Seducing the President's Son Ch. 04

ZACH

I sat there in shock, trying to process everything that I had just heard. My mind raced with a million questions. I couldn't bring myself to ask a single one.

Colin stared at me with nervous eyes, looking like a puppy who knew he'd done something wrong.

"Well?" he asked. "Please, Zachary, say something."

He put his hand on mine, squeezing it softly. I took my hand away, unable to bring myself to look at him.

"I thought that the moment I realized I had been kidnapped was the worst moment of my life," I said quietly. "When I woke up bound and gagged not knowing where I was... it was absolutely terrifying. I couldn't see anything around me, couldn't move my hands. I could just feel that the ground was moving underneath my feet. I knew that I was being taken somewhere, but I had no idea how I had gotten there, or where you were..."

I looked up at him, my jaw growing firm. Colin's eyes were full of pain.

"The only thing that's kept me going these last two days was the thought that you were out there somewhere, that you were looking for me. I wanted to see you again so badly. Now, to have you here..."

I stared at Colin. He was still so beautiful, even after all this. It was astonishing, really, that even now I found myself longing to reach out and touch his face. The man I had fantasized over for years, who I'd felt so lucky to meet, as though God himself had delivered him to me...

He looked so small to me in that moment.

"I was wrong," I said, wiping away a tear. "THIS is the worst moment of my life. Now that I know that it was all a lie, that you never really cared about me-"

"I do care about you," said Colin, reaching for me again.

"No you don't!" I said angrily. He pulled his hand back, shocked.

"You say you love me but you don't. You don't have any idea what it means to love someone. Do you know why, Colin?" My face grew into a sneer. "Because you're fucking crazy."

Colin's face fell. I could tell I was hurting him. I didn't care.

"You're fucking insane, are you aware of that?" I continued. "You joined a cult. You don't just walk away from that."

Colin screwed up his face in confusion. "It's not a cult," he said.

My eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? After all that, you really think Ecclesium is, what? A self-help group?"

"We ARE helping people, Zach. Just because Dominus turned out to be a liar doesn't mean we aren't doing good work-"

"Oh, please, spare me the R&R bullshit. I just listened to an hour of it, I'll remind you."

Colin was breathing heavily. I could tell his anger was wrestling with his own feelings of guilt. He worked hard to calm himself down.

"I do love you, Zach," he said finally.

I scoffed. "You know, when you love someone, really love them, you don't lie to them. You never do anything to them that would bring them harm or put them in danger. You put them before yourself, before your own needs and your own self-aggrandizing delusions of grandeur."

Tears came to Colin's eyes. "But... I- I did," he stammered. "I tried to... I came here for you-"

"Out of your own guilt!" I shouted. "Because your face was all over the news and you knew you were going to spend the rest of your life in prison."

"No!" Colin yelled. He got close to me, his face screwed up in anger. "I would gladly spend the rest of my life in prison if it would get you free. But I knew that I was the only one who would be able to find you. To rescue you!"

I laughed in his face. "Yeah, well look at how fucking great that turned out."

Colin's face crumpled. The tears were spilling out now. I could tell I was breaking him, that I was pushing him past the point that he could handle, but I was so angry in that moment that all I wanted to do was hurt him.

"You took advantage of me, you pretended to like me-"

"I DID like you-"

"PRETENDED to be attracted to me, when really you were disgusted by me every time I touched you. Admit it! You said as much yourself just now, how your skin crawled when I kissed you-"

"That's not true," said Colin. "Maybe... I wasn't ready the first time, but I am attracted to you-"

"You're fucking straight, Colin!" I yelled. "Hello, news flash!"

Colin grabbed me, holding me tightly by the waist.

"Get off of me!" I yelled, hitting his chest.

"I am attracted to you," he growled. "Holding you in my arms... I feel safe and protected just knowing that you're with me."

I tried to push him away, but he wouldn't loosen his grip. "Sure, Colin," I said, rolling my eyes.

"When you kiss me, it's like I can feel this warm glow underneath my skin," he said, his breath hot on my face. "When I take your cock in my hands and stroke you, your pleasure gives me pleasure."

