Indulgence ©

By Jack Llawayllynn

Silentcrowstudio @aol.com

Chapter 2: The Second Sin

Matt climbed into the taxi and sat chewing his lip nervously.

"Where to Mister?" the cabby asked.

Matt looked at him blankly. "What?"

"Where to?"

"Oh, Clancey's bar on 33^rd," he answered.

"Clancey's, oh yeah, I know that place. Tonight's the night you buy two drinks and get the third for free. I used to go there every Tuesday night after work until I got stuck with this shift," the driver said. "Hoppin' place on the weekends and the um, ladies are always wild."

Matt didn't answer. The taxi pulled out into traffic and picked up speed. Matt stared out the window but didn't focus on anything. God, he thought, why am I doing this? Shit, I have to, I can't think of anything else. I have to know.

He'd been avoiding his girlfriend Trish every since Friday. He knew he couldn't risk her seeing him bruised up as he was. She'd ask too many questions and demand too many answers that he was not willing to give. Over the weekend he'd left a message on her answering machine saying that he'd gone out of town to visit relatives and then had sat there and listened to her cussing at his machine when she called back, damning him for forgetting that they had had plans that weekend and damning him for not talking to her personally before he left.

Monday he had asked to work late. God knew old Silverman wouldn't say no. He'd ended up sleeping at the office, rushing home early Tuesday morning to bathe, shave, and don clean clothes and return to work. The recorder showed six more messages. He didn't bother to listen to them.

The cab was stopped. Matt jumped. "Are we there?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"Naw, we just left," the cabby said in a wondering tone.

"Why are we stopped then?" Matt demanded harshly.

"It's an effin red light Mister and I ain't gonna run it. You got a problem with that?"

"No." Matt sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm edgy."

The cabby harrumphed at him. The light turned green and the taxi moved forward.

Monday, - God was that only yesterday? - Yeah, yesterday - he'd been okay at work except for having to dodge questions about the black eye. He had just said that he'd been in a small bar room brawl over the weekend. They'd bought it. He didn't think they would have if he hadn't worn a turtleneck sweater to cover the ugly bite marks and bruises on his neck. He had no idea what he could have said about those. Other than that though he'd been okay. He'd been so wrapped up in dodging Trish's calls that he hadn't had time to think of anything else. Somehow he'd convinced Silverman's secretary, Jill, to tell Trish that he was swamped with work and could not come to the phone. Jill must have gotten rough with Trish on that fifth call because Trish had not called again after that.

Today though had been hell. Sheer hell. Time and again he'd caught himself drifting, lost in his thoughts, sometimes his fantasies. Once he had come to himself with Silverman's hand on his shoulder, the boss saying, "Are you feeling alright Darvins?" and he had realized that he'd been standing there in the hall, research papers in hand. Just standing there and staring off into space. "I think I'm catching a cold," he had lied. The old man had offered to let him go home but Matt had said he'd take something for it.

Then he'd done it again with the UPS man. He didn't know how long he'd stood there with the electric clipboard in hand before the guy had said, "Are you alright?" with a real concerned look on his face. Matt assured him that he just had a lot on his mind, signed the board and handed it back. The UPS man nodded understandingly but eyed him quizzically before he left, saying something to Jill on the way out. No wonder, Matt had been thinking how the man had steel gray eyes like..., well, no wonder the man had thought something was wrong with him.

A short time later there was the embarrassing incident with Jill. That was the worst. He couldn't remember exactly what he'd been thinking the instant before she'd come up to him but he'd looked at her and said, "I'm not gay". He still couldn't believe he'd done that. She'd said, "Excuse me?" and he had tried to cover as quickly as he could by saying, "I said I didn't pay. You know, the UPS guy, I didn't pay him." She had looked at him real strange and said, "Darvins, you don't pay the UPS man," and he'd been at a terrible loss for words. Then she'd asked him if he felt alright and he had begged off saying that he'd taken some cold medicine that had made him drowsy and maybe he wasn't thinking too clearly. He figured at least that lie would fit in with the ones he had told Silverman. She'd left him alone after that but he noticed the worried glances she had given him for the rest of the day.

The cab had stopped again. Clancey's neon lights glared garishly through the darkness. Matt paid the cabby and climbed out, knees shaking. He didn't know what to expect. He opened the door of the bar and stepped into the noise filled room. Sin stood right in front of him, one arm in his leather jacket, the other frozen halfway in the other sleeve. He was staring at Matt with undisguised surprise. Finally he shrugged and pulled the jacket back off.

