Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2017 20:23:31 -0800
From: Emri S. <tarzanacide@gmail.com>
Subject: Kasper's Den- Ch. 10

Thanks everyone for your feedback. It encouraged me to post another
chapter. Special thanks to my editor and idea genie, Xelos.

***************************************

+{Kasper's Den}+

Part 10

[By Emri]

Opening my eyes in Amir's warm, protective hold against his soothing
heartbeat is the greatest way to wake up; at least until I realize that I
have to pee and I can't wiggle out. I raised my head from his chest and
looked up his strong, brown jaw to watch his pronounced, Arab nose flair
and close with his light snores. His eyes were closed with a row of long,
black lashes lining the center of them. He looked so peaceful and innocent
when he slept. It was nothing like the muscled beast who'd ravaged my ass
the night before.

Last night his parents left early for a fundraiser. I couldn't remember if
it was for an orphanage in Bangladesh or building a new library. Ali, his
twin, left too so we had the place to ourselves.

"This will be us someday with a family of our own. We will have a quiet
night at home together and you'll make us something for dinner," Amir said
as he kissed the back of my neck and slid his arms around me from behind as
we watched his parents leave.

"I'm making dinner? " I asked as I turned my face to the side to get a kiss
on the cheek.

"I think you should. How else will we feed ourselves? Father gave chef the
night off. You wouldn't let us starve, would you?" Amir said with an oddly
cold air that didn't sound like he was joking. I've never really prepared
much other than cereal or toast. My mother is very traditional and she
thought boys shouldn't cook or do "girl" things... it would make them gay.

"Ok, sure... I guess I could make a salad," I said as I looked at the bowl of
fresh vegetables Emerson always kept on the counter.

"Good, something light so you can please me afterwards," Amir said as
though that too was part of my job. He kissed my cheek and then went to
flop on the couch and put on a soccer game.

I found some kale in the fridge and I knew where Emerson kept the big salad
bowl when he made his uber-healthy creations. I diced an onion and sliced a
tomato like I'd watched him do. I added cucumber, some tiny nuts (I didn't
know what kind, but I liked them in the salads he made), and added the
light dressing he uses. I tossed it all together and then found some
smaller bowls for us.

"Are you almost done? I don't think it's supposed to take this long," Amir
called from the couch in between cheering on his team.

"I... yes... just wait," I said and tried to hurry.

"Don't use that tone with me," Amir said and turned off the game. I stared
at him with my jaw hanging open. I don't think he'd talked to me like that
before. He stood up and walked towards me looking at me as if I was in need
of punishment.

"You're being... Why are you being mean?" I asked and felt my voice breaking.

"We'll eat outside," he said, ignoring my question. "Bring the bowls out
when you finish, and don't take too long." He walked past me and out the
front door.

I felt like throwing it all in the trash and going to my room. I didn't
know why he was being like that. I was confused and upset. I took a deep
breath though. My submissive side told me to just take him his dinner. I
rationalized that maybe he was just upset because he was hungry.

I put the bowls on a tray with napkins and two forks. I had to elbow the
exit button on the door while i balanced it, but when I got halfway through
the door I realized he'd want a drink too.

"Fuck," I whispered to myself and turned back towards the kitchen. I
thought again of throwing it all away, but I couldn't. I love him and I
wasn't up for a fight. We'd had a nice day together.

I grabbed two glasses and filled them with the cucumber water Emerson had
made that morning. I loaded them on the tray and fought with the door
again.

"Dude, what are you doing? I'm starved," Amir called from around the
corner.

"I'm coming," I said, not sure if he would hear me.

"Hurry up," he barked. His tone, his words, the final straw. I set the tray
down on the ground and went the other way. I'd had enough.

"Did you drop it?" he called when he heard the clink of bowls and forks. I
went over to a bench by the front door and sat down, trying not to cry.

"Are you crying?" Amir called and I heard his footsteps rush around the
corner. "Kasper? Baby love?" his tone changed completely when he saw me.

"What did I do? Why are you mad at me?" I asked and sniffled. He came over
to me and squatted down in front of me. He took my hands and leaned in to
rub his nose against mine.

"Come with me," he said and pulled on my hands. He pulled me up to my feet
and then walked backwards and led me around the house.

"Oh!" I gasped when I saw what he had set up. There was a small round table
with a white table cloth under a zig-zag of white sparkling lights near the
pool. The table was set with plates and silverware and two flutes of some
sparkling juice and flickering candles in the center of the table. It
looked like a fancy restaurant. .

"It was a joke. I forget I can't prank you like I do with other guys.
You're too sweet," he insisted in a sheepish, apologetic voice.

"Oh!" was all I could say. It was so beautiful and perfect. One of the
house staff came out carrying a pizza box.

"I had them make your favorite food. I called your mom and she said you
liked the pizza place near their house so I had the chef call them and
bribe them for the exact recipe and one of their boxes. We had to special
order the flour from a place in Ventura... see?" Amir said as he took the box
from the house guy.

"It's from Perelli's! Holy woah!" I looked down and Amir opened it to show
a perfect cheese pizza like I'd eaten hundreds of times as a kid.

"Of course! Only the best for my love," Amir said. "Am I forgiven? It was a
bad joke."

"I can't believe you... no one's ever done something so thoughtful like that
for me." I shook my head and looked at him. Amir moved towards me and
leaned over the pizza box with his lips puckered like he wanted a kiss. I
held back though and he pulled away with a guilty look.

"Why don't we go eat by the pool? Forget the fancy table, it's pizza," Amir
offered. I followed him along the side of the pool back to a private area
away from the big house. There were a few loungers hidden by a canopy of
low palms.

"I can't wait for you to try this. It's the best cheese pizza you'll ever
eat!" I said as Amir sat down on the lounge chair and patted the spot next
to him. There was a small side table where he set down the box and opened
it. He took out a slice for me and got one for himself.

Perelli's is that floppy thin New York style that you have to fold in half
or it all slides off. Only he didn't know that, and he didn't follow my
style. I counted to three and then we both took a bite. It was hot, fresh,
and just like I remembered it. Amir took a bite and chewed on it as if
evaluating.

"Not too bad," he said with a shrug. "Kinda greasy though." He set his
slice down and wiped the back of his hand across his lips, smearing a
little red sauce over his cheek. I leaned forward and swiped my tongue over
it. Amir blushed and his lips spread into that confident smile that knows
how much I want him.

"It's pretty messy," he said. He picked up his slice again and it flopped
over as he brought it to his lips. The cheese and sauce slid off the bread
and went straight down between his pecs and under his loose tank top.

"You're pretty messy," I corrected with a laugh.

"Aww fuck!" Amir laughed and put the slice down. He peeled off his tank top
and used it to wipe off the cheese from his chest then tossed it on the
grass. His rippling brown chest and abs lay illuminated by the night
lights. Somehow the trail of sauce between his pecs only added to his
allure. I couldn't stop laughing at his helpless state.

"You have to fold it in half or it spills everywhere," I gave him a
pointer.

"Now you tell me." Amir glared. He took another piece from the box and
folded it like I showed him. He went to bite into it. As he did, a large
drop of grease and sauce escaped from the slice and landed on his bulging
chest then rolled down his abs stopping at the green waistband of his boxer
briefs that poked out from his shorts.

"It's good but so messy. I'm not used to it," Amir noted. The oily line
highlighted his perfect abs and led my eyes down to his bulge. Staring at
the glittering trail distracted me from the pizza. I needed his cock.

"You're eating like a two-year-old. You made a mess. Seriously, you might
do better with a baby bib.." I covered a laugh and tried to look stern.

"I'm not a bab-" he started, but then went quiet as he came to the
realization of what I was doing. He then continued, "Maybe you can help
clean me... daddy?".

"I think I'd better." I set down my slice and leaned towards Amir. I
crawled over him and kissed his firm pecs one after the other. He tossed
his pizza over towards the open box and leaned back against the lounger
while he slid his hands down my back. He lifted my shirt up and slid it off
me.

"Yeah? You can help me?" Amir did the most adorable voice in his attempt to
sound helpless.

"Such a mess! It's up to daddy to clean you" I said in my best daddy voice.

Amir nodded.I lapped at the leftover sauce between his pecs. It mixed with
the sweaty salt of his skin. I collected it on my tongue and then raised up
to meet his lips. I pushed my tongue through them and he sucked at the
sauce.

When he finished it, I kissed down the center of his chest and went to the
spot near the waistband of his boxerbriefs. I licked his abs clean and then
kissed down to his bulge.

