All That's Dark and Bright

"Are you sure?" I said. After last night, I didn't want to do anything that would cause a storm.

"Yep,' she said tightly. "Go. You'll be late."

I jogged upstairs to get my jacket, and Will followed me up to my room.

He closed the door behind us.

"Pack a bag."

"What?" I paused, my jacket shrugged half on.

"We won't be home tonight."

He hooked his thumbs into the waist of his black cargos and gave me a steady gaze.

I finished pulling on my jacket. "Will, I don't know if you've noticed, but this shit upsets Luce. I'm not staying out all night."

"She won't mind," he said. "I checked it with her before."

"When before?" I said.

"At the table, before," he said.

Something was definitely going on.

"She doesn't like this," I said, gesturing from him to me and back.

"So, what then?" he said. "You don't want to hang out anymore?"

I frowned. "Why would we stop hanging out?"

He shrugged. "I don't do the friendzone."

"You're fucking kidding me?" I strode up to him. "My best mate, and you don't want to know me if you're not fucking me?"

He shrugged again. "It'd be hard."

I stabbed a finger into his chest. "That's fucking rich. So, what, risk breaking up with my girlfriend, or lose my best mate? Those are my options?"

He pushed my hand away.

"Don't, Jess. Just get some shit together and let's get out of here."

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

He slung his arms around my neck. "How much did you enjoy Oscar's?"

Prick.

"Yeah, thought so. Jess, you can't deny what you are. Luce understands. She's always said so. She's given you her express permission to go with me. When are you going to start trusting me?"

"I'll let you know," I said. "And I'm not leaving with you until I've talked to Lucy."

He rolled his eyes as I pulled away from him and headed for the stairs.

I stopped in the doorway to the lounge. "Luce, can I borrow you for a second?"

She got up from the table and joined me in the hall.

"What's going on?" I asked her.

She folded her arms. "You're going rock climbing with Will. Aren't you?"

I shook my head slowly. "No. I don't know what he has planned."

She looked miserable. "Can you just go, Jesse?"

"Why?" I tried to touch her but she pulled away.

"Will obviously wants to spend time hanging out with you," said Lucy. "I can't monopolise you all the time. I don't want to be that kind of girlfriend."

"Lucy, you're not!" Again, I tried to touch her, but she twisted away.

"Can you please just go, Jesse? I'll see you tonight."

"Tomorrow," I said. "If I go, it'll be overnight."

She blinked away the first glaze of tears. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."

She turned her back on me and headed back towards the kitchen.

"Luce!"

Will's hand landed on my shoulder, making me jump.

"You finished torturing her?"

I pulled away from him and headed back up to the bedroom, with him close on my heels.

"I'm not coming with you," I said to him as I dropped onto the bed.

He folded his arms. "The invitation came from Byron. He's invited us out to his country house in Sunningdale."

"Sunnydale?"

"Sunningdale. Just us," he added. "I thought you'd want to go."

"Not if it means Lucy spends the weekend hating me."

He gave a short, frustrated sigh. "Okay. I'll catch up with you next week."

He turned his back and pulled open the door.

Byron's hands pushing my legs apart and his fingers exploring my arse...

"Wait!"

Will stayed where he was, obediently waiting.

I sat up and put my head in my hands. "Fuck!"

Maybe if I fucked Byron, I could get him out of my head. It was only one night.

And then what? You'll never fuck another guy again? Just this once?

What was I thinking? I couldn't do this. I didn't know why Lucy was urging me to, but I knew it wasn't right.

"I can't come with you," I said to Will.

He nodded down at the floor. "Okay."

He pulled the door open and left.

I came downstairs a short time later to see Lucy's mother off, and then sat at the table with Lucy.

"What would you like to do today?"

She shook her head, biting her upper lip. "You should have gone with Will."

"Why? Why are you so keen for me to disappear?"

She picked up her handbag from beside the table. "I have to go out."

"Luce... wait, what's going on?"

She pushed past me and went into the hall.

"Lucy!"

She shut the front door behind her and I stared after her. What the hell was going on?

I went back up to my room and lay on the bed for a while, and eventually logged into my laptop and gamed until it got late.

My phone stayed silent. Nothing from Will. Nothing from Luce. No more poetry from Byron.

I drank another can of Red Bull and wondered why I wasn't enjoying myself. Technically this was my definition of a perfect Saturday night. Left alone to game, no one on my back about socialising. But as much as I got that Luce wanted to be alone, I wasn't happy she hadn't contacted me. It wasn't like her.