"I didn't think you were going to show. I was just about to leave."

Matt glanced up at the clock on the wall. It said 9:20. He nodded to Sin. "I admit that I almost didn't."

"I'm glad you did," Sin said, sounding very sincere. "Come on, let's have a drink."

Matt let Sin lead him to the bar and they both ordered a whiskey. "Why did you come if you didn't want to?" Sin asked, swirling the liquid around in his glass. Matt just stared at him a moment. Sin's black eye looked even worse than Matt's own. He looked tired too, like he hadn't slept well in days.

"I didn't say I didn't want to come, only that I almost decided not to. I guess I was hoping I could learn some answers from you. I've had a lot of questions since, well, since I saw you last."

Sin snorted cynically. "I can't give you any answers Matthew. You know that. You have to answer your own questions for yourself." He drained his glass and tapped it on the bar for the bartender to refill. "If an answer is all you want from me kid then I can't do anything for you." He looked at Matt sideways. "So I guess that's that and I'll be going after all."

"No!" Matt said, a little louder than he had meant to. The bartender refilled Sin's glass at that moment and Matt blushed as the barman smirked at the hand clutching at Sin's wrist. He let it go hastily. "No," he said with exaggerated calm. "I want you to stay."

Sin sat back down and stared into his glass. Matt downed his, ordered another plus his free drink and downed them in succession. Sin raised a dark eyebrow. "Are you trying for a repeat performance of Friday night kid?"

Matt shook his head. "Finish your drink Sin. I want you to come to my place and talk. I've some good whiskey there that hasn't been watered down."

Sin's brows rose again but he said nothing. He finished his drink and followed Matt out of the bar. They caught a cab and rode back to the apartment in silence. Inside Matt motioned for Sin to sit down and went to fix them both the promised drinks. He brought them out, handed one to Sin then took a chair across the room. Sin fished his cigarettes from his shirt pocket and lit one.

Matt sat his drink down untouched. "You attacked me."

Sin glanced up sharply, anger flashing in his steel grey eyes. He seemed about to say something defensive but then he shrugged and muttered, "I suppose I did." He tugged absently at his braid then added, almost to himself, "I've never been quite that aggressive before, only persuasive."

"You mean you do that kind of thing often, getting into a guy's house and attacking him." It wasn't a question.

Sin scowled at Matt fiercely, his face darkening. "Look kid, I may have attacked you but you can't sit there and claim innocence. You did everything but outright seduce me. Zipper's stuck, you said, then you come out of the bathroom more nude than not. It was all but a spoken invitation to touch you."

Matt thought a moment but couldn't find a way to deny it. He had done those things without a thought. If a woman had done those things to him he couldn't say that he wouldn't at least try to put a move on her.

"Anyway, all I did was kiss you. You hit me. I offered to leave but you wouldn't let me. So technically you attacked me." Sin finished his drink and set the glass down.

Matt couldn't deny that either. He felt suddenly more confused than ever. He drained his own drink. Sin crossed the room, handed Matt a lit cigarette and an ashtray then picked up his empty glass. Matt stared down at the crystal ashtray, part of a set that he had bought for Trish to use while she was staying over with him. Sin was already halfway to the kitchen, glasses in hand, when Matt said weakly, "I don't smoke."

"You do at this moment kid," Sin called back.

Matt was coughing and hacking when Sin came back and handed him a fresh drink. Matt took it mechanically and sipped at it. Sin sat down on the floor at Matt's feet and watched him curiously. Finally Matt looked down at him. "So, do you do this kind of thing often?"

"No. Not often, occasionally."

"It's dangerous Sin. Stupid dangerous," Matt said.

"What's this? Concern? Of course I know it's dangerous. Even stupid dangerous. That's exactly why I do it. You get tired of the same old scene; want some excitement, a real heart stopping thrill. That's when you go and do something you know ain't real smart."

Matt shook his head wonderingly. "And you meet all these guys on the bus?"

"No. The bus, the park, the store, different places. In the end I get invited back to their place, or I invite myself, and I make a move. Some are agreeable, some are not. You are not the first to get a good punch at me. Somehow I've managed never to get myself killed."

"You will get killed eventually," Matt said seriously. After all he couldn't say that the thought of hunting Sin down and killing him himself hadn't crossed his own mind.