"Baby wants some milk or more pizza?" He asked. I looked up at him and
nodded. He pushed down his shorts just enough to show his pubes. He stopped
then, demanding an answer as if it had been a serious question.

"Pizza? Milk? Uh... Milkza?" I said hesitantly.

"Good choice", amir said, as he pushed me off revealing his thick bulge.
"Say?" He asked, "do you know how they make pizza?" He put his hand on my
hair, gripped my ponytail and ground my lips against his cock outline.

"No sir," I said through muffled lips. I shook my head and bit at the
waistband of his shorts. He slid his other hand down and pushed on his
shorts and boxer briefs until his cock freed itself and bounced up to smack
my cheek.

"First, they prepare the ingredients specifically taste testing each one.
Quality is key here. Tell me how it tastes." He grilled his cock and shook
it in my face.

"Mmm hmm," I mumbled. Obeying his cue, I began to suck his rod.

"Then comes the dough... to prepare the dough one needs to knead the air out.
This can be done by grabbing it and pulling it, pushing it apart and
mashing it back together," he said as he sat up. He reached over me to
knead my ass. He pushed down my shorts and briefs then grabbed me roughly.
I loved the way he man-handled what was his; the ass that begged for his
seed. I wiggled it for him as his finger slid against my hole.

"Now as with most baked items it is important to grease things properly and
make sure the oven is warmed up. You can't go shoving things in when it's
cold or it does no good. I need it nice and hot," Amir said. He reached
over to the pizza box and then came back to slide two greased fingers
inside me.

"Mmm," I moaned as I slurped his thick, pulsing cock. I pushed back against
his fingers as he proved me open.

"It's getting there. Nice and hot for my meat," Amir said between gasps as
his fat head pushed into my throat. I swallowed hard on it as I sputtered
and gagged. My spit was leaking out of the corners of my lips as he fucked
my throat and fingered me hole.

Amir moved around to lay on his side so he could get closer to my hole. He
paused at my cock as he slid under me in an inverted position. He slurped
on it and I started to buck into his tight lips as his fingers slid in and
out of my warm hole.

He only sucked me for a minute, but he's so good at it that he had me close
to the edge. I stopped fucking his mouth and pushed on his chest to let him
know. I didn't want to finish too soon. I pulled my cock away and heard him
laugh.

"Feels too good, baby? I think this oven is almost ready," Amir said as he
rapidly shoved two fingers in and out of me. He gave my ass a smack and
took his fingers out.

"Mmm hmm," I mumbled around the heavy throbbing monster stuffing my throat.
Amir pushed me off of him, but I didn't want to let go of his cock. I
sucked it even as I got to my feet, bent over his lap with my pacifier.

"You can't get enough, can you?" Amir laughed. He pushed me off of him and
his cock popped out with a loud "bah" as it broke the seal of my lips. I
looked at him with disappointment. He got on the lounger on his knees and
brought me over to kiss him.

His heavy cock bounced angrily in front of him like a just-used diving
board. A line of spit dripped down my chin. I reached down and pumped his
cock, getting a little reward of precum in my palm. I raised it up to my
lips to taste it.

"Good stuff?" he asked with a smile. I nodded. He reached behind me and
pushed his fingers back inside my hole. I gave a little jump and gasped as
he spread my hole with his slick digits. He gave me a few pumps and then
slid his fingers out and brought them to my lips.

"Taste it baby, tell me if your pizza pussy is ready for me," Amir said as
he pushed into my mouth. I sucked the sauce and grease off his fingers as
he pushed them back against my throat.

"Oh fuck, Kasper. I'm so ready for you," he growled as I pumped his cock
again.

"Me too. I need your dough in my oven," I bit on my lip and looked at him
with needy eyes. He put a hand on the back of my neck and brought me in for
another kiss before pushing me down to the lounge chair in front of him. He
turned me away from him and pushed on my back until I fell forward on all
fours.

"Time to get this pizza in the oven," Amir said from behind me. I looked
back at him as he lined his cock up with my hole, but then he leaned over
me and reached for another slice of the pizza.

"You're going to eat while you fuck me?" I asked as I watched him fold it
in half.

"No, it's going in the oven! You wanted to see how the pizza is made. What
baby wants, baby gets," Amir said cheerily and started to lower the slice
towards my hole.

"No no no! Oh shit! Dude!" I yelped and crawled away from him.

"Get back here," Amir barked and grabbed my left hip with his free hand.

"Don't you dare!" I squealed and laughed; not sure if he was joking. He
looked at me with serious eyes though. I raised up and started to get away
from him.

"All right. If you're going to whine, we can skip that part. Get back
here," Amir said and reached for me as he tossed the piece of pizza back
into the box. We were definitely not having any leftovers.

"Yes sir," I came back to him and he pulled me back onto the lounge chair.
He pushed me forward again and came up behind me. His heavy, swollen cock
rested between the cheeks of my ass and he rubbed it over my hole as his
arms wrapped around my waist. I reached down between my legs and felt his
fully, hairy nuts. I gave them a squeeze. He gasped and then bit down on
the back of my neck. It sent a shock of warmth through me as his muscled
chest rested on my back and he lined his cock up with my hole.

"Ahhhh," I yelled as the tip of it pushed open my hole. He slowly slid it
into me and kissed my neck. His hands went to my pecs and he twisted my
nipples as he nibbled up to my ear.

"Uh huh," I whined as he shoved more inside me. My cock was rock hard and
leaking precum against the lounge chair as Amir held me against his chest
and worked himself deep inside me.

"Yes, baby. It's warmed up for me. You feel so good. Fuck I love this," he
praised as he sank into me; his cock lighting up the spots inside me that
made my dick drip a steady stream of precum.

"Oh fuck me, please. Fuck I need it so bad," I begged. He gave me what I
asked for, but in slow, controlled movements to not hurt me. He was
protective of his things.

"You want that, baby? You like me inside you giving your pussy what it
needs?" Amir growled against my ear. His lips and tongue traced a path up
my neck. He held onto me tightly as he started to slide in and out of me.

"Yes sir, please Mr. Pizzaman. I need it," I moaned. I turned my head until
his lips found mine and locked on. Our tongues wrestled as his cock started
to slide in and out of me. Each motion left me with a flutter of chills and
fireworks as he gave his boy what he needed.

"You like what I made you?" Amir asked in a low voice as lips sucked on my
earlobe. His hands rubbed up and down my chest until one made its way down
to my cock. He gave it a squeeze and pumped it in time to his swift, steady
fucking.

"Fuck yeah, you know how to please a customer," I assured in between gasps.
My cock was pulsing in his hand as his cock dug deep inside me to the
places that made my eyes roll back and my throat gasp for air.

"I try to match the product to the right customer," Amir chuckled. He
pushed in deeper and rubbed his sweaty chest across my back. My body purred
at his expert touch. I relaxed into him, arched my back, and tired to open
for him.

"Fuck yeah. Keep going like this and you'll make manager soon," I praised
as my body gave a shiver of delight.

"Employee of the month? That what I get for giving my boy what his body
craves? Yeah boy? The milk that'll make a real man out of you? You're so
hard," Amir noted as he stroked my throbbing cock while he filled me with
his meat. I could feel it inside me. It was twice the size of mine; longer,
thicker, hotter. It felt so good to be his; to be safe in his arm; to be
under his control. The earth could have been exploding right then and I
wouldn't notice.

"Fuck me... so fucking close to... uh fuck!" I felt my cock on the edge, those
stars you see just before you're about to finish.

"Oh fuck, me too, Kasper. I can never last long inside you... so good my
love," Amir grunted as he sped up. He has his legs between mine; his hairy,
muscular thighs stretching mine out so he could dig in deeper to my hole.

"Uh I'm gonna... Ohhh," I howled as my cock started to shake in his hands and
explode in cumworks or firecum or whatever the portmanteau is for that. My
body shook and his arms wrapped around me to hold me against his chest.

"Baby! Fuck!" Amir groaned and started to fire off inside me. I could feel
his hot cum shoot up into me, burying deep inside my hole.

"Uh huhhh," I gasped as we spasmed together, hunched over the lounge chair
together shaking like two animals in the woods.

We collapsed together as his final shots fired deep into my gut, my cock
squishing against the slimy cum-coated fabric of the chair. Amir rested on
his elbows and knees so he wouldn't crush me as I recovered my breath in
his cave of muscles. His lips came to rest on my shoulder, his arms slid
around my cummy chest. I turned my face to the side and his lips found mine
again.

"Fuck I love you so fucking much," Amir laughed as he gasped for air.
"Let's just stay like this until the servants find us."

