His Dark Knight Ch. 04

I want to start by giving a special shout out to those who have waited so long for the continuing of this story. And for those who continued to help and push me. From the bottom of my heart, Thank You.

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Four days had passed since the incident in Zander's office. While things mostly seemed as normal as they could be, Rei was still unsettled. That day, he had fled from the scrutiny of Glenn. He wasn't sure why the man didn't like him. He could only guess it was because Glenn felt as though Rei was taking advantage of Zander's kindness.

What made matters worse was the fact that, at times, Rei felt the same way. Zander had spent so much on him already and still continued to. At first, Rei had tried to refuse the gifts given to him by Zander, yet seeing the hurt multicolored eyes always had Rei stumbling and taking back his words.

The party was scheduled for that evening and Rei could feel the excited energy burning throughout the house. The cook, Layla, had become a quick friend. When Zander had introduced them that night, Rei had felt at ease right away. At first, he found it odd. Given the way things were with his mother, Rei found himself being more withdrawn from women, choosing only to be polite when spoken to but never actively seeking out their company.

Layla was in her 50's but didn't give the air of an old woman. She stood at Rei's height and had a head full of grey curls. Her soft and round face was like a beacon of light. She was animated, talking loudly, her hands on a constant move, adding life to every word she spoke. Rei had never witnessed Layla losing her temper, even when one of the other workers bumped into her, knocking the fresh batch of Christmas cookies she had spent hours decorating for the party from the silver platter in her hands to the floor. She had simply smiled and patted the frazzled young man before sending him off with a treat. Rei found himself spending more time than not in the kitchen, watching as Layla worked, bringing out masterpiece after masterpiece.

He had also found out that Layla was married to Zander's driver and bodyguard, Martin. They had been together for years, both having met Zander when Martin's boss had assigned him to watch over a teenage Zander. The years together had formed a bond between the three, the couple acting as a surrogate family for Zander. When Martin had been in danger of losing his position, Zander had offered them a place at his home, allowing them to continue working for him.

Rei loved hearing stories about Zander as a teenager. He had been wild. Layla told him of the four different schools he had been expelled from for fighting. It was apparent that at some point Zander had had a bit of a temper. For the most part, Rei believed that Zander had gained control of that temper. But all he had to do was remember how cold and detached Zander had been while dealing with his mother. Those eyes had spoken more than any of his actions had done. As far as Rei knew, his mother hadn't tried to get back in contact with him which he was more than grateful for.

The only thing that seemed different, was Zander himself. For awhile, Rei was certain he had fallen back into his habit of over thinking. Whenever Zander entered a room, their eyes seemed to draw into each other. His multicolored eyes held a desire that even someone as inexperienced as Rei could easily pick up on. Yet, as if by the click of a switch, that desire would disappear within seconds. Rei wondered multiple times if he had only imagined those passionate looks, and would usually believe that inner voice that told him how crazy he was for thinking that way. He would chastise himself because the truth was, he often wished those looks where directed at him.

Since that first day, Zander hadn't laid a single finger on him. The pair hadn't been alone together either. Those times when it seemed like they would be, Zander always made sure to excuse himself quickly. The action caused a sharp pain each time in the middle of Rei's chest. He hated to admit that he enjoyed his time with Zander as much as he did. He knew what Zander was looking for, and Rei wasn't certain he could live up to that standard. Zander wanted someone who was experienced and who knew what they wanted out of a relationship. Zander wanted someone he could take care of.

Rei knew he couldn't offer Zander anything at all. Rei felt broken most days, and insane every other day. There were times when Rei just wanted to curl up in bed and hide away from the world. Days when the voices of criticism and hatred, that sounded like his mother, would start to scream inside his head. Days like that were the worst. The tears were much harder to stop. He often time found himself tucked away in the bathroom, forcing himself to calm down before being able to join the household again. Often, at the end of the day, his strength would fail, and he would end the night by crying himself to sleep.

