Embrace My Reflection (11 page)

When the jury foreman read the guilty verdict, tears welled in Ronnie’s eyes. He bit his lip to keep from crying. He couldn’t show weakness now. Not after holding strong under the enormous pressure the defense lawyers put on him. Lucius took Ronnie’s hand in his and squeezed.

After court was adjourned, Jegens turned to look at Ronnie. “I should’ve known you’d be convincing enough without worrying about how you dressed.”

Ronnie blushed slightly and dipped his head in acknowledgement. “I had the truth on my side, and no matter what they personally might think of me, the jury realized Cameron is a dangerous man to have on the streets.”

Jegens had to talk to the defense lawyers, so Ronnie and Lucius made their way out of the room, waiting for Jegens to join them. When he joined them in the corridor, Lucius looked at Jegens.

“We’re having a party at Cindi’s Cabaret tonight. Not necessarily a celebration party, but more of a ‘thank God, it’s over’ party. Ronnie and I’d like you to join us.”

Jegens glanced at Ronnie. “Will you be performing?” Ronnie winked. “Of course, I will.”
“Then I’ll be more than happy to join you. I can’t stay too late

“I’d be thrilled to accept. Everyone else is going to start arriving at nine, but Lucius and I will be there earlier. It takes me a while to get ready, and Lucius doesn’t like me going to the club alone.” Ronnie hugged Lucius’ arm tight.

“That was because of Cameron, though I will admit I’m still leery about you going there on your own. You’ve proven you can handle yourself, so maybe I’ll let you go alone once in a while.” Lucius brushed a kiss over Ronnie’s cheek.

“Let’s go, everyone. We’re escorting you out back because the media sharks have the front of the courthouse covered.” Dante strolled up to them, gesturing behind him toward the back of the building.

“You go out the back, and I’ll take care of the sharks circling out front. Now you’ll have to continue to deal with reporters because it is big news and you’re a beautiful man. They like that sort of combination.” Jegens shook Lucius’ hand and kissed Ronnie on the cheek before he walked off, briefcase in hand and assistants scurrying along beside him.

Ronnie glanced over at Lucius, but his lover didn’t look jealous because of the kiss. He slipped his hand down to entwine their fingers together and inhaled.