"Or your parents," I noted through raspy breaths.

"Oh, yeah. Guess we can't do that... just five minutes, ok?" Amir said and
kissed me again then rested his cheek against mine. I listened his
breathing slow and then turn into a light snore. I was trapped under him,
always trapped after we finished. I sighed and closed my eyes, happy with
his giant softening spent cock stuffed deep in my crust.

++++

"If you need anything, ANYTHING at all, just text and we'll contact the
house staff to come and care for you. Be good, little one," Mr. Hamad said
and kissed my cheek.

"I'll be fine. Really, I'm just going to watch some TV and go to the gym,"
I assured. Emerson smiled at me and kissed my other cheek before his
husband nudged him towards the doorway.

"Really, anything at all. Even if you're just bored. Emi and I have our
phones on and yours is fully charged," Mr. Hamad said as he took the phone
they'd bought me from the counter and slid it into my hand.

"I'll be fine! Don't worry. I can take care of myself for a few hours until
Amir comes home from school. I'll go workout in the gym and then take a
nap," I assured them. I'd never had overprotective parents. As annoyed as I
probably should have been, I felt a warmth spread out from my heart across
my body at how much they worried for me.

Emerson signed something to his husband and looked at me with concern.

"I know," Mr. Hamad said and signed back, "But he would be bored at the
stockholder's meeting, and we'll be back in a few hours to get ready for
the dinner tonight with the Tahirs."

I got another barrage of hugs and kisses with Mr. Hamad messing up my hair
before they finally left. They closed the door and I realized I was alone
for the first time in weeks. The cement and stone modern house seemed
instantly cold and eerily quiet.

I shivered as I walked to my bedroom and changed into a pair of running
shorts and a tank top. Emerson had bought me a new pair of running shoes. I
was sure they cost more than my entire wardrobe back home, and I was
itching to break them in. I'd been somewhat trapped in the compound the
last few days since the last modeling job. Everyone had been so busy with
work and school so I just tried to stay out of the way. Using their state
of the art gym was becoming my daily outing.

The Tahirs had put off the dinner for a week. Reza's father had said that
he had urgent business in Cairo, but Amir told me he thought Reza probably
had a bruise from where he punched him. I was just glad to put off the
awkwardness for awhile. Amir had been tense thinking about it. He also
seemed sad. They had been friends for years before this. There had to be
more to the story. I set off for the gym.

The Hamads have an awesome treadmill with this virtual reality headset.
There's over a thousand different places you can go walk. Each walk
features an endless set of options depending on which way you go. Yesterday
I'd run six miles along the great wall of China, and today I wanted to race
through the streets of Paris. I hadn't worked up to trying the hike through
the Hollywood hills or running the beach path in Santa Monica. I knew it
would make me homesick.

I put in my earphones as I crept through the main house and downstairs to
the gym. I put on some music and was ready to get lost in a good long run.
But when I pushed open the door to the gym, I found it already occupied.

Amir's uncle Zaid was there with the two guys I'd heard about but never
seen. They looked like bodyguards and stood on either side of Zaid as he
warmed up on a stationary bike. They grunted when they saw me as they
pumped free weights over their heads.

They looked younger than Zaid, but older than me, possibly the average of
our ages. They could have been twins with dark skin, hair, and eyes. Their
muscles bulged in similar patterns, but their faces gave away their lack of
familial relation. One had a rounder face with soft, boyish features while
the other was sharp and angular with eyes that bored into me.

"Kasper! They let you out alone?" Zaid laughed. His two men closed in on
either side of him, but he shooed them away with an annoyed huff.

"Everyone was busy today, and I wanted to use the treadmill," I said with a
harmless smile I hoped would ease the tense looks I got from his guard
dogs.

"Treadmill? No! It's a beautiful day. Why don't I take you up the trail?
There are beautiful views of the Gulf from the peak," Zaid said and hopped
off his bike. Bodyguard B handed him a towel and he wiped the sweat from
his face and arms. He looked so different from the other Hamad men. Sure he
had their large eyes and pronounced nose. He had their soft lips and dark,
wavy hair, but he was smaller, thinner, more compact.

"I don't know... Mr. Hamad said not to go anywhere. I know Amir'd be upset if
I went without him," I begged off. I was trying to be good here. As odd as
it felt being treated like a child sometimes, it somewhat made up for the
care and over-concern I'd missed out on growing up. I didn't mind my leash...
sometimes.

"Nonsense! I'm just as protective of my brother's boys as he is, and I'd
never let any harm come to the love of my favorite nephew. We have Azim and
Bashir here to protect us and the trail is within the walls of our
neighborhood. Come! It is perfectly safe and the fresh air will do you
good," Zaid insisted as he came towards me and put his hand on my back. I
nodded and let him nudge me out the door.

We found a bottle of sunblock in a drawer near the door and we rubbed
ourselves down before heading out into the blinding Arab sun. Zaid took me
around the other side of the house to a gate that read his faceprint before
unlocking.

"Woah, cool. Will that work for my face too?" I asked. The Hamad world was
out of a sci-fi movie sometimes. I always marveled at the things Amir
seemed to take for granted.

"Doubtful. They don't like their boys escaping," Zaid laughed in a
semi-maniacal tone that sent a little shiver through me. There was
definitely some truth behind his joke, especially with the way Mr. Hamad
protected Emerson.

I followed him through the gate and his two men came silently behind me. I
would have forgotten they were there, but the one behind me put his hand on
the gate when I went through as if it might close on me. We went up a sandy
pathway between desert shrub and a few parched shade trees.

"Tell me about yourself, Kasper. I only know what Ali (Mr. Hamad to me) has
shared in your file," Zaid asked.

"I have a file?" I perked up.

"Yes, you don't think they'd bring someone in without a full background
check and history, do you? But it's pretty bland. You haven't done much,
have you," Zaid observed.

I started to tell him about my family, my childhood. It all felt pretty
uninteresting considering how these people lived, but Zaid held a slight
smile of genuine interest as I prattled on about it. He listened and nodded
or asked little questions to keep me talking as I got into the trouble I
had in South Africa and how Amir helped me. The trail grew steadily
steeper. He added encouragement like "That must have been hard for you," or
"I'm glad my family helped you through it."

"I can see how happy you make Amir. I know you're exactly what he needs,"
Zaid said when we came to a stop on the trail. He pointed behind me and I
turned to see a beautiful view of the city with the sparkling blue waters
of the Gulf behind it. I hadn't realized how high we'd climbed.

"Wow, it's so beautiful," I said. He waved to a large rock and we went to
sit on it to look out over the city while his two men walked around the
side of the peak while talking in Arabic.

"It is... we have been here for thousands of years. My ancestors roamed these
mountains with sheep. They were smart enough to settle and claim this land
when outsiders began to find it," Zaid said. His eyes glowed with pride as
he told me the proud history of how his family helped build this kingdom. I
listened while watching little cars and trucks move like ants across the
city.

"You know, everyone acts like you're some troublemaker guy, but I just
don't see it," I noted when he finished. I suddenly realized that might not
have been something he knew, but looking over at him I saw a sly smile
cross his lips.

"Oh I can be quite the problem when I want... but I love my nephews and I
respect their... pets." He rubbed my head gently and chuckled.

"Oh I'm a house pet, am I?" I laughed, but there was some truth to it.

"You have the potential to be. Hamad men can be bulldozers if you let us,"
he said with a slight tone of warning in his voice. "Just make sure you
make yourself heard every now and then; even when you don't think it's
important. Even sweet, loving Amir will eventually stop asking your opinion
if you don't voice it."

I started to respond, but Zaid's watch suddenly chirped and a man's voice
spoke in Arabic. Zaid touched a button and responded with a curious look.

"An old friend of the boys is at the gate! What a nice surprise. I don't
think either Amir or Ali are home yet though! Do you know him?" Zaid asked
as though I had understood his Arabic conversation with the guard. But I
had a sinking feeling in my stomach that I knew who it was.

"It's Reza? Yes... we met," I tried to not clench my teeth as a sudden twist
hit my stomach. I took my phone from my pocket. I needed to send Amir a
message, but we were too far from the compound of a cell tower. I had no
signal, no chance for help.

"You don't seem too thrilled. Is there something I'm missing? The boys grew
up together," Zaid started. I shook my head. If he didn't know anything, if
Amir hadn't told his closest uncle; it wasn't my place to breach his trust.