I picked up my phone and sent her a message.

'Everything okay?'

We had an unspoken policy of answering each other within five minutes. The only reason for not answering was if we couldn't. Ten minutes passed before my phone vibrated.

'Watching a movie. Call you later'.

Well. At least she was okay.

I stared at my phone, then set it down. I wasn't going to text Will. I needed to get him and Byron out of my mind. I had a girlfriend. An unhappy one.

At eleven I turned off my laptop, more bored than tired, and lay on my bed in the glow of the fairy lights Luce had strung up against the wall.

I must have drifted off. I woke in the dark and someone was in my room. At first I thought it was Lucy, and then a hand pressed across my mouth. My eyes flew wide to see a dark shape leaning over me. Weight pushed me into the bed, and a bag was tugged over my head while I struggled to push him off.

A chemical stench filled my nose, some kind of solvent that smelt like it could strip paint, and I couldn't shout, couldn't move

dizzy, not knowing who was

dragged off the bed and falling

struggling, hands cable tied behind my back, sharp, tight

Am I being arrested?

insane thought, insane, and then, who wants to hurt me?

Pushed and dragged down the stairs, falling into the wall as my knees buckled under me

fighting, head spinning, afraid

Are they going to kill me?

trying to shout, help, someone's trying to fucking abduct me, unable to form words

Then shoved into a car, the door slammed against my shoulder, a hard jolt of pain.

Couldn't get my hands free, slumped back against the seat seeing coloured patterns as the chemical stink came back to my nose.

I had no idea how much time passed, couldn't hear anything when the chemical was burning in my nose, couldn't think, my brain lost in white noise.

Finally the car stopped and they hauled me out into the freezing cold night.

They—whoever they were—dragged me up a set of stairs and took me inside a house where their shoes echoed off hard floors. They threw me down onto a couch and left.

Couldn't move, sure I was going to be murdered, stayed still, waiting for someone to hurt me.

Hands cut the ties behind my back and pulled the bag off my head.

I blinked in the bright electric light of a room that seemed to be made completely of white marble.

I threw a hand across my eyes to shield them and coughed. The shit they'd kept making me breathe had burned my nose and throat and I could smell it as the effect wore off, a strong chemical taste in the back of my throat.

"Where am I?" I croaked.

Someone sat beside me and put a hand on my knee.

"My Epic Renegade! Are you feeling quite alright?"

I dropped the hand from my face and braved the light. It hurt, but I could see. Byron was sitting next to me. Will was standing in front of me with his arms folded.

"What the FUCK!" I exploded. I tried to stand and my legs gave out under me. Byron pulled me back onto the couch.

"My dear boy, calm yourself!" He gave me a look of concern. "Oh dear, what did they do to you?"

I blinked and tried to bring my brain into focus. I was so fucking angry. I'd thought I was being kidnapped for ransom, or to be beheaded or something in some random terrorist attack, and it was just fucking Will and fucking Byron.

"I'm going, okay?" I said. I struggled to get to my feet again, and Byron and Will both just watched me sway in place.

I pointed a finger at Will. "Too far," I said. "Too fucking far, Will."

Byron got to his feet and put his hands on my shoulders while I did my best to stay upright.

"Don't blame him, it was all my idea, I assure you. He said you weren't of a mind to join us, and I said, well, I simply won't take 'no' for an answer."

I squinted at him. It still hurt to breathe, with that shit they'd fed into my airways.

"Are you drunk?" I said. I could smell liquor on his breath. I glanced at Will, who looked concerned, but wasn't saying much. "You okay with this?"

"Not really," he said, and his voice was tight with anger. He gave Byron a dark look.

"But you won't make a fuss now, will you, Will?" said Byron. He gave Will a bright smile. "My sweet, sweet Will. We've such history."

Will's expression was blank, but his eyes stayed angry.

"Besides," said Byron, "From everything Will's told me, I know you'll enjoy yourself. You just needed to get over the small hurdle of worrying about your darling lady friend."

"My girlfriend," I said. I coughed and put a hand to my throat. Fuck it hurt. "What's she going to think, coming home and finding me gone?"

"That you left as she asked you to," said Byron. "You should really have listened to her."

"You told him?" I said to Will. "You know I'm trying to make shit work with her!"