Sin barked a laugh. "No I won't. I won't because I'm not going to do it anymore. My God, I've said that before but this time I mean it. You were the last. The last! I'm getting too old for that kind of shit. Hell, I wasn't so sure that you weren't going to be the one that did me in. Like I said before, you've got a helluva punch kid." He gave Matt a grin of beautiful white teeth.

Matt found himself staring at those teeth for a moment, the way they slanted slightly back toward Sin's tongue, the way his lips slanted across them, mischievous. Matt shook himself, frowning inwardly at his thoughts. "Oh come on Sin," he said tearing his gaze away from that mouth and up into gray eyes. "What's this getting too old shit? You don't have a sissy punch yourself." Matt squinted his eyes, feeling the tenderness that still lingered from the bruises. "You can't be more than a few years older than me."

"You think?" Sin asked with a twinkle in his eye. "How old do you think I am?"

"Twenty six or seven," Matt said. His voice sounded so sure that Sin threw back his head and laughed loudly. Matt looked offended.

"I'm thirty six, kid."

"Bullshit."

"No, really, check it out." Sin fished in his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and tossed a card to Matt. It wasn't a driver's license; it was an employment identification card with Sin's photo on it and a notary's stamp on one corner. It read "Delaney Construction" in large letters across the top. Below that in red it said "Construction Supervisor". Below that in smaller print was all the information on Sin. Michael Drake Synn, rather. Matt let his eyes scan over the card, located the date of birth and did some quick math in his head. "You're thirty-five. Your birthday isn't until next month."

"Yeah, well, good as. You aren't the only one who's made that mistake. A lot of people think I'm in my twenties. I've never been able to grow any hair on my face and there's none on my chest to speak of, I guess it makes me look younger, I don't know really."

"Do you have a lot of Native American blood in your family?" Matt asked, tossing the card back.

Sin shrugged as he put the card in his wallet. "I have no idea. I'm adopted, or was. My adoptive parents disowned me when I was fifteen. Dad caught me with a neighbor boy. He couldn't stand having a faggot live in the same house with him. They kicked me out and I've been a loner every since."

"That's a horrible story Sin," Matt said.

"Yeah, I suppose so kid, but don't go feeling sorry for me. You'll just say later that I was trying to get on your soft side by telling you that. I don't tell many people because they always say I was trying to worm my way into their sympathies."

Matt frowned at that. "I asked didn't I?"

"Yes, you did, but I still expect you'll throw it back at me eventually. No, don't scowl at me, we're all human and humans have a tendency to use whatever weapons are handy. Besides, you didn't bring me here to talk about my past. Which brings me to the real question: Why did you bring me here?"

Matt shifted uncomfortably in his chair and stared into his glass. Finally he glanced down at Sin with a shrug. "To talk I guess. I really do have some questions."

"And I've already told you that I don't have any answers," Sin replied dryly.

"To some you do. Like, why me? Why did you single me out?"

"I found you attractive. Simple enough isn't it?"

"I suppose so but, oh hell Sin, I have a girlfriend, I've never looked at a guy twice. Never! I've never wondered who or what I was before now." Matt's brows furrowed in anxiety.

Sin sighed deeply. "Look kid, I didn't intentionally mean to walk into your life and shatter the image you had of yourself. I was just looking for a thrill. You see, here again you are looking through a foggy glass of honesty. It's like you said, you never looked at a guy twice. That's not saying you've never looked at one or thought about it. That's just saying that you never allowed yourself to dwell on it. Besides, one drunken night with a guy doesn't make you gay, or even a bisexual, or any different than you were the night before. It only makes you a tiny bit more educated sexually. That's the way I see it. You don't have to do a total self review based on one night. You tried it, okay? Big deal. If you didn't like it then let it go, forget it, call your girl and go out. Just do what you always did."

Matt slammed his glass down and jumped to his feet, pacing up and down across the room with hectic strides. "I can't fucking forget it! Damn it Sin, you're all I've thought about for days! If I could forget it I would. I'd go on just like you said and never look back but I find myself not wanting to forget it. That's what makes me question myself! That's what drives me crazy and makes me hate you! You barged into my life and left me scarred eternally!"

"Hate is a strong word Matt," Sin said quietly, a dangerous shadow in the depth of his eyes as he looked up at Matt towering over him, "Are you sure you hate me for it?"