"Well let's head back and see what he wants," Zaid said. He waved for his
entourage and we set off down the trail. We made it halfway back to the
house when I saw a black sportscar slide into a parking spot near the
oversized garage. I wished Amir was home. I got an uneasy feeling. We
hurried down the trail towards him.

"Oh he's grown up quite a bit since I last saw him," Zaid said as we paused
to watch Reza step out of his car. Reza stretched his arms up over his head
and twisted a few times as though he'd been driving awhile. He had on a
tight white tank top that showed off his bulging muscles under almond skin.
His black, spiky hair framed a handsome face with full lips and big
sunglasses. He smiled when he caught sight of us and raised a hand to wave.

"Hello, uncle!" Reza called up and bounded towards us in a pair of small
red shorts that showed off his thick thighs and perfect ass. I cursed at
myself for admiring him, but this country seemed to have an endless supply
of beautiful muscle.

"The last time I saw you, you were just a skinny boy on the edge of
blossoming. And you have certainly finished with that," Zaid said without
realizing how pervy it sounded... or maybe he did realize but didn't care. I
saw a slight blush settle in over Reza's cheeks as he came to hug Zaid.

"Yes, I've been working out and making gains. I think it's paying off. What
do you think? Feel that, pretty solid," Reza said as he pulled away from
Zaid. He flexed for him in various poses and leaned in towards Zaid who lit
up and happily rubbed his hands over Reza's impressive progress. Reza
turned to look at me and leered as if to say he had Amir's uncle under his
spell. Zaid was happily entranced with his exploration of Reza's body.

I cleared my throat.

"Oh... and this is Kasper, but I hear you've already met," Zaid said as he
collected himself. Reza came towards me like he wanted a hug, but I slid
behind Zaid.

"Yes, we met," I said. I looked around as if Amir would suddenly show up.
"I thought you weren't coming until tonight."

"Oh, my mother sent over some things for the dinner. She asked me to drop
them off. I think she wanted me to hang out with Amir and Ali. Where are
they?" Reza asked.

"The boys aren't home yet. You're welcome to come inside though. I'm sure
we can entertain you until they get home," Zaid looked him over like a
hungry lion. Reza smiled deviously at me.

"Sure! Let me get the stuff out of the car! Kasper, can you give me a
hand?" Reza turned to look me up and down appraisingly. The look in his
eyes made me feel dirty and I hugged my arms across my chest.  Reza tried
to put on a happy, nonthreatening expression, but I knew better than to
trust him.

"I'm supposed to go workout before they get back," I said and started back
towards the house.

"Kasper, don't be rude. He brought things for the dinner. You can give him
a hand," Zaid called. I stopped and turned back towards them. They were
both looking at me and Reza had that smile that said he knew I was going to
have to go along with whatever he wanted.

"You'll come with us? I need to call Amir, he's expecting me to check-in
soon." I fumbled for a plan in my head. The best I could think of was to
get to my tablet and text him. He'd be furious.

"Sure," Zaid smiled. He was completely misreading this situation and only
thought of his chance to spend more time ogling Reza. I sighed and went
with them to Reza's trunk to bring in the bag of vegetables and bottles of
wine his mother had sent. Zaid said something in Arabic to his men and they
went off in the other direction. I guess he didn't need an entourage to
help him flirt with Reza.

"You sure have a cute little ass in those shorts," Reza noted from behind
me as I carried a small bag towards the little Hamad house in the back. I
turned to the side as though I could hide it.

"Looks good from that angle too," Reza laughed as though it was an innocent
joke. I felt my cheeks glow red from anger not embarrassment.

"My nephew has good taste," Zaid said as though Reza had offered a light
hearted compliment. I ignored both of them and hurried down the path
towards the front door. I had to get to my tablet. I would send Amir a
message and he'd think of something to get me away from Reza.

Mr. Hamad had added me to the face recognition so the door opened when I
waved my head in front of it. I went straight to the kitchen and set the
bag down without looking to see what was in it. I wheeled around and found
Reza directly behind me. He held a box of vegetables and used it to pin me
back against the countertop.

"Look in the small bag! It's for you and Amir," he said and poked me in the
stomach with the box.

"I will, but I seriously gotta pee!" I pushed against the box and he backed
up with a surprised chuckle. He nodded to let me know I had his permission.
I hated that I needed his permission. I tore off towards Amir's room where
my tablet was charging. I swiped open the messaging app and typed out "Reza
is here in your house! Help!"

It took maybe two seconds before Amir's face appeared on the screen. He had
his phone held up in front of his face and I watched him rise and grab his
bag as a professor droned on in Arabic in the background. He held a finger
up to his lips to tell me I should be quiet as he made his way out of his
class. I nodded, our eyes said enough to each other. He was pissed,
worried, annoyed, a flurry of angry emotions.

"What the fuck?" Amir said when he made his way out of the building. "Are
you ok? Who let him inside? What does he want? Did he hurt you? Did he
touch my baby?"

"No, I'm ok. Your uncle let him in. He came with some stuff his mom sent
for the dinner tonight and he flirted his way in. Your uncle is pretty much
drooling over him," I noted.

"Yes. I'm afraid that Uncle Zaid loves anything young and muscular. He
never lost the hunt for his prey of choice. I'm so sorry baby. You must be
scared, but Zaid won't let Reza harm you. I'm rushing home. Go out there
and make sure you stick to Zaid or else Reza might try to get you alone.
Don't worry baby. I'll be there as fast as I can," Amir assured as he
started to run across the quad. The picture bounced and I got a nice shot
of his heaving pec muscles before things went dark.

I started back towards the living room, but before I could get to Amir's
door I heard a knock.

"Kasper? Are you in there?" Reza's voice sounded from the other side of
Amir's door.

"Uh just a second. I'm having some stomach problems," I lied. It was the
first thing that came into my head. I hoped the thought of bad smells might
ward him off. It didn't.

"Oh, can I get you something? Are you in pain?" Reza asked. I lunged
towards the door and checked that the lock was secure.

"No, I'll be fine. Amir's coming home to take care of me," I said. I leaned
back against the door and slid down to the floor.

"What's going on?" I heard a second voice join him behind the door. It was
Zaid.

"Kasper's sick. He's locked the door. I'm worried about him," Reza said. He
sounded convincing.

"Oh these doors don't really lock. It's just to let you know they want some
privacy. You just jiggle the handle backwards two times." Zaid jiggled the
handle. "And voila!" The door cracked open and hit me in the back.

"Is he sitting in front of the door? Kasper are you ok?" Zaid asked. I
froze and said nothing.

"I don't like the sound of that. I bet he passed out! He must be very sick.
We better get in there!" Reza urged. They started to push on the door and I
lunged forward as they pushed it open. I landed on my hands and knees, ass
towards the doorway.

"No, I just dropped something here," I fumbled around. "Ahh here it went."
I felt around under Amir's side table and my hand found a cap to a water
bottle.

They came in and saw what I had apparently been looking for. They looked at
me like I was some sort of psychotic kitten.

"I lost it this morning! Don't want to be a litterbug," I joked and tried
to look sincere.

"See? He's talking nonsense. We better get him checked out," Reza said with
genuine concern. His tone threw me off. He didn't sound like the leering,
angry monster Amir knew.

"I'm fine, just..." I started to say.

"He's fine! See! Kasper, get off the floor and come back out to the living
room," Zaid said without care. He put his hand on Reza's shoulder and
nudged him back towards the hall. Reza turned back to look at me with
sympathetic eyes.

It was just a moment of eye contact, but his face seemed to tell me a lot.
He looked like he genuinely cared and seemed upset that I was acting so
strangely. I felt bad for a minute about calling Amir to rescue me. I got
up and followed them back towards the main living area.

Zaid and Reza sat at the kitchen bar sipping water bottles. They'd made
themselves comfortable in the little Hamad house that had become my home.
It felt wrong to me.

"Don't just stand there," Zaid said to me with an annoyed look, "Come,
come. Stop being weird."

"I suppose Amir will come bursting in the door at any moment," Reza said
when I went around them to the other side of the bar and picked up a
banana.

"Um, what? I don't... no idea," I said as I peeled it and looked down at the
marble counter.

"I'm guessing you texted him for help as soon as the guards let me in. I'm
sure he filled your head with all kinds of nonsense about me, right?" he
laughed.

"What's the deal with you two anyway? You were such good friends as boys."
Zaid noted.

"Just some joke that went wrong awhile back. I guess he never got over it.
You know what a baby he can be when he loses," Reza said. I took a bite of
the banana and hoped he'd share more of his side of the story. I wondered
if he had a different interpretation of the events than Amir had.  I
realized he'd grown up around this family, probably eaten many meals at
this counter. I wondered if maybe Amir had made more of it than Reza had.