Though since he had to come to live with Zander, he realized he had only experienced one of those episodes. That first day Zander had turned away from him. Rei had seen the flash of need crossing Zander's eyes. At first, he had been afraid of what it meant, but someplace deep inside of him had silently begged for the promised touch that showed. Zander had seemed to regain control of himself quickly after, his eyes losing their heat and becoming blank slates. Rei hadn't let it affect him during the day, but that night as he lay in the unfamiliar bed, he felt the tears rolling down his temples. The reaction hadn't made any sense to Rei which only caused the tears to flow harder, his whole body soon engulfed in sobs which he tried desperately to hide in his pillow.

The most embarrassing parts of himself he refused to allow to the surface. More often than not, Rei felt like he was a child. For most his age, finding a girlfriend or going out with any friends would be high on his list of things to do. Yet Rei didn't have those desires. Instead, he wished to be surrounded by stuffed animals, or color and draw with bright pencils and crayons. When he watched TV, he found adult shows boring. Instead, the animated shows that almost guaranteed a happy ending drew Rei's attention.

Rei knew he wasn't a child and had been forced to grow up long ago. He knew how to drive though he didn't have a car, knew how to deal with finances and help a household run, having taken over those responsibilities after the first eviction warning had come. He knew how to clean and cook and provide for himself. Yet the allure of being able to forget all his worries was strong. To have someone else worry about the daily struggles of life. He knew it sounded selfish, but at the same time, it seemed almost comforting.

Lost in his own thoughts, Rei wasn't looking where he was going. Descending from the stairs, he collided with a wall. The impact brought him out of his dazed state a moment too late.

"Whoa there, Rei."

He realized it wasn't a wall that he collided with, but a man. Of course, that man had to be Zander. With bright red cheeks that showed embarrassingly well against the pale white skin and a soft yelp of surprise, Rei jumped back which only succeeded in him landing hard on the bottom stair.

'Great, can this get any more humiliating?' Rei gave himself an inner groan while looking up. Zander looked down at him, a playful smile dancing on his lips.

"You okay there, little one?"

A hand presented itself in front of Rei's face. As if starved for touch, Rei placed his hand in the large, warm, and calloused palm.

"I'm sorry about that, I wasn't watching where I was going." Rei's embarrassment seemed as though it would never end. Was that really his voice sounding so breathless. It wasn't like he was doing any sort of strenuous activity. He had long ago learned how to put one foot in front of the other. Yet, he sounded like he had run a marathon instead of taking the brisk stroll from his room and down the stairs. He realized he still had his hold on Zander's offered hand and quickly dropped it as if the man had suddenly caught on fire.

"It's alright. I was actually just coming to find you. Martin will be picking us up out front in five minutes." Zander spoke while looking at his watch, the thick metal looking heavy on his wrist.

"Taking us? Where are we going?" Rei couldn't help but be curious. He followed behind Zander who had started towards the door.

"We have to pick up our tuxedos for this evening." Zander had yet to make eye contact with Rei, instead, grabbing his jacket from the hook by the door. He handed the smaller, Rei sized one, to the boy behind him.

Zander had taken him two days prior, to get the fitting done. While he was sure it should have taken the tailor a longer time to complete, Zander was a loyal customer and with a little extra, they seemed to be finished in record time. The tailor had raved about how fun the party was each year and spoke of bringing his wife and three children to the festivities. Rei was surprised that Zander had invited the man, and even more surprised to learn that Zander had hired a Santa and purchased toys for all the children that would attend that night. The party was obviously important not only to Zander's business but also to those whose lives Zander was part of, no matter the degree.

The drive to the shop was uneventful. The fitting even more so. Zander looked dashing in the tux that seemed almost like a second skin on him. It hugged his body in the right places but still allowed him to move and breath. The tie and the pocket square were both a deep red that only seemed to enhance Zander's dark hair and strong jaw.