Will's shoulders twitched, but his expression stayed impassive, his arms folded.

"It's one night," he said. "And she's fine with it. Stop whining."

"Stop whining?" I pulled away from Byron and managed to stand on my own. "Fuck you both."

I headed for the door, but Will said quietly, "How are you going to get home, Jess?"

I stopped. Patted my pockets. I didn't have my wallet or my phone. I had no idea where I was. I couldn't call a cab.

Fuck it. I had legs. I could walk.

I carried on towards where I thought the front door might be.

"Come back here." Will strode after me and grabbed the back of my jacket, unbalancing me without trying.

I shrugged out of his grip and he let me go.

"You're here now," he said. "Just relax." To Byron he said, "What the fuck did they use on him? He smells like he's been used to clean a Mercedes."

Byron made a face. "Nothing to be concerned about, I'm sure. You feel alright, don't you my boy?"

I blinked at all the light shining off all the white marble, and realised my head was clearing, now there wasn't a rag being constantly shoved against my face.

"So, I'm here," I said. "Wherever 'here' is. And why am I here again?"

Byron put his arm around me, and this time I tolerated it. "We were lonely, weren't we, Will?"

Will flipped his eyes up to the ceiling, almost too fast to catch.

"Tell you what, my boy, come into the kitchen and I'll make you something to eat and get you a drink."

It had to be the early hours of the morning, but I was getting that second wind where my body was telling me if I was going to insist on being awake, the least I could do was give it fuel.

I followed Byron into his kitchen and sat at the breakfast bar. Will sat down opposite me and slid a hand across to touch mine.

"You okay?"

"I'm really, really fucking pissed with you right now," I said to him.

His gaze slid away from mine, and I had the feeling he wasn't happy about the situation either.

"Can I borrow your phone?" I asked.

"It's flat." He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me. I tried to turn it on, but it wouldn't even power up.

"Byron, can I use your phone?" I said, as Byron busied himself making something involving bread and cheese in his shiny silver oven.

"Mine's flat too," he said cheerfully.

"You must have a charger?"

He smiled at me as he brought over a bottle of wine and three glasses.

"I've two, but I've lost them both, I'm afraid. A terrible thing, but no matter. I'll look for them in the morning."

I gave Will a dark glance and he had the decency to look embarrassed.

Byron leaned on the breakfast bar.

"Your girlfriend," he said. "Awfully spirited, isn't she?"

"What do you mean?"

Will put a warning hand against the sleeve of my jacket.

"The photo she sent me. Such fierce eyes. Do you fight often?"

"Fuck off."

Byron looked taken aback, but not seriously concerned. "Well, that's no way to speak to your host."

He turned back to the oven and soon came back with two pieces of cheese on toast. He poured out the wine and put a glass in front of me.

"Not the ideal pairing for melted cheese, but I'm sure you'll find the vintage amenable."

Byron wandered off as I ate, and Will leaned across the breakfast bar and spoke in a low voice. "I'm sorry, Jesse, I didn't know he'd do this."

"Curious as to why you're not kicking his head in," I said, as I chewed toasted bread and cheese.

"It's complicated," he said.

"He kidnapped me and forced chemical shit up my nose, and all that gets from you is an 'it's complicated'?"

Byron came back into the kitchen. "Nearly done, I see," he said. He poured himself some more wine and took a sip. "Once you're done, I'll show you around."

He nodded towards Will. "Be a lad and put his things in my room."

Will got off his bar stool, and with a look of extreme self control, went into the lounge.

"What things?" I asked Byron.

"My men brought your bag with you. Just as well really, I've only one spare toothbrush."

I couldn't believe this guy. He was in his forties, and he was behaving like a twelve year old having mates over for a sleepover.

I finished my wine and Byron refilled my glass. "Right. To get you warmed up, I thought we might watch a little home movie."

That sounded ominous.

"Bring your glass."

I brought my glass and the bottle, and followed him back through the lounge and out to the foyer, where he led me up an echoing marble spiral staircase that was lit with a two-story-high chandelier that looked as if it was made from unicorn tears.

We wound our way up three flights of stairs, and then headed down a hallway to a mirrored door. He pushed it open and led the way into a gigantic bathroom.

The floor was marble, the raised tub at one end big enough to take four people.

A shiny black marble and glass vanity took up one wall, decorated with orchids in a vase and some other flower that gave off a faint, sickly scent. Down the other wall were a row of shower heads trapped behind a glass wall.

