate. “If she keeps feeding me like this you’ll start griping that I’m fat.”

“Marta thinks you’re too skinny so she’s going to feed you until she’s satisfied... and I don’t think there’s any danger of you getting fat.” Jensen had noticed that in the 60 or so days that Jared had been with him, he had actually filled out some; it was especially apparent in the way Jared’s t-shirt now stretched over his broad shoulders. “And Inga’s a massage therapist in the salon downstairs.”

“Oh,” Jared had a couple of images pop up as Jensen’s eyes raked over him, but he shoved them out of his head while reaching for his orange juice. “You getting a massage?”

“No, you’re getting one.” Jensen was already reaching for the glass as Jared choked. “I knew that would probably happen,” he smiled. “Your neck is obviously still stiff and you banged your shoulder this morning so an upper body massage will help you.”

Jared’s eyes were huge at the thought of getting a massage. “But... but…” He swallowed finally to get a word out. “Do I have to be undressed?”

Getting undressed in front of Jensen was one thing, but he knew he couldn’t be naked in front of a total stranger, much less a woman. Plus he didn’t want anyone to see the marks that were still visible.

“You just have to take your shirt off, and don’t worry, I’ll stay in the room with you if you want. Besides, Inga won’t say anything about the marks.” Jensen chewed a piece of bacon to keep from smiling. “She’s very focused on her job. She won’t hurt you, Jared. And it should really make your neck feel better.”

Jared wasn’t sure, but he knew better than to argue with Jensen so he nodded and pushed his worry down.

After breakfast, an older man appeared, and Jensen introduced him as a physician the casino kept on retainer for general ailments or emergencies. He was gruff but not unkind as he looked at Jared’s knee, gently prodding the bruised area and bending it carefully back and forth. He made a couple of comments that were more like grunts before telling Jensen to have Jared keep it iced and elevated as much as possible for the next few days. He’d send a brace up for Jared to use when walking, and if it was still painful and swollen on Monday, Jared should go in for an X-ray.

The brace the doctor sent up did make his knee feel a lot more stable and after trying on the pants for the tuxedo, Jared was glad that Jensen decided they were still loose enough to not need altering; he wasn’t sure his head was ready to deal with Misha again this soon.

Of course, the massage almost made Jared wish for the tailor’s antics. The woman in question was about his height and built like a linebacker. She was brusque and no-nonsense with a heavy German accent, but yet when she put her hands on his neck and shoulders, they were gentle but firm.

“You bring him to the salon for a manicure.” She addressed this to Jensen where he sat near the portable massage table in the master bedroom. “Perhaps haircut as well, though all this hair... it suits his face. You should learn to let yours grow like this.”

“No offense, but I’m not letting the girls in the salon get their hands on him... that might be even worse than letting Misha loose on his wardrobe again.” Jensen snorted lightly, but he hadn’t missed how Jared’s hands had clenched nervously at the mention of a manicure. “I like his hair just the way it is, and no, thank you. If my hair was any longer, it would be too easy for people to pull.”

“You play rough; hair pulling is fun if done right.” Inga barked out a laugh at the soft groan she heard from the boy on her table as Jensen coughed just as the elevator opened and Chris Kane stepped out only to stop, look, and frown.

“I think I need to start calling before I come up here,” he muttered, not sure he wanted to know what had caused that odd shade of pink on Jensen’s face right then. In all the years he’d known the man, he’d never seen anything make Jensen blush. “Can we talk in your office?” he asked seriously.

Jared started to turn his head only to have it put firmly back in place by the woman. He could almost feel Jensen tensing up and the younger man could feel himself mirroring the man’s response. He frowned a little, glad that no one could see his reactions... or so he thought.

“No, not yet. Just wait until Inga’s finished with Jared and then you can drop your bad news on me here.” Jensen had caught the small frown as well as the way Jared’s arm tensed, and he willed himself to relax again and reassure the younger man that he wouldn’t leave. Just then, the massage therapist stepped back with a short nod to signal she was finished. “Does that feel any better?” he asked, bending down to see worried hazel eyes, but he knew that was from Chris’s unexpected arrival. “Jay?”

The simple nickname made him nod, and he sat up slowly, carefully rotating his neck and shoulders to find that he did, indeed, feel much better. “Thank you,” he smiled at the woman while pulling his shirt back on and easing off the table, immediately finding Jensen there in case his knee buckled. “If you have business to talk about, I can go in my room or the game room or... something,” he offered.

“No, sit on the sofa with me. You might as well get used to me discussing business around you and other people might as well get used to you being with me while I talk business since I want you with me.” Jensen knew that would be another shock since he never allowed anyone but Chris to be with him when he did business, but for some reason, he liked the thought of Jared being there. “You mind?”

This was aimed at Chris who simply shrugged. “You’re the boss,” he responded but couldn’t wait to see the reactions of others to this new rule. “I just wanted to tell you that the head of HR and I took care of the others who slipped in at the same time as those two dickheads from last night. Two more were on the security staff, one was working in the kitchen, and the last one was supposed to be in accounting but the head of that department refused to actually let him do anything, so he was mainly acting as a glorified messenger boy between offices.” He placed several folders on the coffee table. “None of them would admit to being sent by your father, but Chad is running thorough background checks and accounting is looking into their bank accounts. If your father planted them, I can promise you he was also paying them.”

“Wait. Why would your own father be trying to sabotage you?” Jared asked before he could stop himself. He started to pull into himself when Chris looked sharply at him, but then a hand rubbed gently over his arm.

“Because he’s an asshole who has never thought I was good enough to own and run a casino,” Jensen replied honestly, giving a small shrug. “That goes with the long boring story I’ll probably tell you on Sunday. Anything else?” he asked his friend.

“Danneel and I have been handling PR, mostly fielding questions about whether you did or did not actually come out as gay by kissing Jared last night.” The bodyguard was just waiting for the call to come in from the senior Ackles since obviously, the word was out already. “I’m also starting an internal investigation of all employees because someone inside this casino is telling your father stuff he shouldn’t know.”

Jensen shook his head, hating to think that someone inside his own casino, someone close enough to him to know important details, might be selling him out. “As for the PR thing, I told you the other night that I planned to tell the staff on Monday, so now maybe they won’t be too shocked. If any of them don’t like it then give them their pink slips because I won’t have bigots of any kind on my staff.”

Jared had been sitting quietly, just listening. After Chris had gone, he looked at Jensen. “Your staff doesn’t know you’re gay?” He frowned. “Why risk coming out now if you’re already having trouble?”

“Because people keep telling me to stop being the man I’ve tried to make myself into and to be myself instead,” Jensen replied with a shrug. “I’ve pretended to be straight for years because my parents, my family, thought it would be best for business. They didn’t even like the few times I said I was bi-sexual... convinced themselves it was just a phase but lately it’s gotten old. I want to be able to go out with who I want on my arm, and if it shocks a few people then so be it. Can you handle that?” he asked quietly. “Tomorrow will be the first time I’ve actually taken a man to one of these events so there will probably be some snide comments and some looks.”

“I told you before that I know what people think when they look at me with you, Jensen.” Jared didn’t like it but he accepted his role. “I know my place, I know my role, so yes, I know these people will look at me and treat me like dirt like I’m just the hired help. And I guess it’s true because, despite all the pretty words we used, I signed a contract that basically says I’m your hired escort for the next two years.” He looked down at his hands, still a little unnerved and sick at the thought of what he was doing, but he knew his reasons for doing it were far more important than how he felt about himself. “I’ll handle it, Jensen. I won’t mess up.”

Jensen felt an unfamiliar feeling settle in his gut as Jared described himself and their deal. The businessman, the icy bastard he’d always been, accepted that was how it was and should be viewed. However, the side of Jensen that found himself slowly coming to care for Jared, the side that maybe wanted their relationship to become something more, was sick that the boy looked at himself as a hired escort... and that others would look at him that way as well.

“I know you won’t mess up, Jay,” he murmured instead of what he really wanted to say, giving his arm a rub. He suddenly wanted, needed, a distraction. “Do you want to play a game or... do you want me to set up my laptop and give you access to those accounts I mentioned last night?”

Jared was still shocked that Jensen was willing to let him into his casino’s accounts. “Are you allowed to do this?” he asked, silently flipping a coin between seeing if Jensen was any good at video games and distracting himself from his suddenly somber thoughts with something that would truly keep his brain occupied. “I mean, you have paid people who should be able to do this. Won’t they get angry?”

“My casino, my accounts, my choice,” Jensen replied easily, leading Jared into the office and motioning to his chair. “I have accountants but I don’t know who I can trust, Jared. I know this is just a hobby for you and it probably won’t turn up anything, but just consider it as something to do while I make some calls to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow night. Okay?”

Nodding, Jared sat in the soft leather chair and stared at the fancy laptop that was much more advanced than any computer he had used before. He watched Jensen’s fingers as he typed in a few commands and soon various screens and windows popped up.

“You now have access to every system in The Open Road, including financial accounts, employee records, and security.” Jensen leaned over to point to the icons on the touchscreen. “To get to the various financial records, just click that and... okay, I’m obviously not telling you anything you can’t figure out for yourself.” He chuckled as Jared’s fingers began moving and soon pages of scrolling numbers were coming up and Jensen felt his head begin to throb.

At first, Jared was wary about what he was doing; he didn’t want to break the laptop or mess up any of the accounts, but after about 10 minutes, he found his curiosity outweighing his hesitations. Soon he was lost in a world of numbers, opening more and more windows, frustrated that he couldn’t see them all at the same time. He began to take notes on paper that magically appeared right after he almost jotted something on an important document.

While Jared was distracted, Jensen checked the details for the next night. He made sure the limo would be ready and stocked the way he liked it. He called Samantha to get her opinion on a few things and then texted Chris to tell him to grab a couple of items for tomorrow.

When dinner was served, Jensen had to wave the plate of delicious pot roast and gravy under Jared’s nose to get his attention off the computer screen.

“I think you’ve had enough numbers for today, kiddo,” Jensen laughed as he had to wait until Jared blinked his eyes a few times to get his focus back as his eyes cleared. “I swear I saw numbers in your eyes just then. Leave this for later and come eat dinner.”

“Your accountants are either blind or stupid.” Jared shook his head and then carefully rotated his neck, feeling it pop, but at least no pain accompanied the pop. “They’re using a system that’s 10 years old. I’m not an accountant, but even I can tell the software isn’t up to today’s standards. I can also tell that someone’s been messing with your personal accounts, but I need more screen room or a separate monitor to open the windows side by side and show you or…”

“No, you can show Chad,” Jensen remarked and then frowned. “Wait. You can really tell that someone’s been screwing around in the accounts? My high-priced accountants said they couldn’t.”

Jared turned the screen around and enlarged a window with nothing but rows of numbers that made Jensen’s eyes swim. “It’s not easy, but if you compare dates and timestamps and then go deeper into the accounting software, you can see where someone has tried to erase the online fingerprints to make it look like this money was moved from your business account into a personal one... except this personal account looks weird to me. It looks like it’s a Vegas bank, but these aren’t the online codes for the banking network in Vegas. My father works at one of the biggest banks in Vegas, so I’ve seen the codes on his accounts once or twice.”

“Hold that thought, Jay. You actually lost me at ‘compare dates and timestamps’.” Jensen hit the button on his desk. “Murray!” he yelled in his best hard tone, the one that was sure to get attention. “Get your ass to my main office in five minutes. Can you save all this and reopen it down there?” he asked. “I have more screens down there.”

“Can you bring food?” Jared was now hungry and realized how long he must have been lost in the casino’s computer systems.

“I’ll have Marta pack dinner up,” Jensen chuckled.

Six hours later, Chris Kane stepped into the office, blinking in surprise and nudging a pile of paper that had spilled from the printer to the floor with his shoe. “Do I want to ask what all this is about or do you just want to tell me how many bodies I’m going to have to hide come Monday?” He noticed the tightness to Jensen’s jaw as he sat on the sofa while across the room Jared was moving between screens on two desks and pointing things out to a grumbling Chad who was following him.

“Come Monday I am firing the whole damn accounting department along with my personal CPA and hiring Jared,” Jensen muttered. He was furious but trying to keep himself under control because the last time he’d raised his voice, Jared had become tense, and then Chad had yelled because he’d thrown the kid’s brain processors offline or something. “The entire department couldn’t figure out that someone’s been stealing money for 12 months but he did in less than four hours? They told me there was no way to prove that I wasn’t doing it but he’s talking about online fingerprints and offshore accounts with fake bank codes? No, I don’t understand any of that but it pisses me off that people I pay can’t, or won’t, do what he just did. And apparently, the system my accountants are using is totally out of date.”

“I think it might be time for a shakeup all the way around,” Chris sighed, seeing Chad frowning as he looked between the two screens. He knew when Chad Michael Murray frowned in that way, something was not good. “Can they find out who did it?”

“Now that I know what I’m looking for I can,” Chad spoke up as Jared leaned back in the chair to rub at his eyes. “I can also put a bug in the system so if the asshole tries to get into it to move any more funds, an alarm will sound in my system and then Chris can shoot the bastard.”

“Do it.” Jensen had been watching Jared all evening and he knew that if he was tired from just watching, the younger man had to be completely exhausted.

Jared had picked at his dinner while trying to explain his findings to a dumbfounded Chad, but he actually hadn’t consumed more than a few bits. Now as Jensen noticed how pinched his face was and how his hand kept moving to his knee, he realized Jared was in pain and decided enough was enough.

“Chad – I’m counting on you. Lock down what you have to, update whatever the hell you need to, and have it done by Monday because come Monday morning, a lot of things will be changing.” He pushed to his feet and moved over to touch Jared’s shoulder, disappointed that the boy jumped before blinking and realizing Jensen was calm. “C’mon, Jay. You did more than I ever expected you to and tomorrow’s going to be busy, so let’s get some ice on your knee, some pain pills in your system, and go to bed. We’ll let Chad play down here a little longer.”

Chris cleared his throat before bringing up the reason he had come to the office in the first place. “Jensen, your father’s been calling and now he’s blowing up the hotel switchboard.” Chris had been trying to block the calls, but the man kept switching numbers and it was getting harder. “He’s demanding to know what you think you’re trying to prove with his casino.”

Jensen stopped in his tracks and immediately felt everything changing inside him. Ever since he’d been younger, his father had the ability to change him, to make him doubt himself, and to even be a little afraid. He’d tried so hard when he came here to Vegas to be someone different. He’d tried to make himself into someone his father would approve of, but as he was slowly coming to realize, the only thing he’d done was make himself into someone even he couldn’t stand at times. He had to accept that no matter what he did, his father would never approve of him.

“Jensen?” Jared felt the change even before Jensen’s fingers tightened on his shoulder until the grip turned painful. He let out a soft hiss of discomfort just as a cough came from Chris, and Jensen’s fingers suddenly relaxed even if his voice remained tight.

“You go back upstairs and go to bed, Jared.” Jensen hated the chill in his voice and the way Jared tensed and nervously eased himself out from under his touch. He also hated the disappointed look Chad shot him as he asked him to leave the computers for now and go upstairs with Jared.

“Will... will you be up soon or... wanting me for... anything?” Jared asked quietly and wondered how the day could have been going so well before a simple call turned it all upside down.

Remembering the last time his father had called made Jensen’s hand clench. “No, I’ll see you for breakfast though... and Jared?” He looked over his shoulder to see wary eyes meet his fully. “Lock your door tonight. Chris, give me five minutes and then patch him through to me in this office.”

Jared went rigid at that order because there was something almost dead in Jensen’s tone when he said it. “Why would he say that?” he asked a grim Chad who’d come upstairs with him to make sure he didn’t fall on his way to the bedroom. “He... he was almost friendly today, so what did I do…”

“You didn’t do anything, kiddo. When old man Ackles calls Jensen, he drinks afterward.” Chad was planning to crash on the sofa until Jensen came upstairs just to be sure he wasn’t too plastered. “I don’t know why or what the hell is between them, but I do know that whenever his father calls, Jensen gets drunk. That’s what happened the first night you were here and he left you in the playroom. That’s why he told you to lock the door. He just had the lock installed so you could lock your room when you wanted. I don’t think he trusts himself after talking to his father and he wants to make sure there isn’t a repeat of the other night.” He looked at Jared and wished he knew what to say to bring the smile back. “Just get some sleep. He’ll be okay in the morning.”

“Really? Or are you just saying that so I won’t freak out and sleep in the closet?” Jared asked curiously. He limped towards his bedroom, knowing he had to start putting more weight on his right leg to make sure he was ready for whatever was in store for the next night.

“Scout’s honor, kiddo.” Chad held up his fingers in the official Scout symbol of promise but decided not to tell the kid that he’d never been one. He was just happy to see a small smile return to Jared’s face before he limped off to his bedroom.

The computer ace/bodyguard waited until he heard the door lock before he slumped on the sofa in the hopes that whatever progress Jensen had made wouldn’t be undone by whatever happened on the phone.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Seventeen

The ringing in his ears was deafening and Jensen Ackles wasn’t sure if it was caused by waking up in his bathtub or by the screaming fight he’d had with his father the night before.

He’d known the man would be pissed off because he hadn’t been able to get in touch with him right away on top of everything else, so when Jensen finally picked up the phone, he hadn’t been shocked by the vicious curses and name-calling that had greeted him. It seemed like yelling at him and insulting him had become his father’s favorite thing to do ever since he announced to the family that he was gay.

What had surprised Jensen was that instead of sitting back in his chair and silently accepting every hurtful word, he had shouted back. He thought it was this shocking turn of events that had given him the first chance ever to get a word in with Mark Ackles.

“It’s not your casino!” Jensen had roared; that was actually what pissed him off the most. “It was turned over legally to me when I hit 21! By your father! Not by you! My grandfather turned it over to me ! He gave me a rundown piece of crap that he lost interest in years ago and everyone expected me to fail! But it’s been five years and I haven’t failed, have I? In fact, The Open Road has become one of the best damn casinos on the Strip! So don’t call me demanding to know what the hell I’m doing to your casino because this is my casino, Dad. Mine! And no matter what you do or try to do, nothing will change that!”

There was an eerie silence on the other side of the line for several moments before his father spoke again. “You think it’ll stay yours once the board learns how much money you’ve lost, Jensen?” The fury was evident in the smooth voice. “You are an embarrassment to the Ackles’ name, boy! Not only can’t you run a casino, but you’re also parading around with some whore, a man no less, inside the casino! You kissed him in public so everyone knows my son, the so-called heir to the Ackles’ casino empire, is a faggot! Hell, no! I will not allow you to sully what…”

“You won’t allow?” Jensen shot back with a laugh, unaware of Chris entering the room or how his hand was shaking as he pressed it to the desk. “You think you can tell me what to do now? When the fuck did you start to give a damn, Dad? You never gave a crap about me growing up! You never even paid any attention to me unless you were insulting me in front of your buddies! Neither you nor Mom really even saw me as a son! You just saw me as something to be used to keep Gramps from kicking your ass out every time one of those mistresses you kept on the side went public after you beat the crap out of one or got a little too kinky!

“You think you can use me being gay as a tool to take this place from me? How about if I suddenly start to remember all those clubs you dragged me to before I was even 16? How about if I suddenly told Gramps or Gramma about the kinky little sex club and the special room you have in the house in Venice? What would happen if I told Mom about that spring break in Madrid when I had to call your new little mistress ‘Mommy’ as she beat the living hell out of me after drugging me? How about that, Dad?”

Jensen paused to draw in a shaky breath, shoving Chris’s hand away when he went to take the phone. He was unaware of the tears silently falling down his face as he spoke again before his father could figure out how to respond. “I know you hired someone to get into my bank accounts. I know it’s you who’s stealing the casino’s money and trying to pin it on me. Just like I know you snuck assholes into my casino to cause trouble. Well, those assholes are gone and all the backdoors in the accounts have been shut! By mid-week, I’ll have proof it was you or someone working for you, and then I’ll be the one talking to the board! I will tell them everything! I have no problem telling them about me being gay! And I’ll be glad to tell them about your lies and tricks! And I will not give this casino up without a goddamn fight!”

“I will not allow you to humiliate this family with whatever whore you’ve bought Jensen!” Mark shouted, furious at his son’s attitude as well as his words, no matter how truthful they were. “I will take that casino out from under you and the board will side with me because you can’t prove any of those ridiculous lies you just sprouted! Now, try to be reasonable, Jensen. Be a good son and let my office prepare papers so you can sign the casino over to me. Then you can prepare a statement to tell them how you were drunk or high the other night when people saw you kiss that... that…”

“His name is Jared!” Jensen gritted, fury making him shake. “He is not a whore. It doesn’t matter how we met. He has more brains and decency than you or I will ever have. His only crime is having an asshole for a father. Huh... I guess we have more in common than I first thought... you both see your kids as a means for handling your money problems. Fuck off, Dad!”

The phone slammed into the wall across the room followed by a bottle of liquor from the stand by the wall. “Get out!” he bellowed, sensing Chris in the room but not wanting to deal with any appeasing words right then. “Get out! Leave me alone! And... make sure the damn kid locked his door.”

Jensen wasn’t sure what happened after that. He knew he started drinking, but he still remembered returning to his penthouse and being surprised to find Chad crashed on the sofa in the living room.

He’d paused a long time in front of the door to Jared’s room, hand hovering over the knob, but he finally left without testing the new lock. He left the young man to sleep in peace because he knew he was too raw, too on edge to risk going close to him right then. Instead, he headed for his own room. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the rush of overwhelming emotions from the past several days, but walking away from Jared’s door was the last clear memory he had.

So how he ended up in his tub with his clothes still on and his ears ringing was a mystery. He gradually realized that not all of the noise was coming from his ears, but before he could figure out where the noise was coming from, a blast of cold water hit him and he tried unsuccessfully to scramble to his feet. “What the goddamn hell?” he sputtered.

“This is what happens when you break your phone and lock the door.” Chris’s voice was deeper than normal, which meant he was both pissed and worried. “The noise that’s probably echoing through your thick skull right now is Aldis and Chad putting your door back on its hinges. Why was it off the hinges? I’m so glad you asked. Apparently, the kid took a drill to it before I got here with the override code to the lock... of course where he found a drill is still a mystery.”

Jensen gave up escaping the icy water and slumped back into the tub, letting it hit him until he was awake fully. Then he shot a glare at his bodyguard. “It’s too damn early for sarcasm,” he grumbled. “And why the hell are you trying to drown me?” He shoved the hand away that was extended to help him out of the tub as he moved to his bedroom to dry off and find dry clothes.

“Because Jared was convinced you were dead and panicked,” Chris replied, dodging the wet shirt. “Truth be told when I walked in I wasn’t too certain you weren’t so... the water. Do we need to have that talk about your drinking again?”

“No, because I only drink when he calls so keep my father off my phone and there’s no problem.” Jensen scowled at the skeptical look on his bodyguard’s face. “You know I don’t drink more than a couple beers or wine socially.” Jensen squinted at the clock and then looked again, blinking to clear his eyes. “Shit! Is that time right?” he demanded. He knew how long it took to get ready for any social gathering, even without being hungover and emotionally drained.

“Yeah, you’re going to be looking like something the cat should drag home after the party even before you get there, boss,” Aldis spoke up from where he was trying to hold the door steady as Chad put the last screws back in place.

Jensen growled at them while bolting out of the bedroom. “Did you get that thing I told you to?” he asked as Chris followed him. “And where he is now that he’s done tearing my door off the hinges?”

“After I got him to calm down, Marta took him to the kitchen to feed him. After that I heard him ask Chad something about how to put the “cumberthing” on... then he said that maybe you really were dead and he wouldn’t have to wear it.” Chris grabbed Jensen by the arm to jerk him back and stare at him hard. “He was worried about you, jackass. Despite the fact that he was probably scared of a repeat performance of the other night, that kid was actually worried that you might be dead in the tub from either too much booze or cracking your skull open... so watch your tone or I might forget you’re my boss and shoot you.”

“Keep it up and I’ll bump you from my favorites list altogether,” Jensen muttered. He moved down the hallway and automatically grabbed the knob to Jared’s door, but then he forced himself to slow down and try to get his thoughts back in order. After a few moments, he knocked... hard.

“Come in.” Jared wasn’t visible when Jensen stepped into the room, but he could hear sounds coming from the closet, so the casino owner didn’t bother looking too hard for him.

A quick glance around the empty room revealed a bed that didn’t look as if it had been slept in. Jensen felt his heart clench at the thought that Jared probably hadn’t slept in his bed. He either hadn’t slept at all or he had slept somewhere other than the bed with his hurt knee because he wasn’t sure what Jensen might do.

“Do I want to know where you found a drill?” Jensen asked finally, struggling to keep his voice steady and light. He picked up one of several ties that had been placed on the bed and noticed several others piled on the floor.

“No, probably not. Let’s just say your cook keeps some really interesting things under the sink.” Jared stuck his head out of the closet to look at Jensen sadly, biting his lip to hide his smile. “So... you weren’t dead after all? Damn. Does that mean I really have to wear this stupid thing and figure out how to tie a tie?”

The cockiness made Jensen smile even though the shadow of worry remaining in those big hazel eyes bothered him, as did the fact that Jared wasn’t approaching him but stayed several steps away instead. “I can help with the tie... if you want,” he offered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t think I was drunk as much as just... burned out. My Dad... I yelled back for once, which is probably a positive step, but things got even nastier than usual, and... I think I went to shower and just... I’m sorry if I worried you.”

“You really suck at apologies, y’know that?” Jared stepped from the closet slowly, keeping a hand on the door for support. He stepped further into the bedroom, letting go of the door and hissing when his knee still twinged. “Damn!”

Jensen could see the faint outline of the knee brace under the dress pants. He started to reach out but stopped when Jared flinched back without thinking. “I don’t do a lot of them so yeah, I probably do suck at them,” he agreed, keeping his distance, but watching carefully until the younger man was seated on the bed. After a moment, he saw the boy nod to a spot on the bed beside him and he gratefully sat while Jared slipped into a pair of shiny black dress shoes. “A lot of things seem to be changing and... I guess I’m not sure if it’s all good yet, so my temper still snaps sometimes but... I’m trying, Jared.”

“What are you trying to do, Jensen?” Jared asked quietly, reaching for one of his practice ties after he got the shoes tied to his satisfaction. When he felt fingers tilt his chin up so his eyes were meeting clear green ones, the younger man held his breath and forced himself not to pull away.

“A lot... but mainly I’m trying to learn how to not be as much of an asshole to you but that might not be too obvious until tomorrow,” Jensen told him, curling his fingers down along Jared’s jaw to feel just the slightest hint of razor stubble. “Tonight, at this party, I will probably sound like a real bastard at times.”

“You say that like it’s something new.” Jared knew it was his nerves making him mouthy, but he also knew that the new contract required him to keep his sarcasm down, especially around other people. “Sorry... well not too sorry but... I didn’t sleep too well last night. Then I hurt my damn knee again taking your door off the hinges. By the way, did you know that Chris moves like a snail? God forbid there was an actual emergency up here! I think he... huh?” He blinked when a thumb gently ran over his lips. “Is that your not-so-subtle way of telling me to shut up?”

Jensen figured he should be saying something since the kid was mouthing off a lot, and it wouldn’t work out well for either of them if he popped off later that evening, but there was something surprisingly adorable about the way Jared ran off at the mouth. Jensen was beginning to realize he did it more when uneasy or unsure of things.

“You’re cute when you ramble,” he murmured, then laughed at the disgusted look he was shot. “Just try to remember to be quiet, polite, and docile tonight. If you manage that, I’ll give you a treat tomorrow.”

“You said we’d talk tomorrow,” Jared reminded him, hating the thought of being ‘docile’ but accepting the subtle reminder about his place in this ‘relationship’. “Is that what you consider a treat? Yeah... with how little you like to talk, I guess it could be considered a mhmm!”

Lips covering his stopped the flow of words finally. Jensen’s fingers curled into soft dark hair to control Jared’s movements and one of the boy’s hands flattened across Jensen’s chest but made no motion to try to push him away.

“This is my way of telling you to shut up and finish getting dressed,” Jensen told him after breaking the kiss, tucking a strand of hair back behind Jared’s ear and smiling at his surprised look. “And no, me talking is not a treat. You might consider it more punishment by the time I’m done. We’ll discuss the treat if you can manage to get through tonight without earning any special... punishments.” He smiled as he left Jared sitting on the bed to ponder that.

Jared stared after Jensen as the older man left the room. He knew Jensen had been dancing away from the inevitable and that it was only a matter of time before he ended up back in the playroom; he could only hope Jensen honored the terms of the new agreement.

When Jensen returned to his room, he noticed that the door was back on its hinges and his tuxedo had been placed on his bed. There were also two boxes on the bed, which meant that Chris had gotten the items he’d told him to. He knew his head bodyguard would be off changing his own clothes since while Chad would stay in the limo, Chris would go into the party with them. It would be the bodyguard’s job to run any necessary interference while they were at the party and also to make an excuse if they had to leave suddenly.

The timetable had been changed thanks to Jensen’s own stupidity. He’d wanted to take Jared out for a nice dinner before the party since he doubted that the younger man would recognize, much less enjoy eating, any of the food at the party. He hadn’t wanted to push his luck and give Jared something to complain about right off the bat. Now he’d have to risk it and, if necessary, just grab them something on the way home.

He took another shower, this one under his own terms, shaved, and then dressed before grabbing the two boxes and heading back to Jared’s room. As he approached, he smiled as he heard the young man swearing that ties should be outlawed and the maker of them strung up by his balls.

“I said I’d tie it for you. There’s no need to get... well look at you…” Jensen had been laughing at the grumbling when he stepped into the room, but he was stopped in his tracks by the sight of Jared dressed in his tuxedo standing in front of the mirror over the dresser trying to get his tie fastened.

It still made Jensen stop and stare when he saw Jared dressed in clothes that fit him properly. He still might not be as filled out as he would probably be one day, but what he saw right then was enough to make Jensen’s blood heat. He was tempted to forget the party just so he could get the younger man back out of the tuxedo.

“What? What’s wrong with me?” Jared had misread his words as disappointment and was trying to see what was wrong, what he’d missed when Jensen approached him to reach up for the tie and soon had it knotted perfectly.

“Nothing’s wrong with you, sweetheart,” Jensen reassured him while giving the tuxedo jacket a slight adjustment across the shoulders and smiling. “You’re perfect. I just wasn’t expecting you to look quite this good in a tux. Now I want to forget the party and spend the night peeling you out of it.”

Jared’s cheeks heated and he ducked his head. “Chris said I can’t let you do that,” he muttered, leaning back on the dresser to rest his knee. “He said you have to go and make nice.”

“He knows I don’t play well with others,” Jensen teased but backed off before he really did decide to stay home and play with Jared. “Oh, before we go... open your gifts.” He stepped back and nodded to the two boxes he’d placed on the dresser.

“Huh?” Jared frowned as he took a small square box and then a long skinny one. It still threw him off when Jensen just gave him things out of the blue; he couldn’t help but wonder if there would be strings attached. He sometimes imagined what their relationship might have been if he had been someone in Jensen’s league. “What are these?”

“Gifts, for you.” Jensen wondered if Jared would ever stop looking at him like a caged animal when he did something nice for him; it was a hard reminder of how badly he’d treated the kid before he had come to his senses. “Open the long one first since Chris said you’d probably want to use that on me instead of how you’re supposed to use it.”

Removing the ribbon so he could lift off the lid, Jared blinked and then grinned a little, understanding the bodyguard’s comment. “Yeah, I could probably see that happening,” he muttered as he lifted the hand-crafted, sleek-looking cane. It had a curved handle that was longer than the typical cane so that he could comfortably use it to support his still sore knee. “I... I can use this tonight?”

“Yeah, you can use it,” Jensen nodded and then held his breath as Jared opened the other box. He watched his eyes grow wide as he carefully removed the gold Rolex watch from the box. “You don’t seem to have one and I’ve seen you looking at your wrist a couple of times so…” He shrugged self-consciously as Jared stared at the watch. “Plus it’ll be good if I need a way to get us out of there... I can just ask you for the time.” He coughed when Jared still didn’t move or say anything. “Okay?”

Jared swallowed hard and swore he wouldn’t let anything show. He would not let on how much this meant to him, even as that small piece of him reminded him that the watch wasn’t really his. “I’ll... I’ll take good care of it,” he murmured, turning the watch over and noticing that it was the kind with several functions. Since it was already set with the correct time, he fastened it on his wrist. “I’ll be really careful with it and I’ll put it back in the box as soon as we get back here. Or if you want, I’ll give it to Chris in the limo.”

“Jared, no.” Jensen reached a hand out to touch Jared’s wrist when it dawned on him what the younger man must be thinking. “You don’t have to take it off or give it to Chris. This isn’t just an accessory for tonight, sweetheart. The watch is yours, Jay. You can wear it, figure out what those little buttons do, whatever. It’s yours.”

This time Jared knew his emotions must have shown because a gentle hand touched his face. He looked into Jensen’s eyes and gave him a small smile. “My Mom had a watch that her father let her keep even though her family disowned her for marrying my Dad. It was a Rolex; it kind of looked like this one. It was old, but it still kept time and it was about all I had from her.” He spoke softly, not sure why he was saying this or even if Jensen would even care, but he wanted the man to understand why what he saw as a simple watch meant so much to him. “When Molly started taking more advanced lessons this year and working with a private teacher, her tuition went up so much. But she was so excited, and it was such a great opportunity for her. The school said that with the private lessons, she would probably get into whatever dance school she wanted. So I... I sold the watch. It was old, but it was a Rolex so I got enough to cover a couple of months of her tuition. I saved like crazy after that and earned enough to buy it back, but when I went back to the shop, the man had already sold it.” He looked over at Jensen and then down at the watch on his wrist. “Thank you for this.”

Jensen wasn’t sure what to say to that or how to handle the depth of emotion he saw in Jared’s eyes so he merely fixed an unruly strand of hair that kept falling in Jared’s face. “Let’s get going before I decide not to go.”

The cane provided much-needed support for Jared’s knee but Jensen would still make a point of staying close to him in case the knee buckled. He was also dragging the kid to the hospital on Monday if it wasn’t any better but for that night, he had other things to focus on and worry about. His main challenge was going to be not slugging the host in the face the moment he laid eyes on him.

Chris was waiting for them beside a long black limo dressed in his own tuxedo, while Chad already sat behind the wheel. Jared took in the sleek lines of Chris’s tux and wondered if the man was carrying the gun he always seemed to have on him but decided not to ask as Jensen motioned him into the car ahead of him.

The inside of the car was spacious, which Jared appreciated, and he noticed a mini fridge as well as what appeared to be a small bar. He was more curious, however, by the multi-buttoned control on the seat, but Jensen moved it before he could investigate the device.

“So how long do we have to stay?” Jensen asked the bodyguard as the car pulled out of the underground garage. He hit a button to lighten the tint on the windows and sunroof so Jared could see the bright lights of the Vegas Strip.

“Well the proper thing to do would be to stay for the whole party but…” Chris paused to allow for the expected groan and threats of throwing people out of windows if he made them stay that long and then chose to continue. “…but if you can manage at least 90 minutes without violence, then we’ll call it a night.”

Jensen made a face but sat back, trying to relax while watching Jared as he looked out the window. “Ever walked the Strip at night?” he asked, fingers casually massaging the back of Jared’s neck.

“No, I was usually waiting tables at night at some diner off the strip.” Jared leaned forward to stare up at the tall hotels and casinos as well as at the people walking the sidewalks. “Dad said I should.” he frowned. “Said I’d probably make more money doing that.”

Chris kicked Jensen’s leg before he could say what he was thinking. Both men understood that James Padalecki would never win Father of the Year in any decade, but there was no sense in reminding Jared of that.

“Okay, so before we get to the bowels of Hell.” Jensen ignored Chris’s warning growl and turned to face Jared. “Do you have any questions for me?”

“Not really. I think I know the rules for tonight. Stay beside you or Chris and keep my mouth shut.”

“That’s probably best. Unless someone speaks directly to you... then you do need to answer, but keep it as simple as possible.” Jensen shook his head in disgust. “The people at this party are all social snobs with elitist attitudes. I won’t lie. They will look at you like a piece of meat and they will probably make some rude comments that will make you want to take a shower but…” He lifted Jared’s face with his hand to make him meet his eyes. “No one will touch you. If anyone does or tries to behind my back you tell me or Chris. Got it?”

Jared nodded his understanding. He started to lean back in his seat, but just then the car slowed down and he looked to see where they were. “Holy shit!”

“Yeah, he’s got the whole keeping his mouth shut thing down,” Chris snorted, smile dry as he rolled his eyes at Jensen who merely smirked; both men could easily figure out what had caused the young man’s reaction.

The Devil’s Lair casino wasn’t the largest on the Strip but it did go all out to live up to its name with a giant statue of the stereotypical Devil outside the place with flames shooting up both sides at timed intervals. The fountain that cars drove past to get to the front door was dyed red to look like blood and as Jared got out of the car, he swore he saw monsters swimming in it.

“Robotic demon fish,” Jensen told him as he followed him out of the limo to lean into the front. “Don’t try to feed them this time, Chad,” he ordered and then took a deep breath before looking at Jared. “Stay by my side and no matter what I say or how I act, stay calm.”

Jared had a bad feeling about this night, but he’d signed on the dotted line so he had to learn to accept whatever Jensen’s life had in store for him. Stepping into the grand main lobby, however, was almost enough to have him backing back out of the place, contract be damned.

“Sorry, I forgot to mention the asshole goes all out with the devil and hell décor.” Jensen’s whole tone and body language changed the moment they entered the casino.

The Devil’s Lair was dimly lit with black marble everywhere. There were stone statues of devils and demons scattered around as decorations along with replicas of various torture devices.

The center of the main lobby had a giant velvet throne with a life-sized replica of what was supposed to be the devil but with a very human-looking face.

“Nothing like making yourself the model for your own centerpiece.” Chris frowned as he shifted a little closer to Jared’s other side. Within moments, a scantily clad hostess with horns and a tail approached and directed them to the private party on the second floor. “If she’s 21, I’m a priest,” he muttered under his breath.

“Pellegrino doesn’t give a damn about age limits,” Jensen returned, glancing beside him to see that Jared had turned pale as he caught a glimpse of a couple of guests who were actually leading young men and women around on leashes. “Remember what I said?” he asked softly, slipping his hand down to give a cold and clammy one a quick squeeze. “Just stay close to me. Everything’s going to be okay.”

The whole second floor of the casino seemed to be devoted to the party. Some guests were playing various games while others were just drinking and mingling. There were several rooms open and well-dressed men and women were moving in and out of them, but the majority of the guests seemed to be centered in the middle of the main ballroom watching something that Jensen and Chris couldn’t see yet.

Something triggered Chris’s bodyguard instincts so he took a step to the side, which allowed him to see what was taking place. “Oh crap,” he muttered and knew that the chances of this night going smoothly had just dramatically decreased. “Jensen... I think there was something that your invitation failed to mention.”

“What?” Jensen asked, voice dropping lower, harder. He hated this place. He hated the feelings it gave off in general and that was even before he saw the owner who never failed to leave him with a soiled feeling. Something in one of the side rooms had caught his eye and he was just doing a double take when he felt Jared go rigid beside him and heard Chris snarl. “What the hell’s... oh fuck.”

Jensen tightened his grip on Jared as a sudden break in the crowd allowed him to see the main attraction. A huge St. Andrews Cross had been stationed in the center of the ballroom and a very naked male body had been strapped to it. A large muscular man in black leather was whipping the captive while another fucked him with a huge dildo; both men ignored the screams coming from behind a spiked gag.

“Ah! Mr. Ackles. Mr. Kane. Welcome! Mr. Pellegrino will be so thrilled to know you decided to join him tonight for this very special party!” A tall man with a crewcut so short he was almost bald approached the men, cold eyes immediately going to Jared before sliding back to Jensen with a sly smile as he reached out with something held in his hand. “If you’ll just let me attach this to your boy, you can go and join the festivities.”

Jared had just been trying to slow his heart rate down and catch his breath after seeing the St. Andrews Cross as well as what was being done to the man attached to it when the man’s words penetrated his fog. His gaze shot back to the man and he saw a thick black studded collar complete with a short leather leash attached to it being raised toward his neck; the man was clearly planning to put it on him and a blind panic began to overwhelm Jared.

He started to back away from the man, but Jensen had tightened his grip around his waist, and Jared found himself trapped against the older man’s side. He recalled Jensen’s earlier words about acting like or sounding like a bastard tonight, and he wondered just how far the man would go to maintain his image.  He looked for the bodyguard, but Chris’s eyes were firmly locked on the man with the collar. Jared knew he was in danger of hyperventilating as he tried to pull away from Jensen without causing a scene, but his grip was like steel. “No…”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Eighteen

“No…” Jared’s instinctive response to the sight of the collar was to pull back, but he couldn’t break away from Jensen’s tight grip. He could see the anger on the new man’s face at his reaction and the hand with the collar started to reach out for him. Suddenly, Jared felt himself shifted and nudged slightly back as an arm reached in front of him to grab the wrist with the collar.

When Jared had gone rigid and started to pull back, Jensen had hesitated only for a moment before moving to catch the hand. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, tone ice cold and furious. “Oh, no. You were not about to try to put this on him with me standing right here, right? What the hell’s the deal here?”

The man started to react to the tight grip on his arm, but then he noticed the bodyguard standing with his hand ready to slip under his jacket. He slowly relaxed, coughing to clear his throat. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ackles. I thought you were already aware. We did send out notes to all those invited two weeks ago explaining the added stipulation to tonight’s event.” He moved his eyes to Jared again, lips curving in a slow smile, before returning his attention to Jensen when the casino owner growled lowly. “All escorts, male or female, must be collared with the leash attached. It... goes with Mr. Pellegrino’s theme.”

“Yeah, interesting theme,” Jensen gritted while shooting Chris a dark look. “Did you see this note?” he asked tightly, He could feel Jared trembling with either fear or anger and the young man couldn’t decide whether to move closer to Jensen or pull further away from him. Jensen realized how bad this situation was.

On the one hand, their contract specifically said no collars, which was something Jensen had more than willingly agreed to. He had absolutely no desire to see Jared, or anybody, in a collar, but he also knew that if he balked now, he’d have to take Jared and leave the party. That would pretty much destroy his already shaky image with the other casino owners and potential investors as well as give his father a whole new arsenal of ammunition to use against him.

“No, and if anyone on the staff did and didn’t pass it on, heads will roll in the morning,” Chris muttered sourly, eyeing his employer warily. He knew about the clause in Jensen’s deal with Jared. He also knew how Jensen personally felt about collars and leashes and other serious hardcore crap, so the bodyguard was already trying to figure out a way to keep this situation from blowing out of control when a too-smooth, too-oily voice was heard from the shadows. “Shit.”

“What’s the matter Ackles? Don’t you have control over your new pet? Or maybe he’s got you domesticated?”

Jensen had just jerked the collar from the man’s hand and had been debating whether or not to punch him with it as he tried to keep Jared beside him. At the sound of the new voice, the younger man froze in place and Jensen’s temper simmered as he turned to see the host of the party approaching with a plastic smile that was more sneer.

“Pellegrino,” he greeted tightly, forcing himself to extend a hand and smile despite what he wanted to do. “Sorry. There seems to have been a... communication error between your office and mine. We weren’t aware of this little... addition to the personal wear until just now.”

Mark Pellegrino walked over from where he’d been enjoying the festivities and smiled. At 6’1, he was the same height as Jensen but was a little leaner as his fitted red tuxedo made sure to show off. He eyed Jensen with a smirk before looking at Jared for a long appraising moment. “Surely you’ve taught him to wear a collar by now?” He made a disappointed tsking noise as he stepped closer to examine Jared, but he was careful not to get close enough to trigger the temper he knew Jensen had or alarm his bodyguard. “After all, you made a point of kissing him in public, so you don’t seem to have a problem with showing the boy off.” He smirked as he saw Jensen’s jaw twitch. “Unless those things I’ve heard about you being against collaring are true? You must not have gotten your balls from your father. I hear he likes to collar…”

Jared’s eyes had been fixated on the collar still clenched in Jensen’s hand, but he came back to full awareness when he felt Chris move around him as if to grab for Jensen in case the man made any move. Jared realized that Jensen was very obviously being baited.

“This was supposed to be a party, Pellegrino. Not a damn sex club-themed event,” Jensen gritted, keeping his voice down to avoid drawing attention, but he knew he was going to have to make a decision soon. He would either have to leave the party or betray Jared by putting the collar on him. “This is how you plan to bring in new investors?”

“Well, I have quite a few of your current ones so I must be doing something right,” Pellegrino smiled, eyeing the collar and then Jensen before stepping closer. “You’re welcome to enjoy it as well so long as you play by my rules and collar this stud... unless it’s you who wears the collar in your little playroom.”

Chris groaned, knowing Jensen was going to lose his temper. He was prepared to pull both Jared and Jensen out of the room, but suddenly Jared moved and surprised them all.

Jared did not like collars. He’d promised himself that no one would ever put one on him, but he didn’t like this tall creepy-looking man with short dirty blond hair or the way he was speaking to Jensen. He knew he had an out; he knew it was in that contract that he’d never have to wear a collar and he could insist on leaving the party immediately. Jared was smart enough to know, however, that if he refused or if Jensen refused on his behalf, then it would make Jensen look bad in front of a lot of people he had to deal with for business.

Seeing the hatred for Pellegrino on Jensen’s face as well as the way the muscles in his arms could be seen bunching even though the tuxedo jacket helped Jared make his decision. He swallowed thickly before turning and dropping to one knee in front of Jensen with his head lowered submissively.

“Well now, it almost seems like he knows how it’s done,” Pellegrino sneered, and then he motioned to Jared’s other knee. “Of course, a proper Dom would be shot before allowing his sub to not be on both knees. Perhaps you should give him to me and…”

“Over my dead body,” Jensen shot back but then ignored the smirking casino owner and stared down at Jared, shocked by his sudden move. He grimaced as he realized the kid had to be hurting; he had dropped to his good knee, and his injured leg, the knee still in the brace, was awkwardly extended behind him.

Jensen looked at the collar in his hands, hating the object as much as he did its owner. It was made of thick, dark leather and covered with silver spikes. He desperately did not want to put it on Jared, but then he felt fingers gripping his pants leg as if Jared was fighting for balance on his single knee. Jensen let out a sigh and slowly fastened the collar, making certain it was loose, but with as wide as it was, he knew it would still be uncomfortable.

As soon as the collar was hooked, he had Jared by the arm and was pulling him to his feet while Chris bent to grab the dropped cane and press it back into a clenching hand.

“There, your damn collar’s on. Happy?” Jensen kept his hand on Jared’s arm but away from the leash. “Oh, and just so we’re clear... the second I’m finished with your ‘party’ it comes off. And Pellegrino? No one else here better try to touch him because what’s mine is mine. You and your sick buddies stay the hell away from Jared.” He gave Pellegrino a final glare and then moved into the room, heading for the punch bowl. He needed a few minutes to settle down and hopefully get the kid to tell him what the hell he thought he was doing.

“Yeah, I know you’re not the sharing type, Ackles,” Pellegrino called after him, but he still let his eyes roam over the long hard body of the young man who was careful to stay very close to Jensen. “So, is this the kid you took off his old man in place of the debt he owed you?” His voice was casual but he made sure it was loud enough to be heard by anyone close by.

Jared knew his face was already red from having to wear the stupid collar, but when he heard that comment, when he realized that other people knew about what his dad had done, he wanted to sink through the floor. He only had a brief second to wonder how this guy had known about the deal before he felt Jensen start to turn.

“My private business deals are my business,” Jensen gritted, hating this man and his smirk even more than he had before. He also planned to find out how the bastard had even learned of his deal with Padalecki. “Now are you just generally being an asshole or are you trying to piss me off more than you already have?”

“Just having a little friendly business talk with a fellow casino owner, Jensen,” Pellegrino smiled as he nodded before stepping back. “I hope you enjoy my hospitality and partake of some of the... entertainment.” He shot Jared a leer. “And maybe you’ll change your mind about sharing your entertainment.”

“Let’s go get some champagne or something,” Chris quickly stepped between the men so when Jensen started to move, he met his chest and the bodyguard was able to move his friend in the opposite direction. “Okay, fine. I changed my mind. You can leave this cesspit anytime you’re ready because I know he’s going to bait you into making a scene and that is not what you or The Open Road need with the board already breathing down your neck thanks to your father. So just let me know when you’re ready to go.”

Jensen was very tempted to take Chris up on his offer, but he knew that if he left right away, Pellegrino would take it as a victory. He was going to force himself to stay for at least half an hour and make his rounds to speak to the assholes he recognized. At the moment, however, he needed a few minutes alone with his date. “Get whatever passes for refreshments... whatever you think Jared will eat and doesn’t look like it’s spiked with anything. I want to speak with Jared alone.”

Jared tensed slightly at Jensen’s hard and icy tone, but he didn’t resist when his arm was pulled. Instead, he allowed Jensen to lead him over to one of several little sitting areas that had been curtained off. It seemed like these areas would offer privacy, but Jared doubted if Mark Pellegrino even knew what that word meant. He wouldn’t be surprised if every room in this place was hooked up with some type of invasive device in hopes of catching some of his rich and influential guests in the act of something illegal or immoral.

Jensen chose the closest one of the little alcoves as he tried to ignore the sounds coming from behind them. The activity at the St. Andrews cross had picked up and it was very painfully clear that the sub on the device was no longer a willing participant as multiple people were using toys on him while others were calling out suggestions or even offering their own companions up for a go.

Just as he started to push Jared into the curtained area, a well-dressed older woman approached him and offered 25 thousand for an hour alone with his stud. He barely resisted the urge to respond to her in not such a polite way, but he managed to just ignore her as he pushed Jared down onto the curved velvet seat and jerked the curtain closed behind them. He used his body to pin the boy down, straddling him and putting a hand over Jared’s mouth when it went to open. “Don’t speak!” he growled. “Just... just be quiet a second.”

Jensen suspected what Jared was thinking was going to happen given the sounds and sights around them. He could feel the boy shaking slightly and was impressed that he was staying still even if his eyes were wide as he looked at him as Jensen rested his forehead against Jared’s.

He used this time to try to settle his emotions. He was pissed off and knew that when he was this angry, he was more likely to get rough and lose control of his temper. That was something he definitely didn’t want to do... not here, not now. His version of rough play didn’t come close to what these people were into.

“I’m going to move my hand but I need you to stay quiet for me, okay?” he asked, lips against Jared’s ear so he’d hear him but hopefully no one else would.

Jared blinked but nodded, a little wary but trying to remember his role. His knee was just glad that he was finally sitting down since it was starting to throb again. He took a deep breath to settle his nerves, trying to ignore Jensen’s body pressed against him on the seat and wondering when the hell certain parts of his body decided to get minds of their own.

Feeling the nod, Jensen let his hand drop and then he buried his face against soft dark hair rather than the soft flesh of Jared’s neck like he wanted to because the damn collar was covering it. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I swear that I didn’t know it was going to be like this. I did not know you’d have to wear that.” He moved enough to be able to meet confused eyes. “Why the hell did you let me put it on you?”

Jared wasn’t sure if he had a proper answer or if he should even try to answer since Jensen had told him to stay quiet. He waited until he felt lips brush softly over his and heard Jensen repeat his question in a whispered tone. When he spoke, he was careful to keep his own voice down low, which wasn’t hard since he didn’t have much spit to talk with.

“He... I didn’t want him to keep mocking you like he was,” he whispered, trying to hold still and not move his hands from where they were flat on the seat as Jensen’s mouth slid along his jaw. “I hate it so much, Jensen. I feel like it’s choking me even though I know it’s as loose as you could make it and... and I want it off so badly but I’ll wear it for you just so that... that... that asshole can’t talk to you like he was out there.”

Jensen pulled back enough to stare into Jared’s eyes. It was his turn to be confused and unsure because he hadn’t expected Jared to say something like that. It left him speechless to think that Jared had let himself be collared just so Pellegrino wouldn’t have an excuse to mock Jensen and his apparent lack of control over Jared.

He opened his mouth but closed it again, unsure what to say. He knew what he wanted to say but found himself unable to come up with the words he needed as he found himself still trying to deny the feelings he could feel building with every moment he was with Jared.

Their eyes locked for a long silent moment before suddenly their lips crushed together. Jensen’s fingers moved through thick dark hair and curled into fists to hold Jared’s head in place. He heard a small gasp then a low moan before soft lips opened under his, and he hesitated a moment before his tongue plunged deep to explore.

Jared forgot the collar for a moment. He forgot where they were and what was going on in other rooms in this casino. He even forgot the pain in his knee when Jensen’s mouth covered his in a heated kiss. The younger man still wondered what a soft slow kiss from Jensen might be like but right then he needed the distraction and would take whatever Jensen offered.

Jensen’s thoughts were blurring until a sudden cough brought him back to his senses, and he was pretty sure he heard Jared groan a little as Chris broke the moment. “I’m not sure whether to thank you or fire you,” Jensen muttered, voice rough as he realized how close he’d been to letting the moment go too far.

“I’ll vote for thanking me since this is not the place where you want to do that with him,” the bodyguard snorted, slipping inside to hold out a bottle of water. “There was some kind of punch and glasses of champagne but the app thing Chad stuck on my phone tested both positive for a little something that will knock these people on their asses. I’m guessing Pellegrino’s gonna wind up with some interesting blackmail material.” He motioned to the bottle in his hand. “This is sealed so I’m guessing it’s safe if you guys want to share something other than spit.”

“Shut up,” two voices uttered in unison which made the bodyguard laugh. “I also made a short list of people for you to speak to on our way out... and yeah, we’re heading out soon. I’m telling you, Jensen, it looks like the entertainment at this party is going to get even darker than what’s already going on out there. Pellegrino is really pushing the dark side of the D/s scene. He’s crossing the legal line with a few things I’ve seen. This is not a place you want to be... and it’s not a place that Jared should be unless you’re planning to join the dark side and then I might have to kick your ass.”

Jensen took the water, opened it, and took a drink before offering it to Jared who took several swallows. “Sounds like a plan, Chris. I figure by the time I greet that short list, I’ll be more than ready to go so let’s do this as fast as possible and then get the hell out of his place. Jared and I are both gonna need showers by the time we’re through. You okay to go back out there?” he asked. He could see that Jared looked calmer, but he could also still see the pain on his face. “How bad is your knee right now?”

“It’s not as bad as it has been but I probably tore something again,” Jared admitted, handing the water back and pushing to his feet. “I’m fine. I can pull this off... just don’t pull me around by the leash?”

“I won’t even touch it unless I have to,” Jensen nodded. He started to step out of the curtain but then paused to look back and gave a slight tug to mess up Jared’s tie. “Your hair already looks like I’ve had my fingers in it so this way they’ll at least think I was doing something to you... which I would have been if my bodyguard had better timing.” Jared gave him a small smile, but his eyes were still shadowed.

“You can play with the kid at your place. Not the Dungeon of Doom,” Chris replied gruffly, not liking the feelings this place or the people were giving him.

Jensen shot him a smirk but held out an arm for Jared to take. “Let’s go pretend I like people.”

By the time they moved around the now-packed ballroom to speak to the few people Jensen knew he had to speak to, it was clear that Chris’s prediction about the entertainment getting darker was correct.

It was also plain that a party like this with no rules, too much booze, and the dark side of Vegas could turn even stodgy and prudish people into people Jensen did not want to deal with. After the ninth time he had to remove someone’s overly friendly hands from Jared, he decided that it was time to go. Jared was having an increasingly difficult time maintaining his quiet and docile image and when one guy’s hand grabbed at the leash attached to his collar, only Chris’s swift reaction kept the younger man from swinging.

“Let’s go, Jared.” Jensen locked his fingers around a rigid bicep and pulled Jared to the side so he was between him and the now enraged man who was shoving at Chris. “Calm down.”

“Fuck you, asshole!” The man snapped as he furiously began to unbutton the sleeves of his already half-undone silk shirt. “Your sub doesn’t know the rules and neither do you! He’s supposed to submit or be punished!”

Jensen felt Jared go completely still and saw him shoot him a glance that was part question and part dare as if not fully trusting Jensen to not let this go too far. Jensen turned to see the clearly drunk sex addict reaching to pull his belt off.

“Is he now?” Jensen’s tone was pure ice as he stepped in front of Jared to stare at the man. Chris jerked his head toward a balcony and Jensen lifted his eyes to see Pellegrino watching the scene and realized he’d set this altercation up. “And you think you’re going to be the one to punish him?”

“The subs here are free to be used by whoever wants ‘em, asshole!” The drunk shoved at Chris only to find himself pushed back.

“I’m nobody’s ‘sub’, jackass!” Jared had reached his limit and reacted before either Chris or Jensen could stop him. When the drunk had raised his studded belt and tried to push past a frustrated Chris, Jared couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “No one calls me one or treats me like one except him!” He jerked his thumb at Jensen while glaring back at the obviously shocked man. “And that’s only because I let him. You even try to touch me and I’ll break your damn arm!”

Chris had just been about to remove the man from the vicinity, but when Jared exploded, he stopped to look at Jensen to gauge how he’d react to this very dangerous slip in etiquette. He had to give the kid credit for his balls, but he had his doubts about where his brain was at times.

Jensen knew Jared had just broken a huge rule; a rule that he’d have to correct him on... later. At the moment, he was having a hard time hiding his smile at what the kid had said; whether he meant it or not, it still amused him.

Placing a hand on the back of Jared’s neck, he flipped the latch on the collar to release it and let it drop to the floor. “Jared, go down to the main floor and wait for me by the door... better yet, go out to the car and wait with Chad. Chris and I will be right there,” he instructed firmly, hardening his tone when he felt that Jared might refuse. “Jared.”

The simple use of his name in addition to the tone used told Jared that he’d pushed his luck far enough that night. Now that he was calming down, he realized that he’d probably be suffering some consequences for mouthing off to the drunken asshole, but he’d taken all the crude comments and hands touching him and offers of a good time that he could handle for one night. As far as he was concerned, Jensen’s worst punishment couldn’t be any worse than this night had been, and he would be glad to get the hell out of this place.

He bit his tongue and nodded, heading for the steps until he heard Jensen tell him to use the elevator. He nodded again, this time in a silent ‘thank-you’ because the steps would have been murder on his knee, even with the cane.

Jensen waited until he saw the younger man enter the elevator and then he bent to grab the collar from the floor, shoving it hard into the chest of the nearest dark-suited casino employee. He wanted to throw it directly at Pellegrino, but he no longer saw the host of the party anywhere in sight.

“Tell your boss I hope his... party, or whatever he chooses to call this crap, is a success but the next time he sends me an invitation, he’d better be damn sure to spell out the requirements. He and I both know he never sent a note to explain the change in dress code and he sure as hell never told me that all the escorts would be up for grabs by anyone in his new crazy sex-themed playland.” He tossed a sneer over to the still-angry drunk. “This dick got off lucky. Should Jared have yelled at him? Probably not. Am I going to punish him for it? Hell, no. I won’t punish that boy for telling this ass off because Jared understands who can touch him and that’s only me.”

With that, Jensen walked away. He heard Chris snarl some final words to the drunken guy but didn’t care. He was done. He wanted to get Jared and just go back to his own casino. He longed for a drink, but he would stay sober since he’d promised Jared both a treat if he was good and to talk to him and despite this little slip-up, he thought the kid had done damn good.

When he reached the bottom floor, he didn’t see Jared by the steps or the door, so Jensen headed for the car, figuring that Jared had gone to wait with Chad as he had suggested. He was very much looking forward to the peace and quiet, if there was such a thing, of the Strip instead of the too-loud, too-screechy music being played inside the Devil’s Lair.

As he stepped outside, he took a slow deep breath before letting it out and forcing his overly tense muscles to relax. As he approached the car, he actually felt a smile starting to form. “Tried to feed to robot demon fish and fell in, Chad?” he asked curiously as he took in the sight of a cranky, wet Chad sitting on the hood of the limo with a gun aimed at the fountain.

“I’m telling you those aren’t robot fish but some kind of mutant fish that tried to eat me!” Chad argued, sliding off of the car to start to tell his story, but he stopped, looked around, and then frowned. “Where’s Jared?” he asked, looking concerned.

Jensen had just been reaching for the limo handle when he froze and whirled. “What the hell are you talking about? Isn’t he out here?” he demanded, jerking the door open to see the empty seats in the rear of the limo; a sour sick feeling suddenly settled in his stomach. “Son of a bitch!”

“Whoa! What’s... Jensen?” Chris grunted as he was shoved out of the way as Jensen bolted back towards the casino and then took a head count, groaning. “Damn it! Where the hell is that kid?”

10 Minutes Earlier

Jared waited until the elevator door closed before he released the shaky breath he’d been holding most of the evening. He slumped against the rear wall of the elevator, but he wouldn’t fully relax until he was back in Jensen’s penthouse and could see what type of punishment he’d brought on himself by his loss of control at the end of the night.

He rubbed at his leg and looked forward to sitting down or better yet lying down and taking the damn brace off. Hell, he wouldn’t even bitch if Jensen wanted to cuff him someplace so long as he was off his damn leg.

The elevator stopped and the door opened to allow Jared to step off. He had to look around to try to get his bearings. He saw the main doors as well as the steps to the parking lot and wondered if he should wait for Jensen here or just go to the car and wait with Chad.

Jared hated the feel of this place as well as the looks he was getting even down on the main floor, so he decided to go outside. He was just stepping away from the shadow of the giant demon that hung from the ceiling that cast a large shadow over the area when suddenly a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Jensen? Can we... mhmm!” He didn’t have a chance to get the rest of his statement out as he realized it wasn’t Jensen or Chris who had caught up with him.

A rough hand covered his mouth and he was shoved back into a little alcove near a partition by the stairs. The area was shadowed by the hanging demon and hard to notice unless you were specifically looking for it. The noise from both the party upstairs and the casino noise ensured that any attempts he made to cry out wouldn’t be heard; of course, he wasn’t sure he could even make a sound with the hand muffling his mouth and another one gripping his throat, threatening to cut off his air.

“You call your Dom by his first name, little boy? I see Jensen hasn’t taken a firm enough hand with you.” Mark Pellegrino’s smile was slick, and cruel as he snapped a command to two men with him. They grabbed Jared’s arms and held him tightly against the wall. “It looks like I’m going to get the chance to show you some manners after all. It seems like Jensen’s going to head home without you.”

Jared jerked at his arms as the two men grabbed them, but he couldn’t pull away from them. He followed Pellegrino’s gaze and saw Jensen heading out of the building and toward the waiting limo. His stomach clenched in fear and he knew he was screwed.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Nineteen

As he watched Jensen leave the Devil’s Lair casino, Jared Padalecki’s already pounding heart jumped into his throat. He was trapped in the shadows by the casino’s owner and two of his thugs, and after seeing what this guy was into, it didn’t require much imagination to figure out what he was probably planning now.

Panic set in as he was shoved deeper into the alcove and one of the burly guys spun him around, twisting his hands behind his back and securing them with heavy cuffs. When the hand moved away from his mouth, Jared immediately opened it to scream only to gag as something was shoved between his teeth cutting the sound off.

“Not that anyone would hear you, but you need to learn not to scream unless I want you to, boy.” Pellegrino pressed in closer, easily holding the boy still while one of his bodyguards buckled the large ball gag in place. He turned Jared back around and held his shoulders as he took a good look at what he had very definite plans to make his toy. “Let’s see what Jensen’s been playing with that he didn’t want to share with the class, shall we?”

He brutally tore Jared’s shirt open and then pushed both the shirt and jacket back to expose a heaving chest. “Mmm, very nice. But something’s missing.” He held out a hand and one of his guards handed him a collar identical to the one Jensen had just removed upstairs. Jared desperately tried to pull away, but he was boxed in by the three men, and with a wall behind him, there was nowhere to go. Pellegrino wrapped the collar around the young man’s neck and fastened it tightly; it wasn’t quite tight enough to restrict his breathing, but it was close. “That’s better. Get used to this because it’s not going to come off again.”

Jared slammed his eyes shut as rough hands pulled his belt off and unzipped his pants. Pellegrino chuckled darkly as he plunged his hand into Jared’s open pants. “Hmmm... very nice... I think we might have to take this elsewhere before your... ugh!”

“The only place you’re going to take anything is to the ER for pulling this stunt, you bastard!”

Jared let out a gasp when he heard a grunt and felt the body pinning him against the wall fall away. Then he gave a sigh of relief as he heard two very welcome sounds: a gun being cocked and the truly well and pissed off voice of Jensen Ackles.

“What the…” Pellegrino caught himself when something hard slammed into his head, knocking him off balance and away from what he saw as his new toy. He whirled to confront whoever dared to attack him in his own casino only to stop as he stared into the barrel of the black pistol aimed at his face.

“Please. Go ahead and make a move. I would love nothing more than to put a bullet through your face.” Chris Kane’s gaze was hard, his gruff tone harder as he met the glare head-on before flicking his eyes to the side to shake his head at the goons. “Let the boy go, now.”

The second Jensen had realized Jared wasn’t outside, he’d known something was wrong. He knew the kid still didn’t like their arrangement, and he knew the kid was upset at what had just taken place, but he also knew Jared’s love for his sister would keep him from making any attempt to escape. Plus, Jared had been limping and leaning heavily on the cane, so even if he planned to leave Jensen, he wouldn’t do it that night.

He’d bolted back inside the casino and had just started up the steps when he caught sight of the cane on the floor. He stopped and looked around, quickly spotting the darkened area near the elevator doors, and cursed his own stupidity for putting Jared in that much danger. He should’ve sent Chris down with Jared and handled the drunk himself.

Ignoring Chris and Chad who’d both followed him back inside, Jensen grabbed the cane without thinking and dashed around the corner. He saw Jared struggling against Pellegrino while two big and burly assholes appeared to be trying to drag him toward a door at the rear of the alcove.

Jensen swung the cane like a baseball bat, knocking Pellegrino away from Jared, and then turned and jammed it into the gut of one of the guys holding Jared. The goon let go of the young man, doubling over and dropping to his knees. The other man cursed and moved to defend his boss, but as he released Jared, he made sure to drive his foot into Jared’s injured knee, causing it to buckle. The boy pitched forward, but before he could fall, Jensen’s hands were out, catching him and pulling him out of the alcove and into his arms. At that moment, Chris and Chad arrived and Chris already had his gun drawn, trying to figure out whom to aim at first.

“What the hell?” Jensen demanded harshly, taking in the wide wild eyes, the tight collar, the ball gag, the cuffed hands, and the torn shirt and loosened slacks. If Jared hadn’t been in his arms right then and Chris hadn’t put himself between him and Pellegrino, then he probably would’ve gone straight for the man’s throat. “You jumped him? You fucking jumped him in your own damn casino? What? You thought I wouldn’t notice he was missing? That I wouldn’t come looking for him? Are you that fucking stupid?”

“I thought it was only fair that you share with your business associate, Ackles.” Pellegrino wanted to grab back the boy that he had decided would be his, but the asshole with the gun was too close and he didn’t want this to turn into a spectacle, so he decided it would be best to take another route to gain what he wanted. “What’s he to you anyway? In the end, he’s basically a bought-and-paid-for whore. How about this? I’ll give you triple what his old man owed you. He seems to be a little too unruly for you anyway.” He rubbed a hand over the side of his head where the cane had connected. “I could press assault charges you know.”

“You jumped and were basically trying to rape my date,” Jensen shot back as Chad was snarling at one of the goons to hand over the keys to the cuffs. “Call the cops... please. I’ll be happy to point out every illegal thing I saw going on here tonight including the underage servers,” He held out his hand. “Now give me the damn keys to these cuffs.”

Cold shark eyes stared at Jensen before lips curved into a cold smile. “I believe that set must be the ones I lost the keys to. I didn’t plan on needing them since he seems to be the type to need... cuffed.”

“Jensen!” Chris stepped back as Chad grabbed for his employer. “Let it go. We’ve got the kid. Let’s get the hell out of here,” he urged, catching Jensen’s eyes before nodding to where Jared leaned against him. “I’ll get the cuffs off in the car. Just get Jared out of here. Chad, help him. I’m right behind you.” He kept his pistol held steady as he backed away slowly once Jensen started to move. “Call the cops on him, and I’ll make sure you get visited by people a lot worse... and stay the hell away from that kid,” he warned the casino owner.

Pellegrino motioned his men to stay, to let the group leave. “There’ll be another time,” he murmured, glancing toward his casino room with a smile. “Mr. Ackles might be in for a little surprise.”

Jensen paused just long enough to remove the gag and collar, wincing at how tightly both had been fastened, before pulling Jared close to him and heading for the exit.

“This is why I should be allowed to carry a shotgun in the car,” Chad was grumbling as he struggled to help Jensen get a badly limping Jared out of the casino. They managed to work their way through the crowd of people and out to the limo without anyone taking notice of how disheveled the boy looked or his cuffed hands. “Or a sword.”

“No more Call of Duty for you. It makes you too violent,” Jensen muttered while murmuring softly against the young man he had a tight hold of, hearing soft words and nodding. “Soon, Jay. We’ll get those damn cuffs off as soon as we’re in the car. Just lean on me a little longer.”

Jared really didn’t have a choice about that since his leg was killing him, his hands were still cuffed, and he was feeling sick to his stomach as it sank in just what had almost happened. It also was hitting him that Jensen hadn’t left him; that he had come back for him.

He had to close his eyes to avoid throwing up as the pain in his knee got worse, and he stumbled a little going out the door. Jared felt cool night air hit his face and immediately felt a little better; he didn’t know if it was the fresh air or just the fact that he was finally outside the place. He heard Jensen tell Chad to open the back door and start the car and then he felt Jensen’s arms tighten slightly to take more of his weight.

“Watch your head,” Jensen said as he helped Jared into the limo. Chris entered from the other side and helped him slide in, keeping his injured leg stretched out. Once he was settled, Jared began to tug at the cuffs, desperate to get them off and relieve the pain and pull at his wrists. “Jared, calm down. Chris is going to get these off of you, but you need to try to calm down and hold still for him.” He caught Jared’s face between his hands and was shocked at how pale he looked and how cold his face felt to him. “Jay, look at me,” he ordered, frowning when the boy shook his head in refusal; it had been a long time since he’d outright refused him. “Jared? Open your eyes and look at me.”

Jared really didn’t want to open his eyes right then. First of all, he was afraid he’d puke all over the limo, and he was also feeling a little guilty for believing Jensen had left him to be intentionally hurt despite his words to the contrary. He finally started to slowly open them when he felt fingers on his face. He expected to see anger on Jensen’s face because of all the trouble he’d been and caused that night alone; in fact, he wouldn’t be surprised if he told Chris to leave the cuffs on.

“I need him to lean toward you a little so I can get to the cuffs,” Chris was saying after he opened something he’d grabbed from the trunk. “Unless you want to wait until we get back to the casino and see if a set of keys from one of your cuffs fits these.”

“No, get ‘em off him now,” Jensen ordered as he gradually saw the first hint of hazel peek from under wet lashes. “I’m so sorry, Jared. If I had any idea that bastard would jump you like that, I never would have let you go down alone.” As he spoke, he was fastening the slacks and trying to pull the shirt back together enough to make it until they got back to the casino. “How badly did they hurt you?” he asked while moving his fingers over a bruise that was forming on Jared’s face from the strap of the gag that he’d removed back at the casino. Jared shook his head but didn’t say anything. “Sweetheart, I need you to talk to me. Otherwise, I’m going to assume you’re too hurt to talk and I’m going to tell Chad to drive straight to the ER.”

“He…” Jared started to speak but little sound came out. He cleared his throat, swallowed hard, and then gulped some water from the bottle that Jensen held out to him. He hated to admit his thoughts but he also had to be honest and take his lumps. “He said... you left me.”

Chris had been working to pick the complicated locks, silently thanking his little old grandmother for teaching him that trick, when he heard the softly whispered comment and went still, lifting his eyes to watch Jensen’s face harden. He was just about to clear his throat in warning when he saw his friend and employer’s rugged face slowly change.

“Did you really believe I’d leave you in that situation, Jared?” Jensen asked, voice a little strained as he tried to work through the odd array of emotions he was feeling right then. “I know I’ve done nothing to make you trust me or to earn your trust, but I hope you wouldn’t honestly think that I’d leave you like that.”

“No,” Jared whispered, forcing himself to meet Jensen’s gaze; he almost thought he could see a little hurt in the eyes looking back at him but knew that couldn’t be. “I... I didn’t want to think that, but it happened so quickly and I couldn’t get loose and he was talking and... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble tonight or... doubt you or…”

Jensen smoothed his fingers back through dark hair, using the touch to calm Jared down as well as soothe himself; he realized that it actually hurt that Jared had even for a short moment thought that he might abandon him to the likes of Pellegrino.

“We’ll talk about that when we’re back home,” he finally replied, feeling relieved as he saw one cuff finally come loose. He slowly pulled the arm forward and gently rubbed the tight muscles as Chris worked to get the second cuff off.

Jared nodded, deciding to keep his mouth shut for once, and sipped from the bottle of water that Jensen pressed into his hands once the cuffs were off fully.

“You find out for sure if a note was sent but I’m thinking it wasn’t,” Jensen ordered Chris as they were pulling into the underground parking garage of The Open Road casino. “You also send those damn cuffs back with a note telling the bastard to stay the hell away from what is mine.”

Chris nodded as he got out first and started to help Jensen steady a clearly hurting and wary Jared only to pull back at the low snarl he heard. “Jensen,” he murmured, pitching his voice low. “Let me help. The kid’s half out of it tonight. Pellegrino and his goons did a number on him, and you haven’t exactly been Prince Charming since he’s been here, so trust still has to be earned.”

Jensen knew all of that, and he blew out a breath in frustration. He knew he needed to earn Jared’s full trust, but he wasn’t exactly sure how to be the kind of man he wanted to be... that Jared deserved him to be. Right then, he just wanted to get Jared up into the penthouse and he wanted them to be alone.

“Thanks, but we’ll be okay, Chris. Tell Marta to serve breakfast late and I’ll call one of you if we need anything.” His tone and his words clearly communicated to both men that they should keep their distance for the rest of the night. He held Jared against him, again taking most of his weight as they headed to the elevator.

“You know if that kid has another bruise on him tomorrow, I will probably be getting fired,” Chad commented, leaning on the car door.

Chris didn’t bother to respond; he just threw the cuffs into the limo with a curse before stalking off to growl at someone to find out whether or not Pellegrino’s office had sent a memo about the change in the event. He just hoped Jensen managed to control his damn temper this time around.

The ride up in the elevator was silent as Jared gritted his teeth. He was in a fair amount of pain, but he also was anxious to just get whatever was going to happen over with. He hoped it wasn’t another night like the one when Jensen had lost it with him.

When the doors opened, Jensen didn’t bother with the sofa as a stop. Instead, he flipped a mental coin between the master bedroom and Jared’s bedroom, but as he steered them down the hallway, he felt the boy pause by the first door, his old room, which also happened to have the door to the playroom in it.

“Why are you stopping?” he asked with a frown. He took in the confusion on Jared’s face and realized with dismay that Jared was assuming that he’d be punished for his actions that night.

“I... I just figured you’d want me to go in there.” Jared nodded his head to the door and confirmed Jensen’s guess of where his thoughts were. “I know I mouthed off tonight... I wasn’t docile or obedient like you asked me to be, so I know I’ve earned some kind of punishment.”

“Yeah, you were a little mouthy at times,” Jensen conceded, but he realized that he actually enjoyed that little bit of spunk Jared could show. He nudged him away from the door and toward the master bedroom instead. “And I don’t think you’ll ever be docile or 100% obedient, but we’ll deal with those infractions... later,” he decided while opening the door and flipping the light on. “For right now... lose the slacks and sit on the bed for me.”

Jared bit his lip but followed orders. He sat down, sighing relief as he took the pressure off his knee. His fingers shook slightly as he worked to remove his belt and then slid the slacks down his legs, carefully folding them and placing them on the bed before looking at the brace on his leg. Jensen hadn’t said to remove it but he did so anyway, wincing at the new bruises and swelling; he did not want to go to the hospital for his knee.

“Sit back,” Jensen called from the bathroom where he could be heard rummaging around for something. “Take the jacket off too.”

His stomach knotted at the new order, but Jared didn’t feel anywhere near as sick or tense as he had when that other man had his hands on him. He knew Jensen could be rough, violent even, but he also knew the man could be almost gentle.

He removed the tuxedo jacket and wished he could hang it up, but he didn’t dare stand without the brace to support his knee. For the moment he settled for laying it carefully over a chair near the bed so it wouldn’t get too wrinkled. Jared moved the pillows before easing back to sit with his back against the large glossy cherry wood headboard; he fought tears as he was finally able to stretch his knee out only to pull it back up as it hurt to be flat.

“You do know the purpose of pillows is to use them, right?” Jensen asked from the bathroom door where he stood watching Jared’s careful movements, inwardly cringing at the sight of the swollen knee. “Let’s get some ice on that first,” he decided and crossed to the mini fridge that was in the room to dump ice in the ice bag he’d finally found in a cabinet. “So... do we have to really go over the mistakes tonight so you’ll know not to make them again?” he asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

“No, I know where I screwed up,” Jared sighed, letting his head rest against the wood and absently running his fingers over his throat where he could almost still feel the collar. “I’ll practice being quiet and that other stuff. I’m... sorry if I blew anything for you or made you look bad. I... I tried not to.”

Jensen grabbed a pillow and placed it under the knee before laying the ice bag over the side that appeared to be the most swollen. He sat on the edge of the bed and toed his shoes off. He’d ditched his jacket and tie in the car but didn’t worry about them, knowing they’d show up after being cleaned. He began to work on the buttons of his shirt while letting his eyes settle on Jared, noticing how he was touching his throat. He could tell the boy would end up with bruises there as well since Pellegrino had put the damn collar on him so tightly.

“You wore a collar for me so I wouldn’t look bad in front of that asshole. I think that buys you some leeway for the other stuff. We both had a lot of crap thrown at us tonight, crap that I wasn’t expecting you to have to deal with.” Jensen let his shirt drop to the floor before reaching up slowly to examine the ruined buttons of Jared’s. He smiled gently as he saw the way he was worrying his bottom lip. “You have plenty of shirts, Jay. I’m not upset about this one being ripped.” He tipped Jared’s face up. “I am upset that it was ripped because you were jumped, but I’m not upset with you. That’s on me because I should’ve kept you with me until we were out of the building... so for that and those moments you thought I’d left you alone with him, I am sorry.”

Jared blinked a little at the touch to his face and then the words registered. “You’re getting a little better at those apologies,” he murmured even though he knew he really should stop pushing his luck. He was shocked when he saw Jensen’s lips curve into a slow smile.

“Smart ass,” Jensen murmured, letting his fingers move over the bruise on the hollow of Jared’s throat and then up to the cut on his face from the strap earlier. “You shouldn’t have these,” he muttered, pissed and wishing he’d managed to do more than just hit the smug other man with the cane.

“I’ve had worse from you,” Jared pointed out quietly. He sensed that something about these injuries bothered Jensen and couldn’t figure out why. “I’ll probably have worse again. Why worry about it?”

“Good question.” Jensen wasn’t sure why these marks bothered him just as much if not more than the ones he knew the kid still had from his own tantrum, but they did. Then he realized it wasn’t the actual bruises but the thought that someone else had touched Jared, a young man he was very firmly starting to think of as his . “But I do worry about it. I…” He stopped, cutting his words off before he could go down that path yet. “Y’know, I think Chris interrupted something earlier this evening before I was quite finished with you.”

“Oh really?” Jared gave him a small smile. He had been about to ask for a pain pill but decided he could handle the pain a little longer to see what Jensen wanted him to do. “So long as it doesn’t involve me moving my knee too much, I think I can do whatever you need me to do for you.” He began to push away from the headboard only to be pushed back.

“Y’know this isn’t the treat I had in mind when I said I’d give you a treat tomorrow if you were good tonight.” Jensen’s brain was telling him to stop this, to send the kid to his room and go to sleep. They both needed a good night’s sleep if he planned on talking to Jared in the morning like he had said he would. That’s what his brain was saying... but another part of Jensen, the part that had been active and wanting since his nosy bodyguard interrupted them earlier, was choosing to do something totally different.

“I didn’t think I was good,” Jared countered, moving his hands to his sides only to feel them caught and held still. “I figured I’d end up in the playroom or something.”

Jensen nodded, humming low in his throat as he considered that comment. “Playroom’s being remodeled, to be honest,” he admitted, lips ghosting over the cut on Jared’s face when his eyes caught Jared’s tie laid neatly on top of his jacket. “Be at least another week before we can use it... but how obedient do you feel right now, kiddo?” he asked with a teasing kiss down Jared’s jaw.

“What... what do you want?” Jared asked, gasping at the feel of teeth raking over his jaw and swearing he must be fevered because of his knee because all of a sudden he felt hot.

“If I wanted to tie your hands, would you let me?” Jensen knew he was throwing Jared off by asking him instead of just ordering him; he was throwing himself off too. He was used to doing and damning the consequences but since the other night, he found himself being more cautious, especially with Jared, and that bothered him in some ways.

Jared frowned a little. He understood he was in no place to refuse but after having his hands cuffed earlier, he was a little uneasy at the thought of being restrained again. “With what?” he asked after a few moments of thought.

“I know trust is hard to give, especially after everything I’ve done to prove how big of a bastard I can be, but for this to really work between us, I need you to start to trust me a little, Jared.” Jensen understood how hard that would be.

He knew Jared’s trust in him was probably still low since he’d lost control that night and things were still moving slowly, but Jensen had a feeling that sooner rather than later he’d have to make a choice about what kind of man he was going to be, and that decision would largely depend on Jared’s choices.

“I don’t not trust you,” Jared argued, watching as Jensen reached into the nightstand to remove two long deep red silk ribbons. “This is all still new to me, y’know. You’re asking for obedience and instant submission, but I’ve been fighting to survive, to keep myself and Molly going, all by myself for too long to be able to give that much control up instantly.” He dropped his lashes so his eyes were hidden, hating to show Jensen the inner worry that still haunted him.

The young man watched as one ribbon ran idly through long fingers before it was held out to him as if to let him touch it. “You’ve always been in control of your life. You have no idea what it feels like to not have control or to be forced to give up control. You don’t know how hard it is for me to put my trust in you even though I know, or I try to make myself believe, that in your heart you won’t hurt me in these games. You’ve never had anyone control your life like this, Jensen.”

Jensen’s smile was there but small, dry almost sad while he watched Jared slowly take the ribbon to feel it, test its strength. “Sweetheart, you have no idea how wrong you are because I do know those things. I know that loss of control, the danger, only too well, Jared.” He cupped Jared’s chin in his hand to lift it enough to see his eyes and his smile grew a little bigger. “It’s part of the reason I am the way I am... it’s also why I’ve been trying to change since you came.

“You find it hard to obey and I find it hard to ask or give you choices,” Jensen smirked. “I guess that’s why there’s a pool going to see which one of us will break first... or so Aldis said.”

Jared rolled his eyes, deciding to blow the black man up the next time they played video games. He stared at Jensen for a long moment, trying to decide if he believed his words while glancing down at the ribbon again before taking a huge chance.

“Will you ever talk to me about your past and what makes you this way? Will you explain why Chris keeps telling me not to judge the side I see because you’re not that man?” he asked as he held out the ribbon.

“Maybe not everything all at once, but tomorrow I’ll try to explain some things,” Jensen agreed, taking the ribbon and then quietly waiting to see what the boy would do. “I still also owe you that treat since despite how things turned out, I think you did damn good for a hard-headed obstinate kid determined to make me either kill you or fall in love with you.”

That last line made Jared falter briefly, his throat tight as he looked into calm green eyes. “Which... which way are you leaning right now?” he asked cautiously, knowing it had to be a joke.

“I’m kind of in the middle tonight,” Jensen replied, gaze flipping between big soft hazel eyes and plush lips that were being chewed on in a way that made him groan inwardly.

“Huh. Will letting you tie me up sway you in one way or another?” Jared asked and then held out his hands, silently submitting to whatever game Jensen had planned that night.

“Let’s find out, kiddo.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty

“Let’s find out, kiddo.” Jensen Ackles had no idea what the hell he was doing. His simple night of just fooling around and relaxing to take the edge off what had happened earlier had taken an unexpected turn, and when Jared held his hands out in permission for him to tie them, he swore his head was about to explode.

Jared swallowed down his nerves. He’d made the choice to let this happen; he’d decided to try to start that trusting process and only hoped that Jensen didn’t lose control too much. He began to lean forward and put his arms behind his back so his hands could be tied only to frown when Jensen shook his head. “Huh?”

“Move over to the center of the bed and lay down.” Jensen moved the pillows to where he wanted them and then removed the remnants of the shirt that Jared still had on while the young man eased over carefully.

At first, Jensen thought Jared’s movements were so slow and deliberate because of his knee and began to wonder if he shouldn’t put this off and let the kid rest his leg. Then he watched him smooth a wrinkle in the soft, duvet cover and realized what he was doing.

“Jay? You can mess the covers up,” he stated, smiling when those big eyes jumped to his and he saw a blush form. “Trust me. It’s going to get messed up anyway so if you wrinkle it sliding to where I want you, it’s not going to make a difference.”

“Maybe we should take the stuff off the bed first?” Jared had worked in a motel for a couple of years, so he’d stripped hundreds of beds and knew the work that Jensen’s housekeeping staff had to do. He hated to create more work for them, which is why he always tried to clean up after himself as well as make his own bed.

Jensen looked at him for a few seconds before smiling. He was beginning to understand Samantha’s comments about the women who cleaned the penthouse wanting to adopt Jared. “Stop worrying about the covers. I’ll take care of them later if the bed needs to be stripped.” He adjusted the pillow under Jared’s knee to keep it propped up before adding one under his head and neck to make sure he’d be comfortable for this before flicking his eyes up to see the boy watching him curiously. “Right now... I’m going to take care of you.”

Jared wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, so he stayed still, waiting for Jensen to make the next move. When the man took one hand in his to look at the bruise left there from the heavy cuffs earlier, Jared saw a flicker of something flash through Jensen’s eyes before it was gone. Then Jensen floored him with what he did next.

Running his thumb over a mark left on Jared’s wrist, Jensen pressed his lips to the center and felt the jump in pulse as he did so. Lifting his eyes to meet and hold Jared’s gaze, Jensen took the first ribbon and began to slowly wrap it around his wrist, making certain it was tight enough to hold but that it wouldn’t leave a mark or bruise before lifting it over Jared’s head to secure it to the headboard.

After double-checking the length so Jared’s arm wouldn’t hyperextend, he secured the ribbon in a knot that Jensen knew wouldn’t come loose with pulling but that he could free easily when he chose to. Only then did he repeat the process with the other arm in the exact same way, noticing that Jared’s eyes were a little darker by the time he was finished securing his wrists above his head.

“One of these days I’d like to try this while blindfolding you.” He spoke quietly as he ran his fingertips down Jared’s bare chest, catching the way he tensed subtly at that comment and recalling the kid’s aversion to full darkness. “One day, but not tonight, sweetheart,” Jensen clarified. “Tonight I want you to watch what I do.”

Watching wasn’t high on Jared’s list of things to do since he wasn’t certain what Jensen had planned for him, but he was curious as Jensen moved away from the bed to stroll across the room. Jared saw him adjust a switch on the wall that dimmed the lights by the bed until they were softer and music began to play quietly. Something like hope started to flutter inside Jared, but he tried to remind himself that this wasn’t real no matter what his heart was starting to wish for.

“I’ve never done anything like this in here,” Jensen spoke suddenly, turning back to meet Jared’s eyes and wanting him to understand that this was different for both of them. “You’re the first person I’ve brought to my bed.”

“So... why me? Why tonight?” Jared asked before he could stop himself. He didn’t want to be gagged and he certainly didn’t want to turn Jensen’s mood sour by speaking too much or asking stupid questions.

“Hmm, I’m not sure,” Jensen admitted as he came back to sit on the bed. “I’m not sure why I’m doing a lot of the things I’m doing with you now... and given the mess I’m in that might not be a good thing. I guess we’ll have to see where this goes tonight. I’m going to take these off of you now.” He slid his hands up to grip the waistband of Jared’s boxer briefs and proceeded to slide them down his long legs. “Good boy.”

Jared swallowed thickly as this left him naked. He waited for the cock ring to come into play or for some other toy that might be hidden in the nightstand to appear, but Jensen merely sat beside him and let his gaze wander over his body as if taking him in slowly. He tried not to blush but it was hard under the intense gaze.

“You’re cute when you blush like that,” Jensen chuckled, leaning up to test the bonds again before he slowly began to kiss each fingertip, sliding down the final finger until he got to the center of Jared’s hand where he pressed soft kisses there as well. “Relax for me, Jay. I’m not going to hurt you or spring anything on you tonight,” he murmured while laying kisses down a tense arm before he moved to the other hand to repeat the process.

By the time he got back to Jared’s shoulder and kissed his way to the hollow of his throat, Jensen could feel some of the tension melting away. He understood that this was probably confusing to Jared since in his mind, it was he who should be pleasing Jensen sexually... and in fact, that was what Jensen had planned when he took Jared as payment for his old man’s debt. He wasn’t certain when exactly those plans had changed or what he was doing now, but he would just go with it and see what happened.

“What... what do you want me to do?” Jared managed to ask when he got his brain to focus on anything other than the feel of the hot lips that had just trailed down his arm and were now working along his neck, giving light little nips here and there that weren’t meant to hurt but seemed to be turning his brain to mush and his blood to lava... he was barely aware enough to know this should not be happening.

“Nothing,” Jensen answered simply, smiling against Jared’s throat as he heard a soft sound that he didn’t think the boy even knew he’d made. “I want you to lay here.” He nuzzled a spot under Jared’s ear that he’d learned earlier was especially sensitive. “Just lay here and trust me to know what’s best for you.”

Trust wasn’t easy but Jared had trusted Jensen this far tonight, so he guessed he would continue to do so. He knew he had very little choice anyway given that his wrists were still tied to the bed. He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth to keep from making any noise as Jensen’s mouth moved over his neck, then along his jaw.

Jared heard himself whimper when soft lips began placing butterfly kisses over his cheeks, his nose, and even his eyelids when they fluttered closed briefly but what did him in emotionally was the kiss placed in the center of his forehead; the one that lingered when Jensen let his lips rest there for several seconds.

Jensen had to stop at that point and take several moments to pull himself together, to force himself to move slowly. There was something about Jared that did things to him emotionally in a way that no one else ever had. He had urges to rush through this and to make it last forever. He decided that do this right, to give Jared what he deserved, he had to slow down, to take his time no matter how much his own body hated him.

Seeing Jared chewing nervously on his bottom lip, however, made him break a little. “Uh-huh,” he muttered and caught the full and plush lip between his own teeth to draw it out gently as their lips met, slowly at first, hesitantly on Jared’s part, as if he was unsure about how he should be reacting. “Kiss me, Jared.”

It could have been seen as a command, but somehow Jared didn’t take it that way. Jensen’s tone was off but it didn’t matter to the younger man as he did as he was told and gave into the kiss. He moaned softly as he felt the kiss deepen and the touch of a tongue licking over his lips teasingly until he slowly parted them to allow entrance.

In the past, Jensen’s tongue had demanded entrance on several occasions, but this was the first time he seemed to ask permission to enter. Something else about the kiss felt different as well. It took a couple of seconds for Jared’s mind to realize the touch was different. The kiss was slower, softer, the way he had sometimes hoped Jensen would kiss him. As the other man’s tongue slipped into his mouth to explore, it was with more of a playful touch, like Jensen was trying to coax him to respond, and slowly he began to.

Jensen smiled as he felt the first response of Jared’s tongue against his, sliding his hands up to frame the younger man’s face as they kissed. If it occurred to Jensen that this was the first time he’d kissed Jared slowly, almost tenderly. He didn’t dare think about it too much right then, however, or else he knew he’d start overthinking things too much.

When he felt the kisses start to heat, the casino owner knew he needed to back off a little. He broke the kiss, soothing the little groan he heard with soft kisses and promises of something better to come as he began to slowly kiss his way down Jared’s throat again.

Pausing to pay special attention to the hollow of his throat before moving on to his shoulders and then slowly down his chest until coming to the first hard little nub, Jensen began to realize that Jared was very sensitive and responsive to touch. He mentally kicked himself as he realized how much sooner he could’ve known that had he been paying any attention or giving a damn.

When hot lips closed over his nipple to begin to slowly roll it with a skilled tongue, Jared gasped, body arching unintentionally. A throaty chuckle told him that Jensen didn’t mind his movement.

“You like that, sweetheart?” Jensen found himself enjoying the soft little sounds that Jared was trying not to make, but there was no denying that the boy’s body seemed to be enjoying the attention Jensen was giving it as he slowly worshipped every inch of his long lanky tanned body.

He could see the little pearly drops of precome beading on the tip of Jared’s cock, so Jensen already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear the words. “Tell me, Jay…” He flicked the tip of his tongue over the sensitive nub on the other side while letting his fingers move down to coax one long leg to the side but making certain the injured knee stayed on the pillow. “Tell me if you like what I’m doing.”

“Y... Yes!” Jared gasped, voice breaking a little as he tried to fight that enjoyment. “But I... I’m not supposed to.”

Jensen paused in mid-lick over a toned stomach to look up, confused. “Why not?” he asked even as he thought he might know and once again wanted to kick his own ass for his very first night with Jared.