“Let’s go. I still have to grab my stuff from our place and get to the club. How many people are coming?”
As they moved to the exit, Lucius said, “I invited all the guys who worked with me on the case. A lot of them are bringing their wives because they say their wives love the show at Cindi’s. I think some of them secretly like it as well.”
They laughed, and Dante pushed open the door for them. Lucius’ car was parked at the curb. Dante gave them both hugs.
“I’ll see you tonight as well. Most of the agents will be there. They’re looking forward to it.” Dante chuckled as he stepped back from the car. “I never thought you’d be dating a cross-dresser, Lucius, but Ronnie and you fit together perfectly.”
“I know.” Lucius squeezed Ronnie’s hand before letting him go to get in the car. “We’ll see you later.”
Ronnie climbed in, while Lucius got in on his side. A relieved silence filled the air. Ronnie reached over to rest his hand on Lucius’ knee.
“I’m glad it’s over,” he murmured.
Lucius nodded. “So am I, honey. Now let’s get back home and tell MaeAnne, Randall, and Preston about it. Oh, and they’re going to come tonight as well. Randall said he’d drive them all over around nine. Of course, they won’t be staying long, but still I thought it would be nice to ask them to join in.”
Ronnie leaned over and gave Lucius’ cheek a quick peck. “Where else would they be when we’re celebrating? They’re our family as much as any of the guys at the cabaret.”
“I told them the same thing. They didn’t think we’d want a bunch of old people hanging out with us.” Lucius snorted. “Old? Hell, Randall and Preston have more energy than I do most days. And MaeAnne is sharp as a whip.”
“I want to be like Randall and Preston when we get older,” Ronnie admitted, squeezing Lucius’ thigh.
Lucius smiled at him. “I think it can be arranged.”
They parked down from their building and climbed out of the car. Ronnie waited on the sidewalk for Lucius to join him, then he slipped his hand in the crook of Lucius’ elbow and they strolled to the gate leading into the small front courtyard. Ronnie was determined to convince Lucius to put a fountain there and do some more landscaping. It wasn’t a huge space, but still more could be done with it than Lucius had done.
As soon as they stepped inside the building, Randall’s door was yanked open and Preston rushed out. He swooped in and wrapped his thin arms around Ronnie’s shoulders, hugging him tight.
“Be careful, darling. Don’t break the poor boy.” Randall stepped out and grinned at them. “Cindi called and let us know how the verdict went.”
Preston stepped back and signed, “We’re thrilled the senator was found guilty. He deserves to rot in prison for what he did to you.”
Ronnie had been studying sign language so he could better communicate with Preston, but the man’s fingers were flying through the words so fast Ronnie couldn’t keep up with him. Thank God, Randall interpreted for him.
“Yeah, but he has one more trial to go through—the senator, not Ronnie. The U.S. Attorney’s office is bringing him up on murder charges. They found the body of the woman who disappeared last year on the property where he took Ronnie.” Lucius looked grim. “I’ll have to go back and testify again, but this part of the ordeal is over for Ronnie.”
Ronnie closed his eyes and said a prayer for the dead woman. He knew how close he’d come to the same fate, if not for Lucius coming to find him and his own fighting back. Lucius cupped the back of Ronnie’s neck under his hair, giving him the silent support he needed.
The last six months had been hard, but with help from a therapist, his friends, and Lucius, Ronnie had gotten over most of the trauma of that night. There were times when he’d have a nightmare or freak a little, but for the most part, he’d moved on. Performing at Cindi’s kept him focused as well.
“We made dinner, if you’d like to join us,” Randall offered. “I know you don’t have much time before you have to go to the club.”
Ronnie met Lucius’ gaze with a question in his. Lucius nodded, and Ronnie turned to Randall. “We’d love to join you. We’re going to run upstairs and change. Also, I need to grab my bag to take to the club.”
“Great. I’ll open the wine while Randall serves the dinner.” Preston’s fingers flashed as he retreated to their apartment.
Starting up the stairs, he stopped when Randall called out to him.
“Would you check and see if MaeAnne would like to join us as well? We made more than enough for all of us.”
“I’ll do that,” Lucius offered, waving Ronnie on. “Why don’t you go and put something more comfortable on? I’ll talk to MaeAnne.”
After making his way to the top floor, Ronnie opened the apartment door and walked in. He stopped dead in his tracks. Flowers covered every surface in the living room, dining area, and the kitchen. Tears tracked down his face as he spotted the white envelope propped up against the largest bouquet of roses. He’d never seen such a combination of flowers. Red, white, yellow, pink, and burgundy ones graced the glass vase. Pulling a red one out, he smelled it and noticed it was thorn-less.