"You're damn right I hate you! I can't face my girlfriend for the shame I feel, not to mention the fact that I can't hide these dame marks from her!" Matt tugged violently at the turtleneck collar, exposing the greening bruises on his neck. "I fucking embarrassed the shit out of myself at work when I absently announced to Silverman's secretary that I wasn't gay. I can't sleep, I can't eat. It's your fault and I hate you for it!" Matt realized he was shouting and shut his mouth with a snap.

Sin sat in silence for a moment. His face seemed pale. Slowly he nodded and set his glass down. "You could be right Matt. I'm selfish, and perhaps I had no right to disrupt your life. I guess I never stopped to consider the trail of distraught people I've left behind. These past ten years I haven't stuck around long enough for anyone to confront me emotionally. I guess I've just assumed that it wasn't my problem if I didn't stay around to face it. What though could I possibly do to change it? Nothing. Not saying though, that I would if I could because as I said I am selfish, and I wanted you. No there is nothing I can do about it. Except leave and hope you can find a way to work it out." Sin stood and gathered up his jacket.

"Oh no! You're not leaving yet!" Matt snapped and jerked the jacket from Sin's hand. Sin's eyes narrowed suddenly into a look of mischief. Matt had only a moment to recognize the twinkle in Sin's eye for what it was before he found himself in Sin's iron embrace, Sin's lips pressed firmly against his. Matt was suddenly engulfed in Sin's scent, leather soap and sea salt. He didn't pull away, didn't really want to. The jacket slipped from his fingers and his hands traveled up Sin's back. Suddenly it was Sin who was pulling away...forcefully. Matt looked up into his eyes to see intense alarm there. With a feeling of tense fear Matt spun to follow the direction of Sin's gaze to the door. The knob rattled with the sound of a key turning in the lock. Sin backed away from Matt, tripped and overturned an end table in the process. He snatched up his jacket and righted the table in one swift motion. Matt saw Sin's jaw clench with tension as the door opened.

"Matthew Darvins! What the hell is going on with you? You don't return my calls, that secretary where you work has been an absolute bitch to me on the phone and you stood me up for the entire weekend! I thought maybe you had died or something!" the red-haired woman in the doorway shouted.

Matt's shoulders visibly sank. "I'm sorry baby. I just, well, um..." Matt slipped a finger under his collar, thinking it suddenly felt very hot indeed.

"You just what? Where were ...holy fuck! What happened to your face? And who the hell is he?" Trish stomped into the room, slammed the door and eyed Sin head to toe.

"Uh, this is my buddy Mike. Mike, this is my girlfriend Trish."

Sin smiled weakly and extended his hand but Trish continued to eye him with her fists on her hips so he withdrew his hand and stuck it in his pocket.

"Who beat up whom?" she demanded as whirled back to face Matt.

"Well, um, you see, I was at this bar see, and when I was leaving these guys jumped me and tried to mug me." Matt's mind was working fast. "Mike saw it all and jumped in to help me and, uh, there you have it." Matt grinned hopefully. Sin's eyebrows were raised nearly to his hairline.

"Did they get anything?" Trish asked, her expression softening.

"Who? Oh, the muggers, no. We ran them off."

Sin cleared his throat and started edging toward the door. "Well, it was really nice meeting you Trish but um, I have to go. My, uh, girl, is waiting for me, probably worried and all that, you know."

"Well Mike, you better get going then before you find yourself in as much trouble with her as Matt's in with me right now," Trish snapped pointedly, her eyes never leaving Matt's face.

Sin's smile looked sickly. "Yeah, well, hey, I'll see you around Matt," he said as he turned and practically ran out the door.

* * * *

Matt spent the next hour trying to tie his lie about the mugging in with the one about going to see relatives for the weekend. With a lot of quick thinking and fancy tongue work he managed a convincing story and even won Trish's full sympathy. When she discovered the bruises on his neck he claimed that the muggers had tried to strangle him. That won more sympathy still.

Despite his sexual confusion he found Trish's seduction that night as powerful as ever. He laughed at himself for thinking that his experience with Sin might change his lust for Trish. She was just as sexy and sensual as she had always been, maybe even more so. He reveled in the softness of her body, the silk of her touch. Over and over again he drew her near in the night to love her gently, to ease his fears. After the fourth time it was Trish who begged exhaustion and she fell asleep wrapped tightly in Matt's arms.

Matt though could not sleep. He lay awake listening to her even breathing, his fingers absently caressing the smooth skin of her back. Sin had left without giving Matt his number and now Matt was glad of it. He didn't want to see Sin again. He decided firmly to put it out of his mind and concentrate solely on Trish.