“I’m not... not here for that,” Jared replied tightly while trying to settle down. He could feel his cock hardening, but without his hands, he couldn’t do anything to stave off the feelings that were building as Jensen’s hands and mouth moved over his body, moving ever lower. “I’m here to please you. This is supposed to be about your enjoyment. It’s not in the contract about... this or whatever you’re doing. I like it. I really do but I don’t think I’m supposed to, y’know.”

“Huh,” Jensen grunted softly, lightly tracing the edge of Jared’s belly button with his tongue while his fingers trailed over his side only to discover the damn kid must be ticklish there; he carefully filed that information away for later. “I seem to remember the contract stating that you’re supposed to do what I tell you to do.” He pushed up on his arms and smiled down at the younger man. “So, if I tell you to just relax and enjoy what I’m doing to you, I guess you have to listen, right?”

Jensen slowly continued to move until he was kneeling between Jared’s legs. He took special care when got lower to bypass his dripping cock even though he really wanted to take it in his hand just to hear Jared’s reaction. Jensen had several things in mind for that cock, but he put those off until last.

“Jensen... what... oh God!” Jared had been lifting his head to see what was going on, watching Jensen’s lean body slide down to the end of the bed. He gasped as the man lifted his uninjured leg in his hand and began to kiss from ankle to thigh, moving up ever so slowly and then back down with equal slowness. He then did the same thing to the other leg but took special care to let his mouth move ever so softly over the injured knee. “Jen... Jensen…”

Jensen heard the soft slip and the immediate correction but didn’t let on that he had. He’d add that to the mental list of things he’d have to think about. Normally he refused to allow anyone to shorten his name; it had happened once in his youth during a time he worked very hard to forget. Jensen had vowed to never allow anyone to call him “Jen” again, but like with a lot of things, he discovered that hearing it come from Jared seemed totally different.

Worried about the knee moving, Jensen kept his hand on the injured leg, holding it steady, as he continued to kiss his way up until he finally settled in the dip between thigh and groin and heard Jared’s breathing picking up as the drips of precome became a steady stream. He could tell the kid was fighting not to come just from the physical stimulation of what Jensen had been doing and that really did impress him.

“You’re doing so good for me, Jay,” he murmured, voice dropping lower to one that was pure sex and sin. Jensen let his lips hover just above the skin here, blowing warm air over the base of Jared’s cock seeing it jerk and feeling Jared struggle to stay still. It was clear that he wanted to move, but he wasn’t quite sure exactly how.

In the time that Jensen had had Jared with him, he had figured out that Jared’s knowledge of sex had mostly come from bad porn, and even worse, the clubs that his bastard father had taken him to. Therefore, Jared had only basic knowledge of how things worked, but he was also a quick learner as Jensen had found out. He longed to teach the kid more but realized he had to move slowly since he had screwed up so badly. Tonight, however, wasn’t about teaching Jared anything; it was about relieving the boy’s stress from the party and the events after.

“Jay, look at me,” he suddenly said, waiting until slightly glazed hazel eyes found his. “Remember the first night Chris brought you to me? Remember the rule I tossed out about you only coming with my permission?” Jensen knew the boy remembered that rule only too well even as he watched him swallow thickly before nodding. “Well, I’m about to suck you off so as of right now that rule is temporarily suspended. You can come whenever you want.” He pressed a kiss against Jared’s thigh. “Can I suck you off, Jay?”

Jensen saw the hesitation in the young man’s eyes and realized he was still thinking about the damn contract. “I want to give you a blowjob, Jay,” he specified. “Will you let me?”

Jared blinked a few times as he tried to pull his thoughts back together enough to focus on the question. He didn’t think he had enough spit left to speak so he gave a small nod, and then his eyes rolled back in his head as he watched Jensen’s lips curve into a sinful smile before they closed over the mushroom head of his cock and then slowly slid down further. “Fuck,” he groaned.

Blowjobs were acts Jensen was more used to receiving than giving but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to do them and do them well.

The moment his lips closed over the silken head and he heard Jared moan out that oath, he knew this would probably be the quickest one he ever gave.

Jensen settled between Jared’s legs as he easily took the long thick cock fully in, still able to deep throat despite the years that had passed since he’d last done this. He let his lips move up and down the length slowly while slipping one hand under the younger man. He found his balls and his fingers gently began to roll them; his other hand stayed flat on Jared’s thigh to keep his injured leg still.

Jared knew he was gone. Never in his life, either by his own hand or during the times Jensen allowed him to get off when they played, had anything felt like what he was feeling right that moment.

He thought he’d be too shocked or embarrassed to watch Jensen as he worked, sliding his mouth that was stretched over his cock, up and down, but as he forced his blurry eyes to clear, he found himself groaning as he watched, hips fighting not to arch up as strong fingers rubbed and squeezed his heavy balls. Jared knew he wasn’t going to last too much longer, but he hated to have it end.

Jared was unaware that he was starting to restlessly tug at his wrists until he felt fingers squeeze his thigh in mild warning and he tried to calm down. “Need... need to... Jensen... I... I can’t hold... oh! Jensen!”

Jensen could feel how tight the balls in his hand were becoming so he knew Jared was fighting to hold the climax back. Since his own angry and very needy cock was still trapped inside his slacks and briefs, Jensen was also about at the end of his own endurance. With a flick of his tongue over the slit in the cock in his mouth and a skilled move of a single finger back to press a spot just behind the tightening balls, he felt the boy spasm and heard his name shouted.

The moment he heard the shout, he also tasted the first spurt of hot salty come in his mouth. After a moment, he backed off enough so that only the head was still enclosed in his mouth but he stayed, swallowing the come, something else he hadn’t done recently.

Working his fingers along the portion of the cock not in his mouth, he milked Jared’s climax for as long as he could. As the young man’s body finally fell still, Jensen lifted his eyes to watch the expression on the wide-open face and realized he’d never really seen anyone experience an orgasm like Jared just had.

Jared’s vision had blurred out at some point; he was pretty sure his head exploded as he felt himself come harder and faster than ever before. What sent him even further over the edge was the feeling of those hot lips locking over the head of his cock and suckling him as he came... as he came in Jensen’s mouth and realized the man was swallowing. Jared had never experienced anything that hot before and knew he probably never would again.

He wanted to try to say something, anything, as he finally felt himself coming down, as his orgasm slowed and he felt Jensen’s fingers loosen as if understanding that his cock was getting too sensitive to touch, but he couldn’t seem to find his voice. Jared also was afraid that if he tried to speak, he would say something stupid and possibly screw up what was so far a very good end to a very bad evening.

Jensen felt the hard shudder work through Jared and heard a soft whimper, so he knew it was time to back off. He eased his hand away but gave a couple more slow and deep sucks before pulling off with a wet pop. The second he came off, he moved up the bed to catch the blissful-looking face between his hands, kissing Jared deeply and letting the boy taste himself on his lips. He loved the soft sound that came from Jared.

Not expecting the kiss or the taste of what he realized was his own come on Jensen’s lips and tongue, Jared shuddered; his body and mind were about done in for the moment, so he wasn’t even fully aware of when Jensen’s fingers found one end of the first ribbon and tugged it so that the knot binding his wrist came free.

In fact, by the time Jared’s brain began to focus again, waking up enough to allow him to pry his heavy lids open and blink, he realized with some shock that not only had he been wiped clean but also dressed in a soft pair of sleep pants and slipped under the duvet cover. Jared was amazed that he’d crashed hard enough to allow Jensen to do all that without him waking up.

Jared began to feel nervous; he wasn’t sure what the protocol for this was, or if there even was a protocol for this, since nothing that had just happened was anywhere in their contract.

Jared began to shift, planning to get up, only to feel a hand settle against the center of his chest before he heard a voice speak from beside him.

“Welcome back, kiddo.” Jensen hoped his voice didn’t show how worried he had been. He had been considering calling Chris, or maybe even Sam after more than 45 minutes passed without Jared showing any signs of consciousness after the rush of his climax on top of the stress of the evening had knocked the kid on his ass.

At first, he’d used the time to clean them both up. He’d wiped Jared off before going to his room to grab a pair of sleep pants for him and then cleaning himself up.

It took a bit of effort to get Jared under the covers without disturbing him or jostling his injured knee, but he finally got the boy settled. He started to wonder what the hell Marta had been feeding this kid since it was clear that Jared had started to definitely build muscle since he’d come there.

He’d been lying casually on his side beside Jared, watching him sleep and tracing his jaw and cheekbones with a slow finger when he finally saw long lashes begin to flutter against his cheeks. He smiled in relief because he really hadn’t wanted to call Chris with the news that he’d hurt Jared while giving him a blowjob.

Clear but cautious hazel eyes opened to look at him and Jensen could see practically every thought and fear the kid had right then; he wished he could take back so many of the reasons Jared feared him.

“I…” Jared’s voice cracked and he tried to swallow. When a glass of water was held out, he pushed up to an elbow and sipped it slowly. “I... I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep like that. You should’ve woken my ass up and kicked me out or... Jensen?” He stopped as the glass was placed back on the nightstand and the casino owner moved until he could lever himself over Jared.

“Yeah, and if I planned to sleep alone tonight I probably... might’ve... done that, but since I don’t plan on sleeping alone, I let you sleep,” Jensen replied easily even though he wasn’t quite certain when he’d made the decision, but now that he’d said the words, he felt right about it. “Do you have any particular aversion to sleeping in here with me tonight, Jared?” he asked while giving light kisses to Jared’s cheeks and recognizing his surprise. “You don’t have to. I’m not ordering you to. It’s your choice.”

Jared wondered what side of Jensen he’d find in the morning because this side was worrying him a little bit. He kept waiting for a catch or for the old Jensen to return. He should probably try to move to his own room, but he was still so bonelessly sexed out that he wasn’t sure he could move. He was also pleased that his knee wasn’t hurting at the moment and he didn’t feel like doing anything that might make the pain reappear. “I’ll stay,” he said quietly and tried to ignore the quick jump his heart gave at Jensen’s sudden smile; it was almost as if the man had expected him to refuse. “Here or…”

“Yeah, here,” Jensen smiled, settling back beside him. “You can lay however you want, Jay. Beside me or closer to the edge, whatever is more comfortable for you and that knee.”

Jared wanted to analyze everything Jensen had said and done, but he couldn’t stop his yawn. His body was still tired and it seemed to be telling him not to overthink this moment, to just enjoy it because, by the time he woke up, Jensen’s mood and attitude could be totally different. He decided to just be grateful that his knee wasn’t hurting and he was actually comfortable... maybe too comfortable because he could already feel himself drifting back off to sleep even as he shifted just a little with a murmur of thanks.

“For what?” Jensen’s fingers carded back through dark hair to get the unruly pieces off of Jared’s face because he wanted to see that peacefulness a little longer. He watched the boy settle back into sleep and felt his throat clog when a sleepy Jared turned so his head was half on the pillow and half on Jensen’s shoulder. “This?”

“This and... for coming back to find me.” Jared yawned, totally unaware of where his head had come to rest or how he relaxed when a slow arm eased around to hold him. His eyes slipped shut as he fell to sleep. “Most... most people wouldn’t have... wouldn’t even have cared that he had me. You... you might not be so bad after all.”

Jensen frowned slightly as he realized that Jared was saying his father wouldn’t have bothered to look for him or save him from the hands of someone like Pellegrino. “I hope you can still say that after we’ve talked, kiddo,” he whispered, watching Jared’s face as he slept for a long time before allowing himself to drift off peacefully for the first time in ages.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-One

The smell of coffee and bacon began to pull Jared Padalecki out of his dreams. It had been so long since he’d slept deeply, much less had dreams that weren’t bad or dark, that he honestly wasn’t certain he wanted to wake up. His grumbling stomach on the other hand said differently.

“Well, your stomach agrees with me that it’s time for you to wake up so we can eat. That means it’s two against one so would you please wake up? I’m hungry.”

The deep voice that spoke from beside him sounded testy but also slightly amused, not angry, and Jared stretched carefully, letting his brain cells catch up with him to remember where he was and who he’d fallen to sleep with. He finally pried his eyes open after he rubbed the sleep out of them and smiled at the sight of Jensen sitting beside him on the bed waving a piece of bacon under his nose as if to coax Jared awake.

“There you are!” Jensen’s eyes lit up as he saw Jared’s eyes open fully and fingers reached for the bacon. “I knew the bacon would wake you up. I tried coffee but you didn’t budge and then I remembered you’re not much of a coffee drinker. You’re lucky the bacon worked; my next step might’ve been a bit sticky and then that would’ve led to something else so... hmmm... maybe you should close your eyes again.”

Jared was waking up, and he felt a bit torn. He really was hungry, but he wanted to just keep lying there because this was honestly the most Jensen had ever talked about something mindless and he hated to have it end. His stomach insisted, however, so he nodded while biting into the bacon, suddenly remembering that dinner last night had never happened; that explained why he was so hungry.

“Hi,” he murmured between bites of delicious bacon, blinking his eyes clear, finally able to focus on the numbers on the alarm clock beside the bed. He nearly choked. “It’s after 1?” He then noticed the bright Vegas sun visible along the edges of the windows across the room, realizing the drapes had been drawn to keep the room from becoming too bright. “I... I didn’t mean to sleep that long. I’m so sorry! You should’ve woken me up sooner or dumped ice water on me to wake me up or... geez, I’m... huh? Mmhm…”

Jensen set his mug of coffee on the tray of food sitting beside the bed so he’d have both hands free when he reached over to catch Jared’s face as it paled. The boy seemed to think he’d done something wrong when he realized how late he’d slept.

Cupping Jared’s face between his palms, Jensen caught his eyes for a brief second before covering his mouth with his in a deep kiss that stopped the words, holding it until he felt some of the tension easing out of Jared as the younger man slowly began to respond.

“It’s Sunday... and after last night I think we both deserved to sleep in a little,” he replied quietly, lips still close enough that he could feel Jared’s breath. “Relax and take a couple of breaths to calm down. Good boy.” He adored just watching Jared’s face as he worked through his emotions to settle down a little more. “Now we can eat.”

Realizing that Jensen wasn’t angry that he’d slept in or delayed breakfast, Jared relaxed a little more. He sat up and as he carefully moved his knee, he could see that a new bag of ice had been placed over it. He was relieved when he lifted the bag to see that the swelling seemed to be going back down. He cringed at of thought of putting weight on it but knew he had to.

“You can use the bathroom in here if you want,” Jensen commented, sliding out of bed so Jared wouldn’t have to walk any further than he had to. “Can you make it without the brace?” He did not want another lecture from Chris or the resident physician if Jared hurt that knee any more last night.

Jared nodded, but was cautious when he stood in case the knee buckled; he couldn’t help but notice that Jensen stayed close as if to grab him in case he started to fall. “I... I lost the cane,” he suddenly said, realizing it just then and feeling sick. He knew it had to be expensive, possibly even custom-made since it was so tall. “I’m…”

“Don’t say you’re sorry,” Jensen interrupted. “You dropped it when they grabbed you. I then tried to cave the asshole’s head in with it, so it’s probably still in the limo.” Jensen hovered by the bathroom door trying not to look like he was hovering as Jared went in to relieve himself, but he really didn’t want to take any chance that the kid would fall and hurt himself more either. “I’ll get someone to bring it up if I ever decide to reply to any of Chris’s texts.”

After washing his hands, Jared made sure to dry the sink but then felt eyes on him and looked up to see Jensen watching him. “It’s a habit,” he replied with an embarrassed shrug, limping a little more as he stepped out of the bathroom, uncertain where he should go. “Ummm, where…”

“Bed for now,” Jensen nodded back to his bed and then the tray beside it. “We’re going to have brunch in bed and then I guess we’ll get dressed and... talk.”

“Eat in bed?” Jared considered that a moment, looking back at Jensen. He felt fingers move up his back before lips touched his neck. “Do you do this kind of stuff just to annoy housekeeping or because you know it sets my OCD off?”

“Well... now that I think about it... I guess they’re both pretty good reasons,” Jensen smirked and gave a gentle nudge until Jared was sitting back on the bed so he could shove a pillow under his knee again. “I’ve been annoying housekeeping for years. They’re used to me.”

Jared rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut, not wanting to ruin this good mood Jensen appeared to be in. He liked the man a lot better when he was this way than when the icy business side came into play.

They ate in bed and at first Jared just picked at his meal until he noticed Jensen kept stealing his bacon and replacing it with sausage off his plate. “If you wanted bacon, why didn’t you just get bacon instead of stealing mine?” he asked after swatting at the hand without thinking.

“Because it’s more fun this way,” Jensen teased, but then he winced as he watched Jared pour a generous amount of syrup on his waffles. “Remind me to get you a bowl for your waffle soup tomorrow morning. It’s a wonder you’re not hyper with all that syrup.”

“It’s good; you really should try it instead of eating your waffles with just plain butter,” Jared cut off a piece and held it out on his fork. “I’ll let you steal my bacon if you try a bite?” he invited.

Jensen wrinkled his nose in distaste but did take the offered bite. “Not bad,” he conceded, shaking his head fondly as a dimpled smile appeared. He decided the too-sweet syrupy sugar rush was worth it to see that smile. “Of course, your bacon is now also soaked in that stuff.”

Jared took a couple of pieces, placed them on a napkin, and then dabbed them dry before holding them out with his best innocent smile; he briefly wondered what the hell was he doing as Jensen took them slowly.

“Smart ass,” the casino owner muttered but as Jared went back to his waffles, Jensen let his lips curve into a slow smile. Then he took a deep breath and decided to get down to business. “So... is there anything in particular you want me to tell you?” he asked curiously, trying to swallow his nervousness about talking to Jared; after all, he’d never really talked to anyone about his past. Chris was the only one who knew about the things that had happened and that was only because they had known each other since childhood.

Jared looked up as Jensen slid off the bed and moved toward the dresser. He noticed the tension running through Jensen’s back, erasing the relaxed atmosphere in the room. Jared realized that the idea of sharing or talking about himself made the man uneasy. “If you don’t want to talk to me about anything you don’t have to, Jensen.” He was curious but he didn’t want to ruin the mood Jensen had been in and feared this would do it. “I mean... it’s really none of my business and…”

“That’s not quite true anymore and I think we both know it.” Jensen tugged a faded t-shirt on before stripping out of his sleep pants, smiling a little as he heard a sharp inhale behind him. He forced himself to stay focused on the conversation that needed to happen as he tugged on a pair of old jeans that he only wore when he knew he wouldn’t be seeing anyone for business. “Plus I promised to talk to you today and I try to keep my promises when I can.”

Jensen leaned against the dresser for a couple of seconds before moving back to the bed, noticing that Jared appeared to be finished eating. “Can we move this into the game room?” he asked, reaching for the knee brace even though Jared was shaking his head. “Or do you want to get dressed? You don’t have to since no one will be coming up except maybe Chris or Chad. I can grab a t-shirt if you want one.”

Jared was comfortable in the sleep pants but he did ask for a t-shirt to slip into. He reluctantly put the brace on his knee for support and then they moved into the game room and settled on the sofa.

“Up,” Jensen pointed to Jared’s injured leg as he moved the coffee table out of the way and shoved an ottoman under Jared’s knee, adding a pillow so the knee would stay propped up and comfortably flexed. He disappeared for a few minutes and then returned with another bag of ice, which he placed on the side that still appeared to be slightly swollen. “So... talking isn’t exactly my ummm... strong suit... I guess you’ve probably noticed that... but I think after some of the crap you’ve seen and heard... after some of the crap I’ve put you through... you deserve to know a little bit about me.” He moved around the room restlessly for several moments before finally coming back to sit on the sofa, leaving a cushion between him and Jared. “The guy you met that first night? The man you see when I’m doing business? The icy cold uncaring bastard who basically bought you for your dad’s debt? That isn’t the man I am; at least it’s not the one that I want to be. It’s more the man I thought I had to be.”

Jared shifted a little so he could keep his leg up but still see Jensen. He noticed the uneasy way the casino owner’s usually steady fingers were tapping restlessly or pulling a loose string of a worn spot on his jeans. “That’s... that’s what Chris said a couple of times,” he murmured, unsure if he should speak or just let Jensen talk.

“Chris should know since he’s known me longer than anyone but Samantha,” Jensen nodded, blowing out a breath. “More than likely you’re going to end up meeting my parents... I can almost guarantee you’ll meet my father. I would rather you not meet them but since it seems like my Dad is determined to take The Open Road away from me using whatever means he can, it’s unlikely that you’ll miss that thrilling encounter.” He glanced over with a sad smirk. “I’ll apologize ahead of time. My father is a bastard who would actually get along great with yours, except the only thing my father sees is dollar signs and the only thing he cares about is how to make them.

“My Dad comes from a family of gamblers. The early Ackles men made their money on riverboats pretty much from the time of the Civil War according to my great-grandmother. Today they own casinos all over the country and a couple in Europe. My grandfather still holds the reins on the main ones on the East Coast while my Dad pretty much stays in Europe since that’s where my mother prefers to run her cons... oh, did I forget to mention my mother’s family were con artists and thieves?” Jensen chuckled darkly. “Yeah, I come from real proud stock.” Jensen’s tone was changing subtly as he spoke but he tried to stay seated and tamp down the bitterness he felt.

“I was raised in casinos and taught by tutors. I knew how to play a hand of poker before I could ride a bike and learned addition while playing Blackjack. Chris is the only friend I had back then who wasn’t bought and paid for.” He rubbed a hand over his leg and then restlessly began to shuffle a deck of cards that he’d pulled out from under the sofa. He used the motion and the sound as a distraction while he tried to tell Jared a little bit about who he was without going too deep. “My social skills were groomed so I would know how to make a good appearance; I was also taught to judge which people would be easy marks and how to get them into a casino so they’d lose their shirts.

“I was taught that business and making money was all that mattered in life. There was no such thing as love... that would only dull your senses and make you weak and sloppy. When my parents met and decided to pool their skills, I think they were hoping for a little family of card sharks and con artists, but they only got one child: me. It seems that I am not the son they hoped for even though I’ve tried my damndest to make myself into what they wanted: a hard-as-nails bastard who could succeed in the business. I tried too hard to prove that I could be someone.” Jensen began flipping cards onto the sofa between them, feeling Jared’s eyes on him but noticing that the usually curious young man was staying silent for the moment.

“When I was 21, my grandfather put the title of The Open Road in my name. It was part of the trust fund that my great-grandmother had left to me. This place was falling down; the little joint barely pulled in five grand in a month and I know he gave it to me expecting me to fail.” He paused for a moment before looking up into hazel eyes. “I’d managed a couple of his smaller places in Jersey once it became pretty plain that my father and I couldn’t see eye to eye at the casino in Venice... and I actually made money for him. The changes and new games I put in increased his business and I could still run a poker table with the best sharks on the East Coast. But no matter what I did, to my family, I was nothing but this gay little freak pretending to be one of the big boys. They never seriously accepted me in the casino world because I don’t like to play all their games.

“In the time that I’ve had this place, I turned it from the brink of bankruptcy to one of the best medium-sized casinos and hotels on the Strip. We’re now at the point where we can start to compete with some of the big guys. and that’s why now my father wants control. He can’t stand it because I’m making this place a success while his place in Venice is faltering. He refuses to believe that it’s because he’s too busy with sex clubs and cheap whores while my mother is out buying crap she doesn’t need. Now he’ll do whatever it takes to steal this place from me, including lying and making it look like I’m stealing from my own casino.” Jensen flipped a card and frowned at it, fingers gripping the cards tightly as Jared began to slowly pick up the ones on the sofa.

“Will you fight him for it?” Jared finally asked, breaking his long silence. After listening to Jensen talk about his very unusual childhood, his family, and how he was raised, he was putting the pieces together and slowly beginning to understand why the man was the way he was. “I mean, with what I found and what I’m sure Chad or others can find, you can prove it’s not you stealing the money. Can he still take the casino?”

Rubbing a hand over his face, Jensen hated to even think of the fight he’d have if he challenged his father for control. “I can probably prove I didn’t take the money, but some people will still be suspicious. And there’s other stuff, like that incident in the casino the other night and me suddenly deciding to come out publically as gay instead of bi-sexual... he could probably make issues with the board. If my investors suddenly decide I’m too big of a risk as CEO, then he could have a leg to stand on since it is still a family business. He or my grandfather could demand I step down as CEO and sign it back to them unless I buy it outright... and then the board could refuse to sell it to me. Then I’d be out of everything I’ve poured into this place and…”

“That’s not right though, Jen,” Jared interrupted. He might not like how he came to be here or what this casino had cost his family but now that he was getting to know the real Jensen, he also didn’t think he liked the man’s father or how he was trying to steal away what was rightfully Jensen’s. “Oh. I didn’t mean…” He didn’t realize what he’d said until he caught the way Jensen’s lip curled into a half smile. “I’m sorry. I know what you said to call you. I didn’t think. It won’t happen again.”

“Not even Chris is allowed to shorten my name,” Jensen murmured thoughtfully, catching the flash of worry that crossed Jared’s face. He reached over to touch him and felt the slight flinch as if the boy expected a slap. “Someone did it when I was younger in a time that was pretty dark and after that, I refused to allow anyone to.”

“Jensen, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.” Jared cursed his own stupidity. “I won’t do it again... you can tack that on as another thing I need to be punished for when the playroom is finished or... you confuse me when you do that,” he muttered as Jensen’s thumb brushed softly over his cheek.

“I confuse me too, kiddo,” Jensen muttered, cocking his head to the side as he stared at Jared. “Say it again?”

Jared bit his lip, unsure if he was being set up or not but as the pad of Jensen’s thumb moved over his cheek again, he sighed and took a chance. “J-Jen,” he murmured and then tried to brace for whatever reaction he got.

“Again.” Jensen saw the wariness but also just a hint of annoyance, which he actually enjoyed; he very much preferred Jared being annoyed with him than being afraid of him.

Hearing Jared use the nickname for him didn’t bother him like it had... like it still did if others used the same name. After several quiet moments, he nodded, but he didn’t want to make it seem so easy. “I guess since you let me call you Jay, it’s only fair if I do the same... but only when we’re alone. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it.” Jared relaxed slowly after seeing that his slip-up hadn’t caused a huge problem. “Umm, so what are you going to do about all this?” he asked and then sighed. “Maybe I should be gagged all the time,” he muttered. “I talk too much, I know, and I ask too many questions about stuff that’s none of my business. I just don’t think it’s right that people should try to take this casino from you after you made it successful. I mean, if your dad took it over, what would this place turn into?”

“Probably something like Pellegrino’s place if not worse,” Jensen replied with a grimace, explaining further when he saw Jared’s wide-eyed frown. “My father’s into sex clubs and the D/s scene heavily. He has been ever since I was a kid. I think it’s another reason my grandfather sent him to Europe to run those casinos; that way he doesn’t have to know what he does or see the aftereffects. My dad became very... disappointed in his only son when I showed absolutely no interest in certain games or that scene despite everything he tried to do to change my mind.”

Jared watched Jensen’s hands as he once again shuffled the cards with skill and speed that amazed the younger man. “But you… well, you are into the kinky stuff,” he pointed out before thinking. “Granted I didn’t see anything in the playroom like that cross thing or some of the really weird stuff I saw in clubs that Dad went to but still…” His voice trailed off.

Jensen glanced over and saw that Jared’s eyes were on his hands as he shuffled, and he was also biting his lip; the kid was probably thinking about some of the darker toys he’d probably been exposed to thanks to his no-account asshole of a father. “Yeah, but first of all, what I like in sex is pretty damn tame compared to what people like Pellegrino, my father, and apparently your father seem to like. Second of all, some of that stuff was me still trying to be the son my father wanted. I’ve never been very good at standing up to him... but I’m trying.” He flipped over a few cards on the sofa between them. “Hit or stay?” He asked, giving a small smile at the blank look. “Blackjack or 21 – you need to try to get closer to 21 than the dealer. Go over you lose. So hit or stay?”

Jared wasn’t sure how they went from kinky sex and sex clubs to a card game, but he looked at the cards he’d been given and then at the face card he could see in front of Jensen.  He gave a frown. “Hit?”

Jensen flipped another card, a King, and that put Jared over. “Depending on what your bottom card is, be careful hitting if your face card is ten or higher or an Ace. Again?”

“Yeah,” Jared nodded, interested in the way the numbers fell. He found himself starting to look for a system while watching Jensen relax. “So... there’s a difference between your kind of kink and what your Dad’s into?”

“Dad’s into the hardcore D/s scene with a side of S&M to make it even weirder,” Jensen replied, finding it a bit easier to talk while he was playing cards. “One of the ‘family’ houses in France is really just for his mistresses who are all subs for when he wants to pick one to play with. He keeps his favorite with him even when Mom’s around because she acts as a helper or something. Mom doesn’t mind her being around even though she knows what she really is.” He lifted his eyes up. “When you said to me that one day that you could never be a 24/7 sub? I had already figured that out because you were nothing like the subs I’d seen my father with or that I’d seen in clubs or…”

Jensen flipped another set of cards while breaking off that chain of thoughts. “While I can’t say I don’t find the idea of what the Dom/sub scene offers in a sexual setting appealing since, as you know, I like being in control, I’m not into the whole full-time Dom/sub thing.” As he spoke, he noticed that Jared was taking more time to make his choices and also choosing well since he was winning more than losing now. “I don’t approve of men like Pellegrino or his friends - people that go to certain clubs to mistreat the subs because they think they can. In the way that it’s actually supposed to go, the sub is the one with the power because it’s the sub who chooses when to end a scene but... some people play Dom the way they think it should be, and... that turns more to slavery and that’s what I’m not into. Hmm, I also think you could probably wipe me out if I let you loose at a Blackjack table.”

“It’s numbers,” Jared shrugged with a shy smile, watching Jensen’s face. “So... when you’re cold and mean... it’s because you think being this way will... what? If you’re trying to prove to your father that you can be like him…” He stopped when sharp green eyes locked with his and he read the silent warning and understood. “What I said that night when I upset you and you lost it on me... when I accused you of wanting to lead me…”

“I was 12 the first time I saw my father drag one of his mistresses around our house during a party by a choker chain because she’d fumbled some line in front of his friends and embarrassed him.” Jensen’s tone was deep, harder than usual even though Jared could sense he wasn’t angry with him but the memory. “I wasn’t supposed to be awake and my room was on the other side of the house, but the screaming woke me up and I was curious so I snuck out and looked from the rails of the hallway up above... and I saw what he did.

“It wasn’t the first time I’d seen his mistresses even though it took me another few years to figure out that’s what they were. I was 16 when I realized what those women really were to him, but that was the first time I’d seen the crowd of people he liked to do business with and how they degraded those subs.” He turned over a nine to put him over, then lifted his eyes back to Jared’s face. “Despite trying to be the hardass businessman to make my Dad proud of me, I swore at 17 that I would never be like him personally. So that night when you said that to me... it hit me wrong and my temper reacted in the wrong way. Then afterward, after I came back to my senses and saw what I’d done to you, I realized that by doing to you what I had, everything that I’d done to you not just that night but since you first arrived, that I was becoming my father and... that’s when I knew I had to change. I had to change or else I knew where I’d end up and that’s not who I want to be.”

Jared sat back as Jensen began to shuffle again and looked at him, considering everything he’d heard and what he could infer from the things left unsaid. “Can I say something to you?” he asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

“Now you ask if you can say something?” Jensen smiled, looking up. “Jay, you’ve been talking since you first walked in here and punched me. I’ve said enough to have set myself up for some zingers so go ahead,” he invited, fingers shuffling effortlessly. “I’ll give you a couple of free ones but don’t get used to it.”

“Your Dad sounds like an asshole and you’re nothing like him,” Jared said flat out, seeing the cards fumble, as Jensen’s fingers suddenly seemed to lose their rhythm. “I mean, if you were, I think I’d definitely have had more bruises on me than I ended up with that night. Hell, if you were anything like the man you’ve described to me, I probably wouldn’t have ever left the playroom. I really would’ve been kept naked and chained in there. Sure, you’ve had your moments when you’ve been a bastard but I haven’t always made things easy on you.” Jared blew out a breath before continuing. “In all honesty... given some of the guys Dad tried to sell me to for an hour or a night or a week, you could’ve treated me a lot worse than you have.

“I think you’re trying too hard to prove to the people who work for you that you’re not someone they can walk all over, and that’s fine, but you can still do that and be kinda nice too... like the night you let Marta go home early.” He hesitated briefly before reaching out and letting his hand rest on the wrist of Jensen’s arm, which was lying on the back of the sofa. “Jen... you don’t have to prove anything to your father. If he hasn’t accepted you by now, he never will. You just have to prove to yourself that you’re the man you want to be for you. Not to anyone else.”

Jared dropped his chin to stare at the cards that were still lying on the sofa and began to slowly draw back his hand, figuring he might have just pushed his luck a little too far and should stop while he was ahead. He froze when fingers suddenly grasped his wrist and held his hand still.

“Y’know, except for Chris or Sam, no one would ever dare say what you just did to me,” Jensen began softly, turning the hand he was holding over so his thumb could slowly move over Jared’s wrist. He felt the change in pulse, but he also knew he was feeling a bit emotionally charged since he had shared more of himself with Jared than he’d planned to.

“Add it to the growing list of things you need to punish me for later,” Jared shrugged, looking at his hand, which was still trapped in Jensen’s grasp, and then over to the man himself, surprised to see that he didn’t look angry. He couldn’t quite figure out what emotions were on his face and that worried the young man. “I know how it is to want to win the approval, hell even the love of your father. I finally had to accept that the only way I could ever do that was if I bent over and let his pals fuck me for money. It became easier to accept that I was making my life and Molly’s all on my own after that. I’ll never be a son he’ll love or be proud of, but I’m still proud of me.”

“Huh.” Jensen took that in as he pressed a kiss to the palm of Jared’s hand before letting go and standing up. “How old were you when you made that discovery?” he asked curiously. He knew it was time for him to completely give up on the idea of winning his family’s approval.

“Fourteen when he first told me I was no good and sixteen when I figured out what he really wanted me to do to earn his love,” Jared replied, tone soft, eyes downward. He could still feel the lingering sensation of Jensen’s kiss on his palm. He looked up when a hand touched his face. “I might not like everything that’s going on right now, but it’s better because I made the choice to stay with you. I made our current deal, not my dad, and I know Molly will get to go to a great dance school and be safe. I feel like I did what was best for her so I’m proud of that. It doesn’t matter that no one else will ever be proud of my choices... it doesn’t matter what kinds of looks I get... it only matters to me what I think of myself.”

Jensen paused to consider that, swallowing hard and feeling his chest getting too tight all of a sudden. “You’re a smart and brave young man, Jared Padalecki,” he murmured, leaning down to catch Jared’s lips in a kiss that was neither soft nor hard but seemed to leave both young men restless and confused. “I know I promised you a treat for behaving last night and I’ll keep that promise but... I need some time alone to think about some... stuff.” He saw the confused wrinkle on Jared’s face and shook his head. “You’re not in trouble and it’s not over anything you said. It’s more... over things I said... I just need some space for a little bit. I’ll have Chad come up and you guys can play games or something.”

Jared suddenly didn’t want to play video games with Chad. He actually wanted to spend more time with Jensen, but he caught the vibes of uneasy tension coming from the man and understood that Jensen was trying to avoid another scene like that one night so he nodded silently.

“Jensen?” he called suddenly, turning on the sofa to see that Jensen had paused by the door. “Last night... you said I was wrong about you not understanding what it was like to not be in control and that you knew about the dangers in this life.” Jared saw the way Jensen’s jaw clenched and his fingers tightened on the door, but the casino owner didn’t interrupt him; rather he nodded for him to go on. “How? You’re rich. You’ve never had to scrape for money or an existence so how could you ever know how hard this has been on me?”

Jensen supposed he should have been expecting that question, but it still rocked him because he’d already exposed too many nerves for one day. He simply couldn’t tell the whole story right then. But he also knew he owed the curious young man some sort of explanation because in a lot of ways he could and did understand Jared’s anger in the beginning; he understood it because he’d once shared it.

“No, I never had to fight to survive or keep food on the table for myself or someone I loved as you have,” he agreed slowly, turning so his back was to Jared; he couldn’t bring himself to look back into those deep eyes. “But I had a father who fucked up and was on the verge of losing one of the casinos my grandfather trusted him with. He gambled the title to it in a game with a better player and lost. Instead of letting it go and admitting his failure to his father, he offered another form of payment... his 16-year-old son for a year.” He glanced back once with a small hard smile. “So that’s how I understand your feelings, Jared. I’ve been you and I pray I never get as bad as the bitch who bought me. Stay put, keep your knee up and Chad’ll be in soon. I’ll... see you for dinner.”

Jared had been shocked into silence at those unexpected words, so shocked that he couldn’t immediately speak, and by the time he could, Jensen was long gone and the door was closed, leaving Jared alone in the game room with his own thoughts, a churning stomach, and anger at himself.

“Damn it!”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jared was still sitting on the sofa in the game room, trying to shuffle the deck of cards like Jensen had been doing when the door opened and a curious Chad Michael Murray strolled in.

“Dude? What happened?” he asked. “The boss calls me up and just says to help you kill time while he clears his head or something.” He eyed Jared as if looking for bruises or any injuries he didn’t have from the night before. “Did he hurt you? Did he do anything to you I should be pissed off about?”

Frowning a bit at that, Jared shook his head. “No, nothing bad happened after we got home last night,” he assured the blond as he came over to sit down.

“So what happened today?” Chad demanded, throwing his hands up into the air. “It ain’t like Jensen to walk out like that. Hell, he didn’t even sound pissed off... at least not like I have heard and seen him. He sounded really strange, though. Did you mouth off and he took a walk to avoid losing control?”

“No, I didn’t mouth off,” Jared returned, hesitating about what he should say. He didn’t know how much Chad knew about Jensen or his past, and he didn’t want to betray the trust Jensen had placed in him by repeating anything the man had said about his childhood. “We... talked or mostly he talked... I know, hard to believe... and we played Blackjack. Then he... he decided he needed some space to think about stuff, so he called you since my knee is kinda messed up today. I guess he didn’t want me up here alone.”

Chad frowned as he listened to that. He knew there had to be more to the story but he could see that Jared wasn’t going to share whatever Jensen had said to him. While curious, he admired the kid for keeping silent since a lot of people in Vegas, hell right in this casino, would’ve been only too happy to blab secrets about Jensen to anyone who would listen.

When Jared bypassed his every attempt to coax whatever had been shared between him and Jensen out of him, Chad finally gave up and grinned. “Y’know, after everything he’s done to you and how he treated you in the beginning or hell, that mess last week, you would’ve had every right to take what he told you and sell it to the highest paying tabloid... or you could’ve reported it to the boss’s old man... he’d probably pay for information if it was juicy enough... wait... you’re not going to do any of that are you, Jared?”

“Why would I?” Jared stared at Chad as the man got up to leaf through the video games until he picked one. “Jensen trusted me enough to tell me stuff that wasn’t easy for him, Chad. He didn’t have to tell me anything about himself but he did. I don’t know why he did it or... I really don’t know how to react, to be honest with you.”

“That could be another reason the boss cleared out,” Chad said with a shrug after putting the game in and returning to flop onto the sofa, holding out a controller. “So you could think about what he said... whatever it was. Now, do you want to brood by yourself or let me kick your ass in Madden?” he asked with a smile.

“I’m not brooding, but I will think a lot about what he told me since... it’s starting to make sense to me now how he acts but... I don’t think he understands fully the cycle he seems to be trapped in.” Jared placed the cards aside and took the controller. “You know I suck at sports games, Chad.”

“Yeah, that’s why I chose it, Jaybird,” the computer ace winked. “I’m tired of you blowing my ass up in Call of Duty. I am going to get you down to the firing range before too much longer too.”

Jared shook his head dryly at that thought. He wasn’t really interested in learning to shoot a real gun, but he had to admit he was a bit curious about how it would be in comparison to the game. He figured he might consider going at least once... just to humor his friend. Now he just had to concentrate on holding a football and not thinking too much about where Jensen was and when he’d come back.

“So what the hell happened?”

Jensen Ackles turned from where he’d been beating a heavy bag to see Chris Kane standing in the doorway to the private gym. “What?” he tried to deadpan; he didn’t want to get drawn into a long discussion with the man, or worse, receive a lecture from him.

“I thought you planned to spend the day with the kid. So why did I find you down here beating the crap out of my punching bag while Chad’s upstairs playing video games with a confused kid? You’re lucky, by the way, that said kid doesn’t have any more bruises on him than he had last night. So... again I’m asking you, what the hell happened?” Chris entered the gym to eye his friend more closely and noticed a couple of things he found interesting.

The first thing he caught was the worn jeans and T-shirt which told him that Jensen was getting more relaxed with Jared, wearing the kind of clothes that he preferred when not working or dealing with people.

It would shock a lot of people to find out that the “real” Jensen Ackles really didn’t like to wear all the formal, stuffy clothes and suits he was always seen in, and that he actually preferred jeans and t-shirts. Only Chris and a very few other people knew that the casino owner chose his outfits in order to maintain the image he’d built up.

“Did the kid pop off again?” Chris asked since it was obvious that Jensen wasn’t going to willingly answer him. He caught the bag and tried to hold it still, hoping to force Jensen to talk, but the casino owner’s next punch was thrown with enough force to move both him and the bag. “He’s never gonna be a quiet, demure person, Jensen. If you plan to make your deal with him work, then you’d better accept that or invest in better gym equipment.”

“He didn’t pop off,” Jensen gritted, slamming his fist into the bag again. “He barely said anything... except that I shouldn’t try to make myself into someone else, that I shouldn’t try to impress anyone but myself.”

Chris frowned at that, grunting at the force of the bag being hit. “I think Sam and I’ve both said something similar to you over the years,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, but you and Sam both know me. This came from a kid who’s only known me for a couple of months and who’s only seen me as a guy who’s been an ass to him.” Jensen paused hitting the bag to look at his longtime friend. “I told him some of how I grew up. I told him about my folks and what I’d seen my Dad do to people. And before I walked out the door because he asked me what I meant by something I’d said to him last night, I... I told him what Dad did when I was sixteen.”

“Shit, Jensen,” Chris breathed. He’d suspected that Jensen would probably begin to tell Jared a little about his past to explain why he was so cold and hard at times, but he hadn’t been expecting him to mention the last item this soon. He knew the basic story, but he still had a hard time pulling any details about that time out of the man. “You…”

“No, I didn’t tell him any details, just that it happened but... eventually I might tell him more.” Jensen hadn’t meant to say all that he did, but he found it was easy to talk to Jared, especially over cards. Some of the talking had actually helped him, but it had also brought up a lot more dark thoughts, and that was why he had to escape to the gym. “The problem is, Chris, talking to him... telling him the crap I’ve seen or what was expected of me by my family and why I am this way now, why I was such a bastard to him... it managed to finally hit me... all the damn time I’ve spent not wanting to be like my Dad... and I am him.

“How I treat the employees, how I act, how the hell I treated that damn kid... that’s my Dad and that’s what I swore to ever avoid being!” Jensen slammed his fist into the bag angrily.

It had hit him like a ton of bricks while talking with Jared – many of his actions closely mirrored those of his father. What had finally rammed that point home was when he admitted to being sold as a payment for a debt when he was 16. While he knew he hadn’t been nearly as sick or cold as that sadistic bitch had been, he had certainly treated Jared like an object rather than a person.

“I became my father the moment I took Padalecki’s offer to give me one of his kids to pay his debt! I became him the first goddamn fucking time I forced Jared to do something! I am my father!” He lost himself in the swell of rage and guilt that suddenly consumed him and just let loose on the bag until finally Jensen felt his knees give out and he dropped to the floor with a sound that came very close to a sob.

Chris stayed quiet, letting his friend work through his emotions; this was not something Jensen did often. He’d seen his friend learn to suppress his emotions, to bury them as they served no purpose in business, and if he had emotions to release, that was what sex was for, the rougher and darker the better according to Jensen’s father.

“No, you’re not.” He finally spoke, stepping away from the bag to grab a bottle of water and a towel, holding them out to his friend. “It might seem like it sometimes, and I’m not going to deny that you have skirted dangerously close to the line a few times, especially recently, but there’s still one thing that shows me you are not a carbon copy of your father.”

“What’s that?” Jensen asked somewhat skeptically, gulping the water down and staring at Chris like he was blind.

“Jared’s upstairs playing video games with Chad. He’s not locked in a room or chained to a bed; he’s not getting fucked by you and every Tom, Dick, and Harry investor who wants a piece of him.” Chris spoke carefully, watching to see if his words would begin to sink in. “If you were totally like your dad, if you’d gone over the edge fully, you would’ve put Pellegrino’s collar on that kid in a heartbeat. Hell, you would’ve let Pellegrino have a turn with him. Jared would be black and blue and you’d gag him so he couldn’t mouth off like he’s prone to. One more thing? I swore to you that I would kick your ass if you ever got that bad and while I’ve been tempted to a few times, your ass remains unkicked. So I think you can still redeem yourself if you seriously want to. Do you?”

Jensen nodded but then gave a tired smirk. “Kinda late now, ain’t it? I mean, I’m this close to losing the casino thanks to Dad’s crap and probably 90% of my employees think I’m a monster so…”

“You can fight for the casino because we can find proof that your father’s been screwing with the records... and I will find out who he’s been paying off to give him information. Once I do that, it’ll blow his attempts to gain control out of the water,” Chris told him firmly, reaching out to help Jensen to his feet. “Do you want this place or do you want to walk away and start fresh? It’s ultimately up to you, boss.”

“This is my place, Chris. I don’t want to walk away and I sure don’t want to start over. Even if I have to buy it out from under the family, The Open Road is mine, and I want it.” Jensen knew that he meant what he was saying. He just wasn’t sure if he could pull it off since he was only too aware of the low-down stunts his father was known to use to get what he wanted. “I’m willing to fight for it. I want to prove that I am not my father and I want... crap…” He stopped when he realized what he’d almost said and how much he really did want that unspoken thing, but he knew he couldn’t pursue that line of thinking just yet.

“Well, I know you’re the boss, but right now I’m going to talk to you as my friend.” Chris kept his hand on Jensen’s shoulder as he met his eyes. “It’s still Sunday. If you really mean what you say about wanting to redeem yourself, then I suggest you start with the one person who seems to be making you see yourself in a different light. Chad’s probably kicking his sorry ass at Madden right now.”

Jensen knew what was being said, but he wasn’t sure if he was calm enough or ready to face Jared after what he’d told him. He knew the kid would have questions but those answers would have to come with time and more trust than Jensen had ever afforded anyone but Chris.

At the same time, he knew he couldn’t avoid Jared much longer without looking like a fool or possibly confusing the kid even more than he probably already was, so he took a slow breath and shot a nervous grin at his bodyguard. “Madden huh?” he murmured, catching Chris’s nod from the corner of his eye and making a choice. “Tell Marta to put whatever she made for Sunday dinner in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. Then call out for pizza from that one place on the Strip.” He headed for the door to shower and change. “I’m going to go show Jared how to kick Chad’s ass at Madden.”

“Anything you need me to do... or undo... for tomorrow?” Chris called after him while trying to figure out the best way to tell the cook upstairs that her large Sunday dinner was being put on hold until the following day. “You still planning on holding that staff meeting?”

“Yes, but I don’t know when,” Jensen responded, hand on the door as he looked back. “I want all my father’s ways into my systems shut down and I want his inside source found and kicked out. We’ll deal with the rest as it comes because eventually he’s going to demand a stockholder meeting and that’s when things will get ugly. I want all our ducks in a row before that happens and I want to know my back is covered.”

“You know I always have your back, and by the morning I’ll make sure that those we need to trust are on the same page or they can walk,” Chris assured him. “Oh, and don’t decimate Murray too badly; I’ll need him to hack something later.”

Jensen smirked but left the gym to go upstairs and shower off the sweat from beating the hell out of the weight bag. He debated on his outfit before digging into the bottom of his dresser. It had been a long time since he’d spent a Sunday doing absolutely nothing related to business.

The jeans he pulled on were the ones he used when working on cars so they were even more worn than the pair he’d put on earlier, but he didn’t care right then. He pulled a faded blue t-shirt on and decided to leave his shoes off. Looking at himself in the mirror Jensen heard his father’s voice in his head but quickly shut that down as he headed for the game room to hear the sounds of a disagreement in progress.

“I think you’re cheating, Chad.”

“Jaybird! I’m wounded! How am I cheating? Besides, you know nothing about sports so you can’t say I’m cheating.”

“Exactly! You know I know nothing about sports so you can cheat!”

“Jared, would I cheat you?”

Jensen leaned in the door to look at the paused game on the big flat screen on the wall, and just by the way the animated football players were frozen, he had a hunch he knew what Chad had been doing. “Yeah, apparently you would,” he said and was quick to hide his smirk as Chad yelped in surprise at his voice. “You would because you tried that same play on me before I caught on to what you were doing and before you figured out I could whip your ass at this game.”

“Don’t listen to him. He does not know what he’s talking about,” Chad shot at Jared while tossing his smirking boss a sour look. “I am the King of Madden! I am the…”

“Yeah, right, you’re the King when you’re playing a kid who probably doesn’t know which way to run the football,” Jensen jerked his thumb to the floor to indicate Chad was losing his seat on the sofa next to a clearly surprised Jared. “You were cheating him, Chad. You won’t cheat on me.”

“Hell, he didn’t have to cheat with me. I don’t know what I’m doing,” Jared muttered and willingly gave up his controller to Jensen when he held out his hand for it. “Umm, hi,” he murmured, still a little shocked to see Jensen, much less to see him sitting down to play a video game.

Jared would never admit to Chad that lack of football knowledge was not the only reason he wasn’t playing well that day. The other reason was that his mind kept wandering, wondering where Jensen had gone and when, or if, the man would come back... and if he did come back, what kind of mood would he be in?

“Hey, Jay,” Jensen returned quietly, glancing over to see Jared chewing his bottom lip nervously. He figured the kid might be uneasy since usually if Jensen got angry, it was Jared who paid for it... at least that’s how it probably seemed to the younger man. “Chad been cheating you all day?” he asked while sliding a hand over to gently brush stray hair out of Jared’s face so he could see his eyes.

“I think so, yeah, but I just started to notice,” Jared nodded. He was relieved that he didn’t smell any booze so he knew Jensen wasn’t drunk. He did notice he’d changed clothes, and he also could tell by the damp spiky hair that he’d showered, but he told himself not to ask any questions since what Jensen did was not his business. But then he wondered if the man might’ve been out fucking some other guy or female. And that bothered him. “Where’ve you been?” his mouth asked before his brain could stop it.

“Downstairs beating up the heavy bag in the gym.” The old Jensen might not have answered the kid’s questions, but something on Jared’s face suggested what he might’ve been thinking, and the new Jensen wanted to nip that in the bud. “That’s usually where I’ll go when I need to blow off steam but don’t want to leave the casino.”

“I... I thought that was part of my job, helping you to blow off steam.” Jared glanced down at his hands and missed the flash of raw emotion on Jensen’s face, but he didn’t miss the choking cough that came from Chad. “Shut up. I’ve seen enough movies and porn to know how this works.”

“Yeah, so have I, and I don’t need the images, dude!” Chad shot back as he reset the game and threw a challenging look back to his employer. “It’s been a while since you played Madden, boss. Want me to set it on easy?”

Jensen’s gaze narrowed. “You didn’t have it set on easy for Jared? So I guess that’s another way you cheated him, and no, wise guy, leave it where you have it and get prepared to lose.” He smiled slowly as he decided to sweeten the deal. “And if you lose Jared gets to pick the games you guys play for a month.”

“He can only play combat games and he kills me!” Chad objected but blew out a breath while also winking at a confused Jared. “Fine. If I lose, the kid picks the games. But if I win, whenever I have to drive you anywhere for the next month, I get to pick the car.”

“Deal, but just make sure it’s a street-legal one this time,” Jensen snorted, settling back on the sofa and nodding at the game. “Let’s play, Chad.”

Jared had never found sports games very interesting mainly because he never understood them. He didn’t think he’d be interested in watching Jensen and Chad play and figured he might spend some time trying to learn how to shuffle cards the way Jensen did, but he soon found his eyes watching the screen and then Jensen’s fingers as they moved on the controller. He found that he very much enjoyed watching the man destroy Chad in the football game.

By the time Chris arrived a few hours later with several boxes of steaming hot pizza and a container of chicken wings, Chad was flat on his back with a pillow over his face waving his hands in defeat.

“I quit, I concede. Can I go back to work now and hack someone?” he asked from under the pillow, sniffing the pizza and guessing he’d been rescued. “Chris must need me to do something illegal.”

“Yeah, I do actually, but it can wait if you’re still busy getting your butt kicked by someone,” Chris declared and placed the boxes on the pool table. “Food’s here! And Jensen? I’d avoid Marta for a day or so because she cussed you up one side and down the other when I told her to hold dinner until lunch tomorrow. You might want to have someone taste your food for about a week.”

 Jared had been concentrating on keeping his little man running straight after Chad had tossed him the controller, proclaiming that losing six games in a row was enough embarrassment for one day. The younger man expected to face the same ruthless gameplay, but the moment the controller hit his hands, Jensen changed the settings back to amateur and began to show him how to play, going slowly until he began to catch on.

He didn’t think he’d ever enjoy football, but he found he didn’t mind the game now that he knew what he was doing and the speed of the game was a little slower. He even managed to score a touchdown and was so happy about it that he forgot himself for just a moment and flung the pillow he’d been holding down at his opponent.

“I scored! I actually scored!” he yelled happily, thinking about how long it had been since something as simple as scoring in a video game had made him happy, and then Jared began to remember where he was and who he was playing, realizing that maybe his reaction wasn’t a good idea... but when he looked nervously next to him, he saw that Jensen’s lips were curved in a small smile. “I... I scored by myself.”

“Yes, you did, sweetheart,” Jensen murmured, longing to put that happy smile on Jared’s face more often if he could. He hated it when the smile began to dim, as the young man must have recalled where he was and the reasons behind it. He began to realize he needed to make some very hard choices and he needed to make them soon. “Wanna do it again?”

“Pizza?” Jared countered, looking at the pool table, but he didn’t move until he felt Jensen’s hand on his arm and saw the little nod of his head toward the boxes of pizza. “What kind?” he asked as he started to stand, careful of his knee which was stiff after sitting on the couch for so long. “Thanks,” he murmured when Chris held out the cane he’d retrieved from the car earlier.

“Nothing fishy if that’s what you’re asking,” Jensen told him, and then hoped it was true since he’d forgotten to tell Chris what kind of toppings to get on the pizzas. “Hopefully nothing with too many onions either.”

Chris shot his friend a sour look but held his tongue as he noticed him standing, ready to move if Jared stumbled after sitting for so long. “Maybe you should take him to the gym to work on that leg once the swelling goes down,” he suggested as Jared peeked in each box before going for the pepperoni and sausage choice.

“Once the swelling goes down and he can walk on it, I probably will.” Jensen eyed the choices before choosing his own, noticing that Jared was watching him from the sofa, where he had sat back down to eat.

Chad grabbed several slices, and then took Chris’s invitation to work to heart and headed for his office after telling Jared he owed him a rematch later that week.

“Have you looked into that other thing?” he asked Chris quietly, making sure Jared couldn’t hear them. “I want it taken care of soon.”

“I have feelers out. It won’t be easy, but a friend in social services says she thinks she can probably get it done and I’ll personally make sure the man signs the papers,” Chris replied, sensing Jensen wanted him gone as well now. He gave a short nod to Jared before stepping to the door, but he paused before exiting the room. “Oh. Before I forget, the workmen say they’ll be done in the playroom by the middle of the week... if you want to know.”

Jensen shot the bodyguard a hard look when he heard a short cough. “I’ll see you in the office in the morning, Chris,” he said tightly, resisting the urge to slam the door in his friend’s face for reminding Jared of the room and also the meaning behind it. “Not the way to help me start to make this better,” he muttered under his breath and banged his head against the door a couple of times.

“Jensen?” Jared hadn’t meant to choke but despite his acceptance of certain things and the role he had to play, he had actually forgotten about the playroom and Chris’s remark had been a harsh reminder. It was also a harsh reminder that he’d earned more than a few punishments over the past couple of days and apparently, they would be administered by the middle of the week. He just wasn’t sure why Jensen was banging his head on the door. “Are... you okay?”

“No, Chris is a moron,” Jensen muttered, turning to grab the boxes of pizza before sitting down again. “He shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. I hope it didn’t ruin your appetite or anything.”

It had a little but Jared knew he’d starve if he thought too much about the room and what would come from it so he tried to put it out of his mind while eating another slice of pizza. After a few minutes of quiet eating, he shrugged and broke the silence. “Like I said, I know my role and I know the playroom’s a part of it. I’ve been here over two months, Jensen. I think we both know I’m not the fragile, innocent virgin I was that first night.”

“You definitely weren’t fragile that night, Jared,” Jensen told him with a curved smile, looking beside him and almost groaning as he saw the pizza sauce on the corner of Jared’s mouth that he was trying to lick off. “Hell, I don’t think there’s been a time since you’ve been here that anyone would have called you fragile. Stubborn, mouthy, hard-headed... but never fragile.” He reached over to use his thumb to wipe the little spot of sauce off himself. “I don’t want fragile, Jay... I want you.”

Jared felt a little zing course through him but just as quickly dampened it down. Jensen didn’t mean he wanted him per se, just that he wanted the physical warm body that they’d agreed he’d provide. He still hated to be thought of as an object, a possession, but he knew for Molly he had to keep up his end of the bargain... even as he found himself wondering what it could be like if Jensen saw him as himself and not a business deal, first of his father’s making and now his own.

“We... we haven’t had sex since that last night in the playroom so…” He wiped his hands free of pizza grease on a napkin that had come with the pizza and kept his eyes on his lap rather than on Jensen. “I don’t know if my knee can hold me but…”

“It doesn’t have to hold you, Jay,” Jensen told him, moving closer on the sofa so he could frame Jared’s face in his hands; he kissed the spot where he had removed the sauce. “There are so many ways to make love that I haven’t begun to…” He stopped in mid-sentence at the same time that Jared’s eyes moved to his and he read the surprise in them.

Jensen recalled the other times they’d had sex, specifically the last couple of times before his stupid temper made him screw everything up. He’d always used some crude term for sex as if belittling the act made it easier for him to basically force Jared to let him take what he wanted from him. Just like he used the original deal as an excuse to do what he had and even this new one to keep on using Jared for his own purposes despite already knowing he was slowly starting to feel more for him... that he was starting to care for him in ways that Jensen wasn’t used to caring for anyone.

Watching Jared’s eyes look at him, big and confused at the new term, reminded Jensen just what kind of a bastard he’d been, still was, and how many mistakes he’d made not only with Jared but also in so many other ways and with so many other people.

He suddenly thought back to how fucked up he’d been at 17 after a year of brutal hell, of having his head screwed with, by a cruel bitch who saw and treated him like a sex toy in ways that would make what he’d done to Jared look tame. He thought back to how long it took him to be able to see himself as a person again, and that it wasn’t his parents who’d helped him, but Chris and Samantha.

He knew in his heart that if his father had had his way, Jensen would’ve been sold as a sub to the highest bidder on his client list for the rest of his life... it had been Samantha and Chris’s parents who’d gotten him out of that. Now Jensen clearly realized as he looked into deep hazel eyes that he was repeating that same pattern with Jared. He needed to make a break, he needed to do it cleanly, and he needed to do it now. He needed to find a middle ground so that he could still keep Jared with him, to help him break free of his father and to break Molly free, and maybe slowly... start to gauge Jared as the handsome young man he was; he wondered if Jared could ever forgive his mistakes, his brutal treatment and basic kidnapping.

Of course, Jensen realized that first, he needed to find a way to stop what was happening now because, in Jared’s mind, he had to offer sex even though he was tired and his knee was still hurting him.

“Jensen?” Jared wasn’t sure what was happening. At first, he thought Jensen was going to kiss him and that they’d end up having sex right here on the sofa, but now he saw that Jensen had gone pale and was staring at him like he hadn’t seen him before. “What’s... did I do or say something wrong? I think we can fuck on a bed better than here but…”

“What I’m going to say is probably going to confuse you because it’s confusing me,” Jensen began slowly, voice deep as if fighting emotions while his fingers reached up to stroke over Jared’s cheek. “You have no damn idea what you do to me, Jared. What you have done to me.” He lightly pressed his lips to Jared’s lips before easing back to stand up and extend his hand, which with a shaking one, Jared accepted. “I’m going to walk you to your room,” he murmured between slow and almost teasingly tender kisses over Jared’s face.

Jared nodded blindly, relieved they would be having sex in a bed instead of on a couch, but wondering why Jensen felt so tense or why it seemed almost as if he were fighting with himself as they reached the bedroom door.

Opening it, Jared started to turn to say something, but he blinked as a key was pressed into his hand. “Jensen? What’s... what’re you doing?”

“This is the only key to your room. Your room is secured by a standard lock and key, not a touchpad like the rest of this place,” Jensen told him, seeing and hating the confusion looking back at him, but knowing that he couldn’t explain things to Jared in full yet because he didn’t completely understand what he was doing himself. “Keep it with you. You can lock this door tonight if you want... you can lock it whenever you want to. No one, not even me, comes in without your invitation. Tonight, I’m going to go take a really cold shower because I’m leaving you right here to go to bed and rest that knee. Tomorrow, I might not see you too much because I’m sure Chris has my schedule full of stuff to do to try to keep this place, but Chad will be around in case you need anything.

“No, shhh…” He stopped Jared from speaking because he knew if the kid offered what he thought he would out of his sense of duty, it would be too hard to refuse him again. “I know I’m confusing you and I swear I’ll explain it to you soon, but for tonight, Jay... just... go to sleep. Sleep and dream of you and Molly never having to worry about your father ever doing crap like this to you again. Dream of a world where bastards like me, your old man, and so many others have never touched your life. G’night, Jared.”

Jensen stepped back and made himself walk to the master bedroom and close the door. He knew he’d just managed to confuse Jared, and he’d probably end up getting lectured by Chad for scaring the kid into thinking he’d done something wrong, but if Jensen wanted to start to change, to redeem himself, then he had to start somewhere and this was it... no matter how much it hurt him to have to start fresh, and hope Jared would understand what he was doing and why.

“Damn it!” He grabbed two fistfuls of hair while sliding down the door to just sit on the floor. “What the hell have I become?”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Where’s Jensen?” The voice was quiet but insistent.

Chris Kane groaned and his head dropped forward in defeat; he had been hoping to get in and out of the penthouse without encountering Jared so he wouldn’t have to field that question. Chad had already texted him multiple times that day to inform him that Jared was driving him insane with that very question, demanding to know what he’d done wrong to make the casino owner pull away and ignore him.

“Kid, he’s up to his ears in paperwork and still screaming at the accountants and other people who somehow missed all the stuff that you found in a few hours,” the bodyguard replied as he turned around from grabbing a file off of Jensen’s desk and found Jared standing in the door.

Chris wasn’t sure exactly what had happened after he and Chad had left the penthouse the night before. He had spent several more hours working before finally hitting the sack around midnight. The next thing he knew, his phone was buzzing at 6:15 in the morning, and Jensen, sounding like he was in a royally bad mood, was growling at him to get his ass out of bed.

He suspected Jensen’s foul mood and the early wake-up call had something to do with the talk he’d had with Jared the previous day. He’d known for a few weeks that the casino owner was coming to terms with his mistakes and everything he’d done to Jared, but when Jensen finally told him what he’d revealed to Jared and the decisions he was planning to make, Chris wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or frustrated.

He appreciated that his friend had finally recognized the path he was walking and the cycle of pain he was repeating. In fact, Chris figured he’d get drunk one night after this was over to celebrate Jensen finally seeing those mistakes after years of him trying to nudge him toward that discovery. The problem the bodyguard had now was that Jensen had gone from making this discovery to trying to fix all his problems at once, but he wasn’t sharing his reasons or explaining his actions to the other innocent party involved; a young man who was clearly confused and who still seemed to believe he was screwing things up. Before he could figure out what to say to Jared, the young man continued talking.

“I know he said he’d be busy today, so poor Chad’s stuck with me again, but I want to know what I did wrong last night... why he did what he did... or didn’t do.” Jared knew on the one hand that he should be grateful that Jensen didn’t seem to want sex, rough or normal, but for some reason, it irked him to not know what he’d done to anger or disappoint Jensen. “I know I fucked up at that party, so I know I’m still in for it once that damn torture room gets remodeled or whatever he’s doing to it. But I’ve never refused to let him fuck me... I know that’s a major part of the deal. He’s the one who chose what happened Saturday night, and I offered to go back to my room afterward. He said to stay with him in his bed, and then he didn’t wake me up Sunday until later... he said he wasn’t mad but then... I’m not a damn mind reader! If I screwed up and he’s mad at me, then he needs to tell me so I can do something to make it up.”

Jared looked down at his knee and sighed; it was back in the brace and pretty much under constant ice since every time he sat still for more than two minutes, Chad was sticking an ice bag on it. “I know this damn thing might be messing things up, but I can handle the pain. I can bend it enough to suck him off or try to keep weight on it while he…”

“Okay, enough of that,” Chris interrupted, holding his hand up. He knew Jensen was gay and he basically knew what he’d been doing with Jared since he got him. Hell, he’d even seen the after-effects of some of their times together, but he absolutely did not want to hear the details come out of Jared’s mouth. “Yes, he’s worried about your leg. He doesn’t want it to get more messed up and risk any permanent damage.”

“It doesn’t matter; it’s not like I’m a runner or anything,” Jared argued, sounding really exasperated. “I don’t understand him, Chris! One minute he’s acting like the Dom from hell or something and now it’s like he thinks I’m going to break if he touches me wrong. Last night I thought he was going to kiss me and then we’d fuck like we used to but... he seemed to get weird and he... he told me there were different ways to make love and…”

“Jensen said make love? He actually used those words?” Chris narrowed his eyes after they went wide; his friend had left out that little detail. Now he began to understand more about why Jensen was so grumpy that day.

“Yeah and after that, he just stopped everything he was doing... he looked at me and then walked me to my room. He gave me the key to it and told me to sleep and dream of a world where bastards like him didn’t exist or something like that.” Jared frowned uneasily, staring at Chris. “So... what happened? What did I do?”

“It’s not as simple as that, kid,” Chris replied, trying to find that fine line he needed to walk. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries as both bodyguard and friend to the casino owner, but he also needed to make sure this stubborn kid didn’t overreact to what was happening and make this situation worse when it was possibly getting better. “I can’t give you the answers you want for the same reason you wouldn’t tell Chad what Jensen told you yesterday... but I will tell you that you haven’t done anything wrong and Jensen is not angry or upset with you. He’s angry and upset with himself. Now, go blow Chad up in a video game or find something else to do to keep yourself out of trouble for a few more hours.”

Jared was trying to figure out why Jensen would be upset or angry with himself, but by the time he thought to ask, the elevator door had closed.

“Hey! Are we playing or are you brooding again?” Chad Michael Murray asked as he wandered into the room and saw Jared staring at the computer on Jensen’s desk. “Jaybird?”

“I don’t know... I don’t feel like playing games right now. What are you supposed to be doing that you’re not doing because you’re up here babysitting me?” Jared asked curiously.

Chad had a sneaking feeling that any answer he gave was going to get him in trouble with someone, but after a moment of thought, he blew out a breath. “I’m supposed to be going through the system to upgrade security and also seeing if there are any calls going through the normal channels to a certain number.”

“I highly doubt someone would be stupid enough to use a casino line to call out,” Jared snorted. “If someone is working for Jensen’s father and reporting details, he or she would probably use another phone. You’d have to hack into the local cellular signals to trace all the cell calls coming out of here and that would be millions given the number of employees and guests.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot of them so it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Chad agreed while watching Jared eye the computer. “I suppose I could let you into the file so you can watch the program run or something.”

Dimples popped as Jared smiled. He probably wouldn’t completely understand what he was watching, but he enjoyed even pretending to be involved in helping Chad help Jensen.

He sat hesitantly in Jensen’s chair as Chad booted the system up and used his password to log into the casino’s main computer hub.

“Chad? Is that how you always log into the master system?” Jared asked while staring at the screen.

“Normally I don’t even log out since I’m the only one on a certain set of systems,” Chad replied then frowned. “Why?”

Jared wasn’t certain of what he thought he’d noticed. He would never say he was as good with the machine as Chad, but he did know that every computer had a certain set of base numbers as well as numbers to indicate various firewalls, so he pushed a couple of buttons to bring up the master system and lines of what appeared to be gibberish and nonsense scrolled down the screen until he froze them and pointed.

“If the master system only has one firewall or break to guard against outside influence or hacks, then these shouldn’t be there, right?” he asked, glancing beside him to see that Chad’s eyes were now scanning the lines and getting narrower as he looked at a screen that he had never made a habit of looking at daily.

“Okay,” he breathed out slowly instead of losing his temper and screaming like he suddenly wanted to do. “So someone got cute and put a side door into the system - one that has been blocking certain things from appearing on any of the main screens or on any computer if I happened go to look for something or... shit!!! Or run a scan of outgoing calls from cells within the casino. Ohh, I am so gonna find this asshole and scalp him or her for screwing with something that only I’m allowed to screw with. Right now I’m going to shut it down and…”

“Wait... if you shut it down then the person doing it will know you’re onto them.” Jared cocked his head for a moment to stare at the base system. “You can tell whoever it is knows the system cause it looks like it’s trying to adjust for when you upgrade security. The binary code is trying to hide itself and then will transfer over when you upgrade or switch. You’re going to have to reset your program to box it in so it can’t do that and then run your tracking program on a separate system... or I could run it for you if you had a laptop that’s up to date.”

“Hold that thought…” Chad disappeared for about ten minutes and came back with a shiny, sleek laptop that looked brand new. The nerd in Jared lit up when he saw it. “Give me just a few minutes to install the basic programs onto it and then you can cell search to your heart’s content while I go box some asshole up and hopefully find out who did it so I can have Chris shoot him or her.”

Jared watched the computer man’s fingers fly over the keys. He didn’t understand everything that Chad was doing, but when he saw the tracing program, he shook his head. “That’s too complicated given all the cell phones in the casino,” he told him, pausing before touching the keys until Chad nudged the laptop to encourage him to do what he wanted. “You could’ve just backtracked by using the number you’re looking for and seeing if it called anyone in the casino other than the main line or Jensen’s office phone... or by using that number you could pinpoint the phones in the casino or even within a certain radius outside of the casino that called it.”

“And you were wasting your life waiting tables and cleaning rooms in a motel?” Chad stared at him, both amazed and impressed, and then frustrated that he hadn’t thought of such a simple solution himself. “Kid, I’m going to make Jensen hire you as my assistant or something. Hell, I’ll pay you out of my own pocket just for this and if you actually manage to find a number, I’ll give you my pay for the month.”

Jared blushed at the praise. “It’s just numbers, Chad,” he mumbled but thought back to how it had felt when Jensen had praised him and wondered just what the hell he was doing.

“Well then find me a number so I can go punch the asshole who’s hacking my systems when I’m supposed to be the only one hacking this casino... not that I ever do or anything,” Chad coughed, refusing to admit what he sometimes did when he got bored.

Jared smiled and was soon lost in the program. He enjoyed the sense of freedom it gave him, as well as the thrill of doing something that probably wasn’t completely legal. He decided to change the parameters of the search since whoever was doing this surely wouldn’t be calling from the casino floor or other high-traffic locations, so he began to block those areas out. Soon he found himself blinking as the same phone number began popping up on the screen. “Ummm, Chad? I think the program hit something.”

“Huh? Say what?” Chad had been going around in circles in his own program and was just about to shoot the computer on Jensen’s desk when his head snapped up and he bolted across to where he’d set Jared up with the laptop. “I’ll be a purple gorilla. You did find... oh, no. No, this can’t be right. This better not be right.” He sat down beside Jared on the sofa in Jensen’s private office to stare at the number that kept coming up as either placing or receiving calls from the number that was used when Mark Ackles called his son. “No, no, no,” he groaned, looking at dates and recalling the times when certain things had happened, and soon afterward Jensen had gotten a not-so-welcome call from his father. “I’m going to break every bone in his skinny, backstabbing, traitorous body and that’s before Chris or the boss can get their hands on him. Son of a goddamn bitch!”

It was rare for Jared to see or hear the normally friendly and joking Chad look or sound this angry. All he saw was a number, but he guessed the man must have recognized the number as belonging to someone he knew. “Chad? Is... is whoever that number belongs to... is it someone close to Jensen?” he asked quietly, wary since he didn’t want to seem like he was prying.

“Yeah, and that is not going to make Jensen any easier to deal with. He doesn’t let people close to him because of crap like this,” Chad muttered, saving everything and sending it to a printer so he could have a hard copy of everything before he looked back at Jared. “I need to take this downstairs and carefully break it to the boss or Chris,” he told him grimly. “Needless to say, you need to stay here and just hang out or practice your football moves or…”

“I know this isn’t my business, Chad,” Jared nodded, biting his lip. “If this is going make Jensen angry, you don’t have to tell him I helped you. I think he has enough issues with me right now without adding this to them.”

Chad grinned but shot him a wink. “Jared, if not for you, I’d probably still be looking for this damn asshole this time next year. Relax. It’s me that’s going be the messenger of bad news, and hopefully, Chris won’t be armed but he usually is and... I am joking about that!” He suddenly noticed that Jared’s face was paling. “Go stick an icebag on your knee and rest. I’ll probably be back up pretty soon and we’ll sweet talk Marta into making milkshakes for dessert.”

Jared did put the ice back on his knee as instructed, and he did try to play football but found he really couldn’t focus. He couldn’t stand long enough yet to try to play pool and Call of Duty wasn’t any fun by himself so finally he stretched out on the sofa, thinking that he would just close his eyes for a few minutes before thinking of something else or maybe going to help the cook in the kitchen. He needed something to keep his mind off of what was happening, and the fact that he actually found himself missing Jensen and the sound of his voice even when the man yelled.

“Marta texted and said she left you a plate in the oven as well as one for Jared,” Chris was saying as he followed his still-fuming employer to the elevator after he’d finally dragged him out of his office. “You might want to try to eat since you barely touched your sandwich at lunch. Jensen... I’m…”

“Sorry? Yeah, I’m sorry too. I’m sorry for forgetting that I can’t trust any goddamn person in my life not to be bought out for a few bucks by my goddamn father!” Jensen snarled, slumping against the wall of the elevator and scrubbing at his face. “Damn it, Chris! Why?”

Jensen hadn’t slept well the night before. He’d brooded over everything that he was suddenly coming to understand he’d done and the reasons behind it. He couldn’t place the entire blame on his family since the choices had been his, but he knew a part of what he’d done had been because of how he’d been raised and the things that had happened in his past. It didn’t make it any easier to accept once he also faced that he was slowly but surely falling in love with the hardheaded kid who was the reason for the light bulb going on in his own head.

He knew he needed to seriously rethink this thing with Jared, but he couldn’t do that until he dealt with his father and the issues inside his casino so Jensen had retreated to his main office that day to handle some business.

He’d harped and bitched at his accounting people, his Human Resources department, and anyone else he decided might need it for not telling him about the mismanaged funds. He and Chris had personally gone through dozens of employment records and he’d fired a couple of more people with suspicious backgrounds. Then Chad had appeared and Jensen’s already bad day went completely to hell.

Finding out that someone in his very small circle of close associates had been supplying details and passwords to his father and his people for almost three years had hurt Jensen a lot. It was bad enough that the leaked information had allowed them access to The Open Road’s computer systems, but it also reminded him why he’d isolated himself from people and kept to himself. He hated to be hurt and this betrayal had hurt.

It hurt when Chad had told them what he and his secret (even though both Jensen and Chris knew who it was) assistant had found out. It hurt more when Chris had personally gone to escort Aldis Hodge into his office. The man’s complaints about being pulled off his job died off the second he looked at Jensen and then the hate on Chad’s face. But what hurt the worst was his lack of an apology or even an excuse when Jensen confronted him, challenging him to either deny or explain the proof that was in front of him.

“It was just about the money, Jensen,” the skinny black man had said with a shrug. “It wasn’t anything personal against you. Your old man offered me a lot of money and I took it. Anyone here, including that kid upstairs, would do the same for that amount of cash.”

Now he was fighting the urge to turn inward and shut everyone else out to protect himself from being betrayed and hurt again.

“How truthful was he that money will buy everyone?” Jensen asked, rubbing his aching head as the men exited the elevator. The penthouse was quiet, but he reminded himself that he wasn’t going to be alone even after Chris left. “How do I know I can trust anyone anymore if even Aldis is willing to take Dad’s bribes?”

“Tomorrow Chad can start searching bank records to see if anyone else on the payroll has been coming into a lot of money recently,” Chris replied, sitting on the arm of the sofa to eye his friend, sensing his concern. “Making you doubt is what the old man wants, Jensen. He knows that if he cuts you off from those closest to you, you’ll fold because, despite the act, you need people around you. I will personally vouch for Chad and promise you he is loyal to you... and I swear I’ll beat the shit outta you if you doubt my loyalty. Now... the kid…” Chris trailed off and looked at Jensen.

Jensen shook his head. He wouldn’t be surprised if Jared betrayed him, even unintentionally, after all the pain and trouble he’d caused him, but there was something about Jared that said he wouldn’t... but then Jensen had believed Aldis was loyal as well. Now he was just lost and halfway tempted to dive into a bottle of whiskey, his primary coping mechanism since he’d been 17. But he now accepted that drinking and anger were not a good combination for him.

“Look Jensen, it’s been a hell of a day. Just eat something, check on the kid – you can’t avoid explaining at least some of this mess to him – and go to bed. I’ll take care of things for the rest of tonight and as much of the morning as I can while Chad hacks into some banks... hopefully without teaching Jared any new tricks since you can’t tell me that’s not who helped him today.” Chris wanted to throttle Chad but he couldn’t fault the results even though it meant more issues for him since he now had to make sure one former employee knew he’d better get the hell out of Vegas and not betray Jensen again.

Nodding as his friend left the penthouse, Jensen stayed on the sofa for a little bit longer before finally finding the strength to get up and look for Jared.

He’d faced Chris’s lecture on letting Jared think he’d done something wrong and supposed he would have to explain things sometime. He just didn’t have the emotional reserves right now to find the words he needed to express feelings that were so very new to him.

Pausing by the game room, Jensen heard the TV, so he knocked lightly before opening the door. He frowned at the dark room, the TV was the only source of light, and then he caught sight of the figure on the sofa and was unaware of it when he smiled softly at seeing Jared curled on the sofa, which was much too short for his long legs.

Jensen turned on a soft light so the room wouldn’t be dark when he shut the TV off, then he sat on the back of the sofa to stare at the sleeping face, which looked so innocent and peaceful that it made the guilt he felt that much worse.

He debated on waking Jared up or just covering him and letting him sleep until he saw how his knee was bent; he winced a little before moving around to kneel beside the sofa.

“Jay?” he called softly, hesitating a second before lifting a hand to brush soft dark hair back. “Hey, wake up for me, sweetheart? Jared.”

Hearing his name called as well as feeling warm fingers carding back through his hair in a way that was becoming familiar, had Jared’s eyes blinking open sleepily to find deep green ones staring back from a face with a slow, almost amused smile.

“J-Jen?” He yawned and didn’t pay attention to what he said or the way it softened Jensen’s smile even more as Jared began to wake up, realizing he’d slept much longer than planned because it was now dark outside. “What time is it?” he asked, sitting up and wincing as his knee reminded him that bending it to sleep was probably not a good choice.

“After midnight. Have you been sleeping since Chad left?” Jensen asked, moving to sit on the sofa once Jared sat up. He reached for his knee when he saw the young man wince in pain; it must have locked in his sleep. “Hang on. Don’t try to straighten it out yet and tell me if this hurts you,” he said a moment before he touched the knee and moved his fingers around carefully until he heard a sharp inhale and knew he’d found the spot.

“Ow! Ow! And... yeah, probably, I think so. I didn’t mean to sleep that long though.” Jared managed to say it all in one breath, fingers reaching out to grab for Jensen’s hand to try to stop the pain when suddenly it stopped and his knee could move. “Okay, painful but better. Umm, thanks,” he murmured, looking beside him when the warm hand on his knee didn’t move away.

Jared could tell with a look that Jensen was tense and tired. He guessed the news that Chad had delivered hadn’t been taken well, but he didn’t know how to ask in case Chad had left his name out of the conversation. “Are... you okay tonight?” he finally asked slowly.

“No, not really if I’m honest,” Jensen muttered, sitting back with a groan; his back and neck were killing him and he really wanted a hot shower and some sleep but he also had missed Jared even if he knew he shouldn’t. “The day sucked and then Chad finished it by... but I’m guessing you already know that Chad was bringing me bad news... don’t you, Jay?”

“Ummm... well... maybe?” Jared hedged, unsure how to answer that but not wanting to lie since so far he wasn’t getting screamed at. “I... might’ve found him an easier way to search for that number, but he didn’t tell me what he found out or who it was. I only know he found a number he seemed to recognize and someone was playing in the security grid. I was bored and wanting to do something besides play video games so if he wasn’t supposed to let me do that, it’s my fault and not his and... mmhmm.”

Lips touching his at the same time as fingers wrapped around the back of his neck to bring him closer to where Jensen sat shut Jared right up. His fingers curled into the front of Jensen’s shirt when his hand went to his chest to support himself.

“Technically, no, he wasn’t supposed to let you do that,” Jensen admitted after breaking the kiss. He was happy that Jared didn’t seem to be pushing him away; in fact, he was still leaning in close enough that Jensen could reach out to brush their lips together, which he did. “But then I shouldn’t have you let in that other time so it’s not like you weren’t in the casino’s system before. Plus... Chad was babbling crap I knew he didn’t come up with, so Chris and I guessed you’d found that number for him. I guess Chad chose to play messenger in case I reacted badly.”

“And did you?” Jared asked since it was now impossible for him to gauge Jensen’s moods. “React badly, I mean? Can Chad still play video games? Chris didn’t... I’m babbling, sorry. Still sleepy I guess.”

Jensen wondered briefly if it was a lack of sleep or their closeness that was making Jared babble like that, but he shrugged it off with a smirk, fingers touching a soft cheek, while trying to remind himself he needed to go slowly with this. “Yeah, I reacted pretty badly. Yes, Chad can still cheat at video games, and no... Chris didn’t shoot him.” He lifted Jared’s face to smile. “Chad told Chris he thought you might have believed him when he said Chris would shoot him. Chris only shoots bad people, Jay. Or assholes who sell me out to my father... like Aldis.”

Jared was starting to ask a question when that floored him and his eyes shot up. “Aldis? That was Aldis’s number we... I mean Chad traced?” He hadn’t been expecting that. “Damn... now I wish I would’ve shot him in Call of Duty more than Chad,” he muttered before he thought, surprised at how angry finding this out made him. “I thought he was... you trusted him.”

“Yeah, I trusted him. And I just got a hard reminder of why I don’t let myself trust anyone,” Jensen sighed, still disappointed and upset, but then he looked down into big, soft eyes. “Trust doesn’t come easily to me. I didn’t have many people I could trust when I was younger so when I was 17 and Chris yanked me out of a bottle of hard booze, I swore I’d limit the people around me. Aldis... I trusted him but it turns out he liked my Dad’s money more than he liked being loyal to me.”

“Jackass,” Jared muttered, breath catching as he realized what he’d said when Jensen raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Sorry. I know it’s not my business but... it just doesn’t seem fair or right that he did all this to you. Hell, I wouldn’t even talk to Chad yesterday about that stuff you told me ‘cause it didn’t feel right. You trusted me with it and... crap, you’re looking at me like you did last night before you sent me to bed alone. What did I say or do this time?”

Jensen had to shake himself when he realized he was just staring at Jared, but he hadn’t been expecting the odd rush of emotion he felt when he heard Jared sound a little angry that Aldis had sold him out and then explain his reasons for not sharing anything with Chad that Jensen had told him.

“You are a rare find in this city, Jared Padalecki,” he murmured, voice a little rougher than he liked as he leaned up to kiss him again; this time he felt Jared give in more to the gesture and could feel his own body start to respond to the way Jared’s hand was moving over his chest. Jensen knew he had to stop it and he suddenly hated this new side of himself that actually gave a crap. “Jay, wait.” He caught the inquisitive hand in his and took a shaky breath. “We... I...  damn it, we have to stop.”

“What…” Jared eased back, trying to keep his face neutral, but it was hard since he wasn’t sure whether to be hurt or angry that Jensen kept changing the rules. “Is this how you’re punishing me for acting up at the party?” he demanded, sliding back to the other side of the sofa to put some space between them. “Isn’t denying me sex, especially kinky sex, more of a punishment for you since I’m supposed to be here to serve you? How is this…”

“I’m not punishing you, Jared.” Jensen stared at him, thinking back to things Chris had said earlier, and blew out a breath. “Damn it... did you not hear anything I told you yesterday about me, about my past? Do you not see that what your father did to you with me is almost exactly like what my old man did to me with…” He stopped, still unable to say the name of the woman he still detested with a passion. “Do you not understand?”

“Yeah, I get it. I didn’t think you did, to be honest,” Jared admitted, biting his lip as he stared at Jensen. “I see the cycle repeating itself, Jensen... but I don’t know what you want me to do. You released me from Dad’s debt because you felt bad about hurting me that night. This, what’s between us now, is our deal. My debt to you for helping me get Molly out of here.

“Now unless you’re telling me that you’ve been leading me on and you won’t help me get Molly out from under Dad’s control and help me get her to dance school then... Jensen, the way I see it, you stopped being like your father when you told Chris to turn me loose that night. You stopped being like him when you tried to keep that asshole at the party from putting a collar on me. You stopped being like him when you came looking for me after... after I was jumped.” Jared paused to breathe and he could see that Jensen’s eyes were locked on him now with the same sharp intensity he’d seen before when he’d said too much and pushed the man’s buttons.

Debating on whether he should stop now or just keep going, Jared figured he was going to be in for it one way or another so he might as well speak his mind now. “You’re pissed at what I’m saying, fine. You can beat the crap out of me and cuff me to your bed, but I’ll say this first. I know there’s still a piece of paper between us saying what I have to do. I know I’m still basically an employee and arm candy when you need it, and I know I’m still a pain in your ass, but this isn’t about my father or yours anymore. This isn’t about how similar my situation is to what someone did to you as a teenager because I’m putting enough together from what you said to guess that person treated you a lot worse than you’ve treated me even at your worst.

“This is between you and me now, Jensen. And how you handle this now defines you... if that makes sense because all of a sudden I think I’m out of words and I really think I’ve been talking too much... again…” The younger man suddenly felt a rush of heat come to his face as Jensen’s eyes pinned him, swallowing tightly as his stomach began to knot nervously. “I mean, yeah, you’re probably still gonna be an uptight bastard at times but I guess what I’m trying to say is... shit, I don’t know what I’m... ummm…”

Jensen had to give the damn kid credit for having the balls to go on that mini-rant given the mood he knew he was in. Of course, it also scared him how many points he’d nailed even without meaning to or knowing what he was really saying.

It wouldn’t remove Jensen’s guilt or his anger at himself since he accepted that he’d been on the wrong path for a good many years even before meeting James Padalecki or his too-smart for Jensen’s own good handsome son who suddenly turned his world upside down.

“You always seem to pick the worst times to mouth off at me, kiddo,” he muttered, fingers slowly unbuttoning his sleeves and seeing the quick flash of fear on Jared’s face; a flash of emotion that told Jensen that despite the boy’s bravado and brave words, he didn’t fully trust him not to repeat the other night. “You really believe all that stuff you just said?”

“Most of it, yeah,” Jared nodded, fighting the urge to move off the sofa to put more space between them since he had brought any reaction Jensen gave on himself. “The person... who had you for a year... was he worse than what you’ve been?” He cringed even as he heard himself ask and saw Jensen’s eyes narrow for a fraction of a second before the man stood with that same gracefulness Jared envied and motioned him up.

“She,” Jensen corrected as Jared pushed shakily to his feet; he wrapped his fingers tightly around the young man’s arm, holding him still, but also steadying him until his knee settled. “He sold me to one of his ex-mistresses who came into a lot of money and conned him and sweetheart, if I ever did to you what she did to me, Chris would have killed me by now,” he told him, fingers smoothing down over Jared’s chest to feel his heart beating faster. “Still scared of me, Jay?”

“Yeah, ‘cause I know you’re angry and I didn’t help that any.” Jared didn’t think Jensen would hurt him badly since clearly the man was trying to prove a point to one of them, but he just wasn’t sure what the point was. “Shouldn’t I be, Jen?”

The last was a teasing, almost daring, question and they both knew it and Jensen felt his lips curve slowly. “Oh, definitely, sweetheart,” he muttered with a low growl and then pulled Jared’s head down to kiss him hotly.

Jensen knew he was letting this go too far, but he was still at a loss about how to handle Jared right then. He planned for one hard and fast kiss and then he was going to send the kid to bed... he was... he really was. And if Jared’s fingers hadn’t locked onto his shirt as he returned the kiss with equal strength and passion, he would have done just that. Probably.

Neither man really could say how the hell they got out of the game room and into the hall, but suddenly Jared’s back hit the wall beside his bedroom door and something clattered to the floor, shocking them both and making Jensen pull back to meet large hazel eyes that looked a little darker than normal.

“Don’t you dare apologize or try to send me into this room without you or I might be earning a lot more serious punishment since I think it goes against the rules to yank your butt in there myself,” Jared mumbled, touching his well-kissed lips with his fingertips before looking at Jensen warily. “Are you going to try?”

“Jay... I…” Jensen was torn but before he could choose, he was shooting a glare at the intercom on the wall. “What?” he growled, not missing Jared’s groan or the soft name he called Chris Kane when the man’s voice came over the speaker.

“I don’t know what I was interrupting to earn that response since I thought you were going to move slowly with the kid, but if you’re naked, put some clothes on and get your ass to the lobby. We’ve got issues.” Chris was already heading that way, checking the magazine in his pistol to be sure it was full. He continued speaking before Jensen could tell him to handle whatever it was on his own. “Your father’s in the lobby trying to check into the hotel and Samantha’s gone full-out feral in his face. I’m pretty sure her next step will be to use the damn shotgun and I’m not sure I’ll stop her if she tries.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Four

In the time he’d been at The Open Road Casino, Jared Padalecki couldn’t recall ever seeing Jensen Ackles go as pale as he did at the announcement that his father was on the premises and trying to check into the hotel.

“Jensen? Did you hear me?” Christian Kane’s voice called from the intercom. “Jensen!”

“Jen?” Jared finally reached out and lightly touched Jensen’s shoulder, shocked to feel it shaking. His hand was caught, but instead of pushing him away like he expected, Jensen grabbed his hand and held on tightly.

“No.” Jensen finally spoke, coughing to try to bring his voice back to normal. An inner voice was pushing through to tell him he needed to take his stand; he needed to handle this situation regardless of how his stomach was knotting at the thought of facing his father. He knew the man was deliberately confronting him in a public place, hoping he would back down to avoid creating a scene. “Have security standing by and do not let anyone register him. I’m on my way down. Son of a bitch!”

Jared stayed quiet through this, watching Jensen and not liking that he looked so unsure and uneasy. He wanted to speak, to offer some support, but he wasn’t sure if anything he said would be either helpful or welcome.

“Go on to bed, Jay,” Jensen sighed, giving the hand in his a squeeze before letting go and starting to button his sleeves again. “I... I won’t be a good guy to be around after I deal with this. I’ll try to see you for breakfast or…”

“Let me come down with you?” Jared understood this wasn’t his business and that he’d just be seen as Jensen’s whore by some people. He knew he should probably mind his own business and go to bed, but he just didn’t like the idea of Jensen going downstairs to face his father alone. “I swear I’ll stay out of the way and keep my mouth shut but... just... let me come with you?”

Jensen stopped to look back at him, surprised that Jared was offering. He honestly would have preferred to have the kid far away from his father and what was sure to be a loud and humiliating time, but he couldn’t deny that Jared’s offering to come downstairs made him feel a little better.

He considered his options for a moment before slowly nodding. “Okay... but stay close to me... and behind me. And Jay? No matter what he says to you or about you... because he will say something horrible once he figures out who you are - don’t let it get to you.” Jensen held out the cane so at least Jared would have something to lean on to support his knee. “I’m going to be the center of his rage once he realizes I’m not backing down this time and... if Chris draws his gun, don’t be afraid. He’s never actually shot anyone in public.”

Jared wasn’t sure what to say to that so he figured he’d practice his keeping his mouth shut plan and stay quiet. He noticed Jensen had left his jacket off but had made certain the dress shirt was straightened after Jared’s fingers had been in it quite a bit. He also noticed the change that came over Jensen in the elevator.

Jensen’s body language became tight and it was plain he was tense. His facial muscles were taut as well. Jared had seen Jensen in pure ice-cold business mode, a hard-assed bastard who didn’t even blink at anything, but he hadn’t seen him like this and it took him a few moments to realize that Jensen was uneasy.

“This is your place, Jen,” he told him quietly, letting his hand touch Jensen’s arm briefly before the elevator doors opened. “You can do this. I... I believe in you.”

“You’re probably one of the few who does, kiddo,” Jensen muttered, taking a deep breath to settle his nerves as the doors opened and he stepped out into the massive and still bustling main lobby. “Well, this is a nice scene to have at one in the fucking morning,” he sighed. Even over the noise from the casino and water in the fountain, the sounds of shouting and swearing could be heard coming from the main desk.

The hotel registration desk was set apart from the casino but even at this late (or early) hour, the lobby was packed with people, some trying to check in and others who were clearly curious about the scene being created at the desk.

“You cannot refuse to register me , you bitch!” Mark Ackles was livid as he leaned on and halfway over the marble desk to get in the hard and unyielding face of Samantha Smith.