He put the flower back and picked up the envelope. After opening it, he tugged the sheet of paper out. Ronnie unfolded it to see Lucius’ handwriting scrawled across it.
Every flower in the room means love in some way. The thornless roses mean love at first sight, which is what happened to me the first time I looked at you. I took one look at you and fell, not caring where I landed or how. All I knew was you were the air I breathed and the sunshine I needed to live. I love you, Ronnie Lake, and I will love you until the universe dies away. Possibly longer than that.
Sobbing, he clutched the note to his chest. Each day, Lucius showed him how much he loved him. Each day, Ronnie fell deeper and deeper in love with the man who stole his heart all those years ago. He dropped to his knees, crying and not caring about his make-up running.
“Honey. Oh, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Lucius knelt beside him and encircled him with his strong arms. “If I’d known you didn’t like flowers this much, I wouldn’t have bought them.”
He shook his head, trying to catch his breath long enough to speak the words welling in his heart.
“Hush, love. It’s okay. Let’s get you undressed and in the shower. I’ll call the guys and let them know we’ll be a little late.”
“No,” he gasped, grabbing Lucius’ arm as his lover tried to move away from him. “I’m fine and I adore the flowers. No one’s ever done something like this for me.”
“I wanted you to know I admire and love you so much, Ronnie. Everything you’ve achieved in your life proves how strong you are. I want to stay in your life. I want to grow old with you and watch you perform every night at Cindi’s.”
Ronnie rose up on his knees, cradled Lucius’ face in his hands, and kissed him. He poured all of his love, trust, and every promise he could imagine making into that kiss. Their lips and bodies fit together like God had made them each for the other. They finally broke apart when Ronnie’s lungs burned for air, but he kept his hands on Lucius’ face, studying his lover’s dark eyes.
“I love you. At times, I’m afraid how much you mean to me. I think I’d be utterly destroyed if you ever left me.”
“That’s not going to happen. Never again.”
Ronnie could see how leaving him the first time still affected Lucius. He brushed his thumb over Lucius’ lower lip.
“I’ve told you a hundred times, and I’ll keep saying it, your leaving was the best thing for both of us. As much as we knew we loved each other, we were too young for it to work. Each of us would’ve had to give up something and we’d have resented doing it. I’m glad I had to learn how to survive without you. Somehow, deep inside, I knew you’d be back. I knew our separation wasn’t forever.”
He surged to his feet, bringing Lucius up with him. Waving his hand in a wild gesture around them, he grinned. “Now we have the chance to make our world more beautiful than it was before. Together, we can do anything and be anything we want. We’ll keep our friends and family close, loving all of them with almost as much emotion as we love each other.”
“Sounds marvelous to me,” Lucius agreed and kissed him again.
Ronnie inched back, and Lucius followed him. Step by step, stilling kissing and slowly removing their clothes, they made their way down the hall to their bedroom. He didn’t stop until the back of his knees hit the edge of the mattress.
Sitting, he reached for the waistband of Lucius’ boxer briefs. He glanced up at his lover and grinned as he slid the underwear down to reveal Lucius’ cock. The hard flesh sprang from its confinement, almost hitting Ronnie in the face. Not that he would have minded. He licked his lips and bent, taking the spongy head into his mouth.
Lucius entwined his fingers in Ronnie’s hair, but didn’t pull, just held on. Ronnie flicked the slit with the tip of his tongue, and Lucius jumped slightly. Ronnie chuckled as Lucius moaned. A soft tug at his hair drew his gaze up to Lucius.
“Have a little fun, Ronnie, but don’t make me come. I want to be inside you when I do.”
Ronnie nodded and sucked Lucius’ shaft down until his nose was buried in the dark curls at the base. He got lost in the taste and texture of the flesh he played with; salt and bitterness danced on his tongue, while he savored the velvet-covered steel filling his mouth.
He didn’t know how long he enjoyed Lucius’ cock. Suddenly, Lucius tapped his cheek and started to pull out. He whimpered, and Lucius laughed.
“I’d love to let you blow me until I come, Ronnie, but I want in that tight ass of yours.”
