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.Naked,was what he was.Naked, tied up, and increasingly scared.Scarlet had reason to be scared; Red had reason to be cruel.Scarlet had played a game, played ithigh, and lost in the most ridiculous of ways.Should have known better, known better indeed.One moment was all it had taken, one moment where his mind drifted, his eyes drifted, awayfrom his beer to the cute little boy's ass moving on the dance floor, fucking the white and bluelights with his moves.One moment and Scarlet had lost: His beer had been showered with whitepowder and he had drunk it down -- innocent as a virgin about to be raped.Cold sweat broke over the surface and poured from his skin -- sticky, chill glue.His heartworked like a tank engine, pounding steadily harder, faster! The taste of fresh fear on his tonguewas like a piece of metallic candy, hard and raw.He still couldn't figure out which of the men by or behind the bar had been Red's boys, but itdidn't really matter, not now.If he was lucky he would see another day, but if Red chose to liveup to his reputation, he'd end up at the bottom of the nearest lake before dawn.Living anotherhour from now might not be the best of options either, considering Red's passion for violence.Being alone with him like this, all vulnerable and tied up was, safe to say, not safe at all."I still can't figure out how you did it," Red said in his dark, husky voice.Scarlet silently agreed -- he didn't quite know how he'd managed it either.Another Fine Mess - 85"You must have balls of steel!"That was certainly not true."You're afraid, that is good!" Red's nostrils flared.His slick black hair touched Scarlet's white chest, his strawberry nipple, just a sweep of cool silk.Like burnt cherry stones, crushed and cracked open, this fear.Rolling like slow waves, makinghim feel sick and dizzy.Wasn't supposed to end at his mercy.The game -- never supposed to endlike this!"Red!" Scarlet's voice sounded hoarse.Not like his usual voice at all.He felt uncomfortablyexposed, lying there with his limbs forced apart.His self-consciousness had finally awoken,kicked in, and made his cheeks color with shame.He could feel supple leather under his back; hewas lying on a bench of sorts.Pipes of steel crossed the ceiling, traveled the walls, and helpedkeep his body immobile with hard knots of black cord wed to the metal.Such an uneven union,him and the leather; the pipes and the man."Red!" he said again, and wanted to beg to bereleased."I'm not afraid!" he whispered.Red smiled.Scarlet shivered.His enemy spoke."Why did you fight me? Why did you cross me when you had a choice?"Then, just one finger, gently stroked Scarlet's bound wrist.Electrifying, horrifying, tingling likeinsanity.Red's face was so cold and serene -- all sharp angles with eyes like ice pale, blue andshiny, two frost-kissed suns.They made Scarlet's head spin and made it hurt."To imagine such a thief so beautiful!"Another touch; a warm finger trailing his cheek.A smile; sharp teeth gleamed in the lighting.Scarlet turned his face away from the caress, breathing hot and scared.Damp air flooded thewarm leather beneath him, and he closed his eyes and tried to drift, tried to escape by pretendingnot to be there.Yet his body ached, the ties cut into his flesh and forced his mind to stay in theroom.He had lost, of that there was no doubt.Faint sounds; drums, bass -- he was in one of Red's clubs! He turned his head again.The man:white shirt, black pants, as if he'd been in a meeting or a business trip.On three of his fingers hewore thick rings of silver.There were garnets in one of them.Red was big.A big man -- broadand muscled.Tall as well.His hair was long and hung to his waist.Narrow hips, wide chest.Then, as he lay there musing, a rustling sound suddenly made Scarlet's eyes widen with terriblesuspicion.He shook his head.There it was! By his ear, making sounds like tiny bells when hemoved.He wanted to touch, to make sure, but his hands were still bound.Red had noticed hisattempt though; he smiled again, lazy and arrogant."I thought it appropriate," he said."And that dark gold with the emeralds looks good against your Another Fine Mess - 86hair.""Gray," Scarlet whispered, and in a flash he saw an image of the old art dealer who had alwaysbeen so helpful and made connections for him."Dead." Red smiled politely.His fingers reached down again to play with the warm metal byScarlet’s ears.The earrings were old and more valuable than anyone could imagine.They hadarrived in the country just a week ago.Red had bought them most illegally.Scarlet had stolenthem from him.He sold them to Gray, and Gray was dead.Red hung the ornate pieces of gold inScarlet's ears as a mockery."Why did you enter the trade anyway?” Scarlet asked."You could have kept doing what you dobest -- drug dealing, running your clubs." He shouldn't have said that -- he prepared and steeledhimself for pain.For his skin to be marred, his body abused.Red's laughter was short and dry
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