“Actually, I can. I know you can read so you can see where the sign clearly states that we reserve the right to refuse a person service at our discretion, and I am refusing your ass service.” The blond woman smiled calmly in the face of a man she’d hated for several years.

In his mid-50s, Mark Ackles worked hard to make himself appear younger. He kept his 5’9” body trim and he enhanced it further with the perfect fake tan. His perfectly styled hair was too blond to be natural as were his capped teeth. He’d grown accustomed to getting his way in every hotel he went to, actually, he generally got his way in everything he did, so he was determined that this time would be no different. He knew it would be no different once he got past this uppity bitch; she would definitely be the first to go once he took charge of his casino. It was only a matter of time now that he was personally in Las Vegas to clean up his son’s mistakes.

“You can’t refuse me because this is my establishment, bitch!” he yelled, reaching out to grab the woman, but a tight hand caught him and he was jerked back to confront a steely-eyed Chris Kane.

“This is not your establishment,” the bodyguard corrected, tone low and calm despite the anger he felt at the man’s bold claims and the gall it took for him to show up unannounced in the first place. “The Open Road might still be a part of the Ackles Casino holdings but the title is in your son’s name, so that means this is Jensen’s property, not yours. That also means we can refuse to serve you so if Ms. Smith says no service that means no service. Go find yourself another hotel for the night because you won’t be sleeping here,” he informed the clearly enraged man.

Jerking his arm free, Mark nearly spit in the face of the so-called bodyguard. He’d known him as a smart-mouthed punk when his father had worked for his parents. He’d hated Kane then because he had stood up for Jensen too often in his opinion and he found that he hated him even more now.

“You can’t make that call, Kane,” he spat. He could see the growing crowd watching and enjoyed the way this would make things look to the investors when he brought it to their attention. “This isn’t your place.”

“No, it’s mine and I agree with him and Sam both. You’re not welcome here,” Jensen declared as he approached the desk slowly. He wished his father’s scene hadn’t drawn so many eyes, but he figured that was probably part of the man’s plan since he knew his father was well aware that he wouldn’t be welcome at the casino or the hotel.

Several security guards were pushing through the crowd and they began nudging the bystanders back and encouraging them to move along. As Jensen stepped up he caught Samantha’s gaze and returned her small smile, nodding his thanks.

“You’ve gotten into my computers and you’ve had people hack my accounts to make it seem like I was stealing money. You’ve snuck people in disguised as my employees so they could cause me trouble and I just found out you have been paying one of my few trusted employees to tell you everything I do.” Jensen met his father’s glare head-on despite the knot in his stomach and the flashes of memory from his youth. “After all that, you thought you would be welcomed here? You seriously expected my staff to put you in the best room in my hotel just because you’re the mighty and all-powerful Mark Ackles?” He shook his head and looked at his father with disgust. “Get out and stay the hell out. This is my place and I will fight you for it. I’ll buy it from Gramps just to get it out from under the family. You are not going to take what I’ve built just because you fucked up in Italy or someplace again!”

“I’ll be demanding an investor meeting this week! They’ll see how much money you’ve lost and how you’re running this place into the ground!” Mark snapped, furious that his son suddenly had the gall to face him down like this rather than giving in like he always had. “I doubt if they’ll be happy to find out that your accounts don’t match up with their records or…”

“Now that I’ve shut you out of the computers and gotten rid of all your spies, my records will show exactly who has messed up and all roads lead to you, Dad! Not me!” Jensen yelled back. He trusted that Chris was near, ready to jump in if needed because everyone knew how violent the older man could get when he didn’t get his way.

Mark’s face tightened as he listened to his son’s accusations. He hadn’t counted on Jensen catching onto his tricks or finding his spies this quickly, but he still was confident he could woo the investors to his side. He also knew his son and knew how to make him back down.

“I’m sure the investors as well as the local papers will love to know how you resolved a 150K debt to the casino, Jensen,” he sneered, eyes flicking over his son’s shoulder to see the tall dark haired young man in jeans and a t-shirt standing slightly back. “Slavery and kidnapping are illegal. I wonder how it will look when people find out that your new ‘boyfriend’, the punk you kissed in the middle of my casino, is just some poor punk-ass kid whose father owes you money.” Mark shoved against Jensen’s chest with a cold smirk. “Still want to refuse your father the best penthouse in this dump, kiddo?”

Jensen could hear Chris grinding his teeth in anger and he swore he heard Samantha mutter something about clawing the man’s eyes out if he didn’t back off. Even Jared let out a soft gasp, but he’d known that accusation was coming. He knew his father wouldn’t pass up the chance to bring up Padalecki’s debt and the deal he’d made to take Jared as basically a slave in payment. He’d known it was coming, so while it hurt because he didn’t want that dirt to reflect on the casino or Jared, he wasn’t caught by surprise.

“Actually, Dad, I don’t think you have your facts straight. I paid Mr. Padalecki’s debt with my own money, so the casino didn’t take a loss for my error in judgment regarding Mr. Padalecki’s credit limit.” He kept his tone even and polite even though he was practically vibrating with tension. Jensen knew how many laws he’d broken, was still breaking, but he would deal with those and the effects of his mistakes later. Right now he needed to focus on keeping his casino safe and his father out of his face. “Jared might have come here at first under less than honest or legal means, but he is now here on his own terms and the nature of my relationship with him is not your, or the investors’, business.”

Jensen glared at his father; he knew that any chance he’d had to try to build a real relationship with the boy had just been lost. He could tell from the older man’s cold sneer that he wouldn’t be letting this subject drop; he’d continue to twist the facts in the worst ways just to get what he wanted. But that didn’t mean Jensen was letting go of either the casino or Jared without a fight.

“Plus... at least Jared’s of legal age, Dad.” He stared into his father’s face, seeing him frown as if not understanding why that mattered. “Jared’s 22 so he’s legal. Unlike I was at 16 when you sold me to that bitch for your bad debt. Ugh!”

Pain shot through his face as a fist slammed into his jaw, snapping his head back. Mark Ackles grabbed onto Jensen’s shirt, jerking him forward, but suddenly someone was between them, pushing the man away from his son.

“You little bastard!” he yelled as Chris shoved him back; he ignored the fact that security was already moving in. “Get off me! He’s my son! I can bloody his goddamn face if I want!” Mark was furious that Jensen dared to throw that up in his face right then. “You owed your family! You owed me! That year out of your precious life was nothing considering you turned out to be useless to me! You’re nothing but a damned embarrassment to us! A goddamn homosexual who thinks he can outsmart me! I’ll have you stripped of everything until you have to come crawling back to your mother and me for scraps! You’ll be nothing, but maybe if you’re lucky Bianca will still find a use for your ass when I give her this place!”

Jensen had stumbled back a little from his father’s blow; he felt a hard chest at his back and knew who it was even before a hand hesitantly moved around his chest. He’d known to expect violence, but he hadn’t been expecting to be punched that soon. Jensen was just shaking his head to clear it, tasting blood and hearing his father’s voice screaming loudly, echoing in the hotel and probably through the casino as well when something clicked and his whole body froze against Jared as the younger man stepped closer to him.

“Wh-what did you say?” he demanded. Suddenly his blood was turning to ice and his stomach was churning dangerously. Suddenly he was 16 again and trying to comprehend what was happening.

“Hello, darling. My, my, my... how handsome you still are even though you’re now a bit old for my taste. Have you missed me, my sweet?” The woman who had just joined the rather loud party looked like she had stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. She had a smooth, flawless complexion, elaborately coiffed white-blond hair, and deep red lips. Her skin-tight dress was shockingly short and her tone was oily smooth as she lowered her designer glasses to smile at Jensen. “But how rude and disrespectful you are being to your betters, sweet.” She clucked her tongue while reaching a hand out as if to touch Jensen’s pale face, long blood-red nails looking like claws... much like they had nine years earlier. “I see I’ll have to take my strap to that tight ass again for speaking out of turn.”

The smooth whiskey deep voice of the woman he still had nightmares about shook Jensen more than anything his father could’ve done or said to him; he suspected that was why the man had brought Bianca LaPorte with him to Las Vegas.

The woman was in her mid-50s now but paid good money to look younger. She’d been his father’s mistress when Jensen had been younger, but when her rich husband had died under mysterious circumstances, she became a wealthy woman able to indulge in her dark fantasies; fantasies that included dark and cruel sex games with younger men as well as a few young women.

She’d been cruel in all areas and her ‘toys’ had been little more than slaves. The “good” ones, the ones who allowed themselves to become broken, served as house servants in her many villas or condos in Europe while the more unruly ones, like Jensen had been, were kept chained up and waiting for whatever sick games Mistress Bianca chose to play in the evenings.

That voice and the jangling sounds of the bracelets she still wore sent the casino owner from his bed in cold sweats some nights. Right now Jensen was fighting to maintain his composure, to keep his employees and the other witnesses from seeing what this nightmare visitor from his youth was doing to him.

When she reached out to touch his face, a touch he knew would end with her nails digging into his skin, he started to tense, but before she made contact, a larger hand reached out and slapped her hand away. Not only did that act shock the woman, but it also snapped Jensen back to himself and he was able to reach up and grab the woman’s other hand as she moved to strike Jared with it.

“You will not ever raise your damn hand to him or me again,” Jensen growled, voice going low and dangerous. He kept his eyes on the woman even as Chris started snapping orders at one of the security guards to get the crazy bitch from hell away from Jensen. “In fact, if you ever show your face on my property again, I will make sure it’s the last time. You have no business here.”

“Your property? Oh no, sweet, your father is planning to give me this little... fixer-upper... for a wedding present.” Bianca smiled at Jensen’s clear surprise. “Oh, that’s right. You’ve been such a naughty little boy that no one bothered to tell you that your parents are divorcing and he’s marrying me finally. So now I will expect you to call me ‘Mommy’ as…”

“Over my dead body!” Samantha Smith was there and shoved the woman back so that she stumbled into the arms of the waiting security. “His mother was hardly mother material but at least she had the biological right to be called that. You? You’re nothing but a gold-digging whore. I said once I’d rip your hair out if you came near Jensen again after what you did to him. Well, try to come back to this hotel again and I’ll keep that promise.”

“Justin!” Chris called to Justin Hartley who was standing on the sidelines in case he was needed. “Have security escort both Mr. Ackles and his whore out of the casino and off the property! Also, make sure all the guards, especially the ones not on duty tonight, understand that they are not allowed back in the front door under any circumstances, especially that woman!”

Justin nodded and joined the security guards who were struggling to get an enraged Mark Ackles under control. The man had already punched two guards, but with Justin’s help, they were able to get the man moving towards the door.

“Jensen!” Mark shouted as he and a highly miffed Bianca were led away. “This is your last mistake and the last time you’ll humiliate your father, boy! I will rip this casino out from under you! I will make sure no one comes here again and that you are the laughingstock of the Strip! I will…”

“Shut up and get the fuck out of my life,” Jensen gritted, staring at his father’s hateful face while avoiding the woman’s gaze. “You can try to take it but I will fight you for it. Just keep in mind that any dirt you have on me I can fire right back on you. And I also don’t think Gramps will be very thrilled to know about your games. Now take your bitch and get the hell out of my casino.”

As four security guards dragged the couple, still yelling and spouting threats, out of the casino, several others began to scoot the bystanders along. Samantha worked the crowd as well as answering questions and smoothing ruffled feathers. Chris turned to speak to his boss only to get a hand in his face as Jensen shook his head.

“Don’t. Don’t say anything to me right now. Just make sure they can’t get back in,” Jensen said tightly. His emotions were too raw and he was suddenly feeling too exposed in the middle of the lobby. “Call the legal department and make sure we can bar him from the property except on board business and then arrange for a board meeting as soon as you can. This week if possible. I want all this to come out from me and not his filthy mouth.”

“Jensen, you need to call your grandfather,” Samantha called when he turned to stalk to the elevator. “If you are going to offer to buy the casino out of the family holding, he needs to know what your father is doing... what he has been doing.”

“My grandparents pretty much care about the same things he does, Sam.” Jensen’s voice was flat; he was bitter but emotionally drained. He just wanted to lock himself in his penthouse and pretend his whole life wasn’t falling apart. “I’m gay and I guess I’m a failure in their eyes.  If I can’t convince the stockholders that Dad is lying... that he set all this up to make me look bad, then…” Jensen trailed off with a sigh. “Just... just leave me alone tonight. I just want to take a scalding hot shower after being near that woman.”

Jared stayed where he was as Jensen entered the elevator. He was unsure of what to do or say right then. The scene that had just played out had shocked him and he was pretty sure that Jensen wasn’t nearly as steady or calm as he appeared to be. He wanted to go after Jensen, to offer some sort of comfort or reassurance, but he wasn’t sure of his place right then. He suspected that right now, his place in Jensen’s world would in fact cause the man even more trouble.

“Well, that was fun,” Chris muttered under his breath, wishing he had just shot the asshole years ago when he’d had the chance. He noticed Jared still standing in the lobby, leaning on the cane and looking lost. “Give me a few minutes to make sure Sam’s got this under control and I’ll head up with you,” he told the boy, guessing that Jared was probably leery of Jensen’s temper and probably with good reason. There was a pretty good chance that despite his plans to change, Jensen would end up getting drunk after this night.

“Is it because Jensen’s gay that his family hates him?” Jared asked quietly. He knew that was the main reason his father hated him but he hadn’t been expecting the intensity of hatred and the intentional hurt the senior Ackles had thrown at his son. He also couldn’t believe that he’d brought the woman he had sold Jensen to the casino, letting her brag that they were getting married.

Sam watched as the last few guests headed back into the casino and then turned with a sad expression. “Jensen’s grandparents, on both sides, were disappointed to learn he was gay, but I think they’d understand if he gave them a chance. His parents have filled his head with so many lies that he thinks everyone lies now. But it’s not just that he’s gay, Jared. His father hates him because Jensen is still the chosen one in the family line; he’s his grandfather’s primary heir, so I think that’s why Mark is determined to ruin him now by making it look like he can’t be trusted.”

“If the casino’s legally titled to Jensen... then can he lose it?” Jared asked, wishing he was smarter about some things. “I mean, if the casino is still a part of his family’s holdings, wouldn’t the head of that board have to be here to initiate a takeover or buy him out or let him buy out?” He glanced over to see Chris watching him carefully and sighed. “Sorry, none of my business. I’m just... this is going to be a problem, isn’t it? What he did do with Dad and then his deal with me?”

“Yeah, those deals, especially the one with your old man, could bring a lot of heat down on us. It would’ve been better if it hadn’t come up. Aldis telling his father about the loss and then the deal, well, legally Jensen and I broke a lot of laws bringing and keeping you here... no doubt it’s going to be an issue.” Chris looked at the concern on Jared’s face and quickly waved a hand. “ You don’t have to worry about this. Chad and I will help Jensen handle all of this and no matter what happens, I promise that Jensen will keep his end of the deal and get Molly out of Vegas for you. Don’t worry about that.”

Jared frowned as he walked slowly to the elevator, deep in thought. He’d known the deal to use him to pay off his Dad’s debt was walking a fine line legally, but he would’ve considered it more of a matter of prostitution than slavery. Now that he thought about it, however, he could see a slick, well-paid lawyer could make a pretty strong case for kidnapping and slavery.

Even if Jensen had paid the money to the casino out of his own pocket, he was still using Jared. As the young man leaned against the wall to watch the shiny black car slowly turn above the fountain, he tried to figure out what to do next. Jensen had released him from the original deal, but Jared had signed himself right back into another one because he wanted help for his sister. Now he wasn’t sure what to do.

“Chris? I’m going up,” he called, suddenly wanting to see Jensen without the bodyguard even if the man might not be in the best shape emotionally right then.

“Huh? What?” Chris had a quiet conversation with Sam when he heard Jared call out that he was going up to the penthouse alone. “Jared... damn it, Jared! If the boss says to back off, for once listen to him!” he yelled. Jared acknowledged him with a wave as he pushed the elevator button and Chris knew the damn kid wasn’t going to listen to him, which would not make his life any easier.

Jared stepped out of the elevator with a wince. He really needed ice and a pain pill for his knee, but first, he wanted to see where Jensen had gone. He noticed a discarded shirt on the sofa and began to follow the trail of cast-off clothes until he got to the master bedroom and heard the shower running. He heard other sounds as well, sounds that made his heart ache, but he knew he would never mention that he’d heard Jensen throwing up or sobbing harshly between heaves.

Jared looked around the Master bedroom for several long moments, trying to decide what he should do. He didn’t want to be a reminder of bad choices but he also knew what it was like to be alone at times when maybe it would be good to have someone to talk to or a shoulder to lean on. He wasn’t sure that Jensen needed that or would want him around, but he felt like he had to try.

“It’s what I’m here for... it’s what I’m supposed to do,” he muttered softly to himself. Sitting on the edge of the big bed, Jared rubbed his aching knee, trying to think of a way to offer to help Jensen without looking and sounding like a paid whore... or worse a slave.

Months ago if someone had suggested that Jensen could be arrested for his actions, Jared probably would’ve cheered. But, sometime in the last month or so, definitely over the last few weeks, those feelings had changed.

It wasn’t that he liked how they met. He still didn’t feel like he could walk out of the casino on his own, and he still had some lingering bitterness for the things Jensen had made him do at times, but slowly Jared felt like he was adjusting to certain things. He found that he didn’t mind the sex; if he was honest with himself, he actually enjoyed it most of the time although he did still mind some of Jensen’s toys. Of course, they hadn’t used any toys since that night and now with the playroom being remodeled, most of the toys were inaccessible. The whole remodeling project made him curious, as he didn’t really see why the room needed it.

So Jared was basically finding himself torn these days between feelings he didn’t fully understand or like. The one thing he knew and understood right now was that he needed to see how Jensen was.

Jared had seen the stunned expression on the man’s face when the woman spoke and when she’d gone to touch Jensen, he had seemed to be frozen in place. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who that woman was and Jared was stunned at the actual fury he’d felt towards Jensen’s father for bringing her to the casino. And even that emotion paled compared to what he’d felt when she’d tried to touch Jensen.

He hadn’t even taken time to think before he’d reached out to slap her hand away. He figured that his actions resulted in another black mark in his book of punishments to come, then so be it because something in her tone, in the way she implied that she still owned Jensen, bothered Jared even now. Even at that party the other night, even with Jared wearing the collar playing the role of submissive, Jensen hadn’t used that sort of tone with him.

Jared noticed the ribbons used the other night to bind his wrists and picked them up. He was sitting on the bed running the soft material through his fingers and thinking back to that night when he was suddenly startled out of his musings.

“What are you doing in here?”

Snapping his head up, Jared saw Jensen standing in the bathroom door in only a towel. The sharp voice had Jared rethinking the wiseness of his decision and he dropped his eyes to the floor rather than to see the hard and cold green eyes like he had so often before.

“I... I wanted to see if you were okay,” he replied after a moment. “Or if you... wanted or needed anything from me or... stuff.”

Jensen had tried to shower away the memories that seeing and hearing Bianca had brought back. The moment she’d spoken to him, he’d felt 16 again and was sick at how easily that side of him, the piece that 12 months of holy living hell and brutal acts had created, could return. It was a harsh reminder that he hadn’t erased his past with his hard, cold, uncaring act.

It had actually been the actions of a naïve young man who had probably acted before thinking that had snapped Jensen back into control. Now, however, seeing Jared sitting on the bed as if lost in thought shocked Jensen; he’d been sure Chris would keep the kid away from him that night.

He’d been thinking more and more about Jared and his acts toward him as well as how this would play out if his father went as far as informing the police that Jared might be here against his will. He might even try to prove the real reason the young man had been brought to the casino, to begin with. Jensen knew his arrogance and stupidity could cost him more than just his business. At this point, even letting Jared go wouldn’t solve his problems either professionally or personally.

Jensen knew Jared had taken his tone and sharp question wrong when his eyes dropped to the floor and sighed. There were things he needed and wanted from the boy and that was a huge problem for him now that he was trying to do the right thing.

He had plans to start fresh, to start over, hoping that maybe Jared would begin to see this as more than just a business deal. Now he might have to move those plans up or even let them go, but he found himself unwilling to give up that easily. It was the same reason he couldn’t bring himself to make Jared leave right then even though he knew he should.

“There’s a lot of stuff I want from you, Jared,” he said. He saw the way Jared tensed and rubbed a hand over his face, replaying his words and wondering if he could ever say anything to this kid that didn’t sound like a crude come-on. “Tonight’s not a good night, Jay. All that went on down there... I’m too raw emotionally. You’d end up hurt if you stayed... if we did anything. I’m trying to do things differently. I’m... you don’t make it easy.”

Jensen paused a foot from the bed to look at Jared sitting there still running the ribbon through his fingers. He remembered wrapping it around his wrists and how the boy had looked on his bed and then later, how he’d fallen asleep with him. “Look up at me.”

Nervous eyes lifted as Jared met his gaze fully. The younger man began to stand up only to stop when Jensen’s fingers went through his hair, catching a handful and pulling his head back with enough force to grab his attention but not to really hurt him. “I want you tonight, Jared. I wanted you before that call came and I had my nightmares tossed in my face. I want you now, but seeing her, hearing her has brought out a lot of demons I buried; demons that nearly destroyed me. I can’t promise to not go too far again or be too rough.

“I turned to the toys and kink as a way to try to exorcise the demons and pain Bianca left inside me because I was too numb for normal sex to do anything for me. It’s also why I don’t bottom anymore.” He drew his other fingers down Jared’s face to his throat. “That is also why I would never collar you because I know what it feels like. My ways might seem dark to you but sweetheart, my ways and the games we’ve played are baby steps compared to what people like Pellegrino or Bianca or even my father do.”

Jensen was still tense. The shower had served to help wipe away some of the dirt he felt but it hadn’t done anything to relieve the tension. Now as he looked into Jared’s face he began to feel a tension of another kind start to build under the towel as his cock chose to react to the closeness and also the way Jared was looking back at him. “Jared…”

Jared bit his lip, hearing a low groan as he did so. “I... I want to stay with you tonight, Jen,” he murmured. His fingers itched to reach out and touch, but he held back. “Unless you don’t want me... in here then I’ll…” He stopped when Jensen’s fingertips touched the center of his chest to give a light push.

“Oh, I want but... what I’m going to ask of you tonight might confuse you.” Jensen knew what he wanted. He wanted a way to work off the bad memories and the stress. A few months ago if he had this feeling, he wouldn’t have hesitated to act on it and damn the consequences. Even one month ago he might have still followed through on his urges, but now... he cursed himself for wanting to change and he damned his life for never letting him be able to. “Lose the jeans and get under the covers,” he instructed gruffly while making himself turn away to grab a pair of boxer briefs and sleep pants before he changed his mind.

Jared swallowed hard but did as he was told. He also discarded his shirt even though Jensen hadn’t said to. As he slipped under the covers, he noticed Jensen dressing for bed which confused him a bit but he kept his mouth shut as the man slid under to join him. “Jensen?”

“As much as I want to make love with you right now, I know it would end up bad for both of us, so for tonight I want you to do something else for me, Jared.” Jensen nudged until Jared was in a better position on the pillow beside him. “Will you do what I ask?”

It still confused him that Jensen was starting to ask him rather than just tell him what to do considering the rules of their deal, but he nodded. “Of course. What do you want me to do?” He still felt slightly wary but noticed that Jensen had moved the ribbons out of his hand, placing them to the side. He watched as Jensen put a pillow under his knee for support before easing him closer to his side.

“Let me hold you?” Jensen wondered if the request sounded as weird and shocking to Jared as it did to his own ears, guessing it must have when hazel eyes went wide as the younger man looked at him. “That’s all I want tonight, Jay. I just want to be able to feel you in my arms so maybe the nightmares of remembering what she did won’t come like I know they would if I was alone... but I get how that might be weird for you so if…”

Jared didn’t reply. He just shifted a bit so he could move more into Jensen’s arms. He hesitated for a moment, not sure where or how to lay exactly, but then he felt lips touch his hair as a hand moved to gently guide his head down to rest against Jensen’s chest. He placed a hand slowly up more and soon felt it grasped and held while a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders to hold him almost protectively. Jared took a deep breath and wondered why this made him more nervous than anything done in the playroom ever had.

“Just close your eyes and sleep, Jared. We’ll have breakfast together in the morning before I head down to the office,” Jensen murmured. He could feel how tense Jared was and was glad when the boy slowly started to relax after seeing that Jensen wasn’t setting anything up. “By the way, thank you for what you did down there tonight,” he said quietly. “It’s been a long time since anyone but Chris or Sam tried to do anything like that for me.”

“I didn’t want her touching you,” Jared mumbled, body already falling to sleep as he relaxed. “She gave me the creeps. Am... I in trouble for it?”

“No, you’re not in trouble for slapping her hand away from me,” Jensen assured him, hating that Jared even thought he would be. “In fact, for doing that, you deserve another treat. I need to find the time to give you those. Sleep now.”

Eyes heavy, Jared turned his head slightly to look at Jensen. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again. He couldn’t believe what had almost popped out of his mouth and was glad he caught himself in time. He knew his words would not be welcomed so he let his eyes fall shut and gave in to sleep.

Jensen stayed awake for a while longer just to watch Jared sleep. He slowly felt some of the tension start to drain out of him. Finally, he let his eyes close with the hopes that his sleep would be undisturbed and that tomorrow wouldn’t suck too badly for either of them.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Five

As it turned out, the next day started out well, much better than Jensen had imagined it would, given how his night had ended. He woke to find Jared still in his arms, and he couldn’t help but wonder how it would be to wake up every morning to a warm body with big hazel eyes and a slow smile watching him.

There’d been only one time during the night when Jensen had started to wake up with a nightmare but then he’d felt gentle fingers gripping his hand while other fingers rubbed over his rapidly beating heart. It had been those touches along with the low quiet voice with just the barest touch of a drawl that had calmed him down, allowing him to slip back into sleep. He had slept peacefully for the rest of the night until waking to see that Jared was already awake and looking at him.

“Hey there,” Jensen murmured, voice still thick from sleep as he blinked his eyes a few times to clear them. “Been awake long?”

“No, not really,” Jared lied; he’d actually been awake for a little over 90 minutes, but had just decided to stay where he was and look at Jensen.

It had shocked him how much younger and more at peace the man looked when he slept. Jensen was already handsome but as Jared watched him sleep, he realized he was even better looking when his face was calm and didn’t have that guarded look.

He’d also noticed the long lashes that touched cheeks that were covered in faint freckles, and Jared soon lost himself in the act of trying to count them. He hadn’t made much progress when he began to feel Jensen tense subtly and wondered if the man ever woke up relaxed. It surprised Jared when he felt Jensen’s body actually relax when he opened his eyes and saw him there. Jared felt a curious coiling sensation in his belly when Jensen smiled at him upon just waking up, and the younger man knew he was in trouble emotionally.

“I was going to go take a shower and change, but I didn’t want you to wake up and be alone so I stayed.” Jared felt Jensen move and went with the move to roll to his back, almost anticipating the kiss that came. He allowed himself the moment to wonder when he had begun to look forward to the kisses and light touches. “I think either Chad or Chris has already been up cause Marta was shouting at someone.”

“Hmmm, I seriously need to change the code to the elevator one of these days to keep them out until I’m ready for real life to intrude,” Jensen muttered, wishing he could just keep Jared in bed all day rather than deal with the crap he knew he’d have to face soon.

“You know how to do that?” Jared blinked, surprised. “But if the elevator can be messed with like that, isn’t that dangerous for you? What if someone wanted to hurt you and rerigged the elevator so Chris couldn’t get to you or…”

Jensen frowned at the slight increase in Jared’s tone and realized he was really concerned about that. “No, no one but Chris or I can mess with the elevator controls, Jay. No one can do that. Plus no one really wants to hurt me... okay, I guess I can’t say that but I’d like to think that no matter how badly he wants the casino, my father wouldn’t actually want to harm me,” He was suddenly on his back and Jared was hovering over him with a dark look.

“He sold you, Jensen. When you were a fucking teenager. He’s trying to lie and cheat you out of this place. He put spies in the building. I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that he’d do worse if you were a serious threat to him getting what he wanted.” Jared knew he should shut up but he didn’t trust the senior Ackles anymore than he trusted his own father not to try to repeat his sins with Molly.

“Huh, good points.” Jensen had to admit it was a little unsettling to hear that coming from Jared; the boy was making a lot of sense. “Okay, if it’ll make you feel better I’ll tell Chris to increase security until I get this mess with my father settled one way or another.”

Jared nodded, glancing down to see Jensen’s hand running up his arm lightly. “Okay, if I go shower and change before breakfast?” he asked.

“Yeah, you go ahead and I’ll meet you in the dining room after I do the same.” Jensen almost invited Jared to shower with him, but bit that back. He didn’t want Jared to say yes because he still felt he had to. He decided right then and there that he would have the damn contract shredded and see if he and the young man could come to another type of agreement. And if that didn’t work out, he would make himself let Jared go... once he was certain his father understood a set of unbreakable rules.

He noticed that Jared was still limping a little, so he also decided to get the kid to a specialist for that knee. Jensen showered, shaved, and brushed his teeth before stepping into the hall to head for the dining room, but he paused and then bolted for the kitchen when he heard the sounds of raised voices.

“How the hell long has she been texting you? When the hell were you planning on telling me or were you even going to?” Jared’s voice was loud and pissed; a tone Jensen found he’d almost missed hearing... almost.

“Kid…” Chris Kane was clearly trying to keep his temper, but it seemed to be a losing battle. Jared had already shoved him twice and was now in his face, and a concerned Chad was trying to stay between them while telling the bodyguard not to even think of hitting his buddy. “Jensen, call this kid off or I might end up bruising his pretty face,” he growled upon seeing his friend enter the room.

“Gee, and I thought we were gonna go a whole week without Jared getting pissed off at one of us.” Jensen rubbed his neck while looking between the men. He could see that Chris was struggling to rein in his temper, but Jared’s anger seemed even sharper than usual, and that made him curious. “What did you say to set him off?”

Before Chris could reply, Jared was whirling away from him and moving toward Jensen with a cell phone thrust out.

“Gen’s been texting him! She’s been trying to reach me because Molly’s dance teacher got her an audition in a local ballet production of Swan Lake and Molly got the part!” Jared shot a hot look over his shoulder at Chris before glancing back at Jensen, emotions like anger, disappointment, and hurt shining in eyes that had been happy only 30 minutes earlier. “Molly’s in a ballet tonight and Gen’s texted Chris repeatedly. She wanted to know if there was any way I could make it to see her. Tonight, Jensen! My little sister’s in a ballet tonight and he didn’t think I needed to know about it! Did you know about it?” he suddenly demanded, eyes narrowing warily. “Did he tell you and you decided I didn’t need to know either? Did you…”

Jensen reached out to take the phone from Jared, wanting to see the text message that must have ignited this emotional outburst. Then he began to scroll back through Chris’s messages before looking up with a frown. “How long have you known about this?” he asked Chris, not liking how many texts he saw. “Chris? How long has Ms. Cortese been texting you about this?”

“About a month,” Chris admitted, slapping Chad in the head when he whistled lowly before sitting down so he’d be out of Jensen’s line of fire. “I was going to tell you Jensen, but every time I thought about it, something else came up. It’s been a little crazy here the last few weeks. Besides, with everything that’s been going on, I figured you wouldn’t want to go even if you were free and the kid couldn’t go without you so I thought it best to just…”

“It was about my sister!” Jared shouted, angry and hurt at the same time. “I know I made the deal to stay here but if Gen contacted you about Molly, I should’ve been told!”

“Kid, I’ve got more important things to do than to play secretary for you!” Chris shot back. “You might’ve noticed the wolves are literally pounding on this place’s door and…”

“That’s my problem, not Jared’s. You should’ve told me about these texts, Chris.” Jensen read the messages from start to finish before tossing the phone back to his friend. “That was the whole reason I told you to give the woman your number. Since Jared didn’t have his phone, if anything happened or came up with Molly, I wanted a way for him to kept informed.” He took Jared’s arm and felt it shaking with tension. “Jay, I swear I didn’t know about this. If I had, I would’ve told you.”

Jared stared between them as if trying to decide who he was still angry with, and then he jerked out a chair and slumped into it unhappily. “Oh, why bother to tell me?” he muttered sourly, not caring if it sounded like he was pouting right then. “If I didn’t know about it, then I wouldn’t want to go. So maybe he did the right thing by not telling me because now that I do know, I really do want to go but... but I know I can’t. Chris is right. I’m not supposed to go anywhere without you. Maybe... maybe I could call Molly later?” He looked up hopefully. “If I don’t go, she’ll be hurt but if I can at least call with some excuse about not being able to get out of work or get a plane ticket or something, she’ll at least know I cared enough to try. Can I Jensen? Can I call Molly?” He reached up to take Jensen’s hand but then hesitated, unsure if his gesture would be accepted. He nearly gasped in shock when Jensen grasped his hand while palming his face with his other.

“You are going to see Molly dance tonight, Jay,” Jensen told him, kneeling beside the chair, happy to see hope come back to Jared’s eyes even as Chris let out a low growl. “Chris is right about one thing. I probably can’t go with you since I don’t know what’s going to happen with the board and stuff, but if I can’t go with you, Chad will take you.”

“Huh? Chad will what?” Chad reentered the conversation after he got his mouth working from the shock of seeing his hard-as-nails boss kneeling beside Jared to offer comfort. “Wait... ballet? Oh, God... shoot me now.”

Jared didn’t even hear the computer hacker’s whining. He was focused on Jensen’s face, trying to replay the words he thought he’d just heard but knew he couldn’t have. “You’re... you’ll let me go see Molly dance?” he asked, stunned. “Seriously? I mean, really leave here... without you... and go see her dance?”

“Yes, Jared, I want you to go see your sister dance in Swan Lake.” Jensen understood his earlier behavior was causing Jared’s disbelief and hoped one day he’d be given the chance to earn his trust. “I really wish I could go with you, but the way Chris is scowling tells me that he has bad news and I’ll be busy all day and night fighting to keep my casino, so Chad’s gonna have to take you.” He shot the whining man a warning look before looking back to Jared with a smile. “If you want, if you’d allow me to, I’ll also arrange for you to take Molly and your friend to dinner after the show so you can actually spend some time with your sister.”

Jared knew his mouth was probably hanging open from shock, but he quickly got over that and jumped to his feet. He didn’t care who else was in the kitchen to witness this far from business-like display as he reached out to hug Jensen with a happy smile and laugh. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” he said in a rush, feeling strong arms wrap around him to return the hug and shivering slightly from the warm lips that brushed his cheek. “I... I swear I’ll make this up to you. I’ll do anything you want, anytime. No matter what it is, even if it’s one of our agreed don’ts I’ll still... huh?”

“Shh, Jay. No deals, no need to make anything up. I promise I have no ulterior motives here, sweetheart,” Jensen told him as he stepped back to smile. “I’ve been wrong in keeping you from Molly. I should’ve at least let you call her more, but it’s hard to break all my bad habits at once. I’m still a selfish bastard who doesn’t like to share, but I want you to go and see her dance, Jay. Go and have a great time, and you can tell me all about it tomorrow, okay?” He laughed as Jared hugged him again, hearing the whispered ‘thank you’ in his ear. He was just happy to hear Jared laugh and see him offer that dimpled smile; the desire to see that smile more often had been the start of Jensen’s change of heart. “Now, let’s eat breakfast so you can go pick out a suit to wear, Chad can make dinner reservations someplace nice, and Chris can finally get around to telling me what he obviously doesn’t want to.”

Happier now, Jared started to eat even as he shot the bodyguard a sour look which told Jensen it would take some doing before he forgave this act. “Chad, make sure you choose a suitable restaurant and car tonight,” he told the still-griping man as he sat down beside Jared rather than at the head of the table like he would normally. He filled a plate for himself and then lifted his eyes to find Chris watching him. “Let me eat with him before you ruin my mood or my appetite, huh?” he encouraged and then decided to add one more incentive. “Maybe you can use that time to work up a better excuse for not telling me about those texts. I’d also like to know if there’s anything else I should be told that I haven’t been.”

Chris shot Jensen a sour look but merely nodded. He had plenty of news that his friend wasn’t going to like, but he decided to allow him to eat before he ruined his day.

“What kind of suit does one wear to a ballet?” Jared asked curiously, automatically sliding his bacon to the far side of his plate and out of Jensen’s reach. “I don’t have to wear that tuxedo again, do I? I might not go if I do.”

Chad’s mouth opened as his eyes went bright but before he could speak, Chris slapped him in the back of the head and Jensen gave a kick under the table.

“No, you don’t have to wear the tuxedo; a nice suit will do,” he replied, wishing he could go with Jared or at least help him pick out an outfit, but he knew when Chris kept looking at his watch that his time was limited. “I’ll ask Samantha to come up and help you pick out an outfit. She can also give you a ballet etiquette lesson since as I recall from the last time she dragged me... I mean took me to one, there is a certain protocol to these things that should be followed.”

“I wonder if it’s too late to convince Molly to take tap?” Jared muttered, looking up when he caught Jensen’s gaze moving to Chris. “Will I... am I...”

“Come to the office before you and Chad leave for the ballet,” Jensen told him, deciding to quit stalling and get Chris out before he made Jared more nervous than he was becoming. “Chad, buzz Sam to come up, and Jay? Remember to wear the watch.” He let his hand move over Jared’s neck before starting to step away only to stop when a hand caught his wrist.

“Jensen? Thanks again,” Jared said. He wanted to say more but held back since they weren’t alone and he knew how vital keeping the hard business façade up was to Jensen, but then Jared caught something new on Jensen’s face; it almost looked like he too wanted to say something more but then backed off and quietly left the dining room with Chris.

“I think I’d rather face a room of blood-thirsty money-hungry investors than sit through hours of ballet,” Chad muttered as he finished eating and sent a text down to Samantha Smith. “Do you have any idea of where you want to take your sister and friend to eat or can I pick?” He was already scrolling through his phone.

“Umm, Chad? I... I don’t have any money for dinner.” Jared suddenly thought of that small problem only to see the other man’s grin. “What? I don’t.”

“Jared, Jensen’s paying for dinner. He’ll slip me either a wad of cash or one of his credit cards before we leave,” Chad told him easily. “Kid, don’t look so shocked. Jensen letting you go in the first place is actually pretty shocking to me, but him coming up with the idea to arrange for dinner too? I’m starting to wonder what the hell you’ve done to him because I never thought I’d see him act the way he has been since you came around... well, the way he has been the past week or so at least. Hell, if Chris wasn’t about to drop crappy news on him that’s gonna keep him busy all day, he probably would’ve gone to this thing with you.”

Jared was cleaning up some so Marta didn’t have to do it all when he paused. “How bad is the news? Do you know?” he asked, wondering if he should go find Jensen or if his presence would just make things worse.

“All I know is the legal team was screaming bloody murder this morning, and I spent most of last night and this morning purging files and refixing the holes in the system to keep anyone from hacking in.” Chad was deliberately vague with the details, knowing enough to keep his mouth shut about some of the things he’d done. “I know there’s supposed to be an emergency board meeting tonight even though Chris tried to get it pushed until the morning. Jensen’s old man, that rat bastard, had the investors demand for it to be tonight. I think he feels if he moves fast enough, Jensen won’t have time to find proof of his illegal involvement in anything.”

“Chad, if you delete any mention of me from the system would that keep anyone from pinning anything illegal on Jensen if someone wanted to?” Jared had been thinking about that.

“It would if no one else knew about it, you but we’re not sure how much crap Aldis sent to Jensen’s old man. He could have copied either the original deal Jensen made with your father or the one he made with you, so while I can certainly try to buffer it so it doesn’t sound quite as bad as it really was, it might still come down to you if someone tries to call the cops on the boss and Chris.” Chad snatched another piece of bacon and then an apple as the elevator sounded and Samantha was heard calling for them. “Jaybird, don’t worry about Jensen. Chris has his back and I swear that if the cops do get involved, Kane will try his best to go down alone and try to keep Jensen out of it. Now, let’s go find you a suit and I’ll find a place to eat.”

“You’ll do no such thing, Chad Michael Murray! I’ll make a reservation at a nice place for you and Jared to take his sister and Miss Cortese,” Samantha said when she heard this, shaking her head. “If I let you make the plans, he’ll end up at some pizza place on the Strip or worse off the Strip. You go choose a nice car, not a death trap like some of those cars Jensen owns. Now, let’s go look in that closet for you.” She offered a calm smile to the young man she had watched closely during the dramatic events in the wee hours of the morning, and she wondered if either he or Jensen had realized the truth yet of what she could easily see.

“You need to decide what’s important. Your pride or keeping this place,” Chris was saying hours later as he sat on the edge of the desk watching Jensen stalk the office. “We can counter a lot of the crap your father is going to toss at you in the meeting tonight, but what we can’t is still pretty damning. Plus, he’s going to use your age and your choosing to come out where and how you did against you too. Most of those investors are assholes who will side with him because he’s older and ‘more experienced’. You need to call Jersey and talk to your grandfather, Jensen.”

Jensen took a deep breath to help himself resist the urge to shove everything off his desk. He’d just spent the majority of his afternoon reading emails and memos sent to him from various investors; apparently, his father had been spreading around crap about him that had nothing to do with his qualifications or the casino’s ability to make money but still raised questions and concerns in the investors’ minds.

He hadn’t spoken directly to either of his grandparents since moving to Las Vegas. He’d been told how disappointed they were about his lifestyle choices and had left well enough alone. He also believed that his grandparents on both sides believed his father’s explanation about why he didn’t get along with the man, so he had basically cut off communication with his extended family. Now he had to wonder if maybe his grandfather would be able to help him, but Jensen knew it was too late to call the real head of the Ackles casino empire because the board meeting was in less than two hours.

“Call him!” Chris snapped when Jensen explained his excuse for not dialing the phone. “Even if he can’t come, he can call in and be involved over the damn speakerphone. Jensen, your father will stop at nothing to get this place, especially after last night. Have you tried your mother? Is this divorce line real or another story to explain his affair with the bitch?”

“I sent a text when I went back upstairs this morning,” Jensen commented, shrugging as he looked at his phone. “She hasn’t responded but it’s probably legit. They were barely married even when I was little, so finally one of them got smart enough to end things. Of course, that’s probably another reason he wants The Open Road; alimony to my mother will be a bitch.”

Chris chose not to reply to that since while neither of Jensen’s parents would win Parent of the Year, his friend did still care for his mother somewhat even though she’d hardly been around for him when he’d needed a parent; that job had gone to Samantha and Chris’s mother.

“Okay, I’ll call Gramps but I’m telling you that it won’t…” Jensen stopped at the sound of the elevator, standing as the doors opened, and he felt himself actually smile at what he saw. “Well, look at you. I see you let Sam choose your outfit because Chad would’ve managed to find something off-color or multi-colored from Misha; I’m sure I must’ve missed a few things even after I went through your clothes.”

Jared relaxed a little as he stepped out of the elevator in the navy blue suit that Sam had recommended he wear with a crisp white shirt. “This works for the ballet?” He wasn’t sure but he felt a little more confident now. He adjusted the leg again to be sure it didn’t show the knee brace that both Samantha and Chad insisted he wear. “It doesn’t need a tie?”

“No, I think a tie would be too much and you look great.” Jensen smiled as he approached to fix the collar of the jacket, which also gave him a chance to run his fingers through Jared’s hair before settling them on his face, and he loved how the younger man leaned into the touch. “Did Chad make reservations? Where is he anyway?” he asked while stepping back to grab something out of his desk.

“Samantha made them at some Italian place she said you always enjoyed and would be good for after the ballet and Chad’s bringing the car,” Jared replied, still nervous about going to a ballet production. “You think my Dad will show up?” he asked, fingering the gold Rolex he’d put on.

“He damn well better not show up,” Chris muttered and decided to text Chad a last-minute order to call him if James Padalecki made an appearance.

Jensen shook his head. “I doubt it, but if he does, Chad’ll be able to handle it,” he replied and then held out two items, watching as Jared’s eyes widened in question. “You’ll need the phone in case Chad falls asleep or hits on your friend and she punches him. In either of those cases, you can call me or Chris and he’ll come and get you, or if you... if you want to, you can text me how things are going... and you’ll need a wallet since it has your ID in it and stuff.”

The cellphone wasn’t the cheap pay-as-you-go-flip phone Jared had come in with but one of the latest smartphones on the market. The phone took his breath away, but when he took the wallet, Jared’s eyes bugged out even more. He honestly hadn’t thought much about not having it on him since he knew he didn’t need it but out of habit he flipped it open to see his ID. His license was there along with three different credit cards and an assortment of bills, both large and small.

“Jensen, what…?” He looked up, confused. “I... I don’t have any credit cards or…”

“Chris, go see where Chad is and make sure the board room has been set up,” Jensen ordered before drawing Jared closer to him once he heard the door close. “The credit cards are attached to my accounts and are yours to use,” he told Jared, quickly laying a finger against opening lips to stop the objection he could see was coming. “Jared, I’m not sending you out of here without cash on you or credit cards to pay for dinner and stuff. Plus, these are things you should’ve had earlier; you would’ve had them if my damn head had been working correctly. You should’ve had a lot more than you have had including the ability to move around the casino freely. I’m sorry that I’ve been such a bastard but... huh? What’re you doing?” he asked when Jared’s hand went to his forehead.

“Maybe you have a fever,” Jared mumbled, then blushed. “Sorry. Chad just said you’ve been acting weird since I came around, so I thought maybe you were sick or something ‘cause I’m fairly sure this, letting me go out without you and giving me money and everything, goes against the deal we made.”

“Hmmm, does it?” Jensen feigned innocence. “If it does, we’ll just have to have it tweaked a bit.” Jensen didn’t mention that he had other plans for the damn contract if he could just survive the meeting tonight. “Don’t worry about that or anything like that tonight, Jay. Just go and have a good time. Enjoy the ballet and enjoy spending time with your sister. I’ll... I’ll hopefully see you when you get ho... back.” He adjusted his wording and hoped Jared hadn’t caught the lapse since Jensen understood that Jared wouldn’t ever see this as his home. He felt a little sick as another niblet of guilt attacked him.

Jared did catch the slip-up, but he stayed quiet, not wanting to make Jensen feel uncomfortable. He looked at his watch and realized it was about time for them to be going. “Jen?” He turned to say that he’d text Jensen with updates but ended up meeting Jensen’s kiss fully, thinking blindly how he’d actually missed those while Jensen was busy that day.

“Hmm, damn,” Jensen muttered, forcing himself to let go and fixing Jared’s jacket and shirt with fingers that he noticed shook slightly before he pushed the boy gently towards the exit. “You’d better go before I do something to make us both late and unpresentable.”

That made Jared pause for a second by the door, hand on the knob. “Jensen?” He glanced back. “I was wondering... do you ever actually plan to take me to the playroom again? I know you had it redone or something. I think it’s been long enough since you flipped out on me in there to give it another go... don’t you?” His eyebrows arched almost teasingly.

Jensen was glad he had already moved so that his desk was once against between them or else he was fairly certain Jared wouldn’t have gotten any further out the door. As it was, he had to force himself to sit down rather than launch himself across the room.

“Go to the ballet, Jared,” he growled and swore as the damn kid actually laughed as he went out the door. “God, he’s going to be the death of me,” he muttered, but by the time Chris reentered the room, he was calm and had regained his cold and in-control casino owner persona. “Well, let’s do this.”

Jared fought not to fidget or talk incessantly on the drive to the theater, which was off the Strip in more a business section of Las Vegas. Chad kept glancing at him as he drove the shiny black 2014 Chevy Impala, mentioning repeatedly that the car was not his first choice, but it was one of the few that Chris had deemed safe to drive when he had “real” passengers.

Jared spent part of the drive testing the features of the new smartphone. The first thing he did was program in Gen’s number and send her a text to tell her that he and a friend would be attending the performance. He also mentioned dinner afterward if Molly wasn’t expected at any after-show parties.

“So... this friend of yours…” Chad glanced over as he parked the car as close to the theater as he could manage. “Is she hot?”

“Don’t hit on Gen, Chad,” Jared chuckled, rolling his eyes at the man. “She’s not your type anyway. You like to break too many rules... plus she could kick your ass at Call of Duty and Madden.”

Chad stuck his tongue out when Jared turned his back and began to move into the crowd of people entering the theater.

Jared wondered if he looked as out of place as he felt. He could feel people looking at him even though he was dressed similarly to most of the men in the crowd. He was glad to finally arrive at the ticket window and give his name since Gen had told him there would be tickets waiting for him. Just a few minutes later, he and a grumbling Chad were escorted to pretty decent seats.

“Jared!” Genevieve Cortese sprang up from her seat when he squeezed through the aisle toward their seats with Chad right behind him. “I’m so glad you were able to make it. Molly was so worried when you didn’t respond to my texts... as if this whole mess hasn’t had her worried and confused enough already.” She shot Chad a dark look and Chad responded with his best innocent smile. “Do you plan on coming clean with her – or me - about what the hell happened or what your father got you into to cause you to just vanish like you did?”

“It’s complicated, Gen,” he told the petite dark-haired young woman as he sat down, choosing to sit between her and Chad. “Yeah, Dad did something, but I promise I’m okay and soon Molly and I will be out from under him for good. Can she stay with you a while longer?”

Gen slapped his arm playfully but kept staring at him as if looking for clues to tell her what he was doing and why. “Of course, she can, silly,” she scoffed. “We just worry about you, Jared. Molly was scared your Dad would make her leave my place because he kept calling her and trying to come over even after I threatened to call the police. But after I called that guy who’s been paying Molly’s expenses and classes, we haven’t heard another word from him. You know, Jared, they’ve been sending me even more money than we originally agreed on. Are you sure you’re not caught up in anything illegal?”

“No, it’s not illegal,” Jared hedged, knowing that it was a slight lie, but at the moment he was more interested in finding out just what Jensen and Chris had been paying Gen with since he knew he didn’t have that much cash in his bank account. “Chad?” he hissed, giving the man a sharp elbow to the ribs. “Did you know about any of that?”

“Uh, yeah... but you’ve probably noticed that I try not to tick Chris off any more than I need to, so I kept my mouth shut as he asked me to.” Chad shrugged and figured the next day would be fun. Jared didn’t say a word, but his look said he clearly wanted to hear more. “Look kiddo, Jensen told Chris to make sure your sister had everything she needed and also to keep your old man away from her. You may also have noticed that Kane can be damn scary when he puts his mind to it. Just... just let this go and know that Jensen’s been making sure your sister hasn’t been doing without okay, Jaybird?”

Jared bit his lip but decided he would let it go for the moment. He’d pick and choose his battles with Jensen, especially since he knew the man didn’t have to do what he had for him or Molly.

He sat back in his seat, avoided Gen’s probing questions, kept Chad from flirting with her too much, and then when the curtain went up, he forgot everything else.

Molly Padalecki, at 16, was slim and tiny in contrast to her brother’s height. As Jared studied her, he saw that she looked even more like their mother than he remembered with her fair skin that burned easily in the hot Vegas sun, pale blond hair, and bright blue eyes.

She was just one of many swans on stage but for Jared, the proud big brother, she might as well have been the only one on stage. He didn’t completely understand the story behind the ballet, and more than a few times he had to dig his elbow into Chad’s ribs when he dozed off, but he still enjoyed every minute of the performance as well as the multiple encores for the cast of dancers. By the time the curtain finally lowered, Jared was sure he’d clapped his hands off, but the sight of Molly up on that stage dancing and smiling made all his struggles suddenly worth it.

He was so absorbed in clapping and waving to Molly as she exited the stage that he missed Chad’s sudden frown or the way he shifted slightly to send off a hurried text. He pushed past Chad to get to the aisle when he heard a young girl’s voice calling for him.

“Jared! Jared! You came! You really came!”

“Hey, I wouldn’t miss something like this, Molly!” Jared caught the girl up in his arms, forgetting how tiny she was and soaking in the sound of her laugh when he carefully swung her around like he’d always done. “I’m sorry I’ve been gone, but I promise it won’t be for much longer and I might have even better news soon.” He hoped he would at least.

Molly wrapped long arms around her brother’s neck to hug him tightly. “I just want you to come home soon,” she replied, and then she noticed Chad and her smile turned mischievous. “Is this your boyfriend?” she asked teasingly, giggling when Jared blushed and Chad almost choked. “Guess not. Then can I have him?”

“Molly Ann!” Gen gasped while Jared gave Chad a swift warning look even though the blond man was choking again. “Sorry, she’s at that age when boys and dancing are all she thinks about.”

“Jared, guess what?” Molly’s eyes were sparkling as she pushed away from her brother so that he would put her down. “Daddy said he knew some guys who could get me auditions and that I’m the perfect age for some of the bigger roles.” Molly’s lip jutted out like Jared’s could at times when she saw her brother’s scowl and the way Chad frowned at her announcement. “But he said they would be perfect opportunities for me!”

“Oh, hell no. Chris will be drawing blood for this one!” Chad shot off another message with this news since that was a plain and loud warning sign that they needed to put a stop to James Padalecki and fast.

Jared had felt his stomach drop and his throat close up while Gen was clearly upset about that comment as well. “Molly, no matter what, if Dad comes around you or offers to take you to meet any of these guys, don’t go with him... and you tell Gen about it so she can call me or Chris,” he declared firmly, sick but also furious that their father might be considering something like that. “Okay? Will you promise me that?” He held her gaze until she nodded.

“Okay - I haven’t heard from him in a while anyway, so he probably got busy and forgot.” Molly looked back when a castmate called for her. “I’ve gotta go change, but then I’ll be back out. Can... can you stay a little longer Jared?” she asked and was suddenly his sweet little sister asking him why he couldn’t stay with her in school the first day.

“Yeah, I can, Molly,” Jared assured her, voice thick. “Chad and I are actually going to take you and Gen to dinner so we can catch up before I need to leave.”

“Cool!” she enthused, grabbing for Gen’s hand. “Come help me change?”

Once they were alone in the thinning crowd and heading out to get the car, Jared finally let the wall down around his emotions. “That bastard!”

“Yeah, and that’ll be tame to what Chris will be calling him as soon as he checks his messages. We all thought that after the last warning he gave, your asshole father would know to back the hell off but I guess not,” Chad muttered and decided he better mention what he’d seen. “Jared... during the final encore... I thought I saw your Dad in the back of the audience so... just keep an eye out tonight okay?”

Jared nearly stumbled when he heard this, but he kept his footing and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll... what the hell?” He froze at the sight in front of him, his body tensing as his eyes narrowed. “What the hell do you want?”

“Is that any way to greet your Dad after months away, son?” James Padalecki asked from where he stood in the parking lot near the car. “I guess that prick Ackles didn’t teach you any manners after all, but from what I’ve been told, maybe he ain’t been doing anything with you since he seems to have his own issues.”

Jared started to take a step forward, but Chad’s hand landed on his shoulder holding him in place. “Go back inside and wait with the girls, kiddo. I’ve got this,” he told him even as the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up. “You know the damn rules, Padalecki. No contact with Jared or your daughter... unless you seriously want to piss the boss off and have Kane knocking on your office door instead of calling you this time.”

“Piss off, punk. This is between me and my kid.” James shot Chad a sneer; he wasn’t scared of this guy since it was always Kane who did the bad guy routine. “Your boss ain’t anything but a faggot trying to play with the big boys. My sources say he’s about to lose not only his shirt but also that crappy casino. So he won’t give a damn that I’m changing the terms of our so-called deal and taking back my punk kid for a better offer.”

“What?” Jared had been starting to head toward the theatre, but he jerked his gaze back to his father at those words. “What the fuck are you talking about? Better offer?” He stared at the man when it began to sink in. “With who? What? What the hell have you done?” he demanded. “I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re insane if you thought I would! You sold me once but I managed to survive that betrayal, and maybe I came out of it a little better for both myself and Molly. And by the way, you will never do this to her or me ever again! So go back to whoever you’ve been playing with this time and tell whoever is giving you your information that Jensen is not losing anything and I’m not... huh? Chad!”

Chad didn’t like the sudden bravado the older man was showing. Even with his obvious disdain for his son, or the fact that he might think Chad wasn’t as scary as Chris, he’d never seen the guy show this much moxy. It was almost like he knew he didn’t have to be scared because there was…

“Shit!” Chad caught the movement from the corner of his eye and suddenly realized what this was. “Jared! Get back to the... argh!”

He’d just been pulling Jared back when suddenly it felt like his whole body exploded in pain as something hard collided with the back of his head and then his body lit up. Chad heard Jared’s shout of alarm, but he was on the ground helpless even as he heard the next voice speak.

“My boss has made a deal with your old man, pretty boy. He gets you as a 24-7 fuck toy, gets to break you and make you into the perfect sub, and Daddy gets open credit at his place for anything he wants.” The broad-shouldered dark-suited man dropped the taser as he and another man appeared from out of nowhere. “Go ahead and put up a fight. Please. It won’t matter if we rough you up since the boss plans to anyway. It ain’t like this jackass or his boss will bother to come for you.” He kicked Chad hard in the side, but the man couldn’t do anything but twitch feebly. “Ackles will be selling his own ass just to keep his place and it ain’t like you were anything to him but a toy to play with.”

Jared’s stomach twisted at those words even though a piece of him suspected they were true. He was coming to accept that he might be falling in love with Jensen, but he knew there was no way the other man would ever feel the same for someone like him. That didn’t mean he was willing to be bartered off again, however, especially to someone he feared would be everything Jensen had not been and that did scare him.

“Fuck off!” He drew his fist back to hit the smug ass guy who’d nailed Chad only to grunt when an arm snaked around him from behind; he knew it was his father even before he heard him shout to the men to take him down. “Get offa me! You sold me once! You’re not doing it... ugh!”

A hand grabbed his throat, cutting off his words, as the goon stepped forward while another guy grabbed Jared’s arms. Jared tried to fight, but the three men easily held him in place as a car came into the lot. “It’s already been done, pretty boy. You belong to my boss now and nobody’s gonna give one sweet damn about it!” He punched Jared hard in the stomach and when he doubled over, they were easily able to shove him into the trunk of the limo. The guy looked down at Chad who was struggling to rise from the ground and gave him several swift kicks to his head and torso. “Tell your boss thanks for breaking the punk in a little but now a real master will take over, asshole!”

Chad was in agony and as he fought losing consciousness, the last thing he heard was James Padalecki thanking the thugs and telling them to thank their boss. He struggled to focus on the numbers on the license plate but he quickly fell into darkness. The computer hacker’s last conscious thought was failing Jared and how the hell he would break the news to Jensen.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hours later, Jensen Ackles was desperately wishing he could have spent a mindless evening at the ballet with Jared. He sat at the conference table biting his lip to keep from snarling at the men and women sitting in front of him and shrugging off the warning hand on his shoulder as he threw a file down the long table in the boardroom. “No! That is bullshit! You’ve all been given the corrected files as well as the documentation that shows who was behind the missing money and where it went. Just like you’ve been given the reports that show all the other crap that’s been going on and everything counters all the damn lies you were told to get you here tonight.”

The meeting with the investors of The Open Road casino had been sour from the start. It was plain that Mark Ackles, who arrived with his slick-suited attorney, had met with a number of them in private earlier in the day, an obvious infraction that Jensen’s attorney quickly pointed out.

“Mr. Ackles is not an investor on this board and while The Open Road is still associated with the Ackles Casino line, it is only his father, Mr. Patrick Ackles, who has any right to call into question Jensen’s ability to run this casino. After all, it was legally given and titled to him by the senior Mr. Ackles, and therefore, calling this board meeting is little more than a witch hunt!” Jeffrey Dean Morgan spoke firmly while tapping a button on his blackberry, trying to bring up the files that he’d been working on overtime, trying to verify as much information as possible with his own sources. He was furious that these things had slipped through, to begin with.

“I am here on behalf of my elderly father. He’s in poor health and certainly shouldn’t be bothered with the disappointing acts of his only grandson’s degenerate lifestyle,” Mark sniffed while looking around the table as if to reinforce the sob story he’d sold the investors.

“Oh really? That’s funny since I don’t recall you ever being concerned about my health or well-being in your nearly daily calls to me. You’ve been more interested in whining about how unfair it was that I signed The Open Road over to Jensen instead of you. I also don’t recall sending you out to Las Vegas to bother my grandson. Oh, and the whole elderly father comment? Not helping your case, son.” The deep and gruff voice of Patrick Ackles came from the speaker of a laptop that had been turned toward Jensen. He now spun it to show the room the very unhappy face of his very healthy-looking grandfather.

“So while my son tries not to choke on his tongue, let’s get down to some serious business. I suggest that if any of you took money from my son to side with him and pull your funds from The Open Road, you highly rethink your decision. My attorneys and auditing people have been having a field day going through all those fake reports Mark has been throwing around lately – those damn reports have more holes in them than my favorite golf course.” Patrick sat back at his desk in New Jersey to glare into the camera on his computer. “By the way, Jensen, I am very interested in meeting the person who helped to uncover these lies. My top people say whoever it is has to be a near genius because even they had trouble figuring out the system. They want to know where he went to school so we can recruit some people from the same place.”

Jensen had resisted as long as he could; he dreaded calling back east, but when even JD insisted he call his grandfather, he gave in and reluctantly dialed. It took only a few minutes to be connected with his grandfather who had been clearly surprised to hear from him and then equally shocked and furious to learn the reasons for the call.

“Even if not all of Mark’s claims are true, there are a great many allegations he’s made against Jensen. Even if only some of them are legitimate, the charges are still serious enough to have this board questioning if Jensen is fit to be in control of this casino or if it would be better to sign control over to…” a stern-faced, middle-aged woman began only to be shut down by a barking laugh coming from the speakers.

“You’re taking the word of my son about someone’s fitness to run this casino? Or any casino?” Patrick let loose with another good long laugh before showing both son and grandson that he knew a lot more about his family than anyone originally thought he did. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to bail out a casino that Mark’s been in charge of. But I can tell you how many times I’ve had to save Jensen’s ass. Zero. That’s the main reason I gave him The Open Road. It was on the verge of falling apart, and after watching him work in some of my places in Jersey, I knew giving it to him was the best shot at saving the place. He not only saved it but he’s turned it into one of the most successful casinos on the Strip. 

“As for my grandson’s lifestyle? I figured out Jensen was gay when he was probably 15 – long before he actually admitted it to the family. My wife and I were fine with the way our grandson wanted to live his life, but once the whole family knew, my son kept trying to convince me Jensen was some kind of pervert.” Patrick shot a steely-eyed glare down to where his son was finally starting to find his voice. “Oh, don’t think I don’t know who the pervert in the family is... and don’t think your mother and I don’t know you plan to marry that gold-digging whore, since Lauren finally got smart and kicked your ass to the curb. If you actually marry that woman, I swear I will kick your ass out of every casino I own, including the one I still let you think you run in France.”

Mark slammed his hands down on the table. “You have no business being part of this, old man!” he shouted, furious that his stupid son had had the guts to go to the old man with this matter. He thought for sure he’d convinced Jensen that the entire family had rejected him and his lifestyle choices. “This should be my place! It will be my place because none of these people will support keeping him in charge of it once everything is uncovered. Not only has he been stealing money, but he’s been keeping some kid a slave for his sexual pleasures to pay off a debt!” He shot his son a sneer while whispers began to circulate around the table.

“My personal life and what I do behind the closed doors of my own place is my business and does not involve or hurt the casino in any way.” Jensen had to fight back his rage over the lies still being told and his father’s hypocrisy given what he’d done so often with his own sex toys.

He heard the ping of Chris’s cellphone receiving a text and he frowned when the sound repeated several times until finally, his friend pulled it out of his pocket. Jensen didn’t pay attention when Chris stepped to the side to place a call as his gaze was locked with his father’s hateful glare.

“I haven’t stolen any money from this casino but you sure as hell have! It was your offshore accounts – my people traced it even though your hackers tried to cover their steps. Does Gramps know that you got into my systems after you bought off one of my most trusted employees? That you paid him a ridiculous amount of money to give you information about not just about casino business but about my personal life as well?” He was trying to control his temper as he shouted at his father. He noticed from the corner of his eye that Chris had now stepped just out of the room, gripping his phone tightly and snarling at whoever was on the other end. He shook his head, knowing he needed to let Chris handle whatever new crisis had arisen and stay focused on the meeting. He understood that even though many of his father’s lies had been revealed, the man still posed a serious threat to The Open Road.

His grandfather’s involvement would certainly help, but he knew that some of the investors had already been bought off or convinced he was trash. Jensen faced a serious battle now to keep his casino from falling into the hands of his greedy father. He decided to fight fire with fire. “You want to go head to head with me about my lifestyle? Really, Dad? You want to do that with me? Because if you do, I can give Gramps and these board members all kinds of filth on you!”

“Oh, your mother’s already done that,” Patrick remarked. “And let me tell you, Jensen, if I had known about any of that crap when you were younger, you would’ve been raised in Jersey. I’m sorry we didn’t stay more involved in your life. Sit down and shut the fuck up Mark!” he snapped. “And that trained pitbull beside you had better curb his tongue or he won’t be practicing law in the next hour. Now, how is this going to play out?” he asked the people at the table.

“We’ve actually always had concerns about Jensen’s ability to manage a multi-million dollar establishment at his age, and now with the concerns about his personal... choices being brought out so publically, well several of us, most of the major investors in fact, would feel more comfortable continuing our business with The Open Road if someone else is named as CEO.” It was the same woman who had spoken earlier and she slid Jensen a narrowed gaze that clearly spoke of her personal feelings for him. “Being young is already a concern, and if he was straight, being so promiscuous, that would be one thing since this city is pretty tolerant about being openly sexual, but the fact that he’s a sexual deviant…”

“You realize I can nail your ass in court with a lawsuit for openly discriminating against my client due to his sexual preferences?” JD Morgan shot back. He heard a sharp noise from the side of the room right and turned to see the bodyguard slam a fist into the wall as he disconnected the phone. 

Jensen also saw the explosion but immediately forced his attention back to his father even as his friend stepped back into the room.

“Let me be crystal clear, Dad. I will not step down and I will not give up this casino without one hell of a fight. Gramps is right - I brought this place back from the brink of failure after he gave it to me and I’ve made it into something pretty damn great.” Jensen saw that Chris was trying to catch his attention, but he still needed to pay attention to the people at the table. “I’ll buy The Open Road outright to remove it from the Ackles holdings; I’ll find new investors since it seems like my father’s paid all of you assholes off, but I will be damned if he will ever get his hands on this place. He couldn’t keep the little places Gramps allowed him to run in the black, and now he must be running out of money since he has to pay alimony to my mom as well as take care of his new slut’s expensive habits, so he wants what I built. Over my goddamn dead body!”

As Mark shot to his feet to scream insults, Patrick tried to make himself heard, telling everyone to calm down. “You don’t deserve this place! You don’t deserve anything!” Mark shouted furiously. “You’ve been nothing but a goddamn embarrassment to me for years! You’re nothing but a goddamn con artist who got lucky with this place, but once I tell everyone about you, about your past, and about that faggot you keep in chains…”

“You stay the hell away from Jared!” Jensen’s voice dropped dangerously low. He was willing to take the threats and insults to him but it pissed him off to have Jared mentioned. “I accept my mistakes, which is a lot more than you’ve ever done. And Jared is not my slave! He’s…”

“What? Your lover? Your boyfriend?” Mark sneered. “Please. I know what he is. I know how you got him, but you don’t have to pretend to care about him now. Rumors I heard today say his old man got a better offer for that young stud and maybe if those rumors are true, my lovely Bianca will offer to buy him from…”

“Jensen!” JD shouted when Jensen suddenly threw himself across the table. He couldn’t care less that the room was filled with investors; he saw red and went for his father’s throat.

“That fucking bitch will never put her hands on him! She’s a sick piece of shit who nearly destroyed me, but I guess that was okay with you because she paid off your debts!” Jensen ignored the voices in the room and the hands trying to pull him off his father until finally, one voice did register and he whirled to face the speaker. “What the hell did you just say?” he demanded tightly as he finally saw that Chris had grabbed him back and was trying to tell him something. “What about Jay?”

Chris Kane was pissed. It was apparent from the look on his face as well as by the hole in the wall where he’d slammed his fist after disconnecting the call he’d received that had just finished sending his life up in flames. “That was Chad,” he began grimly, hating to have to drop this on his friend in the crowded conference room but knowing he’d never get him out of the room to do this in private. “I couldn’t understand everything he was saying since he’s still half out of it, but I did get the important part; they were getting the car and Jared’s old man made an appearance. Jensen... he made another deal but Chad doesn’t know with who since the thugs weren’t dropping names.” He paused and looked his friend straight in the eye. “Jared’s been kidnapped.”

Jensen’s whole world just seemed to drop with those words. He felt his stomach clench and his heart nearly stop, shocked that three simple words like that could rock him so badly. He could almost see the scene, but all he could focus on was the memory of those damn big eyes. Then his fury kicked back in and he whirled to grab his father by the front of his expensive silk shirt.

“Who?” he demanded, ignoring the voices and shouts around him; it seemed like the investors were now fighting amongst themselves while JD and the other attorney were screaming about legal issues at one another. “You said you heard rumors today! What the fuck did you hear? Who the fuck grabbed that kid? WHO, Dad?!”

Mark sneered at his son, staying calm in the face of his fury. “There’s a certain code among Doms; we don’t sell each another out, especially over little untrained subs who don’t know their roles and need to be taught some respect.” Mark shoved his son back and smoothed the front of his now wrinkled shirt. “You were given the boy months ago. You should’ve taught him his place instead of letting him make you his pet. Bianca taught you the proper way to handle things. Looks like she’ll need to refresh those lessons for you! You’ve lost your new little pet, Jensen. He’s gone and nothing you do will get him back because no one will help you! No one cares about some... ugh!”

Jensen’s fist shot out before anyone could react and his father fell back against the wall gasping as his nose started to pour blood. “What I did to that kid I did because of how I was raised! I’ve spent my whole damn life trying to not be you, but some sick part of me was also trying to impress you, hoping to succeed and maybe make you proud of me just once... but in the end, I was turning into you. If it hadn’t been for Jared, I would’ve still been on that path. It was Jared who showed me what I was doing and how I’d end up if I didn’t change.

“That kid showed more guts, more courage, more brains than you have my entire life! Jared, even given the crap I’ve put him through, the stuff I did to him when he first came here, stood up for me last night in a way that you never have!” Jensen’s body was shaking and he felt Chris’s hand on his shoulder, and heard his voice, now quiet, asking him what he wanted to do about Jared’s disappearance. He pulled his attention away from his father and focused on the bodyguard. “I want him found. I want him found as soon as possible and I don’t care who you have to pay or what you have to do – just find him!” he snapped, stepping away and then turning to look around the room at the wide eyes of the investors.

“Half of you also invest in that piece of shit Pellegrino’s sex pit, but you’re looking down on me because I’m gay? Is it really that or is it more because I don’t play the sick little sex games you all seem to like?” He looked at each man and woman in the room before settling his gaze on the woman who’d been so quick to demand his removal. “I recall seeing you the other night at that sex party Pellegrino threw, Abby. I seem to recall you really getting into using that whip on the boy he had strung up on the St. Andrews Cross. I also know you were eyeing Jay up pretty good until Chris snarled at you. So before you call into question my sex life and ethics... I think all of you had better look into your own.”

Jensen ignored a coughing JD and moved back to his original seat. His grandfather was still visible on the screen of his laptop, calmly waiting for the room to calm down. “If you want me out of his casino then you’ll have to buy me out in full. I’m asking you to let me buy the casino out from your holdings because I will not willingly step down so this jackass behind me, I’m sorry but he is no longer my father, can take what I built and run it into the ground or use it as a dowry to marry that bitch.” He spoke directly to the older man while jerking his tie off after throwing his rarely worn suit jacket into a corner. “You can personally come to Vegas and look into my files, my accounts. You can send anyone from your staff that you want, but right now? Right now you and JD can handle the rest of this farce. I’m out.”

Chris had been growling at the other lawyer who seemed to be more thug than attorney when he heard this comment and glanced over while JD frowned. Only Patrick didn’t seem surprised by Jensen’s decision to walk out of a meeting even though this decision could very well spell the end of his days in the casino business.

“Jensen?” JD stepped forward but stopped short of reaching out when the old man on the screen coughed almost in warning. “Where’re you going?” he asked, trying not to seem too upset or confused. “You need to stay here and settle this now. You can’t just…”

Jensen paused to stare at him before looking with hate at his still-glaring father. He then let his gaze move back to the screen before looking over at Chris and then finally back at JD. “Earlier, Chris told me that I’d have to choose what’s important to me,” he began slowly while wondering why this suddenly didn’t feel as hard as he thought it would be. “Okay, well if it comes down to me choosing to stay here in a room full of hypercritical jackass investors who have already been bought off to drop my casino or going to find the bastard son of the bitch who grabbed Jared? Yeah, I’m going to go find the kid who changed my life and when I do, I’m going to drop to my knees and beg him to forgive me for being an asshole to him.”

“You’ll never change!” Mark spat as someone handed him a cloth for his bloody nose. “Choosing that punk ass nobody over a business deal! That’s why this place will be mine! A warm body for cheap sex is for after hours, boy! You could pick and choose any whore in a club or one of those hot dealers in the casino for that. I didn’t teach you…”

“Oh, you taught me plenty, Dad,” Jensen shot back at his father, giving him a cold, hard stare. “I learned all I did about sex and the ways to misuse it from you. I learned all about the dark side of sex and the D/s world from you and your little parties. I learned all about it from you and it took a 22-year-old kid just looking to keep his little sister safe from bastards like us to teach me that there might be more to sex than just a way to work off a hard day. It took a mouthy 22-year-old who can work wonders with numbers to teach me how to maybe love him and even myself one day. But Dad?” He took a step closer to meet the glare head-on. “If I find out that you know who grabbed Jared and if he’s hurt... you’d just better be out of my city before I see you again because I might have to face jail for what I did to him but I’ll definitely face a cell because I buried you.”

With that, Jensen stormed out of the boardroom and didn’t look back. As JD was now trying to do damage control and text Samantha Smith, who was the next in charge, Chris smirked and started to follow when a sharp voice from the laptop called his name. “Yes, sir?” He gave the older man the respect he always had even when he wasn’t always certain he deserved it.

“I’ll help settle this mess tonight and I’ll probably be heading for Vegas in the morning, but right now? You make sure to keep my grandson from landing his butt in a jail cell,” Patrick ordered the son of his former bodyguard. “Oh, and Christian? Jensen’s grandmother will be wanting to meet this boy so you make sure you do whatever it takes to bring him home.”

“Oh, that goes without saying, sir,” Chris replied, gave Mark Ackles a hard stare, and shot a confused Samantha, who had just arrived in the room, a short smile while wishing her good luck. “I’ve gotta go kick Chad’s ass for getting jumped and then go find a cocky kid before Jensen does something stupid,” he told her, adding with a sigh. “Just try to help Morgan keep the damn place in Jensen’s name. We’ll worry about the investor angle later.”

By the time Chris got back to the penthouse, where he knew Jensen would head, he found his friend and employer just stepping out of the bedroom, having already changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. “I’ll take Justin and a few of the others and... Jensen, damn it! Wait a second!”

“Fuck you very much!” Jensen shot back as he grabbed a jacket from the closet before reaching for his keys and wallet and heading for the elevator. “Send Hartley and someone he trusts, preferably female, to go and either convince Miss Cortese to let them stay with her at her place or bring her and Molly to the hotel. If they come back here, I want you to make sure they are put in one of the private suites so they’ll be safe until we get Jared back and I make damn certain Padalecki understands that he shouldn’t have done this. Though he’s gonna learn that lesson first because you and I are going to pay the bastard a visit and find out just who he made a deal with and I just pray it wasn’t with who I think it was.”

Chris followed him into the elevator, starting to ask who only to stop and then groan. “Shit! I knew I should’ve shot that asshole the other night when he jumped him,” he muttered, frowning. “Jensen... this ain’t your fault, man. We didn’t know Padalecki would pull a stunt like this... that he would fucking sell his kid again.”

“I should’ve suspected he would do something like this. Jared probably did but I think he was more worried about him doing it to his sister. He probably thought he was safe since he was with me. Damn it, he should’ve been safe with me, Chris!” Jensen hit the wall of the elevator with his fist, angry with himself, with Chad, but most especially with James Padalecki. “I want him found, Chris. No... I need him found and it has to be soon because anyone that dick would deal with will hurt him.”

Chris decided against telling Jensen what else Chad had said he’d overheard the thug saying since he knew that would set his friend off for sure. “Let me call and see where Chad’s at; we can go pick him up and then we’ll pay Padalecki a visit,” he said. “The cops are also probably looking too but…”

“The cops won’t find him.” Jensen’s voice was tight, bitter when speaking of the police. “Even if they do look, if whoever did this hasn’t paid them off, they won’t find him. But that asshole father of his had better pray I do and he better pray Jay’s not hurt badly. Now find out where Chad’s at, but we’re not picking him up; just tell him to meet us at Padalecki’s place.”

As it turned out, Chad wasn’t able to meet them anywhere. Chris soon learned from the stern nurse who answered Chad’s phone that “Mr. Murray” had suffered serious injuries including a concussion, several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and some internal bleeding, and would be in surgery for the next few hours to repair the damage. That news did not make Jensen any happier.

He was no longer angry that Chad had failed to protect Jared since he realized that Chad must have tried his best to protect the boy. He was now worried about him as an employee and he realized, also as a friend which was new for Jensen.

Jensen shot Chris the finger when the bodyguard asked him if he had been serious about his use of the rarely before even thought of the ‘L’ word in regards to Jared. “Shut up before I fire you,” he muttered but he did repeat the word silently to himself while hoping he actually got the chance to say it to Jared himself... even if he accepted the odds were good the kid would just toss it back in his face.

Ignoring the fact that everything he’d worked so hard for could be ending soon, Jensen didn’t bother to doubt his decision to leave the meeting. He’d come to the hard conclusion about what was important to him and knew if he had to choose something to fight for, then it would be Jared.

He’d built a casino once and if he lost The Open Road, then he’d build another one. Right now all he could think about were big soft eyes and a dimpled smile. Jensen knew firsthand how cruel people in the sex scene could be and he knew Jared wasn’t close to prepared for what those assholes out there would do to him.

While driving across Vegas to the house where he’d picked Jared up just three months ago, Chris kept glancing at Jensen who sat beside him seething with anger and concern but staying quiet.

Chris had sent Justin Hartley and a few of his most trusted people to check on Gen and Molly with orders to either stay there or bring them to the hotel where a suite had already been arranged for them. He’d sent a few texts to a friend of his on the Las Vegas PD but hadn’t heard anything back either positive or negative on that front.

Pulling into the driveway, Chris frowned as he got out to look at the house. The grass was too high but he could excuse that since Jared hadn’t been here to mow it. He snagged Jensen’s arm to keep him from rushing headlong into what could be a bad situation but the moment he touched the door, the bodyguard knew.

“Jensen, he’s long gone from here,” he reported even as he picked the lock and stepped inside to see dust on the furniture, on the photos on the wall. “I bet he hasn’t been here for at least a month and I bet he doesn’t plan on coming back.”

Jensen felt cold but wasn’t sure if it was the chill in the house or something inside him that was cold. He knew that without James Padalecki to tell him who he’d dealt with, finding Jared in time to stop him from being hurt too badly had just become a lot more difficult.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Seven

48 Hours Later:

“So you lost seven investors thanks to your father’s lies and continued ranting. The others are willing to give you six months to find replacement investors and to keep the business up or they’ll pull out as well. I think your grandparents might be planning to drop in and... Jensen, are you even listening to me?” Jeffrey Dean Morgan finally demanded when he looked up from the file in his hand to see that Jensen’s eyes were glued to his computer screen and that he was growling at whatever he was – or wasn’t – seeing on the screen. “Jensen!”

“Yeah, lost seven and the rest didn’t have the guts to screw me over with Gramps on the line. Got it, whatever, now leave me alone so I can try to figure this damn thing out and maybe find Jared,” Jensen Ackles replied, still not looking up until he finally shoved his laptop aside with a bitter and disgusted curse. “Damn it! Why does Chad make this look so easy? Hell, Jared made it look easy! I can’t get the damn thing to even show me if there’s been any action on any of the credit cards I gave him or if his phone’s been used. I hate electronics! Chris! Find me a backup computer guy, someone who knows what he or she is doing!”

Since finding the Padalecki home abandoned, Jensen had been obsessed with two things: finding Jared or locating his father so he could beat some information out of him about who he’d sold his son to. James Padalecki, however, seemed to have disappeared completely. If he was hiding in one of the many casinos on or off the Strip, no one was willing to say they’d seen the man or give any helpful information to locate the still missing Jared. Both things were now making Jensen more agitated and snappish.

“Jensen, I understand you’re worried about this kid but... look, this is Vegas and this stuff happens all the time,” JD said, attempting to stress what was more important right then. “Really if you consider it, losing this kid, whatever his name is, might be the best thing for you given the potential legal issues about how he came to be here or…”

Jensen’s eyes lifted slowly while the muscles in his jaw twitched as he began to push up from his desk chair. “You seriously didn’t just say that to me.” He stared at the head attorney like the bearded older man had just grown a second head. “You seriously think someone kidnapping Jared like this, taking him when he should’ve been safe, is the best thing for me? That kid is the best thing for me! Jared has shown me and taught me so much without even trying and you’re saying to screw it and let whoever grabbed him have him so I can what? Focus on the casino? Focus on keeping my asshole investors happy?”

“Yes, as your attorney that is exactly what I’m saying because you are still in real danger of losing this place,” JD returned grimly even as Chris Kane was coming in the door. “I get that you don’t want to be like your father, but I happen to agree with the man on one point and that is you can’t afford to let your heart start screwing with your head, Jensen. Let this kid go and after you get the casino solidly back in your grasp, you can go find another guy to play with or whatever you want to do.”

“Whoa! Okay, that was out of line and you know it, Morgan!” Chris growled even as he was grabbing Jensen’s shoulders to shove him back when he went for the lawyer’s throat at the comment. “You don’t know Jared. You don’t know how he and Jensen get on, so you can’t comment on this like it was just a casual fling much less tell the boss to let the kid go which I will tell you right now isn’t happening.”

“I said it the other night and I’ll say it again. Jared’s important to me and I will find him even at the cost of my casino,” Jensen growled, glaring at JD. “If he will let me, I will spend the rest of my life making things up to him for how we met and for the crap I’ve put him through. So don’t you ever think for one goddamn second that I plan to just let him go because I won’t. I will tear every casino in Vegas apart if that’s what it takes but I will find him. If you don’t approve then there’s the door. Now, do you have any news for me or can I break my laptop?” he demanded of Chris, signaling that Jensen was done with the lawyer.

Chris made sure Jensen wasn’t going to lunge since it was plain that JD hadn’t taken the hint to leave before he stepped back slightly. “I went by the bank that Padalecki worked at and his boss said the man took an extended leave to care for his son after he overdosed on drugs... Jensen, don’t break that. He didn’t know where he was or when he planned to return to work since no one has been able to contact him in over a month.”

“A month of steady gambling means he’s racked up one hell of a bill with someone somewhere.” Jensen clenched his fingers. “Not a lot of the owners on the Strip would let someone like Padalecki rack up a bill like that unless they knew he had something to offer.”

Chris knew who Jensen feared had been behind this move and in truth, he shared that opinion but so far, he couldn’t prove anything. He just knew that very few other casino owners would be willing to deal in people to pay off a debt.

Vegas was lousy with slime and losers but most of the larger casinos on the Strip and even many off the Strip still upheld a certain code of conduct; so while drugs and prostitution were still common, direct human trafficking was a huge no-no. The few that dabbled in it were places that Chris tried to avoid... including The Devil’s Lair.

“Jensen, I need you to…” JD started to say when the door to Jensen’s office suddenly slammed open and he began to admit that he wasn’t going to convince the casino owner to focus on anything other than the missing young man.

“Who the hell let those witch doctors keep me in the hospital for two days? And what the fuck does Mike mean no one has found Jared yet? Am I the only one in this entire place who can hack a system to find some asshole like his old man?” Chad Michael Murray demanded as he stormed through the door. His pale face was still bruised, but he wasted no time in tossing his jacket to the side, which revealed the plastic hospital bracelet on his wrist that he hadn’t bothered to remove after signing himself out AMA. “And I really did not hear this pencil pusher say to let Jared go, right? Cause if I did, I might be kicking his ass after I hack some people to find my buddy.”

As Chad shoved his way to the desk, Chris coughed and shared a surprised look with Jensen. “Why am I even surprised that Chad released himself AMA and took a cab here instead of calling one of us to come get him?”

“My damn phone died while I was in the hospital and why would I call when I just could grab a cab?” Chad looked at what Jensen had been doing only to roll his eyes. “Why haven’t you dragged Padalecki’s ass in and beaten the crap out of the bastard for what he did?” he demanded. “Did you at least get Jared’s sister someplace safe? Apparently, the asshole was telling her all about the important people he wanted her to meet. And it doesn’t take a genius to figure out by the way that thug was talking about his boss planning to turn Jared into the perfect sub and all that crap who probably did this. Kane! Did you not tell the boss any of the stuff I think I told you before I passed out?”

“Chad? How much pain medication did those nurses give you before you left the hospital?” Chris asked while blowing out a breath. He turned just in time to catch Jensen’s fist before it connected with his face. “Yes! Chad did say a lot more stuff than I told you, but none of it gave any solid leads about who ordered the grab or who Padalecki made the deal with.” He ignored JD’s attempts to point out that they couldn’t kidnap someone to get information out of him. “I didn’t tell you what he said the guy said because I knew you were wired enough. We will find Jared, and we’ll get him back before anyone can hurt him too badly, Jensen. I will find Padalecki and... hey, Morgan! You might want to leave now because the less you hear the better for when you have to deny knowing anything.”

“Damn it, Jensen!” JD snapped furiously, glaring at the bodyguard while Chad merely snorted and went to work on the computer. “This is what you let go on? Kane’s talking about kidnapping some poor man and what? Working him over until he talks?” he demanded with disgust. He turned to Chris. “Do you seriously think Jensen will…”

“Jensen will do whatever it takes to get Jared back and that includes putting my fist in James Padalecki’s face like I’ve wanted to do since I realized just how twisted he really was,” Jensen broke in, stepping in between the bodyguard and lawyer to stare the man in the face. “You don’t like my choices, Jeff? You don’t like that I’m finally making a choice about what’s important to me? You don’t like that I’ve finally, maybe, found someone I care for and that I will do whatever it takes to find him and get him back?” He walked to the door to yank it open. “Here’s the door. Now go and do what I pay you to do while Chris and Chad do what I pay them to do. I’ll handle my grandparents if and when they come if and when I have the time. If I don’t have the time, that’s what I pay Samantha for.”

As JD stormed out of the office, Jensen resisted the urge to slam the door and instead leaned against it with a sigh. “By the time this is all over, I’ll have no employees, no casino, and I’ll probably be in jail. Chad, should you be out of the hospital?” he asked since he knew that Chris had spoken to the man’s doctor several times over the past two days. “Chris told me that you were dealing with a severe concussion, a punctured lung, broken ribs, and internal injuries.”

“They said I’m not going to drop dead and so long as no one punches me and I don’t move wrong and the stitches don’t pull out, I’m good enough to find Jaybird.” Chad’s fingers were moving over the keyboard but his frown told how unhappy he was. “I should’ve been paying more attention. The moment I saw his old man, I should’ve gotten him the hell out of there but... damn it! He had no chance against those assholes, Jensen! He tried to fight but... his father grabbed his arm and…”

Chris had never actually killed anyone for his employer. Jensen had never ever actually asked him any questions about the people that he had discouraged or paid off to disappear, but this might be one time when money and a fast ticket to some out-of-the-way island wasn’t going to work. He might actually do something more permanent... as soon as he got his hands on the man in question.

“Like I told Jensen, none of us actually expected his father to do something stupid like this. If I had, I would’ve had Mike or Justin go along with you guys to that ballet,” Chris remarked. “Now, what’re you doing besides beating that keyboard up?”

“Well, I’m looking to see if any of the cards Jensen gave him have been used or if that cellphone is on so I can lock onto the GPS. I’m also setting a ping signal up to try to find Padalecki’s cell while running his name and general description through some databases for hotels or casinos,” Chad replied, going into another set of windows. “I can also hack into the security cameras for other casinos around here to see if he’s shown his face because I heard that asshole tell him that his boss was giving him an open tab for anything he wanted for supplying him with a 24-7 submissive.”

“Jared is not a goddamn sub much less a 24-7 one,” Jensen muttered darkly, fingers clenching in his pockets to avoid putting holes in his walls. “That should narrow down your search plenty since there’s basically only one casino owner on or off the Strip that would offer that and you know it!”

Chris did know it, but he also knew he couldn’t go breaking Mark Pellegrino’s door down without some tangible proof and for that, they needed Jared’s father. “I also know Pellegrino owns a lot of people and we can’t go against him without proof that he’s doing a lot more with his little sex club than just supplying his VIPs with some fun times as they play roles they don’t understand.

“Jensen, I love that you’re finally realizing what an ass you’ve been and I really love that you might be unsticking your head from your ass, but right now I really need that cold callous side to stay in control,” he said seriously. “I know you feel guilty for this happening. I know you’re worried about Jared and you want him back. We will get him back but we can’t jump the gun because if Pellegrino is the one who grabbed him and he figures out that you’re not letting this go, he will move that kid out of state or worse, out of the country. You know if he does that we’re screwed and the kid’s as good as dead. You get that, right?”

Jensen shot his friend a hard scowl but finally nodded. He tried sitting down while Chad worked and Chris sent various texts to people but after about 10 minutes of sitting, Jensen was too on edge and needed to move.

He thought about going upstairs to grab a quick shower and something to eat but then remembered the reason he was hanging out in the office to begin with; the damn penthouse was too quiet now and everywhere he went in it had something that reminded him of Jared and the guilt was killing him.

“I need air and food. I’m going downstairs,” he told the two men which got him dual grunts. “Call or text me if you find anything, no matter how small.”

Jensen left his office through the main door, which shocked his secretary as well as other people in the hall, and then he took the public elevator instead of his private one to the casino’s main floor. He knew his employees weren’t used to seeing him since normally he left the daily business to Chris, Samantha, or even Justin if it were floor business. Now he guessed if he managed to fix all of this, he’d have to see about changing that.

Stepping into the elevator, Jensen leaned against the back wall with a slow shaky breath and pulled out what he’d been wrapping his fingers around in his pocket. He stared at the red silk ribbon as he thought of Jared and wondered where the hell he was right then. “Jay, where are you?” he whispered.

48-Hours Earlier:

Waking up in the pitch dark and in a tight place immediately had Jared Padalecki freaking out. He hadn’t liked the dark or small, enclosed spaces since he’d been a small boy because his father had often locked him in a dark closet as punishment and the man would leave him there for hours.

He’d learned to work around his fears and they didn’t bother him most of the time, but as he woke up this time and his memories came rushing back to him, Jared’s panic reached an all-new level.

The night at the ballet came back to him. He recalled his happy surprise that Jensen was letting him go; he recalled that he and Chad were going to take Gen and Molly out to dinner; he recalled that he had actually been looking forward to going back to The Open Road casino and sharing the details of the night with Jensen. He’d loved seeing his sister dance and hearing her laugh, but then the night had soured when his father had made an appearance.

Jared remembered trying to struggle as his father bragged that he’d made a better deal with someone else, someone who was willing to offer him more than Jensen had, and was willing to give him anything for Jared’s life. His last memory was of being shoved into the trunk as a foul-smelling cloth had descended over his face.

He didn’t know who his Dad had made the deal with, but he didn’t like the things the guy who’d grabbed him had said. He thought about the things Jensen had done and the threats he’d made when he’d first arrived at The Open Road, and he suspected that he was in for much worse. Jared tried to move only to discover his arms were bound tightly behind him; he tried to shift his legs and realized his ankles were tied as well. His heart rate sped up and he began to struggle to breathe as the panic became overwhelming.

Whoever had taken him had tied him up after shoving him into the trunk. He became aware of spots of pain littering his body and realized he’d probably been beaten as well. Whoever was doing this was not going to give him any chance to escape and he feared the guy hadn’t been bluffing about the things they would be doing to him.

Jared thought about Chad, remembered seeing him crumpled on the ground, and hoped he wasn’t hurt too badly. Then he thought about Jensen and what the man had said about no one looking for him. Jared struggled not to allow those thoughts to take root or else he wasn’t sure if he could hold onto the courage to fight whoever this was. He needed to believe that despite everything that had happened between them, Jensen did look at him now as more than some piece of property and would look for him. He had to believe that.

He tried to twist his hands but they were bound too tightly to even try to reach into a pocket. Then Jared realized there was no point in trying to get into his pockets as he dimly recalled hands searching him, removing his wallet, his watch, and phone, and tossing them to his father, telling him to enjoy the gifts before the trunk had slammed closed.

Now Jared’s mind was clearing and he was fighting not to hyperventilate in the dark trunk as he felt the car pull to a stop. He tried to roll to his back, thinking that maybe he could at least kick with his legs, but found that he couldn’t move much in the cramped trunk.

The voices were muffled as they neared the trunk so Jared couldn’t make them out and he didn’t recognize any of them. Several moments later, the trunk popped, and bright artificial lights blinded Jared.

“Hey! Help! Help... mmhmm!” He instinctively tried to scream for help but his throat was sore, ragged from being grabbed earlier in the night, and then a meaty hand slammed over his mouth while a fist slammed into his skull.

“Shut the fuck up, kid!” the large broad-shouldered thug growled, reaching into the trunk and grabbing a fistful of hair. “When I take my hand away, don’t you make a fucking sound. Ain’t no one around here to hear you and ain’t no one who would help you anyway. Everyone here knows you’re the boss’s merchandise. Bought and paid for like the good little whore your Daddy said you were.”