His entire body shuddered and his ass clenched at the thought of Lucius pounding into him. They took turns with who bottomed, but Ronnie admitted he liked getting fucked the best of all. Yet he liked the fact Lucius didn’t just assume he would bottom all the time. Usually, his lover would ask first, but something in the gleam of Lucius’ gaze told Ronnie he would feel their love-making for a couple days this time.
After kicking off his heels, he scrabbled up on the bed and reached for his stockings. He’d gotten the rest of his clothes off before he started sucking Lucius, but taking off his stockings meant being farther away from Lucius than he’d wanted to be earlier.
Lucius reached out and stopped him. “Leave those on. I love the feel of them against my skin as I fuck you. It’s almost as good as having your skin against me.”
Ronnie’s cock stiffened even more and pre-cum leaked from it. Lucius swiped the fluid with his thumb, bringing it to his lips and licking it off. Ronnie pouted when Lucius moved away from the bed.
“Don’t worry. I just need to get the lube. We took it into the shower with us this morning, remember? We’ll have to pick up more next time we go shopping.”
Closing his eyes, Ronnie fisted his cock and stroked. He jumped when hard plastic landed on his stomach. Looking down, he saw the bottle of lube lying there. Lucius knelt on the bed between Ronnie’s legs, staring at him.
“Get yourself ready.”
They’d discovered Lucius liked to watch Ronnie stretch and get himself ready for Lucius’ cock. Ronnie was the opposite. When he was topping, he wanted to be the one turning Lucius on by touching and fingering him. Yet knowing Lucius devoured him with his eyes while he did it made Ronnie hard enough to ache.
He coated his fingers with the lube and brought his leg up to his chest. He sank the digits in without any foreplay or teasing. He wanted Lucius inside him as soon as possible. Within a minute or two, he relaxed enough to gesture to Lucius.
“Please, I want you now.”
Lucius moved forward and slung Ronnie’s legs over his shoulders. Positioning the head of his cock at Ronnie’s opening, he glanced down at him. Their eyes met and Ronnie tried to pour all of his love into that look. Neither of them broke the contact as Lucius sank deep into Ronnie’s ass.
God, he loved the feel of Lucius’ prick filling him. They had been tested two months ago in order to stop using condoms and being able to feel Lucius without latex increased the sensations a hundredfold. He moaned as Lucius paused, buried as far as he could go inside Ronnie.
“I love you, Ronnie.”
Ronnie blinked away the tears at Lucius’ earnest declaration. “I love you, too, Lucius. It’s always been you.”
Lucius leaned down, bending Ronnie almost in half to kiss him. After that, they began moving together in a rhythm so familiar and yet so new each time they made love. He clenched his muscles, encasing Lucius’ cock in a tight vise-like grip.
Soon the sounds and scents of sex filled the bedroom. Ronnie yelled as Lucius nailed his gland with each stroke in. His balls drew tight and he knew it wouldn’t be long. He reached down and pumped his cock to Lucius’ thrusts.
“That’s it, love. Get yourself off. I want to feel you come on my cock.” Lucius moved faster and, as impossible as it was, seemed to push deeper.
Ronnie’s climax crashed over him and he threw back his head, yelling as cum shot from his cock to coat his stomach. Lucius grunted once and slammed into Ronnie, flooding his inner passage with hot liquid. As the last drop shot from both of them, Lucius collapsed on top of Ronnie, their breath mingling as they panted.
The phone beside the bed rang, and Ronnie debated just letting it ring. He managed to muster the energy to answer it. “Hello?”
“Ronnie, it’s Randall. We were just wondering when you and Lucius would be coming back down?” The smug tone of Randall’s voice told Ronnie the man knew exactly what they’d been doing.
“Ummm…give us ten minutes and we’ll be down.” He could feel his skin heat. Ronnie had no idea why he felt embarrassed.
“All right. We’ll keep dinner warm. MaeAnne is already here with us, so you don’t have to worry about picking her up on the way.”
He hung up, and Ronnie set the phone back in the cradle. Lucius’ body shook with laughter. Ronnie smacked his ass.
“Why do I feel like I just got caught by my parents?”
Lucius rolled off the bed and landed on his feet. He held out his hand for Ronnie to take. “Technically, I think Randall’s old enough to be our grandfather.”
“You’re not helping,” Ronnie grumbled as they raced to the bathroom.
They took the fastest shower they’d ever taken together, then dressed. Ronnie checked the pink sundress he wore, making sure it wasn’t bunched anywhere. Lucius came up behind him and slid his favorite white cardigan over his shoulders. He smiled at their reflection as Lucius slipped his arms around Ronnie’s waist and met his gaze in the mirror. His heels brought him close to Lucius’ height.
Ronnie leaned back into Lucius’ solid body and sighed.
“At this moment, life is perfect,” he murmured. “And I am beautiful.”