During the rest of the week though, try as he might, he could not keep Sin out of his mind. He threw himself wholeheartedly into is work during the day, rushing about the office in such a whirlwind that Jill told him to slow down before he hurt himself. Every evening he took Trish shopping in the trendiest stores in town, then out to eat at a new restaurant each night, spending huge amounts of money from his savings account. When she asked him why he told her he was trying to make up for ruining her weekend which pleased her all the more.

Despite the rushing and running though Sin still pursued his thoughts. He asked Trish to stay over every night, having sex with an appetite that astonished them both but every night after she had fallen asleep he still found himself awake and thinking about Sin. Every hour that he spent at home he wondered if he would answer a knock at the door and find Sin standing there. Part of him wanted Sin to come, the other was relieved that he didn't.

Finally Friday rolled around and Matt took his weekly bus ride to see Miss Sylvia. Something about her always made him feel at peace. She always welcomed him with open arms and he felt true joy when visiting with her. He looked so forward to seeing her that he did not think of Sin at all on the way over there.

When he reached her door and pounded loudly on it he became panicky because she did not open it immediately like she normally did. He pounded on it again and was rewarded this time with Miss Sylvia's voice floating almost imperceptibly to him through the door.

"Come in child!"

He breathed a sigh of relief and stepped inside. It was always too dim in her house for Matt. Since she was mostly blind light made little difference to her in her own home. He tuned on two lamps as he walked through the sitting room towards the kitchen.

"Where are you Miss Sylvia?" he called.

He flipped on the overhead light in the kitchen as he walked through. He turned into the laundry room to find Miss Sylvia on her hands and knees, her rear stuck up in the air.

"Miss Sylvia! What are you doing down there?" he cried in alarm.

"I'm trying to get Jessen out from behind the dryer. She won't come out. I think she's stuck. She keeps making the most pitiful sounds."

"Here, let me help you up and I'll pull the dryer away from the wall and see what's wrong." He helped the elderly lady from the floor and brushed some lint from her sleeve.

"I just don't understand what's gotten into that cat," Miss Sylvia was saying as he heaved to move the appliance. "She's been acting strangely the last few days. She wouldn't touch her food at all yesterday."

Matt leaned behind the dryer to peer at the sharp-faced little black cat. She didn't appear as though she'd been stuck at all, she was just laying there. He reached into his pocket and produced his lighter for illumination. Carefully he lowered the light. "Um, Miss Sylvia, Jessen is fine. Apparently so are her kittens."

"Kittens! Really? Kittens? Now I wonder how on earth that happened. She never goes out." Miss Sylvia grabbed Matt and hugged him. "I'm so thrilled!" she sang out.

Matt smiled and nodded. He remembered Jessen getting out and Miss Sylvia worrying abut her for a whole week before the cat had made it home but he wasn't going to remind her of it. "Do you want me to get them out from behind there?"

"Yes, let's do. I've got an empty box in the hall closet and some old towels too. While you fetch those and get the kitties I'll go fix us a nice cup of tea. I haven't done it yet because I didn't realize it was already time for your visit."

Matt found the box and towels and went back for the cats. Jessen gave him no trouble about moving her kittens and seemed quite content in her new nursery.

"Miss Sylvia, where do you want me to put the box?" he called

"Oh, in the corner by the table, it's quiet and out of the way there."

Matt carried the box into the kitchen where Miss Sylvia was fixing up the tea. He bent down and placed the box in the corner. He turned around and Miss Sylvia gasped, "Heaven's me!"

"What is it?" Matt asked, going to her. She was staring at him with her filmy blue eyes wide and startled.

She clutched his arm in one bony hand and touched his face with the other. "Matthew, what have you done? Your aura swirls like deep madness. Confusion, fear, anger, and oh my, yes, passion. They all shine like flames. And what's this? A bruised eye?" Her fingers touched his face gently. Matt was surprised that she knew of the eye, it was almost totally healed now. "You've gotten yourself into some kind of mess haven't you?" she asked sternly.

"Oh no ma'am, I'm not in trouble," he said hastily.

"You take that tea over to the table there and sit down." She handed him the tray and he did as he was told. She sat down across from him. "I didn't say that I thought you were in trouble child. I aid that you've gotten yourself into a mess that you don't know how to get out of. There is a great disturbance flickering around you, it's very clear. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No ma'am, not really. It's very personal."

"Alright, I won't pressure you. Would you answer two questions for me though?" she asked.