"Well there's nothing that can't be worked out between brothers. You're
certainly welcome to visit me anytime you wish," Zaid said without any
attempt at veiling his lust for Reza.

"Thanks. Now that I'm back full-time, I hope I can work things out with
Amir. We could be friends too, Kasper. I'd like to get to know you... Maybe
you even know someone so I can find someone as beautiful as he has," Reza
looked over at me and winked. I choked on a piece of banana and turned my
head as I coughed.

"I... I don't um..."  I fumbled for words and then just shoved the banana back
in my mouth.

"I make you nervous, don't I? That's so cute! Your cheeks are pink and it
makes your eyes so beautiful when you're intimidated," Reza's eyes lit up
as he realized the power he held. He seemed to enjoy it for a split second
but then shook his head as if it wasn't right.

"Amir must have really built me up to you!"  He got off the barstool and
came around the counter. I backed away but hit against the refrigerator.
Reza studied me with confusion.

As he got closer I realized how much bigger he was. He was bulkier than
Amir and every step towards me had me feeling weaker. I stared at his chest
and then looked down.

"Really, Kasper," he said as his hand came down on my shoulder. "I'm not
the bad guy here. Don't believe everything you've heard."

"I don't think you're bad, I..." I felt my heart pounding and then heard the
chirp of the door alarm.

"Reza!" Amir called from behind him. "I didn't know you were coming." He
was trying to sound light hearted but I heard the angry tint to his words.

"My mother sent some things for me to drop off. She cleared it with your
dad," Reza noted as he turned around. My eyes met Amir's and he looked
alarmed to find me hiding behind his enemy.

"Yes, and you've dropped them off I see. You should head home then," Amir
replied with an obvious hint that Reza's time here was done. I slipped from
behind Reza and tried to casually walk around the perimeter of the room to
get closer to Amir.

"I invited him in. You boys should work out whatever caused this," Zaid
interjected.

"I'll deal with you later, uncle," Amir growled. He wasn't happy his uncle
had let Reza inside. I realized that once again Amir assumed I was too
naive or dumb to have defended myself. His anger was aimed at the other two
involved. Zaid looked strangely rattled. I'd never seen him like that. He
was always the snappy guy with a good comeback.

"I think we should talk things out, Amir," Reza said and then added
something in their language. I made my way to Amir who reached for me and
brought me behind him. I put my hand in his back pocket like I was holding
him back. I buried my nose in the back of his neck and inhaled his cologne
mixed with sweat.

"If you wanted that, you would have texted me you were coming and waited
for me to be here. Instead you chose to show up uninvited and come into my
family's home with my cub here alone. That's a coward's way of getting to
me," Amir said in English for my benefit as if knowing that Reza had likely
softened me up.

"That's not... I came to talk to you! You'll want to hear this... " Reza
started to argue, but Amir cut him off.

"You had your fun and scared my boy... That's a cowardly thing to do... It's
time to go now. I'll see you at the dinner tonight since that is out of my
control. Goodbye," Amir turned towards the door and waved his hand. Reza
looked between us. His eyes lingered on me as though he hadn't meant to
scare me.

"I'll walk you out," Zaid said and hopped off the barstool. He looked like
he was realizing the extent of the situation and wanted to do some damage
control as Amir's favorite uncle.

"But I..." Reza started, but Zaid went to him and took him by the arm.

"Let's go," Zaid said. As the ranking elder in the Hamad compound at the
moment, Reza couldn't refuse. He knew better than to argue with someone who
outranked him.

He said something in Arabic that had the tone of defeat and went with Zaid.
Amir waited until the door closed behind them before turning to kiss me. He
put his hands on my cheeks and searched me for damage.

"I can't believe he did that! If dad was here alone, there's no way anyone
would let another man in our home. Father would be furious! He would have
fired the entire staff," Amir fumed. He was referring to his American dad,
Emerson, whom his Arab father, Mr. Hamad, protected fiercely.

"I was freaked, dude, but then... he seemed almost like... like maybe he
wants to make things better with you," I added.

"Oh great! Not you too! Everyone falls for his act!" Amir looked at me with
wild eyes like I'd betrayed him.

"No! That's not what I meant," I started to say, but realized Amir was
taking it wrong.

"I was really scared when he followed me to the house. It was so creepy and
I wished you were here with me. I wanted to run and hide until you got
home," I admitted. When he heard that his protective side took over and his
eyes went from bewildered to guilt-ridden.

"He shouldn't have been allowed in here. He knows that! I'm so sorry I
couldn't protect you, baby. You're all I thought about the whole way here.
You don't know what he would do just to mess with me. With those other guys
it was bad enough, but you're my heart, Kasper. There is no game here, not
for me," Amir said and kissed me then rubbed his nose over my cheek.

"I just... I meant like maybe... call a truce and agree to stay out of each
other's lives, right? I don't want him to show up again or come after me,"
I stumbled over the words.

"That is for me to worry about. The safety of my boy is my first concern,
and he clearly targets you! This is not something I want you worried for,
my love. You don't deserve this. It is my job to protect you," Amir leaned
in and kissed me as he held my cheeks. His lips wrestled with mine and I
felt his pulse pounding through them.

"You're mine, Kasper. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, ok?" Amir
put his forehead to mine and stared into me.

"Ok," I agreed. I relaxed into him and batted my eyelashes against his.

His hands slid down to my shoulders and back. He kept going down to my ass.
He cupped my bottom and pulled me into his chest as our tongues wrestled. I
shivered against the heat of his skin on mine. He pushed me back against
the counter and leaned into me. He held me so tight as if I'd slip away. I
melted into him. He started to grind his bulge against mine. I could feel
how full he was and I needed him inside me. We got so lost in each other
that we missed the chirp of the door alarm or the noise of his parents
coming home.

"Should we go back out and knock?" Mr. Hamad's voice boomed behind us. Amir
took a few more seconds to realize we had an audience. I tried to push
against his chest, but he's an immovable rock when he has hold of what he
desires.

"Mmm," I squirmed on Amir's lips and he got the message.

"Oh," he said as he pulled away from me. He turned his head back to face
his fathers.

"It looks like the two of you are off to a good afternoon. I thought your
class wasn't out until later?" Emerson signed and Mr. Hamad translated with
a smirk. He still was uncomfortable seeing his son be too affectionate with
me.

"Yes, well that's what I need to talk to father about... in private," Amir's
voice was serious and it made Mr. Hamad look up with alarm.

"Can it wait? We'd like to rest before we get ready for the dinner... and it
looks like you boys need your rest as well," Mr. Hamad said with one hand
on his partner's waist. I guessed he was interested in spending the time in
his bed.

"No sir, this is urgent," Amir said with formality. Mr. Hamad nodded and
waved a hand towards the hallway. They went into my room which used to be
Mr. Hamad's study.

Emerson and I exchanged awkward looks and then he came towards me with his
cell phone to text things out with me. He typed to ask me what happened. I
tried to think of what I could tell him that wouldn't divulge Amir's
secrets about his past with Reza.

Emerson put on the speech to text app he used when speaking with people who
don't know sign language.  It picked up my story of everything that had
happened since they'd left me.

I of course left out Amir's secret about why he and Reza were enemies. I
couldn't tell his father that they had fucked and Reza used the recording
against him. That was Amir's to share if he wanted. Emerson shook his head
as he processed it.

"Something big happened between those two. I'm sure of it. I know my Ami
and he never acts this strangely. The two were inseparable for so long when
they were young. How could it end so suddenly?" Emerson typed out.

"I guess so... He won't talk about it," I half-lied. Amir wouldn't talk about
it except with me. Emmerson scowled but I wasn't sure if it was meant for
me or the situation.

"Reza's mother might know. I can talk to her. She can pry anything out of
her son. She'll get to the bottom of this," Emerson typed out.  I groaned.
I didn't think that would make things better.

I didn't want to talk anymore and risk saying something I shouldn't.
Luckily a notification went off on his phone and it distracted him. I
walked away before he could turn his attention back to me.

I was heading for Amir's room to wait for him, but the door to my room
opened and Mr. Hamad came out. He stopped when he saw me and looked sad.

"Amir says Reza upset you. I'm sorry for that. This should be your safe
place. I'll instruct my brother of his error. No one should be allowed in
our home without one of us here. Are you ok, sweet one?" he asked me. The
way he said "us" let me clearly know he meant himself, Amir, or Ali. I
doubted Emerson counted in that lot any more than I did. To them, the
blonde boys were defenseless protectorates who needed an Arab male to keep
them safe.