Rei, however, felt like he was playing dress up. His tux was well fitted much like Zander's, but where the material added something to the god among mortals, Rei felt like it only made him stand out more. He was an outsider, a freak playing pretend. His tux was made slightly different than Zander's, the material heavier. When it had come to choosing his tie or bow, he had chosen the tie as well. There had been one that was the exact shade of Zander's blue eye. Rei had wanted to request that one, but at the last moment had chickened out. Instead, he had ended up with just a simple black tie with the small festive square the tailor stuffed in his pocket at the last minute.

Rei looked at Zander through the mirror, seeking the approval of the man. He didn't want to embarrass Zander by wearing the wrong thing, and part of him wished he could back out of tonight completely. Rei wasn't a fan of large crowds. The night, however, was important to Zander and so that meant that Rei would bite back his nerves.

Their eyes caught in the mirror for what seemed like the first time in ages. Rei's breath caught in his throat. There was no mistaking the look of desire and need that burned in Zander's eyes, the blue and grey seeming to have turned to flames. Rei felt a surge of need course through his body, ending in the sensitive area of his groin. He quickly dropped Zander's gaze, using his shaking hands to fuss with the perfectly straight and lint-free jacket. Ever since Zander had touched him that first time, his dreams had been filled with visions of more of the same thing. Yet in his dreams, they had gone farther. He imagined kissing Zander in the car as he cradled in the man's strong arms. He saw himself bending on Zander's desk before the man rid him of his clothing.

Before, Rei had never had much of any sexual desire. He had, of course, explored his own body as most teenage boys had. In school, he remembered hearing the others his age talk, mostly about how good they felt after or joking about the dirty socks. For Rei, nothing like that had happened. A few drops had come from the tip of his cock, barely enough to dampen his hand, let alone his stomach or bed.

With that, the soaked through spot on his jeans flashed through his mind. Apparently, he wasn't completely broken if Zander had been able to do that to him with just a short touch. Remembering how Zander had touched him had Rei quickly moving away from the mirror and back towards the changing room. The last thing he needed was to become aroused while standing in front of a mirror for all to see. Though now that he had allowed the night to play in his mind, all of the events that started in the car flooded to him.

He could feel the warmth of Zander's hand wrapped around him, could feel the slow stroke that promised ecstasy. The low growl of Zander had filled the backseat. To his utter humiliation, Rei felt a ghost of Zander's hand as he had cupped his twin weights. He had to sit as he felt the phantom sensation of being pulled and twisted, the punishment Zander had given him. It had hurt, but he had liked it almost as much as being touched. Everything throbbed as it had then.

Rei looked down to see that his little cock had hardened at his thoughts. He looked around as if to be certain that no one else had come into the room with him. A small whimper came to his lips, his eyes trailing back to his naked cock. A sense of horror and mortification flowed over him watching as the hard-little member kicking as if vying for attention. He grabbed the jeans that lay over the arm of the chair in the corner of the room. He was glad that he hadn't chosen to wear his tighter fitting jeans. The baggy material helped to hide his current condition as he left the room. Zander had also changed back into his normal clothing and stood waiting for him. It took the tailor a matter of moments to get both tuxedos ready for transport. He thanked Zander for coming in and excitedly explained that he would see Zander again shortly.

The ride home passed by in a blur, Rei no longer wished to make eye contact with Zander. Rei had to get it through his thick head that Zander didn't want him, at least not like that. Zander saw him as a responsibility, someone who he had saved and would help until he was on his feet. The car had barely stopped before Rei pushed the door open and raced up the front stairs. Gerald the gardener had a look of surprise to see Rei making a beeline for his room. Rei thought he had heard Zander calling after him, but chalked it up once more to his overactive imagination.

Zander watched the retreating form of the boy that ran up the stairs. The urge to follow after Rei was hard to ignore. He wanted to give the boy some space after everything he had gone through as of late. First being taken and almost violated, then that episode with his mother. Even being walked in on by Glenn seemed to have razzed the boy.