"I'll try."

"Did this begin last Friday and does it involve a dark haired man?" Her glazed eyes held his.

"How did you know that?" he asked fearfully, knowing that to deny it would be useless, she would know he was lying.

"I had a dream. Last Friday I knew something was going to happen. A shadow of what was to be had already fallen across your aura. Then, that night, I had a dream of a dark haired man that was following you. I've had similar dreams since." She sipped her tea. "I've never been able to interpret dreams before this. My sister could see auras too and shortly before she died she started having dreams that came true. Of course, she was crazy long before she died. She lost her mind the day her husband Frank died. I tell you what, he was an ugly man, was Frank. She thought he was simply gorgeous but ugh, was he pitiful looking. There was some singer that came out in oh, the sixties or seventies I think, looked just like Frank when he was a young man. Name was Mick something. Hagger, Haggard, something like that."

"Jagger?" Matt offered.

"Yes, that was it. Looked just like Frank."

Matt only half listened as she prattled on. He knew she had intentionally changed the subject for him. He wondered what she had seen in her dreams but he didn't want to ask for fear of what she might say.

Matt dragged into work on Monday. He felt ragged and worn. He hadn't been sleeping well, Sin haunted his mind, waking and dreaming.

"Morning, you look like hell," was Jill's greeting as he pushed into the office.

"Thanks a lot," he snorted.

Silverman spotted him and advanced, waving a sheaf of papers. "Darvins! Perfect timing. I need you to run down to Haver's Hardware and get Rolland Simms to sign these for that workers' comp case that I've got tomorrow."

"Yes sir," Matt said, glancing up at the clock and confirming to himself that he was early, not late. "I'll go right away."

"No huge rush, I just need it done today." Silverman shoved the papers into Matt's hands.

"Better get it done now. If Simms isn't at the store I'll have to spend the day tracking him down."

"True," Silverman agreed.

Matt headed toward the hardware store with his briefcase. He didn't often have to carry it but when he was on an errand for Silverman he liked to look professional. Usually his duties at the office consisted of researching information for Silverman to use in court or returning phone calls for the attorney when it was a client that Jill didn't want to or couldn't handle. Occasionally though he had to run errands such as this one and so kept a suit jacket and briefcase handy at the office.

Matt took a cab to the store but due to the construction of a new high-rise in the area the cab had to crawl along in traffic. Matt found Simms at the counter in the store and had the man sign the papers. Within ten minutes he had concluded his business there and pushed his way out of the store. Gazing at the chaos caused by the construction he decided t walk down to Talmora Street and catch a cab from there. As he passed by the cluttered construction area a huge sign caught his eye. In bold black letters it read "Delaney Construction." Matt stopped and stared at the sign. Sin worked for Delaney Construction!

Without thought his feet moved and Matt found himself facing a huge burly man in front of the skeletal frame of the new building. All around him was the cacophony of drills, wielders, steel beams being dropped into place. The man belched and scratched his massive belly as he eyed Matt head to toe.

"Do somethin' for ya, suit?" he asked in a thick southern accent.

"Yes," Matt said, already asking himself why the hell he'd stopped here. "I'm with the law offices of Silverman and Beck. I am looking for Michael Synn."

"He in trouble?" the burly man asked, his eyes flashing with some inner suspicion.

"No, nothing like that. He witnessed a car wreck a few weeks back. We wanted to inquire whether or not he would testify in court on behalf of our client."

"Oh, alright then, but it'll be a few minutes. See that dark speck up there?" The man pointed up. Matt followed the direction of the beefy finger up with his gaze. He could see the outline of a man on an outrageously small looking beam far above them.

"I see it," Matt said squinting.

"Well that's your man. I'll have to wait until he's done inspecting those joints before I radio him. We try not to bother the guys when they're out on a rail, could spook em and em fall ya know."

"Don't they wear harnesses?" Matt asked his eyes still riveted to Sin's form above him.

"They're supposed to but..." The man shrugged. "That one there is the worst for leaving his line free. He's supposed to be settin' an example for the others, being a boss and all, but he just don't give a shit."

Matt's gut clenched as Sin rose and stepped out onto the thin beam, walking quickly without any apparent concern, without looking down. Matt drew a long breath when Sin finally stepped onto a section of temporary flooring that had been laid. "That's insane," Matt muttered, not even aware that he had spoken aloud.