"I feel better now... I was so scared. I didn't know what to do so I texted
Amir and then tried to hide from them. The way he looked at me and talked
about me made me think he was going to do something," I admitted. Something
about his presence let me know I didn't have to put up a wall, and being
truthful would help Amir's case that Reza wasn't to be trusted.

It worked too. Mr. Hamad looked at me with alarm.

"I don't like that you felt so unsafe. You shouldn't have to know what to
do to stay safe in my home... your home. You're our boy and you deserve our
protection," Mr. Hamad looked sad. He took his status as the leader of this
family very seriously. He put one hand on my shoulder and used the other to
stroke my cheek. I raised a hand to cover his, to hold it as if to say I
trusted him.

Emerson must have come up behind me because Mr. Hamad took his hand off my
shoulder and signed some things with his husband. His other hand slid down
my cheek and to my back. He brought me into his chest as he discussed
something with Emerson in silent signs.

"Thank you, sir... I feel better now" I said when he finally let me go. He
looked at his husband and nodded his head towards their bedroom. Emerson
came and gave me a sad look then took his husband's hand and they left us.

"I had to tell him," Amir said as he led me to his room.

"You told him about the video?" I asked incredulously.

"No. What? No way! He would blame me for being stupid enough to get myself
into that. I told him that I needed better protection for you, and if you
couldn't feel safe here then I'd move us into the apartment we keep on
campus." Amir took my hand and pulled me towards his door.

"On campus? But I like it here. I have a family. We can't go!" I protested.

"I meant it, Kasper. He needs to know that I'm as protective of you as he
is of dad. I'm a man now. I plan to start a family with you just like he
did. This isn't some dumb crush." Amir looked at me with serious eyes.

"A family? With me? I'm only 18. I don't want kids and we haven't even
talked about that," I flustered. He paused and turned to look at me as he
opened his door.

"I meant someday. And what's there to talk about? You're mine." Amir
gripped my hand protectively. I winced when he squeezed too hard. I pulled
it back.

"You can't take me away! I like it here, Amir I like your family and
Emerson and everyone's so nice and... this place just feels like..." I finished
the rest of the sentence in my head. It felt like home. It felt more like a
home than the place I grew up. I didn't feel weird here. I wasn't a
disappointment to everyone. I wasn't the unwanted fuck-up.

"I know, my love. He promised he'll speak to Zaid, the security, and the
men of the house. He doesn't want you to leave here either. You've become
their favorite son. I just needed him to know that I have a duty to you
like he has to dad. I take it seriously," Amir said and brought me into his
chest as we stumbled into his room. He closed the door behind us with his
foot and nudged me over towards his bed as we kissed.

"So it was just a bluff? You promise? I... just got here. I can't leave." I
tried not to sound like I was begging, but I felt desperation at the
thought of leaving the Hamad compound. As bored as I'd been the last few
days, this was the most peaceful place I'd ever lived. This was the family
I dreamed about when I was an awkward gay kid in a cold, religious family.

"No," Amir said in a breathy voice as he explored new places to nibble on
me. He kissed down my neck and lipped at the shoulder of my tank top. "It's
my duty to keep you safe. Whatever that comes to, I'll do it."  He sounded
so final in the way he said it, but then his gentle kisses and his arms
pulling me down to his bed had me distracted.

+++

I didn't know what to wear for the dinner and Emerson was so busy with the
preparations that he didn't stop in to pick something out for me. I asked
Amir for help, but since his arch nemesis would be there he wanted me
covered from head to toe. He put on a simple blue t-shirt that framed his
muscles nicely and a pair of short khaki shorts. I decided on a
long-sleeved thin sweater in pink with white jeans.

We made it out to the living room before the guests arrived and Emerson
smiled approvingly. The house staff must have been working hard while we
were in Amir's room. The place was spotless and the large bar that
separated the kitchen from the dining and living areas was set up with
trays of hors d'oeuvres and a selection of drinks for us and wine for the
adults. It looked like the homiest of homes with soft lighting and some
weird but peaceful Arab music playing. Of course Emerson had thought of
everything.

Amir immediately went to the food trays with wide eyes and a big smile.
Emerson stopped him just as he was about to grab what he wanted. He signed
something that I guessed meant "Wait for the guests." Amir sighed and
turned to me with a look of defeat.  He put his hand on my chest and pulled
on my shirt to bring me towards him. He reached for my hands and tried to
guide me through an awkward dance to the music playing in the living room.

"I haven't heard this song in forever. My grandfather used to play it for
me." Amir started singing the words softly in my ear. I had no idea what
they meant, but his deep Arab notes sent a chill through me as I rubbed my
nose across his neck. I love his cologne and the way his muscled chest
feels against mine.

"You two are goofy," Ali's voice said behind me. It snapped me back from
the fog and I turned to see both him and Emerson watching us.

"Everything is ready?" Mr. Hamad asked as he came in from the other side of
the room. Amir looked up, but kept me against his chest. He signed
something to his husband and I looked over to see Emerson sign back with a
confident nod.

Mr. Hamad sighed and nodded, but he didn't look entirely pleased. Maybe he
was just as uneasy as Amir about this evening. Maybe he wanted it over with
as much as we did. I could feel the tension return to Amir as he held me.
His pulse quickened against my chest. He held me a little too tightly.

"Are you sure you need me for this? I don't think Kasper should have to see
Reza again after this afternoon. I was thinking of taking him out for
dinner since I've been so busy with school this week," Amir attempted a
last ditch effort at escape.

"Kasper will be fine. We will all be here and that boy won't try anything
on him. Besides, your dad worked hard to pull this together. We will be
here as a family and things will work out between you boys," Mr. Hamad
said.

"They're here," Ali said ominously as the panel by the door chirped and
flashed a strobe light for Emerson. We all turned to stare at the panel as
if they would teleport through it.

"I won't let you out of my grasp until he's gone," Amir assured in a
whisper.

"What if I have to pee?" I asked. I started to laugh, but his eyes told me
it wasn't time to joke.

"I'll go with you," he said with quiet determination.

It took a few minutes for the Tahirs to park and walk back to the little
house Mr. Hamad had built for his family. We all froze like a window
display at some fancy Arabian department store as if waiting to be
reanimated by the arrivals. It was eerily quiet. I even heard the footsteps
as the Tahirs made their way up the front path.

The doorbell rang and everyone sighed as if we'd been holding our breaths.
Mr. Hamad went to the door and opened it to a handsome older couple.

Zaira and Bashir Tahir stood in the open doorway with pleasant smiles and a
small gift basket with wine poking out of the top. I could see the parts of
each that had grown in their son. Reza's mother had his oversized brown
eyes and his father held that strong jaw and wide shoulders. They exchanged
handshakes, hugs, cheek kisses, and laughter with Emerson and Mr. Hamad in
that overly gushy European style that always seemed a bit too much. Amir
let me wiggle around so I could turn to see them, but he kept an arm across
my waist as if I'd be pulled into their vortex of horror.

He gave a sudden jolt when they moved inside and Reza appeared behind them.
It was followed by a sharp gasp when a second boy came into view at his
side. Amir knew him and the sight of him made Amir's arms fall from their
protective hold on me.

"Kai!... Kai?.... Kai!" Amir yelled in a voice that cycled through
emotions. I looked back at him and it took exactly three seconds to sink in
who the new guy was. In those three seconds, Amir dropped me and moved
around me like a rocket aimed at the doorway.

It was THE Kai. It was the Kai that had been involved in his fall-out with
Reza. It was the Kai whom he'd pursued and lost. It was the Kai he'd had
deep feelings for and thought he'd never see again. It was the Kai. I
instantly felt a stab in my stomach as Amir rushed him, hugged him, and put
his hands on Kai's shoulders as if to confirm his dream was reality.

They talked, hugged, and laughed while I stood back where he'd left me; the
old toy. With his warm covering gone, the chill of the room hit me as I
looked around and watched everyone paired off. Emerson was signing with
Mrs. Tahir while Mr. Hamad entertained her husband. Ali had gone to Reza
since Amir's threatened stance seemed to have faded. Amir was stuck to Kai
who still hadn't made it inside the doorway. I looked around helplessly and
found myself alone.

Kai was everything Amir had described. He was a perfect mix of Chinese and
Australian with tan skin, wavy brown hair and soft eyes. He was as tall as
Amir and had muscles that bulged under his tight blue Henley shirt. The
light from the pathway hung over his head like a halo. He threw back his
head and laughed at something Amir said, showing perfect white teeth and
full lips. I knew immediately that I didn't like him.