Jared tensed as he was pulled from the trunk and placed on his feet. He thought about trying to pull free but there were several men surrounding him and he was tied too tightly. As his eyes adjusted to the harsh light, he tried to look around, to see where he was. He expected to see the bright lights of a casino or some other type of club but soon realized the bright lights were scattered around an airfield and a small private plane was sitting nearby as if waiting to…

He started to panic as the men began to drag him toward the airplane; he was being taken away, out of Las Vegas, away from any place that Jensen or Chris might think to look for him. “No!” he shouted, struggling against the men who held him, but he didn’t stand a chance as they pulled him effortlessly up the stairs of the plane. One man slapped a wide strip of duct tape over his mouth just before he was thrown into a chair and quickly strapped down with several leather belts. The hands moving over his body made no attempt to disguise their groping for what it was.

“The boss called and said he’d be late. We should go ahead and take off and he’ll meet us there,” someone told the thug in charge while leering at Jared. “He needs to tie up some loose ends, make sure everything with the kid’s old man is settled. He also needs to make sure Ackles isn’t going to make any trouble.”

“Oh, Ackles isn’t going to be an issue,” the head thug laughed, bending to grab a handful of Jared’s hair, yanking his head back painfully. “He’s got plenty of problems of his own to worry about. And even if he manages to buy his way out of trouble, this punk ain’t nothing to him but a useless little toy. He’ll be fucking the next hot body by the morning. Or did you think you might be special to Mr. Ice?” he sneered, backhanding Jared hard so that his head bounced off the seat and he couldn’t hide the cry of pain. “He doesn’t care about anything or anyone, pretty boy. And he sure as hell wouldn’t give a damn about someone like you so you can get any hope of rescue out of your head right now. You need to start accepting that the only thing you are good for is fucking.”

Jared jerked his head away but felt his chest tightening as the door slammed shut and he felt the plane begin to accelerate. Another hard fist struck the side of his head and as Jared’s thoughts wavered, his eyes watering and starting to slip closed, he thought of Jensen again. This time, however, the hope of being rescued wasn’t as strong and something slowly seemed to dim inside the younger man. ‘Jensen will find me,’ he thought to himself but his inner self didn’t feel very confident as he fell into blackness with still no idea who was doing this to him or why.

Presently at The Open Road Casino:

As Jensen stepped out of the elevator, he was pleased to hear the usual level of noise coming from the casino area. He had been silently worried that perhaps business would drop off, that his father would do something to try to drive away customers and guests, but so far that didn’t seem to be happening.

He could see people checking into the hotel and the shops and dining areas seemed to be busy, so that worry began to ease. Right then his stomach growled and reminded him that he had come down here intending to eat, needing to be distracted rather than hiding in his penthouse while Marta fixed him something.

Glancing around at his many choices, Jensen suddenly decided he wasn’t in the mood for anything fancy or too exotic. His eyes suddenly caught sight of a place off to the side, a place that he had always wanted to eat in but had avoided because it hadn’t fit his carefully crafted image. No highly respected casino owner would be caught eating in what looked like an old-fashioned 50s diner. Now he didn’t care about his image and he wanted a damn burger.

Jensen felt eyes on him, which shouldn’t have surprised him, because even in jeans and a T-shirt, people would recognize him. He tried to ignore the stares and whispers as he sat at the counter and smiled his thanks at the waitress who handed him a menu so he could look at the choices. It had been years since he’d had anything as simple as a burger and fries. Marta put burgers on the same level as pizza.

He ordered a double bacon cheeseburger with fries and a vanilla shake and settled to wait for his food. His meal had just arrived when he felt eyes on him that were different, more intense, than the others that had been watching him. Jensen tensed subtly until he glanced next to him as a slender, blond-haired teenage girl took the stool beside him.

“Jared likes double bacon cheeseburgers too, but he likes chocolate shakes and onion rings,” Molly Padalecki said, taking the menu he silently offered her and flipping through it before looking Jensen straight in the face. “So? Are you my brother’s boyfriend or his owner?”

Michael Rosenbaum, who’d been given the task of keeping an eye on Molly and Gen Cortese while they were guests of the hotel, choked when he heard that question and instantly turned on his heel to retreat to a nearby booth while Jensen was suddenly glad that he hadn’t lost his ability to maintain a perfect poker face because the girl’s question pretty much floored him.

He knew he could lie to the girl, but he didn’t want to. Besides, in all honestly, Jensen wasn’t sure what he was to Jared and he wasn’t sure what exactly Jared considered him. “That’s... complicated to be honest with you,” he admitted once he’d found his voice. He smiled at her, recognizing so much of Jared’s spunk in this petite girl. “I’m not his owner – that’s for damn sure. But I don’t think I’m his boyfriend either. I... I have feelings for your brother, but I don’t think he realizes that yet since I’ve been…” He paused to find an age-appropriate word. “I guess you could say I’ve been an ass to Jared since he’s been here; it’s only been recently that I’ve seen what I had with him. Can I ask how you even know who I am?” he asked curiously. “Jay never wanted you to know anything.”

Molly ordered a milkshake and a hot dog even though she knew it was against her diet. She planned to snag some of Jensen’s fries. Right then she was studying the guy that she’d seen only briefly after the tall blond guy brought her and Gen to the fancy hotel and casino. The man had spoken quietly to Gen and even though they were speaking quietly, her acute hearing had picked up him telling Gen that Jared had been kidnapped at the ballet.

“I’m not stupid like my Dad thinks or as naïve as Jared would like to think. I live in Sin City and I want to be a dancer. I’ve been hit on since I was 14 and I know my Dad’s been trying to figure out what that could get him.” She shrugged while Jensen had to fight to keep his eyes from bugging out. “You know that Jared’s been taking care of me since our Mom died, right? Well, I know that our Dad’s got a gambling habit and that it’s been Jared keeping our house, keeping food on the table, and keeping me in clothes and dance classes.

“He doesn’t know I know. I didn’t want him to know that I knew. It was my Dad who told me last year that it was Jared paying for everything I had. He wanted me to quit dancing and help Jared earn money. He kept saying Jared was clumsy and useless and stupid because he was only getting minimum wage but…”

“Jay’s brilliant,” Jensen cut in before he could stop himself. He finally took the time to take a bite out of his burger and could have wept at the taste. He split his fries with the teenager who was eyeing them enviously. “He knows numbers like nobody else I’ve ever met and has done things with my computers that my high-priced employees can’t, so he is far from stupid.”

“But he can be clumsy,” Molly giggled a little when Jensen merely shrugged. “Jared jokes that I got all the grace and stuff.” She frowned a little around a bite of food. “I knew when Dad gave me that line about Jared taking a job out of state for six months that he was lying. He gave Jared to you in payment for a debt, didn’t he? He sold you my brother?”

Jensen closed his eyes as he heard those words come out of Molly’s mouth and realized just how wrong it sounded and how wrong he’d been to do it. “Yes,” he whispered, sighing. “When I took that deal, I... I had plans and... like I said, I wasn’t a nice man to Jared when we met but... I began to realize the longer he was with me that what I was doing was wrong.

“Your brother helped me to see that things in my past, things that happened to me, I was repeating even as I was trying not to, but even before then... I’d offered him his freedom. But he refused.” Jensen understood just how much courage that had taken and how far they’d both had come since that first damn night. “It was no longer about your dad’s debt since I’d paid that earlier... I told Jared I’d forgive the debt and he could go but he didn’t and he... he made a new deal with me. A deal that... that I guess I stopped caring about a few weeks ago and now will tear up in front of him when I see him.”

“Jared stayed for me, didn’t he?” Molly saw the nod and sighed. “It was your people who arranged for me to stay with Gen and still go to class and have everything I needed? It was you who Jared asked to help him get us away from Dad?”

“Jared wanted you to be safe. He wanted you away from your Dad before he could pull any stunts with you. He wanted you to be able to go to a dance school – a good one, maybe in New York – and I promised to help him get you there,” Jensen acknowledged, amazed at how wise this pretty girl was and he knew she’d fit in well in New York. “He wants you to have a good life, Molly.”

“And what kind of life will Jared have?” Molly countered, looking into steady green eyes as if trying to figure the man out. She had originally pegged him as the typical Las Vegas casino jackass; now she wasn’t so sure since she’d caught the way he talked about her big brother and the way his eyes changed when he used the nickname that she knew her brother normally didn’t like. “Is he... is he like your slave or…”

“No, Jared is no one’s slave,” Jensen replied firmly. He felt his phone vibrate but ignored it; instead, he turned on the stool to take small fragile hands in his. “I can’t take back how things were when we first met, Molly. I wish I could because those are two months I will always hate myself over, but when I get him back, and I will get Jay back, I will tell him exactly how I feel and hope he can one day forgive me.”

Molly stared at Jensen before popping another fry in her mouth. “How do you feel about my brother, Mr. Ackles?” she asked curiously.

“I love him,” Jensen murmured. As he heard Mike choking again, he realized that this was the first time he had ever said those words about anyone other than his grandmothers or maybe Samantha Smith or Chris’s mother. “I love him,” he repeated more for himself than anyone else and closed his eyes to cover the sudden burning. “God help me but I do love him.”

Molly still had her doubts about this tall ruggedly handsome man but as she watched his face pale as he said the words a third time, she smiled and reached over to hug his neck tightly. “Jared’s had very few people who really loved him. I do but I don’t count ‘cause I’m his sister. If you really mean it, then when you find him, tell him and then just be this guy for him... be this guy who eats burgers with me and not the uptight casino guy Gen and I first met. If you can be that guy around Jared, I think my big brother will forgive you for being a dick.”

Jensen suddenly laughed at her words and wondered how Jared would react when he realized his sweet little sister had the same vocabulary as all the other teenagers in Vegas. He was about to offer to buy her another shake when he heard his name shouted from the door and saw Chris standing there.

Leaving Molly to finish eating and giving Mike a sharp look to watch the teenager, Jensen dropped enough money on the table to cover the bill and then stepped out of the diner. “What?” he asked the bodyguard. He noticed Justin coming across the lobby and Chris quickly told him to switch places with Mike. As soon as he did, the other bodyguard moved toward the elevator where Chad was practically vibrating in his haste to get moving.

“We’ve found Jared’s old man,” Chris reported grimly, holding up his phone to show a blinking dot. “He just pawned a gold Rolex at a pawn shop downtown. He’s alone. Do you want to come or…”

Glancing back to see Molly watching him through the glass while Justin sat down beside her, Jensen knew what his answer had to be. “Let’s go get the asshole.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Stupid cheapskate bastards. Lowballing me on practically new, high-quality items, but a couple of grand is a couple of grand,” James Padalecki muttered as he stalked from the pawnshop. He headed towards his newly leased Mercedes Benz while counting the cash in his hand, but then smirked as he pulled a shiny new credit card out of his son’s wallet. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed straight to a nearby ATM, planning to draw out the maximum amount, just as he had done earlier in the day. His thoughts were of money, gambling, and his new car; he didn’t give a single thought to his son’s whereabouts or condition.

Sticking the card in the ATM, James snickered that his son was stupid enough to write down the PINs and keep them in the wallet. “Stupid kid deserves what he gets,” he muttered but then frowned when the machine not only didn’t give him the cash he’d requested but also kept the card while flashing an error message.

“What the fuck?” the man growled, hitting the button to try to get the card out. When the machine refused to release the card, he tried again with a different card only to have the same thing happen again. “What the…”

“You didn’t seriously think the boss wouldn’t cancel those the first time one became active after we learned what you did, Padalecki?”

The deep gruff voice that spoke from behind him had James turning in obvious surprise only to grunt when a hard fist connected with his face, knocking him down. Before he could react, that same fist was gripping his new silk tie and jerking him up to meet hard eyes as Chris Kane glared at him.

“K-Kane, what the hell do you want?” he managed to get out before another fist hit him and then other hands were grabbing him as a car pulled up to the curb. “I... I haven’t…”

“You haven’t what, Padalecki?” the bodyguard snarled while Mike easily muscled the surprised man to the back of the car as the trunk popped open. “Broken your deal with my boss? Screwed over your kid for a second time? We know exactly what you’ve done and you’re going to be singing your guts out for me or whatever Jared’s going through right now will seem tame compared to what I have planned for you.”

A hard shove had the man stumbling back into the trunk and Mike quickly slammed it shut while taking a quick glance around to be sure they didn’t have an audience. Not seeing anyone on the street, the bald bodyguard watched as his superior stalked to the side of the car and jerked open the door. “You think he’ll tell us who he dealt with or where the kid is?” he asked.

“Oh, he’ll tell me what he knows,” Chris replied with confidence as he got in the back of the limo while Mike took his place in the front seat beside the driver. “Hey Chad, did you get the stuff out of the pawn shop?”

“Yep. Rick’s a good man. He recognized the Rolex when it came in from the description you faxed to all the pawnshops. He called us right away and was perfectly happy to give it and the phone to us for what little the asshole took for it.”

Jensen was silent as he sat next to Chris in the back of the limo. His eyes were fixated on the phone as he scrolled through pictures that Chad had clearly taken the night of the ballet. Finally, he sat back and tossed the phone to Chris. “The dick didn’t even have the sense to wipe the phone back to factory settings.” He fingered the watch, wondering again where its owner was. “He talks or he bleeds, Chris.”

Chris nodded, understanding the unspoken order, but he had to wonder if Jensen knew how badly his hands were shaking. “We’re going to find him, Jensen. We will.”

“I know. I just hope he knows that and doesn’t give up hope.” Jensen slipped the watch into his pocket while taking the phone back to stare at a photo of Jared laughing as Chad tried to show him how to take a selfie without cutting his head off. “Hang on, Jay. Just hang on.”

40 Hours Earlier:

“The Master said to place the boy in the center room on the St. Andrews Cross. He is hosting a meeting right now, but before he takes him to the training area, he wants him to understand his new place.”

The voice seemed muffled or maybe it was the ringing in his ears that made it sound that way to Jared Padalecki. He couldn’t be sure if his ears were ringing from the constant abuse his face and head were taking or if there was some other reason for it.

When he’d regained consciousness on the airplane, the black-suited thugs had tormented him with threats, crude comments, and promises of things to come. “You just wait, pretty boy; you can’t even imagine the things the Master has planned for you.” The head thug, as Jared had come to think of him, ran his hand suggestively down Jared’s chest and then over the front of his jeans, fondling him through the material. Jared frantically tried to twist away, to do something to get the man away from him, but he was strapped down too tightly. In a final act of desperation, he leaned his head all the way back and then sharply jerked forward, bringing a torrent of blood from his molester’s nose. “Son of a bitch!” the man hollered staggering back several steps. Someone handed him a wad of paper towels, which he used to staunch the flow. “You broke my damn nose you little prick... you are going to regret trying to fight back.” The man lurched forward and grabbed Jared around the throat with his bloodstained hands. Jared started to panic at the sudden lack of air but no amount of thrashing on his part loosened the hands around his neck. As his surroundings began to fade, he dimly heard someone warning the man not to kill him. Then the darkness returned.

Jared had only been vaguely aware of the plane landing as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He had no idea if they’d been in the air for 2 hours or 20. The head thug removed the belts holding him to the seat, but with his hands and feet still bound, he was forced to remain sitting, waiting for the men to move him. The duct tape over his mouth was ripped harshly away and a huge ballgag was forced between his teeth and strapped in place. He took in a few frantic breaths through his nose but then the thug put a thick and heavy hood over his head and he wasn’t able to see anything when they dragged him off the plane. The total blackness as well as the ballgag stretching his jaw to its limit had him struggling to avoid a panic attack, but he couldn’t quite fight it and within a few minutes he began to hyperventilate and once again passed out.

Now his ears were ringing, making him dizzy, as he felt his body literally dragged up four steps. He managed to count them as his feet bonelessly slapped onto each one. He could tell that he was now inside someplace, but he couldn’t figure out where. Something in the place smelled... weird. There was a chemical smell as well as sickeningly sweet smells that seemed to be trying to cover other odors that Jared couldn’t place, but he was fully certain that he’d smelled something similar before.

Then the stiff, slightly accented words registered and Jared suddenly realized what his kidnappers were being told to hook him to. He began to weakly struggle, but it was a useless effort given that he was still tied and his arms and legs were nearly numb from being restrained for so long.

He had seen the St. Andrews Cross in action both in clubs with his father and at the party Jensen had taken him to. Jared knew that once he was on that thing, every lewd and vile threat and promise made to him would happen because he knew in his gut that these assholes were not bluffing or exaggerating what they would do to him.

“Oh yeah, you just keep fighting, pretty boy. It’s actually turning me on! You’re just making this harder on yourself. It won’t be long before the boss gets here and starts whipping you into shape... literally.” The head thug chuckled darkly as they shoved the struggling young man back against the heavy metal bondage device. He pressed his hands into Jared’s shoulders, holding him in place while snapping orders to cut Jared’s legs loose and then hook them down. “The boss wants the whole club membership to get a look at you, sweet thing. Then he’ll take you below where the real fun’ll happen.”

Jared felt the bindings on his legs come loose, but he didn’t have time to even try to kick before his legs were pulled apart and strapped to the device. Then his arms were freed only long enough to be pulled up and secured above his head. He was now tied spread-eagled on the bondage device; so far he still had his clothes on, but Jared knew that would probably change soon.

He strained against the cuffs but soon realized it was useless. Jared tried to stay calm; he hated the hood and the gag but fought against the panic by thinking of Jensen. He struggled to believe that despite the threats and comments from the thugs that he’d been forgotten and no one would come looking for him, that Jensen was looking and would hopefully find him before anything too terrible happened.

Then he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching, heavy footsteps, which told Jared it was mostly men. He felt bile threaten as his stomach churned and knew anything that happened now would be bad.

“Strip him for the Master!” a sharp voice ordered and all Jared could do to avoid panicking as rough hands began cutting and tearing away his clothes was focus on deep green eyes and pray for rescue.

Present Time in Las Vegas:

“Please! I don’t know what this is about! I’ve kept my deal with your boss! I’ve stayed out of his damn place! I... was…”

The moment the trunk of the limo opened, James Padalecki was shouting non-stop at a non-impressed Michael Rosenbaum who pulled him out and shoved him into a heavy chair that was bolted to the floor. The gambler looked around what appeared to be an empty warehouse.

“Then I guess you can explain how you came to be in possession of Jared’s watch and his credit cards. Come on, Padalecki, we know you made another deal with someone else for him and we know you were part of the attack on him and Chad the other night. Setting up your own son’s kidnapping, taking him away after you made a deal with me, definitely counts as double-crossing me!” Jensen Ackles spoke as he stepped from the limo to glare at the sweating gambler.

“What? I don’t know what you... Oh! Jared’s credit cards? Oh! Those are actually mine... I just put them in his name. I’ve had them since before he went to you and... ugh!” James was quickly cut off when Jensen’s fingers were suddenly around his throat.

“How fucking stupid do you think I am, Padalecki?” Jensen growled furiously, shoving the man back as his hands were cuffed behind him and then to the chair. “You don’t have a valid credit card to your name! Did you think I’d just forget that I took out cards in Jared’s name for him to use and then when he was grabbed, thanks to your greedy plans, not think to look for them to be used? Also? The Rolex that you pawned is inscribed to him but I doubt he ever saw that and I know you never bothered to look. Plus ... the phone is linked to my account and you never reset it. So you want to try another lie or do you actually want to try the truth before Chris gets to play?”

James glared up at Jensen. He wasn’t stupid enough to not be worried but his dislike of this arrogant faggot made him forget the position he was in. “He’s my stupid kid! Apparently, you weren’t using him like I thought you would. My expectation was that you would teach him his damn place so when I got him back I could actually make some damn money from ugh!”

“Jensen!” Chris had been willing to allow Jensen to take the lead on this but the moment the damn moron got mouthy and he caught the flash of rage on Jensen’s face, he was shoving between them while Mike tapped the barrel of a gun on James’s head as if to say how stupid that had been.

“You would never have gotten him back, you goddamn bastard. You will never see him or Molly ever again!” Jensen had never liked the man but that comment, right there, told him everything he needed to know about him and his feelings for his children.

“Nope, I don’t have to worry about seeing him because he’s with someone now who’ll use him for what he’s good for, and I’ll get a free ride on my son’s ability to be a good fuck for…” James suddenly clamped his mouth shut as he realized he might’ve just given away too much. “But you won’t be seeing him again either, hotshot. I hope you enjoyed the couple months of ass you got out of him ‘cause now he belongs to someone else and there ain’t a damn thing you or the muscle boys can do about it.”

“Oh really?” Chris had been trying to shove Jensen far enough back to make sure he wouldn’t be able to do anything to hurt their chances of getting the necessary information out of the man, but with that smug comment, he suddenly stopped restraining his friend and turned to face the sneering gambler with a slow, cold, hard smile. “If you seriously believe that then you are in for a very rude awakening because what I threatened you with when I called you before was mostly play. At that point you hadn’t really done anything to seriously piss me off, but now? Now, you’ve seriously pissed me off. I will get that kid back and if you don’t want to end up dead in some alley or coyote bait in the desert, I suggest you give some serious thought to telling Jensen who you dealt with and where Jared is right now.” He stripped his jacket off to show the shoulder holster he wore while motioning Mike to step back.

James stared between the men before laughing. “You ain’t nothing but a bag of hot air, Kane. He told me that Ackles’ wasn’t nothin’ but a waste of space, a coward on his way to losing that piece of crap casino ‘cause he doesn’t have the balls to stand up to his old man.” He shot a fierce glare, a little more confident as he talked. “The guy I dealt with this time, the guy who not only wiped my debt clear but is giving me an open tab in his joint, is a real man. He’ll teach that kid of mine how to take it up the ass like a good submissive and he said you won’t hurt me so just drop the act and let me go. Huh? Hey! Where’re... what’s…”

“You’re right about one thing.” Jensen’s tone was ice-cold and furious as he fought for control. He finally stepped back after murmuring something to Chris and getting a terse nod out of the man. “ I won’t hurt you. That’s what he’s for.” He nodded to a smirking Chris. “Get me what I want to know and anyone here that doesn’t want to watch can take a walk.”

39 Hours Earlier:

“He’s not a very obedient slave.”

“True, but this glorious body more than makes up for little annoyances like that.”

“He needs to be collared. Perhaps if he’s difficult to break, the Master should brand him in case he slips the collar.”

“Wonderful idea. I believe he’s also considering having a special surgeon implant a microchip under his skin in case tracking is required.”

“Ahhh, a very good plan these days. There are too many goody-two-shoes out there who don’t believe in our lifestyle. This one will bring the Master good money once he’s broken, so he won’t want to lose him.”

Jared jerked his head or tried to, but his head was held firmly in place. Once the head thug had removed the hood and replaced it with a blindfold, he hooked a leather strap across his forehead to keep it still, making sure Jared wouldn’t be headbutting anyone else.

He couldn’t see but he could hear and feel plenty. The noise in the room told him there had to be a dozen or more people, both men and women by the sound of it, wherever he was. Their tones were mocking, crude, almost as bad, and in some cases worse, than anything he’d heard at those clubs or from friends of his father. Jared thought he recognized a couple of voices from that horrible party but he told himself that wasn’t possible. Despite his attempts at denial, his heart began to speed up as he started to suspect who had taken him.

The head thug had whispered lewd promises as he cut away Jared’s clothes until finally Jared was naked and trapped spread-eagle on the St. Andrew’s Cross in front of a bunch of sick and depraved people. The young man knew he was blushing and for once he was actually glad he couldn’t see as he didn’t think he could handle the stares and leers.

Hands had touched him, groped, and fondled him in places and in ways that Jensen hadn’t. People were commenting on the size of his penis, his balls, and someone had even stuck something in his ass while commenting on how tight he was.

Enough time had passed that some were getting a little too hands-on and grabby while expressing in detail what they’d like to do with him if he were theirs.

“But he’s not yours, Emery. This little pet belongs to me... just like I knew he would from the first moment I saw him.”

The low oily deep voice had Jared’s heart nearly stopping in his chest. Even blindfolded, he recognized that voice. It was one of two that he doubted he’d ever forget regardless of what happened to him. Hearing it now told him with no further uncertainty that his father had literally made a deal with the devil and Jensen would never be able to find him.

Presently in Las Vegas:

“What happens if this dick doesn’t give the guy up?” Chad Michael Murray asked with concern from where he sat on the hood of the limo. He was watching Chris Kane work on Jared’s father using tactics that the computer specialist hadn’t ever seen the head bodyguard use before.

In the computer and security rooms, people often discussed Christian Kane in hushed whispers, wondering if he really had done some of the things they had heard about or if those were just rumors. As far as Chad knew, no one except maybe Jensen had ever seen this side of the man before... and quite frankly Chad decided he would never piss the man off again.

“He will,” Jensen replied, but even he was beginning to have doubts as he glanced at his watch and saw that 40 minutes had passed. He had honestly expected the senior Padalecki to be screaming his lungs out after the first blow Chris expertly landed. “He has to. They’ve had him for too long already.”

Jensen understood the dark underbelly of the D/s world. He had been an adult before he learned that there were Dom/sub relationships between two consenting adults, relationships in which both parties were happy and fulfilled. For years he had seen only the dark, demented side with people who called themselves Doms but were little more than abusive assholes and where the subs were little more than slaves.

Bianca had been one of those people, his father another, and he could easily name several more in Sin City, including the very man whose name he was desperately praying did not come out of James’s lips when he finally began screaming for Chris to stop.

“Talk! And talk fast because my patience ended about 38 minutes ago,” Chris growled, jerking the man’s head back and shoving the barrel of his pistol under his jaw. “Who the hell did you sell Jared to? Who’s this high roller who would give you a free pass at his casino since we all know he was obviously looking to get his hands on the kid. Your constant losing streaks and racked-up bills were just a means to get Jared. Who?”

James had thought he could buy himself enough time for Kane to get bored and decide that Jared wasn’t worth his time or trouble. He had been determined to tough it out but it was becoming painfully obvious that the bodyguard hadn’t been bluffing with his threats to hurt him until he gave up who he’d made the deal with.

The man knew that if he gave up the name, he’d be blowing his easy life and instant source for booze, gambling, and women, but he was now more interested in just hopefully walking out of this with his skin attached, which he realized he was very close to losing.

“Wait! Wait a damn second, you damn sadist!” he screamed, trying to ignore his pounding heart or the fact that he’d pissed himself in his fright. “I’ll tell you but it won’t do you any good. He took the kid out of the city. He’s beyond your... ugh!”

Chris dug his fingers into the soft flesh of James’ neck while leaning into his face, no flicker of emotion remaining. “Who took him?” he demanded in a low hard toneless voice. “Who?!”

39 Hours Earlier:

The voice that spoke chilled Jared because he knew it. He knew it and hated it now like he’d hated it that night at the party at The Devil’s Lair.

A rough hand jerked the blindfold off his eyes and removed the ball gag from his mouth even as strong fingers gripped his jaw. Jared kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see the face that went along with the voice.

“I’ve waited a long time for this, Pet. I have such plans for you. You are just going to be my perfect submissive little slave. Now before I gag you again, I’d like to hear you acknowledge me as your new Master.” Jared wished he could turn his head away, but the strap across his forehead along with the hand gripping his jaw ensured that he was immobile. He defied Pellegrino the only way he could, by remaining silent. “Now, Pet,” the man chastised. “Don’t be stubborn. Your training will be so much easier if you are obedient.” When Jared still refused to speak, the fingers on his jaw tightened painfully. “Damn it boy! Look at me and speak!”

Opening his eyes was the last thing Jared wanted to do because he didn’t want to see the man who was behind his kidnapping, but as the pressure on his jaw continued to increase, Jared thought about Jensen. While he hoped Jensen was looking for him, he suspected that he was far beyond his reach. Even though he had little hope of rescue, he was determined not to willingly submit to the man before him. Marshaling his courage, he slowly opened his eyes to stare into the cold shark-like eyes of the tall man in front of him.

Jared knew it would be safer to either keep silent or say the word that the man was requesting, but the casino owner’s leering smile, both now and the night he’d jumped him, gave the younger man one more burst of courage. “… …Fuck you,” he gritted out, seeing the rage in those eyes a moment before the gag was forced back into his mouth and a hard and heavy fist smashed into his bruised jaw.

“Oh no pet, that’s what I and all my friends will be doing to you,” Mark Pellegrino sneered, and turned to snap at his guards. “Take him below and have him prepared. I will be personally overseeing his training. By the time I’m through with him, there will be nothing left of the boy you see now; Ackles won’t even recognize him.”

Present Time, Las Vegas:

“Pellegrino! Mark Pellegrino has him!” James screamed, gasping as Chris released him and pulled back with a harsh curse. “But... but it’s too late! He... he has a place in South Lake Tahoe where he does his really hardcore BDSM stuff and that’s where he took Jared.” Trying to get his breath back, the man looked to see Jensen staring at him and couldn’t help sneering. “It’s too late, hotshot. My kid’s nothing but a broken shell by now.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Present Time in Las Vegas

Ice-cold dread swept over Jensen Ackles the moment he heard the name of the man behind Jared’s kidnapping. He had suspected it might be Pellegrino since the man had made his desire for Jared very clear the night of his party. The bastard had also sent several emails that Jensen hadn’t told the boy about, emails that had offered increasingly ridiculous amounts of cash for his ‘pet’. Getting confirmation that it was, indeed, Pellegrino increased his fear for Jared since he knew what the damn asshole was capable of... then the rest of James Padalecki’s comment sank in and rage took over.

“You goddamn bastard! Are you that fucking cold or unfeeling that you don’t even give a damn what you set Jared up for? Don’t you care about your son at all?” he demanded, wrapping his hand in the man’s shirtfront to shake him. “All you thought about, all you care about, is what Pellegrino would give you , not what he would do to your... no, I won’t even call Jared that anymore because as of right now you have no kids.” Jensen stepped back and jerked a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket. “Uncuff him but keep a gun on his ass!”

Jensen stalked to the hood of the car to smooth out the paper while snapping at Chad to get him a pen. Chris jerked James out of the chair and over to the car. “Let me fill you in on a little secret, asshole. I released Jared from my deal with you weeks ago but he stayed with me and made another deal of his own. He could’ve asked me for anything and I probably would’ve agreed but he didn’t. He only asked me for two things.” He thrust out the pen to a clearly confused but still glaring James.

“He asked me to pay to send Molly to a decent dance school and he asked me to help him free her from you. Well, you’re going to sign this paper giving up your parental rights, and then after I get him back, you will never go anywhere near either of them again. If you do then all bets are off. Now sign the damn paper,” Jensen growled.

Frowning as he realized exactly what the paper said, James was about to spit in Jensen’s face and laugh that he’d never sign away his kid while she was still bringing him in cash from the state, but then a gun pressed against his throat. “No-no one’ll give Jared guardianship of her,” he sneered. “Especially now. She’s my baby girl so... ”

“Bullshit,” Jensen snapped, stepping closer. “You’d sell her in a heartbeat. Hell, you probably already would’ve if Jared hadn’t asked me to help him get her the hell out of that house to stay with his friend. You don’t care about Molly except for the cash she brings in and by the time I’m done, you can bet the state will be looking into just what you’ve used all the money you got over the years for her and for Jared for... cause it sure as hell wasn’t for your kids! Sign the paper, Padalecki, cause I don’t have any more time or patience for you. I have to go find Jared and you better pray that when I get him back, he’s not hurt too badly or else you will feel his pain.”

James stared at the paper that gave sole custody and guardianship of his daughter to his son; he finally signed it with a muttered curse and then threw it and the pen at the casino owner. “Let him have her!” he shot back with a sneer. “Little bitch wasn’t any good for me anyway. Too damn skinny - that’s what all the guys I let look at her pictures said. So let him pay for her.”

“He always has,” Jensen returned coolly while tossing Mike and a few others a look. “Keep him cuffed in the back room until you hear from Chris and then you take him to the outskirts of the city and drop him off,” he instructed, not wanting to let the man loose yet so he could warn Pellegrino that his secret was out. “In the meantime, see how well you like being trapped somewhere you don’t want to be, asshole.”

Jensen got back into the limo even as James was screaming obscenities at him. Mike took control of the situation, cuffing the man and dragging him towards the rear of the warehouse, while Chris and Chad got in the limo with Jensen. “Find out what Pellegrino owns in South Lake Tahoe,” he ordered Chad while looking to see that Chris was texting already. “Call your source in the Las Vegas PD. See if they can put some heat on the casino – get them to give up where their boss is. Also, see if there’s something they can do in Tahoe with the cops up there.”

As Chris nodded and Chad began to work on the laptop to try to find a location, Jensen stared out the tinted windows while letting his fingers slip into his pocket to close over the watch and the ribbon. “Jay,” he whispered while suddenly numb with fear over what might be happening.

Somewhere in South Lake Tahoe

“C’mon, Pet. Be a good whore for your master and give me what I want. You know you’re just prolonging the inevitable by refusing to cooperate. Surely by now, you realize that there isn’t any hope of rescue. You were sold to me and no one back in Vegas cares about what I do with you, especially not your precious tarnished hero, Jensen Ackles. He’s dealing with much more important things right now.”

The cold, hard voice had been droning on for two days... at least Jared thought it was two days. He’d lost track of time at some point, but he thought it had been two days of humiliating and painful hell. He was trying to resist Mark Pellegrino’s best efforts to break him to his will but he could feel himself slowly losing hope.

The cold-eyed casino owner made sure to personally oversee almost all of Jared’s ‘training’ and what he didn’t do himself was handled by his sadistic trainers in the lodge’s basement rooms. When he wasn’t abusing the boy verbally and mentally, he was doing sick things to his battered body.

The three main basement rooms held sexual devices and toys like nothing that had been found in Jensen’s playroom. In fact, not even the clubs his father had dragged him to had prepared Jared for what he was going through right now. By far, the man’s favorite device was the St. Andrew’s Cross, and Jared had lost track of the hours he had spent tied to it. Pellegrino also seemed fond of a short bench; he would bend Jared over the bench so that his head ended up lower than his elevated ass and then his arms would be stretched painfully behind him and attached to his ankles.

When he was bound, a large handheld fucking machine with a giant dildo would be jammed up his ass while either Pellegrino or one of his servants fucked his mouth ruthlessly. Through it all, Pellegrino would demand that Jared agree to call him Master. The man promised to stop the abuse, to let him sleep, to have more than a sip or two of water each day as soon as the boy cooperated. It was becoming harder and harder for Jared to resist his demands.

Currently, Jared found himself on what his bleary brain had labeled The Table From Hell. At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary table. One had to look closely to see the embellishments that were attached to it. He had awakened on the table after being sharply and painfully jerked from a few moments of bliss after he’d passed out. Unconsciousness was becoming desirable, as he was never allowed to actually sleep. His wrists were cuffed above him while they’d hooked his ankles into adjustable stirrups that had been attached to the sides of the table.

The cold metal stirrups could be lowered or raised and right now they were so high that Jared’s long legs were almost straight up, pulling his ass off the table and exposing his battered hole to the room of onlookers and abusers.

For over two days he’d ignored the man’s demands, his taunts and crude threats. He’d struggled to keep his mind locked on his memories of Jensen, of green eyes and touches that didn’t hurt him. But as the man began to tell him about the things going on at The Open Road, about what Jensen’s father was doing, about the casino getting ready to change hands, Jared actually started to believe that Jensen would be too distracted to look for him and his hopes of rescue slowly dimmed.

When he awoke on the table, he had trouble thinking of Jensen. He was only aware of the burning agony in his ass from the spiked dildo currently crammed in it and of his throbbing cock, trapped for too long in the tight cock ring. Pellegrino stood at the head of the table mocking him with promises of rest, of food, of a day without pain if only he’d give in to him.

Jared’s eyes were blurry, he could barely see now and he knew only dehydration kept tears from slipping down his face. He wondered if he should be bothered to fight anymore. If Molly was safe, maybe that’s all that mattered. Suddenly his head was yanked back and a long thick cock shoved its way down his throat.

“Give me what I want, Pet!” Pellegrino’s voice was harsh as his fingers closed over Jared’s throat even as one of his men fucked the brat’s mouth. “Give in! You are mine! Ackles isn’t coming! He’s over you! You’re nothing but a memory! You’re... ”

Jared couldn’t breathe. Between the cock in his mouth, the fingers choking him, and his nose swollen from the beatings, there was no way for him to get oxygen. He felt the familiar panic begin to overwhelm him, and as he heard Pellegrino’s words, something inside of him began to break even as he was falling into darkness.

Present Time in Las Vegas

It had now been almost three days since Jared was grabbed and Jensen feared it would be longer before he found the young man. It worried him because out of all the people in Sin City who played the dark side of the BDSM culture, he knew that Mark Pellegrino was the worst. He didn’t respect any of the rules that most actual Doms followed. He used his “subs” for his own dark and cruel purposes and didn’t care who he hurt, or in this case, broke.

Chad let out a sigh of frustration and rubbed his tired eyes as he finished searching the property records in the Lake Tahoe area. “There’re no records indicating that Pellegrino owns anything in the area,” he grumbled. “Calm down, boss! Let me try a couple of other things cause if this place is supposed to be used for the dark crap, I doubt if he’d list it under his name anyway. So now I’ll try thinking like a sleazebag would... what would I do if I wanted to own a sex dungeon in the middle of scenic Lake Tahoe and not let anyone know it’s mine?”

Chris looked up from his phone, interrupting Chad’s foray into role-playing. “My guy in the police department said they’ve already been by The Devil’s Lair on the off chance that Pellegrino was involved. They’ve been watching him and a few of his select clientele pretty closely but when they tried direct questioning, the manager would just say his boss was on a well-deserved vacation for a couple of weeks. He also insinuated that any further harassment over something as trivial as a missing hooker would be handled by their lawyers.” Chris caught the tension in Jensen and hated to cause him more, but he knew Jensen needed every piece of information. “He also said his boss doesn’t have to resort to whores; he has more class and then suggested the officers talk to the Chief of Police if they had more questions, which means Pellegrino has him in his pocket.”

“So go over the damn Chief of Police. Last time I checked, we had a few people in high places as well,” Jensen growled and tossed his friend a hard glare. “I don’t care who you buy off or what you have to do. Just find Jared, Chris.”

“Jensen, we will but you have to slow down. We can’t rush into this without the right information. You don’t want Pellegrino to realize that we’re onto him and either decide to ship the kid out of state or... Jensen... ” Chris’s tone dropped in warning when hands suddenly fisted in his shirt. “I know you’re worried about him, but Pellegrino went to a lot of trouble to get the kid. He’s not going to risk doing too much damage to him... especially in less than a week. He won’t... ”

“You have no goddamn idea what that asshole or his buddies can do to someone like Jared in even this short amount of time. Don’t tell me that you know because you don’t know anything about it.” Jensen’s voice was low and tight as he glared at his friend. “It doesn’t take all that long to break someone if the person doing it knows the right buttons to push or is skilled at doing it.”

Chris removed the hands from his shirt while trying to keep his voice calm, as he knew it wouldn’t take much to send Jensen’s temper snapping. “Come on, Jensen. That kid is too damn stubborn to break in just a few days,” he said gently, trying to give his boss a reassuring smile. “Hell, he was with you for over two months and never came close to breaking. I think it’s safe to say that he can withstand... damn it, Jensen!” he snapped when a furious fist struck his jaw. Before Chad could even think to drop the laptop and move, Jensen was across the seat and in his bodyguard’s face.

“You think Jared wasn’t broken by me because he was stubborn and hard-headed? Jesus, Chris, that had nothing to do with it!” Jensen snapped, furious that Chris of all people would say that to him. “You grew up with me! You know that I had an attitude at 16 that puts Jared’s attitude to shame. Guess what? That bitch broke me down in less than three months. You saw me at 17. I was a fucking mess! It’s only cause of you and Sam that I ever came back. Jared never broke because I never tried to break him ! I didn’t want him broken!

“These bastards don’t see him like I came to see him. They don’t care about his dimples, or how his eyes go soft when he laughs, or how his forehead wrinkles when he’s thinking hard. Pellegrino and his pals, they see a boy to break. They will hurt him in ways you can’t even imagine because Pellegrino isn’t a goddamn Dom! He’s a fucking sadist, only he’s too rich and smooth-talking to ever be called that in this society. He can break Jared in a matter of days if he wants to, and he’ll do it too, not only because he wants Jared to be the perfect little slave, but also because he’s figured out that hurting Jared will hurt me! I want him found, Chris, and I want him found now!” Jensen took in a shaky breath and blinked back the tears of frustration that wanted to fall, grateful that Chris had remained silent during his entire tirade.

As he tried to get himself back under control, Chad glanced at Chris, getting a silent nod of agreement. He quietly closed the laptop and slipped out of the back of the limo. He quickly checked on Mike, verifying that James was secured in the back room before returning to the limo and pulling out of the warehouse.  He headed for the casino, trying to not listen to the conversation in the back. He knew something awful had happened to Jensen when he was a teenager, but he’d never been given any details and he certainly didn’t want any now. 

Jensen understood the danger Jared was in. He understood how easy it was for a skilled and sadistic trainer to break someone regardless of his strength of will. He’d seen strong men and women broken by Bianca and her staff, turned to mindless puppets in a matter of weeks. He’d come way too close to joining them; in fact, he knew that in some ways, he had been broken... he had emotional scars that had never really healed. He also knew that Pellegrino was a lot worse than Bianca had ever been. Yes, Jared was strong and stubborn, but Jensen knew he wasn’t tough enough to withstand Pellegrino’s torture for long. Suddenly he looked up, realizing Chris was talking to him.

“That bitch didn’t break you, Jensen. She scarred you and I know those scars are still raw to this day... I saw you when she tried to touch you at the casino. But you did survive it... and you’ll make sure he survives whatever’s done to him.” Chris spoke firmly as he caught and held Jensen’s eyes, seeing for the first time in nearly nine years a hint of the same desperate 17-year-old that he and Samantha had kept from sinking into darkness. “We will find Jared, and I promise you that Pellegrino will bleed for whatever pain he puts that kid through. But right now you need to keep your head on straight because if you lose it, then when we do find them, that asshole will have you right where he wants you.”

The casino owner slowly leaned back and ran his fingers through his hair. Only then did he realize how badly his hands were shaking. He also realized that the car had stopped and Justin Hartley was leaning in the car, waiting to be acknowledged. Chad exited the car, announcing that he needed a more powerful computer to continue his search on.

Jensen gave Justin Hartley a long look. “Reconsider saying anything if you have more bad news for me, Justin,” he suggested as he exited the car to head for the elevator.

“Your grandparents are in your office with Mr. Morgan and... your father,” Justin told him grimly and saw Jensen halt in mid-step. “Sorry. Your secretary didn’t know what to do so she let them wait in your office while I waited for you. Thought it best you didn’t walk into that without a warning.”

“Chris, call security up to my office because unless there’s a damn good reason for him to be here, I want my father escorted out of here,” Jensen ordered.

Chris nodded in agreement, pissed that the senior Ackles was back on the property. He knew Jensen’s emotions were already stretched to the limit and it wouldn’t take much to make him snap. He quickly texted his top security team while following Jensen closely, easily seeing the tension wash over him as he ignored his secretary’s attempts to apologize and shoved open the door to his office.

“What the hell is he doing here?” he demanded with a low snarl, aiming the words and his glare at Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

“You didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily did you, son?” Mark Ackles sneered from where he was sitting slouched in a chair across the room. “Nope. I knew after he thought about it, the old man would see how wrong he was and... hey!” He straightened in the chair as a pen bounced off the side of his head.

“Oh, shut up and stay silent before I sew those lips shut like I probably should’ve when you were a boy! You’re only here for one reason and mouthing off to my grandson isn’t it!”

Jensen had been about to snarl a curse at his father and fire his long-time attorney when a new voice had him turning in surprise. “Grandma?”

It hadn’t clicked with Jensen that Justin had said his grandparents were in his office since he couldn’t ever recall his grandmother being involved in any casino business. Hearing her sharp, no-nonsense voice snapping at his father left Jensen feeling uneasy and confused.

While Patrick Ackles had always run the family business of casinos, it had never been a secret that Sophia Ackles ran the family, and she ran it with an iron fist. It was for that reason Jensen knew that his parents lived primarily overseas, so his grandparents, particularly his grandmother, never learned of their actions or games or affairs.

“Talk to your grandfather, darling. This shouldn’t take too long.” Sophie looked up from the needlepoint she was doing to smile at her grandson, hardly a wrinkle on her smooth face even if her once pure black hair now had streaks of silver in it.

Jensen turned to look to where his grandfather was sitting behind his desk, holding something and eyeing it curiously. Jensen suddenly wished he had kept his desk drawer locked. “Jensen, what is this exactly?” Patrick asked while studying the long, thick rubber object with little nubs on it, ignoring how red JD’s face was getting as he waved it around. “It’s a little oddly shaped to be a paperweight.”

“It’s a sex toy, dear,” Sophia replied easily and went back to her needlepoint, ignoring all the stunned eyes that had turned her way. “Give it to Jensen and stop snooping in his desk. You certainly wouldn’t have liked it if he’d have snooped in yours when he was a toddler... back when we were his age and had our own supply of toys.”

Chris had just stepped into the office as she made that comment and had to fight the urge to just turn and walk back out. Jensen was struggling not to choke and JD looked a little ill while Mark snapped a curse only to yelp when his mother’s hand landed on the back of his head.

Patrick eyed the thing in his hand another moment before handing it gingerly to his grandson. “So I hear you have a little personal issue going on still,” he began as he stood up and motioned Jensen to sit behind the desk.

“Yeah, but... I’ve hit a wall until I find out where the guy who grabbed my friend has taken him. I’ve got someone working on that, so I guess I’m okay handling casino business for the moment.” Jensen’s tone was tight, making it plain that he would much rather be looking for Jared than learning what bad news his grandfather had flown clear to Las Vegas to tell him, but he sat down. “What’s he have to be here for?” He tossed a glare at his father, who started to rise out of his chair, but Sophia’s hand lifted in warning and he settled back down with a muttered curse. “I said I’ll buy the casino, or you can buy me out, but not if you’re giving it to him or that bitch he’s with.”

“Oh, you slap me but he can call his future stepmother a bitch and get away with it?” Mark shot at his mother, biting his lip when she slapped him yet again, this time setting her work in the chair to stand in front of him as she did so.

Sophia barely topped 5’ so if her son had stood, he would’ve towered over her by a foot, as did her husband and grandson, but her petite stature had never stopped her before. “Yes... and if you follow through with your plans to marry that gold-digging little leather-wearing bondage queen wannabe, you might as well get used to eating fast food because you won’t see another dime from us. You will also lose that last casino in Europe if you haven’t already. Now, shut up until your father speaks to you.”

“Your grandmother is less than pleased with things after learning about your recent troubles.” Patrick shot his wife a loving smile before opening his briefcase. “I’ve spoken with Mr. Morgan at length as well as the remaining investors. I’ve also spoken with my people who have been going through the fraudulent files along with the corrected ones, and they agree with your man that it is so very easy to trace the hack job and the fake bank accounts that even I could do it.” He shot his son a hard look. “While they say it might not be possible to return the stolen funds, I do plan to make sure that it won’t happen again.”

“I’ll replace the money so that none of the investors will lose anything.” Jensen figured he’d be selling a few of his classic cars to cover it, but he’d do it just to avoid asking his grandparents for anything.

“Oh, that money will be replaced out of the funds your father’s been skimming out of the Monaco casino for the last five years. It was his little childish way of acting out because I gave you this place.” Patrick slid a hard gaze over to his son whose mouth had just dropped open as his face reddened in rage. “I’ve also spoken to the board back home about how you’ve handled this place since taking it over, especially recently given that you’ve been hiding so much trouble.”

“The Open Road is the only casino in the Ackles line that you signed over to someone. It’s my casino, Granddad. I built it, I’ve fought for it, and I’ll continue to keep it running strong... but if you try to make me choose it over someone who has come to mean a great deal to me even if he might not feel the same way, then... I guess you need to buy me out.” Jensen ignored JD’s cough or Chris’s sharp look as he looked into his grandfather’s calm eyes.

“I admit that how Jared and I met was screwed up, but then I guess we should also admit that I’ve been screwed up for a long time.” He looked at his hands and could still see the times he’d hurt Jared with them. “I’ve spent all my time since I was 17 and escaped from the hell he sold me into fighting not to be him, only to have it tossed in my face in a very bad way that I was so damn close to becoming him.”

Mark sneered. “You ain’t nothing like me, boy. If you were, you’d know your place and wouldn’t be wallowing over some faggot off the street... you would know someone with money can buy any whore for sex after... ow! Goddamn it, Mother!” he shouted and then shouted again when it wasn’t an open-handed slap this time but a well-placed and heavy fist that landed on his jaw. “Mother!”

“Apparently, I made the mistake of not taking my hand to your bottom nearly enough when you were growing up, but you watch the words that flow off that filthy tongue, or else my shears will be dealing with it and you,” Sophia snapped hotly, turning to face Jensen with a sad smile. “If Pat and I or Lauren’s parents had known fully what was happening in Europe, what was happening with you, I swear you would’ve come to live with us and that horrid little trollop would never have hurt you.”

“I know, Grandma.” Jensen really did but it was still hard to trust even after all this time. He also still wasn’t comfortable with facing that part of his past, especially not with his grandmother. He looked at his grandfather. “Like I said, you can buy me out, but if you plan to give it to him to give to Bianca, I’ll torch it.”

“Jensen, I’m sure if you consider making some changes to your recent lifestyle choices, your grandfather will reconsider... ” JD had started to speak, only to stop when Chris placed a hand on his chest to push him back several steps as Jensen began to snarl.

“I will find Jared and if he chooses to forgive me, then I will make it work with him. I will not choose a casino over someone I love... shut it, Chris. I will ruin Pellegrino if he has hurt him and if the board or my investors don’t like it, then I guess we all know where you can go,” Jensen told the lawyer firmly.

Sophia had been watching her grandson speak. Her husband’s family might have been gamblers but so had hers so she’d learned to read people as a girl. She’d known Jensen had been hiding a lot of pain for a number of years; in fact, this was the first time in years that she could honestly say she saw actual real emotion in his green eyes. This is why she decided to leave her home to travel to a city she couldn’t stand usually.

“Patrick, stop tormenting the boy. He has more important things to do than dally with you all. Tell him the real news and then make Mark cough up a name so Christian’s security can toss our son out of Jensen’s casino and I can go snoop around that one interesting shop I saw when we arrived.” Her tone brooked no disagreement.

“The Open Road will be kept under the banner of the Ackles name so you’ll have our protection in case anything like this ever happens again but rest assured that it has been fully yours since I signed it over to you.” Patrick slapped a file against a frowning JD’s chest. “I bought out those other whiny little punks who would have jumped ship the moment you didn’t go to a party or host something with a female on your arm. Your grandmother and I will be your only investors for now and silently at that. You can bring in some others once you have the time to focus on that side of things. Our only condition is that... you introduce this boy to your grandmother once you feel it’s time. We want you to be happy, Jensen, and it sounds like this boy makes you happy.”

Jensen blinked at the unexpected news, surprised to hear that his grandfather was basically saying he fully supported him, but before he could find the words to thank him, his father’s enraged screaming voice intruded.

“What? That’s it? You’re still letting him have this place? Even after all of this? Ever after he came out in public? Even knowing he’s a disgrace to this family’s name by being gay? Or by the games he plays or... ” Mark started to get in his father’s face but then must have thought better of it when Chris’s hand moved toward his jacket while Sophia merely clucked her tongue at him. “I’m your son! I’m your heir! This should be mine! And it will be!” He shot his son a smirk. “Don’t get too comfortable. As soon as this old man dies and I get it all, you’ll be out on your ass and huh?”

A hand tapping him on his shoulder made him look and then he was on his ass with a shocked look. “You seriously think after all that you’ve done that I’d leave you my heir, boy?” Patrick laughed after his swift right hook had landed his son on the floor. “Hell, I changed my will years ago... named Jensen as my sole heir after your mother. You will get a small amount of cash and control of the casino you’re still running into the ground... although I’m now considering taking that from you as well.

“You can’t do that!” Mark shouted, furious. “He’s an embarrassment! He... ”

“Oh, and we haven’t been ignoring all your shameful behavior?” Sophia shook her head sadly. “I wanted to knock your head in the first time it got back to us what you were doing over in Europe. When Christian’s mother came to me after what you did to Jensen with that... woman, I wanted to fly over there, strip you of your rights to everything we’d given you, and tan your hide with a belt but given the games you clearly play, I was afraid that wouldn’t be much of a punishment.”

Jensen nearly choked at that. He was still stunned that his grandparents, the people that he’d been told were ashamed of him, were standing up for him now.

“Like I said before, we’ve known Jensen was gay for a long time. While that might not have been our first choice, after all, Sophia and I would’ve loved having great-grandchildren to spoil, we would much rather have him be gay and happily in love than in the kind of life you’ve had and continue to lead,” Patrick replied sternly. “Now, you thought the reason I dragged you away from your whore was so you could watch me strip Jensen of The Open Road. That’s not the reason. I brought you here because a little birdy informed me that you happen to know where Mr. Pellegrino, an evil, wicked man if I’ve ever met one, might have taken this boy who means so much to Jensen. You’re going to tell him that location or I’m freezing all of your accounts and credit cards.”

As Mark’s face paled in surprise, Jensen’s eyes went to slits and only Chris’s hand on his shoulder kept him from lunging. “Ex cuse me?”

“I... I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mark laughed, but it was clear he did by the pitch of his voice and by how he was sweating. “Just because I happen to share common interests with the man and might’ve had lunch with him a time or two, and just because Bianca is on his favorite client list for special functions doesn’t mean I know anything about... ”

“You knew the other day when this happened that Pellegrino was the one who grabbed Jared.” Jensen stared at the man, sick that his father had stood there when he probably knew then what had happened. “You and that bitch know where he’s taken Jared. Let me guess, Pellegrino promised you money or a way to hurt me if you keep your mouth shut?”

“He might’ve mentioned allowing Bianca to rent him for a week once he’s broken in,” Mark replied, no longer seeing a reason to play this game since his parents had clearly made up their minds about who they were siding with. “She’s very interested in his offer. She really didn’t approve of how your sub shoved her hand away from you that night.”

Jensen’s jaw twitched in anger and his fingers were clenching. “I will rip her heart out before she ever touches him,” he growled, starting to step forward only to have Sophia put her hand on his chest.

“Mark Steven Ackles, tell your father where this horrid man has taken that boy or I will not only see your funds frozen but the casino in Monaco will be stripped from your name and I’ll take my sewing shears to another part of your anatomy. Then we’ll see what that trollop sees in you.”

“Jensen? Can we just set your grandmother on Pellegrino?” Chris asked in a soft voice, adding. “Actually, can we send her over to put the fear of God into Padalecki? I think she’s scarier than I am.”

“Sophia’s family came over from Sicily. She was the only daughter and her father and brothers made certain she could protect herself.” Patrick chuckled as he stepped forward to pull his son to his feet. “Tell Jensen and Christian where this boy is or in less than an hour, your comfortable little world will be gone because I will no longer overlook your games or indiscretions. I will also no longer be funding your expensive habits so you’d better learn to suck up to your new woman... unless she only came back to you because you told her you were getting The Open Road. Perhaps I should be making this deal with her as she probably actually has the... ”

“There’s a lodge in South Lake Tahoe, up between the mountains and one of the lakes. It’s a private club, very isolated, very exclusive,” Mark suddenly spoke up, desperate to get out of this with something and knowing his parents would strip him of everything if he didn’t give up what details he knew. “Bianca and I’ve been invited there before. It’s where Pellegrino does his more serious BDSM stuff and where he keeps his subs during training. It’s listed under his mother’s name since no one would suspect anything about a place owned by a woman... especially a place built as a home for retired nuns.”

“Chad! Find out what Pellegrino’s mother’s name is and look for property under it!” Chris snapped into the intercom. “Besides Pellegrino, who’s at this place now?” he demanded. “Is he alone?”

Mark laughed. “Alone? That place is never empty. He lets his special friends use it for their games.” He shot Jensen a hard look. “Y’know, by the time you get there, he will have already whipped that little street punk into shape. He’s a true and proper Dom. Not like you. You’re... ”

“I’m not a Dom and he is not a goddamn submissive!” Jensen growled, furious that even now his father couldn’t see that. “He’s just a kid!”

“Well, he’ll be something else by the time Mark’s done with his ass,” Mark smiled slowly but then sneered as he looked at his son. “Bianca should’ve kept you longer. Then maybe you’d have learned to be the sub I planned for you to be and... Mother!”

Sophia’s hand cracked with a resounding snap to her son’s face as she shoved both her hands against his chest, knocking him back several steps even as Chris was grabbing onto Jensen while yelling for his security men to get their asses inside the office as JD opened the door.

“Get out before your father takes away what little he’s allowing you to have. Get out before I take my shears to what balls you have. I’m ashamed that I gave birth to you seeing as how you actually let these things happen to your son, my grandson, all over money and sex. Get out before I personally throw you out but mind this, Mark, if you, that trollop, or anyone working for either of you bother this boy, his casino or anyone associated with him? You will regret it.” Sophia arched one fine eyebrow as if daring her son to respond or reply.

“Escort him off the property,” Chris ordered his men just as Chad was skidding in the door with a printout in his hand and a smile on his face. “Tell me you have good news or I might let Mrs. Ackles take those shears to you.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I found it,” Chad smirked as Jensen jerked the paper out of his hand. “It kinda looks like one of those old stone lodges people used to have. It’s big, ugly, and surrounded by trees and water. It might be hard to get close to.”

“No it won’t,” Jensen said. “We’re going right up to the front door or... Mike, Justin, and I are. Chris will be coming in the back way.” He shot his bodyguard a hard look. “You understand?”

Chris did so he merely nodded. “I need an hour, Jensen. This isn’t something we can rush into... not if you want that kid back alive.”

“Jensen, you’ll need to stay here anyway to handle business, and this isn’t something you personally want to be involved with,” JD spoke up finally. “Kane and his people should contact the police and handle this legally.”

“Please let me hit him,” Chad muttered, shooting the lawyer a glare.

Jensen lifted his eyes slowly to eye his attorney and then moved to look at his grandparents. “Is there anything you need me to do to seal this deal or anything?” he asked, beginning to think he’d be finding a new attorney soon as well.

“No, absolutely nothing requires you to be here for the moment,” Patrick replied as his wife gathered up her needlepoint. “I do think that since your grandmother has decided to explore the shops, I might go down and see young Miss Smith about a room for a few nights. That is if you don’t mind putting up with your grandparents?”

“You and Grandma are always welcome here,” Jensen told him. He then turned to his lawyer. “JD, I told you before that if you don’t approve of my choices now or the things I plan to do to get Jared back then you can always quit.”

Jensen bent to receive a light kiss on the cheek before Sophia left the room calling to her husband that she’d be bothering that one colorful shop owner.

JD sighed and left the new paperwork on the desk for Jensen’s attention later since he’d already had the secretary make him copies. “I just don’t think you understand the long-term effects of what you’re doing,” he said to the younger man. “I think Pellegrino is the type of man you can do actual business with so making him out to be your enemy is... ”

“Wait... you think he’s the type of person I’d do business with? Seriously?” Jensen laughed but a little piece of concern was starting to build in his stomach. “Pellegrino and I have hated each other since he tried to buy into this place and I told him where he could go. We’ve hated each other since he got it in his head once, right after I opened this place, that I’d make a good sub for him and put his hands on me at the first party I hosted for the other casino owners. Do you remember that I broke his arm? Now you think we’d be good business partners? I’d give this casino back to my grandfather before I’d let that man get even a tiny piece of it. And JD? Just an FYI, if Pellegrino is expecting me when I get to this place, I will know who told him and you won’t have to worry about quitting because I will fire your ass.

“Now, excuse me. I have to go get some things before I fly to Lake Tahoe and beat the crap out of a bastard for touching someone he shouldn’t have.” Jensen stormed into his private elevator to go to his penthouse, confident that Chris would handle what needed to be handled and he didn’t care about the rest.

JD shook his head with a muttered curse, grabbing for his jacket when suddenly he was spun around and found himself facing the barrel of a gun. “Kane? What the fuck?”

“Getting fired was Jensen’s warning for what will happen if Pellegrino finds out we’re coming or suddenly decides to move that kid or hurts him worse just to hurt Jensen. This is my warning, Morgan.” The bodyguard’s growl was low and pure menace as he glared at the lawyer he never had trusted fully. “If Pellegrino is expecting us or if Jared’s hurt more because he found out we were coming, I will know who sold the boss out... and after I deliver Jensen and that kid back here, I will be coming to your office or your house... or anywhere in between.

“If you think of stabbing him in the back now in favor of Pellegrino because he’s so perfect and might listen to your advice? I wouldn’t.” Chris tapped the barrel a little harder before stepping back and heading out to make his calls.

Patrick was still standing in the office, content to listen to the exchanges going on around him before going to join his wife. As Chris left and shouted for someone to find Hartley, he slowly looked at the clearly angry attorney. “Christian and my grandson are both a bit gruff but to the point with their warnings, Mr. Morgan,” he began slowly as he adjusted his suit jacket before standing up straight from where he’d been leaning against the desk. “You and I have both been in this business a good while, so I think you might take what I say a bit more to heart.

“Before I flew here, my people did a thorough background check on all of Jensen’s employees. I’m sure he’s done that recently for the hotel and casino people, but I’m a betting man and I’m willing to bet that you slipped under the radar for the moment.” He smiled slowly as he saw he had JD’s full attention. “I think you know what I learned when I dug deeper into your background as well as your bank accounts. My son wasn’t the only person paying you to spy on my grandson and report details on his personal and business affairs. I think that by the time Jensen returns from handling this matter, your resignation should be on his desk. If that’s not acceptable, then I think a letter to the Bar Association will be sent.” Patrick’s smile was pleasant but his eyes were hard as he smoothed some wrinkles out of the other man’s suit. “I will no longer allow so-called ‘friends or associates’ to hurt my grandson or those he loves, Mr. Morgan. Christian might be able to hurt you physically, but I will destroy you where it truly hurts. Make the correct choice before my wonderful wife decides to pay you a visit because I promise you that she actually can use those scissors with devastating effectiveness.”

JD stormed out of the room and the casino while Patrick went to find his wife and hoped his grandson didn’t have his slowly mending heart shattered again by another loss.

Somewhere in South Lake Tahoe :

Pain, dull and burning, was the first sensation that returned when Jared regained consciousness. The young man really wished he could just stay in the dark void where there wasn’t any pain or humiliation, just peace and memories of a life that already seemed so far away and lost.

Jared Padalecki knew it hadn’t been that long since he’d been grabbed in Las Vegas, but to his mind as well as his body, it seemed like a lifetime since he’d last seen or heard Jensen.

He was finding it more and more difficult to not give in to the building despair. He still wanted to fight, to refuse the orders given to him, but only now was he realizing just how good he’d actually had it with Jensen even at the man’s worst moments as Mark Pellegrino and his leather-wearing ‘trainers’ tried their best to break him.

“I am your Master, Pet. You will obey me or you will be punished. You will also obey those I allow to use you or you will be punished.” Pellegrino walked around the young man, once again bound to the low bench, as a trainer cracked the whip over his back and then over his raised ass, which had a very obviously too-huge vibrator stuffed in it. “The first rule a good Pet learns is to obey the basic commands of his Master. All subs must know how to please the Dom. You will learn these commands now or you will beg for death as I will punish you severely for each mistake.”

Jared shook his head, trying to deny Pellegrino’s words, but the man ignored him and continued to speak. “You have already shown what a naughty Pet you are so we will start your lesson by showing you how you will be punished. 50 lashes to start with... and if you make a sound, because a good sub is a silent one, the trainer will add another 10. These marks will teach you not to mock or disrespect me like you did Ackles.” He knelt down to grab a handful of hair and jerked Jared’s head up. “He let you get away with crap, boy! I won’t. You will never see that weak little punk again. He’s lost the casino and is heading for other places, forgetting all about you and all those pretty little dreams you might have been building in that empty head. You belong to me, Pet. No name will ever be used for you because as of now you are no one, you are nameless, as all my slaves are.”

Jared struggled to fight, to resist, to deny the words but it was becoming harder with each passing hour, with each day. He knew it had to be going on four days by now. He could barely picture Molly or Jensen and as his body was abused and debased in vile ways to humiliate him, to make him feel less human, he had a slight thought that not thinking of Molly might be better. Jared wouldn’t want her or Jensen to see him like this.

Sharp voices and ice-cold water dragged him back from a distant dream in which he had heard a deep voice calling his name. He thought he recognized the voice, but he couldn’t quite remember the name that went with it.  Jared’s head was jerked up and back as a sharp hand slapped him across the face. He’d had so little sleep for the last four days that it was almost impossible for him to keep from drifting away even as his body was tortured and abused. Right now his head was held firmly as Pellegrino stared into his eyes.

“Who am I, Pet?” the cold-eyed man demanded in a growl as he pulled the bit gag out of Jared’s dry and heavily abused mouth. “Who?”

Jared stared at the man dimly for a long moment, having difficulty focusing on him as the room swirled around him. He was glad he was chained on his knees so he wouldn’t end up falling over. He knew falling over would result in more punishment. He tried to focus on the man in front of him and the question he was asking. He thought he knew the answer but it was so hard to think straight. The word he needed seemed to elude him until he felt a sharp pain shoot through his groin as something was shoved behind his cock. He had just a moment of clarity and screamed the desired word. “Master!”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty

 “Fuck you!” Jensen had snapped as he threw the first available object he could reach, a wrench, at the head of Chris Kane. “Don’t fucking tell me to calm down! Some asshole screwed with my plane and this jackass mechanic says it’ll take another day to get the part that he needs. How the hell are there no planes available to rent at this airport? We’ve already lost six hours figuring out what the hell was wrong with the plane, and I’m not waiting another fucking day. So either we go to another airport and find a plane or I start driving!” The casino owner finally ran out of steam and stood still, staring at his bodyguard and waiting for a response.

Jensen had been holding onto his temper by a thread ever since Jared had disappeared, now over four days ago. His outlook on things hadn’t been improved by a definite lack of sleep or the crap going on in his professional life, but to him, right then, the problems with his father and the casino were on the back burner until he had Jared back. As far as Jensen was concerned the entire world could wait until after he saw bright hazel eyes looking at him and could touch the boy he had now basically admitted to loving.

“Jensen!” Chris shouted after ducking the tool that had actually come very close to hitting him. “If someone did sabotage the plane, it probably means Pellegrino knows we’re onto him... and that means he’s gonna be waiting for you! Think with your damn head and not your heart or someplace lower... damn it!”

“Uhh, you kinda brought that one on yourself,” Chad Michael Murray muttered, wincing as Jensen’s fist landed a hard blow to his bodyguard’s jaw.

“My head and my heart are both wondering where your damn priorities are right now!” Jensen had been going stir crazy as they waited for information and now that they had some, he wanted to be taking action. His fear for Jared had been increasing every hour that passed because he knew what a man like Mark Pellegrino could do in even a short amount of time, and he had now had Jared as his captive for close to five days.

Chris’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but he was quick to remind himself that his friend had been under a lot of stress. He put himself in Jensen’s shoes and could see how he might suspect that Chris was intentionally stalling him, especially given the number of people around him who had already either sold out or been bought out in the last week.

“Really, Jensen? Did he teach you how to hit because I can’t recall you hitting me this much before that damn kid... ” This time Chris grabbed the wrist before it connected and gave a shove back, no longer willing to humor his longtime friend and employer. “What the hell?”

“Use his name!” Jensen snapped. He wasn’t sure why the hell this was suddenly so important to him, but it was. He needed to know that Chris saw Jared as a person, as more than just a kid. “He has a name! Use it! You’ll have to use it when we get him back because that asshole son of a bitch will have done everything he can to try to strip Jared of his name and identity; that’s what they do since it makes it easier to break a sub’s will if you strip him of his name and life. So you will use his name until he tells you that any sort of nickname is okay.”

As Chad looked between them warily, Chris slowly relaxed as he started to see what a part of Jensen’s tension and dark mood was about. “Believe it or not I have a plan to get us there and to get the... get Jared out of there. And you do seriously need to calm down. It’s been less than a week, Jensen. Pellegrino’s probably been too interested in Jared’s body to spend much time fucking with his mind and... yeah... I’m just going to stop talking to you until you calm down,” he muttered when he blocked yet another well-aimed punch. “Will telling you that I called my Dad help calm you down at all?”

Jensen looked at his bodyguard with a small frown. “Why would you call your dad?”

Chris’s father had once been his own father’s bodyguard until the man finally had enough of Mark Ackles’ crap and retired. At least he had told Mark Ackles that he was retiring; Jensen had always had his doubts about the story since the bodyguard business seemed to be in Eric Kane’s blood.

“Dad can’t be here himself –  he’s somewhere on the other side of the world doing something for someone, but he said he’d send a few of his friends to help us pull Jared out of this mess; I think we’re going to need help dealing with the security around this place.” The bodyguard stepped out of the hangar when the sound of a small engine plane was heard approaching. “And he’s sending his private jet since I also told him someone jacked yours up.”

Jensen shielded his eyes to watch the plane land and slowly taxi close to the hangar. He still was tense but slowly felt something uncurl in his gut as he realized that maybe all wasn’t as hopeless as he’d feared. “Retired, huh?” He glanced over his shoulder with a lifted eyebrow. “Your Mom with him?”

“No, she stayed in the States. I figure by this time she’s in downtown Vegas either ripping your Dad a new asshole or taking his whore apart. She never did care for the woman, and she was mighty pissed after that little deal went down back then.” Chris coughed and then shrugged at his friend’s shocked look. “What? I held off calling my folks until I was out of options. Plus your grandmother still talks to my mother, so it would’ve gotten back to her and then Mom would be pounding on my door looking to skin me for not calling them sooner.”

Margo Kane had been more of a mother to Jensen than his own had been while he was growing up. Jensen hadn’t seen her in years, but he recalled that she had a strong spirit as well as a temper that could make Chris look like a kitten. Jensen had regained consciousness to find her and Samantha at his bedside after he’d finally been released from the hell that was Bianca.

Knowing that his father and his bitch were still in town, as well as James Padalecki, who was still being watched over by Chris’s security at the warehouse, Jensen was glad that maybe Margo would be around The Open Road. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have another set of eyes on things until they returned.

Jensen wasn’t certain who Eric had sent or what kind of friends the man might have or why they were close enough to Vegas to arrive so quickly, but he honestly didn’t care. All he cared about was that apparently they could help him get to Jared.

The plane was the size of his own, maybe even a little bigger and he watched as it finally came to a stop. The side door immediately opened and steps extended down as a man in his mid to late 30s with dark hair in a crew cut and tattoos on heavily muscled arms stepped out to throw a wave to the bodyguard. “The Major said you needed some help out here in Sin City, Kane. He sent me and the boys out to lend a hand... or bury a body... or both. So, what exactly is the op?”

“Retired, huh?” Jensen snorted as Chad and Mike exchanged wary glances while Chris rolled his eyes. “Sent some friends to help you out, huh? Where’s your Dad retired at again, Chris?”

“Shut up and get on the plane if you want to find Jared, boss,” Chris growled, but he was smirking as he jerked a thumb to the six security men he’d personally chosen to go with them to do the same while shaking the tattoo man’s hand on the way up the steps. “South Lake Tahoe is the general area. There’s a lodge where a bunch of sex addicts with dark ideas are holding the boss’s friend... basically, we need to get the kid back before Pellegrino hurts him.”

Inside the plane were another half a dozen men, all in their late 30s or so, and all screamed military to Jensen. He stood staring around the plane until Chris nudged him into a seat as the door closed. “We’ve got a GPS location of this place but no real clue about security or how many other people might be there.”

“Pellegrino?” A skinny guy with red hair and an open laptop turned in his seat. “As in Mark Pellegrino?” He shot the tattoo guy who appeared to be in charge a smirk. “Damn... I guess that explains why the Major had us in the area if that bastard has set up shop in Sin City. Please, please, please tell me then that this job’s a scorched earth type of thing.”

“Scorched Earth?” Chad blinked, then frowned. “Hey, dude! My buddy’s in that lodge.”

“Kid, anyone that’s been in that bastard’s sick hands for more than 12 hours is probably wishing he or she was dead,” the red-haired guy remarked fatalistically.

Jensen’s eyes had gone to hot slits but before he could move or speak, Chris was in the other guy’s face and whispered something harshly that soon had him blinking and glancing at the casino owner with a look of chagrin.

“Hey, sorry about that last comment, dude.” He coughed while Chris went to the cockpit with the leader to talk to the pilot for a few minutes. “Chris’s father didn’t give us too many details about what we were doing other than helping Chris out with a job. We didn’t know the bastard had your boyfriend.”

Mike choked and Chad slid down in his seat with a mutter about images, but Jensen merely nodded while replaying the word in his head. It suddenly occurred to him that he had never actually called anyone that before, never had anyone who had qualified to be called that.

Jensen was aware that he and Jared were still a far piece away from actually being boyfriends, especially since he didn’t even know how the younger man might feel for him outside of their agreement, but he decided that once Jared was healed and recovered, he would see about finding out. At the moment, however, he was curious about how these men had known his rival.

“You guys know Pellegrino’s name?” he asked carefully, getting the feeling that whatever Eric Kane was doing with his ‘retirement’ years sure as hell didn’t involve golf games or taking pleasure cruises around the world. “You were already in the area?”

Another man sitting close to Jensen nodded as he worked a knife over a whetstone before slipping it back into a sheath in his boot. “We... our... let’s just say people want that shark-eyed bastard burned and it might’ve slipped out that he was scouting Vegas as his new hunting ground.”

“Hunting ground?” Jensen frowned, a sudden cold feeling coming back even as his stomach began to knot sickly. “Why do I think you’re not talking about the normal kind of hunting?”

“Pellegrino’s a slaver, kid,” the tattoo man said as he came back to straddle a chair facing Jensen. “He and his operation have been bouncing between the US, Canada, and Europe for over ten years. There’s a price on his head in at least 15 countries and half the states. He likes to pick a good city, like Vegas or LA, and set up shop in a business that seems normal for that area. Then he’ll start hunting the streets for local talent with promises of parts in movies or Broadway. Sometimes he’ll pull kids in, kids no one will miss, since the sex game is so popular with a lot of rich folk out here.

“He trains some personally while others he ships out to his trainers. Some he’ll sell while others he’ll keep... the ones he keeps don’t tend to survive long. Now Chris tells me that he grabbed someone special to you, so I’m not telling you this to upset you or piss you off more than you seem to be,” he said grimly while watching Jensen’s face to see the rage but also a rare knowledge. “Huh. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know about his kind, am I?”

“No, you’re not,” Jensen murmured tightly, slipping his hand into a pocket to close his fingers around one of the two items he’d brought with him. “I’ve seen my share of hardcore Doms, and while I always thought Pellegrino treated his subs like slaves, I never thought he was literally a slaver. Chris!”

“We’re getting Jared out of there, boss... today,” Chris spoke from nearby, catching the first note of real and total panic in Jensen’s normally stable voice. “I don’t think his plan was ever to sell Jared. I think he wanted him because he saw him with you and knew he could hurt you through him. I swear that we’ll get him back.”

Jensen nodded, but he couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling now in the pit of his stomach as he thought of Pellegrino and how many other innocent boys like Jared he’d targeted.

As the plane took off, Jensen sat quietly and stared out the window, replaying the last few months since Jared had come into his life. He realized that if he hadn’t met Jared, he might have ended up turning into someone like his father and maybe even eventually Pellegrino. It had taken a mouthy, stubborn boy with soft eyes and a dimpled smile to make him want to change, to be someone better. Now he just had to show Jared that he could change and would change... for him.

It didn’t take too long to reach South Lake Tahoe even though to Jensen it felt like another whole day had passed. Chad and the red-haired guy had been scouring the computer the entire flight while Mike had gotten into a discussion with a couple of the other men.

None of them but the tattoo guy, Shawn, had been introduced to Jensen and the casino owner guessed that was probably better for all concerned, though he did plan to pin Chris down for details on just what the hell his father was up to in his retirement.

They landed at a private airstrip where two large Hummers were waiting for them. “Jensen, I know you want to just charge in there, but we don’t know how many people are there or what they have in the way of security,” Chris began slowly, hand on his friend’s arm only to sigh when it was jerked off. “I need you to keep your temper. I’ll be coming in from the rear while Shawn’s people surround the place to make sure no one, especially Pellegrino, escapes. I’m sending Mike and a few others in with you while Chad stays in the hummer with Red to block their security scanners or other crap that I know squat about.”

“You’re letting me go in?” Jensen was surprised by this announcement, and he could tell the tattooed guy was too by his sharp slap to Chris’s back. “Without you?”

“Against my better judgment and only because I know your only priority is getting Jared back so you won’t do anything too stupid,” Chris replied slowly, meeting and holding his friend’s gaze. “I’m serious. Don’t do anything stupid to get yourself hurt or killed because that kid... Jared’s gonna need you so... Mike! Keep the boss alive or I’ll skin you alive.”

Michael Rosenbaum rolled his eyes but nodded even though he knew that very few people controlled Jensen Ackles when he didn’t want to be.

“There’s only one road into this place so that means we’ll have to park and go around on foot,” Shawn was telling Chris as they drove. “Neil will take the other Hummer up the main driveway and we’ll hope security doesn’t have orders to shoot on sight or else this might turn real ugly real fast. I would like to avoid getting the locals involved until the very last moment... not until you get your boy out of there and we hopefully deal with Pellegrino.”

“Deal with or kill?” The bodyguard asked while flicking a look back to see that Jensen’s gaze was focused on something in his hand and not on the conversation.

“Does it matter to you, Kane?” the other man countered, smirking when he was simply given a hard look. “I didn’t think so.”

“The only person in there who matters to me is Jared, Shawn,” Chris remarked, but he knew the others would run a sweep to see if there were other subs or prisoners in the lodge before pulling out. “Once Jensen has him, I don’t care what you do to this place.”

Jensen had been listening but in truth, he didn’t care. All he wanted was Jared. Anything else could be handled by the others; all that mattered to him was getting Jared out alive.

“Be careful and watch your damn temper if you see Pellegrino,” Chris reminded him as they got ready to drive ahead. “If he feels cornered, he might decide he has nothing to lose so remember... ”

“I know how to handle it, Chris. Just don’t get lost in the woods and get your ass inside.” Jensen waved him off as he tried to mentally prepare himself for what he would face soon. He tried to ignore the voices of his own men as well as the two people left from the other group while his eyes took in the large, two-floor stone and log cabin that soon appeared in front of them.

Expecting guards to appear the moment the Hummer stopped, Jensen was on edge as he stepped out of the vehicle. He took in a deep breath and nearly choked as he was assaulted by a sudden overwhelming stench. “What the hell is that?”

The red-haired man had stepped out, sniffed, and frowned before pulling out his gun even though the original plan was for him to stay in the vehicle with Chad. “This isn’t good,” he muttered, stepping onto the porch. He started to pound on the door with a clenched fist only to have it swing open slowly. “Shit! He must have been tipped off that you were coming but... huh. Okay, now this we weren’t expecting.”

Stepping in behind the man, with Mike and security following closely, Jensen was appalled by what he saw. Pools of blood covered the hardwood floor with streaks of it leading in various directions as if bodies had been dragged off in different directions.

“Damn... you never forget the smell of decomposing flesh,” the red-haired man muttered as he looked around. “I don’t know what the bastard did with the bodies, but that smell means somebody – probably a lot of somebodies based on the amount of blood – died at least a day ago. And the bodies have gotta be around someplace.” He looked around before pulling out a small sensor. “Stay put. Don’t go anywhere until I see if this place is empty, ‘cause right now I’m picking up some sort of heat source from the room directly ahead of us.”

Jensen’s eyes flicked to the closed heavy wooden door, and he started towards it, ignoring Mike’s attempt to grab him. “Stay by the door but don’t move or speak,” he ordered, ignoring the red-haired guy hissing at him to wait for backup because that cold sick feeling of dread was just building in his gut and telling him he needed to open that door.

The door was heavy and opened outward, so as soon he cracked it open, Jensen could see into the room. Instantly, his heart was in his throat and he almost made the fatal mistake of lunging into the room when he opened the doors and was confronted with... 

“Jared.” The name fell from his lips and his heart seemed to momentarily stop beating.

Jared Padalecki was kneeling, naked, in the center of the wooden floor, with a thick black leather collar around his neck that was attached to a steel hook in the floor by a heavy chain.

His arms were hooked behind him and the gambler could guess that they were bound at both the wrists and elbows, possibly held together by a short strap or chain hooked to the leather arm bracers on his biceps. He could see the matching ankle cuffs that were attached to a spreader bar to keep the boy’s legs locked down and also apart.

A quick but thorough inspection also revealed a brutal-looking cock cage, trapping not only his cock but also his obviously swollen balls. Jensen’s own groin began to hurt in sympathy just from that sight, but he was also angered by the bruises and welts that littered Jared’s body, which appeared pale, sickly, and trembling.

He was sure there were more injuries than those he was seeing from this fast frontal look, but Jensen moved his eyes to look into the hard, ice-cold, and lethal-looking ones of the sneering man standing behind the boy, the man who was holding a knife to his throat while the fingers of his other hand were wrapped in limp, filthy looking dark hair.

“Hello, Jensen. We were wondering when you’d arrive.” Mark Pellegrino’s smile was shark-like, all teeth and too cold. “Or I should say, I was wondering. I don’t believe my little pet here thinks much of anything anymore... not since he finally learned his lesson about who owned his ass.”

Jensen feared that was true as he flicked a quick look at Jared to see that his eyes weren’t blindfolded and they were open, but they were dull and unfocused, almost like a piece of the boy wasn’t there. This wasn’t the first time Jensen had seen eyes like that, but he sure as hell had prayed he wouldn’t see them on Jared. It usually took weeks or even months to break someone to this point; for it to happen in a matter of days meant the abuse had been both brutal and constant.

“Jared? Jared, can you hear me?” he called softly, feeling his stomach knotting when the boy didn’t move or even blink at his voice. “What the fuck did you do to him?” He shot this in a low growl to Pellegrino.

“I did what you couldn’t,” the man smirked, jerking back on the hair to pull Jared’s head back so he could trail the tip of his blade down the long line of the boy’s throat. “I made him the perfect subservient little pet. I didn’t even use drugs. I did it the old-fashioned way, stripping him of everything until there was nothing left but a blank canvas for me to mold into what I wanted. Now watch how a true Dom and Master treats his sub; maybe you’ll learn something, Jensen.”

Pellegrino kept his fingers wrapped tightly in Jared’s hair, turning the young man’s head so he was facing Jensen even though he didn’t seem to be seeing anything right then. He kept the knife pressed against the soft bruised skin above the collar. “Speak, boy!” he snapped in a hard, sharp, cold tone. “Who owns you? Who owns you, boy?!”

Jared’s eyes didn’t clear and when his mouth moved, it was slowly, as if perhaps his jaw was strained from being stretched around a gag for too long. His voice was barely above a whisper when he finally managed to form a word. “...  ...  M-master.”

Jensen’s heart slammed into his gut when he heard that hated word being forced from chapped, dried, and bloody lips. His hands fisted with the burning urge to slam into Pellegrino’s face but he knew if he moved right then the knife could easily, too easily, slit Jared’s throat open.

“That’s right. I’m your Master, Pet. And what will you do for your Master or those he lets use you?” Pellegrino smiled at the hate he saw on Jensen’s rugged face. “Speak!” he snapped when it seemed the boy was pausing a bit too much for his liking again. He made a mental note to punish him after he dealt with Ackles, or perhaps while he dealt with him as a way to punish them both.

“A... anything... M-master.” Jared’s voice was strained, dull, and nearly lifeless when he spoke this time.

“He’s all mine, Ackles,” Pellegrino sneered, pleased at his conquest. “I broke what you couldn’t. I’ve taken what you thought was all yours, just like one day soon I’ll take that piece of crap casino you’re trying so desperately to hold onto.”

A piece of Jensen wasn’t sure he was interested in The Open Road anymore as he stared at Jared like he was, helpless, bound, and broken. He hated himself for putting the boy in this position, to begin with, and knew that if he lost Jared now, nothing else would really be all that important to him anymore.

Jensen was struggling not to move closer as he saw the knife press harder into tender flesh as Pellegrino forced Jared to speak, to call him Master. As he heard Jared’s voice stutter on the hated term, however, he also suddenly noticed a single tear that had fallen from the corner of Jared’s eye to trail down his face. That single tear lit something inside Jensen, a tiny spark of hope, and he shoved down the bitterness and self-hate that had been coming along with guilt and loss.

“Jared?” He spoke to the young man himself, ignoring Pellegrino totally, willing to take a risk since Jensen knew that by now Chris should be closing in. “Jared? Can you hear me?”

“He only hears his Master, Ackles,” Pellegrino sneered, fingers tightening in thick dirty hair as if to remind the punk of that. “He doesn’t remember that other life. It’s all gone. He’s nothing but a naked little pet to be used by... ”

“Shut the fuck up!” Jensen growled, green eyes hot as he glared at the other man. “I’m not talking to you, asshole. I’m talking to Jared. Now unless you’re not as certain your ‘training’ worked fully, it shouldn’t bother you that I am. According to you, he doesn’t even hear me.”

Pellegrino hated the smug gambler. He longed to sink his knife into his chest and rip his heart out but he wasn’t letting go of his new toy, still confident that his training procedure had been successful. He knew Padalecki’s punk kid was subservient to him, and he would enjoy seeing Ackles’ anguish when he realized he was beaten. “Go ahead, talk – but he won’t respond. He only responds to his Master.”

“We’ll see about that,” Jensen shot back, slipping his hand into his pocket to reach for the items he’d brought with him. “Jared, it’s Jensen. I think you can hear me even if you might not feel safe enough to respond. It’s okay though. I know how scary what you went through was, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here for you.”

“Oh, I told him how busy you were – running your casino and fucking the help,” Pellegrino smirked, tightening his grip on both Jared’s hair and the knife as he flicked the tip over a bruised cheek to open a shallow well of blood. “I was at least honest with him and told him you didn’t give a damn about him outside of using him for your own pleasure. I explained the rules. I... ”

“You know nothing about me or him or my feelings for him, Pellegrino!” Jensen snapped, furious and suddenly realizing how the man had broken through Jared’s defenses so quickly; he’d gone right for Jared’s biggest doubts and worked on the boy’s already low self-esteem.

“I am nothing like you, my father, or the people you both deal with. I don’t want to be. I fucked up with Jared when we first met. In trying to not be my father, I came close to actually repeating his sins, and in some ways I actually did... but I am not him.” Jensen moved his eyes back to Jared as he removed the red silk ribbon from his pocket, unwinding it slowly from around the gold Rolex watch. He thought he saw a flicker of emotion on Jared’s face, but couldn’t be sure. “Jared... Jay.” Yes – he definitely saw a flicker of muscle movement at the use of Jared’s nickname. “ You helped me to see what I was becoming. You helped me to see that I needed to change before I became a monster like my Dad, or Bianca... or the asshole behind you. You helped me to change, to want to fight for what’s important to me and I will. I will fight... because you are worth fighting for, sweetheart.”

Jensen caught movement from the corner of his eye but didn’t let on. He could see the rage building on Pellegrino’s face, but it was Jared’s face he was locked on as he held out both items. He was relieved to see the first real movement behind Jared’s eyes as the boy actually blinked, but he still didn’t move or look like he was fully aware of his surroundings.

“That’s sweet, Ackles, but you’re too late. I bought him. He’s mine!” Pellegrino didn’t like Jensen’s tone when he addressed his pet. He yanked the hair he was holding roughly and was rewarded with a small cry of pain. “Mine!”

“He’s not yours, Pellegrino... but he’s not mine either,” Jensen corrected while running the silk through his fingers, seeing another tear run down Jared’s face as he did this. “Jared belongs to himself and always will. He’s not a slave; he’s not a pet. He’s a beautiful, brave, intelligent young man who fell into the wrong life thanks to people like his asshole of a father and you... and me.” Jensen closed his eyes for just a moment and prayed for strength.

“People like you, like my Dad, like everyone in this sick world where you all get off on hurting people, you don’t even realize that in the real D/s world, it’s the sub who has the power.” Jensen was now switching his gaze from Jared’s face to Pellegrino’s, noting how enraged the older man was becoming and how much harder he was starting to press the blade.

“I would give up The Open Road in a heartbeat if I could go back and change how I met Jared. I would give it up, just walk away and start fresh somewhere else if I thought I had an honest-to-God chance with him after all the crap I’ve put him through... but I know that telling him I love him now would be like trying to put a piece of tape over a volcano. It’s nowhere near enough for what I put him through... what I allowed to happen by not being with him to protect him from... ”

“...  J... Jen?”

Jensen froze and his eyes shot down to see that Jared’s blurry gaze was now fixed on him, as if the boy was actually seeing him for the first time since he stepped into the room. He felt his legs nearly give out in relief as he realized that Jared hadn’t been broken as completely as it had first appeared or as the now furious Pellegrino had thought. Now, however, the casino owner had other worries as he watched the knife make a shallow slash across the side of Jared’s neck and the boy cried out in pain.

“Pellegrino!” he snapped, needing the man’s focus on him and off of Jared as a glance over the man’s shoulder showed Jensen that help was on the way. “Let Jared go. Let him go and I’ll give you the damn casino!”

The man was pissed off. He’d been convinced he’d broken the punk ass kid. He’d broken his mind and body in the days since he’d grabbed him, and he couldn’t believe that the boy had actually spoken out of turn to Ackles.

“No! He is mine!” he screamed, jerking Jared’s head back with enough force that the chain hooked to the collar was pulled taut. The boy cried in pain again, but that was nothing compared to the way he planned to make him scream soon. “You actually love this whore? And you’re weak enough to admit that here? To me? Your old man is right about you, Jensen. You’ve got no balls, and you don’t deserve that casino or this kid, cause he ain’t nothing but a piece of meat to be used and fucked! Now you get on your knees unless you want me to finish slitting his throat right now!”

Jared’s head was stretched back painfully, forcing his back into an arch, and only the chain on the collar kept him from falling backward. His eyes were blurry and his thoughts still hazy; only the sound of Jensen’s voice had brought him back to partial awareness. He struggled to find the strength to fight, but his body was too weak, too hurt after days of constant abuse and little food or water. Feeling the knife against his throat and hearing the sharp voice of the man who’d hurt him badly nearly sent Jared back into the void, but then he saw Jensen start to kneel.

“No-no!” he started to cry but gagged when the collar was pulled tight around his neck and he suddenly couldn’t breathe. Furious eyes glared down into his face and a hard fist hit his mouth.

“Shut up, slave!” Pellegrino screamed at him. “I am your Master! You will do what I say! He is nothing to you! He is nothing but trash, like you! He is... ”

“He’s the guy whose bodyguard is about to cut your throat.” Chris Kane’s voice sounded like ice-cold graveled steel from where he stood directly behind the shouting enraged man.

Chris had gotten word of what was happening and was relieved to finally find a way into the room. The French Doors had been locked, but he silently managed to get them open while the bragging man worked to piss Jensen off. A single look had told the bodyguard how close to losing it Jensen really was, but he had to give his friend credit for holding it together and keeping Pellegrino’s attention on him and off of Jared. The man was also distracted enough to not notice Chris as he slipped into the room and moved close enough to grab the wrist holding the knife against Jared’s throat.

He’d considered shooting the bastard from the door but feared Pellegrino’s proximity to Jared might still allow him to kill the young man. The knife was pressed so tightly against the boy’s throat that Chris knew a single muscle spasm could end Jared’s life, so he had to take the time to move in close while hoping Pellegrino’s focus stayed on Jensen. His temper boiled as he watched his friend start to go to his knees as ordered, and that was when Chris closed the remaining distance.

“What?” Pellegrino had been trying to decide how to best punish Jared – should he take him back for a private lesson or stay and make Jensen beg for the brat’s life – when the voice spoke from over his shoulder just as a hand grabbed the wrist holding the blade, twisting it away from what he now considered his property. “Bastards!” he shouted, having to release Jared’s hair to twist in Chris’s grasp, trying to free his wrist from the bodyguard’s grasp and knife him. “He’s mine and I’m not going... ugh!!”

Two sudden sharp cracks were heard as a side window shattered inward. Bloody holes suddenly appeared in Pellegrino’s head and chest even as Chris’s hand was already moving to slice his blade over the man’s throat.

Jensen’s focus snapped back to Jared the moment Chris spoke. He was just starting to move forward, planning to pull Jared away from Pellegrino, when glass shattered and blood seemed to suddenly splatter everywhere, but it was the brief cry of pain Jared let out as he collapsed to the floor that had the casino owner scrambling.

“Jared! Jared !”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-One

“Jared!”

Jensen’s heart was lodged in his throat as he scrambled across the wooden floor to where Jared had collapsed. He ignored the now-dead body of Mark Pellegrino and the sharp curses coming out of Chris Kane’s mouth in his haste to get to the unmoving young man.

Jared had cried out just before dropping so Jensen wasn’t sure if he’d been hit by some of the shattered window glass or if perhaps one of the bullets meant for the casino owner-turned-white-slaver had clipped him.

Jensen’s hands shook as he dropped to his knees beside where Jared lay in a crumpled heap. The boy seemed to be covered with blood, but he couldn’t tell if the blood had come from Jared or Pellegrino. He heard the sound of feet entering the room, more voices, but all Jensen focused on was the boy in front of him.