"I agree," the man laughed. "That's why I stay down here." He reached for a radio at his waist and brought it up to his mouth. "Yo Mike, some suit is down here wanting to gab at cha."

There was a pause then the radio crackled back, "Probably another code inspector."

"Naw, it's some attorney."

Again the radio cracked back. "Bastards. I'll be down in a minute."

The big guy laughed at Matt. "Mike don't like lawyers."

"Actually, I'm not..." Matt stopped himself from admitting that he was just an underling, really nothing more than a hyped up secretary. "I'm not concerned with what he thinks of attorneys."

The man left Matt where he was to wait on Sin. Matt glanced around at the mess and the workers. He noticed that quite a few of them were sneering at him with undisguised disgust. He squared his shoulders and glared back. Finally he caught a glimpse of Sin heading across the lot. Sin had not seen him yet. He stopped to speak with the burly man who gestured in Matt's direction. Sin turned to look and stopped dead. His eyes widened then narrowed dangerously. When he headed in Matt's direction his stride was definitely hostile.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Sin hissed as he came up to Matt, his eyes flashing darts.

"I was just..." Matt began.

"I don't give a fuck. Don't you ever, and I mean ever, come here again." Sin was glowering thunderously, his face menacingly close to Matt's. Matt backed up a step, stunned at the intensity of Sin's rage.

"I was just..." Matt tried again.

"Shut up Matt, just shut the fuck up. I don't want to hear it. Turn around and walk away."

Matt's face flushed an angry red. He could feel the anger rising, feel it building up to a boil. "What the fuck is your problem?"

"Leave. Now," Sin ground out between his teeth.

Matt glanced at the men around them. They couldn't hear what was being said but they were snickering, thinking that Sin was giving some suit a good chewing out. Rage filled Matt. "Fine! Fuck you!" Matt snarled and turned on his heel. He had gone about ten paces when he heard Sin's voice call out loudly, "I already told you I wouldn't testify! Don't come back! Joe! Joe, if that man returns have him thrown off the property!"

"Yes sir!" answered a laughing man.

Matt seethed and raged as he walked back to the office. He had too much anger to burn off to need a cab. He pushed violently through the office door, tossed his briefcase on Jill's desk and said, "The papers are signed, they're in there. If anyone asks for me tell them I'm taking a shit." He stomped off to the men's room without ever seeing Jill's stunned face through the haze of fury in his eyes. He stormed into the men's room and slammed his fist twice into the metal stall door. Finally he closed the lid on the toilet and sat there fuming, wondering why in the hell he had sought Sin out in the first place.

* * * *

When Matt got home that night he called Trish and told her he had a raging headache and had to cancel their evening plans. She said that was fine with her because an old school friend had shown up at her apartment and she wanted to spend the evening with her. Matt hung up the phone and tore off his tie. He was still seething inside. He stormed into the kitchen and poured himself a large whiskey, downed it, poured another and took it into the living room. He threw himself onto the couch and reached for the remote. He clicked the on button and the television came to life but he didn't notice it. He stared moodily at the screen, seeing nothing, hearing nothing. He leaned back, reached for his drink and nursed it slowly.

Dark had fallen by the time Matt gave up on the television as a diversion and he had consumed two more whiskeys. He clicked the tube off and went to take a shower. He couldn't ever remember being so mad in his life before, especially not an anger that clung to him for so long without at least abating a little.

Matt stepped into the shower and leaned his head against the wall, letting the hot spray wash over him. What was wrong with him? Why should he care how Sin treated him? Sighing he soaped and rinsed off. He had just turned the shower off when the bathroom light blew and blanketed him in utter darkness. "Fuck!" he shouted in frustration, groping with the shower curtain as he tried to step out of the tub. Suddenly something plowed into him, knocking back into the bathtub. The shower curtain ripped in his hand as he fell, grappling and fighting the unseen thing that had come from the darkness. His head smacked hard against the edge of the tub as he landed but he had no time to notice. Something smashed into his ribs and his breath left him with a whoosh.

"Never, ever come to my job again," Sin's voice snarled in the darkness as he straddled Matt in the bathtub. "I'll kill you if I see you there again. Hear me? I'll kill you!"

Still wheezing for breath Matt swung a fist into the blackness, felt his knuckles glance off flesh and hit the shower wall with jarring force.