"Kasper, you're shaking. What's wrong, little one?" Mr. Hamad said as he
reached for me. He and Reza's father had walked over to my side while I was
caught up in my head.

"I'm ok, sir. Just cold." I forced a smile and saw Reza's father giving me
a head to toe inspection with his eyes. Mr. Hamad pulled me over to his
warm chest and introduced me.

"This is Kasper, our youngest and newest addition," Mr. Hamad chuckled as
he wrapped an arm around me and put a hand on my hair. I had my blonde hair
pulled back into a neat bun. He pet me and messed it up a little, but I
didn't mind. His touch reassured me.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," I said and offered my hand to Reza's father.
I kept my manners to make Mr. Hamad proud.

"A Californian! Oh I haven't been to the states since probably before you
were born," Mr. Tahir laughed. "I do miss that accent." He took my hand and
shook it as if I was being overly formal.

"Thank you sir," I said with automated conversation as I kept a side eye on
Amir. I wasn't feeling very thankful though since he'd brought Kai into my
world.

"Kasper's been modeling while he stays with us. He did an ad with your
Reza," Mr. Hamad said proudly as if I'd been working on a cure for
something.

"I saw! The pictures were stunning. Reza looked so happy posing with him.
With Kasper's looks, I'm sure he will have a good career." Mr. Tahir looked
me up and down. He made no mention of the girl who'd shot with us.

They went back to their Arabic conversation over my head as Mr. Hamad
rubbed his warm hands up and down my arms and over my chest like I was a
puppy. I was happy to play his pet. I watched as Amir, Ali, Reza, and Kai
went to sit in the living room without a second thought to me. They weren't
even talking in English. I guessed Kai was fluent in Arabic too, another
ten points for his scoreboard.

"It is good to see the boys getting along again, right Kasper?" Mr. Hamad
said and brought me back into the conversation.

"Yes sir... it's great," I mumbled.

"They were like brothers for so long. I miss the days when they were simple
children. I hope they find that brotherhood again," Mr. Tahir added.

I don't think Amir and I had ever been in the same room this long without
him looking over to check on me. I watched him, but the only eyes that
caught mine were Kai's. He nodded a smile at me and waved as if he knew who
I was. I raised my hand halfway up to return his greeting and Amir finally
turned to look at me. His look told me he'd forgotten I was there,
forgotten I existed, an old life crashing into new.

"Kasper! Come meet Kai!" He said with a surprised laugh. He waved his hand
towards me and then quickly returned his attention to Kai like he didn't
care if I complied with his request or not.

I did though. I went over there. I didn't want to be the pouting lurker
hiding in the arms of Mr. Hamad, though he was happy to have me there. I
took a deep breath and strolled the few paces to the living room. Reza
watched me coming with a curious look.

"Hi Kasper!" Kai said as I arrived next to Amir. He stood up and leaned
over Amir to hug me. He wasn't a tight hugger like the Hamad men. He seemed
tentative. He didn't know me. He smelled like citrus with a woodsy hint of
mild cologne. He wanted me to like him.

I didn't know how to respond. I gave a muted "Nice to meet you," as he
pulled away.

"Your eyes are beautiful," Kai said in a gentle, Australian timbre.

"Aren't they? We modeled together... at least until Amir got too jealous,"
Reza laughed as though he was chiding an old friend.

"I had to rescue him from Reza! He isn't used to being pawed at by a stray
dog," Amir smiled like he and Reza hadn't come to blows at the photoshoot.
He took my hand and pulled me down into his lap like he suddenly seemed to
notice I was there.

Just as I was trying to figure out what to say, Mr. Hamad rescued me by
announcing that the dinner was ready.

The adults were filling their plates with food from the counter. Amir stood
quickly, nearly pushing me to the floor, and gestured for Kai to go first.
I slid off to the side and watched as the two of them went to get plates
with Ali closed behind.

"After you," Reza said to me and gave me the hand motion Amir had used on
Kai.

I started slowly, but I was watching as Amir and Kai got in line behind Mr.
Hamad. Amir must have said something funny because Kai gave that laugh.
It's that kind of laugh that comes out around someone you're interested in.
Anything they say is suddenly the funniest thing you've ever heard. I felt
Reza's hand nudge me forward and I turned to look at him. His eyes read my
face and he cocked his head to the side to study me.

"No," he whispered like I'd asked him a question. "Trust me. He's not a
threat. I ran into him last month when I was in Sydney. I explained that
everything that went down was just a joke that got out of control. I wanted
to make it up to Amir. I wanted to tell him at the photo shoot, but he was
such an asshole to me and... well... things got out of control. I brought Kai
here as an olive branch."

"Thanks," I said with a tinge of sarcasm. I was happy that Amir would make
peace with Reza. I was angry that Kai so readily sucked up his attention,
his affection.

"It's not like that. He's only here for a few days and Amir is all about
you. I've never seen him so protective of anyone. He was ready to fight to
the death with me," Reza noted. He sighed and gave me those eyes that
begged me to accept it.

"Kasper, everything ok?" Mr. Hamad called as he set his plate on the table.
Kai turned to look at me as he was loading his plate with food. I nodded
and forced a smile to Mr. Hamad. He accepted it and turned his attention to
his guests. The adults were sitting at the family table.

"Kasper," Ali said from the buffet. He paused with his plate in his hand as
he looked between me and Reza. "Come get some food." He was looking out for
his brother's boy. He picked up a clean plate from the end and held it out
for me. I went to him and hid by his side as I watched Amir and Kai fill
their plates from the buffet. They talked and laughed about some shared
joke  then they left through the front door to find the poolside table. He
left me.

Ali waited and helped me through the buffet explaining what everything was
and what I probably wouldn't like. He pointed out the things his dad had
made and said I had to at least get a few bites of each. It almost felt
like I was there with Amir, in his protective warmth and glow, but it was
his brother. Reza followed behind us.

I finished my selections. I'd let Ali pile my plate high to appease his
parents even though we both knew I wouldn't eat half of it. He put his hand
in the center of my back and guided me out towards the pool.

We found Amir and Kai sitting under a string of twinkling white lights set
up in a zig zag over the metal table with six white chairs. Ali set his
food down next to his brother and then pulled out the chair next to his for
me. Reza sat across from me and next to Kai. Amir didn't look up from Kai's
attention.

They bantered back and forth in Arabic punctuated with loud bursts of
laughter. They were rehashing old times, good times, times before I was
there and English was necessary.

I picked over the plate of food. I could spot what was Emerson's and what
was Mrs. Tahir's. Emerson's food never had a single spot of grease, but
always burst with flavor. Mrs. Tahir's was more traditional, heavier, halal
(The muslim tradition of acceptable foods and preparation). The four of
them carried on between bites, all traces of animosity between Reza and
Amir were gone. Reza must have done a good job with Kai. He must have taken
full responsibility and begged penance. Amir lit up with a personality I
hadn't seen before.

"Oh and I imagine Kasper complains enough about it," Kai said, switching to
English to make my ears prick up. I raised my head to meet his gaze and he
winked at me with something more than mild interest. He held my eyes and
his lips curled up into a smile when he saw I wasn't sure of him.

"Never, he likes my snoring. He finds it comforting," Amir laughed.

"It's not the snoring so much as the gas. You forget we've shared a room.
It's like sleeping next to a Mumbai subway!" Reza joked. "I'm sure he's
just being polite."

"My boy sleeps like a rock, cradled into my chest," Amir said.

"I have to! The house is freezing!" I interjected, trying to sound light.

"He does the cutest thing though when I find him sleeping alone. He curls
up like an egg with my pillow as the yolk," Amir said and looked at me
adoringly. He put his hand to my forehead and pushed my hair back behind my
ears.

"I can imagine. He's adorable," Reza said and gave me a wink, then added,
"At least he doesn't kick!"  I didn't know who he was talking about, but
then Kai confessed to it.

"Hey, I don't do that anymore... not as much," Kai protested.

"I remember! You got me in the nuts once!" Amir laughed. They went back to
Arabic then as the words sank in.

He'd shared a bed with Kai. I wondered what they'd done together and why he
hadn't mentioned that. I was surging with jealousy all over again. I set
down my fork. I hadn't eaten much, but my stomach couldn't handle anymore.
They'd slept together. It pounded over and over in my head. He'd kicked
Amir in the nuts once which meant they'd probably done it multiple times. I
felt my pulse pounding in my ears and it drowned out their conversation. I
looked down at my plate as it swirled around and around in my head.