“Jay? Hey? C’mon on. I need you to open your eyes for me... just for a second.” He spoke in a slow, careful voice. He struggled to keep his tone from shaking but he did softly snarl when someone other than Chris got too close. He looked around for the bodyguard and found him across the room yelling into his phone. “Chris!” he called, and his friend looked over. “I need these damn locks opened! Now!”

Jensen jerked his jacket off and tried to cover the still unmoving young man as much as he could, hearing Mike shout to someone to grab a blanket from one of the Hummers. “Chris! Get your ass over here and get these goddamn locks opened now!” he shouted, putting a bit more bite to his order this time and cringing when he felt a shudder work through the arm he was lightly rubbing.

“We agreed that no one would shoot the bastard until we got Jared away from him, Shawn!” Chris was shouting, furious at the change in plans and worried about the young man who still hadn’t shown any signs of movement. He would be bloodying someone’s face as soon as he had the chance, assuming Jensen didn’t beat him to it. “Screw you! If anything happened to that kid because you took the shot, there will be hell to pay! Now fuck off... I have to go pick some locks unless one of you geniuses found a master key. There has to be one somewhere in this pit!”

“Shhh, it’s okay, Jay. I’m here now. I’ve got you. You’re safe now. I know it’ll probably take a little while before you can believe that, but you’re safe... c’mon Jay... I’d really like to get a peek at your eyes.” Jensen had sat down on the floor beside Jared although he was careful not to touch him other than lightly stroking one arm. Chris finally joined him, took one look, and jerked his own jacket off to add to Jensen’s before kneeling to work on the lock on the back of the thick collar first. “Chris, I’m not sure what’s wrong with him. I can’t tell if the blood is his if he was shot or nicked or... ”

Chris shook his head, not able to assess the wounds any better until he had the boy free. Right now, he just wanted his boss to focus on Jared, who had started to shudder at his touch. “Talk to him, Jensen. Even if he’s not with it fully, he might still recognize your voice enough to stay calm until I can get him loose,” he said quietly.

Jensen’s fingers were shaking as they carded back through Jared’s hair; he could feel how matted it was with dirt, dried blood, and crap he probably didn’t want to think about right then. He drew in a shaky breath and began to talk in a soft voice using a tone that he couldn’t recall ever using before with anyone. He started to worry that the earlier reaction had been a fluke until he suddenly felt a hard shudder go through Jared’s body right before he heard a muffled sob. He looked down and realized that Jared was trying to move closer to him but was still held in place by the spreader bar.

“Chris, get his ankles loose, and then work on his arms,” Jensen ordered.

Chris nodded then looked up at the sound of a sharp whistle. He blew out a sigh of relief as a set of keys was tossed to him; someone had finally found the master set. He quickly set to work on the remainder of the locks that had been holding Jared in place.

“Jared? Hey, you coming back to me?” Jensen was careful to move very slowly as he shifted his hand to Jared’s face, cupping his jaw lightly. He smiled gently as he saw the first glimpse of hazel peeking out of a face that was shadowed, tired, and littered with bruises. “Jay? Can you open your eyes enough to look at me?”

At first, Jared didn’t respond, but when Jensen repeated his request, the younger man seemed to take the words as a command and opened his eyes, but he didn’t seem to be focusing on anything. Jensen blinked back tears from his own eyes as he realized that it would probably be some time before those hazel eyes were clear and bright again.

It was clear that Jared was beyond exhausted and also in pain, but Jensen could see something else in those eyes as well, and it was taking every ounce of strength he had not to pull the boy into his arms and promise him the world if he’d just mouth off just once more to him.

Chris muttered sourly under his breath as he struggled to find the correct key for the spreader bar. He finally did and let out a breath when it also worked on the locks holding Jared’s wrists and arms. The young man was finally free, and Chris turned his attention to the tiny locks on the cuffs around Jared’s arms and ankles. As he started trying keys, he watched Jensen’s hands begin to gently massage tight muscles until Jared’s long arms were able to move to his sides.

“You can move now, Jay,” Jensen told him gently; he didn’t want to touch him too much too soon, not only because he knew Jared would be sore as hell, but also because he knew that touch had probably become associated with pain in the young man’s mind. “Chris is just going to get these cuffs off you and then we’re getting you out of here. Your arms and legs are free already, so you can move a little if you... huh. Okay, you can do that too.”

Jensen was surprised when Jared moved his tired, battered, nearly limp body close enough to wrap his arms around Jensen’s waist. It was hesitant at first as if Jared wasn’t sure he’d be allowed to touch, but the moment Jensen’s fingers caressed gently back through his hair, he moved the rest of the way. His arms were shaking and weak as he tried to hold on to Jensen while burying his face into the soft material of the man’s T-shirt.

Jared’s mind still couldn’t fully accept what seemed to be happening. He’d been lied to and tricked too many times during this whole nightmarish experience, and he stopped believing anything good would ever happen again. He’d lost hope of ever being rescued or reunited with Jensen or his sister, so now as he felt soothing fingers touching him, and heard a familiar voice soothing him, he slowly started to hope this really was over, that Jensen really had come for him. He now knew what would be expected of him, so he hoped that Jensen wasn’t too angry with him for failing to prevent this mess from happening. He hoped Jensen would give him the chance to show him that he could be good, so Jensen would let him stay.

He had some dim awareness of things he thought he’d heard Jensen say earlier, but he knew it was probably only his imagination. Even if he had actually heard those words, he knew the man had probably just been talking to keep Pellegrino occupied; certainly, he hadn’t meant anything he had said, especially the words that Jared desperately wanted to hear again; it had been those words that had pulled him back enough to fight the conditioning and speak against his orders.

The pain was starting to hit him as was shock and exhaustion but Jared struggled to stay awake, hearing voices that he knew were familiar even though he couldn’t remember the names attached to those voices. It was nice to hear voices that weren’t mocking or cruel or taunting him, but mainly, he just wanted to savor the feeling of Jensen’s hands on him, providing comfort with his gentle touches. He needed to feel that to try to reassure himself that he was finally safe, but it was hard to fully believe it since right then he could still smell and feel things he’d rather not.

The final cuff came off with a snap and the moment it did Jensen was motioning to Chris to help him. “Jared? Chris is here. He’s going to help me get you on your feet. He’s not going to hurt you, so when he touches you, don’t be scared. It’ll just be for a moment until I can get up, okay?”

Jared almost voiced his objection to being touched but reminded himself not to, reminded himself to obey Jensen like he’d been taught by Pellegrino and those other masked men. He was too worried that something else the man had said would happen if he didn’t.

He felt Chris’s hands slip under his arms as the man lifted him up and braced him until he got his legs under him. Jared hadn’t actually stood on his own in days, so he felt his legs, especially the still injured right leg, nearly buckle, but then strong hands caught him against a solid chest and wrapped a soft blanket around him to both cover him and keep him warm.

Jared gasped as pain shot through his body when the cock cage bumped against Jensen. He started to pull away, but then froze, remembering that even if it hurt, he wasn’t allowed to protest being touched. He shuddered when warm lips brushed over his cheek and then his ear.

“As soon as we have some privacy, I’ll get that cage off you,” Jensen murmured softly, not wanting to do something like that with so many people still around; he felt that Jared had already been exposed to too many people and invasive looks and touches. “Can you walk or... ” He had felt how weak Jared’s grip on his arm was and also how badly his legs were shaking, so he didn’t even wait for an answer before lifting Jared up into his arms.

The moment he did this, he felt Jared tense and knew the boy was probably still a little fuzzy on exactly what was happening to him, but after a few minutes, he slowly relaxed again, letting his head slump against Jensen’s shoulder. Jensen was shocked to feel a definite weight loss in the younger man; whatever weight he had managed to gain during his months at the casino had disappeared in the few days he’d been with Pellegrino.

“I’m taking him the hell out of here. I don’t care what happens to this place now, and I don’t care what you do with whatever bodies you find,” Jensen said firmly, noticing that the tattoo man was now in the room but staying well away from him. “Chris, figure out the fastest way back to Vegas ‘cause I want Jared away from this hellhole. Mike, tell Chad to push the back seat in the Hummer down so Jared can stretch his legs out and then see if this place has a kitchen with some ice so we can start icing down some of this swelling.”

Mike nodded and took off as Shawn stepped closer to Chris. “Neil will drive you back to the airport and the plane will take you back to Vegas,” he told him, watching as another security man followed Jensen out of the lodge. The casino owner tossed a brief look back at the dead body on the floor as if wanting to be sure it was still dead. “Your Dad might be calling... he’s gonna want to ask that kid some questions since Pellegrino made sure no one here was left alive to talk.” Chris raised his eyebrows in question. “Yeah, we found the bodies. Looks like he killed all the subs that were housed here. Everyone else is in the wind. We were hoping to save more people, maybe catch some of his employees or clients, but I guess since he’s permanently off the playing board, and your kid made it out of here alive, we’ll still count it as a win.”

“Yeah, it’s a definite win, but you still shouldn’t have taken that shot while Pellegrino was so close to the kid,” Chris growled. “If Jared’s got even a graze from glass or a bullet on top of all his other injuries, then you’d better not show your face in Vegas anytime soon cause Jensen will probably want you dead.”

Shawn nodded but grabbed the bodyguard’s arm as he turned to leave. “Chris... what Pellegrino did to that kid... you saw the kid’s eyes. Your boss knows the kid’s not going to just wake up tomorrow and be over it, right?”

“Yeah, I know that,” Chris sighed, wincing as he saw a white-faced Chad stalking around the hummer as if trying to work off energy without losing his temper right then and there. “Jensen knows it too. I think he’s just hoping he can handle the fallout and convince Jared that the lies he was told were just that: lies.”

Right then all Jensen wanted to do was get Jared someplace private. He wanted the boy to feel safe enough to close his eyes and sleep. He noticed that even though Jared was obviously having trouble keeping his eyes open, he was struggling to stay awake once they were settled in the Hummer. Jensen remained beside him while Chad took a few moments to pace around outside, trying to pull himself together after a look at his friend had his temper nearly igniting.

Jared still hadn’t spoken since saying his name or looked him directly in the eye; Jensen was worried, but he tried to remind himself of how he’d been after a year with Bianca. He couldn’t help but worry, however, about just what Pellegrino and his people might have done to push Jared into such a deep sub-state in less than a week.

Jensen adjusted the blanket with the hand not wrapped around the silent young man to be sure he stayed covered and warm as the Hummer was started and the heater flipped on to warm up the interior. He opened a bottle of water and held it up to dry, chapped, and badly swollen lips, but it wasn’t until he actually told Jared to drink that he took his first sip. Chris, sliding into the front seat beside Chad, caught the flash of emotion that crossed Jensen’s face.

“Try not to worry too much, boss,” he said lowly. “Let him get used to being back with you; let him figure out that he really is safe, and then you can start to undo what the bastard did to him.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jensen muttered, urging another sip of water on the young man.

Jared continued to sip the water whenever it touched his lips but made no move to take the bottle from Jensen. The casino owner wondered if that was due to fear or because he knew his hands were shaking too badly to hold it himself.

No one in the Hummer said a word as Jared’s head slowly drifted over to lean against Jensen’s shoulder. For a few minutes, the younger man’s eyes remained open as if he was waiting to see if Jensen would snap at him or correct him, but when that didn’t happen, he settled more against the man’s side and his eyes finally fluttered closed.

Jensen hated the thought of waking Jared up when they reached the airport. He was pretty sure this was the first actual sleep Jared had gotten since he had disappeared. He didn’t have to worry, however, because when Chad slowed down to make the turn into the airport, Jensen felt a nudge and saw tired eyes looking at him curiously before they shifted to look out the window. “We’re in Lake Tahoe. He brought you to South Lake Tahoe, to a lodge he had here,” he replied softly, fingers gently rubbing along Jared’s arm through the blanket. “If he had stayed in Vegas, I would’ve been able to find you sooner.”

Jensen was relieved to see the airport and the plane; he was desperate to get Jared back home. He spoke to Jared softly, explaining that they’d be getting into a plane to fly back to Vegas, worried that the plane might remind him of how he got to Tahoe in the first place.

Jared tensed at the sight of the plane since he did recall being dragged aboard Pellegrino’s much larger plane and the abuse he’d suffered while on board. He chewed his bottom lip and silently reminded himself that nothing would happen with Jensen; except it wasn’t Jensen or the other men he knew who scared him. It was the few faces that he didn’t recognize and the way their eyes kept sliding on him that made him feel uncomfortable.

“Hey!” Chad’s voice suddenly snapped; the sharpness of his voice made Jared jump until he realized his friend wasn’t speaking to him but to some of the strangers in the group. “He isn’t something to be stared at! So quit gawking and get your asses on the plane before I stick my pen in someone’s damn eye socket!”

Jensen had noticed a couple of the men looking at Jared who was still protectively cradled in his arms, and he was glad Chad had put an end to it. He caught Chris’s gaze when the man moved to help him carry Jared up the short set of steps and into the plane. “I want them gone,” he said firmly. “I know they’re part of the group that your dad sent, but they need to find another way back to Vegas. I won’t have them staring at Jared while we’re traveling.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he assured him, nodding when the red-haired guy whispered something as he passed them on his way to the cockpit. “Neil said there’s a space behind the curtain in the back where you can take Jared so he can stretch out and have some privacy. I’ll grab the bag you packed; if he’s up to it, you can help him get dressed. And I’ll call ahead to the casino, make sure Seth is on hand... unless you think we should head straight for the hospital?”

A hospital would probably be better since Jensen knew Jared would likely need X-rays and other special treatment, but he was also well aware that a hospital would bring the police and lots of questions that neither he nor Jared were prepared to answer right then. He was trying to decide what to say when he felt a light touch on his hand and looked to see bruised and shaking fingers trying to squeeze his hand. “Jared? I think you need to go to a hospital,” he said gently but frowned when the boy started shaking his head. “Jay, you’re hurt pretty bad, and I’m not sure Seth at the casino can... ”

“...  ... No... ”

Jared knew he probably did need a hospital visit, but he also knew they’d never be able to explain the wounds in a way that wouldn’t raise all sorts of red flags. He knew going to a hospital would mean cops and that would mean questions, questions he didn’t want to answer, so if he could possibly avoid it, he’d rather not have any hospitals involved.

Jensen eased him down on a small bed that was in the rear of the plane, sitting beside him while Chris went to find the duffel bag with his clothes in it. He looked at Jared as if trying to decide.

He’d been able to wipe some blood off in the car; he’d gotten enough off to reassure himself that Jared hadn’t been hit by a bullet but it did seem like some flying glass had cut him. The rest of the fresh blood had been from Pellegrino and then there was dried blood from the other numerous wounds that littered Jared’s body.

Jensen hadn’t had time to look closely yet, but he was pretty sure several wounds were infected. He was torn between doing what was right and taking Jared to the hospital and protecting not only his own secrets but also Jared’s dignity. He sighed when Jared tried to squeeze his hand again, but when he saw an actual look of real fear in his still hazy eyes, the decision was made.

“Okay... we’ll let Seth clean the wounds and see how bad you are hurt,” he began slowly and saw a look of relief on Jared’s face. “But if he says you need more than he can do with the equipment at the casino, we’re listening to him. It’s okay, Jay. I know a clinic off the Strip that we can go to... they’re discreet and won’t involve the police. Okay?”

Jared nodded, wincing as pillows were placed behind him. He tried to keep his eyes on Jensen’s face, wanting to gauge his reactions and mood, but it was getting harder to hold his eyes open. He realized he must have zoned out because he suddenly jerked his eyes open when Jensen called his name softly and saw a duffel bag had been placed on the bed.

“Jay? I know you’re tired and need to sleep, but I want to help you get this damn cage off, and I didn’t want to touch you without you knowing what I was doing. I’ve also got some warm clothes for you. Let’s get you taken care of and dressed and then you can sleep until we get back to the casino.” Jensen smiled as he watched heavy eyes blink open. He’d hated to wake Jared since he’d looked almost relaxed, but he didn’t want him to wake up to the feel of hands on him, especially since he could tell it wasn’t going to be all that easy to get the contraption off of him. “If I get the lock open, can you... ?”

Jared’s head shook, still not trusting himself to speak much right then. He knew he couldn’t remove the device with his shaking hands. While he cringed inwardly at even Jensen touching him now, he really did want the cage removed, and soon. Spreading his legs, he lifted his eyes to meet Jensen’s, hoping the man understood.

“Okay, I’ll get it off as fast as I can.” Jensen tried not to let on how worried he was about how tight the cage was hooked on and how swollen his cock and balls appeared. He figured Pellegrino had been making Jared hard but not letting him come as further torment. “Try to hold still for me?”

“Yes Sir,” Jared murmured, digging his fingers into the blanket and bracing himself for the pain.

Jensen froze, lifting his eyes to see that Jared’s eyes were squeezed shut. He wasn’t sure the young man had even been aware of how he had responded. “Jared?” He made his voice stay quiet and his tone steady even as a surge of fury at what was done to Jared hit him again. “Jared, look at me.” He waited until wary eyes met his before speaking again. “I don’t know for sure everything that bastard did to you; I’ll let you tell me in your own time. I do have a pretty good idea since I lived through something similar like I told you earlier... but right now, starting right this second, I want you to try really hard to forget every damn thing Pellegrino or his people said or did and listen to me.

“One of the first things I told you was that you didn’t ever have to use that word or that other word he had you using with me.” He slipped a hand up to gently palm a too-cold and clammy cheek, brushing the pad of his thumb along a bruise there. “Neither ‘Sir’ nor ‘Master’ ever comes out of those lips now, Jay. You can use my name or that nickname I said only you can use... hell, you can call me every name in the book for the stuff I’ve caused to happen to you, but never those two things. Alright?” Jensen saw a small nod and hoped Jared would feel safer to begin speaking more soon but knew he couldn’t push.

He rubbed his hands on his jeans before slowly starting to work on the cock cage. Jensen could tell the cage was too small and knew Pellegrino had done that on purpose to make it even more uncomfortable for Jared.

The lock was tiny which made it hard to grasp without brushing against Jared in some way. “Shhh, hurts bad?” Jensen could tell it had to because just seeing the way Jared’s cock was trapped along with his balls made him ache. “Stupid question, but did he let you come at all or did they just do stuff to make you hard and then leave you to suffer like this?” He could tell the answer as he finally got the cage off and took the semi-hard cock carefully in his hand, frowning as he noticed something else. “Oh my God. I wish I’d been able to kill him with my own damn hands. He... ”

Jared’s cheeks flamed red and he wished he had the strength to pull away and hide his face in the pillows, away from the disappointment he feared seeing once Jensen realized that during his near weeklong captivity, Pellegrino had had him circumcised.

As he took in the sight of the raw, swollen, flesh, Jensen struggled to bury his rage, afraid that Jared would think he was mad at him instead of Pellegrino. He knew in his heart that the man would have had it done while Jared was conscious, so the pain had to have been unbearable. He heard a soft whimper and felt a shudder run through the young man, so he quickly finished removing the rest of the device and tossed it to the side so it was away from Jared before gently, carefully pulling the unresisting young man into his arms. He could feel him tense up, as if unsure of his mood or reaction to this newest injury, and guessed that Jared was worried he was in trouble.

“This is not your fault, Jay,” he whispered in reassurance. “Nothing that happened, nothing that was done, was your fault and I swear I am not mad at you, not disappointed with you, for any of it. I just wish I could have kept this from happening to you.”

Jared’s lashes lowered to hide his eyes until he felt a hand lift his chin and he looked up to find Jensen calmly looking at him. “Hurts.”

“I know it does, sweetheart, I know.” Jensen knew Jared needed ice and sleep as he finally felt the plane begin to move. He felt Jared tense slightly and quickly murmured soft assurances while wondering when it had become so easy for him to be this man when he’d spent so many years being cold and hard. By the time the plane had leveled out, the boy seemed to have relaxed slightly. “Okay, Jay, let’s get you into some clothes and then put some ice on you, it should help with the swelling and the pain. Then I want you to try to sleep for the flight back.”

As he kept carding his fingers back through Jared’s hair, Jensen watched the boy’s pale face look at him as if he didn’t fully understand what he was saying. He realized Pellegrino’s ‘conditioning’ had pulled Jared a lot deeper into a full sub-space than he’d been expecting and knew this was bad on a lot of levels.

Breaking full conditioning was hard under any circumstance, but breaking it when the victim had been taken or driven too deeply, was sometimes impossible. He knew it would be even more difficult because of his complex early relationship with Jared.

He shook his head sadly as he helped Jared slip into soft loose sleep pants and a long-sleeved flannel shirt instead of a t-shirt since Jensen could see him shivering as shock set in more now that his body was beginning to calm down without the constant stress and abuse.

Jensen got him to sip more water but held off on any actual food until they were back in Vegas. He could tell Jared had been starved but it was hard enough coaxing water down him and Jensen feared making him sick so he chose to stick with water for the time being.

“Jay, you’re safe. You can close your eyes and go to sleep.” Jensen saw how Jared was struggling to stay awake now that he was warmer and felt relatively safe; his exhaustion was clearly becoming overwhelming. He slipped into the bed beside him and slowly eased an arm around tense shoulders, easing him over until Jared’s head was pillowed against his shoulder. “I swear no one will hurt you. I’ll be with you when you wake up and I will do everything I can to make this up to you and help you to heal. You’ll be okay.”

Jared had his doubts about that since he wasn’t sure what Jensen would still expect out of him or when he would be well enough to start to physically please the man again, but he knew enough now to keep his mouth shut. He was leery of sleeping but couldn’t fight it any longer, so when his head drifted over against a solid shoulder and he felt warm lips brush over his hair, Jared let his body’s exhaustion and pain drag him under into darkness. “Molly?” he suddenly mumbled, eyes struggling open one more time to stare at Jensen.

“She and your friend are safe at the casino,” Jensen assured him, lightly touching his face to both soothe Jared and reassure himself that he had him back safe with him. “As soon as you feel better and can stay awake, you can see her cause I know she’ll want to see... Jared?”

Jared was relieved to know that Jensen had thought enough to ensure Molly’s safety and he really did want to see his sister again, but he knew he couldn’t do it right then. He didn’t feel clean enough for Jensen much less someone as innocent and sweet as Molly.

“I... I... can’t see... her yet,” he managed to say, voice raw and whisper soft as he tucked his head in close to his chest while closing his eyes. “Do... do I have to?”

The tone and the question broke Jensen’s heart because this was not the boy who had fought him and then done so much to protect his sister from being dragged into a life of sex and violence as he’d been. If he had been anyone else, he might have tried to encourage Jared to see Molly right away, to at least reassure the 16-year-old that her brother was alive and safe. But Jensen suspected he knew why Jared was pulling away from his sister, and he’d buffer him as much as he could because he thought he understood what Jared was feeling.

“No, you don’t have to see her right away; you don’t have to see anyone until you feel ready. I’ll explain to her and Ms. Cortese that you need some time,” Jensen told him and was gratified to see a small weak smile as Jared began to settle more into a restless sleep.

Jensen didn’t know how he’d pull that stunt off successfully because he now knew that Molly Padalecki had a lot of her brother’s stubbornness in her, but he hoped she’d understand and be willing to give Jared time. He would also beg his grandmother if she was still there to pull some strings with friends in New York and maybe accompany the teenager and her friend for a personal visit to the dance school that had shown an interest in her. That trip would buy him time to hopefully break through to Jared and help him accept what it was still taking Jensen time to learn: he wasn’t a submissive or a slave to anyone.

He heard a small whimper and tried to prepare himself for the days to come, looking up when Chris stuck his head in to check on them. “Call Sam at the casino and have her put Ms. Cortese on the phone with me. Then I need you to call my grandmother cause I’m about to ask her for a really huge favor. He needs time to heal and recover. He isn’t ready to face a lot of people he knows yet, especially his sister. She can’t see him like this.”

Chris had seen that one coming a mile away and had already been on the phone back to Vegas to start taking care of things so he nodded. He paused for a moment, noting how tense Jared was even in his sleep and also how tense Jensen seemed. “You ready for the time this is going to take?” he asked curiously and caught the warning glare that was shot his way. “Yeah, I know... shutting up and making the calls,” he muttered and reached for his phone again.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Two

“How is he? And for that matter, where is he?”

The six weeks since rescuing Jared from Mark Pellegrino’s clutches and bringing him back to Las Vegas and to the penthouse in The Open Road casino had not been easy. There had been headaches and heartache for everyone involved.

Jared had slept the rest of the flight back to Vegas as well as for most of the drive to the casino since he remained half asleep when Jensen carried him out of the plane and down the steps to the limo that was waiting for them.

As he was placed in the limo, Jared allowed Jensen to touch him, to help him get comfortable, but when anyone else, including either Chad or Chris, got too close to him, he would tense and jerk until he seemed to remind himself of lessons learned brutally, lessons that said he had no choice but to allow himself to be touched, and then he would immediately submit and allow other hands on him. This happened a few times until Jensen caught on to it, and he quietly told the others to back off for the time being.

Jensen had spoken to both Samantha Smith and Gen Cortese on the plane to explain the situation, and both women assured him they would do all they could to make Jensen’s plan work.

Samantha had also promised to have the hotel’s physician waiting in the penthouse while reassuring him that she’d personally speak to his grandparents about the favor he needed.

Seth was waiting by the elevator as Jensen exited, carrying a still groggy Jared. One look at the battered, emaciated young man had the physician swearing and demanding to know why they were in the casino and not at a hospital.

“He’s been through a lot, Seth. He was scared to go to the hospital. I told him you’d look him over here. If he needs more than you can do for him, we’ll take him to the clinic,” Jensen replied while shooting the man a warning glare to lower his tone. “Look at him. He can’t handle a visit from the police with all their questions right now.”

The man clearly wasn’t happy with this choice, but a closer look at Jared’s eyes and how he was acting told him there was another reason Jensen wanted to avoid hospitals. “How deep is he?” he demanded as he grabbed his bag to follow them down the hall while Chad went to grab more supplies to stay busy.

“Pretty deep,” Chris replied grimly, wishing he could help Jensen get Jared to his room, but knowing the young man would cringe at any touch other than Jensen’s. It made the bodyguard wish Pellegrino had suffered more before he died. “I think Jensen can bring him out but it’ll take some time… especially on top of him healing from the physical crap done to him.”

As it turned out, there had been even more ‘physical crap’ done to Jared than anyone had originally suspected. The doctor muttered angrily as he carefully cleaned away blood and dirt to allow him to access Jared’s wounds.

In addition to the raw and badly cared-for circumcision, Jared had several infected wounds on his back and legs. Jensen had to bite his tongue to keep from cursing as he took in the myriad of bruises on Jared’s ass and thighs, suspecting that there would be some pretty extensive internal damage and hoping that Seth could treat it. The doctor had given Jared a strong dose of morphine to slip him fully under, hoping to make the exam and cleaning easier on both the patient and the casino owner, who was hovering anxiously by the bed.

“I swear that if you try to touch this kid sexually for at least a month, I will castrate you,” Seth growled as he was finishing up. It had taken him almost an hour to clean and treat the tears and internal wounds he found inside Jared’s ass before he even began to deal with the other bruises, infected cuts, welts, and burns that littered his back, chest, wrists, ankles, and throat. “In fact, if I come back to check on him and see even one mark on him that’s not here now, I will forget my oath and beat the living hell out of you.”

Jensen had been sitting beside Jared, who was curled on his side in the bed. Even asleep, Jared seemed restless and on edge, so Jensen wanted to stay close in case Jared woke up as the doctor finished his ministrations. At Seth’s final remark, he slowly lifted his eyes to offer a firm return look.

“I’m willing to admit when I’ve made a mistake; I fucked up where Jared’s concerned. I played the hardass bastard just like I’ve been doing for years and it got him hurt. I will work damn hard to make up for those mistakes and for letting that prick grab him. I know what I can and can’t do with him right now,” he declared quietly. His voice was tight with anger, but he didn’t want to raise his voice and possibly disturb Jared. “I’ve been where he is now. I know the effects of what he’s been through – at least some of them. What needs to be done will depend on how deep he’s been driven into sub-space and he’s been ‘trained’ to think. I’m hoping I can convince him that everything that came out of that bastard’s mouth was a lie, but I know that might be hard since he’s going to be confused with how things are between us.”

Seth blew out a breath. He’d been a doctor in Vegas for most of his career so he’d treated his fair share of people with injuries similar to Jared’s and he’d seen the dark side of the sex scene more than once. He knew that Jensen wasn’t as bad as some people thought, and he was beginning to realize that he actually might care for Jared. He just wasn’t sure if Jensen, with his own past, was the right one to help this boy recover from his brief but brutal ordeal.

“I’ll be back to check on him tomorrow. You know how to reach me if you need anything before then.  You can also call Samantha since she might as well be my nurse.” He packed the items he had used into his bag and wrote several prescriptions. “Keep ice on his throat, his groin, and his knee, and get these filled,” he told the casino owner. “This one is a broad spectrum antibiotic – it should take care of the infected cuts and well as the infection from the... the surgery. This one is for pain – make sure he takes it every 6 hours for the first couple of days. We want to stay ahead of the pain. He’ll need this cream for the tears in his ass applied twice a day.” The doctor hesitated for a few moments before handing over the last slip of paper. “This last one is a pill to help him sleep. I know he’s exhausted, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he has trouble sleeping. This should help him get the rest he needs. I’m going to strongly recommend that he take it at least for the first few days.”

Jensen walked the man out; he could hear Chad bitching about something, but Jensen was pretty sure that was just the hyperactive man’s way of expressing concern for Jared. Once the doctor was gone, he asked Chris to make sure any pressing casino issues were handled and to give him an update in the morning. Both Chad and Chris understood the unspoken message - Jensen wanted the penthouse emptied of people. Both men told him to call if he or Jared needed anything at all before stepping into the elevator.

Once the elevator doors closed, Jensen leaned back against the wall and took several deep breaths. It was the first time in over five days that he truly felt like he could breathe. After making sure Jared was still sleeping fairly soundly, he took a quick shower and changed. Feeling a bit more human, he took the time to place a second call to Gen so he could reassure her that they were back in the casino and that Jared had been seen by the doctor. He refrained from telling the young woman everything about Jared’s condition although he was pretty sure she was smart enough to figure out what he wasn’t saying. Jensen’s next call was to his grandparents; his grandfather answered and simply reassured him that Sophia had everything well in hand and would speak with him after he woke up the following day and that he should get some sleep.

Jensen knew he should sleep while Jared was still out from the drugs the doctor had given him. He hadn’t really gotten much rest at all since learning Jared had been kidnapped, and he doubted that either he or Jared would get much over the next several days. Jared would certainly be battling nightmares, even with the medication prescribed by the doctor, until some of the shock had worn off and he could be convinced that he was fully safe. Jensen longed to find the snarky, stubborn kid who had punched him that first night, but that kid was now buried under layers of pain and conditioning to be someone that Jared Padalecki was not.

Jared actually slept undisturbed through the first night and well into the next day. He woke up thrashing early in the afternoon, however, voice choking off on a ragged scream that had Jensen shooting awake from the chair that he’d dragged next to bed sometime in the early hours of the morning.

“Jared?” Blinking sleep from his eyes, Jensen lunged to grab a wild arm and barely dodged the other fist that nearly bounced off his skull. “Jay! Wake up now!” He made his voice sharper, louder, hoping to get through the sleep, shock, and confusion he could see in too-wide, too-glassy eyes, realizing that Jared was trapped in the middle of a nightmare.

Between shock and pain from his injuries, the days of being forced to stay awake, and then the shot of morphine from the doctor, Jared had crashed and crashed hard. He was now having a hard time waking up as he relived the worst of what Mark Pellegrino had done to him.

He heard a distant voice in his head, but it was hard to understand anything other than the mocking and sneering cold voice bragging about what would be done to him and how he had to obey or suffer even more painful and humiliating punishments.

“No... no... don’t... stop... please let…” Jared’s voice was ragged, still raw and weak, as he twisted in a fruitless attempt to avoid the hands and devices used on him. Suddenly, he felt strong fingers grabbing his wrists and pinning them both above his head while also grabbing his thrashing head to hold it still. “No! No! J... Jensen! Master!”

“Jay! Open your eyes!” Jensen snapped; he was only one step from panicking himself as he struggled to get the fighting young man awake without hurting him or pushing him any deeper into sub-space. He wasn’t sure if he felt sick or furious at the broken voice that shouted his name and then that damn word Jensen despised. “Jared!”

Jared gasped as his eyes snapped open; he blinked furiously before staring at Jensen in a total haze. It took a few moments before the fog slowly cleared and the sharp green eyes that were staring into his came into focus. “Je... Ma... I…” He stuttered for a few seconds as if his thoughts wouldn’t settle, as if he couldn’t remember what words to use, or as if he wasn’t sure he should speak at all. He remained still even as the fingers on his face gentled and the ones holding his wrists let go.

“My name, sweetheart, use my name,” Jensen encouraged, sighing when Jared only stared at him as if unsure. “God, please... I don’t want to do it this way, Jay.”

Jensen had been hoping that when Jared woke up, things would be looking up, brighter, and that there would be signs that the Jared he knew was returning. Instead, he was still faced with a nearly broken and scared boy, one who was waiting to be punished, one who needed to be ordered around like the slave he’d been at the lodge.

Closing his eyes for a long moment to settle his nerves, Jensen opened them again to see Jared still watching him, waiting to be told what to do. “Use my name when you speak to me, Jared,” he instructed firmly, brushing his thumb over the bruise on Jared’s face. “Say my name, Jared.”

“Jensen.” The response was immediate but sounded ragged and it was obvious that Jared’s throat was still sore. Jensen knew that the younger man wouldn’t be doing much speaking for the next couple of days and that might be good for both of them.

Nodding, Jensen eased back now that he was certain Jared was awake and calming down. “Seth says you need to start eating since it’s pretty clear that they starved you. Now that you’re awake, I’ll tell Marta to heat some broth. We’ll need to start you out with light food so you don’t end up getting sick.” He slowly reached up and brushed the hair out of Jared’s face, noticing that instead of following his hand or watching his eyes like he used to, now Jared’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Hang on while I call the kitchen and then I bet you’d like to take a bath or something. It would help you relax and keep those wounds clean and Seth said it wouldn’t hurt anything.”

Jensen moved to press the intercom to contact Marta who he knew was probably pacing the kitchen waiting to hear from him. He asked her to prepare some clear broth, a few plain crackers, and some apple juice, telling her that he’d come to get it since he knew Jared wasn’t up for sitting at a table yet to eat. He was just hoping he could get him to eat at least a little bit since Seth had warned that Jared would have to be hospitalized if he didn’t start to eat today.

He turned at the sound of movement from the bed, expecting to see Jared trying to stand up on his own to head to the bathroom since he knew Jared hated to ask for help, but what Jensen saw actually nearly sent him to his knees and he stumbled in his haste to get back to the bed.

“Jared? What the hell... what’re you doing?” he asked carefully, fighting not to sound sharp or angry but Jensen knew his tone had startled the already confused young man, who tried to look over his shoulder at him while he continued to work to get to his knees and remove his sweatpants. “Hey, what’s up with this?”

It took a moment for Jared to realize what Jensen was asking, and then he frowned. “I... he...” He paused, swallowing painfully and blinking as Jensen’s hands pulled the sweatpants back up and then turned him until he was seated beside him on the bed.

“I know it hurts to talk. It probably will for a couple of days since it looks like that damn collar really did a number on your throat.” Jensen held a glass of water he’d kept by the bed up for Jared to sip. “So if I ask you something, it’s okay to just nod, okay?” He paused until he got a nod. “Pellegrino... no, shhh, he can’t hurt you now. He’s dead and no one will hurt you like that again but... you know you’re safe and you don’t need to do this, right?”

The answer was plain to see on the young man’s face. Jared was obviously still in the mindset that he needed to please Jensen like he’d been forced to please the other man and whoever the hell else Pellegrino had let touch him, and it seemed to be confusing him that Jensen wasn’t letting him.

“He... they said…” Jared bit his lip before finally just shaking his head, unable to speak both from pain and memory. He glanced over to see Jensen’s fingers flexing into a fist and worked not to tense or shy away. “But our deal... still... it’s my job…”

And there was the answer that Jensen did not want to hear. In his heart, the casino owner had been afraid that not only had Pellegrino drilled being a sub into Jared’s head, but that he’d also mocked Jared and told him the worst about Jensen as well, adding to the fears and uncertainties Jared still had with him and their ‘deal’.

“We’ll... talk about that deal later when you’re feeling better and we’ve gotten you over what he did to you,” Jensen murmured, looking over with a slow smile. “We’ll talk when you’re ready to as well, but right now I want you to soak in the tub while I go get breakfast. Today you’re staying in bed and catching up on your sleep.” He helped Jared stand and then supported him when he saw how shaky his legs still were. “I’ll be in and out this afternoon. I’m going to check on the casino and make sure things are running smoothly, and I want to speak with Ms. Cortese about taking Molly on a trip to distract her from wanting to see you too soon. But while I’m gone, Marta will be here and I’ll make sure Chad’s around in case you wake up and need anything before I get back, okay?”

Jared felt himself tense and also felt a small burst of panic at the thought of Jensen leaving him, but he reminded himself that Jensen had a casino to run and he was there to serve only when needed, so he nodded slowly.

Jensen got Jared settled in the warm water to soak before stepping out to go get the tray, but he had to pause and lean against the wall to let his hands shake. “Damn it!”

When he returned with the tray, he helped Jared out of the tub and gently dried him before helping him into a pair of soft sleep pants. He settled the young man back in bed and watched as he carefully sipped a cup of broth and nibbled at a few crackers. Jensen tried not to be dismayed by how little he consumed, knowing it would take some time for Jared’s appetite to return. Jensen sorted out the pills Jared needed to take and the boy swallowed them without question, washing each down with a sip of juice.

It was hard for Jensen to keep his focus and his temper in check for the rest of the day. He had left a quiet and still sleepy Jared in the care of Marta and Chad while he went to check in with Chris, needing to verify that things within the casino were calming down and find out if there was anything that he still had to do to secure his position.

As it turned out, Jensen learned he had a large pile of new employment records to go through. In the past 24 hours, Chris had fired several people in various departments for various reasons and a few had chosen to quit upon learning that Jensen wasn’t losing control like they’d been told he would be.

He was also surprised to learn that he had a meeting with the new head of his legal team. Apparently, Jeffrey Dean Morgan had turned in his resignation and then disappeared; according to his legal office, he had left the country. This news both angered and disappointed Jensen as it now made sense how Pellegrino had learned he was coming.

Despite the number of tasks demanding his attention, Jensen carved out a chunk of time to go up to the suite where Molly and Gen were staying. He wanted to introduce both women to Sophia Ackles, who immediately took a liking to the spunky teenager who demanded news about her brother and accused Jensen right to his face of trying to keep her away from Jared.

“Jared’s hurt and he doesn’t want to scare you, Molly,” he tried to explain calmly but it was hard when he couldn’t tell her how badly he was hurt or how long his recovery might take. “He just needs some time to get over what happened. I’m sure he’d want you to go to New York to see this school and what they have to offer you.”

“Why bother? Even with the scholarship they’re offering, I still can’t afford it and neither can Jared,” the teenager shot back, chewing her lip in the same way her brother did. He and Gen both tried to work on convincing her but as Jensen had seen downstairs, the 16-year-old girl shared Jared’s stubborn streak and was about to dig her heels in when Sophia suddenly spoke up.

“Oh, you’re a dancer?” The older woman smiled brightly. “Wonderful! I used to dance as a girl but never went to school for it. You’d make a wonderful dancer I’m sure, and the schools in New York have wonderful programs for it.”

Sophia had grown up around gamblers so she knew how to talk fast and how to handle stubborn people, especially teenagers, as she often volunteered with troubled teenagers. She could read this pretty girl and knew she was smart and ambitious with dreams, but that right now, she was scared for her only real support system, her brother.

“Molly,” she began while sitting down and patting the seat beside her while motioning her grandson to hush. “I think my grandson and your friend are trying to protect you and your brother, but I’m going to be straight with you as you young people say.

“Your brother, who I have yet to meet, was hurt by a very bad man and it will take him time to heal from what was done to him, both emotionally and physically. I’m sure he asked Jensen to keep you away from him until he healed. I think that he didn’t want to scare you on top of all these other sudden changes that you’ve had happen.” Sophia took a thin hand between her own and held it while offering a warm smile. “So Jensen isn’t trying to keep you away because he doesn’t want you to see your brother; he’s just trying to protect Jared by doing what he asked.

“Now, I happen to have friends in New York and my friends happen to know a lot of people, including people in several of these dance schools. I can say that they do not offer scholarships to just anyone, so if they’re asking you to come and see the school, I say we should go and make a vacation of it.” The older woman was already shaking her head when Gen brought up Molly’s schoolwork, protesting that she couldn’t be gone for too long or else she’d fall behind.

If Sophia was anything, it was quick and savvy. “Poppycock,” she scoffed, continuing in a tone that clearly said she had a plan, and Jensen wondered if he should be worried. “I’ll arrange for a tutor, one her school will recognize so that she won’t fall behind. That way she can travel to New York to tour the schools, get an idea of the curriculum they offer in addition to dance, and see the sites. While we’re gone, Jensen can help her brother heal and take care of the rest of this nasty business that sweet girls like Molly shouldn’t have to worry about.”

“You’ll... help Jared?” Molly had asked him, still unsure about trusting Jensen. “And... this guy who hurt him? He can’t hurt him again? Or our Dad can’t…”

“The guy who grabbed Jared won’t hurt anyone ever again, and I’ll make sure your father understands that you and Jared are off limits,” Jensen assured her, kneeling down. “Molly, I know you want to see him but... right now... he’s not the brother you know. Hell, he’s not the kid who mouthed off to me for months, but I will do my best to help him be that man again.

“I won’t ask you to trust me since this is partly my fault but... I think Jay will heal better if I can tell him you’re safe and looking into dance schools; he so badly wants you to go to a great school, and I promised to help make that happen,” he told her and gave his grandmother a grateful smile when Molly finally agreed to go so long as Jensen swore her brother would be alright.

Now, six weeks later Jensen was beginning to fear that he was in over his head in both his business and his personal lives.

Jared had slept almost constantly for the first week of his freedom. It worried Jensen, but he knew the kid was beyond exhausted, so he tried not to dwell on it too much. Of course, Jared’s sleep wasn’t anywhere close to peaceful; it seemed that the more rest he got, the worse his nightmares were, but he wouldn’t talk about them. In fact, he barely talked at all unless Jensen gave in and ordered him to.

It was obvious to all concerned that Jared had been driven even deeper into sub-space than they first believed, but still, Jensen refused to allow Seth to bring in a specialist.

Jensen truly believed that since Jared was already so on edge and insecure, a therapist would end up making things even worse. He continued to hope that by giving him time and showing him that he wasn’t a slave or expected to perform any sick sex acts, he might start to come out of the shell he was in... but so far nothing.

The fact that Jensen’s father had tried one more drastic move to take over The Open Road hadn’t helped matters. Jared had been in the office one evening when Chris had lost his temper with the new lawyer. The volume of Chris’s voice and the sound of the lawyer slamming a large book on the desk had sent Jared skittering back into a corner. Before anyone realized what was happening, the young man was on his knees, assuming a submissive position that Jensen remembered only too well from his youth. It just about broke his heart to see Jared automatically assuming that position at the sound of a raised voice.

It took him the rest of that night to calm Jared down, to get his glazed eyes to clear again, to get the young man to listen to him and relax. After that night, the younger man seemed to latch onto him and would become upset whenever Jensen was out of his sight. While he seemed most relaxed when he was with Jensen, it was also obvious that Jared still thought he had to perform sexually to please Jensen.

There were moments when Jensen thought he saw a spark of the old Jared, but just as fast as he saw it, the spark would disappear and Jared would pull back into himself, into that damn sub-space. Nothing Jensen did seemed to be pulling him completely out of it yet.

Jensen flat-out refused, maybe a bit too sharply, to let Jared suck him off or touch him sexually because he didn’t want him to think he had to. It was hard on him and confusing to Jared, but Jensen needed to try to convince Jared he didn’t have to do anything to be safe. Jared seemed dismayed that Jensen wouldn’t accept his advances, mumbling that it was his job.

Despite Jared’s clinginess, Jensen started leaving him in the penthouse when he went to his office. He was busy with the casino business, and he wanted to personally meet each of his new employees. He was also working with Chris to make sure that neither his father nor the bitch he still insisted he was marrying could cause any additional trouble for them. Jensen felt guilty, knowing he should be spending more time with Jared, but he was finding it increasingly hard to resist his advances. He was cursing himself for not ripping that damn contract up in front of the kid before any of this happened. If he had, maybe Jared wouldn’t be feeling that he had to ‘service’ Jensen to keep him happy.

Right then, Jensen was in his office in the penthouse going over the files of potential investors that his grandfather had sent him. The older man had returned to New Jersey when Sophia had left for New York. Weeks later, Sophia was still showing Molly and Gen the sites of the East Coast, and glad to do it she’d reported happily.

This morning, he’d left Jared reading in his room. His stress level had recently skyrocketed when he’d learned that Bianca had bought The Devil’s Lair from Pellegrino’s estate. Just the thought of having that woman, as well as his so-called father, permanently in town put him on edge. Jared had been upset when he’d left, but Jensen hadn’t wanted to take any chances on losing his temper in front of the boy.

Jensen was lost in thought and memories when he glanced up to see Chris Kane in the door. “What do you mean where is he? He’s in his room. You know he’ll only play games with Chad if I order him to and then he lets Chad win and Chad gets all upset. So he’s reading in his room. He might be sulking a little since I wouldn’t let him come to the office with me and... okay I might have snapped at him a little when he tried to blow me – don’t glare at me, I didn’t let him – so anyway, he’s in his room.” He blew out a breath and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his tired eyes. “I think he thinks I’m punishing him for getting grabbed or not being how I want him to be or something. I can’t break him fully out of sub-space, Chris.

“When he first wakes up lately he seems okay, but the second he looks at me or he’s awake fully, I see Jared slipping back and his training taking control. I hate it. I hate Pellegrino. I hate everyone like him, like Bianca, and I wish I knew what to do but... I really thought that because I went through the same thing, I’d know how to help him, but I don’t.” He pushed up from the desk and winced as his back ached from too many nights spent sitting in a chair. He’d learned that the only way to keep Jared in his bed and not on the floor or in the closet was for him to stay in the room with him.

“He’s going to need to be drawn out of this shell and you aren’t exactly known for your patience or bedside manner, Jensen. You won’t be able to be the asshole he’s gotten used to, especially not if you seriously plan on making something work with him after he’s healed,” Chris replied, feeling his phone buzz. The unique vibration made him frown because it signaled a text from someone he didn’t normally get texts from. “I know it’s been hard on both of you cause he’s confused, but you haven’t really pushed him to sit down and talk to you. You really need to tell him that what happened isn’t how it should be done or how you want it to be or anything but... what the fuck?”

“I know what you’re going to say; I’ve been hiding behind my work, just hoping he’ll wake up one morning and be the same smiling, snarky kid I’ve that first came here... and that might be true but…” Jensen paused at the sudden sharp curse and turned to see Chris frowning. “What?”

Reading the text again, the bodyguard swore and grabbed his employer’s arm. “I thought you said Jared was in his room reading,” he growled while shoving his phone into Jensen’s hand and breaking into a run to shove open the door to Jared’s bedroom without knocking.

“He is,” Jensen argued, but then he read the text and felt his stomach drop. He followed Chris into the room to see that the bed covers were in a crumpled pile, the iPad was abandoned on the floor, and the room was empty. “Jared…no.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Where the hell is he?” Jensen started to move toward the closet when Chris’s phone buzzed again. He finally read the texts that had come in and then handed the phone to Jensen who nearly fell back against the dresser in shock. Moments later he was out the bedroom door and running for the elevator. “How the hell’d he get out of the penthouse without me knowing it?” he demanded. “He’s not exactly stealthy right now since he’s still limping and off balance. Plus, he hasn’t even wanted to be out of my sight since we got him back so what the hell game is he... Chris!”

A hard hand grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back against the rear of the elevator while his bodyguard and friend got in his face. "This is exactly the attitude you cannot have with him right now!” Chris snapped harshly, seeing sharp green eyes narrow in warning but not giving a damn. “If you want to snap him out of sub-space, if you want to help him learn to trust you again, then keep your goddamn temper and try to actually ask him a question instead of leaping to your own damn conclusions! And don’t you dare yell at him when we get down there. If Sam or my parents had snapped at you for half the crap you did or said when you got out of Bianca’s clutches, you might not have recovered as well or as quickly as you did!

“For once in your life, Jensen, just once... think before you open that mouth! Think and keep your temper,” Chris urged as the elevator neared the ground floor. “I know you’re confused about how to help him. I know you’re more scared than you want to admit to him or yourself, but to help him, to get through to him, you might actually have to let him see your emotions. You might have to finally break down those walls and be your actual self. To get Jared to come back to you, you might have to be completely open and honest about how you really feel for him. You might have to say those three damn words to him now that he might actually be able to hear them!”

Jensen’s jaw twitched, temper surging dangerously close to the surface but instead of lashing out like he would have any other time, he took a slow deep breath. He knew his friend was correct about a lot of things. He also knew he’d been going about this wrong with Jared but it wasn’t until just then that he’d really allowed himself to see it.

He was angry, but he was angry with himself. He wanted to be angry with Chris, but he understood that Chris was just telling him what he needed to hear. He had been scared out of his mind when he realized Jared wasn’t in his room and all sorts of things had passed through his mind in the several seconds before Chris thrust the phone at him. A piece of Jensen still worried that they hadn’t weeded out all the traitors, and he did not want to think of Jared being led away under false pretenses only to be hurt again.

The moment the elevator doors opened, Jensen was prepared to bolt out and tear through his casino until he found the younger man only to be pulled up short by the scene he saw in front of him. He was certain his heart was in his throat by this time and it only settled back in his chest when he stepped out of the elevator to see Jared standing in front of the showpiece in the middle of the main lobby. Misha, looking serious for the first time since Jensen had met him, was standing off to one side keeping a close eye on the pale-faced distant-eyed young man who was only dressed in loose sleep pants, a soft t-shirt, and no shoes.

“I was closing the boutique for the night when I caught sight of him,” the tailor said as he approached Jensen while Chris moved to the side to speak to Justin Hartley who had also been watching to be sure no one bothered the young man as he stood just staring up at the Impala as it turned slowly on its pedestal. “I tried to say something to him but... I think he might be sleepwalking or something. He didn’t respond at all to my voice. I didn’t want to touch him or startle him if he is, so I texted Kane.”

“Thanks, Misha,” Jensen replied quietly and then stepped up slowly so he was beside Jared, looking at him for a long moment.

Jared’s face was pale and sweaty and his eyes had a faraway look to them as he stood close to the wall that surrounded the 1967 Impala on its pedestal in the fountain. His fingers were clenching where he had them crossed over his chest, which appeared to be heaving a little more than normal.

“Jared?” he called softly. He was hesitant to touch the young man since he was beginning to think that maybe Misha was correct about Jared sleepwalking. He didn’t want to wake Jared up too suddenly if that was the case.

In the six weeks since rescuing him, Jensen had noticed, and both Chad and Chris had pointed out as well, that Jared seemed to relax a little more when he was around certain things, especially things that reminded him of Jensen. More than once, the young man had been found sleeping on the floor of Jensen’s closet with one of his t-shirts clutched to his chest like a security blanket.

Jensen thought back to an incident that had happened a little over a week after Jared had come home. He had woken from a nightmare and Jensen had been lying in bed next to him, rubbing his back and trying to calm him down. It took several minutes, but Jared had eventually drifted back off to sleep. As Jensen eased out of the bed, he noticed that Jared’s fingers were now locked onto one of the red silk ribbons that Jensen had been keeping in his pocket. It must have fallen out when he was lying next to Jared. He tried to pull the ribbon out of Jared’s grasp, but the boy only clutched it tighter.

He hadn’t thought much about it at the time, but now, as Jared stood fixated on the Impala, he began to wonder if the ribbon held more significance than he originally thought. Obviously, his original ideas about how to help Jared weren’t working; he wondered if maybe it was time to try some out-of-the-box ideas to attempt to bring Jared out of the deep control others had drilled into him. At the moment, however, he just wanted to wake him enough to see if he was alright and go back upstairs.

“I wanted to be a mechanic and work on classic cars, or maybe drive a race car.”

Jared’s words were slow and soft and it was plain that he wasn’t fully awake yet, but he did slowly blink as Jensen called his name again. That one sentence was the most he’d said at one time in six weeks, and the casino owner admitted to himself that he’d screwed up by hoping Jared would come out of this headspace on his own. He recalled how much support he’d had during his own battle to recover from lies and abuse.

“You can still be those things, Jay,” Jensen told him softly. He saw him shiver and wished he’d grabbed a blanket. The casino was always kept fairly cool to battle the Vegas heat and he knew the marble floors had to be cold on bare feet. “I told you that you can be anything you set your mind to.”

“Dead,” Jared whispered, his eyes blinking as if he were starting to wake up, his injured knee shaking as well as if he’d been on it for too long. “He... they killed me.”

Jensen went still, not expecting to hear that, and swallowed tightly. “Who killed you?” he asked warily. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chris and Justin frown as they, too, overheard Jared’s comment. Both men fell silent, waiting to hear what Jared would say next. “No one killed you, Jay. We got you out. You’re alive and healing.”

“My Dad and... that man,” Jared whispered again; he kept his voice low as if afraid of speaking too loud, or perhaps he was still unsure if he was allowed to speak at all. “M’body’s alive... but not sure if my soul is. H-hate what he did, what he turned me into and I know... know Jensen won’t…” He paused as if thinking about exactly what he wanted to say. “I’m trying to do it right, to keep doing what they made me learn cause... he said... said Jensen would want me to do those things too cause he’s my... but Jensen won’t let me call him that or touch him and... I’m gonna get in trouble ‘cause I’m not doing my job.” The boy paused as a violent shudder ran through his too-thin frame. His next words were almost too soft to be heard. “I think I love him, but he’ll never see me as anything but a whore... it’s what I am. Master was right. I’m just a slave and... I wish my body was dead, too.”

Jensen couldn’t seem to catch his breath as he tried to comprehend what Jared was saying. He’d known Jared was still in a bad state of mind, but this was so much worse than he’d feared.

“Jensen, he’s not awake,” Chris reminded him as he motioned an open-mouthed Misha away. He started to cross the floor, wanting to offer support since his friend had gone pale at the slurred, sleepy words. “He’s confused. He’s got what they did to him, what they told him to do, what he thinks you want from him, and probably a lifetime of lies all jumbled up in his head so…”

Jensen’s hand shot up to stop Chris from coming any closer as he stared at Jared. Hearing those words come out of Jared’s mouth hurt, but as he thought about it, he could recall feeling that same way about dying when he was 17 and trying to overcome what he’d endured.

Jensen knew there were plenty of differences between his ordeal and what Pellegrino had done to Jared, but there were definitely some similarities as well. He just had to find a way to get into Jared’s head, to shove out those damn lies, and convince him of the truth. He knew it was going to be hard to get Jared to trust him, however, given all the hell he’d put the kid through when they first met and the damn deal that they had made.

“You don’t want to be dead, Jared,” he told him, reaching out to gently touch his face. He could feel a mild fever as well as tears he hadn’t seen him shed. “You’ll miss seeing Molly dance. You’ll miss living your life, and I swear to you that you will have a wonderful life to live for yourself… but right now I need you to wake up for me. Can you wake up for me, Jay?” Jensen took a careful step closer and placed his other hand in the center of Jared’s chest. He saw dazed eyes blink several times before the boy’s body shuddered and his eyes seemed to clear slightly. “Hi.”

“J-Jensen?” Jared blinked as he looked around to see that they were in the lobby and he was barefoot. “What’s happening?” he asked, confused and starting to shiver harder. He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten there or if Jensen would be angry with him. “How’d I... why am I here? Where are my shoes?”

Jensen slipped his arm around Jared’s waist to help support him, letting him take his weight off his still shaky knee. He was happily surprised to feel him lean against him, but he knew the kid probably wasn’t even aware he was doing it yet. “I think you had a bad dream, Jay. You couldn’t wake up fully and for some reason, you walked in your sleep down here to look at the Impala.” As he spoke, he was leading him slowly back to the elevator, shooting both Chris and Misha a ‘mind your own business’ glare when they tried to follow. “Let’s get you back upstairs and get those feet warm.”

“I... I didn’t mean to…” Jared immediately stopped talking when a finger touched his lips as the elevator doors closed. He wasn’t certain what to expect; it seemed so hard to reconcile what his brain kept telling him should happen with what kept actually happening.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Jensen quickly reassured him and then offered a slight smile. “Well, you did scare about 40 years off my life when I realized you weren’t where I thought you were.” He hoped to see a smile or something to indicate that Jared knew he was teasing, but instead, he felt the younger man start tensing as if steeling himself for a fist or other punishment, and he sighed. “You’re not in trouble, Jay. You scared me, yeah, and Chris yelled at me but... I think maybe it’s time you and I talk if you feel up to it.”

Jared almost reminded him that it wasn’t his place to say when they talked or did anything else, but he simply bit his lip and nodded his agreement. He was dismayed to notice that Jensen seemed more upset by that response than if he had spoken out loud. He blinked back tears, unable to figure out what he was doing wrong or how to please Jensen and make things right.

Jensen didn’t want to push too hard too fast, but he knew he needed to do something to get Jared’s full attention and hopefully make him start to listen to him. He needed his words to get through to him, but he also needed to be careful not to overwhelm him.

He settled Jared on the sofa in the living room before going to grab a warm pair of socks as well as something from his own room. Jensen made a brief detour to the kitchen to make two mugs of hot chocolate before returning to Jared. He looked at the still-pale young man and hoped Mark Pellegrino was being tortured in Hell for what he’d done to Jared and probably countless other young people.

“Can you tell me what you were dreaming about that made you walk in your sleep and end up downstairs?” Jensen asked as he came back and held out the mug, nodding that it was okay to take it. “I know... at least I think I know... why you haven’t wanted to talk, but I need you to start talking to me, Jared. I need to know what you’re thinking so I can try to help you. If you can start to trust me again, I can help you undo what Pellegrino did.”

Jared sipped the hot chocolate slowly, savoring the warm sweetness as it hit his taste buds even though he could tell it was made from a packet and tap water, unlike the homemade brew Marta had made for him before. “I... I don’t actually remember exactly what I was dreaming,” he mumbled, staring at the floor. “I just know I was scared and wanted to feel safe... I’m not sure why I went downstairs.” Jared chewed at his bottom lip and Jensen felt his heart clench at the familiar gesture. It was a tiny confirmation that his Jared was still in there somewhere. He forced himself to stay quiet, nodding to encourage the young man to keep speaking. “I... I don’t know what’s right anymore. I can’t focus half the time because... I want to do the things I promised you I’d do, but you don’t seem to want me like that since you got me back and... huh?”

Jensen had been putting the warm socks on Jared’s feet while he’d been speaking, but he looked up at that comment. “I never said I didn’t want you, Jared.” He understood why the young man might think that, however, since he’d been pulling back from his advances and Jared probably didn’t understand why.

“You hardly ever touch me and you won’t let me touch you so what am I supposed to think?” Jared suddenly yawned and blinked at the empty mug. “Did you put something in this?”

“No, but if it gets you to talk to me, I might consider it next time,” Jensen replied with a smile, taking the mug and handing him his own untouched mug since he had seemed to enjoy it so much. “You’re right. I haven’t been touching you like I used to or letting you touch me like you’ve tried to. But I promise it’s not because I don’t want to,” he told him, slowly reaching into his pocket.

“Not touching you or letting you touch me is killing me, Jay. I miss it. I don’t mean just the sex since we were still working back up to that, but I miss kissing you and watching your face when I got you off with my hand or my mouth. I miss sitting on the sofa with you and waking up with you.” He stayed sitting on the coffee table and laid his hands on Jared’s knees lightly, watching his face closely. He saw a flash of desire cross Jared’s face, but it was quickly replaced by confusion and a hint of fear. Once again he wished for Mark Pellegrino and every single person who had hurt Jared to burn slowly over an open pit. “I have reasons but it’s not because I don’t want you.”

Jared watched Jensen’s hands move carefully over his still-sore knee. It was a lesson painfully taught by Pellegrino that had him beginning to spread his legs only to stop when Jensen’s fingers flexed on his good leg.

“Starting right now I want you to try very hard to forget or ignore the things they said you were expected to do to please anyone,” Jensen began slowly, remembering how hard a time he’d had doing that and guessing for Jared it would be even harder. “I’ve got an idea I’d like to try. Every day I want you to tell me one thing Pellegrino did to you, how he tried to convince you a proper ‘sub’ was supposed to act, and I will, in return, tell you in great detail how wrong that bastard was.” Jared looked at him with uncertainty and a little bit of fear clearly in his eyes.

“You told me once that you would never be a 24/7 sub, and I told you that I didn’t want you to be.” He placed one red silk ribbon on the sofa while running the other through his fingers and watched Jared’s eyes go to it. “You said you had a hard time focusing. Focusing on what?”

“Being... me and not that,” Jared murmured. His eyes watched the ribbon trail through Jensen’s fingers and his mind flashed back to the night in the master bedroom only to have hard cold eyes intrude in his memories, and he suddenly relived the feeling of stiff leather being clamped on his wrists and he gave a shudder without realizing it. “I think I know what you want me to be but... it’s like I can’t find him inside me again. I keep seeing that basement and... feeling those things... what they did to me... and I keep hearing him say that no one would come for me and that I was his pet and... Jensen?”

Jensen swallowed at the sound of panic he heard in Jared’s voice when he said his name and wished it could be as simple as just taking the boy in his arms and holding him. He wished he could say a few reassuring words and wake up to find that Jared was okay, but he knew it wouldn’t be that simple. He couldn’t rush the process, but he couldn’t keep putting it off either.

He knew his responsibilities at work wouldn’t just disappear, but he also knew that he needed to spend more time with Jared, to help the young man rediscover himself and figure out how to stop being what he was told to be by those assholes. “Jay, I don’t want you to think you have to obey me,” he began seriously while reaching to take one of Jared’s hands, feeling how tense he was until he began to wrap the silk ribbon gently around his wrist. “That’s not who you are. So that’s who we need to find. We need to find the stubborn, mouthy guy who punched Chris and me that first night; the guy who enjoys blowing Chad’s ass up on Call of Duty; the guy who likes to play with numbers and is so damn good at it... by the way the new heads of my accounting and computer departments both want to meet you... but Chad’s calling first dibs if you decide you want a job.”

“Those were... flukes. I’m not smart enough or good enough to do anything like that,” Jared mumbled and swore he heard Jensen’s teeth grind together. Something seemed to die inside him as he repeated things he’d heard over and over again. “I can’t do anything important... I just want to be good enough to please…” He stopped talking as he realized that the ribbon had been tied in a neat bow while the gold Rolex was fastened on his other wrist. “What’s…”

“You are smart enough, you are good enough to do anything you decide you want to do,” Jensen told him. He was fighting a variety of emotions: frustration with Jared’s low self-esteem thanks to things he’d been told before by his own father, anger at what Pellegrino had done to make the situation even worse, and pain because he couldn’t seem to make the kid realize how special he really was. “Chad, Chris, and I have all noticed that you seem to be a little better when you can see certain things... so let’s try this... you keep that ribbon on your wrist to remind you of the time I put it on you... you focus on that and work on ignoring what you were told by Pellegrino and those other bastards. When I think we’ve gotten to a safe point, you’ll have earned the other ribbon... and something else. Okay?”

Jared touched the ribbon and then the watch, realizing that he felt more relaxed than he had since his return. He also seemed to be breathing a little more easily and his thoughts seemed a little clearer. He nodded in agreement to the plan and saw Jensen smile at him. “Can I ask... you for something?” he asked suddenly when he felt Jensen start to rise from the coffee table.

“Baby steps. It has to be baby steps,” Jensen muttered to himself in an attempt to remember that Jared’s recovery was very much a work in progress. The doctor had only recently pronounced him physically healed from the circumcision and other deeper wounds. “You can always ask me for anything, Jay,” he replied, moving to sit beside him on the sofa even though he knew he should be getting them both to bed. “Just remember that I might say no depending on what it is. Especially if I think you’re asking because you think it’s something you ‘have’ to do.”

“Can you…” Jared stopped to consider what he wanted when a rush of doubts began to seep in. “Never mind. I’m going to brush my teeth and try to go back to sleep. I... I won’t bother you or…”

Jensen had noticed and even Marta had commented that Jared had a new and somewhat odd habit of brushing his teeth multiple times a day, even in the middle of the day, sometimes out of the blue as if he was thinking of something and just suddenly needed to brush his teeth in the worst way.

It didn’t sink in or dawn on him why this was happening until right then; it suddenly clicked what Jared might have been going to ask before he stopped himself and decided to brush his teeth.

“You are never a bother, Jay. But sleep is probably a good idea for both of us. Why don’t I crash in your room if you think you’ll feel better with me there,” Jensen replied but put his fingers against the center of Jared’s chest to push him back on the sofa for another moment. “But didn’t you brush your teeth before you went to bed the first time? If you keep brushing those teeth so much, you’re gonna wear the enamel right off... and what were you going to ask me to do Jared?” he asked, watching as Jared ran his tongue over his lips. “Ask me, Jay.”

“No, ‘cause you’re right. It’s not time yet. I’m not... I’m not clean enough yet to think that you’d kiss me... not after some of the crap they used my mouth for... that’s why I need to brush my teeth again,” Jared muttered, fingers absently toying with the ends of the ribbon.

“15 times a day,” Jensen murmured, eyes dropping to watch Jared toy with the ribbon, happy to see that it was keeping him from getting overly agitated as his memories went back to the lodge.

Jared looked up with a small confused frown. He started to open his mouth, then closed it, but then took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “What was 15 times a day?” he asked even if he battled the inner voice that told him he shouldn’t be questioning Jensen.

“When I first got free from Bianca, I went and stayed with Chris’s parents since my mother was off shopping and my... father was more interested in seeing who else he could whore me out to. For the first two months, I must have brushed my teeth 15 to 20 times a day... and we won’t discuss the amount of mouthwash I used to try to get the taste of that woman and the people she let use me out of my mouth.” Jensen stood up and held out a hand to help Jared stand, making a mental note to be sure he started wearing that knee brace again. “I also about scalded my skin off every time I took a shower in the attempt to feel clean but nothing helped, so I thought losing myself in a bottle of hard liquor would help me escape the memories and the feelings that I was little better than a whore.” He gave a small shrug. “It didn’t.”

Jared bit his lip and didn’t seem aware of when his hand slipped into Jensen’s to offer a squeeze, as if comforting the other man from his dark memories. “You... you said she had you for a year.” He glanced over as they reached his room and some piece of his old self seemed to take over when he moved to start fixing his covers on the bed since it looked like he’d had a war with them earlier. “That was a lot longer than he had me. You didn’t break.”

“I kind of did. I was an absolute mess for months,” Jensen corrected, shaking his head and nudging Jared onto the bed after he seemed intent on smoothing every wrinkle out. “The people around me helped me survive. I was lucky to have a lot of people who cared about me... just like you do. Chris and his father were there for me, and so was Samantha. Bianca didn’t get into my head like Pellegrino did with you, but I still nearly destroyed myself. In fact, I still have moments when some of those feelings come back, and so will you, but the first thing you need to do is stop listening to those voices that are telling you that you’re not clean or good enough because you are both.”

“When did you stop brushing your teeth so much?” Jared’s eyes moved past Jensen to the bathroom while the man sat beside him on the bed.

“When Margo, that’s Chris’s Mom, hid my toothbrush and said she’d only give it back if I agreed to not brush more than three times a day.” Jensen smiled as he saw hazel eyes start to blink sleepily, and he hoped Jared could sleep the rest of the night. “It wasn’t an easy process, and I know it won’t be easy for you either, but I really need you to understand that Pellegrino lied, Jay. Even more importantly, you’re not with him now and no one will ever expect you to act a certain way or be mute, or docile, or supply sex on demand. That’s what I want you to try to tell yourself. All I want is to see you smile a real smile at me again and have it be because you want to and not because you think you have to. Okay?”

Jared considered that before nodding, fingers touching his wrist. “Can... I brush my teeth one more time tonight though?” he asked, biting his lip. “Is it stupid that I taste him every time I think or hear his voice in my head?”

“No, it’s not stupid and yeah, you can.” Jensen ached so much and hated himself for how long it took him to get to Jared that he thought he might go punch Chris just for the hell of it since punching anyone else would get him arrested. “But before you do,” he murmured, reaching over to curve his fingers around the back of Jared’s neck, “Let me kiss you?”

Jared hadn’t been expecting that since Jensen hadn’t shown much desire to do anything and had stopped him from doing anything for him. That had been another reason he’d stopped himself from asking the man for a simple kiss even though he’d wondered if something like that might help him sleep since it would put his mind on Jensen and hopefully off his nightmares and memories.

His worry over his breath and teeth shot back and he started to stutter a response to wait but then froze as Jensen shook his head and leaned in slowly. One hand remained curled around the back of Jared’s neck and his other moved to palm his cheek, and Jared swore his breath stopped as he watched Jensen’s eyes stare intently at him, realizing the man was giving him every chance to ask him to stop.

“Did you want me to kiss you earlier because you wanted it or because you felt you should?” Jensen asked, voice soft as his lips brushed over Jared’s cheek; he needed to give the boy a chance to answer as he felt how rigid he was right then.

“I... I wanted it... you…” Jared made himself speak despite the lump in his throat, suddenly fearing that he’d forgotten how to kiss since the last time he recalled kissing Jensen was in his office before the ballet, and that had been almost two months ago. “I woke up wanting to feel you kiss me like you did before but... I don’t want you to if you don’t want to ‘cause of what he did or... I should brush my teeth first.”

“You can brush your teeth after. Kiss me now.” Jensen waited until he felt Jared lean in just a little so he knew he was okay with the move, and then he let his lips settle over his in a slow, soft, sweet kiss; it was the kind of kiss that Jensen kicked himself for not giving Jared before now.

Jared was taken off guard by the gentle kiss. He’d been expecting something hot, hard, and demanding. This was totally new and not like any kiss they’d shared before. In the back of his mind, he could still hear the mocking voices and sharp commands as memories flashed of various men forcing his mouth on cocks, breasts, and other things he wasn’t ready to confess to Jensen yet, so it took a moment before he realized he was kissing back and another to feel that he’d grabbed onto Jensen’s shirt and was desperately clenching his fingers in it.

“Shh, easy, go slow.” Jensen broke the kiss when he heard the broken sob that he knew Jared wasn’t even aware he’d made. He’d felt the boy trying to take the kiss deeper, rougher, and realized he’d have to move slowly to make Jared see that things didn’t need to be rough or violent; it was yet another of Pellegrino’s ‘lessons’ to break.

He also felt his body responding since it had been way too long since he’d kissed Jared, so Jensen knew he needed to break it off. “Now you can go brush your teeth.” He gave another brush of his lips against Jared’s before backing away and standing up. “I’m going to go take a cold shower and change. Then I’ll come back and crash in here since I don’t want you sleepwalking into the lobby again tonight.”

Jared’s brain took a long moment to catch up and replay what had happened. “Who are you?” he asked before he thought about his words, and then he looked stricken with fear at mouthing off; he knew he was still under contract and he wasn’t supposed to be so difficult. Also, painful lessons about talking back, learned at Pellegrino’s hands, were still flashing through his head when Jensen had stopped in his tracks to look back at him as if shocked. “I’m... I’m sorry. I... don’t know... Jensen... Sir... I…”

The words, broken and shaky, stopped as Jensen walked back to the bed, caught his face between his hands, and kissed him again, deeper this time but still gentle before he pulled back with a slow smile that met his eyes while brushing Jared’s hair back from his eyes.

“That’s a start and I’ll gladly take it.” Jensen smiled and then backed away again only to pause at the door to look back. “Just remember the two words that I never want to hear you say to anyone. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

Jared just sat on the bed staring at the door, confused and shocked. He wasn’t sure who Jensen wanted him to be. He knew they still had a contract, and that he had promised to do certain things, but he didn’t want to be the person Pellegrino had tried to make him be, and Jensen didn’t seem to want that man either.

“I don’t know what to do or who to be for either of us,” he said to the empty room, eyes dropping to the watch on his wrist.

Jared was starting to understand a little more. He understood that Jensen wanted to help him, but he wasn’t sure how to help himself when in his heart, he was still confused, unsure, and so damn scared of failing and possibly being given away like that annoying voice in his head kept reminding him of.

He limped into the bathroom to brush his teeth but avoided the mirror because looking in it brought back too much and as he listened for Jensen’s return, the young man vowed that he would earn that other ribbon and he would make Jensen see him as something more than Jared felt like he was right then.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jensen Ackles’ plan to reduce the time he spent on business and focus his time on helping Jared start to learn how to combat the mental and emotional damage done at the hands of Mark Pellegrino wasn’t going very well.

On the very first day, a meeting with one possible investor led to a meeting with another, and though he did end up with two new investors, he didn’t get to spend any time with Jared until late in the evening. The very next day, he was informed that the gambling board was launching an investigation into charges of possible cheating. Jensen had fought not to snarl in the investigator’s face, but he did tell him that if they were looking for rigged games, they should go take a look at The Devil’s Lair. He knew they had been rigged when Pellegrino had been in charge and he doubted if his father and Bianca had changed that practice.

Jensen knew the charges must have come from someone associated with his father. He wasn’t worried about them actually finding anything since he was certain that his machines and tables were clean. He’d told Jared the truth when he said that he ran a legitimate casino that really did pay out. He was slightly worried that he and Chris hadn’t weeded out all of the bad dealers, but he’d crossed his fingers on that one and prayed.

As the next few days passed, he continued to try to spend the biggest part of his time with Jared, and he was rewarded for his efforts as he slowly started to see some slight changes in the younger man. He noticed that Jared was responding a bit more without being coaxed to talk, and Chad happily announced that Jared blew him up once in Call of Duty. The younger man muttered that he only did it to shut him up, and that was a definite sign that Jared was finally finding himself.

Of course, there were setbacks; Jensen noticed that Jared became extremely withdrawn and quiet if he was in a bad mood, and he disappeared every time a conversation about casino business became heated. The biggest setback, however, came when he was trying to plan something special for Jared. He wanted to take the young man out for dinner, to the diner in the casino where he had first met Molly, and he asked Misha to send up a new outfit since Jared still hadn’t regained all the weight lost. He still wasn’t eating much, not like he had been, much to Marta’s dismay.

It should have been a simple thing; after all, the tailor had sent up plenty of outfits since Jared had arrived, and since Misha had witnessed the sleepwalking incident, he knew how fragile Jared was and wouldn’t send up anything crazy. Jensen didn’t think twice about his request as he headed down to his office, and he supposed that’s where he made his mistake. He had only been gone a few minutes when his phone started ringing. He answered it, expecting it to be Chad since that was the number that appeared on his Caller ID, but he’d been caught off guard by an earful of rapid, harsh, and sharp Spanish as his cook proceeded to call him as well as Misha every name in the book, screaming about them being so cruel and heartless as to send up such a vile outfit just when “her” Jared was starting to smile again.

Snapping an order at Justin Hartley to find Chris immediately, Jensen made a mad dash to his penthouse only to be confronted by an irate Chad who demanded to know what the hell kind of joke Misha thought he was playing and requested permission to hack into the boutique’s computers and plant a virus or, better yet, wipe the tailor out of existence.

Ignoring Chad and bypassing Marta who was waving a knife around, Jensen went to find Jared and knew the moment he found him sitting in the back of his closet that something was really wrong. He felt an icy coldness in his stomach when he saw the box from the boutique sitting next to Jared and he carefully reached for it, noting that Jared seemed to cringe away from his hands. He opened the box... and then Jensen saw red.

Jensen was about to tell Chad to call Misha up to the penthouse, but he realized he didn’t want to take any chances that Jared would have to face the tailor. He tossed the box out of the closet and tried to coax Jared out of the closet, but it was clear the boy was not going anywhere anytime soon. As Jensen felt his temper slipping, Jared wrapped his arms around his legs and buried his face in his knees. Jensen forced himself to calm down, taking a deep breath and swearing to Jared that he’d fix everything and that he did not order 'those' clothes. Then he told Chad to go sit with Jared and headed for the elevator.

Only minutes later he was storming into the boutique to grab the tailor by his collar. “What the hell were you thinking? Was this supposed to be one of your little jokes, Misha?” Jensen demanded. Chris had been heading for the elevator, but saw his boss and followed him into the shop, urging him to move the argument into the back room. “Shut the fuck up, Chris. Misha, I told you before to keep your damn sex jokes to yourself and stop sending Jared crap like that! You know how he is now. You know I’m trying to undo what Pellegrino did to him... you saw how he was the other night in the lobby... but you still sent this up when I asked for a new outfit? Really? How fast do you want me to kick your ass out of my casino? Or better yet, how fast do you really want to feel my fist slam into your throat for sending him this ?!”

Misha had been struggling in the tight grip while also trying to interrupt the angry casino owner to say that he hadn’t sent anything up yet, but his eyes bugged out when a box was shoved in his face and one of his more risqué outfits fell into his hands.

The short, tiny, black leather outfit was from the line of outfits he supplied to special clientele by special order only. Misha couldn’t imagine how it had ended up in Jensen’s hands. He might sometimes tease Jensen with his outlandish clothing, and he had certainly teased Jared in the beginning. He'd enjoyed seeing the handsome boy blush, but there was also a line, and he knew when not to cross it, especially with the casino owner.

“Whoa, buckaroo!” He was finally able to twist out of Jensen’s grasp when Chris Kane pulled the man back. “I didn’t send anything up yet... and this isn’t the outfit I was planning to bring. I didn’t send anything up because I wanted to take it up personally so I could make sure it fit him right, and also so I could see how he was doing. I got distracted when that little old lady with a penchant for big bills and pink poodles came in for a fitting.” He coughed to get his breath back as he then squinted and began to scan his shop. “I didn’t send that up. I’d never send that up... well, I might have a few months ago, but I certainly wouldn’t now! I swear, Jensen, I will figure out who took it up, and if it was someone who works for me, he or she will be out the door with my foot up their ass!”

“I’ve already talked to Chad. According to him, Marta said it was some slick-haired guy she hadn’t seen before,” Chris reported, tightening his grip to keep Jensen from pummeling the tailor. “You got someone like that working for you? I thought you were the only slick-haired guy in your shop.”

“I don’t and I am. I’ll figure out who it was since I’m sure Murray’s cameras caught him in the elevator or in my shop... this is definitely one of my special order items.” Misha was frowning. “I think I was set up... I promise you, I did not and would not send anything like this to the kid, Jensen. You can take the outfit I planned to give him up with you, free of charge of course, for the hassle this caused.”

Jensen still felt like snarling, but he took the correct box and had to smile at the pair of soft stonewashed denim jeans and the deep blue shirt. The outfit would’ve looked great on Jared but he doubted if he’d see him in it that night.

In fact, that evening, instead of eating a juicy burger at the diner, Jensen found himself sitting on the floor near the door to Jared’s closet, flipping cards and talking about anything and everything. He told Jared about the recent casino changes, about his grandparents’ recent visit, and how his father and ‘the bitch’ now owned the Devil’s Lair. He told him about the calls he’d received from Gen and how well Molly was doing with her tutor. He told him that Molly had been able to tour not only the dance school that had already shown an interest in her but also a few others at which Sophia Ackles had connections.

Jared was listening, but for a long time, he kept his head buried in his arms, which were still wrapped around his knees. He had been fighting a panic attack since the moment he’d seen the clothes. Somewhere deep inside, he’d known Jensen wouldn’t have ordered anything like that, but all of the comments from Pellegrino and his friends kept bouncing around his head and he couldn’t seem to block the voices out. He also kept replaying the comment the man had made as he handed him the box. That comment along with an unwanted touch had sent him reeling back into himself and deep into his closet before Chad had arrived and sent the man away. Chad had tried to get him to come back into the bedroom, but the closet felt safe since it was large, lit, and secure. He felt even better once Jensen was there with him.

Now, he was sitting back in the corner, fingers playing with the ribbon on his wrist as he listened to Jensen’s deep smooth voice just talking. Jared could tell he was glossing over a lot that had happened with the casino, and he wanted to ask questions but didn’t feel that it was his place to do so.

Jared was still worried about Molly, so he was glad to hear that she and Gen were having such a nice trip on the East Coast. He was grateful to Jensen’s grandmother for arranging the trip and the tours of the schools, and he hoped he could thank her in person some day. He desperately wanted to see and talk to Molly, but he knew he wasn’t in the correct shape or frame of mind yet for that. He briefly wondered about her and Gen’s safety, but he could tell by the photos Jensen showed him on his phone, that the petite older woman who was in several photos with a smiling Molly would protect and care for his sister on this trip.

After a couple of hours of listening to Jensen talk and watching his fingers expertly flip the cards while talking, Jared felt his nerves begin to settle down a little bit. Soon he felt relaxed enough to ease a little closer to the door, close enough to snatch one of the fried chicken strips from a plate that had magically appeared while he had been trying to hide from the world. The chicken strip practically melted in his mouth and he knew that Marta had decided to cook when it became apparent that they weren’t going out. Jared hoped Jensen wasn’t angry that his dinner plans had been ruined by his reaction to the plainly suggestive sub outfit.

“Hey,” Jensen smiled as Jared reached for another chicken strip. “It’s nice to see your face again. I’m so sorry this happened, Jay. I promise that we’re going to find out who that guy was and who the hell planned this in the first place.” Jensen almost held his breath as Jared slid a little closer to watch him shuffle the cards. “From Marta’s description, it doesn’t sound like anyone who works for Misha, so we’re pretty sure that someone else sent him... it sure as hell wasn’t Pellegrino ‘cause I know for a fact that the bastard is dead.”

“He... he said something to me,” Jared murmured, resting his head on Jensen’s shoulder and taking a few cards to try to imitate what Jensen was doing.

Jensen tried not to respond too enthusiastically when Jared moved closer to him or when he began to eat the food Marta brought in. He didn’t want to scare the boy back into the corner, but it was hard not to react when he felt him rest his head against his shoulder because he’d missed those little signs of affection, and he couldn’t help but smile as he watched Jared try to shuffle his small deck of cards like he was shuffling the rest of them. “Oh? What did he say?” he asked without thinking because his brain was occupied with planning on when he would teach Jared how to properly shuffle cards.

“He said that you should know how to put the outfit on me since you’d worn something like it for so long.” Jared felt Jensen’s body go rigid and the cards flew everywhere as he dropped them. “Jensen? Did... you... how would that guy have known... Jensen?” He lifted his head to see that Jensen’s face had gone pale. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I shouldn’t have said…”

“No, you did the right thing. I want you to tell me things even if I might not be thrilled to hear them.” Jensen’s voice was strained but given that he was fighting the urge to close himself off and shut down like Jared had earlier in the evening, he thought he was actually handling it quite well. “Well, part of the mystery is solved. That comment alone tells me who sent the outfit and the jackass. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again because I might not have been able to stop that bitch and my father from gaining control of Pellegrino’s place after his death, but I can damn well stop them from tormenting you or me.” He looked over and lifted a lowered chin, giving a tight smile. “I’m not angry with you, Jay. I’m angry that this happened, but I’m not angry with you or what you just told me.

“I’m going to make sure the security code on the elevator is changed. I don’t know how that bastard made it up here, but no one else is going to get up here until this is settled fully. I swear that no one’s going to get near you until I get this fixed.” He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Chris to tell him what Jared said and to make certain security was beefed up around the casino for the time being.

Eventually, Jensen coaxed Jared out of the closet and into the kitchen, leaving him with Marta while he called Chris to inform him that it looked like either his father or Bianca had arranged the special order of clothes and somehow snuck one of their people into the casino to get the outfit to Jared. Jensen knew he could not allow this to go unchallenged because he did not trust either of them not to pull another stunt to hurt the younger man just as a way to hurt Jensen.

He also called his new lawyer and then his grandfather to inform them of what was happening with Jared as well as with the investigation by the board. He was just wrapping up his call with his grandfather when a soft knock made him look up to see Jared standing in the doorway with two mugs.

Motioning him in, Jensen reached out to take one of the mugs, smiling at the layer of floating marshmallows. He could tell by smell and color that his cook had made this hot chocolate from scratch. He nudged Jared into the chair by the desk while he sat on the edge of it to finish his call, noticing that Jared’s eyes had immediately gone to the open laptop that had various windows open as the new accounting software updated on his computer along with the security.

“Yeah, I will. Okay, I’ll call you if anything else happens.” He ended his call and then reached over to try to pick a marshmallow out of Jared’s cup only to have his fingers slapped. He loved that reaction, but he could tell that it had only happened because Jared wasn’t really paying attention. “So what’s this? Did Marta turn her nose up at my attempts to make hot chocolate?”

“I’m fairly certain she called you a couple of names I won’t repeat…and she said to stay out of her kitchen ‘cause you made a mess in the microwave.” Jared sipped his and lifted his eyes to offer a shy smile, one of the very few Jensen had seen since Jared had started his recovery. “Will it hurt your feelings if I say I like hers a lot better?” he asked and then started to look down again only to have Jensen lift his face.

“Nope. I like Marta’s better too, but then again I like Marta’s cooking better than my own too.” Jensen smiled, offering a wink while stealing a marshmallow. “You have noticed that when I’m left to my own devices we have pizza? Though we still do need to check out that diner downstairs... they serve really good burgers. When you’re ready, we’ll give it another try.”

Jared nodded, pulling his mug aside to protect his marshmallows. “Why does your father want to hurt you?” he asked quietly.

“Because he didn’t get The Open Road like he thought he would. And because I think Bianca doesn’t like being refused... I’m pretty sure she still considers me as her property,” Jensen replied, turning the laptop off for the night as he no longer was interested in watching things he didn’t understand fully. “I’m okay, Jay. I’m okay and I’m going to make sure you will be too,” he promised, holding out his hand. “Now, are you tired enough to sleep or do you want to watch TV with me until you are?”

Jared didn’t want to sleep yet since he was still raw emotionally from the earlier incident, but he knew Jensen didn’t really care for TV. He chewed his lip for a moment, trying to come up with a third alternative while looking down and playing with the ribbon on his wrist. He caught sight of the deck of cards on the desk and picked them up slowly. “Teach me to shuffle?” he asked, feeling like a weight had lifted off of him and wondering if Jensen felt the same way.

Taking the cards from him, Jensen looked into soft hazel eyes that still held far too many fears and shadows, things that needed to be dealt with, but not tonight. For tonight, Jensen just nodded. “Sure, but let’s go into the game room where the sofa is more comfortable,” he said, waiting to see if Jared would choose to reach out to him and smiling when shy fingers grasped his hand. “I’ll show you how to shuffle, but don’t get upset if you don’t get the hang of it tonight. It can take people years to learn to shuffle like I can. In fact, the next time my grandmother comes to visit or if Chris’s mother happens to drop in, I’ll ask them to give you a demonstration. Both of them can still shuffle circles around me. Hell, my grandmother can outplay me in any card game out there.”

Jared took a long look at the dark computer screen before following Jensen out of the room. He couldn’t quite get his thoughts to focus on numbers or find the love he had for them and he silently, almost desperately, prayed that he could get that back. He thought that rediscovering his passion for numbers might help him rediscover himself.

It didn’t take long for him to find out that his fingers weren’t nearly as fast or as nimble as Jensen’s. That night he seemed to spend more time dropping the cards than actually shuffling them and he found himself getting frustrated because he never liked to fail at anything.

“I told you it would take more than one night,” Jensen reminded him after a couple of hours of showing him basic shuffling skills with a few breaks to show off a little with a few special tricks he had learned years ago from a dealer at his grandfather’s casino in New Jersey. “Keep the cards and practice... I promise that one day you’ll be able to shuffle at least as well as I can. In fact, knowing you, you’ll be a lot better than me in no time. You can start practicing tomorrow – it will give you something to do while I take care of what will hopefully be the last damn meeting with the casino board. Maybe tomorrow we can shoot for that dinner out that we missed tonight? We can maybe even spend a couple of hours at the roulette table if you feel up to it. I hear Darla’s been bugging Justin about where I’m keeping you.”

“I don’t know... it seems like every time I go there with you, I manage to cause you trouble.” Jared wanted to go out; he remembered how much he had enjoyed watching the roulette wheel, but he was leery about causing Jensen any more trouble right now. “You don’t have to take me anywhere.”

Jensen sensed and understood Jared’s wariness; after all, he did have a point about his previous trips to the casino ending badly, but he also heard the wistfulness in his voice. He knew that Jared needed something good to happen. He had to see that they could go out in public together without anything bad happening to either of them. “Yeah, I think I do. I want to take you out. If you don’t want to stay in the casino, we can maybe try something totally new like taking a walk and exploring the Strip if your knee feels up to it... also, I’d like to take you to the garage where I keep my other classic cars.”

“Your other cars? Are they all classic?” Jared’s interest was immediately piqued. Other than his sister and numbers, the one thing he had always loved was cars. “Like the Impala?”

There was no denying Jared’s fascination with the ’67 Chevy Impala in the lobby and Jensen decided it might be time to take it out for a spin, something he did every once in a while. He had to admit that he was also curious to see Jared’s reaction to the rest of the cars, both those that had already been painstakingly restored and those that still needed some loving attention.

“Yeah, I have several other cars and some are as old as the Impala. I’ve restored a few of them, but the others still need some work,” Jensen replied as he walked Jared toward his room, pausing at the door. The last night or so since he’d given him the ribbon and watch he’d noticed that Jared had been sleeping pretty well, but he wasn’t sure how that night would go given what had happened earlier. “Do you want me to sleep in here or…”

“I…” Jared paused. He knew that Jensen would never believe that he was recovering from his week of hell with Pellegrino when he was still sleeping in a chair in Jared’s room almost two months after rescuing him from the man and his thugs. “I... think I’m okay... I want to try to be alone tonight... is that okay?”

“Of course it is. You don’t have to ask my permission to be alone, sweetheart,” Jensen reassured him, but he knew that Jared probably hadn’t reached that point in his recovery. “If you wake up and need anything, just hit the button beside the bed and call me,” he told him. He turned to leave, but then paused and turned back, starting to reach out only to find Jared already moving into his arms. He opened his mouth but felt his throat close up before the words he wanted to say could escape.

Jensen had said those three words to himself dozens of times during his search for Jared, and he had said them out loud in front of other people as well. He had even said them once in front of Jared, but he had yet to say those all-important words directly to him. He longed to say them, but he found that they had dried up in his throat. He told himself that he didn’t want to rush Jared or put any pressure on him, but if he was honest with himself, he knew he was also protecting himself because he wasn’t sure how Jared really felt or how he would respond to such a declaration. He wanted to wait until he convinced Jared that he was under no obligation to act a certain way or carry out their deal... something he needed to take care of soon.

Leaving Jared alone felt odd for Jensen, and as he lay in his own bed, he suddenly realized he actually missed sleeping in a chair or on the sofa in Jared’s room. His bed now felt unfamiliar and he had to resist the urge to slip into Jared’s room. He knew that Jared had just taken a huge step forward, and he hoped they both could sleep through the night without drama.

Jensen had a restless night, waking several times and instinctively looking over to check on Jared only to remember that Jared was alone in his room down the hall. When he finally got up and headed to the kitchen for coffee, he found Jared already there, looking well-rested and eating a stack of chocolate chip pancakes. A smiling Marta stood by the stove already sliding fresh pancakes, blueberry rather than chocolate chip, onto a plate for Jensen. Jensen gave Jared a quick kiss before joining him at the table. Jared accepted the kiss with a shy smile and when Jensen asked about his night, he reported that he’d slept pretty well, but that he’d missed having Jensen nearby.

After breakfast and a quick shower, Jensen reluctantly headed down to his office. He had several things to take care of before the scheduled meeting with the casino board. He was comforted by the fact that Jared had already had his deck of cards out when he left and he knew Chad and Mike would be heading upstairs after lunch to spend some time with him, hopefully playing video games.

The meeting went smoothly and ended with the investigator apologizing for the time Jensen had spent dealing with the trouble. They’d found absolutely no sign of any wrongdoing or cheating at The Open Road, and Jensen silently cheered when the man admitted that they were now opening an investigation into the games at The Devil’s Lair.

He’d just been walking the investigators out of his office when Chris approached with the look that Jensen had come to dread; immediately he felt his gut clenching with unease.

In his heart, he knew Chris was coming to him about Jared, but he couldn’t imagine what could have gone wrong in the few hours that he’d been gone. Jared was supposed to practice shuffling cards and playing video games with Chad and Mike. He didn’t see how anything could’ve gone wrong with that plan since the security code to the elevator had been changed; there was no way anyone was getting up to the penthouse without an okay from Chris or Jensen.

A few short minutes later he was running through the private gym that was off-limits to guests and down a small flight of steps to a small area of the hotel basement that few people knew existed. Four years ago, Chris had remodeled the unused space under the garage, turning it into a private gun range so that his security force could practice whenever needed.

The text that Chris had shown to Jensen only said that there was an issue on the gun range that needed Jensen’s attention ASAP. Jensen was frantic with worry; he hoped it was an issue with an employee rather than with Jared, but that hope was dashed the moment he pulled open the heavy soundproof door that led to the range. The sounds he heard had him both pissed off and scared, a deadly combination, and he jerked Michael Rosenbaum closer when the man hurried to meet them.

“What the fuck did you two do? I am so gonna fire your asses!” He shook the man, needing to know what was going on so he could deal with it. “Mike! What happened down here?”