"Missed, you bastard." Sin sent another cruel punch into Matt's ribs. "I'm of a mind to kill you now. Do you know how risky that shit was? Too god damned risky!" Again the fist came, punishing Matt's ribs beyond endurance. He couldn't breath, couldn't speak, the pain cutting through him, washing over him. Frantically he swung again and this time landed a weak blow. He gasped, begging for air, found some and swung once more, again making contact, Sin grunting this time. Matt twisted, trying to throw Sin off him but Sin's hands were on him, hard hands searching for purchase. Once more Matt twisted but Sin was expecting it and used the movement to his advantage, flipping Matt over onto his knees, his face pressed against the back of the tub, his arm twisted up behind his back.

"Not smart kid, not smart at all," Sin growled, pulling Matt's arm up behind his back further, pushing, the pain lancing through Matt, making it impossible to escape the small confines of the tub.

Matt was not sure if Sin had meant it wasn't smart to try to get away or if he was referring to Matt showing up at the job site. Either way he didn't care. "Fuck you," Matt wheezed.

"Oh no, my friend, tonight I'm going to fuck you."

Matt stilled his futile struggling, alarmed at Sin's tone.

"That's right," Sin crooned in his ear. "I can feel your fear Matt. I can feel your fear and your arousal." Sin's hand crept around Matt's waist to bury underneath and grab his cock. Not until Sin's hand made contact did Matt realize that his own dick was hard as a rock and throbbing. Matt groaned as Sin squeezed, then groaned again when Sin pressed his hips against Matt's buttocks, the denim of Sin's jeans rough against his flesh.

"Get off me Sin," Matt demanded, grinding his teeth through the arousal, the anger, the fear, the pain in his arm and ribs.

Sin didn't answer but Matt could feel the heat of his heavy breath on his neck. They both lay still a moment, panting in the darkness. Finally Sin moved but he did not release Matt's arm. Instead he pushed it up further, bringing a sharp oath of pain from Matt's throat. Sin shifted, fumbling between them with his free hand. Matt felt Sin's erection spring free of the confining jeans and began to struggle again, cursing.

"Be still!" Sin hissed in his ear.

"Fuck you!" Matt spat, squirming. His arm hurt like hell, worse than he thought possible but he wasn't going to give up without one hell of a fight. He bucked and nearly managed to throw Sin off. Sin thrust his weight against Matt's arm in an attempt to subdue him but was rewarded only with a sickening snap and a hoarse scream from Matt. Immediately Sin knew he had broken Matt's arm but he was too far gone to care. He fumbled for the packet of lubricant in his pocket and tore it open with his teeth, still holding the broken arm behind Matt's back. Matt lay still now, groaning, his head pressed against the back of the bathtub. Sin quickly applied the oily lubricant then wrapped his hand in Matt's hair and heaved him up, the injured arm still tightly grasped.

"Shall we continue to fight?" Sin asked roughly.

"Fuck you!" Matt managed to gasp out and began to struggle again.

Sin slammed his Matt's forehead into the ceramic tile wall. Matt saw stars in the darkness. The pain was nothing more than a numb throbbing in his body now and despite the renewed rush of adrenaline Matt did not struggle again.

Sin seemed to sigh in relief behind him when he met with no more resistance from Matt and he released Matt's hair. Still holding the broken arm behind Matt's back Sin reached around with his free hand and grasped Matt's dick again. It was still hard. Sin laughed huskily. "Like it rough, don't you kid?" His voice was hoarse, dry. Matt felt Sin lean forward against him, pressing his cock against his buttocks. Matt flinched but Sin did nothing more than press against him while he teased Matt's cock with his hand. Slowly Matt began to relax into it, giving in to the inevitable. Sin's hand was rough and callused but stroked gently, slowly, and then picked up speed. Matt's breathing and heartbeat quickened with the pace Sin was setting. Suddenly Sin pushed him forward and entered him in one swift, painful thrust. Matt cried out in shock and horror, and then came into Sin's hand with an orgasm more powerful than any he had ever known before. Sin thrust once, twice, three times, then shuttered, his teeth digging into Matt's neck, his grip on Matt's arm falling away, his chest resting heavily on Matt's back. Matt could feel the heaving of Sin's ribs as he gasped for breath, feel the warmth of Sin's cum deep inside. Finally Sin withdrew, slowly, wetly. Matt laid his head on the rim of the bathtub and began to sob.

Sin winced in the darkness, the guilt coming over him now that his lust was sated. Crawling over Matt he made it out onto the bathroom floor, stumbled to the door as he fastened his jeans and fled, leaving Matt battered, abused and bleeding in the darkness.