"Right, Kasper?" Amir said and turned to me. I looked up and saw they were
all looking at me.

"Um what?" I asked.

"You ok? You look sad," he said and studied my face.

"I'm good," I lied. He reached his hand to my cheek and cupped it, rubbing
a finger near my temple. I felt a little shock of pain on my skin.

"Hey, I think you're starting to get a little zit here," he noted and
rubbed his finger over it. I pulled back and everyone laughed. It hit me
like a slap.

"Don't embarrass him," Kai laughed as if he pitied me, as if I needed
defending, as if I wasn't even a challenge to his affections for Amir, as
if I was some meaningless boy he didn't need to take seriously, as if I
didn't matter. I felt like the sad little brother who they'd been forced to
bring along. I didn't belong here.

"I... be right back," I said and got up without waiting for a reply. I made
my way back towards the house, but the adults would be in there and I
didn't feel like dealing with that. I went around to the little stone
circle around the koi pond and sank down on the cold stone with my back
against the wall.

I pulled my knees up into my chest and hugged them, lowering my face into
my crossed arms. For the first time there, I wanted to go home. I tried to
tell myself that I was just being a baby, that of course Amir had exes and
a full life before me... but this felt different.

"Baby," Amir whispered as he came around the corner of the house. "You're
mad at me?"

"No," I croaked, trying to not sound so pitiful. "I just need a minute."

But he didn't go away. He came and slid down the wall next to me and leaned
over to rest his head on mine.

"Do you know how much my heart twists when I see you sad? I didn't mean to
offend you. They weren't laughing at you. They were laughing at me for
saying something so stupid...  I'm sure it's not a zit, and if it is then dad
has some cream that can clear it right up!" Amir said.

I didn't respond or look up. He sighed and kissed my hair.

He rubbed a hand down my back and slid the other under my knees. He lifted
me off the stone and brought me over to his lap sideways so my head rested
on his shoulder. He slid the hand that was under my knee down my thigh to
cup my ass. He squeezed it and wrapped his other arm around my back to pull
me close against his chest. He leaned his head down and kissed my knees,
one at a time.

"We'll fix you up, you'll be pretty again," he joked, trying to lighten the
mood.

"It's not a zit!" I smacked a hand against his chest. He looked at me with
pouty lips and begging eyes. It just made me angrier.

"What's wrong then? We were having a good time. Reza apologized for things
and he did it without spilling the details to Ali. Can you believe it? He
begged Kai to realize it was all him and not me. He brought him here after
the photoshoot as a peace offering. That's why they put the dinner off for
a week. Reza wanted to surprise me and ask forgiveness. Isn't that great?"
Amir asked.

"Yes, I'm happy for you... Now Kai likes you again. You can start over with
him just like you wanted... You get another shot," I said, realizing how my
words sounded.

"Wait, What? Kasper! Baby! I don't want another shot at Kai! Are you
serious? Why would I want him when I have you? Is that why you're upset? We
were all having a good time... I thought... Right?" Amir sighed.

"You were having a good time with your friends. I wasn't... and I don't
speak that language. You all fit together...  As soon as Kai walked through
the door, you let go of me and..." I said but Amir cut me off.

"No! I didn't mean to do that. It's not like that at all. Oh my love... that
was an asshole thing to do and I'm so sorry... I just... It was like seeing a
ghost, Kasper. After all this time he just walks through the door like... I
was in shock. I didn't mean to cut you out of things. I'd never do that
intentionally," Amir offered.

He kissed my forehead then asked, "You will forgive me?"

I nodded against his shoulder then rubbed my nose along his chin. I felt my
body filling up with his warmth again, his heartbeat pounding in his neck
as I pressed my cheek into him.

"I love you so much. I'd never do anything to hurt you." he assured.

"I love you too. I guess I was just being jealous." I offered a truce.

"Jealous?" Amir said as if that was something he hadn't considered. He
mulled it over then laughed. "You were ready to fight for you man?"

"Uh huh," I said and kissed up his jaw. "You think I could take him?"

"Doubtful. Kai wrestled through high school... I'd have to step in and rescue
you." Amir laughed.

"You were really jealous of Kai? Why?" Amir said when he stopped. He looked
like he couldn't believe it.

"He just fits here. He's from your world. He speaks your language. He
brought your worst enemy back to being your friend..." I trailed off. Amir
just shook his head in disbelief.

"Kasper! You drive me so crazy. You fit in here from the first minute my
parents figured out you were tricked into the bad aspects of the show. They
love you and so do I. You're the quintessential California golden boy,"
Amir said.

"I'm ok... I guess," I laughed uncomfortably.

"You're an international model!" Amir argued.

"I took a few pictures in Africa and here," I dismissed.

"You've been on television!" Amir continued.

"A side part on an awful show," I laughed. I was blushing furiously. I
could feel my cheeks burn.

"And that porn site got well over a million clicks just from a few pictures
of you in your underwear," Amir pressed on. "Trust me, the lawyers got the
records in case we needed to sue."

"That was embarrassing for my whole family, and not something to be proud
of," I pointed. I buried my face in his shoulder.

"I'm never embarrassed of you. I'm proud you're mine. I always will be."
Amir raised my eyes to look at his. He nodded like he'd just confirmed
something to himself.

"Kai isn't your competition," he said. "You are your only competition,
Kasper. You're a beautiful boy with a beautiful soul whose family spent 18
years trying to crush. They tried to make you feel bad about who you are
because it didn't suit their antiquated narrative. And in spite of all
that, you still expect the best of everyone. You still want to give
everyone a chance."

"Stop..." I looked down. I couldn't handle his adoration. I felt stupid for
being so upset about Kai.

"Ok... You may not see how perfect you are, but I do. You aren't here because
we pity you. You're here because we all love you. You belong here," Amir
affirmed. "You get that?"

He waited for me to nod and then kissed me and wrapped his arms around me
tightly.

"You see how much better you make things? I was so mad at Reza and then
when he did this, surprised me with Kai and asking forgiveness... I thought
of you. You always look for the best in people and it... it changed me. You
make me a better person," Amir finished.

We made out for a few minutes. We were on the edge of doing more and
forgetting we had a house full of guests until Ali showed up.

"If you two are done with... whatever this is, we're wanted back inside," he
announced.

Amir said something that sounded like a curse in Arabic and Ali just
laughed and walked off.

"We better get this over with. I hope they're almost done. I need some time
with you... alone," Amir whispered. He kissed me one more time and then
pushed up on my bottom to indicate I should stand. He followed me then took
my hand and lead me back towards the house.

Everyone was inside and they seemed to be waiting for us. We walked in,
hand in hand, and Mr. Hamad gave us a nod of approval. Everyone was
gathered around the big kitchen bar. The food had been cleared away and
there was a big cake on the counter and a long line of half-filled
champagne flutes.

Mr. Hamad started a little speech about how much the Tahirs meant to their
family... our family. He announced some new deal Mr. Tahir had made to lure a
new corporate headquarters of some company I'd never heard of. He said it
would be billions in investments and new jobs and other stuff that sounded
exciting. I tried to look interested and smile as Amir stood behind me with
his arms wrapped securely across my chest and his chin on my shoulder.

I caught Kai's eyes a few times while Mr. Hamad spoke. I felt a little
guilty for instantly judging him and disliking him. I offered him a smile
and he winked back at me and returned it. He nodded as his eyes looked at
Amir's hold on me. He looked genuinely happy.

Amir leaned around me to take a flute of champagne. His father pointed him
to the lighter colored ones which I guessed were non-alcoholic. He got two
for us and then whispered that he couldn't wait to get back to his room
with me. I needed him too.

Looking around I saw Mr. Hamad look at us as he finished his toast. He gave
a nod of approval and a satisfied smile as he watched his son's hold on me.
He tipped his glass towards me and gave a wink like we had some private
joke. I saw Emerson looking out over his family and friends, the comfort
and love he'd created here. I watched Ali looking down at his phone and
completely bored with this situation in a way that one can only look within
the confines of a safe and happy family. He didn't have a care in the
world.

I felt Amir slowly rub his hand up and down my stomach as he pulled me back
against his muscled chest and laughed at something his father had said
while I was lost in thought. I put my hand over his and our fingers
interlaced. He squeezed my hand, letting me know he had me. I turned back
to rub my cheek against his shoulder. I was his. I was home.
--
Thanks for reading. Comment if you'd like more: tarzanacide@gmail.com
--
My Stories: https://sites.google.com/view/emri/