“He... remembered.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Five

Earlier that afternoon:

“Does Jensen know we’re going somewhere?” Jared Padalecki asked, chewing his bottom lip with worry as he followed Chad Michael Murray and Michael Rosenbaum into a part of The Open Road casino that he’d never seen before. He was pretty sure that regular guests weren’t allowed this far into the basement since it had required Mike’s security key card to get to where they were right then. “I told him you were coming up to play video games. He might not want me to leave the penthouse without…”

“Dude! Calm down and chill,” Chad urged as he looked beside him. “Jared, you’re allowed out of the penthouse. You’re allowed to go wherever you want to. Jensen just wants somebody with you until you’re completely recovered and things get settled fully with his old man and the bitch he’s with.” He leaned over to tap the ID badge he’d personally clipped to Jared’s t-shirt earlier. “I mean, he’s the one who gave you this. This little piece of plastic gives you the keys to the kingdom so to speak since it’s identical to Jensen’s. Hell, you can go anywhere in the whole complex with this and no one could say one damn word… or if they tried then Chris could shoot them because the boss’s orders are that you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want. Pretty cool if you ask me.”

Jared frowned at this. Jensen hadn’t really explained that to him... or maybe he had. He knew that even though he was getting better, not everything that was explained to him stuck in his head. He fingered the ID that Jensen had slid across the table to him at breakfast. He did remember Jensen saying that the ID would give him full access to the casino and hotel, including the private offices, and that Jared should feel free to explore whenever he wanted to. As Jared looked around the unfamiliar area of the basement, however, he started to become more nervous; he didn’t think the man meant for him to use it like this.

“What if Jensen’s looking for me?” he asked. He was worried about not being available if the casino owner needed anything from him. He kept waiting for Jensen to put their deal back into play even though Jensen kept completely avoiding the topic which was confusing Jared even more.

He felt he had recovered enough from Pellegrino’s abuse to be able to pick up on his deal with Jensen; even the doctor had pronounced him healed and hadn’t been back to check on him in several days.  He was anxious to figure out exactly where things stood with Jensen because he knew the man had to be paying for Molly and Gen’s trip, the tutor, and everything. If what had happened to him had changed Jensen’s desire to use him sexually then Jared was going to have to find another way to keep up their deal. He vowed to try to bring that up with Jensen the next time they were alone.

While Jared felt physically healed, he knew he wasn’t completely over the emotional abuse or mental training since it was still hard for him to speak without someone asking him a direct question. He also had to fight the urge to not automatically obey when someone said anything or behave in the manner that had been drilled into his head in South Lake Tahoe. Now that he was back with Jensen, he was trying to accept that Jensen really might not want the same things that Pellegrino had... as he had always said he didn’t.

“Chill, Jaybird. If the boss needs you for anything and we’re not back in the penthouse then he’ll text me. He knows me and Mike were going to hang out with you this afternoon,” Chad replied. He hadn’t exactly run this plan by either Jensen or Chris, but he’d noticed Jared was getting very restless in the penthouse. He always seemed to be on edge when Jensen wasn’t around, and after the unexpected visitor yesterday, he seemed even jumpier than usual. He convinced Mike that it would be a good idea to get the kid out of the penthouse and Mike had suggested visiting the casino’s private gun range.

Even though Chad had once told Mike that he couldn’t teach Jared to shoot an actual gun, the computer ace had now decided that it might not be a bad idea to see if they could get Jared to hold a real weapon. It wouldn’t hurt the kid to learn to use one or to at least become comfortable holding one, in case he ever needed it for self-defense. And if they could get him to actually pull the trigger, then maybe the kid could vent some of the pent-up anger and fear he seemed to be holding inside. It had been way too long since he’d seen the Jared he’d come to know and care about peek through the now quiet and reserved young man.

“Besides, we won’t even be gone that long... unless Mike’s forgotten how to shoot.” Chad shot the other man a smirk as he slid his own key card down to open a steel door.

Jared was still nervous about being out of the penthouse without Jensen’s permission, but as he followed Chad and Mike through the steel door, he couldn’t help but be a little bit curious about what secrets The Open Road Casino was hiding underground. Now he found himself blinking in surprise. “You guys have a gun range under the casino?” He stared around at the small but well-equipped and professional-looking gun range. “Seriously?”

Mike smiled at the genuine surprise on the young man’s face. “Jensen employs a lot of security in the casino and hotel so Chris talked him into remodeling some unused space. This way, we can practice, test out any new weapons, and make sure we’re still proficient enough to renew our permits every year.” Mike shrugged out of his suit jacket and nodded to the range manager. “Of course, Chris also comes down here to blow off steam when the boss pisses him off. He’s been using it a lot since you came,” he added with a grin.

“I thought Chris and Jensen were friends. Why would he be angry with Jensen more since I came?” Jared frowned at this. He’d always assumed that the head bodyguard and the casino owner were on the same page, especially where he was concerned; after all, Chris had been the one to collect him after Jensen had made the deal with his father. Now he wasn’t sure about much of anything and was more confused than ever.

“Oh, they’re friends, but Chris has never agreed with some of the stuff the boss has done, even before you came. He’s put up with a lot since he knows a lot more about Jensen’s past than us mere workers do, but ever since you got here, Chris has been calling Jensen out about a lot of his crap.” Chad watched the young man’s expression and realized that Jared really did seem to think that Chris was on Jensen’s side most of the time; this kid had no clue how close the man had come to beating the crap out of Jensen more than once over him. “Dude, you and the boss seriously need to take a weekend and have a long heart-to-heart about stuff.”

“Jensen’s too busy to deal with me right now... and I think he’s ashamed of what happened to me and angry that I let it happen. I know he says he’s not and stuff, but…” Jared’s voice trailed off, and he looked down at the ribbon on his wrist. It had become a symbol for him, and he only took off to shower, immediately tying it back on once he was dry. He definitely felt edgier without it and couldn’t help but wonder when, or if, he’d be able to prove to Jensen he deserved the other one.

When he looked down, he missed the shocked expression that crossed Chad’s face. The computer guru couldn’t believe that Jared thought, even for a minute, that Jensen was angry at him about what had happened and he had a sudden urge to go confront his boss for letting Jared’s insecurities go on for so damn long, but before he could he could do anything a sharp slap came to his arm and Mike shook his head in warning to keep quiet.

“Put these on to protect your ears,” Mike held out a pair of noise-reducing headphones since wearing them was a requirement on the range. “So... are we practicing for the same bet?” he asked Chad with a smirk as they headed to the last two stalls on the range.

There were a total of six stalls, each separated by a half wall. Each stall faced a paper target on a moveable hook so that it could be moved closer or farther away depending on the skill or experience of the person shooting.

“Yeah, sure... even though it’s not really fair since you’re an actual bodyguard and I’m a mere computer hacker,” Chad snorted, shaking his head as he moved the paper target back to the correct distance while Mike took his place. “If you outshoot me then I buy lunch for a week and vice versa if I outshoot you.”

“Which won’t happen since only Kane or Hartley can outshoot me,” Mike returned, pausing as he made sure his weapon was loaded properly. He lifted his gun, starting to aim, but then lowered it again when the range manager approached with a steel case.

“Hey Mike,” the older man greeted him as he placed the case on the shelf. “These are the new weapons that Chris ordered. They just arrived this morning. You wanna see how they handle since you’re here?”

“Absolutely!” Mike replied with an enthusiastic grin. He opened the case and gently lifted out the gleaming weapon. “Wait, if it’s never been fired then the sight on it needs to be calibrated. Hey, Chad, calibrate the sight on this while I show off for Jared.”

“Huh? I barely know how to shoot the damn gun I always use! I don’t know how to calibrate the sight for a first shoot!” Chad shook his head in frustration but still took the gun from Mike and whistled lowly. “Ohh, I like. Maybe a little too James Bondish for everyday floor security but very nice looking.”

Jared looked away from Chad and the new weapon and watched Mike and he adjusted his stance, holding his pistol in a two-handed grip. He fired six shots in rapid succession, all hitting the paper target in various positions. Since the man seemed happy and Chad gave a reluctant grunt, Jared guessed that was how it was supposed to be done.

He looked down at the weapon in Chad’s hand, noticing that it was a little larger than the one Mike was holding. It also looked slightly different since it had a small sight on the rear.

“Calibrating the damn gun should be a piece of cake for you, jackass.” Mike snatched the weapon back and made a few simple adjustments before taking aim and peering through the sight. He took a few careful shots before making more adjustments. A minute later he smirked at Chad. “After all, it basically boils down to numbers.”

That caught Jared’s attention and he turned to look at the weapon in Mike’s hand. “You use numbers when you shoot a gun?” he asked with uncertainty. “How?”

“You have to calculate the angle of your shot depending on the distance to a target; if it’s windy you have to take wind speed into account; if you’re making a long-distance shot, you have to account for gravity as well.” Mike nodded to the weapon he was still holding. “This one is a prototype Chris was able to order through someone his father knows. There’s a laser sight on the rear of the gun to help ensure the shot hits but it needs to be aligned. I started it, but it still needs to be tweaked. You want to give it a try?”

“Who? Me?” Jared stared at both men like they were nuts. “I’ve never even held a real gun, much less shot one.” He leaned away from the weapon as Mike held it out to him. “I... will I... won’t Chris get angry that we’re messing with something that’s really his?” He looked nervous but let Mike place the weapon in his hand and was shocked at how light it was. “It’s not heavy.”

“It’s surprising how light some handguns are these days... it makes them a lot easier to carry around,” Chad remarked, watching as Jared took the weapon and began to look it over with the interest of a kid with a new toy. It was the same look he had seen the first time he put a laptop with scrolling numbers in front of the kid. “It’s not quite like shooting in a video game, but it wouldn’t be bad for you to learn. If you know how to use a gun, not only can you use it to protect yourself, but it’s also a good way to release stress and crap.”

Jared looked the weapon over curiously. He was interested in the sight as he tried to gauge the distance between himself and the paper target before looking back at the men. “Do I just point and shoot?” he asked curiously, a little leery but also interested now that numbers had become involved.

“Stand at the line here, spread your legs a little for balance, then grip it with one hand supporting the other.” Mike helped adjust Jared’s stance and grip, staying mindful of his injured knee. He saw Chad digging inside his jacket for something but ignored that to focus on Jared. “Line it up and just slowly squeeze the trigger. The recoil might startle you so just keep your…” He stopped when the first shot missed the target in front of him but hit one two stalls over. “Huh. Okay, maybe Call of Duty is better for you.”

“Sorry,” Jared mumbled, worried he’d upset the bodyguard and trying to hand the weapon back, but Mike only clapped him on the arm with a grin.

“Hey, you didn’t land on your ass with the recoil so that’s a start,” the bald man replied in reassurance. “You want to try again? Maybe try Chad’s pistol? It’s a little smaller since I don’t think Jensen and Kane wanted him to shoot his own foot off.”

“Shut up, asshole,” Chad growled while attaching something to a new target sheet. He moved it back out but not as far as it had been for Mike. “I think what our boy needs is a little more motivation to hit the target – something more than a black outline with numbers on it. Try this, kiddo,” he encouraged, hearing Mike choke off a curse when he looked to see what he’d attached to the target sheet. “I think it would do you some good to put a few holes through that ugly face.”

“Huh? What do you... ah!” Jared had been eyeing the smaller weapon Mike was holding when he looked up at Chad’s comment. He felt his heart slam into his throat as he went hot then cold and then clammy. The room seemed to fade away as he began to sweat and his knees nearly buckled at the sight of the late Mark Pellegrino staring at him from the target sheet.

“What the hell are you doing, Chad?” Mike demanded sharply, starting to reach out to grab Jared in case he fell as he stumbled back into the wall only to have his hand smacked away by the boy who seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack.

“Hopefully helping him vent some of that crap he’s been burying inside and maybe find the smart-mouthed kid we both know he is.” Chad had been waiting for weeks for Jared to break down, to vent, to throw a punch, to do something, anything, to show his emotions, but so far whenever he’d been with him, he remained withdrawn and quiet, too damn willing to please like he was expecting to be punished if he didn’t obey.

Chad got that Jensen didn’t want to push Jared too hard, and he’d heard Chris say to leave it in Jensen’s hands since he understood what Jared was battling better than any of them. That part didn’t really make sense to Chad, but then again, nothing his employer was doing lately made much sense to him. He just wanted to help his friend and he thought that putting some bullet holes in Pellegrino would help... but now he was beginning to rethink his decision as he watched Jared’s face go to a sickly white.

“Jared? Hey, take it easy. It’s just a picture... someone else already put bullets in the actual asshole.” Chad took a half step closer but didn’t reach out yet. He took in the way Jared’s eyes were blinking rapidly but he was also nervously watching the way his fingers were tensing on the gun still in his hand; he suddenly began to have serious doubts about his choice to hang up Pellegrino’s picture. “We know he hurt you, kiddo. We know you’re still getting over what he did and the crap he said to you. I thought that maybe you’d want to lash out and fill that picture with holes... get the hate out of your system for what he did, or said, or made you do.”

Jared, however, wasn’t hearing Chad or Mike right then. The moment he saw that face and those cold, hard shark-like eyes staring from the photo, he found himself back in that horrible place, in the dark, cold, basement filled with smells and sounds and pain and humiliation.

“ You’re nothing! You’re a useless boy who will never amount to anything! You’re nothing but a whore, a pet, a slave to be used in whatever way I see fit, boy !”

Jared trembled as the repressed memories washed over him. “ You will learn to be on your knees at all times in the proper position or I’ll whip you raw until you learn it!” Pellegrino’s voice had never been completely silenced. Jared had always heard it in the background even when other people were talking to him, but now it was the only thing he could hear. “You will never speak until I allow it! You will never look directly at anyone because pets don’t look their owners in the eye, boy! I would’ve thought Ackles would’ve remembered all of this from when Bianca made him her bitch but I guess either he was lulling you into trusting him or he really had started to care for you in his own way. But we both know that wouldn’t have worked. You’re not good enough for him. Hell, you’re only good enough for me as a pet to use, to drag around naked and chained and you’d better learn how to listen or else maybe when I go back into Vegas I’ll take Bianca up on her little offer to lure Ackles into a trap and I’ll fuck him while you’re learning to… ’”

“No!” Jared wasn’t aware of how badly he’d been shaking, or how long it had been since he’d moved or how alarmed Chad and Mike were now becoming when suddenly the word burst free from his lips on a broken shout.

His next motion took everyone by surprise. As Chad went to reach for him out of concern, the hacker suddenly found himself bleeding from the mouth when a wild fist with a pistol hilt clenched tight hit his face.

“Don’t touch me!” Jared yelled but his eyes were glassy; he clearly wasn’t seeing the gun range or the men with him, only the memories and the face of the man who still haunted him. “You... you’re not going to touch me again! You’re not hurting me or making me touch you or letting your friends do things to me! I won’t let you shame or mock me and I’ll never let you hurt Jensen ‘cause he’s more of a man than you could ever hope to be! Go away! Go away! Go away!”

“Yeah, great plan, genius! This definitely seems to be helping him!” Mike cursed and tried to reach for Jared when the gun he’d been clenching in his hand suddenly rose and with broken words and shouts of rage and memory that only Jared could see or hear, the 9mm pistol rang out in nine quick successive shots that each hit the same location of the photo much to a shocked Chad and Mike’s stunned surprise. By the time the pistol clicked empty, there was no face left on either the photo or the target sheet. “Shit, this is bad.”

Chad had pulled himself to his feet and was staring between the destroyed photo and Jared who was still pulling the trigger on the now empty weapon. “Call the boss or Chris,” he told Mike as he swiftly realized that his plan might have worked a bit too well, but now he wasn’t sure how to bring Jared back or calm him down. “I’ll handle him.”

“Right, your plan to handle him started this and will probably get you killed when Jensen gets down here,” Mike muttered but he grabbed his phone and began to send a text while motioning the range manager back when the man came to see what had happened.

“Jared? Hey, kiddo? How about giving me that gun and we’ll go upstairs?” Chad took a careful step closer to where Jared still stood with the empty weapon in his hands. “It’s okay. It’s over. He’s dead and can’t hurt you or anyone again. Give me the gun and... oh crap! Ugh!”

A hand landed on his to give a tug on the black pistol and just like that Jared’s glassy eyes and blurred focus were off the battered and destroyed photo and onto what he saw. “Don’t touch me! Don’t you ever fucking touch me again!” he screamed, voice ragged and raw and he lashed out blindly, fighting back as he couldn’t before.

He’d been unable to fight back before. He’d tried at first, he’d wanted to fight back, but couldn’t because he’d been restrained and in too much pain. When the restraints had finally come off, it had seemed like his will was gone and he’d just wanted to avoid having more pain and shame inflicted. Now when that hand touched him he finally lashed out, wild and with a fury that came from too many years of painful stress, fear, and too much responsibility that had been put on a small boy as well as what he’d endured at Pellegrino’s hands.

“Oh fuck, this ain’t good,” Mike muttered as he saw Jared’s fist land with surprising force on a surprised Chad. He knew he wouldn’t be able to snap Jared out of the flashback and he didn’t want to risk trying to pull the younger man off of Chad and possibly injure him. He quickly debated between calling or texting and taking the coward’s way out, sending a cryptic text to Chris. Then he just tried to prepare for the enraged voice of Jensen Ackles to fill the gun range. He didn’t have to wait long.

“What the fuck did you two do? I am so gonna fire your asses!” Mike didn’t resist and Jensen grabbed the front of his shirt and shook him hard enough to make his brain rattle. “Mike! What happened down here?”

“He remembered…”

Presently:

Jensen looked at the battered and half-destroyed photo on the target and listened to the words that were now pouring from Jared’s mouth as he continued to lash out blindly, landing blow after blow on Chad who didn’t fight back, only covered his head and face in an attempt to protect himself. He was pretty sure he knew what had just happened and what the younger man must have remembered.

“I’m going to want to know which one of you came up with the brilliant idea of bringing him down here and then putting that up,” Jensen growled, pulling off his suit jacket and tie as he blew out a hard breath. He knew he’d better break this up quickly so he could get Jared back upstairs and handle this fallout in private. “But I’ll let you both explain everything to Chris before he snaps your necks. I suppose I’d better save Chad… I really don’t want to have to hire someone else to oversee my computer systems... although I’m thinking this is probably his idea, so maybe I should just let Jared finish beating the crap outta him and save me the hassle of doing it later.”

Chad let out a squeak as he heard this from his curled position on the floor.

“I’m going to beat the crap outta both of them,” Chris growled from where he still stood by the door. He knew this was the scene that Jensen had been trying to avoid if at all possible.

He’d known his friend was trying to coax Jared to face his memories of what Pellegrino had done, but he’d been trying to do it slowly and carefully because he hadn’t wanted to cause a reaction like this. Now it looked like that plan was out the window and he hoped Jensen had a Plan B to fall back on.

Chad had heard the arrival of his employer but right then he was busy trying not to get too beaten up. He had wanted a reaction, he’d wanted Jared to focus his restrained anger, and he’d wanted the kid to respond and maybe be able to express it, but this was not exactly what he’d planned.

The first fist took him by surprise since usually Chad could tell when someone was going to react violently but this time, the moment he’d touched the kid, his head snapped back and his face exploded in pain and then it was like all hell broke loose.

Chad knew he could respond. He knew how to fight back and could probably put Jared down pretty easily but he didn’t want to hurt the young man, especially since he knew this was his fault for pushing Jared to face his fears. He only reacted enough to keep the blows from landing too hard on his face other than the couple the kid snuck in under his guard when he was distracted by the sharp growl of a clearly pissed-off Jensen and Chris.

“Jared, hey, calm down – you’re okay.” He grunted as another blow hit him, this time in the stomach and with enough force that Chad decided his friend really wasn’t as gawky or scrawny as people once had thought he was. “Okay, so... ugh... maybe this wasn’t a good... idea. Jared! Kid, listen to me. It’s…”

“No, no, no! I won’t listen anymore! Want it all gone! Want to go back to how I was! I want you outta my head! You won’t hurt me again! You won’t touch me again! You won’t hurt Jensen, or Molly, or anyone I love!” Jared’s voice was breaking. It was raw and ragged sounding as he continued to rain blow after blow down on who he saw in his mind; he was unable to hear anything but that sneering voice and he just wanted to make it and the memories go away. “You’re dead! They say you’re dead so just stay dead and... NO!”

A firm hand suddenly caught his wrist, saving Chad from further blows, and another voice penetrated his jumbled thoughts. “Pellegrino’s dead, Jay. He can’t hurt anyone anymore, so you need to stop now. Stop hitting Chad, even though the moron probably deserves it, and look at me. Just look at me and…”

A surprise left hook suddenly sailed under Jensen’s guard, striking him in the face as Jared jerked his wrist away, whirling to face the man but still not fully recognizing him. “Don’t fucking touch me, asshole!” he screamed, drawing back to throw another punch even as Jensen’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

Chris had turned from lecturing Mike when he heard Jensen cut off with a grunt. He saw the punch, saw his friend’s head snap back, heard Jared’s shout, and realized what was about to happen. “Jensen!” he snapped, afraid that Jensen’s flash temper was about to override his common sense when he saw the man’s hand start to move.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Six

“ Jensen !”

Jensen heard Chris Kane snap and knew what the bodyguard thought was about to happen – the same thing that usually happened whenever someone, including the boy in front of him, hit him: he reacted swiftly and, usually, violently.

He couldn’t deny that instinct almost had him doing just that, but then something else kicked in and instead of lashing out and hitting Jared back, Jensen’s hand only moved to catch Jared’s before it could connect again.

“Jay.”

The moment his other hand was caught as well and held, Jared started to panic. His gut instinct was to jerk back and fight even harder before anyone could tie his wrists behind him, but instead of feeling cold metal or rough leather binding his hands, Jared was tugged forward against a hard chest as strong arms wrapped around to hold him firmly in place.

“No! Let go! No more... I... don’t... please don’t... hurt…” Jared was lost in his memories and unaware that he was beating his rage and buried emotions out on the solid and unmoving back of the man holding him. He was also unaware of when his knee gave out on him and he collapsed more into those arms that held him, while his words slowly began to break into brutal sobs as Jared began to realize he wasn’t being hurt, molested, or mocked. He was just being held as he lashed out and finally let the words he hadn’t known how to express pour out until his voice also began to give out.

It was also about then that the white noise from too much emotion, the hammering of his own heart, and the ringing in his ears from not having the earphones on when he’d fired the gun began to fade away. The mocking voices of his tormentors also faded out to be replaced by a softer, warmer voice whispering against his ear, soothing him with reassurances and promises of better things to come if he’d only calm down and come back to him, to…

“… … Jensen?” he whispered, coming back to his senses just as his good leg also gave out but he didn’t fall because Jensen was already supporting him.

“Shhh, I’ve got you, Jay. Are you back with me now?” Jensen asked with a cough, hoping to cover the raw emotion he knew had to be in his voice and on his face after he’d held Jared through the past 10 minutes of emotional upheaval, trying to reassure him with soft words and firm, but comforting touches.

Chris had helped a chagrined Chad to his feet and then proceeded to slap him on the back of his head for his stupid plan while also nudging him away from Jensen and Jared, wanting to give them some privacy.

“C’mon, sweetheart, look at me,” Jensen encouraged as he felt Jared’s breathing slowly return to normal. Eventually, Jared lifted his face from where he had buried it between Jensen’s neck and shoulder, and wide, still slightly glassy eyes stared at the casino owner and then looked around the room as he tried to piece together what had happened. When his eyes landed on the destroyed picture still attached to the target, his body started to shake. “Calm down, Jared. Just keep taking deep breaths. He’s dead, you’re not in trouble, and no one is angry... at least not with you.” He kept one arm firmly around Jared to support him while using his other to brush sweat-soaked hair back away from his face. “Can I get you out of here and back upstairs? I think you’ve been on this knee enough and we’d better get some ice for those knuckles.”

Jared blinked his eyes multiple times trying to clear them, finally noticing his bruised and bloodied knuckles. He gave a guilty wince when he caught sight of Jensen’s bleeding mouth but then his eyes shifted over the man’s shoulder to where Chris was still growling at a bloodied Chad. “I... I... I didn’t mean for this... Chad, I’m…”

“Hey, this ain’t on you, kiddo,” Chad replied, wincing as he tested his jaw and batted Mike’s hands away as he tried to look into his eyes to check for signs of a concussion. “This was my brilliant idea. I thought it would help if you could work off some frustration... and I guess you did that. I just wasn’t planning on being the dummy. Next time we use the gym.”

“There won’t be any next time, jerk,” Chris snarled while Jensen glared as he adjusted his grip so he was taking most of Jared’s weight. “Jensen should’ve let the kid wipe the floor with you... though when he’s stronger we might want to give him some lessons so he can direct those punches a little better.”

“Dude! I think he directed them just fine! You don’t need to turn him into some ninja to kick my butt!” Chad shot back in dismay while Mike snorted. “We’ll also just choose to ignore that he managed to hit the target all in the same place without knowing what he was doing too.”

Chris eyed the target closely for the first time and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. Maybe once things settled down, he’d see if the kid could repeat his performance, maybe even give him a few lessons. He figured this time had been a fluke, but it was still some pretty impressive shooting.

Jared felt bad for hurting his friend, but he wasn’t sure how to feel about the rest of it. He was a little worried about how Jensen would react to everything, especially to being hit... again... but now exhaustion was overtaking him and he really just wanted to go upstairs and get away from the ruined photo.

“I’m really sorry, Chad,” he said softly, biting his lip nervously. “I’ll... let you kill me on Call of Duty next time... if you still want to play with me sometime.”

“Jared, I’m not mad... I already told you this was my fault… and of course, I’ll still play games with you, dude,” Chad scoffed, holding out a hand to the young man. “No hard feelings for causing this to happen?”

Staring at the hand and then Chad as if surprised, Jared shook the hand with a shy grateful smile. “No hard feelings,” he agreed, then winced as he stepped wrong, and only Jensen’s arms and some quick support from Chad kept him from falling. “Dizzy,” he mumbled, suddenly feeling both hot and cold. He only had a moment to wonder what was wrong before things started to grey out and he swore he heard a note of panic in Jensen’s voice when he called for him even as Jared seemed to be sinking into darkness.

“Jared!” Jensen saw a flash of white as Jared’s eyes rolled back into his head and then the young man was sagging in his grip and Chris surged forward to help support him. “Shit! Chris, help me get him upstairs. Chad! Go get cleaned up... I will want to talk to you later... Mike, get the elevator opened for us!” He snapped sharp orders to his men, but the tone he used as he spoke to the unconscious young man in his arms was totally different. “It’s okay, Jay. You’re going to be okay. You just need to sleep. Too much emotion all at once and your adrenaline rush just wore off. You’re okay, though.”

Once they were upstairs, Jensen declined Chris’s offer to wait with him until Jared woke up. “No, he’s had a pretty rough afternoon. He might still be nervous about everything that happened. Besides, I... I want... no, I need to be alone with him, Chris. I know what I have to do now... what I should have done as soon as I realized my feelings were changing. Can you bring our contract up to me? Then you can go lecture those two morons... I probably shouldn’t even be in the same room as them right now. I just want a quiet evening with Jay. In fact, I think I’ll just send Marta home and order pizza.”

“Just remember what I said about keeping your temper and watching what you say or do,” Chris remarked as he headed for the office to grab the contract. “He’s going to be confused as hell when he wakes up. And we’ve learned that he generally hits first and engages his brain after... I really do need to get him in the gym for some lessons in directing those punches.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. He waited for Chris to deliver the contract, then put it where he could grab it when he felt it was time to address that issue. After Chris left, he placed his pizza order and then just stood at the door to Jared’s room, watching the younger man sleep.

He’d chosen to put Jared in his own room to sleep rather than on the sofa or even in the master bedroom. He hoped the boy would be comforted by the familiar surroundings when he woke up. Now Jensen applied ice to his knee, which, thankfully, only seemed to be slightly swollen. Then he gently cleaned his knuckles off before covering them with an ice-filled towel as well. Finally, he wiped his pale face off with a cool cloth and then sat on the edge of the bed to gently card his fingers back through Jared’s hair, a gesture he knew provided comfort to both of them.

“I didn’t want you to remember that way, Jared,” he murmured to himself since he knew by the deep and steady breathing that Jared was sleeping soundly and probably would be for at least another hour or so. “I wanted to be with you when you finally faced everything. I wanted to be able to talk you through it and help you deal with it without hurting yourself. Or if this was the reaction you needed to have, I would have rather you’d had it with me... now I just have to make sure you don’t shut back down.

“Sleep tight, Jay,” he whispered and brushed a kiss over Jared’s cheek as he slipped off the bed to go change out of what he now considered ‘work’ clothes so he’d be more at ease when Jared woke up. Jensen would play what happened next by ear.

Soft music and the smell of food woke Jared. He felt worn out and ragged. He pried his eyes open to see that he was in his room but could almost tell without looking that he wasn’t alone so he rolled over slowly to meet warm but concerned green eyes. “Hi.”

“Hi back.” Jensen had changed out of his slacks and collared white shirt into jeans and a casual t-shirt while waiting for Jared to wake up and the pizza to show up.

He’d wandered around his penthouse restlessly, and for the first time, he found himself rolling his eyes at certain things and making mental notes about what he wanted to change. He couldn’t help but wonder how in the hell he hadn’t choked his designer for some of the artwork or furniture in the damn place. He also wondered why it had taken Jared’s presence in his life and his home to make him see so much and also to make him see how much was missing.

Deciding he was bored with his own company, Jensen took the pizza box and returned to sit in Jared’s room; he found that just being with him soothed his restless energy. Sitting with Jared also gave Jensen time to think about what he wanted to say and how to handle what he wanted to do. Part of him still worried that it might be too soon.

Jensen knew it was the smell of pizza that had finally woken Jared... or more likely the smell of the pepperoni he’d been subtly moving under his nose every few minutes since he was now hungry and really wanted Jared awake.

When tired but thankfully clear eyes opened and Jared rolled to face him, Jensen held out the piece of topping as a peace offering. He felt a little better when Jared’s lips brushed the tip of his finger as he took it into his mouth and he heard a soft sigh of pleasure.

“I thought that after the day you had, you needed some pizza,” he remarked as Jared sat up to reach for a piece out of the box Jensen held out for him. “Then... I hoped after we ate... maybe you and I could... talk about stuff, including what happened at the range.”

Jared’s stomach was angrily reminding him that he hadn’t eaten much breakfast and had missed lunch; he wasn’t sure what time it was right then, but he knew he had to be past their normal dinner time since it looked pretty dark outside. The pizza tasted as good as it had the first time he’d eaten it with Jensen. In fact, he slowly realized that this was the first time in weeks that food had tasted good to him, which was a welcome change... then Jensen’s words sank in and he glanced up quickly.

“Nope. No freaking out, Jay. I meant it when I said you weren’t in trouble,” Jensen was quick to say when he caught the flash of dread coming over Jared’s face. “Eat first. I know you’ve got to be hungry, and I know how much you like pizza... though I still want to take you to that place downstairs with the burgers. You do like burgers, right?”

“I worked in a diner, and I was broke all the time, so yeah, I pretty much lived on cheap burgers,” Jared replied with a small smile. He was a little nervous about what Jensen wanted to talk about, but he knew whatever it was couldn’t be avoided - not if he wanted them to both get over what happened and complete their deal. “I’m... sorry if Chad and Mike weren’t supposed to take me down there,” he said, starting in on his second slice while sipping a can of soda. He watched Jensen lick the sauce off his fingers and was surprised to feel himself getting twitchy over that act. He hadn’t been sure certain parts of his body would ever feel alive again. “I told Chad to clear it with you, but he said something about that badge you gave me and…”

“You can go anywhere in this place with that badge, Jay,” Jensen told him as he picked up another slice and felt eyes watching him intently. “I don’t care that they took you to the gun range. I care about what happened while you were there. I’ve been trying not to push you too hard because I was afraid something like that might happen. I know Chad meant well, but yeah, he should’ve run that idea by me first.”

Jensen began picking at the toppings on his pizza and blinked in surprise when a piece of pepperoni was playfully snatched from his fingers. He looked up just in time to see the pepperoni disappear into Jared’s mouth and then the younger man was licking his lips in satisfaction. “Huh,” he muttered, working hard to remind himself that he had a plan he was trying to follow. “Distracting me is not going to get me to change my mind about talking, kiddo.”

“I know that... and I’m really not trying to distract you from wanting to talk to me or helping me talk to you about what happened,” Jared replied slowly, deciding he really was ready to talk and get everything out in the open. “I’m just trying to figure out if you still want me, deal or not. I... I guess that I’m worried that maybe what happened to me makes me disgusting to you now and you’re just keeping me around because…” He dropped his eyes, not realizing that the pizza box was suddenly moved out from between them until hands gently caught his face to lift it.

“I’ve told you that what happened was not your fault... and it doesn’t change a damn thing about how I feel for you,” Jensen told him, carefully watching his tone as it dropped just slightly while his thumb moved lightly over Jared’s cheek. He saw a change in the boy’s eyes, but it didn’t look like caution or fear so that gave him hope for what he was planning. “I told you that staying away from you, not letting you touch me, hasn’t been easy for me because I do want to touch you, Jared. I want to touch you so damn bad. I want to kiss you and God, I want you to touch me but... I need to know that you’re doing it for the right reasons and not because of either Pellegrino or that goddamn contract between us.”

“What?” Jared blinked at that. He was confused, but then the little things that Jensen had been saying or doing began coming back to him and he felt his chest tighten as his mouth went dry. “I... I know you said you want me to start getting over the things he said or made me learn but... I still thought... do you want to amend the contract between us until I’m over this?” he asked quietly, trying to hide his disappointment. “I can do other stuff for you that we agreed on and…” He stopped when a finger lightly touched his lips.

“Come with me a second?” Jensen hoped he could handle this correctly. He’d been thinking and rethinking, probably overthinking, this moment since they’d brought Jared back from South Lake Tahoe. He knew this was a make-it-or-break-it type of moment and if he screwed up, then everything could be lost.

“Yeah, sure.” Jared felt his stomach knotting but tried to hide it as Jensen held a hand out to help him stand until his knee steadied. “Where to?”

Jensen took a deep breath as he paused outside the door that led to the playroom, and he felt Jared tensing. “I’ve kept you away from this room since the night my damn temper led me to hurt you in it. I’ve had some changes made. You know about some of them since we discussed removing some stuff, but I made other changes as well. I was working up the nerve to bring you back in here when all that happened and then I didn’t want you in this place because I didn’t want you to feel like you had to drop to your knees and please me or anything.”

This was the only room in the penthouse that Jensen hadn’t switched to a regular lock; it could only be opened by his thumbprint or by an override code he’d created that only Chris and Chad knew. “I still have my doubts about whether or not bringing you here is the right thing, but... I don’t know... it felt like the right time. Here we are.” He held the door open for Jared to step in ahead of him and watched the younger man’s face as he looked around the bedroom that had been originally his. Then his attention went to the other door and Jensen saw him shudder. “If you’re still not ready to talk to me or tell me things that’s okay, but I do hope you’ll let me talk and listen to what I want to say to you. I hope it’ll clear up some things that I think might have you confused or even a little nervous.”

Jared honestly wasn’t sure he could remember when Jensen hadn’t confused him recently. The only time he completely understood the man was when he was angry because then Jensen was more outgoing and vocal but now he even seemed to be controlling his temper better than before.

He watched as Jensen stared at the playroom door as if unsure about opening it. “I’m... okay with going back in, Jensen,” he tried to reassure the man even as his own nerves were jumping. “I’m ready.”

“No, I really don’t think you are, but we’ll see.” Jensen blew out a breath and opened the door, reaching inside to flip the lights on. “As you can see, it doesn’t look quite as you might remember it.”

Jared stepped in after Jensen and felt his breath catch as he blinked in surprise. He vividly recalled how this room looked with its stark, grey walls and cold, bare floor. The bed had been set against one wall while the other walls had been covered with chains or other restraints. Jared remembered where the steel brace had been placed, the one that he’d been hooked to, on that fateful night. A big, heavy cabinet had held the smaller toys and devices. He recalled it all but now as he stepped in, he had to blink again and take in the very obvious changes that Jensen’s remodeling efforts had brought about.

The walls of the playroom were now a soft muted blue. The floor was covered with a smoky grey plush carpet, and part of the carpet was covered with a soft mat that looked like it could be moved.

The small bed had been replaced with a larger one and while it did still have padded cuffs attached, it looked like they could be removed, leaving enough space for other things to be attached. The deep blue comforter was plush and there was a matching cover that could be brought up and attached to posts to offer privacy.

All the harsh and cruel-looking braces and restraints had been removed, but there was a new bench, one that Jared didn’t think he’d mind since it was padded to ensure comfort. There was some sort of swing in the corner and while it looked fairly comfortable, it still made Jared’s brain spin since he had never quite understood how those things worked.

Across the room on the far wall was a new, heavy, and scrolled cabinet that he figured housed the smaller toys and devices that needed special care. Jared was slightly curious, wondering if any new ones had been added but he didn’t want to ask just yet.

There were other little things he noticed that he didn’t think had been there before like a speaker box on the wall by the door and another one on the nightstand beside the bed. The lights also appeared different. They were softer and he noticed a couple of small lamps had been placed around the room so if Jensen didn’t choose to have the overhead lights on, the room could still have some illumination. He realized with surprise that Jensen must have recalled what he’d said about the dark.

“Your father... he locked you in the dark before, didn’t he?” Jensen asked softly from behind him as Jared took a wary step further into the room to look it all over. “Is that why you don’t like it?”

“Yeah, it was one of his favorite ways to punish me as a kid since he knew I was scared of it,” Jared replied without thinking. He ran a hand over the soft comforter on the bed before picking up the padded cuff and seeing that it had a clasp where he could free himself if needed; he was pleasantly surprised because he hadn’t thought Jensen was paying attention to that request during their bartering deal. “I’m not sure if I still am since... he... they... liked to keep me blindfolded or put a hood over my face except when he fucked my mouth so…”

“I will never leave you in the dark, Jay,” Jensen promised while wondering if he’d ever stop wanting Pellegrino to pay even more for what he’d done to Jared in that short but brutal time. “You can also look inside the cabinet if you want. You will find every hood that was in there gone as well as all of the large gags. If you ever agree to let me blindfold you, it will be with a scarf or something like that. Hoods and collars are two things that I will never bring into this place. I didn’t even have them before all this happened.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Jensen hadn’t moved; he seemed content to just watch him exploring. Jared hesitated for another moment before going to open the new cabinet. He knew what had been inside the old cabinet, so now as he opened the new one, he could see a lot of the things were gone.

Jared noticed a few dildos and plugs were still there as well as the cock rings, but the one cage he knew had been there before seemed to have disappeared. Hanging on the side of one of the doors was something he hadn’t seen before. It resembled a whip but he didn’t think it could hurt him since the short little things attached felt soft. He picked up something that looked like little finger claws but as he tested it against his palm, he realized that unless Jensen used real force, they’d never seriously cut him. A piece of him, the piece that hadn’t been forced down by the brutal abuse of the other casino owner, wondered silently what they’d feel like against his skin.

“Did... did you take all of this stuff out before or after what was done to me?” he asked. He opened a drawer and fingered the different colors and lengths of soft ribbons or scarves. He eyed a slender leather case that was nestled among the cloths but decided that he’d ask about it another time. “Jensen, I don’t want you to change how you want to act or the stuff you want me to do for you because of what happened. I know it’s taking me longer to get over what he did to me, but I’m still willing to do whatever you say. You know that. I said I would... even if I was lippy and stuff.”

“Yeah, I know you would... that’s actually what I want to talk to you about in a minute.” Jensen came up beside him and studied the things that he’d chosen to leave inside the cabinet. He’d given the other items to Chris with instructions to destroy them. “I’d actually gotten rid of the stuff before... cleaning out the cabinet was part of the remodeling I told you about. I already knew I wanted to change how we played and... well if anything I left in there bothers you or reminds you of him or that damn place, then I want you to tell me about it right now so I can get rid of it.” He watched Jared’s face as he looked over the items one more time before closing the cabinet and turning to look at him. “Does it?”

“No, I don’t think anything in there will bother me.” Jared wasn’t really certain what might happen when they actually tried something, but he’d cross that bridge when they came to it. “You... wanted to talk?”

Jensen nodded and led Jared back to the bed; he encouraged the younger man to have a seat on the edge while he walked a little bit away, needing the distance, because for some reason it seemed especially hard to keep his hands off of Jared that night; maybe it was the way Jared kept chewing his lip.

“I do want to talk, and I hope that after today you’ll find it a bit easier to talk to me about things... but first I want to clear up something else.” He reached behind him and pulled the folded contract out of his back pocket. “Jared, even before what happened with Pellegrino, I had been planning to talk with you about our contract.” He gave a reassuring smile as Jared shifted uneasily on the bed. “Jay, even before my father started making waves about the casino and stuff, I’d decided that I wanted to change how I am, how I act, how I treat people... most importantly, how I treat you.

“I think I was starting to realize that my feelings for you were changing, that I thought of you as more than just a business deal. I certainly stopped looking at you like a piece of property or arm candy.” Jensen took a couple of steps closer to the bed. He knew that he had Jared’s complete attention as he held out the contract, but he also could see the wariness in his eyes, as if he was scared of what Jensen was going to say next. “No, before you say anything, let me finish,” He placed a finger on Jared’s lips when the young man’s mouth began to move.

“I’m not changing my mind about helping Molly; in fact, my lawyers have already filed the paperwork, signed by your dad, so that you will be her guardian until she’s 18. I’m not changing my mind about helping her get her into the best damn dance school in New York. Hell, my grandmother’s on the case now. She’ll find out if the one that sent her that letter is the best out there. If it turns out that there’s a better one, then that’s where she’ll go, and I will pay her full tuition and all her expenses.” He said firmly and meant it, watching the boy’s forehead wrinkle in confusion. “What I am changing is what’s been going on between us.”

Jared’s heart stuttered and his stomach plummeted to his shoes. He’d been so certain that Jensen had meant it when said that what happened didn’t matter to him. Now he was desperately trying not to show any emotion, but he realized he must have failed when a gentle hand touched his cheek.

“Sweetheart, I’m not saying I don’t want you. That is so far from where I’m going with this.” Jensen had seen Jared’s emotions all over his face and found himself getting frustrated that he couldn’t seem to clearly explain his intentions. “I know you’re still upset and confused and maybe I should have waited before bringing this up, but I need you to understand that what I’m doing for you, what I want to do with you... I don’t want any of it to be because this piece of paper says we have to do anything. I actually had the contract nulled even before I had you back, but it wasn’t because of any trouble it could cause me but because... ” He stopped to take a shaky breath.

“You... nulled the…” Jared’s heart was pounding so hard that he thought Jensen must be able to hear it. He stared up into Jensen’s face, seeing that he looked a little pale and unsure too, and that made Jared even more confused. “But... if you nulled the contract before you got me back... then why did you tell him that you’d give him the casino if he let me go or... why did you even come after me? If the contract’s no good or nulled or whatever... you could’ve just let Pellegrino keep me... you wouldn’t have had to worry about Molly and school... but instead, you’re still paying for her and Gen’s trip east with your grandmother... I don’t understand, Jen.”

The soft break of confusion in Jared’s voice and the way his eyes softened reminded Jensen that despite everything that had happened to him in his life, Jared was still just a young man who’d known very little true affection or care. He prayed he could really do this and be a better man for both of them. Right then he knew what he needed to say and do; it was a matter of getting past his fears to do it.

Carding his fingers back through Jared’s hair, Jensen’s lips slowly curved into a gentle smile. “I know you don’t, Jay. I don’t know if I completely understand what I’m doing myself really,” he admitted. He let his fingers slide down to curve under Jared’s jaw, tipping it up a little more so their eyes could meet. “I nulled the agreement, Jay. Even without the contract, I would’ve given Pellegrino this place in a heartbeat for you. I’ll still pay for Molly’s school, and I’ll even pay to send you to school if you want. I’ll do all those things for the same reason I wanted you to see me do this.”

As Jared watched, Jensen took the contract in both hands and ripped it neatly and swiftly in half and then quarters before letting the pieces flutter to the floor. He then dropped to his knees on the floor in front of Jared, reaching up to frame his face gently to say words he’d never said to another living being before. “I love you.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jared Padalecki could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he’d heard the words that Jensen Ackles just said to him. In fact, other than his late mother and his sister, he was certain they’d never been said to him with any sincerity.

In fact, a part of Jared had to wonder if he’d actually heard what he thought he did or if his ears were playing tricks on him... again. His memories were spotty from that day at the lodge, but he thought he’d heard Jensen mention something about loving him then too but... he’d convinced himself that he had to be wrong. This had to be wrong.

“…You…” He looked down into Jensen’s eyes, unaware that his fingers had started to shake so he’d dug them into the edge of the bed. “You... tore up our contract.”

That wasn’t what he’d planned to say but it was what came out of his mouth as he struggled to get his heart out of his throat. He still couldn’t decide if he really was hearing or seeing what he thought he was; he couldn’t shake the feeling that it should be him down on his knees in front of Jensen.

“The contract was canceled a while ago, Jay,” Jensen repeated, struggling not to look nervous at Jared’s reaction. He’d known this whole thing would be a shock to him, possibly even a struggle to convince him it was true. “I just wanted you to see me tear it up so you would understand that whatever happens now between us, if anything happens between us because now it is fully and totally your choice, will be because you want to let it happen.” He slipped a hand into his pocket to remove the silk ribbon that matched the one Jared wore, laying it on the bed beside the shaking younger man.

“There’s no contract, no deal, no rules that say you have to do anything or let me do anything to you. In fact, if you wanted to, you could walk out of this room right now. You could walk out of this penthouse and I wouldn’t stop you.” Jensen kept to himself how much that would probably destroy him, but he wouldn’t blame Jared if he did leave; in fact, he’d supply him with everything he needed to start his life over.

“No... I... Molly needs…” Jared wasn’t sure what was happening, what Jensen was doing, or what he was supposed to be doing. He was stunned by Jensen’s behavior and scared to death that he would somehow mess everything up. His gut was telling him to listen to his heart but he was pretty sure they were both confused.

Jensen shifted so he could lean up a little more, holding the wide dark eyes with his as he shook his head slowly. “This has nothing to do with Molly, sweetheart. I swear to you that Molly will be taken care of. Even if you choose to walk out the door right now, I will keep every promise I made about her. This, tonight, is about you and me. I know it’s hard for you to understand what I’m saying, or maybe it’s just hard for you to believe I’m saying it, but I’m willing to give you all the time you need to figure things out. I want you to get to know the real me, the guy I was trying to be for you before Pellegrino made his move.

“I think I fell in love with you months ago, but my own past, the crap that turned me into such a bastard in the first place, made it difficult for me to think that anyone could ever love me back, that anyone would want to be with me without wanting something in return.” He smoothed his fingers over Jared’s cheek and smiled as the young man leaned into the touch like he’d started to do before his abduction. “I... I don’t even know if you feel anything for me if you’d ever want to be with me without that paper between us. That’s what I want to find out. I know I screwed up with you right from the damn first moment we met and... like I said, if you want to walk you can. I won’t stop you. I’ll give you whatever you need to help you get on your feet, no strings attached... but I do... I do honestly think that I love you, Jared.

“You made me see that I needed to change... that I was heading down the same path and turning into my father or someone worse. You helped me more than you will ever know. I’m sorry for what I did to you when you first came here, and I’m even more sorry that you were hurt by that asshole... and no matter what happens now, you and Molly will be safe from all of that.” Jensen knew he needed to give Jared time to think, to process everything he had just said. He couldn’t push or he’d still be dictating terms and that wasn’t what he wanted, so no matter how hard it was for him, he had to back off. “I’ll... leave you alone to think or... help you back to your room to sleep on this and we... we can talk more in the morning. Unless you want to tell me to go fuck myself since you’d be within your rights to say that too.”

Jared was still so stunned that he wasn’t sure what to think or say until he felt Jensen’s hand on his face start to tremble and then something inside him clicked, making him reach out suddenly to grab for the man when he began to ease away as if to leave him alone. “Wait,” he said quickly, looking between Jensen’s rugged face that seemed tense and uneasy, which was not something Jared was used to seeing on the casino owner, and the hand he’d caught, seeing that it was indeed shaking. “You... say that I can leave, not that I have any place to go, but if I wanted to…”

“If…” Jensen swallowed the lump in his throat because the thought of this spirited, still hurt but healing boy leaving him was making his stomach churn. “If you want to go, I will make certain you have everything you need to get on your feet including a place to live, money for bills, even tuition so you can go to school.” He forced his face to be as neutral as possible and wondered where the hell his poker face had gone. “Whatever you want from me, Jay, I will give to you.”

“Anything?” A small voice in Jared’s head told him that maybe he should slow down and sleep on everything that had just happened, but he quickly shushed that voice as well as the other still annoying voices, the flashes of memories, that told him he should be his knees by now... he shushed the voices and chose to just follow his heart.

When Jared had caught Jensen’s hand to keep him from moving, he’d tugged until the man sat beside him on the bottom of the bed. Now he still held that hand loosely in his as he took a moment to calm his beating heart and waited for the man to respond.

“Anything you want, Jay,” Jensen promised, voice deep with emotions he’d fought to hide for too many years now. He wasn’t sure what was going on inside Jared’s head as his lashes were now hiding his eyes, but Jensen looked down when he felt his hand turned over and the ribbon he’d dropped on the bed placed in his palm. “Jay?” he asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper as he tried to figure out what this meant or what Jared was asking him for.

“You said if anything happened between us now, it would be my choice?” Jared chewed his lip and swore he heard a soft groan from beside him as Jensen nodded tightly. “That I’m not under any rules or orders or contracts making me be here or letting you do stuff, right?”

Jensen fought to keep his mouth shut and just let Jared run this play; he would give him space and time to test himself and the boundaries especially since he knew he was still battling the nightmares caused by Pellegrino’s abuse. He recalled how long it took him to break those urges from Bianca, so he wanted to give Jared the chance to make his own choices.

“That’s right,” he murmured with a nod. He wanted so badly to reach out, to touch Jared, but knew if he did that he’d never be able to let go if the boy chose to leave. “It’s your choice now.”

“What if I want you to be in charge of what we do?” Jared looked down at their still intertwined hands while Jensen’s fingers restlessly moved the ribbon. “I mean, I know you said you didn’t want a sub but... Dom’s are always in charge so…”

“No, no not always,” Jensen wasn’t sure how the hell they’d gotten onto this subject since he was still just trying to figure out what Jared wanted from him now, but he was willing to follow Jared’s lead. “Yeah, I’m sure Pellegrino probably told you or made it seem that Doms were always in charge since he wanted his subs to be submissive and weak all the time. But he didn’t really want subs, Jay; he basically wanted slaves. That’s not how real Doms treat their subs.

“In the real D/s world, when it’s done correctly, it’s actually the sub who has the power. The sub decides how far the Dom can go; he gets to say when the scene is over. The Dom’s main job is to take care of and protect his sub from harm. A true Dom would never actually hurt his sub and he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt him either.” He swallowed as Jared eased a little closer to him. “As I said once, I don’t mind the D/s scene at times; some people are really fulfilled by that kind of relationship... but... because of my past, I never wanted a full-time sub. I can’t trust myself to not go too dark, especially on the bad days, and trust is huge between a Dom and his sub. A sub needs to be able to absolutely trust his Dom to know when to stop or what to do.”

“So... do some people just sub in clubs or the bedroom?” Jared asked quietly. He found this subject fascinating; it sounded so different than what he’d witnessed in the clubs he’d been to with his father. It was definitely very different than what had been pounded into his head by Pellegrino and his goons. “Is it the same as just choosing to let you call the shots?” He lifted his eyes slowly to see that Jensen was watching him intently. “I mean, like I said before I don’t think I could be a 24/7 sub unless... you reinforce the training he did or…”

“No, no, Jay, you need to understand. What he was doing wasn’t training you to be a sub but a slave,” Jensen broke in firmly. He wished he could just erase Jared’s memories from that time. “If you choose to stay or... if you want to do something with me, it will be what you want to do. I’d never want you to kneel for me or walk behind me or... God, I wish I’d been able to hurt that bastard for what he did to you and drilled into your head.”

“You did enough, Jen. You came for me. You didn’t give up on me... I think everyone else I’ve ever known would’ve.” Jared looked over beside him, hoping he was doing the right thing and didn’t mess up, as he tried to find the right words to say. “You were in the middle of fighting to keep your casino, you had all that crap with your dad to deal with, but you still came to find me. You didn’t even have to but you…”

“Sweetheart, finding you was so much more important to me than anything else that was going on. I threatened to walk away from this damn place more than once if it kept me from finding out where you were or kept me from getting you back from that bastard,” Jensen told him seriously, looking up from where he’d been watching Jared’s fingers move slowly over the hand that was still holding the loose ribbon. “When I found out you’d been jumped and grabbed, I was in the middle of a board meeting. You can ask Chris – the moment he told me I basically told the board to go screw themselves. I wanted out of there so I could go find you. I wish to God that everything hadn’t been working against me and I could’ve gotten to you sooner, Jay.”

Jared felt his throat tighten at the depth of emotion in Jensen’s voice when he was speaking about not finding him sooner. There was also something deep in those green eyes that seemed to uncoil a knot in his stomach that Jared hadn’t realized was there. He suddenly knew it was a piece of his own doubts about admitting something that he’d thought might be one-sided.

“You found me; you saved me... from them, from him... and maybe even from myself today. It’s still so hard sometimes not to give in to what was so painfully taught but... down there earlier... when I saw his picture and reacted like that…” He bit his lip and felt Jensen squeeze his hand in reassurance. “He... hurt me so badly, Jen. And not just with the physical crap or the other... stuff but... mentally. It was like... he got into my head and tore away me. If that makes any sense ‘cause I know what I want to say but it's hard to make it sound right.”

“Oh, I know what you mean.” Jensen did know; he understood that Jared was fighting a hard battle now and that the battle would continue in the weeks to come because even though the physical wounds had healed, the abuse would still leave emotional scars. “I was 17 when I got away from her and I still battle my memories – I still have those invisible scars. It won’t be easy but I believe in you and I’m going to help you. You took the first step earlier, and I think you’re taking another one now... if you’ll tell me what you want,” he murmured, trying to steer them back to their original topic.

Jared had to realign his thoughts, but he knew where he’d been going with his seemingly off-topic detour. “The night you put this ribbon on my wrist, you said that when I could stop thinking I had to do things because of what he did to me when I had healed some, I would’ve earned this other ribbon,” He touched the one still in Jensen’s palm.

“Yeah, I said that,” Jensen agreed carefully, curious about where this was going.

“And you just said that you’d give me anything I asked you for.” Jared took a deep breath and felt his nerves coming back. Despite everything that had gone on, everything that had been done to him, Jared knew that he was still fairly naïve when it came to sex, at least sex that hopefully meant something more than just being a warm body for someone like Pellegrino or his friends to abuse. He could only hope he wasn’t making a huge mistake. “So if I asked you for something right now?”

“I’d give it to you, Jay,” Jensen answered without hesitation. “Anything you want.” Jensen knew he was risking his heart, but if Jared chose to leave, then he would do his best to help him as well as making sure to keep his promise to help Molly. “Ask me.”

Jared drew in a slow shaky breath. He closed Jensen’s fingers around the ribbon before lifting his eyes to meet wary, deep green eyes. “Put this on my other wrist and... kiss me?”

That wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but Jared figured he’d better start out slowly and see how Jensen reacted... or how he did. He felt an odd flutter when Jensen’s lips curved into a slow almost teasing smile as if he knew what Jared had almost said.

“Is that really what you wanted to ask me, sweetheart?” Jensen could tell it wasn’t because he’d watched Jared’s face and saw him pull back at the last second, but he thought he understood why he’d shifted to something a little safer.

“No, not really but... well... it’s been a long time since you’ve... wanted to... umm…” Jared stopped as Jensen took the ribbon and ran it through his fingers slowly before lifting his other hand. He watched as he looked at the bruises on his knuckles from earlier, but before he could speak again, he lost that ability as warm soft lips brushed over them and then against the center of his palm. “Oh.”

“Oh, Jay, you have no idea how much I’ve wanted to. Not touching you, or kissing you, or... it’s been torture on me, but I needed to give you time to heal from everything.” Jensen slowly kissed his way down Jared’s hand until he got to his wrist where he paid special attention to it like he had that one night that seemed so long ago now to both men. “I needed to get you to a point where you understood that I didn’t want your submission because of a contract or that asshole’s so-called lessons. I wanted you to be able to make a choice, to choose to let me touch you, kiss you... or make love with you.” He lifted his eyes to see that Jared’s were glued to his. “If I kiss you right now, I need you to know that I’m going to want to do more... but I will stop if you decide we’re moving too fast. Is that okay?”

Jared nodded because he wasn’t sure if he could manage to form words right then. He wasn’t sure what it was about watching Jensen lay kisses along his wrist that made him hot, but he hadn’t felt a stirring like this in a long time and he wanted more.

Jensen gently wrapped the other ribbon around Jared’s wrist, hooking it much like he had the first one. He suspected he knew what Jared might be thinking he’d use them for, but if they got that far tonight, then Jensen had other plans.

He slipped a hand up to palm a cheek and felt Jared tremble, but he leaned into the touch so Jensen suspected it wasn’t fear the boy was feeling. “I know you said it but... are you sure this is what you want, Jay?” He needed to be sure because he wanted to let Jared make the calls about what happened between them as much as possible.

“Just because I brought you to this room, I don’t want you to think that I was expecting sex or something, because I actually wasn’t.” Jensen groaned when Jared suddenly turned his face into his hand to offer his own small, shy kiss into his hand. “You’ve been through a lot emotionally today, and... I just really don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything... so if you want to change your mind or slow down or…”

“Don’t you... do you not want to kiss me, Jen?” Jared asked, a little bit of doubt appearing in his voice. He started to pull back, but Jensen’s hand slid around to cup the back of his neck and kept him still.

“I want to kiss you so damn bad and more,” Jensen confirmed. It was hard to move so cautiously because normally he just took what he wanted, but everything was different now. He had changed not only his life but also how he handled his desires. “I want you, Jared.”

Something in that deep tone just burned through Jared’s veins and he wasn’t even aware of when his hand moved up to curl his fingers tightly in Jensen’s shirt. “Then kiss me, damn it.”

The words were out before Jared realized what he’d said, but when he saw Jensen’s eyes shoot up to his and his eyebrows lift along with one corner of his mouth, Jared felt a fluttering of panic. “Oh. I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have... I’m…”

“And there’s the boy I fell in love with... the one who made me realize what an ass I was being... the one I hope will stick around to help me change,” Jensen chuckled, catching Jared’s face between his palms, and smiling before leaning closer. “I love you,” he whispered and then let his lips settle over Jared’s in a slow and gentle kiss. It was finally like the first kiss that Jensen knew in his heart he always should’ve given Jared but hadn’t.

It had been a long time since they’d kissed and Jensen felt his body instantly start to heat up. He heard a soft little sound come from Jared, but instinct told Jensen that it wasn’t a sound of pain or fear, but one of pleasure. Jared had just been starting to understand that he could enjoy the things that happened between them before he’d been taken, so Jensen knew he had to move slowly now. He was careful not to take the kiss too far right then even though he longed to deepen it, to draw that full and soft bottom lip into his mouth and just suck on it. Instead of doing that, he backed off a little and smiled at the soft whimper of confused disappointment.

“Shhh, not done kissing you, Jay,” Jensen murmured against his lips, teasing them gently with his tongue until he felt them open slowly, but he did catch the slight caution so he decided to ease Jared into that again. “I just think we should take this someplace else. I don’t want to kiss you in here.”

The playroom had been created when he had certain plans, ideas, and expectations. Even though he’d had it remodeled, Jensen had basically planned to use it until they saw if there was anything between them but sex. Now, as he realized that he had strong feelings for Jared, and he was starting to believe that Jared might feel the same way, Jensen didn’t want to take this any farther in the playroom.

“Huh? What? Why?” Jared’s brain was overheating just from that simple kiss so he wasn’t feeling very alert. He thought he heard him say something about not doing anything else where they were, but he kind of thought that was the whole point of the playroom. “Where are we going?” he asked as he let Jensen tug him to his feet and into his arms.

“My room,” Jensen replied with another slow teasing kiss. “My bed.” He gave another kiss as he maneuvered them out of the playroom, out of that bedroom, and down the hallway into the master bedroom. He only let go of Jared when they neared the bed. “Your choice of what we do next.”

Jared’s knee was hurting so he sat on the bottom of the bed and looked up curiously. He still wasn’t used to this side of Jensen. “If... if I choose to let you make the choices in the bedroom... would that be bad?”

Jensen blinked at that question; it seemed to come from nowhere but then he recalled Jared’s question from earlier about people just being subs in the bedroom or clubs. “No, it wouldn’t be bad, Jay,” he told him as he stepped closer to Jared, fingers slow when they carded back through his hair. “We will have to sit down and have an actual conversation about what you like and don’t like, things you don’t want me to do because if you really want it that way, I need to know so I don’t accidentally hurt or scare you.”

“Do we have to do that now?” Jared asked even as his fingers seemed to be reaching out, anxious to touch Jensen in some way. “I mean, I know we do... and I know we still probably need to talk more about what he did to me but…” He paused to look up and saw Jensen watching him. “…do we have to talk about it now?”

“No, not now.” Jensen didn’t think either of them wanted the mood spoiled by talking, but he would make sure they did it the next day. He thought he knew enough to know how to please them both for that night. “Of course, there is something we do need to talk about.” He smiled a little at the low groan and reached out to tip Jared’s chin up. “Tell me what you want from me right now, sweetheart. We can keep kissing and we will, but I want to know how far you want to take this.”

Jared stared at him for a moment before he thought he understood. A small piece of him wasn’t sure he was too happy with this side of Jensen. It was a lot simpler for him when the man just did what he wanted and told him what to do. This choosing when he didn’t know what to say was hard work.

Thinking about it made him nervous, but he decided to just go for it. He licked his lips nervously while holding out his hands and looking up. “Fuck me?”

“No.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“No.”

Jared Padalecki’s face paled at the single-word response from Jensen. He’d obviously screwed up; maybe it was something he’d said or something he’d done. Whatever it was had probably ruined whatever had been happening with Jensen. He started to open his mouth to apologize, heart hammering in his chest, but then gentle hands grabbed his, the ones he’d held out like he had the one night they’d been in here when Jensen had used the ribbons to tie him to the bed.

Only this time, Jensen just held them as he said his name softly and Jared lifted wary eyes, trying to prepare himself for whatever emotion he might see, but the soft smile and calm eyes caught him off guard.

“Before I let you near the poker tables, we have got to work on your poker face, sweetheart,” the man chuckled, moving a hand up to touch a pale cheek as he realized that his response had given Jared the wrong idea. “You didn’t say anything wrong, Jared. You didn’t do anything wrong. I wasn’t saying no to the act, just to the word. It’s really my fault because for the whole time that you’ve been here, I made sex sound crass or hard or impersonal, and I’m sure that asshole did the same if not worse. Let me try to explain...”

Jensen waited until Jared’s breathing had calmed down before he placed Jared’s hands down at his sides. He then framed his face, suddenly realizing he felt calmer than he had in years. “I will not ‘fuck’ you ever again. Not even when, or if, we play a little in the playroom or here. That word will never be used to describe what we do.” He let his thumbs caress over Jared’s cheeks and finally saw a small nod of understanding even though he thought Jared probably still didn’t quite get it. “I will make love with you tonight and anytime you want, but I will never fuck you. Now, do you get why I said no the first time?”

“Yeah, I think... it just might take me time to get used to this new you,” Jared replied and felt his cheeks heat as Jensen laughed at that.

“That’s okay. It’ll take me time to get used to this me too.” Jensen smiled while drawing Jared back in for a slow kiss that he chose to deepen when he felt Jared lean into it more and then felt fingers curling into his shirt again with a bit more insistence. He gently drew on Jared’s bottom lip with his teeth just to hear that soft gasp of surprise and then an even softer whimper of want and need that seemed to take Jared off guard since he wasn’t used to his body responding, especially not when he’d been certain he’d never want to be touched again after what he’d endured. “Lay back on the bed, Jay?”

Jared’s nerves were coming back but he tried to remember that even the rough times with Jensen hadn’t been as bad as what those other people had done, so he moved back on the huge master bed until his head hit a pillow. He wasn’t sure what Jensen wanted him to do so he stayed still and watched as Jensen stood again, holding his eyes for a long moment. “Jensen?”

“Wait a second,” Jensen moved to the other side of the room, and soon the lights near the bed dimmed and soft music began to play in the background. He came back, sitting on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes and socks before reaching over to slowly untie and remove Jared’s sneakers. When Jared started to reach for his fly, Jensen stopped him with a shake of his head and a low growl of ‘ Mine. ’ Jared swallowed hard as his hands dropped restlessly back to his sides.

“Letting me be in charge of what we do in the bedroom also means letting me take care of you , Jared,” he explained, turning so he could watch the younger man as he pulled his own T-shirt off and caught the way Jared’s eyes locked on him. “Before, during, and then after... another thing I’ve done wrong right from the start with you. The things I did that first night…” Jensen shook his head, wishing he could start over with this young man. “Even some of the things we did that you did enjoy were done wrong because I didn’t do the things I should’ve done for you before or after. I was too focused on maintaining that hardcore image and trying to make you afraid of me rather than taking care of you like I should’ve been... like I will now.”

Jared turned his head to the side to stare at Jensen curiously and then followed his hands as they slid up his legs slowly, moving carefully over his injured knee. “I... I... knew those times were business... my Dad’s deal with you so... umm…” He broke off with a gasp as Jensen’s fingers finally reached the snap of his jeans and slowly unhooked it before beginning the tortuously slow movement of the zipper; this was definitely a side of Jensen that Jared hadn’t seen before and he was pretty sure it was going to drive him nuts because he’d gotten used to the fast action.

“I both regret and don’t regret taking that deal,” Jensen said as he pulled the zipper down slowly, not missing the way Jared’s fingers clenched into the comforter; he also didn’t miss the way Jared’s still-encased cock could be seen hardening and the small damp spot that appeared on the front of his jeans. “I took it mainly because your father wasn’t worth Chris’s time to break his arms or legs. I also took it because I was frustrated with other things and... well, the picture he described to me would have fit what I thought I wanted at the time.”

“A sex crazy buffed out guy?” Jared recalled how his father had first described him and still didn’t know why Jensen hadn’t tossed him back. “Why did you keep me?” he asked, hips lifting automatically as Jensen began to tug the denim down his legs. “It was pretty plain from the start that I wasn’t what you thought you were getting, especially when you found out I was still a virgin. That pissed you off big time.”

Jensen took his time to ease the denim over the leg brace while also thinking back to their first meeting. “I wasn’t pissed at you really... I was basically pissed that he would so blatantly lie to get out of trouble with me over his debt.” He wished there was a way to wipe all those times away, especially that first night and that one damn night, both of which had happened because of his own damn temper. “I don’t like to be lied to under any circumstances so that pissed me off big time, but then... I think I decided to keep you because... I think in my heart I knew James would do it again... maybe I was buying time to let him hang himself... or maybe I just wanted to make sure he couldn’t do something like that to you or your sister again... I think I realized you were special even though I was still an asshole to you.”

“You had your moments,” Jared muttered, then winced as he replayed his words, but Jensen only chuckled and continued removing his jeans. “Sorry. I know I said I’d watch my lip but…”

“I like your lip... well I like your lips in general, but I also kinda like your attitude. I’ve missed it since aside from Chris and occasionally Chad, most of my employees wouldn’t dare talk to me like you have.” Jensen’s eyes lifted and he smirked a little. “I don’t always like it, but most of the time you’re saying something I need to hear, so I might learn to be more accepting of it.

“My point is, I’m going to try to make up for those months, Jay.” He dropped the jeans on the floor beside the bed, leaning up to slip his hands up under the younger man’s t-shirt, sliding it up as Jared sat up to help in its removal. “I can’t remove the pain or the bad memories I caused you to have, or any scars that you might still have from that night, but I will do my best to make up for them and for what that bastard and his pals did to you... but first I want to make up for something else.”

Jensen peeled the t-shirt off over Jared’s head, nudging him back down to the pillow. His eyes roamed over Jared’s bare chest to see that he had slowly begun to heal from his week of starvation followed by hardly eating here. It was only very recently that his appetite had finally started to pick up slightly.

He could still see some faint scars from the wounds inflicted but Jensen knew there were worse scars on his back. He saw Jared tensing subtly as he studied him and knew the scars made him uneasy, but to put him at ease Jensen offered a slow smile while leaning closer to press light kisses over one on his upper chest. “Truthfully, I think I found you more attractive than the photoshopped version. I’ll tell you what really made me start to fall for you if you swear not to laugh or blab it to Chad.”

“I never share personal stuff between us with anyone, Jen,” Jared was quick to say and then groaned as hot lips closed over his nipple and a skilled tongue began to roll it gently. “Umm, what was it?”

“Your dimples when you smile,” Jensen replied, adoring the wide-eyed look that got him. He ran his fingers down Jared’s stomach, feeling the muscles react to his touch, and then moved lower to gently tease where the head of his cock was pushing against the damp briefs that he hadn’t removed yet. “I mean, I love your body... God I love your body... but it was your dimples and then the sound of your laugh that really started making me want to be someone different for you.” He paused as he began kissing his way down Jared’s chest before looking back up to see that the boy’s eyes were darkening. “I also love your brain; I love your ability to outthink my roulette wheel... I love you, Jared.”

It would take Jared time to get used to hearing those words said by someone who might actually mean them. It was hard for him to work up the nerve to return them, but he had gotten the hunch earlier that Jensen wasn’t sure if he felt the same way, so he thought he should say something. “I... I... love you too,” he murmured softly and felt Jensen go perfectly still. “Is it okay to say that to you?”

Jensen wasn’t sure when he had last heard anybody say those words to him. He was sure that hearing those words had never affected him like it did now. His heart was hammering in his chest as the deep look that went with them told him that Jared actually meant what he said and wasn’t just saying what he thought Jensen wanted to hear. “Yeah, you can say that to me, Jay,” he replied, hearing his own voice drop with emotions he’d never wanted to express to anyone before. “You can say anything to me. In fact, I want to hear you during this so don’t be afraid to make noise and... I don’t plan on doing anything rough tonight, but in case something triggers any memories or starts to bother you and you want to stop, I want you to tell me to stop... or would you prefer a safeword?”

“You’d actually stop? You’d let me... I mean…” Jared wasn’t sure what he meant right then because his body was heating up as Jensen’s mouth continued roaming down his chest while the teasing fingers just hovered over the front of his damp briefs before they finally touched the waistband to begin removing them.

“If you want to be my sub, even just in the bedroom, then you need a safeword to let me know if I need to stop. I never gave you one... so that’s another mistake I made that I won’t repeat.” Jensen removed the briefs and dropped them to the side. He felt his own cock straining against the front of his jeans since he hadn’t removed them yet, and he quickly unbuttoned them for some relief. “I want you to feel safe while you get used to things with me. Give me a word and if I hear it at any time while we’re making love then I’ll know you need to stop and I’ll stop.”

Jared pushed up to his elbows to stare at Jensen. “Seriously? You’d... stop if I asked you to?” he asked, beginning to wonder if he shouldn’t ask Chris if Jensen was sick. “I... thought subs had to... y’know... do whatever the... that muscle in your jaw is twitching again. That happens sometimes.”

“That happens when I want to punch assholes like your father and Mark Pellegrino in the balls for putting those thoughts in your head,” Jensen replied but made sure his tone was calm. “Remember what I told you earlier? The subs actually have all the power because they control the scene. When their Doms don’t listen, when they continue after the scene’s been called or the sub has asked to stop, that’s what makes things bad. I will never not stop if you use your safeword or even just ask me to stop, sweetheart. I swear I will never hurt you like I did that one night.”

“You weren’t really you that night so I know that. I’m not worried about you hurting me.” Jared wasn’t worried, but Jensen was still clearly waiting for him to choose a word so he said the first one that came to mind. “Impala.”

Jensen blinked, trying not to smile too much at the boy’s choice of a safe word but it was hard. He also decided he definitely needed to take Jared to see the other cars in his collection soon, but right then he had other ideas. “Impala it is,” he agreed while opening the nightstand drawer to remove a small bottle. He then leaned back up to kiss Jared again, alternating between soft and slightly heated. “If anything we do triggers any memories of what was done to you there, say ‘Impala’ and I’ll stop, okay?”

Jared was rapidly losing the ability to think coherently, but he nodded and then moaned at the slightly more heated kiss that Jensen gave him. He felt Jensen’s lips curve into a smile as he arched up to begin returning the kisses. He also realized his hands were still at his sides so he moved one cautiously towards the headboard, not sure if Jensen planned to remove the ribbons to use or not.

“I know you think I’m going to use the ribbons to tie your hands like I did that night, but I’m not... at least not tonight,” Jensen murmured as he let the kisses continue to heat up. He used his teeth to gently draw on Jared’s bottom lip since he loved the sounds he made from that move. “I want us to move slowly back up to that type of play. I want to be sure you’re over what he did to you or tried to turn you into before we try anything like that; in fact, that’s another reason I didn’t want to do this in the playroom.”

Jensen moved until he was stretched out beside Jared on the bed, close enough to kiss him as well as touch him. He saw the lingering confusion in big dark eyes and knew he was doing the right thing by taking things slowly this time. “Tonight, this time, I want to give you something different.” He levered himself up and over the younger man to tease his lips with little kisses before trailing them down his jaw and settling on his throat, hearing and feeling Jared’s breathing pick up as he did so. “I can’t take back what I did to you that first night, but I can try to give you the first time you should’ve had.”

“What?” Jared felt himself tense slightly when Jensen allowed his weight to settle on him, carefully nudging his legs apart, but the moment he tensed he felt the man still and wait. “You... you don’t have to do this, Jensen,” he managed to get out, voice barely there as his body heated up, responding to Jensen’s closeness. “I... thought it’s my job to make you... hmmm.” He moaned into the kiss that stopped his words.

“No contract, no deals, no job,” Jensen whispered into his mouth, sliding his lips up to Jared’s ear to lick over the shell, and this shudder he knew was from desire, not fear. “Your only job, so to speak, is to let me give you this.” He grazed his teeth along the line of Jared’s jaw and heard the whimper of his name. “Let me give you the first time that I should’ve given you instead of just callously taking you for my own desires. Please let me do this?”

Jared’s head felt like it was spinning, but he managed to nod, relaxing again as Jensen’s lips settled over the hollow of his throat and began to kiss him gently. He groaned as the kisses turned into a gentle sucking that he knew would leave marks, but he found that he actually didn’t care. “What... what do I do?” he asked. He was barely able to form words right then, but he figured he should be doing something more than just lying there. “Fuck! Jensen!” He arched up when Jensen’s body suddenly slid down his and the tip of his tongue curled around and then into his belly button. He was still gasping when he heard a low, deep, sexy chuckle.

“I bet you could out-swear Chris if I got you started,” Jensen teased while reaching for the bottle he’d taken from the nightstand. He continued licking slowly down Jared’s stomach, stopping right before he reached the point of no return and then moved back up to find his mouth. He could tell that with each kiss Jared was feeling more at ease, even getting restless with desire, but he still held back from proceeding too quickly.

The denim on his jeans was making things very uncomfortable for Jensen but he made no move to remove them yet, afraid that things would move too fast if he did. He knew for this next part he needed patience, a trait he’d never been known for having.

“You don’t have to do anything... your job is to stay still, kiss me... and pray I have enough patience for the both of us for this part,” Jensen told him, quick to kiss away the sudden flash of worry he saw across the expressive face. “Nothing to be worried about, Jay.” He kissed him again until he felt Jared relaxing again, and then opened the bottle, making sure Jared could see what it was. “This might seem cold for a second or two... and if you’re still sore at all, make sure you tell me.”

Jared recognized the bottle of lube so he knew Jensen planned to stretch him a little. That wasn’t anything new, but he didn’t know what Jensen planned to use since he didn’t think there were any dildos in the master bedroom. He didn’t want to sound like a fool by asking, but then he felt his eyes go wide as he watched Jensen put lube on his fingers. “Oh my God,” he whispered, swallowing hard and looking to the side to see calm but dark eyes watching him. “You’ve never…”

“I know, and I’m sorry... this is how I should’ve opened you every time.” Jensen’s lips nuzzled under Jared’s jaw as he slid his hand down and slipped it between Jared’s legs, moving it slowly back, past his balls, until his fingertip found the puckered hole. He circled it gently, feeling the younger man begin to squirm beneath him, before easing a single finger inside. He was amazed to find that even after everything this young man had been put through, especially recently, he still felt tight around his single finger. “Damn, you’re still so tight, Jay,” he murmured and knew he’d be lucky not to come in his jeans like a teenager before he even got the younger man open.

As he’d pulled Jared’s briefs off, Jensen had looked to make sure Jared’s cock seemed healed enough to be doing what they were. He didn’t want to risk causing him pain but as he began to slowly move his fingertip around the rim of his hole, the soft sounds he heard told that right then Jared was enjoying the act.

The casino owner knew that while he had always opened Jared, it had generally been a quick process using a dildo or some other toy. This time he would make sure Jared could take him with little pain... even if he drove himself crazy by watching the boy’s face as he felt his finger slowly moving up an inch at a time.

By the time Jensen could slip three fingers up inside and move them freely, both he and Jared were nearing their breaking points.

Jared had nearly been sobbing with need as his cock had hardened just on two fingers and the first time Jensen’s finger had brushed his prostate, he had nearly exploded, breathlessly begging Jensen not to let him come yet. A gentle squeeze at the base of his cock, a brief break in the action, and some gentle words served to calm him down. When Jared’s breathing had nearly returned to normal, Jensen whispered soft words against his ear telling him how proud he was of him for holding back when he’d told him he could come whenever he wanted to.

“No... don’t wanna come yet,” Jared had gasped, body covered in a thin sheen of sweat, as his hips seemed to move on their own with every move of long fingers inside his ass. He could feel his inner muscles slowly begin to stretch as he convinced his body to relax against what it viewed as another violent intrusion... except this was far from violent. In fact, Jared wasn’t sure how Jensen was doing it since he could tell how hard the man was; he’d finally had to break down and unzip his jeans to relieve the painful pressure there.

“Sweetheart, remember, you can come if you need to or want to,” Jensen told him, voice strained from holding himself back. He knew he was spending a lot more time opening Jared than he ever had with anyone else, and he had finally reached the point where he thought the kid could take his cock without too much pain.

Oh, Jared wanted to come... he needed to come, possibly more desperately than he ever had before, but he was determined to hold out. He’d watched Jensen’s face as the man had so carefully stretched him out. He’d seen his eyes get so dark that there was only a rim of green left, so he knew he was close to losing himself in lust, but he had never become rough or impatient. His voice had stayed level, his touches gentle, and his kisses hot but not too hard. When Jared had slowly let his lips part to allow the other man to slip his tongue inside to slowly explore and play with Jared’s, it didn’t feel like it had in the past, and it certainly hadn’t felt like when those other men had used his mouth so he was finally able to relax and found himself enjoying the gentle teasing touches of Jensen’s tongue.

“Not gonna yet... gonna come on your cock!” He gasped when a finger hit that spot inside him again and he suddenly reached out to grab Jensen’s other hand, the one that had been teasing over his chest. “Want to feel you, Jensen! Your cock in my ass! Now!”

The sharp, demanding tone caught Jensen a bit off guard and while normally, with anyone else, he would’ve shut it down swiftly and ruthlessly, he found himself surprised rather than angry and then amused.

“And there’s the boy I’ve been trying to find,” he teased but nodded as glassy, lust-filled eyes found his, and he realized how happy hearing Jared say this actually made him. It told Jensen that the crap Pellegrino had put the kid through could be reversed, and that tonight Jared was reacting out of desire and not fear.

“Jay? One more question,” Jensen bit his lip to keep from smiling at the bitch face look he got. “I should’ve asked sooner and Seth might’ve asked you and just didn’t tell me but... did they... when Pellegrino... damn it, did they use condoms?”

Jared’s brain was almost a total mush at this point, but he heard the odd strain in Jensen’s voice and tried to focus on the question. He felt his face get hot as he blushed, but when he tried to look to the side to avoid Jensen’s gaze, he felt gentle fingers holding it still, so he simply gave a jerky nod. “He... he said he didn’t know where I’d been... or where you’d been so I... I don’t think they ever touched me without one.” He blinked to clear his eyes as he thought he heard a whispered ‘Thank you God’ and made himself focus on Jensen. “I’m... clean, Jen. If you don’t want to use one, you don’t have to. I’d... I know you haven’t the other times and I…” He stopped and blushed even more but right then felt like he had to say what was on his mind. “I... want to feel you this time too.”

“Shit,” Jensen groaned. His body was already on fire and that last comment didn’t help him any. “I’ll be lucky if I don’t come before I even get inside you, Jay,” he muttered. He slid off the bed just long enough to finally, gratefully, shed his jeans and boxer briefs and gave a slow sexy smile as he watched Jared’s eyes follow him. “Remember that word in case you feel you need to stop?”

“If I ask you to stop after all of this, then I want you to admit me to a hospital for a brain scan,” Jared returned. He started to lift up to roll onto his stomach only to feel a hand on his hip stopping him and urging him back against the pillows. “What? I thought you’d want me on my stomach. Isn’t it easier or... something?”

“Too much porn,” Jensen commented with a smile and kept his hand on Jared as he knelt on the bed between long legs that spread more. “Usually it is and... yeah, I know this is how we did it the other times... and I’m pretty sure we’ll do it like that again, but... this time... I want to see your face. I want to look at you while we make love. He took a shaky breath and chuckled a little nervously as he decided to make an admission. “This is the first time that I’ve actually wanted to look at someone during sex. Is that okay or would you rather be the other way?”

Jared still couldn’t get used to Jensen asking him about what he wanted or needed. “This is okay... I like the idea of seeing you too,” he admitted softly and saw Jensen’s smile increase as if he was pleased with his answer. “Kiss me first?”

“I’ll always kiss you, Jay,” Jensen replied and did just that, leaning up to kiss him deeply until he heard Jared whimper with need. “Love you, sweetheart,” he whispered into the kiss.

Breaking the kiss, Jensen carefully moved one of Jared’s legs back while making sure his injured one didn’t have to bend too much, and then he adjusted his body until the head of his already hard cock, slick with precome and lube, touched the well-stretched hole of Jared’s ass. It was hard to tell which of them groaned more at this first contact.

Jared was torn between watching Jensen’s rugged face and watching as his own hard and red cock steadily dripped precome over his stomach. The sudden pressure of Jensen’s cock squeezing past the rim of his stretched hole made him startle and gasp because he felt like he was still tight despite all of Jensen’s stretching. Jared tensed as the sudden burn and pain suddenly brought back memories of the times when Pellegrino had forced his cock in with little lube and no prep other than what a plug provided.

“Jay, look at me.” Jensen’s voice was tight, strained from fighting his body’s need to push in roughly and claim Jared, but as soon as he felt the young man tense and saw a glassy, distant look start to come over his eyes, he forced himself to stop in mid-thrust. His body was literally humming with need because even stretched, Jared’s inner muscles were still damn tight around his cock. “Jared... Jay... there’s my boy. Do you need me to stop?” he asked and knew if Jared did, he would find the strength to comply.

“N... No, don’t stop.” Jared knew he was safe. He knew this was Jensen, and while he could remember a time when he wouldn’t have felt safe with him either, he did now. He knew that if Jensen had wanted to hurt him, then he would’ve a long time ago. “I’m... okay. It’s just... a little tight still.”

A little was an understatement. Jensen could feel Jared’s muscles clenching and then relaxing as his body tried to determine if this was another violent rape or something it wanted. He gave a gentle thrust that took him in another inch before pausing to give Jared’s body a chance to adjust and himself the opportunity to get control over his burning need to come.

“Jen... God... please... keep goin’... just... wanna feel you inside me.” Jared knew his body would stretch more, was ready to stretch more, but he suspected Jensen was trying to move slowly to make sure he wouldn’t tear again if there were any raw spots left inside him. He was also starting to notice his cock did feel more sensitive than it had before, and as a finger trailed over it to distract him, the burning stretching pain began to subside and it was replaced with pleasure. “Oh. Move again?”

Jensen was biting his lip while watching Jared’s face for any sign of serious pain or discomfort. He suspected that once he relaxed and stretched more around his cock, the burning sensation would morph into more and he could tell that was happening when Jared asked him to move. He slowly rolled his hips forward, easing his way in as he felt tight muscles relaxing, and he couldn’t quell his low moan of pleasure when he finally felt their bodies come flush. It was all he could do not to climax right then.

Balancing himself on one arm that he stretched out on the bed near Jared’s head, he placed his other on the center of Jared’s chest to feel it heaving as the younger man also seemed to be fighting his urge and desire for more. Jensen waited until dark and wide eyes locked on his to quirk his lips up into a slow smile as he saw that Jared wasn’t in pain and was nodding for him to move more. “You are so damn good, Jared,” he groaned and gave a thrust that had his cock hitting that spot inside Jared. He watched the younger man’s face show real and honest pleasure at a feeling that he’d never been allowed to explore before. “Like that?”

“Yes... God yes!” Jared’s fingers dug into the comforter as Jensen’s hips found a pattern to move in that suited them both and he felt his body lighting up on the inside with each thrust. Precome was now a steady stream down his stomach as Jensen’s eyes held his steady. “Can’t... Jensen... I need to... fuck!” he gasped as a sudden thrust seemed to hit his prostate dead on. “Jen! I need to come. Please…”

Jensen moved his hand down from Jared’s chest to wrap around his cock. He caught the briefest flash of worry; Jared was clearly still uneasy about what those assholes had done to him, but it didn’t change how Jensen felt or looked at Jared; he knew that nothing ever would. He was concerned that he might still be overly sensitive to touch since he didn’t know how long it took for such a thing to heal, but when he didn’t see pain at his touch Jensen let his fingers close to begin a slow stroking that soon had Jared moaning and mumbling incoherently while his body arched into the touch and also to meet Jensen’s thrusts.

Watching Jared’s face during this turned Jensen on in a way that nothing else had before. He could feel his own body getting close to climax, could feel his balls tightening, and he could see that Jared was probably even closer than he was. Jensen found himself lost in the joy of watching the raw and open emotion across Jared’s face.

In the past, Jensen only cared about getting off; while it was true that his partner had usually gotten off as well, sex had always been a selfish act. With Jared, however, he found himself more concerned with making sure that this special young man enjoyed the moment. He wanted to draw things out for as long as possible, but when Jared’s eyes came back to him, he could see that he needed to finish them both off because it was clear that Jared was at the end of his endurance and needed relief.

“Come when you want, sweetheart,” he told him thickly, voice choked with a sudden rush of emotion that took Jensen off guard because no one had ever made him care this much before. Leaning closer he caught Jared’s bottom lip between his teeth to draw on it slowly while giving his cock one last stroke from base to tip, running the nail of his finger along the sensitive nerve on the underside. He saw the flash of surprise a moment before he heard his name shouted and felt hot come hit his hand as Jared climaxed... and as his inner muscles clamped down on his cock, Jensen didn’t have a prayer of stalling his orgasm.

“Jensen!” Jared had felt himself getting close but hadn’t wanted to come until Jensen had. He lost the fight when Jensen’s teeth drew on his lip and he felt his finger go up his cock, losing it with a shout, and he swore he heard his name cried out a second before he felt warmth filling him. He shuddered at the intense feelings flooding through him right then.

Jensen struggled to maintain his focus as he tried to keep his hips moving so his cock still hit Jared’s prostate, keeping his hand on his softening cock, wanting to help milk the younger man’s orgasm for as long as he could. He finally eased his hand away when Jared’s moans and soft words, most of them jumbles of mindless nothing, turned to a soft whimper as his cock became overly sensitive.

As Jensen was working through his climax, he kept his eyes on Jared’s face, seeing his smile as he hit the right spot one more time. Only moments later, Jared went limp, as the force of the climax on top of the stress of the day seemed to knock the younger man out. He mumbled some soft words that Jensen only caught because he was close enough, lips brushing over Jared’s lips and then his cheek. He rested his forehead against the sexed-out and sleeping younger man’s as he finished his climax and then went limp himself, but he tried to keep his full weight off of Jared after he eased out and collapsed on the bed beside him.

“I’m not leaving you, Jay, and yeah, you are for sure sleeping with me tonight,” he whispered, body sated and relaxed for the first time in years. Jensen realized this might have been the first time he’d made love, actual love, with someone he cared for. “I love you too.”

Jensen knew he should get them cleaned up but as he started to move, Jared turned into his arms. He nestled his head into a spot between his neck and shoulder and tossed an arm over Jensen’s chest. Jensen took one look at the blissful smile on his face as he slept and decided he could wait to coax Jared into a shower with him to get clean. For now, he just wanted to hold him and silently hope the casino gods didn’t decide to ruin the fragile house of cards he was building.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Thirty-Nine

“Oh my God! This is beyond awesome! Can I touch?”

Jensen Ackles smiled at the enthusiasm he heard in Jared Padalecki’s voice. “Have I stopped you lately from touching anything you wanted to?” he returned teasingly. “Go ahead and touch whatever you want to, Jay.”

He enjoyed hearing Jared laugh as well as seeing his dimples coming out in full force as he seemed to be smiling more now as he worked through the remaining emotional trauma.

Ever since they’d made love a week ago, Jared seemed to be more relaxed; in fact, he was almost back to how he had been before Pellegrino had kidnapped and abused him. There were still moments when Jared would become quiet or pull into himself, but those times were becoming more and more infrequent. Jared was also more comfortable being around other people and when he became bored one afternoon while Jensen was in a meeting, he decided to venture out and wander around the casino.

It was his first solo trip to the casino since his sleepwalking incident, but he knew that the staff of The Open Road had been told he had complete access to the complex. Several employees nodded at him, and a few gave polite greetings, but for the most part, he was ignored, which was fine with him. He enjoyed watching the roulette wheel for a while and then wandered over to watch the poker and blackjack tables, but after just a few minutes, something at one table caught his eye.

He wasn’t confident enough to be sure of what he was seeing, and he didn’t want to disturb Jensen’s meeting, so he had looked around until he found a familiar face.

“Ummm, is that dealer cheating the little old lady over at that card table?” he asked Justin Hartley quietly. He wasn’t sure, and he was worried about being wrong and raising a false alarm, but he’d spent a lot of time lately watching the monitors in the computer room with Chad and he’d also watched Jensen shuffle and deal cards, so he was pretty sure that what was going on at the poker table was wrong.

The moment the boy mentioned possible cheating by a dealer, he had the head floor boss’s full attention. Justin liked the big-eyed friendly kid who had been behind his boss’s current change in attitude, but he had his doubts about whether or not the kid knew a skimming dealer from a regular one... until he moved toward the table Jared had pointed out. It took less than four more deals for him to recognize that the kid had been right and he growled under his breath and called for security in case he needed it when he pulled the dealer from the table. He quickly called for a replacement dealer and told her to start the game over. For security reasons, he asked the young woman who had seemed to be benefiting from the skimming to leave the table.

Justin was livid when the dealer refused to leave quietly. “You’re going to take the word of some glorified whore over someone who’s been working in this place since even before that stupid ass took over?” The man, middle-aged with slicked-back dyed hair and a dealer shirt that was clearly two sizes too small for him, sneered at the floor boss while tossing Jared a disgusted look. “What’s he know about casinos anyway? I’m surprised Ackles lets him roam around without his leash or he’s not fucking his ass between meetings or... ugh!”

“And that’s exactly why you’re getting your goddamn stuff, taking your final paycheck, and getting the fuck out of The Open Road, asshole,” Justin growled. He saw how much Jared’s face had paled and regretted asking him to stick around in case he needed him to explain what he’d seen. “Jared…” He took a step towards the young man as two security guards escorted the still cursing dealer off the floor.

Jared shook his head; he was having a hard time fighting the urge to bolt, but he managed to make a slow withdrawal, keeping his cool until he got into the elevator. Once he was inside and the doors closed, he could feel himself start to shake at the realization that people still thought of him as Jensen’s whore. He’d thought he had recovered fully from his ordeal, but the mention of the leash brought flashbacks of the collar Pellegrino had made him wear, and he realized that Jensen was right when he’d said complete healing would be a very long process.

He’d curled on the sofa in the game room, staring at the TV but not really seeing anything. His mind was elsewhere so when a hand touched his shoulder, he was startled, not realizing anyone had entered the room.

Jensen had just finished his meeting with a new restaurant manager when Justin had texted him to say that something had happened on the floor. It took him less than 5 minutes to get the important details, and then he turned to Chris, telling him to make sure that everyone involved, including the now-fired dealer, was escorted off the property. He would discuss anything else with his HR manager later. Right now he just wanted to find Jared because he was concerned after Justin had told him what had been said and how pale the younger man had been when he left the floor.

“Hey, I hear you saved me money today,” he said with a smile, keeping his hand on Jared’s shoulder until he felt him relax once his eyes registered it was him. He sank down and let Jared curl into his side, feeling a bit dismayed when he noticed that Jared’s hand kept moving to his throat... where the collar once had been. “Jay?” He took the hand and held it loosely. “I’m sorry someone said something like that to you. I really thought Chris and I had weeded out the damn morons who can’t see past their prejudices. You know I will never allow a collar or leash in this place or near you.”

“I know. I don’t blame people for what they think of me,” Jared sighed, letting his lashes cover his eyes rather than meet Jensen’s eyes. “I know people here probably still just see me as your... huh?” He blinked when his chin was nudged up and he saw Jensen’s green eyes locked on him, firm but calm.