It had started after Zander had gone to pick Rei up that night for dinner. He had found Rei curled in bed, hugging the pillow tightly to his chest, his full lips pouted in his sleep. Zander had felt himself moving to bend and take those lips before his mind had fully caught up with his actions. Rei was an innocent, not some plaything for Zander and his over-heightened libido. Remembering the scared look on Rei's face as he left the office was all that it took to cool his head and regain control of himself. Hurting Rei was the last thing he wanted to do. Well, at least hurting him in that way. Looking at the pale skin of the sleeping boy, Zander could see the red handprints that he wanted to place. He could see the bite marks and hickeys, the welts and scrapes. He could see them and craved them as if he were a starving man and Rei was his steak dinner. Martin joined him at the front of the car, his eyes following the lithe form as well.

"Scare him off again?" Martin's tone was one of a teasing nature.

Zander could only roll his eyes at the man. "Are you and Layla going out for the evening?" Every year Zander asked the couple the same question. And every year, Zander got the same response.

"And miss your party? Trying to get rid of me already, Sir?" The men both chuckled at their old joke.

"I just want you and your wife to be able to spend the holidays in peace. You both deserve a break."

"Be that as it may, I don't see Layla leaving that boy behind anytime soon. She has taken a liking to him."

Of that Zander was more than sure. The couple had never been able to have kids, though not for a lack of trying. One drunken night, Martin had confessed about how much they both had wanted to start a family. Layla had gone through several different IVF treatments until finally deciding to stop, her heart no longer able to bear the constant disappointment. They had taken to looking after Zander after a year or so of employment. Zander's father had rarely been in the picture. He knew the man and had lived with him for a while, but things being as they were, quickly ended their association.

Zander's mother had died when he was 15. She had been a beautiful woman that had been dealt a hard life through the fates. Most of his mother's life had been lived in secret, Zander only finding out the details after she had passed. He gently fingered her ring, the memories of her threatening to take over. He couldn't allow them to take root. Doing so meant being consumed for the rest of the day. Instead, he strolled to the door that Rei had just disappeared through. He had no doubt that Rei had gone to hide in the safe haven that his room had become.

Looking around his house, he saw the bright decorations. The years before, this party had just been another activity to him. He found no real enjoyment celebrating the holiday. For most, these end-of-the year parties were meant to secure last-minute business transactions. And while Zander did the same, he wanted to do something truly special each year for those who worked so hard for him.

The first year, he had followed the mold of parties he had been forced to go to growing up. But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted his guests to relax and enjoy their time, not having to worry about who sat next to who or whether they used proper table manners. Having the food traveling also made it easier on the children who ran and played. And while his guests mingled, the grand room was set up to look like a toy store had thrown up. All the latest in toys and electronic gadgets could be found. Each child was allowed to take home the toys at the end of the night as gifts.

This year seemed different to him. While looking at the decoration, he felt a sense of excitement stirring in his gut. He looked forward to attending the party with Rei by his side. He could imagine the look that would come to the boy's face when all the lights shone brightly. The tree was in the process of getting its final adornments. The whole house smelled delicious, the sweet sugary smell overpowering the scent of the other finger dishes.

Zander knew he could easily make the rounds to make sure everything was going as smoothly as it should, but he also knew that most of everything had been completed the night before. With nothing to preoccupy his mind, he walked upstairs to his bedroom. Martin had taken his tux from the car and put it in the walk-in closet. Remembering Rei in his tux had Zander rolling his eyes back into his head. If he went blind tomorrow, he would be forever thankful that one of the last sights he had witnessed was that of Rei's sweet and round ass held tightly by the fine material of his tux. He felt the blood rush to his cock.

With a groan, he knew his body would no longer be ignored. Going into his bathroom, he turned on his shower as he removed his clothing. The room quickly filled with steam, the warmth of the shower becoming visible on the glass panels. Zander stepped into the shower and let the scalding water from the six shower heads pour over his body. Before he gave himself permission, he saw Rei's perfect body. His cock throbbed with need, standing proudly under the downpour. His growing erection pulled at the skin that usually enclosed the head of his cock. Even under the water, Zander knew the slit of his tip was damp with pre-cum.