A chandelier hung above the bathtub, and in the centre of the ceiling was a projector, facing towards a blank wall at the end.

I set the bottle of wine down on the vanity and walked over to the tub. It was already full of hot water, steaming gently in the cool room.

Projected onto the end wall was a still image of a room. I recognised the decor as Oscar's house down in Portishead.

I wondered where the AV controls were, and noticed a discreet, waterproof panel set into the edge of the bathtub. Well. If you could call this monstrosity something as mundane as a 'bathtub'.

The mirrored walls gave me a view of myself that was less than complimentary. My hair was messed from being manhandled, my eyeliner was smudged and my singlet looked the way it smelled.

Byron started to strip.

I leaned back against the counter and watched his body come into view.

For a guy in his mid to late forties, he still looked good. He wasn't hard like Will, but he was well put together. He had a great arse, strong thighs and calves furred with dark hair, and trimmed pubic hair at the base of his long, thankfully not too thick, tool, which hung down against a pair of good-sized testicles.

Byron swept a hand through his hair which was greying and receding a little at the temples, but which was otherwise thick enough that I doubted he'd ever fully lose it.

He stepped into the tub and lowered himself in, then held an arm out to me.

"Do join me."

I shook my head. "Where's Will?"

"William!" Byron bellowed. His voice echoed off every hard surface in the room, making me wince.

A moment later I heard Will's boots clap against marble as he came down the corridor.

He pushed open the bathroom door and came inside.

"Where were you?" Byron asked.

Will didn't answer, and Byron gave him a smile that said he thought he knew.

"Looking for a phone charger. You're ever such a dear friend, William, you know you are, but Jesse's quite happy to stay and enjoy the entertainment."

I cast a glance at Will and he lifted his eyebrows and let them fall. His gaze moved past me to the image on the end wall.

"Byron," he said, a warning in his voice, and Byron held up a finger.

"Don't give the game away, dear boy."

Byron took a sip of his wine and gestured to me again. "Come on, the water'll go cold."

I had to admit, watching Byron strip had gotten a reaction. The drug from before had completely worn off, and now that water looked inviting.

I glanced at Will.

"If you want to, do it," he said quietly. "I don't mind."

Bull-shit, William Sullivan. But as Byron's smile lit on me, I shed my singlet, then tugged off my boots, lastly sliding down my briefs and jeans. I left my clothes in a pile and walked over to the tub, the tiles warm under my bare feet.

Byron ran his gaze over me and smiled. It was a smile that made my arse clench at the memory of his fingers and his mouth.

I put one hand on the side of the tub and stepped into the water. It was deep enough that it came up to just a few inches below my knee, and not as hot as it looked.

Byron put his hands on my thighs, his warm brown eyes glittering as his gaze travelled up to my face. His smile brought a surge of life to my groin, and my erection thickened.

I sank to my knees in the water and put a hand on his chest, dragging it lower until my hand disappeared under the surface.

He caught my hand before I could go any further.

"Turn around, my boy. Let's watch our movie."

While I was used to lying next to Will in bed, the idea of being cradled in Byron's arms made me very uncomfortable. I glanced over at Will, who had taken up a bored position against the vanity, his empty eyes on the frozen image on the end wall.

Byron leaned into me. "I can reach you better if you turn around."

Prickling with discomfort, I shifted around and Byron pulled me back against him.

"Relax," he whispered, as my hair dipped into the water. He pulled me up so my back was against his chest, my arse settled between his legs. He rested one hand against my chest, while the other draped between my legs.

He kissed my shoulder, then said to Will, "Would you toss me a sponge and some soap?"

Will pulled open a drawer and handed Byron a thick bar of soap and a bath sponge.

Byron dipped it into the water and then lathered it up. He paused and pressed a button at the side of the bath, and the image on the screen came to life.

Byron started running the soaped-up sponge over my chest, as on screen the camera angle changed from the door to the bed.

Will, wearing a checked shirt over dress jeans, sat on the side of the bed. There was no sound, but he was speaking to an older guy who was standing by the bed drinking from a glass of what looked like whiskey.

Will looked so young. He'd told me he was eighteen when he'd been introduced to the club, so I was guessing this was footage from his first time. He wasn't as solid then as he was now; still fit, but less muscular. You could tell from the way he fidgeted that he was excited.