“You are not a whore, a slave, or a sub when you’re in public. You’re not those things when we’re alone either.” Jensen knew that Jared had shown impressive recovery, but it might be months longer before he overcame everything that had been done to him. It was frustrating but understandable that certain words or sounds would trigger these relapses. Hell, Jensen still fought his own nightmares from time to time and almost 10 years had passed for him. “I learned the hard way that people will hate on you or mock you just because they’re dicks... but what matters is what you think of yourself. Do you still see or think of yourself like you’re those things, Jared?”

Jared knew he wasn’t. He knew now that Jensen didn’t think of him that way, that he had real feelings for him. Ever since Jensen had first said those three important words, not a day had passed without Jensen telling him he loved him or showing him in different ways.

He recalled waking up the morning after they’d made love feeling relaxed and at ease for the first time in a long time. It had been so nice to wake up to warm lips kissing him and opening his eyes to find Jensen smiling down at him.

There wasn’t much talking then as Jared found he was quite interested in carrying on Jensen’s wake-up greeting. He’d laughed as the man not too subtly coaxed him into the shower with him, something they hadn’t done before. He was surprised at how easily Jensen could make him hard or get him to come with just his hand on his cock and his mouth kissing him.

“I take it I didn’t disappoint you too badly last night?” he’d asked, trying for a light, teasing tone but failing to hide his nervousness, as he dried off while Jensen shaved quickly. His eyes followed the little rivulets of water that ran down Jensen’s back and under the towel he wore around his waist and he felt his cock twitching again.

Jensen flicked his eyes up to see Jared biting his lip. Placing his razor down, he turned to pull Jared into his arms and kissed him slowly, deeply. “You were perfect last night, Jay,” he told him, reminding himself that he’d have to make sure to give Jared those reassurances now until he was fully healed. “Did you enjoy it?” he asked him only to see a shy smile as a blush formed on his cheeks when Jared nodded. “Nope, that’s not going to cut it, sweetheart. Tell me. Did you enjoy last night?”

“Yeah, I did,” Jared gasped as playful fingers fluttered up his side. “Shouldn’t I go get dressed?” he asked, trying to twist away from the tickling hands.

“Go shave and get dressed, Jared,” Jensen smiled as Jared headed for the hallway. “Just casual ‘cause I think you and I are just going to hang out today, maybe play some games in the game room and eat junk food... when Marta’s not looking.”

Jared’s smile brightened and he grabbed his clothes from last night as he left the master bedroom to go dress.

Jensen’s smile dimmed slightly as he considered that they both had a long way to go, but he was relieved that Jared finally seemed to be acting like his old self. This was confirmed when moments later he heard a shout, a curse, another shout, and then Jared actually shouting back.

“Agh! Goddamn it! I’m blind! I’m ruined for life! Damn it, Jared! Dude, boundaries!”

“You shouldn’t have been stalking the hallway then, Chad! Just be glad you didn’t open Jensen’s door about an hour ago.”

“Dude! Stop filling my head with those images of you and the boss doing... oh crap! Kane! I need to go bleach my brain!”

That had been a couple of days ago and Jared found himself getting irritated that the comments of one idiot could screw with his thinking again. “I don’t know,” he admitted softly to the question he’d been asked. “I try not to but it’s hard... between what happened there to the crap my Dad drilled into my head for years… and then when I’m reminded that’s what most of the people around here still think I am... I don’t always know what to think.”

“Huh,” Jensen grunted. He hadn’t thought of it like that but now that Jared had mentioned it, he could see how his employees might still think of Jared as still nothing more than his plaything. “I’ll take care of it,” he told him and began plotting a way to do just that. Until then he wanted to make Jared smile again and thought he knew of the perfect way. “Want to come out with me? I want to show you something.”

“Out where?” Jared asked and glanced at his clothes to see if he’d have to change. “Am I dressed alright or should I change?”

“You’re dressed just fine, sweetheart,” Jensen replied and then looked at his own outfit. “Actually, let me go change and then we’ll take off.” He caught Jared’s face in his hand and kissed him slowly before smiling. “Oh, and Justin said to tell you thanks for catching that crooked dealer today. How’d you know anyway?” he asked curiously. “It takes a lot to tell when a dealer, especially a skilled one, is dealing from the bottom.”

Jared blushed a little again, giving a casual shrug of his shoulders. “He wasn’t dealing like you do,” he said then went on with a little frown. “Also, the girl who was winning because she kept getting all the good cards didn’t look like she’d know what a pair of Aces were if they bite her in her boob job while the little old lady who was losing looked like she knew what she was doing.” He looked up with a slight frown. “Did I screw anything up by telling Justin?”

“Jay, informing one of my floor bosses that a dealer is ripping me and little old ladies off is never wrong,” Jensen assured him and then went to change into jeans and a t-shirt while calling Chris to tell him of his plans. “No, I don’t want you to come play chaperone,” he growled as he pulled the worn and faded t-shirt over his head. He ran his fingers through his short dark blond hair to get it more how he wanted it before grabbing his wallet and a set of keys. “I do have an actual valid driver’s license and I’ve actually been known to drive myself somewhere every now and then. Besides, I want to spend alone time with Jared... having you around is not conducive to conversations. You still make him nervous sometimes... hell, you make me nervous sometimes. I just want to get him out of here for a while and you know I’ve been wanting to show him what’s across town.”

Listening to his friend and bodyguard’s warnings to be careful, Jensen nodded, but his attention drifted off as he noticed that Jared had changed into a more casual shirt and also into his most loved sneakers since he’d worn good shoes to the casino. “I’ve got this, Chris,” he told the growling man on the phone before hanging up. “I’m not letting anything happen to either of us. Yeah, I’ll call when we’re back... or not... y’know... depending on things.”

Jared blushed as he picked up on the end of the conversation. “I don’t think Chad’ll be coming up the penthouse that early again for a while,” he said as he followed Jensen into the elevator. “I think he was still blushing later that day when we played Madden and hockey.”

Jensen had noticed that his computer hacker was keeping Jared away from Call of Duty. When he had asked Mike about it, the man had said that Chad was worried about possibly bringing back memories of what had happened in the shooting range. While Jensen was a little worried about that as well, he also knew they couldn’t coddle Jared like they had been doing either. If they wanted him to return to his old self, they had to start treating him like they used to.

He decided to maybe follow Chris’s advice and take Jared to the gym once he was certain his knee was fully healed. He noticed that Jared wasn’t limping anymore since he’d been icing and resting it on a regular basis and had finally had an extended time without any further damage to it.

The elevator arrived at garage level and Jensen could feel Jared’s curious look as he took his arm, leading him over to where a classic Corvette sat parked near a larger SUV. “I was going to take the Corvette, but do you think it’s too low? Will it hurt your knee?” he asked.

Jared glanced between the SUV and the Corvette. He knew there was a good possibility that his leg would be sore tomorrow if he sat in the Corvette for an extended time, but his love of classic cars won out. “I’ll be fine,” he said, but he could tell that Jensen knew he was stretching the truth as he raised his eyebrows. “Okay... so it might be a little tough but... damn, Jensen, it’s a Corvette! I’ve always wanted to ride in one. I’ll just stay off it tomorrow.” He smiled and raised his eyebrows suggestively. “You could stay out of the office a half a day to make sure I stay off of it... or take a full day off and keep me too busy to get out of bed.”

“Damn, keep those suggestions coming, and we won’t even be leaving the garage, Jared,” Jensen muttered, nearly dropping the keys as images flooded his head of things he’d like to do to keep Jared busy.

Jensen watched as Jared slid his long legs into the Corvette before sliding behind the wheel and starting the car. He loved the boyish laugh he heard when he gunned the engine and squealed the tires as he pulled out of the underground parking lot and onto the street.

“I don’t get to drive a lot these days,” Jensen said, slowing down a bit now that they were on a busy street since he didn’t want a speeding ticket right then. “Chad drives most of the time, and if he’s not behind the wheel, Chris is. But it bores both of them to come here with me.” He glanced to the side and noticed that Jared was staring at the passing buildings on the Strip and was glad the Devil’s Lair was in the other direction. He headed across town to a small industrial area that few tourists traveled to, a place that even many locals didn’t know existed; most people thought Vegas was the Strip and that was it.

“Where are we going?” Jared asked as the car slowed down as they approached a large warehouse-like building set away from others. “I guess I should’ve asked if you’re involved in any... other activities besides the casino?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Y’know, like on TV?”

Jensen smiled and laughed when it clicked what Jared was saying and he was glad Chris wasn’t around to hear that. “No, I only run a casino. I’m not involved with drugs, guns, hookers, or anything else illegal like what you’ve seen on TV,” he assured him, smiling and shaking his head. He climbed out of the car and motioned Jared to follow him as he unlocked a side door.

The warehouse was pitch black which immediately had Jared freezing in place, but he felt Jensen’s hand squeeze his neck reassuringly while murmuring that he would turn the lights on and just close his eyes for a second.

Hating the dark but trying to trust Jensen, the younger man did as he was told. Jared felt the hand on his neck staying there as if to assure him that he wasn’t alone. He heard a click and then, even with his eyes closed, he could tell lights were flicking on.

“Open your eyes, sweetheart,” Jensen told him and then stood back to see what happened. He watched Jared’s eyes open slowly, blink, blink again, and then widen as he took in the rows of classic cars on either side of the warehouse. “I think I mentioned I liked classic cars?” he grinned while watching as Jared took a cautious step away from him to look at the cars closest to them as if not believing his eyes. Before Jensen could encourage him to venture further out, Jared turned with a huge smile and eyes dancing with joy.

“Oh my God! This is beyond awesome! Can I touch?”

It was nice to hear and see such life in Jared and once Jensen assured him that he could, indeed, touch the cars, the casino owner stood back and watched as Jared went and studied each car carefully.

Most were classics from the 1960s or 70s, but he also had a couple of older ones from the 50s. Jared could see that there were sports cars, muscle cars, and even a couple of rebuilt family cars. “Did you rebuild all of these?” he asked while peeking into the interior of a cherry red Mustang from 1968.

“A few I got at auction already rebuilt, like that pick-up from the 50s, but, yeah, most of them I’ve rebuilt or fixed up myself,” Jensen replied, opening the driver’s door of the Mustang and giving a gentle nudge to encourage Jared to slide behind the wheel. “This one mainly needed cosmetic work done... the guy I bought it from had it painted... pink with orange stripes. I seriously wanted to punch him when I saw it.”

Jared cringed inwardly at the idea of that color scheme. He ran his hands over the leather interior lovingly and appreciated all the care and detail Jensen put into the cars in his collection as he looked over a few more. There were also newer cars that were impressive, but he seemed to be drawn to the older models. “You did all this yourself?” It seemed so hard to believe that Jensen would be willing to get greasy or dirty while working on cars. “I mean, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that but…”

“Yeah, the suit and professional asshole you’ve known doesn’t look like someone who’d strip an engine or soak parts in grease to loosen them, I know,” Jensen smiled, not feeling insulted since he’d heard similar comments from Chris. “You enjoy numbers and looking at classic cars as a hobby. I enjoy cards and cars... so maybe we have something in common after all.” He gave a nod to a door off to the side. “Want to see my current project? I think since you’re fond of the Impala in the casino you’ll like it.”

Jared followed Jensen into what looked like a working garage. Tools were scattered everywhere along with various chests filled with small parts. There were even two car lifts on the far side. Then Jared saw what was sitting in the middle of the floor, half torn apart and painted a horrid shade of green, and almost cried.

“Another Impala?” he asked, fingers itching to touch it and look under the open hood. “Please tell me you’re painting it?”

“Oh hell yeah,” Jensen snorted, flipping the overhead lights on so it was brighter and leading Jared over to motion to the car. “Go ahead and look all you want. I’ve only had this one for about a year, and with everything that’s been going on, I’ve gotten behind on fixing her up. My goal is to one day get her looking like the one in the casino, only a little more street-worthy so I can drive it. I can drive the other one but I like it as the showpiece of the casino. Do you drive, Jared?” he asked suddenly.

“What? Oh, yeah, I have a license but never could afford a car so I mainly took the bus or walked. I just use it for ID,” Jared replied while sticking his head under the hood to see that the engine was the correct kind for the 1967 Chevy Impala. “Wow. It’s so cool that you do this. I told you once that when I was a kid, I dreamed of being a mechanic for classic cars or a racecar driver. Now... now I don’t know what I want to do or be.”

Jensen eased his arms around Jared to bring him closer, brushing a small grease mark off his cheek. “And I told you that you can be whatever you want to be, Jay,” he told him seriously. “I’ll help you go to college when you’re ready because you’re smart and should be able to have what you want out of your life once you’re sure Molly’s taken care of.”

Jared blinked and stared at Jensen. It still shocked him that Jensen believed he was smart enough to do something with his life much less go to college. He wasn’t sure but it was something to think about... after he was certain his sister was settled in a dance school. And Jared knew he needed to stop hiding and face Molly pretty soon as well.

“Jensen? Do you think when we go back that you could call Gen or your grandmother?” he asked. “I think it’s time I talk to Molly.”

“Yeah, we can do that,” Jensen was relieved that Jared was finally ready to talk to his sister; it was a further sign of the progress he had made. He brushed his lips over Jared’s and then pulled back to smile. “You want to go back now or... play with the cars a bit? I need to start ‘em once in a while, and I thought maybe you’d want to help me.”

Pure joy lit Jared’s face at the thought of spending more time with Jensen and these beautiful cars so he eagerly nodded. “Where do we start?” he asked in reply.

It was hours later when Jensen pulled the Corvette back into the casino’s underground garage. They’d spent a lot longer at the garage than he’d planned, but he loved seeing Jared relaxed, happy, and enjoying himself with something other than video games or something to do with numbers.

From the first set of keys, he’d tossed Jared to start a car, the laugh he heard every time a muscle car roared to life unknotted a lot of the remaining worry Jensen had still been feeling. He knew there’d still be some setbacks, but he was happy to see that Jared seemed to be carefree for the time being.

Perhaps it was the setting, being away from the casino, but Jared began to share some things that had happened to him as they sat at an old table splitting hoagies and chips that Jensen had called out for and had delivered to the garage. Jensen stayed quiet and let Jared talk until his soft words broke off when he started discussing how Pellegrino had decided that doing the surgery on his cock to remove the foreskin would be a good plan. The moment Jared’s voice choked off and his fist clenched, Jensen moved to kneel beside the chair, squeezing the fist until it relaxed under his touch.

“I can’t take back the pain he caused you, Jared. I can’t take back what you’ve suffered. I wish I’d gotten to you sooner, and I wish I could remove it with a phone call or a wave of my hand, but all I can do now is help you to heal and be there if you want to talk about it... or use my computer hacker for a punching bag again,” he said soothingly.

“Maybe taking me to the gym once in a while isn’t a bad idea,” Jared replied with a shaky chuckle, moving into Jensen’s arms just to give himself a way to push back the damn bad feelings.

He’d been quiet on the drive back. Jared felt both lost and confused and didn’t quite know what he should do. He knew in his heart that he did love Jensen, and he accepted that the other man returned those feelings, but a piece of him couldn’t help but fear that Jensen’s feelings might be born out of a sense of guilt rather than true love. He didn’t know what to do about those worries except continue to take things one day at a time.

“Thanks for taking me to see your cars,” he said through a yawn as he felt a hand touch his arm and realized they were already back at the casino. “Can we go again?”

“Whenever you want, sweetheart,” Jensen replied easily, lips curving. “It’s really about time for me to do some work on the Impala in the lobby too. Gotta keep her humming.” He caught Jared’s smile and sharp intake of breath at the possibility of getting to touch the showpiece car. “Do you think one day I could pull you away from kicking Chad’s ass at video games to help me?”

“Hell yeah!” Jared would give up doing just about anything if it got him close to the shiny black car. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously.” Jensen had to remind himself that even before meeting him, Jared’s life had been hard, so he wasn’t used to being given a chance to do things he enjoyed. “Maybe late Sunday afternoon we can work on it. I’ll tell the boys to drain the water in the morning.”

“Why late Sunday?” Jared asked as they took the elevator back to the penthouse. He carefully flexed his knee trying to work out the stiffness from the ride in the cramped car and the hours wandering around the warehouse. “I won’t sleep in if you don’t.”

Jensen carefully nudged Jared back against the elevator wall, hands on his hips, as he leaned close enough to nuzzle his jaw with his lips. “Who said anything about sleeping in?” he teased, feeling Jared’s hands curling into the back of his t-shirt as he moved into him more. “I kind of thought I’d keep you in bed Sunday morning for sex, breakfast in bed, and then more sex. We can play with the car when I finish with you.” He licked over Jared’s throat and felt his pulse jump as the younger man made a low noise of pleasure. “Actually, if it wasn’t in the middle of my lobby, there’s quite a few things I’d like to do with you in the backseat of that car but…”

“Oh holy hell! Again? Really? Now I have to go pour bleach in my damn ears! Can’t you two keep that stuff for when you’re alone?”

Neither man had been aware that the elevator had come to a stop and the door had opened until the loud and exasperated voice of Chad Michael Murray was heard yelling followed by mock puking.

“Well since I don’t think I invited you to my penthouse at this time of night, Jared and I should be alone right now,” Jensen growled, keeping his arm around Jared. “What’re you doing here Chad?”

“Chris has been trying to reach you for over two hours, but that damn garage has shitty cell service. He was real close to sending Mike over for you,” Chad replied, turning serious as he sent a text to the head of security to let him know that their employer was back. “Remind me to install a signal booster there so we can get in touch with you.”

Jensen glared at that suggestion. “Maybe one of the reasons I chose to put my garage over there is so I can’t be interrupted when I’m trying to relax,” he shot back, glancing at Jared with a slow smirk and a wink. “You know, I could have that one empty office remodeled into a bedroom, and then we can spend the whole damn weekend there, out of cell phone range.”

Jared smiled but he knew he was probably blushing even as Chad was rolling his eyes as the elevator doors opened to reveal an obviously irritated Chris step out.

“I take it this is something that can’t wait until the morning?” Jensen asked with a forced sigh, deciding it was time he took a vacation or else he was going to end up firing his bodyguard. “What is it?”

Chris threw his phone into Jensen’s lap. “Your grandmother has been calling every hour, on the hour, for the whole damn night... and because I couldn’t give Ms. Cortese a solid answer about when Jared would be back, now she’s  demanding that you stop hogging Jared and put him on the phone or else she’s flying out here to slap you in your head.” He dropped into a chair and covered his eyes as the phone began to ring. “Jensen, answer the phone and talk to your grandmother or I swear I’m quitting. My final act will be telling Collins to design you a whole new wardrobe and it will be multi-colored.”

As Jensen glared at his friend, Jared was looking anxious. “Why... why’re they trying so hard to get in touch with me?” he asked the men, worry building. “Is Molly okay? Are they okay? They didn’t get mugged did they?”

Jensen’s hand caught his to pull Jared back onto the sofa with him while he took the phone from Chris. “Jay, they’re still with my grandmother. She might be tiny and granny-looking, but I swear if some crackpot thief tried anything with those girls, she would kick his ass.” He squeezed Jared’s hand while hitting the button to turn the speaker on. “Hey, Grandma,” he greeted and then held the phone away for what he was sure to come.

“Jensen Ross Ackles! You are the hardest boy to find!” Sophia Ackles’ sharp voice snapped from the speaker and Jared’s eyes widened. “I swear that I might fly out there and tan your hide for worrying this poor child and for making me chew poor Christian’s ear off every time I called.”

“Sorry,” Jensen winced and felt oddly like a kid again as he threw a pillow at a snickering Chad. “I just wanted to get Jared out of the casino. I took him to see my cars and we kind of lost track of the time. Is something wrong? Is Molly okay?” he asked concerned.

“Of course she is,” Sophia scoffed, clucking her tongue at her grandson. “Is her brother with you now?”

Looking beside him, Jensen smiled. “Yeah, Jared’s with me but I think you’ve scared him with all that yelling.”

“Oh, pish posh. Apparently, he survived months of hearing you yell and pretend to be so big and tough, so I’m sure he can handle your little old grandmother yelling at you for being such a selfish boy,” Sophia shot back. “Put the phone by him then. Sweet Molly has some wonderful news that she has to share or she’ll burst.”

Jensen rolled his eyes but did as he was told and then nodded to Jared to go ahead. “I swear, she can’t bite through the phone and since she already adores you, you’re safe,” he assured him. “Go ahead, Jay.”

“Umm, hello?” Jared was leery and hoped his voice wasn’t shaking too badly. He was expecting to hear Jensen’s grandmother’s voice come back, but instead, a familiar happy squeal came over the speaker. “Molly.”

“Jare! Oh My God! It’s so good to finally hear your voice!” Molly’s voice was high-pitched and fast as she talked excitedly to her brother. She asked him how he was, if he was feeling better, if Jensen was being good to him, and probably a dozen other questions all in the span of what seemed like two breaths. Jared blinked back happy tears as he tried to answer her, but she had already moved on to sharing stories of her travels and her schooling with her tutor. Jared gave up trying to speak and just let the sound of her voice soak into him like a soothing balm.

As she finally paused to draw in a much deeper breath, Jared reached for Jensen’s hand. “Thank you,” he whispered. He couldn’t recall hearing his sister ever sound so happy and could tell that she was being well taken care of.

“Oh!” Molly’s focus returned to what she’d wanted to tell Jared in the first place. “I’ve been accepted at one of the best dance schools in New York, Jare!” she said happily. “Not the one that sent me the letter. It turned out to be really creepy looking and Gramma Sophia told those people off right away for being leeches. This one is a real school! I mean, it’s a dance school, but it’s also a real school with regular classes as well as dance classes so I wouldn’t need the tutor anymore. They want you to come up and sign the papers for me cause I guess Jensen got Dad to sign some form or something and you’re my guardian. How cool is that? I’m going to live and dance in New York City, Jared! And you can come live with me and we can finally be a family again!”

Chad and Chris had been softly discussing another issue, one they hadn’t dropped on Jensen yet when this news came over the phone. Both men caught the sudden look of surprise on Jared’s face and something on Jensen’s that neither could quite identify... it almost looked like... loss.

“Oh crap,” Chad muttered and knew this might not be good.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty

Six Months Later, New York City:

“Math is boring and it doesn’t make any sense,” Molly Padalecki complained as she stood in the doorway to the kitchen of the large apartment that was close to her school in the Upper West Side of New York City. “I’m going to be a dancer. I don’t need to know about math and numbers.”

“Yes, you do or else someone’s gonna rip you off on what you’re supposed to make on a performance. Even if you have an agent you trust, it’s always important to be able to understand numbers. It’s about more than just a bunch of symbols and figures if you really look at it.”

Twirling her long blond hair around her finger, the teenager stared at her older brother as he stood at the smooth stove cooking dinner. Even though he had responded to her, it was clear that he was distracted; she didn’t miss the way he kept glancing at his cell phone. “Still no word from Vegas?”

Jared Padalecki looked up from the recipe he was trying to follow and glared at the dark screen on his phone as if it was the phone’s fault it wasn’t ringing. He looked at Molly and saw that his sister had already changed into her warm-ups since she had dance practice later that evening.

“No,” he replied with a shake of his head. He had tried not to let her see him worrying too much after Jensen stopped communicating with him over two months ago, but he knew that Molly could tell that something was wrong. After all, he and Jensen had been in almost constant communication by phone, text, or email for the first four months that Jared had been in New York.

From the moment Molly had announced her acceptance to a wonderful school, Jared’s life had involved one change after another. With the help of Mrs. Ackles, Molly had secured a place in a nice apartment complex close to the school and registered for classes. As he made plans to join his sister in New York, his already confused and in flux emotions became even more complicated.

Of course, it made sense that as Molly’s guardian, he’d have to fly to New York to sign papers for both the school and the apartment and help make arrangements even though he had no clue what that would involve. He had even less of a clue as to how he’d afford the monthly rent on a New York apartment only to learn that rent wouldn’t be an issue.

“Sweetheart, didn’t I promise you that I would provide whatever Molly needed? That includes not only her tuition but also books, clothes, food, and even rent.” Jensen spoke calmly as he tried to get Jared to stop panicking when it hit him that he had to fly to New York and act like he knew what he was doing. “Jared, take a deep breath and look at me. We’ve got this under control and you will be fine.”

Despite the stress involved in the situation, Jared was thrilled to learn that Molly had gotten into such a great school and also relieved that someone had been looking out for her who knew enough to recognize that the school that had first contacted them had been nothing more than a scam. As he packed his suitcase, he was both excited and nervous to see her again given how long it had been. He was only a little bit anxious about his first plane ride... until he learned he’d be flying alone.

Jensen had been planning to fly to New York with him, which seemed like a good idea since it would be Jensen’s money paying for the school and the rent as well as anything else that would be needed to get the girl settled. It had soothed Jared’s nerves to know that he wouldn’t be flying alone and wouldn’t have to navigate a strange city alone either. It was the day before they were scheduled to fly out when Chris informed Jensen that something serious was happening and he was going to have to stay in Las Vegas to handle it.

Jared didn’t know all the details since he’d been on the phone with Gen when Jensen had gone to his office with Chris two afternoons after learning Molly’s good news.

Gen was more than willing to move to New York to stay with Molly, and she had a job that would allow her the flexibility to do so but it would take her some time to get her house ready to sell and handle her own affairs, so Jared knew he’d either have to find someone he trusted to stay with his sister or move to New York himself until Gen was able to get there.

He’d still been debating his options when Jensen finally had come back to the penthouse a few hours later; he looked grim, distracted, and a little pale, but he had shrugged off Jared’s worry with a small smile and a gentle touch. “It’s just the usual business mess. Apparently, there are some issues we still need to clean up. My loving father and some of his buddies who were former investors are trying to stir up more trouble,” he said as he wearily sank down beside Jared at the small table in the kitchen. He leaned over and snatched a roasted potato off his plate, which just caused Marta to yell at him to fix his own plate. “It’s a pain in the ass, and... I’m sorry but it looks like I won’t be able to go to New York right now. I can send Mike with you, but I need Chad here to work with the computers.”

“Maybe I should stay with you? I can help Chad with the computers or just be moral support or something.” Jared felt like there was something wrong other than the usual issues. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what was making him feel this way, but it seemed like Jensen was on edge but was determined to appear upbeat and calm while he made arrangements for Jared to fly to New York. He had decided to send Jared on his private plane and arrange for his grandparents to meet him at the airport.

“No, Jay. I’ve got everything covered here and you need to go see Molly. I think everything’s pretty much arranged so all you should have to do is sign the paperwork. But remember what I told you... don’t sign anything until you’ve read it carefully. Now, I’ve talked to Grandma and the head of the business office at the school. I’ve sent them enough to cover Molly’s tuition for this year as well as the other required fees like her books, lunch, and stuff like that. I also put some extra in her account in case anything else comes up.” Jensen was lying on Jared’s bed watching the younger man debate on what clothes to place in the new suitcases that had magically appeared earlier in the day.

“How much is all that anyway?” Jared asked, carrying two pairs of slacks out of the closet and carefully placing them in one of the suitcases before he began to fold the t-shirts and jeans that Jensen had helpfully tossed in.

Jensen propped his head up on his hand and watched the careful folding process only to unfold one of the shirts the moment Jared turned his back to grab something else. “It doesn’t matter how much it was; I said I was going to take care of it, and it’s taken care of. This year is completely paid for and when it comes time to register for next year, that will be covered as well. There will be money in her account until she graduates, and then we’ll talk about what she wants to do next. I believe this school has advanced dance classes that graduates can take, but there are also some pretty amazing performing arts colleges in New York.”

“God, Jensen, I can’t even think about her in college yet! I’m serious, though... how much is the tuition at this school? And what about the rent for that apartment? Molly said it’s close enough that she can walk to school instead of having to take a bus or a taxi every day?” Jared slapped at Jensen’s hand without thinking when he caught him unfolding his socks in the other suitcase. “Quit that! I just folded those so everything will fit without asking you to sit on the lid so I can zip it.”

“You fold like Samantha does and I think that scares me,” Jensen muttered. He reached out and grabbed Jared’s wrist, tugging until he sat on the bed, fingers running over the silk ribbons that the younger man still refused to remove except to shower. “Jay, I’m serious, too. It doesn’t matter how much I’m paying... Molly’s worth it... you’re worth it.” He leaned forward, planning to kiss Jared, but the younger man leaned back and stubbornly crossed his arms in front of him. Jensen let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine! I guess you’re not going to give up until I tell you... but promise you’re not going to have a stroke. Tuition is $32,000 a year plus books and fees but…” He grabbed Jared by the shoulders to keep him from shooting to his feet as his eyes almost popped out of his head at the number. “But because they loved her skills at dancing, they offered her a $5000 performance scholarship and once they get her records and test scores, she may get an academic scholarship as well, so it’s really not that bad. Breathe, Jay, breathe.”

Jared felt like his heart was about to pound out of his chest. He had known that any dance school, especially such a good one, would cost a lot, but he hadn’t been expecting to hear quite such a large figure. He immediately began to mentally add up rent, food, clothes, and the monthly allowance Jensen had said he’d supply Molly, as well as the cost of moving Gen across the country to stay with the teenager. Jared hadn’t yet decided if he wanted to move to New York full-time or just stay with Molly until Gen arrived; neither man had been able to bring the subject up yet. Either way, Gen was now committed to staying in Molly’s life.

“Okay, so I need to find a job as soon as she’s settled. I’m sure I can find something in a restaurant or a hotel... I really need two jobs, but I need to be able to spend time with Molly and help with her homework, and…” He stopped his anxious rambling when he felt a hand on his face turn him so he was looking at Jensen. He shook his head, feeling a knot growing in his stomach. “It’s too much, Jen. I know I asked you to help me get her out of Vegas, away from Dad, and into a dance school. I know I did, and I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done... for her and for me. Especially for everything you’ve done for her while I was... hurt but Jen, I... don’t feel right about how much you’re spending now that you nulled our deal.” Jared chewed his lip in worry. “You’re not getting anything out of this so... ummm... I mean... I can’t let you spend this much on her if you won’t let me... umm... maybe I can work with Chad or…” He stopped when fingers slid to the back of his neck and brought him closer, and then he felt Jensen’s lips hovering close to his ear.

“You’re not letting me do anything. And who said that I’m not getting anything out of this?” he whispered. “I get to see you smile and hear you laugh. I get to see those dimples I love so much. I get to spend time with you and yeah, the sex is hot as hell, but I’m also getting to enjoy doing normal stuff with you too.” Jensen’s lips moved down while his hand crept toward the suitcase, and he chuckled when Jared’s hand shot out to intercept it. “I guess I need to remind you that I love you, Jared. I love you and I don’t regret a damn thing I’ve done for Molly or that I will do for you as soon as you tell me what it is you want.”

Jared still hadn’t figured out what he really wanted to do with his life. He knew he had a lot to deal with after years of abuse by his father and the recent events from which he was still healing, so he really didn’t feel capable of making any major decisions. He had decided to put off those decisions and focus on getting Molly settled in school and the new apartment before he worried about getting his own life back in shape.

He gave up on packing for the time being, knowing he’d have to refold his clothes anyway as he watched Jensen nudge the suitcases with his feet until they tumbled to the floor. He let himself be pushed onto his back and then laughed as Jensen rolled on top of him. He found it much easier to relax now that he had accepted that he wouldn’t be expected to do anything he didn’t want to do, and Jensen certainly didn’t seem to be rushing back to the kinky side of things. In fact, Jared was beginning to think that he would have to be the one to encourage a visit to the playroom because he was more than a little curious about a couple of those toys he had seen during their earlier visit.

Jared was still amazed by the attentiveness the new Jensen could show during sex. Things started out a little rough as clothes were removed in heated passion and flung to the side, but almost immediately, Jensen slowed things down and began treating Jared to little licks and nibbles that quickly had the younger man writhing with pleasure. “Put your hands on me, Jay,” he whispered between kisses. “This time I want to feel you touching me.”

Jared hesitantly reached up and wrapped his arms around Jensen, stroking his back and shoulders and feeling muscles twitch under his hands. He was used to being more passive during sex, so he felt a little unsure about what he was doing, but as Jensen kissed him, softly whispering words of encouragement, the younger man soon lost himself in the heat of the moment. It wasn’t long before he was returning the little bites and running his hands all along Jensen’s hard body. He found himself getting even more aroused by the moans of pleasure coming from Jensen and that gave him the motivation to become a little more aggressive.

Despite the exhaustion that followed multiple climaxes, Jared had trouble sleeping that night. He tossed and turned until Jensen reached over and pulled him into his arms. Wrapped in a warm embrace, with his head pillowed on a solid chest, Jared finally drifted into a more peaceful slumber. By the time he woke up the following morning, he found his suitcases had been neatly repacked and breakfast was waiting beside the bed. Jared decided he could become used to what was apparently becoming Jensen’s wakeup routine: kissing him senseless.

They ate breakfast in bed and then shared a long, hot shower. Jensen sat on the edge of the bed and quietly watched while Jared dressed. As the time to leave approached, Jared noticed Jensen remained unusually quiet, but he was too busy fighting the return of his nerves and then the burning in his eyes as Marta kissed his cheeks and handed him a bag of homemade goodies for the flight to ask any questions.

Chad made an appearance, enveloping Jared in a bear hug and telling him to be good in the Big Apple. He encouraged him to keep working with computers but made him promise not to try and hack anything up there. In contrast, Chris’s goodbye was short and sweet, but the gruff bodyguard softened slightly and paused at the door. He turned back and gave Jared a friendly clap on the shoulder and advised him not to let Jensen’s grandmother fool him with her sweet Granny act. “If she asks you to play cards with her, kid, just say no. The woman’s a shark.”

“What? That’s my grandmother you’re talking about Chris!” Jared wasn’t sure if Jensen was joking or if he should be worried, but then the casino owner laughed. “He’s right, Jay. Watch out for her. Where do you think I learned most of my tricks?” Jensen smirked and snagged his keys, shooting both Chad and Chris a look to say ‘back off’ as he decided he was driving Jared to the airport himself.

“You’re sure you don’t want Mike to come with you?” Jensen asked as they each carried a suitcase into the elevator. Jared had decided last night not to ask Mike to abandon his duties at the casino and travel with him to New York. He had noticed that everyone seemed pretty tense about whatever was going on, even Jensen, although he continued to try to hide it from Jared.

“I’ll be fine, Jensen, and you might need him here to help with whatever you won’t tell me about.”

“It’s nothing but casino politics, Jay. I’ve got the situation under control and as soon things are settled, I’ll be on a plane to New York,” Jensen promised as he pulled out the garage and headed for the airfield where his private plane was waiting.

After that brief conversation, the rest of the ride was fairly quiet. Jensen would occasionally speak up to give Jared advice on what to expect in New York, on how to recognize his grandparents... and to warn him to not play cards with either one, but then he would lapse back into silence. When they arrived, Jensen parked and shut off the SUV, and then slowly exited the vehicle. The two men stood outside the plane in heavy silence until Jensen suddenly reached out to pull Jared into his arms.

The hug wasn’t unexpected since Jensen had been showing a lot of affection recently, but the strength with which he held onto him caused something inside Jared to tighten in worry. It almost felt like Jensen was saying goodbye like he didn’t really expect to join Jared in New York... like he didn’t expect to see Jared again.

When the pilot let out a cough to signal that they were ready, Jensen cleared his throat and loosened his hold on Jared. By the time he eased back his face was calm... almost too calm, but then Jared was too busy listening to his final instructions as a thick envelope was pressed into his hand.

“I don’t remember if I told you, but your dad used the credit cards I gave you, so I had to have them canceled,” Jensen began as Jared looked inside the envelope, eyes widening as he took in the sight of several new credit cards in his name, a new cell phone, and several hundred dollars in cash. “Those are new cards for you to use for whatever you want or need while you’re gone. The cash is yours. Use it to buy food or take Molly to dinner... though I’m guessing my grandparents will insist on taking care of that until you guys get settled in and learn your way around the city. This cash is not for rent or any bills related to school or the apartment. Spend it on yourself and Molly,” he said firmly, lifting his eyebrow to stop the objection he knew Jared was about to make. “You can bitch at me about it when you get back. Until then go see your little sister, give her a huge hug, and take the time to reconnect with her.”

Jensen swallowed and gave Jared a long look as if trying to memorize his features. “Call me when you get there... and whenever else you want. If I’m not available when you call, leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as I’m free.” Jensen heard another cough and shot the pilot a dark look before nodding, reaching up to brush Jared’s windblown hair out of his face before kissing him deeply, almost urgently. “I love you, Jared.”

Those were the last words Jensen said to Jared in person and also the last words that the casino owner said every time they got off the phone with one another for the first four months that Jared was in New York City.

The flight to New York wasn’t too long, but it still gave Jared plenty of time to worry about why Jensen seemed so uneasy when he’d put him on the flight. He remembered the feeling of Jensen’s arms wrapped tightly around him and the unsettling expression on his face. He already planned to call Jensen as soon as they landed, but perhaps he would call Chad as well. Maybe he could get some answers out of his friend.

Jared knew the weather on the East Coast would be chilly, so he made sure to wear a shirt with long sleeves. He hadn’t even bothered to wonder how so many long-sleeved shirts had suddenly appeared in his closet. He hoped the sleeves were long enough to cover his wrists because he didn’t plan to take those ribbons off, especially not when he knew how stressful the next several days would probably be; the ribbons were a tangible connection to Jensen.

Jared was a nervous wreck as the plane landed. Even from the air, New York City looked huge, huge and crowded. Jared wasn’t a fan of crowds and he was really wishing Jensen had come with him as he stood waiting for the pilot to open the door. But then he stepped out of the plane and heard a shriek of joy that suddenly made everything right with the world. His smile widened as his sister bolted from where she had been waiting with an older couple and jumped into his arms.

Reuniting with Molly was even better than he had expected. Jared smiled as his voluble sister carried on about New York, the sights she had seen, the apartment, and her new school. He was glad his often overly curious sister didn’t ask him too many questions about why he’d been out of touch for so long, but a piece of him suspected that Jensen or someone else had explained at least part of the situation to her.

The older couple who had been waiting with Molly were Jensen’s grandparents, but before his nerves could kick back in, he was pulled into a ferocious hug by Sophia Ackles who barely came to mid-chest on him. When she let go after a few moments, Patrick Ackles shook his hand firmly while saying it was a pleasure to finally meet the young man who’d managed to get through their grandson’s thick skull and actually made him smile.

Jared had never met any of his grandparents, so he wasn’t sure how grandparents were supposed to act. He thought that since Jensen’s grandfather was the head of the Ackles casino empire, he’d be stern and serious, and while he did seem to have a serious side, Jared was surprised to find that he was playful as well. The group had traveled to the huge and impressive school that Molly would soon be attending so that Jared could have a tour and meet some of the faculty and he was amused as he watched Mr. Ackles making Molly giggle with silly little magic tricks while they waited to be seen by the head of the school.

As the headmaster led them through the buildings, he chatted with Jared about Molly and introduced him to some of the teachers who would have her in class. It felt weird to not be questioned about where their father was or why he, Molly’s brother, was taking care of her, but no one at the school seemed to be judgmental or assuming. In fact, everyone he met was warm, welcoming, and gushed about how happy they were to have someone as smart and talented as Molly joining their school.

By the time he’d signed all the papers and reviewed the information about the school curriculum, rules, and schedules, Jared felt like his head was going to explode. Fortunately, this was Sophia’s 2nd time hearing the information and she promised to go over it with him again once he and Molly were settled in the apartment.

Jared was still having trouble wrapping his mind around the cost of Molly’s new school, but he had an even bigger shock when the Lincoln town car, driven by someone Sophia called Moe, pulled up in front of a grandiose building less than two blocks from the school.

Molly climbed out of the car, gushing on about how awesome the place was. She told him about her room with its walk-in closet and private bathroom. As they entered the elevator, she was describing Jared’s room and the furniture “Grandma and Grandpa Ackles” had chosen for him. When the elevator opened on the 16th floor, Molly was still talking, now about the third bedroom that was going to be made into a small studio so she could practice on her days off. Her descriptions were so elaborate that Jared thought she must be exaggerating... until Patrick unlocked a door to an apartment at the end of the hall and pressed the keys into Jared’s hand with a warm smile.

“It’s yours now, son. Relax and breathe. I know it’s a lot to take in, but you don’t have to worry about a thing. I swear Jensen’s taken care of just about everything and what he didn’t, Sophia and I have.” Patrick gave Jared a quick tour of the place, pointedly ignoring his question about the cost of rent on the apartment. The apartment was easily twice the size of their old house in Vegas. “Don’t you worry about the cost, son,” Patrick replied when Jared repeated his question for the third time. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other stuff to worry about right now.”

Jared bit his lip and shook his head in frustration, but he gave up hope of getting an answer out of the older man. After all, he couldn’t threaten to withhold kisses from Jensen’s grandfather!

The older couple stayed at a nearby hotel for another two weeks, making sure that Jared had a handle on things and that he and Molly had developed a routine. Much to Jared’s dismay, Sophia insisted on hiring a housekeeper to come to the apartment for several hours each day. Jared attempted to explain that he and Molly could take care of everything, but he didn’t have much hope of changing her mind. He had already learned that Sophia was even more stubborn than her grandson. While Sophia gave Jared and Molly final hugs, Patrick verified that their home number and his cellphone number were programmed into both Padalecki’s phones. He and Sophia reminded them that they only lived in New Jersey and could be back in New York in a hot minute if needed.

The next few weeks passed peacefully. Jared gradually adjusted to the luxurious apartment with its comfortable furnishings. While the housekeeper arrived every morning at 10:00 and stayed until 4:00, he still made sure to pick up after himself and insisted that his teenage sister do the same. When Molly complained, he informed her that he didn’t care that they had a housekeeper – they certainly didn’t need to add to her workload. As Molly sighed and carried her dishes to the kitchen, Jared replayed his words in his head and smiled when he realized that he was finally starting to feel like a real adult.

Molly started school and, with the exception of math, she excelled in her academic classes as well as her dance lessons. She was quickly making friends at this school and after the first several days, she convinced Jared to stop walking her the two blocks to the school.

Jared spent most of his time at the apartment. While he had planned to look for a job to help cover at least some of his and Molly’s expenses, Patrick had quickly nixed the idea. He had convinced the younger man that he needed to be around for Molly as much as possible after their extended time apart, and Jared had to admit that Molly did seem to be craving his attention. Fortunately, he enjoyed the company of the housekeeper, a soft-spoken woman who went quietly about her chores. While there were two video game systems in the apartment – Jared suspected that Jensen had told Patrick what to buy – he found himself spending more and more time fooling around on the high-tech computer that was in the den.

The longer he was away from Vegas and Jensen, the more Jared found that he missed both the city and the man. Gen had asked him if he might decide to make a new life in New York rather than return to Vegas, but despite the pain he’d suffered there, that was the city he called home. The time away was also helping him figure out his feelings and he now knew that he loved Jensen too much to ever consider not going back.

He talked to Jensen every night, often for hours. He usually waited until Molly had gone to bed so he didn’t feel guilty about neglecting her. Jared kept asking when Jensen was going to come, at least for a visit, and Jensen kept promising that it would be soon. Every night Jared hung up the phone missing Jensen, but loving the way Jensen’s ‘I love you, Jared’ echoed in his ear.

The weeks gradually became months and Jared was still alone with Molly in New York. It was taking Gen longer to sell her house than anyone expected, and Jensen was still tied up with “casino crap.” He started to call during the day several times a week while Molly was at school, saying he missed the sound of Jared’s voice and talking to him only once a day was no longer enough. He sounded lonely and discouraged and Jared realized that whatever was wrong back in Vegas was getting worse, even if Jensen was still trying to insist that everything was still under control.

The day Jensen called in the middle of the afternoon, very clearly drunk, all of Jared’s senses went on full alert. He now knew, beyond any shadow of doubt, that Jensen was in some sort of serious trouble. The moment Jensen muttered something about a run-in with Bianca, Jared was ready to hang up and call Gen to beg her to come to New York immediately so he could return to where he suddenly realized was home. The only thing that stopped him was Chris Kane, who took the phone from an increasingly incoherent Jensen and told Jared in no uncertain terms to stay in New York. Jared didn’t really believe the man when he said that everything was being handled, but he agreed to stay put for the time being. That was the last phone call he got from Jensen.

Jared tried not to worry the first couple of nights that he didn’t hear from Jensen. He knew Chris was with Jensen and he figured they were just busy “handling” whatever was going on. When the days became a full week, Jared began to worry... a lot. He started to call Jensen several times a day but no matter how many messages he left, Jensen never called back.

After three days of leaving messages for Jensen, he gave up and called Chris. Chris did answer his phone but refused to give Jared any specific information. He just said that Jensen was busy and exhausted and would call him when he had a chance. He was clearly not telling him something and Jared began to fear that Jensen was avoiding him, that all of his promises about loving him had been lies.

Jared’s old doubts and fears began to resurface, and it became hard for him to hide his worries from Molly who was a lot more observant than he’d ever noticed her being before.

“Call Grandma Sophia and ask her if they’ve heard from Jensen,” she told him that night as he sat merely picking at the dinner he had made. He was brooding and waiting for the other shoe to drop; if Jensen had changed the way he felt about him, then he was also probably going to change his mind about funding Molly’s schooling and this apartment. “Jare, stop it! I can tell what you’re thinking from here. The guy I met is crazy about you, so something else is going on. Maybe he’s sick or something and no one wants to worry you by telling you the truth. Call Grandma.”

It made Jared smile that both Sophia and Patrick treated Molly like a granddaughter and encouraged her to call them grandma and grandpa. The older couple made it a habit to come to New York City to have dinner with them at least once or twice a week, and sometimes when Patrick was busy, Sophia would show up with her arms full of bags and cook up a storm.

Of course, the grandmotherly persona only went so far. The woman could shuffle a deck of cards faster than anyone Jared had ever seen and knew more tricks than Jensen. She was thrilled when Jared asked her to help him hone his shuffling skills to teach him some of her tricks and games.

“Well, now you’ve done it,” Patrick remarked as his wife’s face lit up with a pleased smile. “You’ll never get rid of her, Jared. There is nothing more my wife loves than to show off her skills. Just don’t actually bet with her because she’s one of the few people who can skim a deck without anyone being the wiser. Jensen learned his card-playing skills from her.”

“I thought skimming was bad,” Jared said as he tried to keep his eyes on the cards. Molly had gone to the now-finished home studio to practice her ballet moves for the following day. “That’s what Jensen said at the casino.”

“Oh, well when skimming costs a casino money, or lets one person win at the expense of another, then it’s bad,” Sophia remarked. “Of course, if you do it so you can get the attention of someone, then it’s maybe not so bad. Isn’t that right, Patrick?”

The older man coughed at the indication of where she was heading, and Jared blushed until Sophia laughed and patted his cheek. “I’ll be happy to teach you some of my best tricks so when you go back to Jensen, you can show him what you know. Maybe you can even take a few of those snotty dealers he has down a peg or two because, with that innocent face, no one would ever take you as a real player.”

It had now been two months without any communication from Jensen and Jared knew it was time to take Molly’s advice. He gave up on his dinner and carried his plate to the sink. If Jensen had changed his mind, then it was time for him to have the guts to tell him. And if something was wrong, Jared needed to know so he could help Jensen deal with it.

He took a deep breath and dialed the Ackles’ home number. He was hoping Patrick would have some knowledge of what was happening in Vegas, but his darker concerns were only verified when the maid answered and informed him that Mr. and Mrs. Ackles had left several days ago for an unexpected trip out west. Jared asked several questions, but she didn’t have any other details about their trip. She did promise to let them know he had called if she heard from them.

“Margo’s in town. Maybe go talk to her,” Molly suggested after Jared hung up the phone with a look of defeat. “If she doesn’t know anything right now, surely she can get something out of Jensen’s watchdog.”

They’d only been in New York for a few weeks when Sophia brought the owner of the building up to meet them.

The woman was tall and slender; her long black hair had faint strands of silver running through it, but Jared wouldn’t have been able to guess her age. She was friendly with a warm smile, a firm grip, and sharp eyes that sort of reminded him of someone. It wasn’t until Sophia introduced them that Jared made the connection.

“Kane? As in... Kane?” He blinked in surprise and Margo Kane laughed in amusement.

“Yes, I’m only a Kane by marriage, but I take it from your wide-eyed look of shock that you’ve met my son.” Margo Kane rarely visited any of the properties that she and her husband owned since she was usually traveling with Eric, but she returned to New York when Sophia called. As the Ackles had been, she was eager to meet the boy who’d had such an effect on her surrogate son.

“I’ve heard so much about you, Jared, and it’s nice to finally meet you. I hope you’ve been comfortable in your apartment,” the woman said as they settled in the living room. “How did you and Jensen meet anyway?”

Jared swallowed and cleared his throat. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and then gave up, having no idea how to respond to her question. Molly stepped up and looked Mrs. Kane in the eye. “Well, from the things I heard around that casino, I’m pretty sure your son helped to kidnap my brother for his boss after our Dad gave him Jare to pay off his debt.” Molly just looked at her brother when he gave a choked-off cough of dismay. “What? She should know what her son did. And I am 16, Jare. I didn’t exactly buy the stories you and he gave me, Jared.”

“Really? Well, it seems that the next time I go back to Vegas, I’ll have to have a long talk with both of those boys then.” Margo smiled gently at Jared as he tried to find words. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry if Chris has done anything to hurt or upset you. My boy is just like his father. He’s gruff and cold when he’s doing his job and he will do whatever his boss needs him to do. But as his mother, I will insist that he draw the line at kidnapping innocent children.”

Jared hoped that Margo would be able to help him and decided to visit the apartment she kept on the first floor. He told Molly to start her homework after she finished her dinner and headed for the elevator. He was about to knock on the door when he heard her voice, raised in obvious frustration. He hesitated, feeling guilty for eavesdropping, but as he heard what she was saying, he literally pressed his ear against the door.

“Christian Kane! Don’t you dare take that tone with me! Your father already told you to hold your damn temper and not go doing anything stupid! He’s already on a red-eye flight out of Istanbul and he’ll be in Vegas sometime tomorrow. You let him and his people handle that bastard and his bitch. You know if you get involved or go anywhere near that goddamn cesspit, it’ll be too easy for the cops to pin something on you and your people.

“Look, you did the right thing... I know you wanted to rip Mark’s throat out, but it was more important to get Jensen out and into safe hands... no, of course, Patrick won’t let him lay claim to that casino regardless of what he said Jensen signed.”

Jared bit his lip to keep quiet as a feeling of dread crept over him. He had worried about a lot of things over the past two months, but it sounded like things were even worse than he had suspected.

“Chris, you need to stay with Jensen and keep the casino running smoothly until he comes out of that shell, but you’ve also got to talk to this boy in New York. You said he keeps leaving messages, so he’s obviously not going to give up. The boy deserves to know what’s going on, so either you call him back and talk to him or I’m telling him everything, and I won’t stop him if he decides to fly back to Vegas and smack you!”

Margo’s voice softened slightly and Jared had to strain to hear the next words. “How’s he doing today? According to Sophia, he’s nearly catatonic and won’t leave the penthouse... still? That poor thing... I can’t believe he had to go through that again. Have you been able to fix all the damage to the casino?... oh dear, not the Impala... I know how much he loves that car.”.

Jared felt sick to his stomach as he backed away from the door. He had heard enough. Something had happened to Jensen, something involving his father and the woman who’d hurt him as a teenager, and that something had not only hurt Jensen badly but also damaged the casino.

He returned to his apartment and peeked into Molly’s room, seeing that the girl was immersed in her math homework. He headed for the den and booted up the computer. He had felt guilty for eavesdropping but had no remorse for what he was about to do. No one was returning his phone calls, so there was only one way he could get answers.

It took him only a few minutes to remotely access the casino’s main systems. He silently thanked Chad for showing him how he could access the systems from anywhere in the country and then sent a mental apology for what he was about to do. Jared started typing strings of numbers, using all the skills he had been developing during his months in New York. He took a deep breath, looked over his work, and pressed enter.

He knew that on the other side of the country, every computer at The Open Road had just gone blank. In a few moments, they would show nothing except cactus plants and dancing hula girls in purple sequin outfits. The following message would scroll across the screen: ‘If you want this fixed, call me and tell me what the fuck is going on with Jensen .’

He didn’t sign it. He just leaned back in the chair and waited for the phone to ring. When it did, he answered it, glad that no one could see how badly his hand was shaking. “Hey, Chad. I take it you have something to tell me? Otherwise, those cactus plants are about to start doing the Mamba. It’s amazing what kind of things I learned to make a computer do with just strings of numbers. Your call.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty-One

Las Vegas Nevada:

“What the goddamn hell is this?” Chad Michael Murray had already been one more crisis away from slamming his head into a wall or drinking himself into a stupor, and he thought the images in front of him might finally be the thing to push him over the edge.

“It just started about five minutes ago, sir,” one of the computer room technicians reported as everyone stared at screens showing cactus plants and purple sequinned hula girls dancing in a desert. Chad focused instead on the very bold, very plain message blinking across the bottom of the screens. “Mr. Hartley and Ms. Smith report that all the computers in the casino and hotel are doing the same thing.”

“Shit! Shit! Shit ! I told Kane this would happen! That kid’s too damn smart to not figure out that something was wrong and we weren’t telling him stuff. I told him, but did he listen to me? Nooo! The mighty Kane had everything under control, and now I’ve got this locking up my systems.” Chad knew who was behind this. He just wasn’t sure whether to strangle the kid or be impressed at the skills he had developed while in New York. Jared definitely had his balls back because he had to know that when Chris found out about this, all hell would break loose.

“Watch these screens, and keep your phone out,” Chad ordered the technician who had first called him. “I need to go make a phone call. When I text you, reboot the systems and everything should work again.” He bolted for his private office, passing an amused-looking Patrick Ackles in the hall. “I know, I know, I’ve already seen it. I’m going to handle this. If you happen to see the head of security, thank him for pissing the kid off. We definitely have the old Jared back and he’s just proven that he’s not willing to be ignored anymore.”

Chad ran into his office, grabbed the phone, and hit the button for the apartment in New York. While he waited for the call to go through, he woke up his own computer and groaned as he saw the same image. “Jared!” he yelled the moment the phone was picked up and briefly thought back to the quiet kid he used to cheat at Madden. The young man currently on the phone with him had picked up more than a little of Jensen’s snark. “No! I do not want those damn cactus plants to Mamba! I want my systems unlocked, ASAP!”

“Then tell me where Jensen is and what the hell is going on out there!” Jared Padalecki tossed back, tone back to the one he used to use when pissed off at Jensen or Chris in the beginning. “I heard Mrs. Kane yelling at Chris, Chad. She said Jensen’s hurt, that he’s hurt bad enough that he’s almost catatonic. Is that why he stopped calling me? He got hurt? What? Two months ago? Something happened to Jensen and not a goddamn one of you assholes thought I should know?” He was angry, but also hurt over that, especially with Chad who he thought he could trust. “I get Kane not telling me. I don’t think he likes that maybe Jensen feels something for me and might be changing because of me, but I thought you were my goddamn friend!”

“I am your friend, Jared,” Chad said, feeling the same kick of guilt that he had when Chris first told him not to tell Jared anything. He knew why Chris wanted things this way, but it still didn’t seem right. Now he didn’t see a way around it. “There were reasons Chris didn’t want you to know anything yet, but it’s not because he doesn’t like the way Jensen feels about you.” He let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s kind of the same reason you didn’t want Molly to see you at first but…”

“What the fuck happened?” Jared demanded and didn’t care about his language. “Tell me, Chad! Tell me or these hula dancers are gonna start stripping!”

Chad banged his head on his desk and then looked up as the door to his office suddenly slammed open. He shot up a hand to keep Chris Kane from speaking, knowing that if Chris and Jared got into it on the phone, he’d never get control back. “I am so making someone hire you for my assistant when you come home,” he muttered. “Fine! I’ll tell you but... please fix the computers before I have Samantha up here screaming at me. Jared, I’ll tell you what I know. Just... put the computer back the way it was?”

There was a pause on the other line and then Chad heard a quietly muttered ‘Fine’ before keys could be heard being tapped. Jared told him to restart the computer and soon the screen in front of him was back to normal. “Thank you,” he said and sent a text to the computer room, telling them to reboot the systems.

“Your firewalls are still outdated, by the way,” Jared still sounded pissed. “I told you to fix those.”

“I thought I had,” Chad muttered, making a note to recheck the damn firewalls on the master system. Chris pulled a chair closer to the desk, but he was keeping his mouth shut so far, so Chad just ignored him. “So... you overheard Mrs. Kane and Chris earlier, huh? Is that when she was reading him the riot act?” He shot the head of security a sneer and ignored the gesture that earned him in return. “How much did you hear?”

“Enough to know that something terrible happened to Jensen. I’ve spent the last two months freaking out, Chad, trying to figure out why the hell he stopped calling me. I was starting to think that maybe he lied to me about loving me, that he decided he was better off without me or something. And what the hell’s up with Chris? The couple of times I’ve gotten him on the phone, he’s been even more of a jackass than usual!” Jared stood to begin to pace the den.

“Jesus, Jaybird, I’m so sorry. I promise you Jensen didn’t change his mind about you.” Chad glared at Chris and put the call on speaker so Chris could hear what Jared was saying.

“I heard some other stuff, too. There was damage to the casino? And something about the Impala? What the hell, Chad? And I know Jensen’s dad was somehow involved. I heard Margo say something about letting Chris’s Dad handle stuff so it couldn’t be traced back to Chris. What... what happened to Jensen, Chad? Please... is there some reason I’m not supposed to know? Did... did he tell you to not tell me or…”

Chad shot another look at Chris, hating the pain and the unspoken fear he could so clearly hear in the younger man’s voice. “Well?”

“It was me. I made the choice to try to keep you out of this, kid,” Chris spoke up. “When Jensen was in the hospital he... he asked for you but... but I just couldn’t see letting you get involved, at least not that soon.”

“Hospital? What the fuck? And why didn’t you want me involved?” Jared’s voice sounded shattered and confused. “What did I do? Did he get hurt because of something I did while I was there or... your Mom said something about ‘that bitch’. Did that woman who hurt Jensen years ago, the one with his Dad now, did she hurt him?”

Chris pinched the bridge of his nose but then winced when a hand slapped him in the back of the head as Patrick entered the room. “Do you remember that crap Jensen was trying to shrug off before you left?” he began with a hard blown-out breath. “What he said was simple casino politics?”

“Yeah.” Jared made himself sit back down, fingers finding one of the ribbons on his wrist and unwinding it enough so that he could restlessly wrap the loose end around his fingers. “What about it?”

“It was technically casino politics but there wasn’t anything simple about it. His father got together with Jensen’s ex-lawyer and they hinted to the cops that Pellegrino’s sudden disappearance was a murder and that Jensen had ordered him killed because he... had an affair with Jensen’s gay lover.” Chris heard the sharp gasp from the other end while Patrick merely shook his head at the extent his son was willing to go to in order to cause his own son trouble and pain. “The cops were investigating Jensen, kid. That’s the reason he couldn’t go with you to New York. He was told not to leave the city. He wanted to and if I had known what the hell that bastard would do next, I would’ve risked him being arrested and sent him to New York with you.”

Jared was stunned to hear that the police had been investigating Jensen about his involvement in what had happened to Mark Pellegrino. His memories of that last day at the lodge were blurry. All he really could recall from that day was locking onto Jensen’s eyes and hearing him offer to give the man whatever he’d wanted in return for Jared’s safety.

He wasn’t sure who had killed the man but he’d believed Jensen when he’d promised him he was dead. “Jensen was in... he was in front of me. He didn’t kill him. He was trying to get him to let me go... then I... I thought I heard your voice but...” He rubbed his head. “Why didn’t he tell me this was going on? I could’ve talked to the cops if he needed me to.”

“That’s what Jensen was trying to avoid, Jared,” Chad explained. “He didn’t want you to have to relive that week of horror. The cops would’ve wanted to know every damn detail and then they would’ve wanted to know why we didn’t take you to the ER. He thought it was best to keep you out of this and Morgan and Jensen’s old man knew that. They figured Jensen would end up in jail before he did anything that might hurt you.”

“But before things got too far, the cops were told to close their investigations by the Governor of Nevada. Seems the guy owed my father a favor or two.” Chris didn’t want to get into that too much since Jared was too damn smart for everyone’s own good. “Even if that hadn’t happened, they couldn’t have pinned the guy’s murder on Jensen. They couldn’t even prove that Pellegrino is dead since there’s no body and trust me, there never will be one found. So the whole investigation was dropped. The cops actually gave a warning to Mr. Ackles and his bitch, telling them they’d better be happy since they got the damn casino at such a cheap price because of Pellegrino’s disappearance and to back off of this one. We thought he had... we were wrong.”

Jared heard something in Chris’s tone that he didn’t think he ever heard before: guilt. “What... what happened?” he asked quietly.

“Jensen had been moping around because he missed you. I guess the phone sex wasn’t cutting it – sorry Mr. Ackles and shut up, Chad.” Chris rubbed the back of his neck and recalled that those were actually Jensen’s very words to him the morning before all hell had broken loose. “He’d been snapping at people because he wasn’t sleeping much. I think he got used to you being around all the time and he didn’t know how to handle being alone again. He decided on the spur of the moment one morning to catch a flight to New York and spend a week with you.”

“He... he was coming here?” Jared was stunned and immediately felt bad for doubting Jensen’s feelings for him. “He didn’t say anything the last time we talked.”

“Yeah, that’s because he was drunk off his ass and couldn’t form complete sentences. He was a wreck without you, kiddo. He wanted to surprise you by showing up with some ridiculously sappy idea he got from Misha. It should tell you how over the damn moon Jensen is for you when he’s taking romantic advice from the color-blind tailor downstairs.” Chris rolled his eyes. He knew he’d made several mistakes recently but one of the biggest was not keeping Jared in the loop even though he thought he was doing what was best for both men at the time.

“Jensen had someone drive him to the airport so he wouldn’t have to leave his car. Chad was up to his ears in computer crap, and I was in the middle of security updates, so another guy, someone Jensen and I both trust, drove him.” He paused to sigh. “A couple hours later I got a call from Jensen’s pilot asking if the boss had changed his mind because he never showed up. Then Sam was shouting for me because a couple of cops were in the lobby saying a car registered to Jensen had been run off the highway, flipped and the driver was dead. Jensen was gone. Take a breath, kid,” Chris knew Jared wasn’t breathing because he’d caught Jensen having to remind him to breathe whenever he was shocked or scared.

“What... who... how... okay, dizzy here.” Jared took several deep breaths until the white spots left his vision and then he was on his feet again. “Okay, so what exactly happened? How long did it take you to find him? Your Mom said something about six weeks! Tell me it didn’t take you six weeks to find Jensen! What the hell were you doing? You found me in a goddamn week!” he yelled in outrage. “Damn it, Chris! You should’ve called me the second this happened! You obviously kept it out of the paper or else Gen would’ve called me! Why’d it take you so damn long? And what was she saying about damage to the casino and the Impala and…”

“Give him another 10 minutes and he might wind down enough for you to get a word in,” Chad remarked with a smirk as he sat back in his chair while Jared continued to rant.

“He gives me a worse headache than you or that tailor,” Chris rubbed his head carefully, knowing he wasn’t following doctor’s orders but not really caring right then. “Didn’t that quack at the hospital say something about avoiding loud voices when I signed myself out AMA?”

“I think he was too busy bitching about you signing yourself out after being shot in the head to say much about loud noises, Christian,” Patrick remarked and was impressed when his words seemed to penetrate the young man’s brain and bring him back to the phone.

“You were shot in the head?” he exclaimed.

“No, I was grazed in the head. I was shot in the shoulder when some morons wearing masks decided to shoot up the lobby and destroy the Impala as a way to suggest that things could become much worse if Patrick didn’t agree to return what Jensen’s father still saw as his property,” Chris replied calmly. “And before you start, yes, it was pretty simple to figure out who grabbed Jensen. Mark wasn’t being very quiet about it. A lot of people in the sex club scene had heard that he was planning to remind his cocky and disobedient brat who was in charge, but no one would talk to the cops. It was harder to find him because there were no witnesses and no one was willing to risk pissing off Bianca since there are rumors that she’s some sort of Baroness in Europe with very dangerous friends.”

Jared’s teeth gritted and he wished he’d punched that bitch the night he had the chance. “Did... did she hurt Jensen again?” he asked tightly and knew the answer when Chris didn’t reply. “Did she really have him for six weeks?”

“Chris did his best, Jared,” Patrick said. He’d been just as upset as Jared and knew Sophia was still angry at the time it took to rescue their grandson from that vile woman’s clutches. “My son did things that I honestly didn’t think he’d have the balls to try. He knew that the moment Chris was out of the hospital, he’d be tearing the whole city apart to find Jensen, so that woman used her influence and money to fly him back to a villa she keeps on a small island in Italy... the same place I firmly believe she kept my grandson that year she had him as a teenager.”

“Oh my God.” Jared was shaking. He knew Jensen hadn’t told him everything that had happened to him that year, but he’d told him enough that Jared knew that the woman still affected and scared his boyfriend... he blinked since that was the first time he’d ever let himself think that word. “How... bad did she hurt him?” he asked warily. “What did she do to him? He fought her before and that was for a year. He fought her this time too right? Chris? How bad is it? Why did your Mom say Jen was almost catatonic?”

Chris closed his eyes against the fear and worry he heard over the phone. He could almost see Jared’s face with those damn big sad eyes welling up as he feared for Jensen in the hands of Bianca and her assholes. “Jensen’s tried so hard to bury what happened to him back then, kid. He can cover it but you saw how he was the night he saw her in the lobby. A piece of him is still that 16-year-old kid she repeatedly raped and tried to break to her will. This time... Jesus, kid, this time she upped the ante.

“Bianca wasn’t only concerned with having Jensen as a sex toy. She majorly fucked with his head too, kind of like Pellegrino did with you. Jensen was already hurt from the crash, and then someone beat the living shit out of him, multiple times.”

“Tell me everything,” Jared insisted.

Chris let out a sigh, but he knew he owed Jared the truth after keeping him in the dark for so long. “The doctors knew his injuries were the result of multiple beatings because things were healing at different rates. He had several broken ribs, one arm was broken, and his jaw had been dislocated. Like you, he had tons of bruises and it looked like he’d been whipped at least a few times.” Chris was still pissed off when he thought of the scene he’d walked in on when he finally pushed past his father’s people to reach the room where Jensen had been kept.

“She wanted him broken. He was the one person she hadn’t been able to completely break and that pissed her off beyond belief. His goddamn father wanted to be sure Jensen would never be able to come back and challenge him. He had a paper that he said Jensen signed of his own free will giving him The Open Road but the signature was wrong. The judge wanted Jensen to appear in court, yeah the moron actually took his case to court, and that obviously didn’t happen. Then Patrick had an expert prove that the signature was forged, and the case was thrown out. The bastard let it drop but he told Patrick and Sophia that he’d get it when they died cause his no-good kid was as good as dead and would spend the remainder of his pathetic life as some rich Italian’s toy.” Chris heard something shatter and figured Jared had broken something.

“The only reason Sophia didn’t rip our former son’s heart out with her bare hands was because we were in a courthouse and I didn’t want to deal with bailing my wife out of jail at the same time as I was waiting to hear if my grandson could be found,” Patrick told Jared grimly. “Of course, everyone knows Mark and Bianca did these awful things but proving it in court is another matter, but I have a feeling that they will be getting what’s due to them very soon.”

“She... she got away? They both got away?” Jared couldn’t believe his ears. “You suck as a bodyguard, Kane! Why’d she get away? Wasn’t she... wait, how’d you get Jensen back if she took him to Italy?”

“The same way I got you back for Jensen, kiddo. My retired father leads a very interesting life with some very interesting friends,” Chris replied. “It took six weeks because we had to figure out that she’d taken him out of the country, figure out which country, locate the villa, and pull strings with the locals all while we were dealing with crap here. In the meantime, the bitch got word, probably from Mark, that we were closing in so she left the villa and the country to return to Vegas. She was able to make it look like she was never in Italy.”

Jared took a deep breath to try to steady his nerves. “How is he now? Tell me the truth, Chris.”

Chris nodded, forgetting that Jared couldn’t see him. “I won’t lie to you anymore, kiddo. When we first found him, the Italian doctors weren’t even sure he’d wake up. They kept him in a hospital in Rome for a week before they let me bring him back here. He is getting better, but I can’t say he’s the man he was when you left… I’m not sure if he’ll ever be that man again.” Chris waited to see if he’d be interrupted and when he wasn’t he frowned a little but went on. “He’s still got some physical injuries, but those will eventually heal. It’s the injuries we can’t see that have us more worried. He hardly sleeps, and when he does, he wakes up screaming... either for them to stop or... for you.”

Jared had been fighting not to let the tears he could feel in his eyes fall, but when he heard that he gave up and let them roll down his cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, still not understanding this. “What... what did you tell him about me not calling or being there for him?”

“I... I didn’t call you or tell you because I knew Bianca had used you against him. One of her servants in the villa told one of Dad’s people that the Mistress had threatened the boy he loved if he continued to fight her demands. Apparently, she knew exactly where you and Molly were.” Chris heard a sharp intake of breath, but he couldn’t tell if the kid was angry or just shocked at this news. “I also knew Jensen wouldn’t want you to see him like he was when I first brought him back to Vegas. He looked like something out of one of those old war movies, kid. He still looks gaunt and haunted and he jumps at shadows.

“From what I can tell, she wasn’t trying to break him to be a sub, at least not like Pellegrino did with you, but it seems like she broke something inside him because yeah, most days he’s almost catatonic and he just sits in your room, on your bed and stares. I’ve managed to get him to come to his office in the penthouse a couple of times, but he can’t seem to focus on anything.” Chris looked and sounded grim. “He did ask me to drain the fountain, and one day I found him down there looking it over but... something seems to be keeping him from coming out of his shell fully and I don’t know what. Mark’s been starting rumors of taking one more shot at getting the casino because if he can prove Jensen’s mentally unstable and unable to run the casino then he can take his case to the casino board and force Patrick to either sell or name a new CEO until Jensen’s recovered.”

“I think his father should be staked out in the desert and covered in honey and a bunch of fire ants or something,” Jared muttered.

Patrick’s eyebrow lifted and Chad snorted. “Yeah, sounds like he’s watched way too much TV while he’s been gone,” he grinned, adding, “Not a bad plan though.”

“Shut up and don’t encourage him,” Chris muttered. “Okay, kid, now you’re up to date. I know it looks bad, but I promise he’s not losing this place and he will get better. You haven’t known him as long as I have. Jensen, when hurt or fighting his own emotions, he just shuts down. As soon as he gets more strength back and starts thinking clearly again, he’ll pull out of this funk but until then, he’s going to be withdrawn and moody. It’s best if you just stay in New York and…”

“Bullshit!” Jared snapped in a tone that surprised even him. “There is no way in hell you are keeping me out of Vegas. I don’t get why you think seeing me will be bad for him since I’m hardly a threat to him, but you can go fuck yourself! He’s hurt; he’s probably still scared, but he won’t show it because he thinks it makes him look weak! He’s hurt, damn it! He was there for me when I was getting over what that asshole did to me and I’m damn sure gonna be there for him! And if you try to keep me from seeing him, I’ll tell your mother and his grandmother!”

Chris’s mouth had dropped a little, and he shot a now furiously laughing Chad the finger. Jared had been mouthy and had an attitude from the start, and the bodyguard had to admit he’d missed the kid’s spunk when he’d been hurt, but this was a whole new level of brashness. It was also the first time anyone had threatened to go over his head to his mother.

“You think my mother would side with you over me?” he scoffed, but he actually had his doubts on that since his mother, like everyone else, seemed enamored with the damn kid.

“I don’t know about Margo, but I know Sophia will slap you upside the head with something heavy or take after you with her scissors if she learns you’re trying to intentionally keep Jared away from Jensen,” Patrick remarked seriously. He understood the bodyguard’s concern, but he also thought there might be something else going on as well. “Chris, you’ve been with Jensen since you were boys. You’ve been his one true friend and I know you’re worried about him, but this time you might have to step back and see if this budding relationship with Jared is strong enough to hold them both up through this.”

Chris frowned. He was worried about Jensen because he didn’t like how he wasn’t coming out of the shell as quickly as he had hoped he would. He also worried if he didn’t get him out soon, the man might go back into the bottle and if that happened, Chris doubted this time if Jensen would come back out whole.

Of course, he also didn’t want the hard-ass, cold-as-nails asshole to return either. He just wasn’t sure if either man was emotionally ready to take on the other’s problems. Chris was aware that Jared still had occasional nightmares about Pellegrino’s conditioning and while Jensen was fighting it, the reactions he had to anyone touching him sent up a very big red flag to the people who’d known him the longest. He worried that bringing the men together would cause both of them to backslide.

“Look, kid, I know you want to see him. Just give it another week or two, let some of the physical injuries heal, and then you can come out for a visit.” Chris ignored Chad’s sour look. “Jensen’s not the man you left, Jared. I think if you see him this way, it will upset him more so... just give it another couple of weeks before you visit okay?”

“Yeah, okay. I guess so.” Jared didn’t sound any happier than Chad looked. “Will... will you tell him I called?” he asked even though he had a hunch Chris was too worried about upsetting Jensen and probably wouldn’t.

“I’ll tell him, kid.” Chris would once he was sure it was a good time. “Call me before you come.”

“Sure, I’ll do that,” Jared replied and hung up. “When hell freezes over,” he muttered. He already knew what he was going to do. It would just require some help and he thought he knew where he could get that. He picked up his phone and scrolled through the numbers until he found the one he wanted. “Mrs. Kane? It’s Jared. Hi... umm, I was wondering if you could tell me how I could arrange a flight to Las Vegas and a hotel to stay in without your son getting wind of it? I... I’ll arrange for Gen to somehow get here to be with Molly and I know this might make me look like a bad brother but Jensen needs me and... and I want to go home.”

“Jared, sweetie, it doesn’t make you a bad brother. Molly understands you love Jensen and now that you know he’s been hurt, something my idiot of a son should’ve told you sooner, she’ll understand and will want you to go be with him.” Margo Kane was smiling as she spoke to Jared and also made notes on who she needed to call to get this ball rolling. “Give me a little bit of time to make some calls. Once you get Molly off to school in the morning, come see me and we’ll see what we can do to get you back to Vegas and Jensen.”

“Thank you,” Jared hung up, sat back in the chair, and debated sending the text he wanted to. He figured Jensen’s phone had probably been broken in the crash, so he decided to try something else even though he knew Jensen probably wouldn’t see it.

Jared was angry with Chris, but he tried not to be. He understood the bodyguard was probably just worried about Jensen as both his friend and his employer. Jared knew he was the new person in their lives and suspected Chris still had his doubts about what seemed to be developing between them and if it could last long term, especially now. Jared had his own fears that whatever had happened to Jensen might change things, but he wouldn’t know until he saw the man in person and he certainly didn’t plan on waiting even a week or two to find out.

“I love you, Jensen,” he whispered while also typing the same words in an email message that he hoped wouldn’t get erased so that maybe the man would see it sometime. “Miss you.” This he spoke just to the quiet room, looking down at the ribbons on his wrists and trying not to think the worst of what he’d heard and also what he’d read between the grim lines. “Please be alright. Don’t let them win.”

Unaware of what was being plotted on the other side of the country, Chris was now getting his ass chewed out from all directions.

“What the hell, dude? Let the kid come back. It might help Jensen to have him here,” Chad was arguing. “He’s obviously not getting better with just us being around him. You’re doing to him what he was doing to Jared at first, only you’re going overboard.”

“Excuse me, the last time I looked, I was head of security and Jensen’s bodyguard. It’s my job to do what I think is best for him,” Chris returned sharply and then he sighed. He knew how he sounded and how it looked. “Jared’s young, Chad. Sure, he’s not that much younger than Jensen, but he’s young and he’s been through hell himself thanks to Jensen’s behavior when they first met and then what Pellegrino did to him. He’s still emotionally vulnerable, and you know this life is not right for him. Sure, I think Jensen cared for him but now... right now I’m not sure how he feels. I do know Jensen’s not emotionally or physically ready to take on an emotionally fragile kid... I’m not sure he ever will be.”

“That’s not your call, Christian,” Patrick replied sternly. “I understand your concern and your desire to do what’s best for Jensen. Trust me, Sophia and I are relieved to know that you’re still with Jensen, but there are times when being his friend and bodyguard has to meet a line in the proverbial sand. This is that time.” He laid a hand on the tense shoulder as they walked toward the main office. “Jensen never had a serious or even a semi-serious relationship before. True, his relationship with Jared is still young and a bit shaky, but it should be his choice as to whether he wants to stop it until he heals. He’s asked you at least three times about the boy, and I know you’ve made up various excuses to keep him from pushing the issue but shielding him isn’t going to help. Jensen needs to confront this head on or else he’ll end up right back to how he was before Jared came here and... oh dear.”

“Christian Kane! I want words with you and I want them right now!” Sophia Ackles shouted from the end of the hall where she’d just stormed out of Jensen’s main office, eyes sharp and heated as they landed on the head of security. “Your mother just called me and I am not a happy grandmother at this moment! How dare you put a wall between my grandson and that sweet adorable boy? I’m going to slap you silly!”

Chris groaned as Chad turned an about-face to retreat since while Sophia might be petite, it was clear she was also very determined to get her point across. “My mother is clearly working against me here. Sophia, that’s not what I’m... ow!”

“Don’t you tell me that’s not what you’re doing!” Sophia snapped as she marched up to them and poked Chris in the chest. “You are going to tell Jensen that Jared called, that Jared has been calling. I thought you were talking to that boy or else I would’ve called him! He must have been thinking the absolute worst and all you can say is you were doing what you felt was best? Rubbish!”

Patrick stepped to the side while Chad retreated into the computer room which left Chris to sigh and prepare to be lectured while hoping his decisions didn’t come back to haunt him or make things worse for his friend. He also could only hope he could keep the promise he made to Jared about making sure nothing else went wrong for any of them.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty-Two

Jensen Ackles sat at his desk in his main office, flipping cards distractedly as he listened to the voices of his grandfather, Chris Kane, and the heads of Public Relations, Human Resources, and accounting talking. They were supposedly giving him department updates, but most of what they were saying didn’t register with him.

He heard the comments, even mentally filed away a few of them for later if and when he actually started to feel like caring again, but right then he just wanted to retreat to the penthouse and curl up in Jared’s bedroom, the only place where he was able to sleep for more than five minutes without waking up screaming.

Jensen knew he needed to look like he cared about this meeting and like he was still making the decisions for his casino, so he had let Chris convince him to make his first trip down to the main office. He was trying to look engaged, but he was just still so tired, emotionally and physically, and he was still in a fair amount of pain. He was so tired of fighting that he was seriously tempted to just give the damn casino back to his grandparents and walk away.

He knew people were worried about him. In truth, Jensen was worried about himself too, but he just couldn’t seem to bring himself out of the shell he’d formed to protect himself when he woke up to find himself tied and gagged in the basement of The Devil’s Lair Casino. He had retreated into a tiny corner of his mind as his father screamed obscenities and threats at him while the woman who had still haunted his nightmares smiled smugly as she made a slow show of cutting his clothes away and then locking a thin diamond-studded leather collar around his throat.

“ You’ll never be any good for anything but selling this body. You ran that casino using the skills of other people. Your father will get it eventually along with everything else. When I’m done remaking you into the perfect sex toy for my rich Italian friends, you’ll be what Mark wanted you to be when I took you the first time. A broken little boy with no one and nothing left, no good for anything but serving others.”

He still wasn’t clear on everything that had happened and a piece of Jensen knew that was probably good. He figured if he had all his memories intact, he’d probably be lost in a bottle or locked in a padded room.

He remembered the stress of dealing with the damn cops and their probe into Pellegrino’s disappearance, a probe that he knew his father and Jeffrey Dean Morgan had instigated. Jensen was aware that even if they managed to prove the man was dead, they couldn’t prove that he was involved. He wasn’t too worried about the whole thing until the investigators started asking questions about Pellegrino’s ‘affair with Jensen’s gay lover’ and wanted to question Jared about his involvement.

The casino owner had been willing to face the cops, answer questions about anything, and even face prison time if needed, but he was not willing to let them get close to Jared. He would not have the younger man forced to relive his ordeal at the man’s hands. He hadn’t wanted Jared to know anything about what was going on because he knew that he’d insist on getting involved in some way, and Jensen didn’t want him placed in physical or emotional danger.

Jensen had kept one other secret from Jared before he left for New York City and that was the mail and emails that had started to come anonymously with very clear and descriptive threats against Jared if Jensen didn’t change his mind and give up the casino to his father.

Both he and Chris figured the communications were last-ditch efforts to force his hand since by then it had become known by others that Jensen cared for Jared and considered him much more than a casual escort. They assumed Mark Ackles was trying to scare Jensen by threatening Jared since nothing else seemed to be working.

Jensen hadn’t fully relaxed until Jared was safe in New York City, and then he was able to just ignore the threats and go about his business.

He had been shocked at how quickly he’d come to miss Jared’s presence in the penthouse as well as his life. Jensen had found himself looking forward to their phone calls... even the ones that didn’t end in phone sex. He just enjoyed hearing Jared’s voice telling him about things he’d seen or done in New York and how different it all was from Las Vegas.

Jensen realized that one phone call a day wasn’t enough, and he began calling Jared during the day several times a week. He remembered his last call to Jared, made after several celebratory drinks when the investigation had officially closed. He longed to share the good news with Jared but decided on the spur of the moment to keep his secret until he could tell Jared in person.

The plan to fly to New York had been made so swiftly that Jensen honestly didn’t think anyone but Chris would know about it. He had only called the pilot he usually used the night before he planned to fly out, and fortunately, the man had been free the next day. He figured everything would go smoothly, and he’d been distracted by his thoughts of surprising his boyfriend, a word that was almost as odd for him to say as admitting he was in love had been when his world was literally flipped upside down.

Jensen hadn’t seen the big truck until it hit the rear bumper the first time. His driver was skilled, but he didn’t stand a chance against the much larger vehicle that was clearly trying to run them off the road. He’d just been reaching for his phone when something hit them from the side. He heard a scream as the car flipped and his suitcases went flying. His consciousness was fading by the time the car came to a rest, but he could hear footsteps and voices approaching.

He’d been dimly aware that he was hurt, but he had still briefly thought about trying to crawl out of the broken window to check on the driver. Before he could move, however, he’d heard what he knew were gunshots and had a brief moment to realize this hadn’t been a casual accident before he lost consciousness.

“If I ever let you out of here, that little casino of yours will be long gone. Your grandparents, if they’re even still alive, won’t want to look at you after we show them everything you’ve so willingly done for me and my friends. Those people you mistakenly thought were your friends will be long gone since you’re nothing more to them than a paycheck. And that handsome little boy toy you thought you could make love you? Sweetie, if I don’t find him and finish Pellegrino’s training on him, then maybe I’ll let you watch as I fuck him before your Daddy sells him to some Sheik. Things like you don’t deserve to think you’ll have a life.”

As he slowly regained consciousness, he felt burning pain all over his body and his vision was swimming. His head was pounding, but he wasn’t sure if he had taken a blow to his head in the car or if the pain was caused by the ones currently raining down on him. When he was finally able to focus, he realized with a sick feeling that it was his father beating him. Jensen knew then that he’d badly underestimated the lengths the man would go to get what he still saw as his casino.

He’d remained stoic and silent for the first week despite the constant pain and sick games Bianca played. Jensen believed Chris would find him so he fought not to sink too far back into the shell as he’d done to survive the pain and abuse when he was 16.

Some of Jensen’s courage faltered when his father bragged about the men he’d sent to shoot up the casino. He took great joy in describing to Jensen how they’d scared away his patrons, destroyed the Impala, and shot Chris in the head. He now knew that there was no limit to what the man would do, and if Chris was actually dead like his father had said, then he feared any rescue wouldn’t come soon enough.

When he saw Bianca approaching with a needle and heard his father telling her to make sure this time he didn’t leave Italy alive, Jensen’s panic had increased, but he was unable to fight back against the weight on his chest or the needle in his arm.

He’d thought of Jared, trying to lock the impression of his face, his voice, and his touch in his mind before he began to sink completely into himself. He knew he wasn’t going to survive Bianca’s torture and abuse this time, but he would be damned if he would give her the satisfaction of submitting to her either or have to watch himself be raped and used by her or her sick friends.

“Your Mom and Dad never cared about you as their son. You were a way to con both of their parents into keeping them in the various family businesses. You should’ve given your Dad the casino, Sweet. Now he’ll take it from you with that piece of paper ‘you’ signed and once he has it he’s going to reinstate that little contract with that boy and he’ll take him too... unless you want to stop fighting me and my friends. Unlike Mark Pellegrino, I don’t care about bruising that pretty face or breaking too many bones since you’ll heal and my friends are more interested in the warm body than the look. In fact, maybe I’ll just have Francois break your arm or jaw or would you rather feel this new toy as I shove it up your… ”

“Jensen? Jensen!”

Jensen snapped his eyes up to see Chris standing beside him with a hand on the arm that Jensen could feel was shaking as he clenched a crumbled a card in the fist he didn’t even realize he’d made. The room came back into focus as the sound of Bianca’s mocking voice gradually faded away.

“What?” he asked tightly, carefully moving his arm out from under the man’s hand. He knew it was progress that he had moved his arm slowly instead of jerking it away like he almost did. Jensen felt other eyes on him and knew what he probably looked like to others who had seen him since his return.

He knew he’d lost weight since he’d been given very little food for six weeks, and he hadn’t found a desire to eat much since getting out of the hospital and returning to Las Vegas. Jensen ate just enough to keep the women in his life, his grandmother and Samantha Smith, from worrying too much, but he knew he still looked rather gaunt.

His memories of his rescue were sparse. He knew Chris had been there as well as many of the same guys who had helped them rescue Jared. The Italian authorities had also been there, but Bianca had been tipped off and had fled the country the day before.

Jensen had been barely conscious as he was carried out of the house and loaded into an ambulance, but he did recall asking for Jared more than once. Thoughts and memories of Jared’s smile and laugh had kept him sane even though it had terrified him each time Bianca had threatened Jared. He had been helpless to act against her, so all he could do was pray that the young man would be safe and kept out of this nightmare.

Upon returning to Las Vegas to recover, Jensen had refused to sleep in the master bedroom. He’d tried but kept waking up with nightmares of his six weeks in hell. The only room in the penthouse where he could sleep almost peacefully was Jared’s bedroom.

Jensen didn’t care if that made him seem weak. He had been back in Sin City for almost a week and knew that he was basically fighting for his mind and his life as well as his business. The longer the struggle went on, the longer he worried about his father and Bianca making another move against him, the more he felt like giving in. It was so tempting to either crawl into a bottle of whiskey or blow his brains out because either choice would be preferable to the thought of being trapped in that life again.

He had asked about Jared repeatedly, but Chris kept giving him excuses, telling him that he was in contact with Jared and that Jensen shouldn’t talk to him until he was more stable. Jensen finally saw the wisdom in Chris’s advice and decided it might be best to leave the younger man where he was rather than pull him into the nightmare that was his life right now. Perhaps Jared could restart his life in New York with his sister, forgetting him and everything dark that had happened to him in Las Vegas.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make since Jensen really did love the mouthy kid and longed to hear his voice. He needed to remind himself that he was fighting for something other than a casino, something that he feared he didn’t deserve anymore. But until he was assured that the danger was over for him and those around him then Jensen knew Jared was safer where he was.

Just a couple of days ago he’d been listlessly picking at a sandwich and listening to Marta lecture him about his lack of appetite when his grandmother had dragged an unhappy and squirming Chris out of the elevator. His badass bodyguard stood helpless in the face of Sophia’s fury as she ordered him to tell Jensen what a brainless ass he’d been.

Normally Jensen would’ve enjoyed Chris’s discomfort, but this time he’d merely stayed quiet while lifting his eyes in silent question to what had set his grandmother off on a tirade.

Chris let out a sigh before speaking. “Jared heard my mother yelling at me about you... so the kid hacked the computers, managed to freeze everything in the complex, and sent a message for Chad to call him. He demanded to know what was going on because... well... I... I hadn’t exactly talked to him like I told you I had.” Chris coughed uneasily. “I didn’t want to freak him out or have him rushing back here because you’re not…”

“I’m not what?” Jensen had asked softly, voice still rougher than usual as his throat healed from a too-tight collar and other damage done to it. “Ready to see him? Or to let him see me when I’m hardly the same guy he left six months ago? I’d say that’s not your call to make... except…” Jensen’s eyes dropped to the floor in defeat. “You’re right. I’m not that guy, and thanks to Dad and Bianca and people I thought I could trust like JD Morgan, I might never be again so... maybe for now it is best if Jared stays away. He’ll be safer in New York and I won’t have to see the disappointment in his eyes like I do so many of you.”

Now Jensen met Chris’s worried gaze and realized he had gotten lost in his memories again and slowly let out a shaky breath. “What?” he asked again, wondering if it had been a mistake to come down for this meeting.

“The workers are finishing up the tile replacement in the lobby and want to know if you want them to haul the Impala out and replace it with another car. Or maybe you want to put up a different kind of centerpiece for now,” the bodyguard said carefully, feeling the phone in his pocket buzz but ignoring it.

The lobby had actually been the one place Jensen had ventured to on his own once when he felt strong enough to walk without worrying that his legs might give out. He’d seen the damage done to his casino; most had been replaced or repaired by the time he had been rescued, but the marble tile surrounding the fountain had taken longer since it had to be imported.

It had hurt him to see the damage done to the shiny black car; there were dents in the doors, one window had been shattered, and it was covered with crude graffiti. It hurt him now to even think about removing it and putting something else in its place.

“No, leave it there. Just make sure the tarp stays over it. Most of the damage is cosmetic and I’ll be able to fix it soon,” he replied. He jerked his head around when someone else in the room made a sound. “You have something to say about my choice, Mr. Douglas?” he demanded, pinning the head of Human Resources with a cold look.

“No, of course not, Mr. Ackles,” the older man coughed as he smoothed down his tie, but he obviously decided to continue his train of thought despite the warning glares given to him by others. “I just thought that perhaps, since the damage required several changes to be made, that perhaps you or your grandfather might consider giving the overall look of the place a change as well. Maybe redo the décor to make it more... sophisticated? I mean, the classic cars and rock music was a nice gimmick for a time, but perhaps you should start to consider, or allow others to consider, redecorating to attract a more upscale clientele and…”

“Excuse me?” Danneel Harris interrupted. “Public relations is my department and I’m not hearing any complaints about the décor from anyone... other than you.” The attractive redhead had been hired out from under several other casinos on the Strip. She was young, fiery, and had a feel for the places she worked and what her clients liked. What she didn’t like was having some pudgy old man in an ill-fitting suit making comments that encroached on her territory. “The classic cars, the music, the diner, hell, all the stuff that Jensen has added brought this place back from the brink of ruin. People enjoy it.”

Before the man could respond or anyone else could comment, Jensen surprised everyone by standing up and leaning over the table to face the man.

“You think we need to attract a more upscale clientele?” he repeated tightly, fingers clenching. “The last time I looked The Open Road wasn’t having any trouble attracting any type of clientele. We pull in plenty of those rich and upscale people. But we also pull in the tourists because they can afford our room rates and still have money to gamble. When I took this place over, that’s what I wanted. I wanted a place that would appeal to a lot of different types of people, not just the stupidly wealthy who buy diamond-covered collars for their cats in the boutique downstairs... whose idea was that again?

“The Open Road is about people enjoying themselves, be it at the shops or restaurants or the slots or the tables or the shows we put on.” Jensen hadn’t liked the tone the man used or his suggestion that they were serving the wrong type of people. “Now if you have issues with the people who come here, then maybe you need to consider if this is the type of place you want to be working.”

Patrick had been sitting quietly during all of this, quietly observing his grandson. He’d handled the majority of the meeting while Jensen had flipped cards onto the desk, but he knew the boy was listening even as it became plain he was fighting his memories when his cards began landing harder until finally, he’d crunched one in his fist.

The older man didn’t blame Jensen for the way he was. He’d spoken to the authorities and doctors in Italy so he knew the condition his grandson had been in when he was first located and rescued. It burned his blood to know that his son had given that evil woman permission to do such horrible things to Jensen all in the name of greed.

Since he and Sophia had flown out here, neither had seen much of the spark of life that Patrick knew the younger man had. He’d seen a shadow of Jensen’s former self only a few times, mainly when Sophia had been telling him things about Jared and Molly.

He had seen the pain on his face when Sophia had held his hand after she’d finished chewing Chris out and urged Jensen to call Jared back, but he’d only smiled sadly.

“I love him, Grandma. I love Jared as I’ve never loved anyone else. He came into my life and changed it as much as I changed his but… my life isn’t good for him. I’m not good for him, especially now with Dad and Bianca still out there. He’s... he’s better off away from me. I... I just need someone to convince him that even if he’s not with me, I’ll still keep my promises to him.”

“Jared doesn’t seem the kind of boy to want to take your money without giving something back, son,” Patrick recalled saying and saw a quirk of lips when Jensen looked at him before retreating toward the bedrooms.

“He isn’t,” Jensen had said. “There isn’t a greedy bone in that kid. That’s another reason he’s too good for me because my life involves nothing but greed. He’s better off without me.”

Of course, Patrick knew it might be harder to convince the boy in question of that... especially, since he happened to know something that he didn’t think anyone else knew yet.

Chris was moving to try to nudge a tense Jensen back when suddenly the office door opened and an irate Chad stuck his head in.

“Dude! Do you not look at your damn phone?” he demanded in full-on exasperation. “I’ve been calling and texting you for 45 minutes. There’s something going on down on the floor that you and Jensen need to see. Justin buzzed me about it. He’s keeping the other floor bosses from stepping in, but you might have to do your snarly growly thing at the security guy who’s in my computer room. He didn’t seem to believe me when I told him you would break his goddamn knees if he interfered.”

Jensen couldn’t seem to work up enough energy to care. He’d exhausted himself with the brief argument with the now sulking man from Human Resources, and he now just wanted to be alone. “You go, Chris. Figure out what’s got Chad threatening your security guard,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll be upstairs.”

“But boss, we’ve got a player at one of the high-end blackjack tables and he’s winning nearly every hand,” Chad spoke hurriedly as Jensen reached to push the button to summon the elevator. Catching Chris’s eye, he gave a slow smirk that automatically said something was up other than a possible swindler or cheater. “I really think you need to take a look, boss.”

Jensen frowned. He was tired, his body ached from sitting too long, and he didn’t want to deal with the looks of pity that he knew would come from others, but he gave a nod and turned back towards the door, missing the way his grandfather rubbed a hand over his face as if hiding a smile.

“If there’s a card shark at one of our tables and Justin knows about it, why the hell hasn’t he bounced the asshole’s butt out the door?” Chris demanded as he stalked into the computer room. He frowned at the sight of a bunch of their techs gathered around the room’s largest monitor, which was currently locked on a view of one of the blackjack tables. “No,” he groaned as he joined the crowd around the monitor. He squinted, hoping the image would change, and then ordered the nearest tech to zoom in on a certain face. “Oh hell, no. Please tell me that I am not seeing what I think I’m seeing… and if I am seeing what I think I’m seeing, tell me the damn fool has an exact duplicate or... something.”

“I wanted to kick the cheating bastard out an hour ago, boss. I know it doesn’t look like he’s cheating, but he has to be running some kind of system to be winning like that.” A stern-faced, skinny security guard approached Chris. “Mr. Hartley must be in on the scheme cause he won’t let anyone go near that table so I came up here to inform you but that man there refused to let me and then threatened me!” He jerked a thumb at Chad.

“Duh!” Chad snorted with an eyeroll as he took his chair back and adjusted the view of another monitor to view the table in general. “I did threaten you. I promised that if you or any gangbuster on that floor went near that kid, either Chris would break your knees or I’d get Rosenbaum to shoot you in your goddamn balls. Did everyone forget Jensen’s orders? Or did six months away make you forget that the kid still has the keys to the goddamn kingdom if he wants them? Or…”

“Pull up a better visual.” Jensen’s voice was low, gruff but the shake was there as he stepped into the room, followed Chris’s gaze, and then felt his knees nearly buckle as he looked at the figure on the big screen. “Jared,” he whispered

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty-Three

Chris stared at the live image of the table, focusing on the dealer, a petite brunette who had been there since before Jensen took over the casino and knew what she was doing. “She’s been here too long. I know she’s not skimming for him,” he muttered while trying to decide if he wanted to simmer in fury, find out who to throttle for helping arrange this little surprise, or just bang his damn head into the wall in frustration. “So she’s not skimming, and I swear he’s not cheating, but somehow the damn kid is beating the system. Did you teach him to do this?” he asked while throwing a look over at a stunned-looking Jensen.

“No, I... I taught him a little but not enough to…” Jensen’s voice trailed off and then he ordered the technician to zoom in closer on the handsome face of the young man. Jared was sitting at one of the Blackjack tables smiling almost shyly at the dealer as he tapped to request a hit on one of his hands while staying on the other. Jensen felt his breath catch as a single dimple appeared when he won both hands. “Son of a bitch,” he whispered and then had that scene replayed to be sure he’d seen what he thought he had. “He’s reading the cards,” he murmured in disbelief. He wasn’t sure how the hell Jared knew how to do that since he hadn’t taught him that trick, but to Jensen’s trained eye, it was obvious that’s what the young man was doing. He also noticed on his second viewing when, as if sensing the camera was on him, Jared’s hazel eyes lifted subtly to stare right into it and it hit Jensen like a punch to the gut.

“Okay, we already know Jared’s a math geek and he can out-think a roulette wheel. That probably means he can master any other game on the floor that’s based purely on numbers, but no one can read a deck of cards without being taught, and even then the deck would have to be marked,” Chad argued as he watched a crowd gathering around the table as the pile of chips in front of Jared Padalecki continued to grow. The young man seemed unaware of the attention he was attracting as he continued to play the game as casually as if he were playing with Jensen in the game room.

Chris zoomed in on the cards and frowned. “Wait... is that one of our decks?” he asked.

After a quick call to the floor boss who could still be seen in the corner of the screen, Chad shook his head and cursed. “Justin said the dealer told him that Mrs. Ackles gave her a deck of cards to use. Said the deck she was using was a disgrace to the casino.”

“My grandmother gave her a deck to use?” Jensen asked tightly, eyes still locked on the screen as he watched even more people gather around the table.

“Well, of course, I did!” Sophia scoffed as she walked into the computer room, rolling her eyes with disdain as she tossed a scowling Chris the original deck. “Do you always allow your dealers to use cards with naked people on them, Christian?” she demanded, clucking her tongue. “I couldn’t very well allow that sweet innocent boy to play with cards like that. He’d blush himself to death.”

“You mean the sweet innocent boy who is somehow cheating at Blackjack?” Chris shot back, but he scowled at the cards in his hand and radioed Justin so he could order someone to check and make sure all the tables were using regulation decks with The Open Road logo.

“Do you want me to have the floor security throw him out, sir?” the guard asked enthusiastically as he cracked his knuckles and reached for his radio only to gasp when he was grabbed by his tie and yanked closer to an enraged Jensen.

“Touch him and your ass hits the pavement a second later,” he growled, eyes going back to the screen as he shoved the stunned guard back a step.

“Wait! Justin said? Justin talked to the dealer?” Chris demanded with a low growl, replaying Chad’s words in his mind. “That means he was at the table. Which means Jared saw him. So that means the damn kid knows we’re onto him. He knows whatever game he’s playing is up, but he’s not acting nervous or like he’s doing anything wrong. What the hell is he doing down there? Does he want to get thrown out for cheating? Because if that deck is marked and he somehow learned to read cards in six months, then he’s cheating and I will kick his ass, but that doesn’t explain why he’s doing it. What is he playing at?”

Jensen stared at the screen as he once again watched Jared flash a smile at the dealer before looking into the camera, and this time Jensen knew what he was doing. “He’s not playing with you or trying to get caught. He’s trying to get my attention.” He turned to stare at his serene-looking grandmother. “You taught him to play Blackjack and you taught him to read the cards. You knew he was coming here.”

“Maybe,” Sophia offered with a calm smile, slapping at Chris who was snarling under his breath. “Perhaps Margo and I might’ve provided some advice or lent some assistance, but it was Jared’s plan to come. If his friend could’ve gotten to New York faster to stay with Molly, he would’ve been here two days ago. By the way, Christian, Jared did not appreciate you ordering him to wait. He wants to play cards with you, Jensen.” She stretched up so she could pat his cheeks. “I grew up with and married a gambler. I know how to read people, and I can tell that no matter what happened to him, no matter what happened to you, he loves you. He wants to help you to heal just like you helped him, but you need to be the one to gamble now.” She nodded to the screen where Jared was scooping up another pile of chips. “You can play this hand and go down there... or you can fold and send Christian. If you fold... if you let yourself lose that boy without even trying, then your father and his bitch will have won. So, what will it be Jensen? Play or fold?”

Jensen stared at the older woman, jaw twitching. He could have felt angry or even betrayed at her involvement in something that he firmly believed was none of her business. He did not like being maneuvered or manipulated into confronting the young man who had changed his life so drastically. Jensen knew he could turn and walk away; he could easily have Chris or Chad go down to the floor and send Jared politely on his way and a piece of him, the piece that was still so shattered and wanted to be left alone, almost did that. Until he lifted his eyes to the screen again and saw something that froze him.

Walking back to the large screen, he reached up and shifted the camera to close in on one of Jared’s wrists. When the young man reached out for his latest winnings, his suit jacket, obviously tailored to fit his broad shoulders perfectly, shifted and he caught a glimpse of red and realized that Jared still wore those silk ribbons on his wrists. The sight of those ribbons cemented his decision and then he was moving towards the door.

“Jensen? Where’re you going or should I even ask?” Chris called out. He started to follow his boss but was stopped by a firm Sophia who planted herself in his path. “Don’t you think you should change before going to the floor?”

Glancing down at his jeans, t-shirt, and boots, Jensen considered the words but then looked back. “This is still my casino, right?” He asked the question to the room in general but he looked to his grandparents for an answer. “I know I’ve been letting you take the brunt of running it since I... was hurt but it’s still mine, right?”

“Of course it is, Jensen,” Patrick replied, understanding the underlying question. “If you want to break your own dress code in the middle of a Friday afternoon, I certainly don’t see an issue and if anyone else does, they are welcome to take it up with your grandmother.” He shot a steely look around the room and let his gaze rest on the still grim-faced man from Human Resources and the slack-jawed security man but neither had anything to say. “Now get going.”

Jensen nodded but paused at the door. “Hey! Someone tell Hartley to keep an eye on that table. Have the dealer moved to another table and if anyone else is playing that table besides him, cash them out.” He glanced back at the screen one more time and gave a smirk that made him look a little more like his old self. “This game has just become private.”

“Well this should be interesting,” Chad announced with a grin and grabbed a chair to sit closer to the main screen so he could watch the scene that was about to unfold. “We still got that bet going on?”

“Just shut up and keep an eye on things while I call Hartley,” Chris muttered but detoured to grab his security man by the front of his jacket. “I’m telling you this one more time because apparently, you didn’t listen the first ten times I said it. Your job is never to assume anything. Unless a floor boss or I or Jensen himself gives you an order, you do not touch a client... and if any of you ever touch that kid down there? You will be finding your ass on the pavement so fast your head will spin... and you…” He shot a hard look at the head of Human Resources. “If you don’t like this casino or how Jensen is choosing to decorate it or run it, then please make both of our lives a little easier and just turn in your notice.”

As Chris left the room, Sophia slid her arm through her husband’s. “Let’s go find a comfortable place to sit where we can see what happens,” she encouraged, smiling as they heard Chris let out a groan from the hallway. “Oh dear... perhaps I should’ve mentioned that Margo accompanied Jared to Las Vegas.”

Downstairs on the casino floor, Jared Padalecki was starting to have serious doubts about his plan. He’d been at the table for over an hour now, but he hadn’t seen any familiar faces other than Justin Hartley. As he pulled in another small stack of chips to add to his growing pile, he wondered once again if he’d done the right thing by coming here.

He’d been a ball of nervous energy for the two days it took for the arrangements to be made and for Gen to arrive. Jared tried to get more details about what was happening out in Vegas without going through Chad because he figured the poor guy was probably in enough trouble with Chris already, but he wasn’t sure who else to call.

It had been Margo Kane who solved the problem for him. She had knocked on his door the morning after they’d talked and handed him her cell phone without a word. He cautiously put the phone to his ear and found himself speaking with a gruff man who introduced himself as Eric Kane, the father of Jared’s less-than-favorite bodyguard.

Eric was gruff and to the point, but he was also kind when he spoke to Jared. He told him a bit more about the whole situation than Chris had, wanting to make sure the young man knew what he might be facing when he got to Vegas. “Jensen’s always been a proud young man; I’m guessing he got that from his grandmother along with his attitude and stubbornness, but he’s been hurt so damn much that he doesn’t trust easily. This last incident really did a number on him emotionally and he’s pulled back into himself as a way to protect himself from what happened over the past couple of months and the memories of what happened ten years ago. He might push you away if you come on too strong. If possible, you need to find a way to make him come to you,” he suggested. “I’m in Vegas now to make sure Mark and that woman stay out of the picture. I’ve seen Jensen and I can tell you that he somehow seems more lost than he did the last time. I know he’s fighting not to sink into the pit like he almost did when the boys were teenagers. My wife seems to think you might be able to help him. I hope so... and if my boy gets in your way, just let his mother handle him.”

He’d battled feelings of guilt since returning to Vegas meant leaving Molly, but his sister had quickly pointed out that it wasn’t like he was leaving her alone, and she couldn’t focus on school or dance with all his moping around anyway.

Margo had given him additional tips on the game he’d chosen and played dozens of rounds with him using the cards Sophia had left with him. She’d also taken him shopping for a good suit since the ones he had brought from Vegas had become a little too tight across the shoulders and upper arms. If this was going to work, Margo knew he needed to look like he belonged in the casino.

Jared almost changed his mind when he learned that they would be flying to Vegas in a plane owned by Margo Kane and that the woman would be piloting it herself. It was a smooth flight, however, and he smiled when he saw who had come to meet them and bent down to hug a beaming Sophia Ackles.

In the car on the way to the casino, he listened to her as she reviewed the tricks that shouldn’t tip off the dealer but would hopefully be enough for someone to alert Jensen about something happening at one of the tables. Jared took a steadying breath and fingered the wad of bills in his pocket. Money to get started with the plan had been one of his biggest worries. He hated the thought of using one of the credit cards Jensen had supplied him with for this, but he didn’t want to ask either Margo or Sophia for money. He decided to check the balance in his bank account, the one he’d given Jensen access to at the beginning to pay for Molly’s dance lessons. He thought that maybe Jensen had stopped taking money out of it when he had rewritten their deal... maybe there would be enough left for him to buy his way into a game. He about fell over when he saw the balance in the account. It was clear that not only hadn’t Jensen made any withdrawals, but he had also made several deposits and the balance had grown a lot.

“I think he paid the school directly, Jare. And then every month I’d get a check in the mail to cover any expenses. I also had a debit card that was reloaded every month. I was supposed to use that for groceries and stuff.” He had immediately called Gen to ask her how Molly’s expenses had been covered. “The check was from Jensen, not the casino, and I always had money left over from it. The first couple of months I tried to send some of the money back, but no one would take it.”

“Huh.” Jared felt a strange something settle in his stomach as he realized that Jensen had never used his money. Instead, he had cared for Molly with his own money right from the start. He wasn’t thrilled, however, that money had been added to his account since that made him feel like he’d been paid for being with Jensen, so he did some fast math in his head and withdrew enough cash so his account was back to the amount he’d started with; he’d used this as his stake and win or lose, the money would stay at the casino.

It felt odd for him to walk into The Open Road through the front doors. The noises and sounds were the same as always, but then his eyes went to the non-working fountain in the center of the lobby, which was roped off while men worked to replace the tile on the inside and around it.

He saw the tarp covering the Impala, and imagining the damage to it made Jared’s heart hurt and his stomach clench. It angered him that someone could be so cruel as to damage the car because the man behind the attack knew it would hurt Jensen. He hoped Jensen planned to fix it since Chad had explained that it was mainly cosmetic damage, including a shattered window.

Jared felt eyes on him as he walked onto the casino floor. He recognized a few of the floor bosses but avoided making eye contact with them. He was beginning to feel nervous and silently wondered if he could actually pull this off. He studied the tables carefully before choosing one. He had to fight his instinct to choose a table where the bets were small. Since he wanted to gain the attention of the man in charge, he settled in at one of the higher-priced Blackjack tables.

He’d just been getting his chips straightened into nice piles when Sophia made her scheduled appearance, taking the dealer to task for an inappropriate deck and handing her another one.

Everyone in the casino knew who the older woman was, so, of course, the dealer didn’t dare argue. She immediately shuffled the new cards with nice flair but Jared knew Jensen’s skill at shuffling was much more impressive. He held his breath through the first few games in case the brunette dealer noticed anything odd about the cards, but neither she nor the few other players at the table seemed to suspect anything, so he slowly let himself relax... until a hand landed on his shoulder and he recognized the voice of Justin Hartley speaking lowly to the dealer after several hands had been played and Jared had racked up more chips.

Jared tried to keep his face calm, glad he’d actually paid attention to Jensen’s comments about his poker face. Even though his heart was pounding in his ears, he held the steady gaze of the almost amused-looking floor boss until Justin stepped back. He didn’t leave the room, but kept his distance and motioned others away.

From the corner of his eye, he saw him speaking into his radio so he knew the real game had started. Now he just had to keep playing cards and see what Jensen would choose to do.

While Jared knew the reason he was doing this and he also knew he was technically cheating, he still found himself actually enjoying the game. He made sure not to win every hand, but he won enough and bet enough that he knew eventually Chad would be alerted, then Chris, and then hopefully Jensen.

He’d settled into general small talk with the friendly dealer and returned the casual talk from others around him. It wasn’t long however until one guy who had been watching him for the last several hands came closer and sat down beside him. Jared didn’t mind the small talk, but when the guy began putting a hand on his arm or occasionally his knee while spouting off very obvious come-ons, it was hard to stay focused.

Months ago Jared knew he would’ve frozen up, but this time he merely kept brushing the guy’s hand off while ignoring his blatant attempts to hit on him. He saw the dealer frown and caught Justin watching the scene a little more intently, but he knew he could handle the jackass.

“Hey, you’ve been at this a good while and made quite a bit of money doing it,” the man drawled as he leaned in a bit more so his breath was hot on the side of Jared’s face. “How about you cash in, buy me dinner and some drinks, and then we’ll go back to my suite and... play a few private hands of... something a bit more entertaining than cards, hot stuff?”

Justin started to come over, looking like he was going to say something to the man, but Jared was way ahead of him. He turned in his seat and gave a hard shove to move the man out of his personal space.

“Look, I’ve tried to be nice but that hasn’t worked so maybe this will.” Jared glanced next to him and met the gaze of the man. “I’m not interested in you or having anything to do with you. I’m playing a game and you’re messing with my concentration. Please back off and go find someone else to bother.” The man was clearly shocked at being turned down, but after several seconds of gaping in disbelief, he turned and stalked from the room.

Jared turned back at the dealer with a half-smile and tapped one of the three piles of cards he was currently playing. “Hit me?”

“I see you’ve learned a thing or two over the past six months.” Jared heard the voice behind him and it felt like his heart stopped for a moment before beginning to beat rapidly. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and then turned around.

Jensen swore his casino had never seemed so big as he tried to make his way from the elevator to where the Blackjack table in question was. He’d been stopped a couple of times by well-meaning people who knew him and wanted to ask how things had been going since he had been away from the floor for so long. Jensen had tried to be polite, managing to only growl once or twice as he hurried through the crowded floor.

He caught sight of the table just in time to see a drunken asshole drape himself over Jared. Jensen felt a familiar protective rage wash over him and he started to lunge forward but paused when Jared turned and gave the guy a firm shove backward. He smiled as he heard Jared oh so politely tell the jerk to leave.

“I see you’ve learned a thing or two over the past six months,” he said, stepping up to the table. Jared froze for a moment but then turned in his chair to face him. Jensen glanced at the dealer and then held out his hand for the cards. “Mr. Hartley informed you of the switch?” he asked as Justin quietly spoke to the other three people at the table.

“Yes, Mr. Ackles,” she replied promptly, stepping out from behind the table and approaching Justin for her new assignment. She paused for a moment and looked back at Jared with a bright smile. “Good luck with this one though. He’s on a hot streak and lookin’ to break the bank tonight.”

Jared’s cheeks went to a faint but adorable shade of pink despite his best attempts to stay calm now that Jensen was there. He’d seen Jensen when he’d first turned around and noticed how pale he was and the bruises that were visible on his right arm while the left arm was cast to the elbow. He also looked thin, as if he wasn’t eating right. Jared could certainly understand that.

He reminded himself to stay calm, remembered Patrick’s words to not push too hard. He needed to see how this would play out now that it was just the two of them at the table even though several people still loitered around, trying to watch.

As the dealer offered her final words before walking away, Jared took a shaky breath and watched as Jensen settled onto the vacated stool.

“So... that’s quite the pile of chips you’ve managed to acquire there,” Jensen commented, not looking up yet. Instead, he studied the cards in his hand and gave a smirk as he easily read the marks.

“Uh-huh,” Jared coughed. He tried to maintain his casual and unconcerned look, but he couldn’t help but worry that maybe Jensen wasn’t happy he was there and that he’d made the wrong choice to come. He lifted some chips and let them tumble back into the pile. “Guess I’ve been lucky.”

“Lucky. Yeah.” Jensen’s lips curved into a slow smile as he finally lifted his head to meet Jared’s eyes while reaching into his back pocket. “Well, let’s see how well you do playing against me, kiddo.” He placed another deck of cards in the center of the table and then shuffled them. Even with his left arm in a cast, he was able to shuffle with a skill that few dealers could match. “We’re playing this game by my rules and with my cards. Now what do you have to say for yourself?” He knew he was challenging himself as well as Jared because being in the middle of all these people was making him uneasy.

Jared guessed he shouldn’t have been surprised that Jensen had switched decks on him. After all, he knew the man would figure out he was reading the cards; that had been part of his plan to get Jensen to notice him. He had hoped to bring Jensen down to a setting that might be more neutral than the penthouse given all the different things, both good and bad, that had happened there.

He watched as Jensen tapped the deck three times. Sophia had told him that was a dealer’s way to indicate it was the player’s turn to make a move, usually to cut the deck before the first deal. Jared watched the cards and knew Jensen was testing him now. Taking a slow breath to calm his nerves, he slowly looked up to meet and hold those green eyes that he had missed so much.  They certainly weren’t as bright as he remembered them, and he could clearly see the worry there as well, but he thought that maybe, just maybe, there was a spark of strength burning in their depths as well.

Jared cut the deck as Sophia had shown him and placed them back in front of Jensen. “Deal ‘em.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty-Four

“How the hell is he still winning?”

That was the question being asked not only in the computer room of The Open Road Casino but also on the floor as more people gathered to watch the private game of Blackjack.

Most people simply saw a fascinating game of cards being played by a skilled young card player against an equally talented dealer. Only those who personally knew both parties knew this game was about far more than just winning or losing money. There was actually a lot more at stake than chips and cards for the two young men.

Jared’s nerves had skyrocketed when the new game began. He’d quickly discovered that any openness that Jensen had started to have had closed back off thanks to the attack and what he’d endured. It was hard to read him again, especially since Jensen seldom looked at him directly, something else that worried the younger man, but he reminded himself that he could still do this.

He’d played the game with Jensen before, and both Sophia Ackles and Margo Kane had played with him using regular cards as well as the marked deck, so Jared knew that he just needed to figure out the odds of which card Jensen would deal next.

Much to everyone’s surprise, including his own, Jared continued to win more hands than he lost even after Jensen began to deal. He did lose the first few hands as he worked to regain his equilibrium so he could focus enough to remember which cards had been played as he watched the cards flip effortlessly from Jensen’s fingers, but as he finally began to relax, he started to win again. Then he started to worry about how much he was winning and wondered if maybe he should be trying to lose now.

Jared decided to test that theory and made himself lose a couple of hands only to blink at what happened next. “Hell no, we’re not playing that game,” Jensen said, refusing to pull in the chips Jared had just lost. He could easily tell when someone was winning by cheating, but he could also tell when someone was throwing a game and he quickly realized that Jared was throwing the hands. “Play to win... don’t you dare try to lose to make me happy. Got it?”

Jared swallowed hard and nodded. After that he settled down and played to win, and win he did. His already large piles of chips increased until finally, Justin appeared with a bucket to put the bulk of them in so they didn’t spill off the table. He relaxed and began to enjoy himself more as he also noticed that the longer they played the more relaxed Jensen was becoming.

The noise of the casino slowly faded away as Jensen forced himself to forget the crowd of people gathering to watch and focus only on the cards in his hand and the young man across from him. It had been a long time since Jensen had dealt cards at a table like this, but he found he was enjoying both the game and watching Jared from under his lashes.

Jared had definitely learned to shield his expressions a little better, but Jensen found that he could still read him pretty easily. He noticed that he still chewed his bottom lip when concentrating and he saw his jaw clench when the noise around them started to frustrate him.

“Focus on the dealer and the cards, not on any outside noises,” Jensen murmured quietly. He was grateful when he saw Justin and another floor boss put up the barrier ropes to keep people from getting too close to the table. “So... I take it my grandmother took you under her wing and taught you a few tricks I didn’t?”

This was the first time in the two hours since Jensen had sat down to deal that he’d spoken directly to Jared about something not related to the game. Just that simple comment helped to uncoil a huge knot in Jared’s stomach, and suddenly the younger man felt like he could breathe easier.

“Umm, no?” Jared didn’t like lying to Jensen but he also didn’t want to throw the kind older woman under the bus. Except he guessed by Jensen’s dry chuckle and smirk that the man knew better so he shrugged. “Maybe?”

“I didn’t teach you how to read a marked deck and you were reading them like a damn pro earlier, so that means between Grandma and probably Margo, you were given card shark lessons by two pros.” He flipped himself a card while Jared chose to stay with what he had. Jensen had to admit he was both surprised and impressed that Jared’s winning streak was continuing now that they were playing with a regular deck. “I’m also going to want to know your secret to winning at Blackjack. I’m a professional gambler, but there’s no way I’d be able to win as many hands in a row as you have.”

Jared watched as his cards came up closer to the magic number than Jensen’s and more chips were placed in front of him. “It’s all numbers really,” he replied with a shrug and then looked around as he swore he heard Chad’s voice from somewhere. He raised his eyebrows as Jensen growled something under his breath and jerked his earpiece out.

“In case you didn’t catch that, Chad just called you the Uber Math Geek and he bows to your immense geekiness with numbers. You know he’s been bugging me to hire you as his assistant in... whatever the hell he actually does. I’m not sure anyone really knows what that is,” Jensen said with a smirk and a shake of his head. Jared shifted his gaze down to the table and Jensen smiled, still finding the younger man adorable when he blushed after being given a compliment that should’ve been natural for him to receive. “Of course, I told him that he can’t have you.” He waited until hazel eyes slowly lifted and let their eyes meet fully while he laid down another card in front of Jared and one in front of him. “Despite it all, it seems I’m still a selfish bastard. I still don’t like to share what’s mine… and you’re mine… if you make that choice.”

“There’s... a choice?” Jared asked, swallowing thickly as he watched a second card land. He took a peek at it and then caught his breath, glancing up as he flipped the card over to reveal a perfect 21.

“Blackjack.” Jensen nodded, placing the cards aside to signal the end of the game, but still holding Jared’s confused eyes. “You chose to come back to Vegas even though you were out. You could have forgotten me, forgotten all the crap you endured here, everything that I did to you or caused to happen. You could’ve started over in New York because you know I would’ve kept all my promises to you even if you left for good. It’s been six months since we’ve seen each other and two since you’ve heard from me… did you think I’d changed my mind, Jared?”

“I was starting to,” Jared nodded, going on slowly while letting his fingers restlessly move over a pile of chips. “It was hard not to when you never called me back and then it seemed like Chris and Chad were avoiding my calls too. I thought that maybe you’d found someone better, someone you didn’t have to be so careful with in case I still wasn’t over what he’d done.” He slid a finger up under his jacket sleeve but then froze when Jensen suddenly reached over and grabbed his hand, pulling it across the table so that the jacket sleeve slid up.

Jensen ignored the people still milling around them and stared at the faded and frayed red ribbon. “If you really believe that, why are you still wearing these?” he asked, voice low and hushed from emotion as well as the wound he was still healing from. “I thought these would be the first things to go once you were away from…”

“Don’t!” Jared’s hand slapped down over Jensen’s as if he feared he would remove the ribbons. “I said I thought it, not that I believed it. I figured if you wanted to dump my ass, you’d have the guts to tell me. I think I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what until I overheard Margo yelling at Chris and then I finally got him to talk to me…”

“After you hacked my computers?” Jensen tossed in with a lifted brow. “Something about dancing cactus plants and hula dancers in sequined outfits?”

“I hate Chad’s big mouth,” Jared muttered but shrugged. “I had to get them to talk to me and your firewalls still suck, dude. Maybe Chad does need an assistant.”

Jensen’s lips curved a little more and he suddenly knew he wanted to take this conversation someplace else. He longed to touch Jared, to hold him and kiss him, but he was still wary and hated himself for feeling this way as well as his father and Bianca for making him feel this way again. “Fine, you can fix them yourself... if you’re really coming back?”

“I’m here, Jensen,” Jared replied softly as he suddenly understood what was happening. He couldn’t help but wonder if he had had the same wary shadows in his eyes when he was starting to heal that he could see in Jensen’s eyes now. “I’m here for good. I brought everything back with me, and Gen’s all set to stay with Molly now. All the school stuff is settled for the time being and your grandmother has agreed to – well insisted on – helping her keep up with everything. By the way, Jensen, when were you planning to tell me that you never touched my bank account except to put money into it?”

“Ugh. Found out about that, huh?” Jensen had planned to tell Jared about that, but he had never found the right time with everything else that had been going on. “I never said I’d use your account. You assumed I would and I let you assume it. I was playing hardass at the time, remember?” He turned Jared’s hand over to press their palms together, feeling something loosen inside him when Jared’s fingers meshed with his and he slid off the stool to stand, chips forgotten.

“Hard to forget,” Jared replied but smiled a little more so Jensen would know he wasn’t serious. “Can... can we maybe take this somewhere else?” he asked as he noticed they still had quite a crowd. “Anywhere else?”

Jensen nodded and stood up, pausing for a moment to regain his balance. He knew Jared had noticed because his smile dimmed with worry. He squeezed the hand that he hadn’t released. “I’m fine. And yeah, I think I can arrange that.” He still felt nervous, even a little frightened, but he knew his grandmother had been right when she said he had to fight past his own fears and shame this time. “Justin, cash Mr. Padalecki out and give Chris the envelope to give him tomorrow. Tomorrow, Justin. Not tonight.”

Justin Hartley heard the not-so-subtle hint in that order as he stepped closer to begin to rake the rest of the chips into a second bucket. He did some quick mental calculations and cleared his throat. “Umm, you know, boss, he really cleaned up here. The guys in the cage are probably gonna be choking if they have to pay this all out in cash.” He saw Jensen tense as he started to turn. “Not that they won’t pay it. I’m just saying, maybe he wants to take part of this in casino credit or... no, never mind.”

“I actually wouldn’t mind taking all of my winnings in casino credit,” Jared offered helpfully since he knew the money he’d started with had been Jensen’s anyway. “I’ll do whatever’s easiest for the casino. No big deal to me.” He dropped his eyes to the carpet and a faint blush crept up his cheeks as he added with a cough, “I got what I came for. I wasn’t really interested in the money.”

As Jensen turned to look at him with an almost stunned look, Justin was staring at Jared as if he’d grown another head. The floor boss suddenly grabbed for his ear as if his earpiece had made a loud noise, which it must have because he turned to shoot the camera a scowl.

“No! I am not telling him that because my boss is standing right here and will probably fire me if I say that!” He spoke into his microphone while rolling his eyes. “You can tell him yourself tomorrow, Murray. I’m not... what the hell are you? His financial advisor? Kane! Disconnect Chad from my line while I go cash the big winner of the night out.”

“I meant it when I said I’m willing to take credit,” Jared repeated as he fell into step beside Jensen still holding his hand. He noticed a few strange looks from people on the floor but found that most of the employees only smiled at their employer and his companion.

“Not that I’ll let you, but what kind of credit were you thinking about?” Jensen asked as they walked through the casino. He noticed that it was now dark out which told him that he’d let the game go on a lot longer than he’d planned to, and he should probably see about feeding both of them. His smile widened when he also realized this was the first time since he woke up back in Vegas that he was actually a little hungry.

Jared shrugged. “Credit for the games or the shops and restaurants. Well, anything but that place you took me to the first time or that fancy pet shop. And if it’s Misha’s shop, I want a say in the clothes.” He still shuddered at some of the choices. “Do his clothes shrink? I swear most of them are too tight on me now.”

Jensen slid a look beside him as he debated where to go, but only one place felt right to him. As he looked more closely at Jared, he noticed how this jacket fit shoulders that seemed a little broader, and the long arms seemed to be a little more muscular than those of the gawky boy he’d met almost 10 months ago. “I don’t think the clothes shrunk, Jay. I think you grew some.” He pushed the button to the private elevator but noticed how Jared’s eyes moved to the Impala almost sadly. “I... I haven’t got it fixed yet but I will. I guess you probably heard that I… I haven’t exactly been myself since… well... y’know… how much did Chris finally tell you, Jared?”

The elevator opened and Jensen motioned Jared into the car first before following him in and hitting the button for the penthouse. He noticed how Jared had tensed at the question and suspected he might know more than the bodyguard had led him to believe. “Did you talk to someone other than Chris?” he asked, taking a step away to lean against the wall as the elevator went up.

Jared had felt the tension in Jensen’s hand before he eased away to rest against the well. He debated on how much to say, but he knew he couldn’t lie, not if he wanted to help Jensen like he’d been helped. “Chris told me your car was run off the road and the driver killed while you were on your way to the airport to come surprise me,” he began slowly, sliding his nervous hands into his pockets. “He... he told me your Dad and that... woman hurt you. That’s all Chris said, but... Margo let me talk to her husband and he told me a little more. Not exact details, just some stuff so I’d have a better idea of what was going on so I didn’t say something stupid and mess things up. Look, Jen…” He stopped when green eyes shot to his at the nickname and feared he’d already messed up.

Jensen had almost forgotten what it sounded like to hear that name. He’d closed himself off again since he’d been called other names, vile names, in those six weeks, and he wasn’t sure how he’d react to hearing the one nickname that he’d allowed to be used by only one person. Hearing it now as well as simply being with Jared in the elevator made something he’d been keeping locked up start to loosen. He still had to force himself to relax because he’d gotten used to pulling away and going cold as a way to protect himself again, but he knew when Jared looked at him with that look of fear of making a mistake that he was on the verge of slipping back into his old ways, and he definitely did not want that to happen.

“Say that again,” he said, voice oddly tight.

It took Jared a second to realize what he meant and he swallowed nervously. “Jen,” he repeated and started to smile when he saw some of the hard edges on Jensen’s face melting away. When he said the nickname a third time, he noticed Jensen’s right-hand uncurling where his fingers had clenched. “Jen.”

The elevator stopped and the doors opened to allow them to step into the penthouse. Jared had a moment to notice that the normally neat and spotless living room looked like a restless toddler had been running loose through it with papers, clothes, and poker chips because items were scattered everywhere.

He was about to ask if Jensen had gotten bored and let Chad move in, but he was suddenly tugged back a step and into Jensen’s arms.

“God, Jay, I’ve missed you so damn much.” Jensen wondered if he was shaking as much as he thought he was when he reached out to pull Jared into his arms. He didn’t care if this was the most emotion he’d shown in weeks or if he was shaking as his arms wrapped around Jared. He didn’t even care that he buried his face into Jared’s neck when he felt strong arms slowly wrap around him to return the embrace.

Jared was a little surprised at this reaction and it took him a second to catch up. Then he let his arms wrap around Jensen, holding him tightly but carefully, cautious of the man’s broken ribs and other wounds that might still be painful to touch. “I missed you too,” he murmured. He wasn’t used to being the strong one, but he wanted to support and care for Jensen like he’d been cared for. “I was so worried when I heard Margo yelling at Chris and realized you’d been hurt. I should’ve been here. I wish he’d called me. I would’ve come home... I want to come home, Jen.”

“You’re home, sweetheart. You’re home, and if this is really where you want to be, then I am never letting you go again.” Jensen heard his voice suddenly break and knew there were probably tears on his cheeks. He hated to let anyone, especially Jared, see him like this, but he made no attempt to let go; in fact, he tightened his arms to hold Jared tighter. “I thought I’d never see you again...  never get to touch you again,” he whispered, lips pressed against the hollow of Jared’s throat where he could feel his pulse.

Taking a deep breath, Jensen breathed in the scent of shampoo, aftershave and a more familiar scent that he knew was Jared. It was that last scent that slowly had him relaxing despite how raw he felt right then as he heard echoes of the threats made against Jared by his father and Bianca.

“I... I wouldn’t have wanted you here during this, Jay,” he said. He felt Jared try to shift them toward the sofa and let himself be nudged, keeping his arms around Jared as they sank down onto the cushions. He realized how much he’d missed just sitting with Jared in his arms. “I know you think Chris was wrong, and yeah, he probably should have called you after I was rescued but he… he knew I wouldn’t have wanted you in Vegas during it. I... I wouldn’t have wanted you in danger because both Dad and Bianca know I love you and... God, the crap she spewed about what he… what they’d do to you just to get to me… I couldn’t risk that, Jared.”

Jared hated Jensen’s father and that woman every bit as much as he hated his own father as well as the late and hopefully in hell Mark Pellegrino. He normally shied away from violence, but he thought if he ever came face to face with Mark Ackles or Bianca again, he would have no trouble giving them a taste of their own medicine.

He hated to hear the shake in Jensen’s normally strong and deep voice. He could now see that the wound on Jensen’s throat went all the way around it, so he knew it had to have been caused by a collar that had been intentionally put on too tightly. Jared suspected that speaking must still be somewhat painful for the man, but Jensen continued talking.

“You can touch me, Jay. I might be jumpy, but I promise that I know you won’t do anything to hurt me. It’s just… it’s hard but I guess it’s good that I’m not curled into a ball or hiding in a bottle of hard liquor like I was last time.”

“Do you want to... talk about it?” he asked softly even though he knew it was a stupid question given how long it had taken him to begin to share details of his abuse at Pellegrino’s hands. “You don’t have to right now or… or at all if you don’t want to. Just know that I’ll listen like you listened to me. Of course, I also beat up Chad... have you beaten up Chad yet?”

Jensen laughed his first real laugh in months. “Damn, I’ve missed you and that mouth. And no, I haven’t beaten Chad up though I think I might’ve swung at Chris once. I... I don’t think I’m ready to talk yet but... soon,” he promised.

He was about to ask another question when he suddenly thought of something Jared had said earlier. “You said you brought everything back… so where’s all your stuff?” he asked.

“Oh... umm... Margo booked me a room in case this didn’t go the way I wanted it to. I wasn’t sure if you’d be ready to see me or... have me stay with you this soon or...” Jared stopped as Jensen moved to look at him fully. “I... I guess I could cancel that room and bring my stuff back here if you... want me to.”

“Yeah, that’s a given,” Jensen took a moment to shoot Chris a text to tell him to have that taken care of and then debated between food, talk, or maybe an actual night of sleep without nightmares. After carefully weighing his choices, he decided that stripping Jared out of the jacket that matched his suit was the best one. He wanted to get a look at what was underneath it. “Remind me to tell you how nice the suit looked on you... later.”

Jared’s dimples flashed as he helped Jensen remove the jacket. It had been bothering him all night, but he’d kept it on for appearance’s sake and to hide his wrists from the casual onlookers. He’d known Jensen might be able to see what he still wore, so he wasn’t surprised that as soon as the jacket was off and tossed onto a nearby chair, the man’s fingers unbuttoned the cuffs of the white shirt and pushed them up so he could see the ribbons better.

“Y’know when I put these on you, I never meant for you to think you had to wear them all the time,” Jensen told him.

“I know… but I wear them because they remind me of you and the very first time you used them on me.” Jared watched Jensen’s eyes as he ran his fingers over the ribbon on his left wrist. “I keep them on because when I was in New York and lonely, I’d touch one and I’d feel closer to you. Then when I was freaking out over how badly you were hurt and I couldn’t get to you right away, touching them helped me not worry so much.” He bit his lower lip. “I know why you put them on me. I also know that it might be a while now before you want to... to make love with me… and that’s totally fine. You never pushed me and I will never push you. I just want to make sure you know that... I love you, Jensen.”

Jensen lifted his eyes to look at Jared. It was still surreal for him to hear someone say those words to him and really mean them, to know that they weren’t just saying them, hoping for something in return.

For four months he’d dreamed of making love with Jared, of slowly breaking out a few of the toys he knew the younger man had enjoyed before. Phone sex had been enough to cut some of the tension, but his imagination could only take things so far. He missed having Jared with him and watching his reactions and his face when he climaxed.

He wanted to take Jared now and kiss him, to hold him, to touch him but even as he thought of acting on his thoughts, Jensen was pulling back as a flash of memory hit him. He still had moments when Bianca’s voice would come into his ear mocking him as she whipped him or as she sucked him, keeping him hard even as one of her people whipped his back bloody.

Six weeks of abuse, sexual, physical, and emotional, had taken a toll on him. It had awakened the emotions he had tried to bury of the hell she’d put him through at 16. He had just been figuring out who he really was, but he now felt like he was back at square one. He hated that he was letting them win by changing him, making him doubt and fear every decision again.

Jensen knew in his head that he was free; he’d now been free for almost three weeks and he’d been back in Vegas for most of that. Physically, he had healed a good bit; it was more the mental crap he couldn’t escape. He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about any of it though, not only because he worried it would bring back Jared’s own ordeal, but he also wasn’t sure if he could admit to this wide-eyed, gentle-looking young man everything that had been done to him.

“Jared, I…” He began speaking but stopped again when gentle fingers reached up to touch the still-visible mark around his neck. Reflexes had him nearly jerking back, but he managed to stop in time. “Jay... I... I want you. I can’t begin to tell you how much I want you but... and this is going to probably sound so stupid coming from me given the things we’ve done, the things you’ve seen both with me and not, but... damn it... I don’t feel right touching you.

“She... they took so much, Jay. I know I can’t compare to what Pellegrino did to you that week, but it was worse, more intense and sadistic, than what she did the first time she had me…” Jensen stood up and walked away from the sofa, needing some distance because he knew if Jared reached out to touch him right then, he would flinch and he did not want to put any fear or guilt into his eyes. He glanced over his shoulder to see that Jared had also stood up. “I’ve missed you, Jay. So damn much. I want you to stay but... I’m not sure if the man you knew, either of them, is still here. I think my father and his bitch might’ve destroyed him... me... the moment she locked that collar back on me. I didn’t want to talk about it yet. Chris has said I’ve been hiding in a shell and maybe he’s right. I wanted to do the same thing I did at 17 and pretend I was just fine… let the scabs heal over until I was too hard, too cold to care about myself or anyone else but... it’s harder this time because I... I love you and I want to give you so much but I don’t want to ask you to stay with me the way I am… that wouldn’t be fair to you.”

Jared heard the change in Jensen’s voice. As someone who’d been raised by an abusive father and who’d been on the receiving end of emotional and mental abuse since he’d been a child, he recognized the uncertainty, the shame, as well as confusion in Jensen. It seemed like all the emotions he’d been hiding from, the ones that had made him so hard and bitter had now come back and were swamping him. Jared was determined to help him overcome this latest trauma.

“Jen, I started to fall in love with you when you were still pretty much acting like an asshole. That morning you left my iPad and a rose on the bed? I think that’s when it started. I already knew I loved you even before you told me how you felt. I love you and I will love you no matter how long it takes for you to heal. I will be here to help you find yourself so you can look those fucking assholes in the face and tell them that they didn’t beat you.” Jared spoke firmly, taking a slow step forward and wishing Chris had told him both of those people were dead when he saw a mild flinch and then a little bit of surprise. “I came back because I loved you and I hoped you still loved me or if what happened had caused a change then I thought maybe we could start over so that’s why I let Margo book me a room and I can still go use it or sleep there if you’d rather umm take your time…”

“You’re still cute when you ramble on like that.” Jensen’s smile wasn’t strong but it was there as he forced himself to relax again and take a step toward Jared. The younger man stood still, letting Jensen approach him until they were close enough that he was able to reach out slowly and lace his fingers with Jared’s. “What I feel for you hasn’t changed, Jay,” he told him firmly. “You have no idea how much you helped me even before this happened. If I hadn’t met you, if I hadn’t fallen in love with you, then what happened this time might’ve broken me totally. Thinking about you was all that kept me sane. I can’t help but wonder if the casino is worth it… maybe I should give it back to Granddad and move on but…”

“No, oh hell, no. You are not quitting on this place or yourself,” Jared replied with a firm shake of his head. “This whole place is so successful because you love it. The classic cars, the classic music, The Open Road motif... it’s all a sign of the freedom that you’ve been trying to gain all your life and you will not let anyone take that from you. I won’t let anyone take that from you, Jensen. Hell, you can even use my winnings from Blackjack toward any more work that needs to be done on the casino or the Impala. I’d be an investor if I could, but I’m sure I didn’t win enough for that… and I guess it would look weird for your boyfriend to be an investor and… crap… I didn’t mean to say that word out loud.” He stopped again when Jensen’s eyes shot to his at the term ‘boyfriend’.

Jensen had been toying with the word silently but hadn’t used it out loud yet even though Chris and others had been throwing it out there plenty when referring to Jared. “Hmm, boyfriend,” he murmured and found it didn’t give him the same weird vibes as it had once. “First time that I can hear it, even say it, without wanting to run the other way. Maybe we’ll see about that investor idea sometime and put those math skills to good use…after you finish college.”

“Did I say I was going to college?” Jared asked as he let Jensen press their palms together. He knew what he wanted to do, but feared pushing too fast.

“No, but you wanted to at one point, and you’re more than smart enough, so I think you should,” Jensen returned while holding Jared’s eyes with his own as he took a step closer. “But that’s a conversation for another time. You’ve been gambling all afternoon and night. You’ve gotta be hungry so we can find something to eat or... we can get you settled in your room so you can get some sleep or…”

“If I asked you to trust yourself like I trust you... would you?” Jared asked him quietly. He could see the shadows in and around Jensen’s eyes that spoke of how little sleep the man was getting, and he suspected he was having nightmares. Jared still suffered from them occasionally and figured Jensen’s had to be much worse since his ordeal was so recent. He knew that not sleeping and probably not eating well was bound to be making Jensen even more on edge than usual, so he decided to see if he could push just enough to maybe start to help Jensen get his confidence back, at least in one part of his life; hopefully, then they could work on the others.

“Depends on what you’re asking for trust on.” Jensen felt himself tense as Jared took his other hand and laid it over his heart. “Jared, I said that I…”

“I know what you said… and I know how it feels to be scared to put yourself out there after being hurt and used and probably told so much crap, but you’re stronger than I am than I ever will be, Jen. You know in your heart that you can get over what she did to you or what she made you do.” Jared slowly took Jensen’s clenching hand and placed it over the ribbon on his wrist. “I trust you and I hope you trust me enough to know that I’d never ask you to do anything if I wasn’t sure both of us were ready for it. We can just sleep together tonight if that’s all you want to do. I wouldn’t ask you to do anything that might trigger the memories… or if you’d rather sleep alone then I’ll…”

“Sleeping alone is all I’ve been doing and it hasn’t been working too well,” Jensen broke in, fingers playing with the ribbon until he felt the end come loose so he could unwind it a bit. “I’ve been sleeping in your room mostly since Chris brought me back from Italy because I didn’t have as many nightmares in there but…”

“How tired are you, Jen?”

Jensen was exhausted if he wanted to be honest, but he knew if he slept right now, even with Jared, the odds were good he’d have another nightmare. His emotions were still running high so he knew he’d wake up, and he was worried about what would happen if Jared tried to wake him up during one of his nightmares.

“I feel like I could sleep for a week and still feel like a zombie,” he admitted, but he was quick to catch Jared’s hand when he went to ease away. “But I don’t think I can sleep right now... what do you have in mind?”

Jared understood this was a risk but felt in his heart that he had to try to help Jensen regain his confidence a little.

“Can... can you let me in the playroom a second and then I’ll meet you in my room?” he asked carefully and then saw Jensen’s eyes narrow in confusion. “Look, what I need is in my luggage and I really don’t want to ask Chris or Chad, especially Chad, to go searching for it. Trust me like you asked me to trust you?”

“I trust very few people these days, but I will always trust you, sweetheart,” Jensen said quietly but then he just stared at the door to the playroom. “I... I actually had your fingerprint programmed into the lock before you left… so you can let yourself in. Is it stupid that I can’t go in that room yet?”

Jared ached for the pain Jensen had gone through. He had lost so much and seemed to have so much unease about things he’d once enjoyed, including his version of rough play and his choice of toys that had remained.

“Of course, it’s not stupid. Didn’t you tell me, baby steps?” He smiled as Jensen’s lips curved. “Go to my room. I’ll be right there.”

Jensen wasn’t sure what Jared was planning, but he was curious enough to let him run with it. He still wasn’t sure if he could do anything sexual with the younger man this soon, but he knew Jared wouldn’t look at him with disappointment if he ended up just wanting to sleep. It had been six damn months since they’d been together so he honestly longed to touch and kiss Jared, but he was worried that his damn memories would resurface at the wrong time.

He checked his phone before tossing it on the dresser. The only thing on it was a teasing message from Chris about canceling Jared’s room. Apparently, he had received Jensen’s message just as his mother had been telling him about the separate room. Jensen sat down on the bottom of the bed and briefly considered taking this to the master bedroom, but decided to stay where he was. He was rubbing his hands over his jeans when he heard the door close, and he had a sudden flash of understanding about just how scared Jared must have been when he’d first been brought to him.

“So, do I even want to ask what you have in your luggage that would probably make Chad start ranting about boundaries again?” He asked the question hoping to lighten the moment and then looked up to see Jared’s cheeks were a faint pink. He found that he still loved making the younger man blush. “And I guess I’d better look into just what the hell you’ve been doing in the Big Apple while Molly’s at school.”

Jared ducked his head and bit his bottom lip. “I... I just got bored one day and asked Sophia if her driver Moe could show me around. She was always telling me I needed to use him more. Anyway, we were driving around and I saw this one little shop that looked... interesting so I…” He paused and cleared his throat. “I went back on my own and bought a couple… ummm… toys that kind of reminded me of you and home.” Jared smiled and shrugged as he placed the items he’d picked out of the playroom on the bed, watching as Jensen’s eyes moved to them and then back to him. Jared felt his cheeks burn even hotter, but he wanted Jensen to know everything. “When you stopped calling, I thought they might help, but it just wasn’t the same by myself. I did get a few come-ons from men and women, but I... I just wanted you to be the one to touch me, to use those on me.” He took a deep breath and looked straight into Jensen’s eyes. “That’s what I still want.”

Jared saw that a few of the shirts he’d left behind had been pulled out and were lying about the room, but he didn’t say a word about it since he’d smuggled an item or two of Jensen’s into his luggage to help him cope with their separation. He took a deep breath and sat down on the bed, starting to unwind the ribbons as Jensen watched him silently.

“This is what I want, Jensen,” he said as he held out both ribbons to Jensen while looking down at the vibrating dildo. “I trust you. Do you trust me to trust you?”

“Yes,” Jensen breathed, but as he took the ribbons into his own hands and ran the silk through his fingers, he also made another decision. “I’ll... I’ll give you what you want if… if you do something for me first.”

The slight bartering made Jared smile because it told him that Jensen’s spark hadn’t been destroyed. “What?”

Jensen’s fingers moved to pull his t-shirt off over his head. “Ride me.”

TBC  

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty-Five

“Ride me.”

Jared Padalecki froze for a moment, sure that he hadn’t heard what he thought he had. Those words were pretty much the last ones he had expected to hear come from Jensen Ackles’ mouth right then. He swallowed hard when he saw Jensen’s shirt drop on the floor. The sight of Jensen’s bare torso turned him on as much as it always had, but the sight of the scars and other marks that still littered the man’s chest, side, and back saddened him at the same time.

“Uh, what?” He knew it wasn’t the greatest comeback in history, but it was all he could come up with. He definitely hadn’t been prepared for Jensen to ask him to ride him, given what he suspected the man had been put through for six weeks. “I mean... you... want me to... but…”

Jensen hadn’t known he was going to say that until the words actually came out of his mouth. Once they were out, he had a brief moment of panic as he thought he’d made a huge mistake. Maybe it was too soon not only for himself but also for Jared. But he had said the words and Jared hadn’t run from the room in panic, so he decided to keep going. “I want you to ride me, Jay. Before I can trust myself to touch you, I need to make sure I can trust myself to be touched.” He fought the urge to put his shirt back on; instead, he turned slowly, giving Jared time to look at the still visible signs of his abuse at Bianca’s hands. “You’re the only one I can trust with that. I know this is something we haven’t done… and if the idea freaks you out at all then we won’t do it. Just tell me.”

It wasn’t what Jared had been expecting, but he hadn’t lied when he’d said he trusted Jensen. If this was something Jensen thought would help him, or even both of them, then Jared was willing to give it a try.

“Tell me what to do?” he responded and thought he saw a flash of relief cross Jensen’s face that he was willing to do this. “Are you sure? Are you ready for this?” Jared was far more concerned with Jensen than with himself right now. His fingers reached out to touch what looked like a still raw burn on Jensen’s side, and he wasn’t able to keep his thoughts to himself. “I hope that bitch dies painfully for hurting you.”

Jensen’s smile was sadder this time as he turned on the bed to cup Jared’s face between his palms. “People like her, like my dad, like your Dad… they usually get what’s coming to them in the end, sweetheart. Karma’s a bitch.” He hesitated before continuing. “Maybe what happened to me this time was karma biting me in the ass for what I did to you.”

“Uh-uh. No, no way. I don’t believe that and neither should you.” Jared had spent a long time thinking about those early days with Jensen. He knew that things had started badly, but he had long since stopped blaming Jensen. He understood more about why things had happened now that he knew about the man’s past. He knew how that much pain, hurt, abuse, and shame could cycle around and knew that Jensen hadn’t been as in control of his actions as he liked to think he’d been. “You were hurt so much while you were growing up and you were trying to change, but you didn’t know how. Sure, Chris and those around you should’ve made some effort to tell you that you were going dark-side, but when you figured that out, you changed. You changed and you’ll keep changing. Karma can go make someone else her bitch, not you, Jen.”

“You never stop amazing me with how you look at things… with how you look at me,” Jensen told him quietly. He was amazed and also awed that he’d been lucky enough to have Jared come into his life and that he’d actually stayed after so much pain. “I haven’t told you nearly enough how much I love you or how much you’ve helped me, before and now.”

“I think we’re probably even on the helping page,” Jared said with a smile while letting his hands settle on Jensen’s shoulders. “Do you really want me to do this?” he asked, obviously nervous about causing his boyfriend any sort of pain. “I can blow you or…”

Jensen slowly eased his hands down to begin to unbutton Jared’s shirt. “I know you’re worried about me. I’m worried about you. So... we’ll try and see how this goes. I’ll talk you through it but... there is one thing I want you to do. You might not want to do it, but I really need you to.” He nodded towards the closet. “Go get two of those ugly ties from Misha. I want you to tie my wrists above me like you wanted me to do for you.”

Jared’s eyes had been focused on the steady fingers opening each button, but when he heard those words, he went rigid. “No. Jensen, no. It’s too soon…” He stopped when a finger touched his lips.

“I need this, Jay. I know you want me to tie your wrists, but I need you to do this for me first.” Jensen actually wanted them tied in case he panicked and lashed out blindly, but he didn’t want to tell Jared that. “Not with the ribbons because those are only for you, and the cuffs won’t fit over the cast so…”

Jared bit his bottom lip and looked at Jensen for several moments before nodding and moving toward the closet. Jensen chuckled as Jared started rummaging through the clothes he’d left behind, mumbling about tailors with bad taste.

Jensen toed off his shoes but left his jeans on for the time being. He moved the ribbons and dildo to the nightstand for the moment because those were for Jared, but he couldn’t help but smile as he thought about why Jared had chosen that particular toy. It had become his favorite item once he had discovered that sex with toys could actually be enjoyable. He had become quite fond of the vibrating dildo with little nubs on it and would choose every time Jensen let him pick.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jared came back with two ties that looked like they should only be worn by clowns at a circus.

“Yes, I’m sure. I just... I just need to try it this way. Okay?” Jensen held Jared’s gaze until the younger man nodded.

“Okay. I’ll do it… and I promise I won’t hurt you, Jen.” Jared thought he understood the reason for Jensen’s requests; he just hoped he didn’t disappoint the man. “What... what do I do first?”

“Watch me,” Jensen replied as he stood to shed his jeans and then, a little more slowly, his boxer briefs. He knew there were still injuries visible on his legs but they weren’t as bad as the ones on his upper body. “A lot of the wounds have healed, Jay. I’ll probably always have scars on my back and chest but…”

“I don’t care about those,” Jared interrupted, touching one on his own chest. “You don’t care about mine, do you?”

Jensen smiled slowly as he watched Jared’s shirt slide off his shoulders and hit the floor. “No, I don’t. I care about you,” He sat on the bed and then lay down, holding out the ties. “I swear, if I start to freak out, if I think I can’t do this, I will tell you and we’ll stop… same rule goes for you too.” He rested his hand lightly on Jared’s chest as he sat beside him to stare at the ties. “If anything we do upsets you, either now or later, then you’d better be using your safe word or telling me to stop.”

“What’s your safe word?” Jared asked as he took Jensen’s right hand in his. He could still see visible marks from cuffs and bonds that had been too tight and feared once again that this was a bad idea. “If I have one, then you need one.”

“Touché,” Jensen agreed, watching as Jared pressed his lips to the inside of his wrist before wrapping the first tie around it two times; the tie was loose enough not to hurt but not loose enough that he could slip his wrist free. Jared then secured the tie to the headboard. “My safeword will be anchovies.”

Jared made a face which caused Jensen to chuckle. “Hey, neither of us likes them, so if I say anchovies during sex, I think that’ll get your attention, right?” He smiled reassuringly as Jared leaned up and carefully secured his other hand, the one in the cast, in the same manner as the first. As Jared pulled back, Jensen carefully tugged on his bonds and had just a moment where his instincts screamed for him to fight to be free, but then he felt a gentle hand rubbing circles over his tight chest and he looked up into worried hazel eyes.

“When... when I woke up after the car crash, my hands were chained behind me,” he began quietly, his voice rough and low, as he adjusted himself on the pillow so he could focus on Jared’s worried face. He could feel gentle fingers continuing to rub his chest reassuringly. “I never had a chance to fight them because I was always cuffed or tied or restrained in some way. When she moved me to Italy, she drugged me… once we were there she would drug me on and off while raping me or letting her pals use me. I think I was drugged most of the time… it’s hard to remember… the only time she really wanted me alert was when she wanted to threaten you or tell me what Dad was doing in Vegas.

“Bianca wasn’t really looking to break or control me. She wanted me hurt. She and Dad wanted me to hurt and completely lose hope and… in some ways I did once she took me to Italy. I didn’t know if Chris could find me there… and I was so scared they’d go after you and I wouldn’t be able to stop them.” Jensen took a shaky breath, unaware of the tears running down his face as he spoke of the things that had happened for the first time. He wasn’t sure why he was saying all this now, naked and tied to a bed, but somehow it felt like the right time. “I thought of you… all the time… even when the pain of their abuse got so bad I couldn’t fight it and I gave in and screamed. I wouldn’t beg her. I wouldn’t beg those bastards she let have me. I wouldn’t beg but I prayed. For the first time in my life, I actually prayed.

“I wasn’t brought up religious and never thought much about any sort of higher power. I didn’t know if praying would help or if anyone was even up there listening, but I guess I didn’t know what else to do. I started praying every day that they’d either kill me that day or that by some miracle Chris or someone would find me… but most of all I prayed that you and Molly would be safe and…” He stopped when his voice suddenly broke and his vision blurred with tears. He cleared his throat before continuing. “I prayed that one day you would forget about me and everything I did to you and go make a fantastic life for yourself.”

Jared had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t cry or show how much Jensen’s story was affecting him but when Jensen’s voice broke and he heard those final words, he couldn’t stop the tear that dropped on the hand still on Jensen’s chest. He swiped his free hand across his face and gave a small chuckle, trying to lighten the moment. “Who knew tying you to my bed would make you so chatty?” He reached out and gently wiped the tears from Jensen’s cheeks as well. “Jen, there’s no way in hell I’d ever forget you. And once I knew something was wrong, I never would have stopped looking for you. I love you and I really want to kiss you right now… are you ready for that?”

“Not yet, but soon, Jay, I swear I’ll kiss you soon.” Jensen coughed to try to clear his voice and turned his head so he could kiss the palm of Jared’s hand after he’d brushed his fingers back through his shorter hair. “Okay with this still?”

“I… just let me untie you. Please, Jensen. I... I think I know why you want this. You want to see that you can be restrained and be touched without it going too far but... you don’t need to prove that because you know I won’t go too far with you and... besides, I’m the bottom in this relationship so really I should be the only one getting cuffed or tied down.” Jared knew that he was technically on top at the moment, but by riding Jensen, he would still be bottoming and he desperately wanted to be able to feel his boyfriend’s hands on him. “Please?”

Jensen stared up at Jared’s face, reading the honest worry and fear there, but he also saw a longing in those wide hazel eyes that he found himself helpless to resist. “I also wanted them on in case I freaked out. I didn’t want to lash out at you,” he said quietly but as Jared kept his gaze level, Jensen finally sighed and relented. “Fine. Untie me. Those big sad eyes could be a dangerous weapon.” He tried to sound frustrated, but couldn’t help but smile as Jared’s dimples came out as he happily released Jensen and tossed the ties onto the floor. “You’re still a bossy bottom, but since I’ve missed seeing those dimples, I guess I won’t complain too much about that.”

“Thank you!” Jared had been prepared to treasure any small wins with Jensen, but this one felt pretty huge so he’d take it and willingly wait for Jensen to be ready to kiss him. “So... you still want me to... ride you?” He couldn’t hide the blush as he said this.

“Yeah, I do,” Jensen nodded and then bit his lip as Jared stood to shed his jeans and briefs and he got his first look at Jared’s body in six months. “Jeez… what the hell happened to that skinny, gawky kid I met almost a year ago?” He pushed up on his elbows, suddenly seeing the advantages of having his hands free, and watched Jared intently. “You’re gorgeous, Jay, and I don’t deserve you.”

Jared blushed even more at the raw emotion on Jensen’s face. “I’m just some kid you met under bad circumstances, Jensen. I’m still waiting for the day when you realize you could have someone a whole lot better than me,” he muttered, trying to figure out what to do next and missing the flash of heat on Jensen’s face at his self-doubt.

“Sweetheart, if anyone’s gonna realize he can have someone better... it’ll be you.” Jensen tried not to dwell on that as he reached into the nightstand and pulled out a small tube. “Take this,” he said as he watched Jared look at the tube uncertainly. “Lean on your dresser, put the lube on your fingers, and stretch yourself for me.” He held up his casted arm. “I’m at a bit of a disadvantage here.”

“You want me to... oh God.” Jared knew he had to be blushing furiously right now. He wasn’t a novice at opening himself; Jensen had talked him through it a few times on the phone, but it felt weird to do it here with the man watching... and then he felt his cock twitch as he realized how hot that might be.

He supported himself with one hand on his dresser after covering his fingers in the lube and then reached back and used a single finger to trace the crease of his ass before finding the puckered hole. He slowly ran the tip of his finger around it before pushing the tip of his index finger up with a soft groan.

“Slow, Jay, go slow.” Jensen put another pillow under his head and lay there watching Jared as he moved at a slow, probably deliberately, teasing speed as he worked one long finger up inside his ass and then added a second. “Fuck, you look so damn hot doing that,” he groaned as he watched, feeling his cock begin to harden and drip at the sight of Jared’s broad shoulders and long legs glistening with a thin sheen of sweat as he worked to open himself enough to take Jensen’s cock.

Since enduring what he had in both Vegas and Italy, Jensen hadn’t been able to jerk himself off. Every time he’d touched himself, he’d had sickening flashbacks and ended up in the bathroom, puking his guts out. So when he’d made his decision to try this with Jared, he’d hoped he wouldn’t have any flashbacks and end up embarrassing himself by getting sick or by not even getting hard. He didn’t have to worry. It took only a few seconds of watching Jared and listening to the sounds he made to figure out that his cock was interested in this plan. In fact, it was more than interested and he longed to feel that gorgeous body slide down on him.

He was fixated on Jared’s face; the boy’s eyes were half closed and his lips slightly parted as he worked a third finger up into himself. It appeared that he had, so far, either missed or intentionally avoided his prostate. Jensen watched as Jared paused for a moment and then stepped away from the dresser to keep his thickening cock from hitting it as it bounced toward his belly.

“C’mere, sweetheart; I think you’re ready.” He held out a hand and chuckled as he saw relief wash over Jared’s face at the invitation. “Straddle me and I’ll talk you through the rest of this.”

Jared nodded and did as he was told, praying he didn’t come before they’d even started and wishing he’d grabbed a damn cock ring from the playroom. He carefully knelt on the bed and eased himself over Jensen’s body until he was straddling Jensen’s legs. He took in the tightness around Jensen’s eyes and bit his lip nervously. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Jay.” Jensen was fine except for the need to be inside Jared. He was fighting the need to take control of the situation, flip the kid over, and fuck him through the mattress, but he didn’t fully trust himself yet and knew he had to let Jared stay in control. “Take my cock in your hand… it’s okay to touch me by the way… now push up on your knees and then come down slowly on me.” He recognized the uncertainty in those hazel eyes and forced a shaky smile. “I trust you. I’m okay.”

Jared did as he was told, wrapping nervous fingers around Jensen’s already hardened and slick cock, stroking it gently, almost like he was handling glass until a hand smacked him gently on the hip.

“I’m not going to break, Jared.” Jensen’s voice was rough as he worked to steady his emotions from just watching Jared’s face as he touched him. He could almost see the thoughts working through the younger man’s head and knew he was probably imagining the things that had been done to him. “Jay, look at me.” He waited until his eyes lifted to meet his. “I swear that if I can’t do this, if it triggers any sort of flashback, I will tell you to stop. I can see you overthinking this… I know you’re probably remembering what was done to you and imagining what she let them do to me but… this is us, sweetheart. We are the only ones who matter. I want to feel you come down on me and I want to watch your face as you ride me until I come… and if you happen to come too, all the better.”

“Nope, not coming until you have me tied to the bed,” Jared replied, but he didn’t feel as confident as he sounded as his heavy cock continued to twitch.

“Oh sweetheart, I promise I can make you come twice tonight. That won’t even be a challenge,” Jensen settled his hands on Jared’s hips to guide him as he lifted himself up and placed the mushroom head of Jensen’s cock against his rim and began to slide down. “Fuck,” he groaned, biting his bottom lip at the first feel of Jared’s inner muscles closing around his cock.

There was the briefest flash of a memory as Jensen heard other voices, and felt different hands on him. The room disappeared for a few moments but then he felt a hand touch his chest and heard a worried voice calling his name. He blinked and saw wide eyes staring down at him, heard Jared asking if he wanted to stop, and realized the boy was about one second from pulling off him. He shoved the dark thoughts aside and focused on the boy above him.

“I’m okay… it’s all good. Relax a little more and come down.” He followed his own advice to relax, seeing how his fingers were clenched on Jared’s hips, and winced when he saw finger-shaped marks there that he knew would bruise. “Damn it. Jared... I’m…”

“I’m a tough guy… I can handle a few damn bruises.” Jared had stopped in mid-motion when he realized Jensen’s eyes had glazed over and he felt his fingers tighten painfully. Now he watched as the man’s focus came back to him. “Even if we don’t play like we did in the beginning, or we don’t use the playroom often, I sure as hell don’t expect slow and gentle from you every time we make love. I’ll admit that games and toys and even a bit of Dom/sub stuff weren’t what I had in mind when I used to picture my perfect lover, but now when I think about it, what I want now is you. You and your hot sex, kinky toys, and whatever your mind comes up with. Now... maybe I should pull off until you’re…”

“Don’t you dare or the next time I do get you in the playroom, I will spank your ass red,” Jensen growled, something in him slowly uncoiling as he felt Jared slide down another inch and heard him laugh.

“Just so you know, that’s actually not such a threat anymore. Hasn’t been since before I went to New York,” Jared reminded him, carefully watching Jensen’s face as he finally came flush and they both moaned. “Jen... I... are you…” He took a couple of deep breaths, fighting his body’s urge to come as he watched Jensen’s face tighten briefly and then relax. The eyes that had squeezed shut slowly opened and looked up at him and Jared watched the tension melt away as Jensen’s hands rubbed gentle circles on his tight upper thighs.

“Oh my God, you feel so good. Move, Jay,” Jensen urged with a nod of his head. “Move however it feels good for you but... just a heads up, this probably won’t take long.”

Jared nodded wordlessly, suspecting it would be the same way for him… if he managed not to come immediately. Now that he was settled and slowly finding a rhythm to move in, up then back down, rocking slowly until he found the movements that got the strongest reactions out of Jensen, he felt his boyfriend’s fingers starting to tease his cock. “Holy crap, Jen! Stop! I’m gonna come right now if you do that!”

“That’s the plan, kiddo,” Jensen chuckled lowly, relishing the dark look Jared shot him and wondering how the hell anyone, himself included, would’ve ever wanted this handsome boy to be docile or obedient because Jared had the most expressive bitch face he’d ever seen and Jensen loved being the one to bring it out. “I want you to come. That way I can make you hard all over again when I get you on this bed with that little toy shoved up this ass… nubs vibrating against your sweet spot… and you all tied up and helpless to… that’s my boy.”

Jensen knew he might still suffer from flashbacks or have some bad moments, but right now he was enjoying every moment as he watched Jared move on his cock. He enjoyed teasing his lover, enjoyed seeing him fall apart when his cock finally hit that spot. Jared’s eyes nearly rolled back in his head and he cried out Jensen’s name as hot strips of white come hit Jensen’s chest and Jared’s stomach.

“Jensen!” Jared hadn’t wanted to come so quickly, but as Jensen explained just what he would be doing to him later, his climax hit him with almost no warning. He had a brief moment of disappointment, thinking that he might’ve ruined things for Jensen until he heard his boyfriend chuckle and felt fingers dancing up his side. “I... God... I’m sorry… I was supposed to be making you come.”

“And I will, sweetheart because seeing you come is about the hottest thing ever.” Jensen knew he was close to his climax and he arched up against Jared, fingers still stroking the younger man’s cock to help milk his climax. As Jared’s inner muscles clamp around his cock at the same time as the younger man rocked forward, Jensen felt his balls draw up tight and gasped as he felt Jared’s body jerk at the same time he did. He quickly lost himself in his orgasm and watched the bliss spread over Jared’s face as he felt hot come filling him.

For the next several moments, the bedroom was silent except for the sounds of flesh meeting flesh, soft moans of pleasure, and words of love that were private between the two men.

Jensen felt Jared trembling and reached up to slide a hand around to cup the back of Jared’s neck, drawing him down closer to him. “I love you, Jared,” he murmured softly, voice raw from the overwhelming emotions of what they’d just shared. He shivered briefly as he thought of how close he’d come to losing this boy not only because of his own actions but because of the actions of others as well. “I’m so glad you came home.”

Jared went with the pull, allowing Jensen to bring him down close enough for their lips to brush, once, twice, and then a third time. The kiss was hesitant, almost shy, as if this was their first time until finally, Jensen let their mouths connect in a slow, deep, longing kiss, a kiss without heat, without pressure or need, just a slow kiss that both men enjoyed and went with.

“Won’t leave you again,” Jared mumbled between kisses. “Missed you so much. Love... God, I missed kissing you. I love you too,” he groaned. Arms that didn’t feel quite as strong as they once had wrapped around him and then he was laughing when he felt himself rolled until his back hit the bed. “Jen... hmm... not sure if I can get it up this soon or…”

“Trust me, Jay,” Jensen urged, lips teasing Jared’s until they opened on a moan, but he didn’t take the kiss any farther than that yet. Instead, he pushed up and slid off the bed long enough to grab a damp washcloth to wipe them both off. He grinned down at Jared as he imagined what he had planned to keep his end of the deal. “You did so well on doing what I asked, now it’s my turn to give you what you asked me for to begin with.” He lifted the ribbons and the dildo to offer a slow smile. “You still want this?”

Jared nodded, starting to sit up only to go limp when Jensen kissed him again, deeper this time until he relaxed back onto the bed. “If you feel up to it,” he gasped as fingers stroked over his nipples. “I... can wait if you need to or…”

“No, you’ve earned it. Besides, I’ve missed touching you and playing with you so damn much.” Jensen was exhausted, but he knew they could both sleep in the next day… hell they could sleep the whole damn day away. Now that he had Jared back, he had no intention of leaving him for any length of time in the near future. He felt a huge relief that he could still be touched, at least by Jared, without any negative effects and he now felt more confident in touching Jared without the fear of too many memories hitting him and causing him to lose control. Right then he wanted to put that glazed look of passion back on Jared’s face.

Because of what they’d just done, Jensen didn’t have to do any additional stretching to prep Jared to take the dildo. He just made sure to lube it generously before slowly slipping it up inside Jared’s ass; he pushed slowly to make sure Jared got the full effect and feel of the long, thick dildo before it was settled right up against his prostate. “Feel good?” he asked and smiled at the low hum of pleasure he got from Jared. “Well, if getting it in felt good then you should really like this.” He thumbed the remote control to flip the dildo onto its lowest setting and immediately heard a low curse then a whimper as Jared’s body began to come alive again.

“I’ve missed touching you.” Jensen kissed Jared’s wrist before he slowly wrapped it in the ribbon; with each wrap, he pressed his lips against the palm first and then each finger. He loved the little sounds Jared made without being aware of it and also how much easier it was for the younger man to relax and let himself enjoy what Jensen did to and for him.

“I’ve missed kissing you.” He made certain the soft silk was tight enough to hold but not hurt if, more likely when Jared began to tug on the restraint before he hooked his first wrist to the headboard.

He repeated the process with Jared’s left wrist while also giving teasing little touches over his hardening nipples. He grinned as he increased the speed of the dildo’s vibrations and also activated the little nubs, which just about drove the boy crazy.

“I’ve missed tasting you.” Jensen licked over the shell of Jared’s ear, hearing him whimpering his name as his spent cock made a valiant effort to plump back up. “I’ve missed hearing your voice, seeing your smile. I’ve even missed that attitude you tend to give me.” He brought Jared’s hand to his lips to kiss it before securing it to the bedframe and sitting back to look at the scene before him. “You doing okay?”

Jared tested the strength of the knots and the ribbons. He knew he couldn’t slip them or untie them, but he had no desire to do so anyway. He was glad they were strong enough to withstand him tugging on them as he felt the nubs on the dildo amp up another notch, now massaging not only his inner walls but also his prostate. He let out a groan, arching up as Jensen’s fingers trailed slowly down his chest to his stomach.

“Yeah,” he gasped, hair spilling over his eyes until warm fingers brushed it out of his face. He could see Jensen’s eyes were still dark but calm. “I missed you too, Jen,” he said, and then he was moaning into a kiss that caught him by surprise. He parted his lips to allow for the slow entrance of a skilled tongue; the kiss lasted for several seconds before Jensen pulled back, looking a little nervous and uncertain. Jared looked into his eyes, hoping he hadn’t pushed for too much too soon. “We... we’ll be okay, right?”

“We are okay, Jay,” Jensen promised him and would fight to make sure of that, no matter what happened after that night. He would not risk Jared or what they were building, and he knew he would do whatever was needed to ensure he kept that promise. Right then though, he had something more important to focus on and so, with a slow smile, he slid down between Jared’s spread legs to take his cock in between his fingers and ran his finger down it slowly, hearing a low moan of need. “I won’t say it’ll be easy. I’m probably still gonna have issues with what happened, and I know I’ll still have problems with the casino. My Dad and Bianca are still out there somewhere but... I swear you’ll be safe here and we will make it.”

“I vote with Chad that we keep a shotgun or a sword handy and HOLY FUCK!” Jared’s brain short-circuited when his cock was taken between hot lips as Jensen began to slowly suck.

Jensen smirked a little as his imagination went wild thinking about what trouble Jared and Chad could get themselves into with real weapons. He made a mental note to remind Chris that Chad was not allowed to take Jared to the gym or the gun range without proper adult supervision. Then he cleared his mind and went to work on Jared’s cock while thumbing the remote control to nudge the dildo to its next speed. As Jared gasped and squirmed, he knew it probably wouldn’t take the young man long to reach climax this time either.

Wrapping his fingers around the piece of Jared’s cock that wasn’t in his mouth, Jensen knew he wasn’t ready to deep throat yet, he drew it in as far as he could right then and sucked it slowly, allowing his tongue to move under as well as over the slit and felt the stream of precome increase steadily.

“Oh God Jensen…” Jared’s body was on edge, his blood on fire, as the dildo vibrated in his ass. He could feel the little nubs massaging steadily against his prostate, and he tried to fight the urge to arch up in fear of choking Jensen.

Restlessly he tugged his wrists before remembering that he was the one who’d wanted to be tied up. Now he just wanted to touch Jensen as he watched him hollow his cheeks, sucking deeper and faster while his fingers stroked the part not in his mouth and his other hand slid back to gently massage Jared’s balls.

“Jen!” Jared knew he was close and really wanted to come. He was starting to feel the cumulative effects of the long flight, the stress of waiting for Jensen to show up at the Blackjack table, the long evening of gambling, and their earlier act. His body was strung out and he felt like his balls would turn blue soon if Jensen didn’t let him come. “I’m going to... need to...  please…” His words trailed off into an inarticulate moan.

Lifting his eyes, which only had a thin ring of deep green as the rest were all pupils from desire, Jensen tasted Jared’s come on his tongue as he flicked it over the slit slowly while letting his nail rake gently up the underside of the cock. He met wide, almost pleading, eyes and gave a slight nod, giving the permission that he realized Jared seemed to be waiting for.

Jared thought maybe he should try to wait, to draw it out for as long as possible, to make sure Jensen was ready as well, but his endurance had given out and with the next flick of the skilled tongue, he was done. He felt his balls tighten as his ass clenched around the dildo and then he was coming with a ragged shout.

Jensen tensed when the first taste of hot come hit his tongue. A piece of the casino owner had wondered if he’d be able to swallow this time. He’d been forced to repeatedly by Bianca’s people and worried that he might not be able to with Jared this soon, but at the first taste of come and the sound of Jared’s broken voice, there was no fear this time and no dark memories. There was just the taste of Jared and that allowed him to swallow while sucking gently and keeping his fingers moving on the upper part of the cock until he heard the whimpers of pleasure turn slightly pained and knew to stop.

Pulling off with a wet pop, Jensen moved up the bed to catch Jared’s face between his hands and kissed him deeply, loving the sound he heard when Jared tasted himself on his lips and tongue as their tongues teased while he finished working Jared through the climax with a couple more gentle strokes of his hand.

“You are so good for me, Jay,” he whispered against his mouth, hand moving down and back to shut off the dildo before carefully removing it and dropping it to the floor. He then quickly untied the knots and gave the ribbons a pull to free Jared’s wrists so he could pull the younger man into his arms. An unexpected rush of raw and pure emotion swamped him and Jensen buried his face against the side of Jared’s throat to try to buy himself a couple moments to compose himself. “I love you and will always love you. Mine.”

The last word was whispered tightly but the intent was clear. Jared’s body felt like a wet noodle and his mind was starting to drift off, but he forced himself to focus on Jensen for another moment. “Yours,” he returned, feeling somewhat awed by the intensity of the emotions reflected on Jensen’s face. “Sleep now?”

“Yeah, sleep now sweetheart,” Jensen chuckled and cleared his throat again as he reached for the rag on the floor to once more wipe them both off. He’d also come again by rubbing off on the bed while watching Jared’s face as he orgasmed for the second time that night. “We can sleep as long as we want. I swear I’ll fire the first moron who buzzes, calls or knocks before I’m ready to let you out of this bed.” He stretched out beside a sexed-out and sleepy Jared who immediately turned into his side and rested his head over Jensen’s heart, their fingers meshing where their hands laid over Jensen’s stomach after he pulled a blanket up to cover them, figuring he’d worry about clothes in the morning.

Jensen swallowed tightly as he lay still and watched Jared fall asleep. There’d been times when he thought he’d never see Jared again, much less be able to hold him like this so now as he let his body cool and his mind drift into what he prayed was a peaceful sleep, he smiled a little more. “We’ll make this work, Jared,” he whispered, and knew he would regardless of what the coming days brought them.

TBC

Chapter Text

Debts Owed, Lives Gambled

Chapter Forty-Six

“Where’s the kid?”

Jensen Ackles looked down from his perch on the scaffolding system that had been erected to allow him to finish the work on the 1967 Chevy Impala in the center of The Open Road Casino and Hotel lobby. He shot his friend and head of security/bodyguard a mild warning look before returning his attention to buffing the edge of the newly repainted car.

It had been five months since Jared’s return and while the casino owner couldn’t deny there had been a few bumps along the way, it had certainly been interesting, and Jensen wouldn’t have changed any of it for any money in the world.

They’d both slept late the day following Jared’s homecoming, waking only long enough to share a shower and move from Jared’s room to the master bedroom for a day of slow, passionate lovemaking interrupted only by sandwiches which Jared hurriedly threw together when hunger threatened to overwhelm him. While they ate in bed, something Jared was grudgingly willing to do only because he didn’t want to leave the bedroom, they talked about what Jared had been doing in New York as well as the actual casino business that Jensen had been dealing with before he had been taken.

“You should’ve told me about the cops asking about that mess, Jen,” Jared said while tracing a fingertip and then his lips over the scars on Jensen’s back after he’d finally coaxed the man onto his stomach to show him. “I would’ve talked to them if that would’ve helped.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want them grilling you and making you relive what had happened. Not when you were finally starting to really recover.” Jensen lay on this stomach with his arms tucked under his pillow. He had resisted showing his back but gave in when the puppy dog eyes came back out. He was starting to realize that it was very difficult to deny Jared anything, especially when the younger man’s smile was out in force. “The one thing you have to understand is that I still feel the need to look after you, to protect you.” He glanced back over his shoulder to watch as Jared traced a raised welt on his lower back. “It’s not that I don’t think you can take care of yourself; it’s more... something I feel the need to do. Can you understand that?”

Jared thought he did because he felt the same need to care for Jensen at times, like now. “Can… can we look out for one another?” he asked warily, still unsure of how a real relationship with a man should go. “I mean, I think I get what you’re saying and that’s fine... but who’s gonna look out for you besides Chris? I want to feel like I can help you too when you need it.” He shifted slightly to the side as he continued to slide his lips over the scars. He wanted to be sure not to make Jensen feel trapped or held down while he was on his stomach since he didn’t want to take a chance on triggering anything.

“You do help me, sweetheart,” Jensen replied, moving his arm back to bring Jared back to him as he rolled to his side, still marveling at how Jared’s body seemed to fit against his so well. “You’ve helped me so much since you came into my life. If not for you, I’d probably be dead or worse but... okay, we can talk about compromising on the whole looking out for one another thing if you want.”

Jared’s dimples winked at that and he was relaxing into Jensen’s arms for a playful kiss when suddenly the intercom on the nightstand blared to life and a very unwelcome voice was heard.

“Hey! I’ve got a pissed-off cook threatening me with knives and a computer programmer who said he’s gonna take that damn door off its hinges again if you don’t show your face and Jared’s pretty soon!” Chris Kane’s gruff voice said, adding, “And your grandmother and my mother have also been making noises about coming up here soon so…”

As Jared’s face went beet red and he buried it against Jensen’s chest, the casino owner started growling about firing everyone, selling the place, and opening a new casino in Alaska.

“Damn it, Kane, if the casino isn’t on fire and there is no major crisis that you need me for, especially since my grandfather is still taking care of things, is there a reason you’re on this damn device other than to annoy me?” he demanded, fingers carding through soft dark hair that he noticed was a little longer than before. “Weren’t you the one bitching at me for not sleeping? Maybe we’re still in bed because we’re asleep or…”

“Your cover’s blown, boss. We know you went to sleep in Jared’s room, but you’re not there now. Marta said there’s evidence that someone made sandwiches earlier today, but it’s now going on 5 in the afternoon. You really need to feed that kid some real food, yourself as well, since we all know sleeping isn’t the only thing you’ve been doing,” the bodyguard responded. “Ummm, fair warning… Chad’s heading down the hall with the drill.”

“Fine, we’ll be out in a few minutes!” Jensen said and slapped a hand on the intercom. “Remind me to disconnect this damn thing! If I could stand anyone else, I’d fire him. He’s already been knocked down to second on my favorite person list; now he’s trying to get kicked off altogether.” He continued to grumble grumpily, but he knew he should’ve thought about feeding Jared before now. The poor kid had made a run for sandwiches, but that had been hours ago. His own stomach was rumbling, so he knew Jared had to be starving. “I guess I still need to break that selfish streak I have cause I really don’t want to go out there and have to share you.”

Jared’s lips curved as he looked up to meet Jensen’s in a kiss. “Must be contagious... I just want to be alone with you for a while longer.” He gave Jensen one more kiss and then rolled over to reach for his jeans, glad he’d thought to grab clothes from what had still been in his dresser.

Jensen smiled, watching as Jared pulled his jeans on and slipped into a t-shirt that clearly said it was time to buy shirts to fit broader shoulders. “Let’s go see what Marta’s got to eat; I guess we both need to eat some real food anyway. We’ll let Chris and Chad bitch for a few minutes, see if Justin managed to cash you out without breaking my bank, and then I’ll kick everyone out and we can do whatever you want for the rest of the night.”

“And if I just want to sit with you or... make out... can we do that?” Jared had sat back down, expecting Jensen to get dressed, but then he felt fingers curling in his hair, tugging until he leaned back to see Jensen’s slow, sexy smile. Jared moaned. “Maybe we should skip food and just wait for breakfast?”

“Apparently, Chad’s on his way to take down my door,” Jensen laughed, kissing Jared again before giving him a gentle shove. “Let’s go.” Jensen dressed quickly and then unlocked the door, coming face-to-face with Chad who was studying the hinges on the door. Jensen let out a growl and stepped past him, pulling Jared along.

Jared noticed that his luggage had been placed in the hall beside Jensen’s door, and he couldn’t help but blush a little at the fact that whoever had delivered the bags, probably Chris, had assumed that he’d be moving right into the master bedroom. Before he could say anything, Marta bustled out of the kitchen and hugged him tightly while lecturing them both about missing meals, especially Jensen, who it seemed hadn’t been eating a lot lately.

“Good, now she can lecture someone else,” Chris Kane called from the tiny alcove in the kitchen where he had been waiting for them. “I’ve been told to let you know that tomorrow your grandfather expects to see you in the main office. He cut you a break today because Sophia told him and I quote, ‘leave those boys alone. They’ve been apart for six months and are probably fucking like bunnies.’” He coughed and shrugged as Jared buried his face in his hands and Jensen closed his eyes. “Have I mentioned your grandmother has more colorful phrases than either my parents or the guys who work with Dad?”

“Please don’t hate my grandmother. She really means well,” Jensen begged Jared after Marta finally released him and turned back to the stove. He nudged him into a chair at the small kitchen table and sat across from him, eying the envelope sitting in the middle of it. “Chris, I know he won more than an envelope that size can hold so where’s the rest of it?”

“Jensen!” Jared hissed, “I said last night that I didn’t care. I really don’t care if it’s all credit or... you can just keep it. It’s not like I was trying to win your money. I just wanted your attention.”

As Jensen’s eyes narrowed, Chris shook his head. “And this is why I had to listen to Chad bitch all night and most of this morning about Jared still being too naïve and trusting for this life.” He pushed the envelope over to Jared who made no move to touch it. “Justin said the guys in the bank room about had a stroke when he took those chips in. They actually didn’t have enough cash in the room and we needed either you or your grandfather to open the safe. I told them to just write a check, but one for that amount needs your signature on it. I brought the unsigned check so he’d at least know how much he won. You can sign it and then argue with him about taking it.”

“There’s not going to be any argument; he’s taking it because he won it,” Jensen said firmly and then smiled his thanks at Marta as she placed a plate of food in front of him. It was the first time since he’d returned to Vegas that he was looking forward to a meal.

Chad wandered back into the kitchen just in time to hear that remark. He looked at Jared with a stunned expression. “Jaybird, tell me you’re not still making noises about not taking the cash. Dude!”

“Technically he did cheat at the beginning,” Chris pointed out only to see hot green eyes drill into his as Jensen pushed the plate aside to lean on the table to stare at him.

“He wasn’t when he played with me,” he replied tightly, surprised at the amount of anger he felt right then at his friend’s comment. “He keeps the money.”

“Listen to Jensen, kiddo. He’s your boyfriend and everyone’s boss.” Chris glared at the computer programmer who suddenly remembered several important tasks he needed to complete and headed for the elevator.

As Jared listened to everyone arguing, he became curious about just how much he’d won. He’d seen the bucket of chips, but he figured most of them were the lower-value ones. He pulled the envelope over as he listened to Jensen’s tone drop to the cold and icy hard one, the one he’d come to know was the man’s casino voice rather than his personal one. He was about to interject that Chris was right and he had been cheating in the beginning, but then he looked inside the casino envelope. “Is this a joke?” he asked as his eyes went wide. “I did not win this much... did I?”

Jensen leaned over to look at the total amount and actually had a brief moment where he felt his brain go numb as he took in the amount. He could only imagine the reaction from the people who were used to cashing out a few grand to a lucky winner. They didn’t ever deal with anything this large unless it was during a special poker tournament. “You were playing at the big boys’ table last night, sweetheart.” He took the check out of the envelope and signed his name to it before slipping it back inside with a smirk. “Chad can take you to the bank to cash this tomorrow. Put some of it in your account, give some to Molly for spending money, and then blow the rest on whatever you want. It’s yours.”

“You... you should keep this, Jen. Keep it for what you’ve spent on Molly’s tuition and the apartment or…” Jared still felt weird about how much money Jensen was spending on his sister, but he knew the man well enough to know that Jensen would never let him give the money back. “Sure I can’t be an investor?”

“We’ll actually talk about that more later… but now that I think about it… maybe you should put this toward college. That way you don’t have to get all stubborn when I offer to pay it like I know you will.” Jensen heard Chris start to say something only to jump when Marta dropped a knife on the table in front of him while placing a platter of roast beef down.

“What if I’d rather invest in the casino than go to college?” Jared challenged though he couldn’t deny that he was interested in seeing if he could get into a college now. “Maybe I’m just smart about numbers and stupid about... mmhm!”

Jensen didn’t care that they weren’t alone as he swiftly turned to catch Jared by the shirt to pull him close enough to cut him off with a kiss. “You are not stupid and any college in this country would love to have you. Try it. Just look into a couple of local ones and if you don’t like them or you don’t get accepted then you can invest every cent of your winnings into the casino, but you are not paying me back for Molly’s tuition or rent on the apartment or anything else I do for her.” He brushed his thumb along Jared’s jaw once he pulled back after Chris kicked him under the table. “If... if I’m your boyfriend then I guess that makes Molly family to me too, and I take care of those I love.”

Jared knew his eyes were welling up, and he probably knew he shouldn’t do what he was about to since they weren’t alone, but when Jensen turned on his seat and merely opened his arms, he moved out of his chair and into arms that closed around him tightly.

“Thank you for saying that,” he murmured while fighting back the tears. “I never... I mean, I guess I’d always figured that to give Molly the life I wanted for her, I’d have to give up everything and work two or three jobs to keep her in school. Now you’re doing all this for her, and you even seem to like me…” Jared gave a half chuckle, half sob as his voice broke.

A year ago Jensen would never have risked opening himself this much in front of anyone, but now he tugged until Jared was basically in his lap and then wrapped his arms around him. The casino owner closed his eyes and let his head rest against Jared’s while pretending not to hear Marta slapping at Chris to get him out of the room to give them privacy.

“Jared, you basically were willing to sell your soul to get that girl out of this city so she could follow her dreams, so it was clear that you loved her,” he began shakily, holding onto Jared a moment longer before lifting his chin up into his palm to wipe at the tears he found there. “I knew that, just like I could see how much she adored you when we talked after she came to the casino. She’s a wonderful young woman and a really important part of your life…  of our lives. And that, sweetheart, is why I won’t let you pay me back for Molly’s school, the rent on the apartment, or anything else I supply for her or Gen. I love you, and because I love you, I love her, too.”

“Okay, I take back all the bad things I called you those first couple of months,” Jared said with a smile, pulling in a shaky breath and moving back to his seat. He looked over at Jensen and added with a teasing smile, “Even though you were a bastard back then.”

“Jay, there’s going to be times when I’ll probably still be a bastard depending on what’s going on with the casino, but never to you.” Jensen knew he had to learn how to leave work behind when he stepped into the penthouse. “Plus, my grandparents adore you so if I do get too out of hand, just call Grandma and she’ll probably fly out just to slap me.”

Despite how well the day had gone, Jared knew Jensen wouldn’t miraculously heal overnight; he knew there would still be dark times as he got over this latest incident because even almost seven months later, Jared still had the occasional bad dream. He was glad, however, that they would be able to deal with everything together and hopefully heal together as well.

He coaxed Jensen into eating more as the days went by until finally Marta didn’t watch her employer like a hawk every time he sat down at the table and complained about his lack of appetite and how skinny he had become.

Jensen also began to show more interest in the casino’s daily operations, and it wasn’t long before Patrick decided it was safe for him to return to New Jersey. Sophia had headed back the previous week to check in with Gen and Molly.

Chris’s parents remained in Las Vegas even though his father wasn’t seen as much as Margo was around the casino. The fact that Eric Kane was staying in town was another reason the senior Mr. Ackles felt comfortable leaving his grandson to finish healing with the young man who was very plainly becoming more and more a part of his everyday life as an equal partner.

Everyone was still worried about Bianca and Mark still being loose, but Eric Kane reassured his former employer and still friend that he would be staying in town until that matter was handled fully, an act that would leave Chris free to handle security for the casino and his other regular duties.

Jared tried not to get too involved in the business side of Jensen’s life, even though the casino owner frequently asked him to sit in on meetings. Jared freely admitted he didn’t always understand what was going on in those meetings, and when asked his opinion, he mainly went with his instincts, but Jensen knew that the younger man’s instincts tended to be spot on.