He slid his hand down my pants and grabbed me. I moaned. Despite how angry I was, despite all the fear and the rage, I still moaned at his touch.

"When I taste you in my mouth, it's like this hunger inside me awakens and tears right through me."

He breathed in deeply, smelling my neck. His hand that had been stroking me slipped around to my ass. He slid his finger inside me, my hole still slick with his cum. My knees quivered.

"And when I'm inside you, my body feels so full of joy that every inch of my skin feels like it's on fire. I have never been so attracted to someone in my entire life, and I have NEVER loved anyone the way I love you."

He kissed me with such passion that I almost wanted him to take me again right then and there. I was so angry but I still couldn't help it, I was so turned on. His thick finger invading me felt so good I could hardly resist. To be the man he wanted, the ONLY man he wanted...

It was too good to be true.

I shoved him away. "You lost your right to be inside me when you gave me away to that man."

I walked away from him over to my cot in the corner.

"Zach-"

"Don't," I said, holding up a hand. "Just please, leave me alone. If you really love me, you'll do me a favor and just leave me the fuck alone."

I laid down on my cot and turned away from him to face the wall. I didn't want him to see me cry. I bit the pillow as hard as I could, trying to stifle the sounds of my weeping as it all came crashing down on me. I was truly all alone now. The pain of seeing Colin and feeling that bright spot of hope, only to have it so cruelly taken from me was worse than if I had never seen him again at all.

I could never forgive him, I was certain of that. I didn't care how attracted I was to him, how much my body longed for his. Some things are just unforgivable.

But the part that killed me the most of all wasn't even the betrayal, or the lies, or the fact that I was most likely going to be sent somewhere to die.

It was the way that Colin had described the night we met.

I remembered that night at the art gallery like it had been blazoned into my mind. I had been having an awful night. I had expected a piece of mine to be presented at the showcase but it had been pulled at the last minute without me being notified. I was so embarrassed I just wanted to say my hellos and get out of there.

I was just about to call it quits and head home when I saw Colin standing there in the crowd staring at me. I could not have been more shocked—for a moment I thought I'd simply imagined him there. But no, there he stood, looking way too interested in a painting of a horse before his eyes drifted back to mine.

I smiled at him out of sheer disbelief. When he smiled back and then turned to go into the other room, it was like the baton had been extended. I was more than willing to reach out and grab it.

Our conversation had been fun and flirtatious. I tried to be bold and ask him out to dinner, mostly because I always figured that you won't get anything if you don't ask for it. I was certain that he was going to turn me down, but to my surprise, he accepted.

I left feeling so on top of the world, giddy with anticipation of my date with THE Colin Baker.

And Colin left feeling sick to his stomach.

"My skin was crawling," he had said. When I touched his arm for the first time, I made his fucking skin crawl.

"It was painfully clear you were romantically interested in me, which made me feel sick to my stomach..."

I bit down on the pillow even harder, tears spilling out onto the cot. How stupid was I to think that he was into me? That he could possibly want me the way that I wanted him, when in actual fact, the thought of being with me made him feel physically ill. He had only fucked me because a literal insane person had manipulated him into doing it.

Well, fuck him. Colin could rot in hell for all I cared—I was getting out of there.

I lay there quietly on the cot for the next few hours, trying not to replay what Colin had told me in my mind over and over again as I bided my time. I could feel the keys I'd swiped from the guard earlier digging into me from underneath the cot. Getting the keys had been the easy part—turns out a guy can only concentrate on so much at once when you're trying to claw his eyes out. He hadn't even noticed me stealing the key ring from his pocket.

I knew I had to wait until the dead of night before I left if I was to have any chance of actually escaping. I had seen the number of guards patrolling during the day when I had been brought upstairs to shower earlier but I was sure that there must be fewer of them at night. If anything, at least the cover of darkness would allow me to more easily slip into the jungle.

Once I was confident that enough time had passed, I pulled the covers off and got slowly to my feet, careful not to make any noise. I saw Colin lying on the ground in the other corner, huddled against the wall without a blanket. I felt a pang in my heart. I hadn't even considered where he might sleep, and now it seemed as if he'd spent the night on the floor without me even realizing it.

Whatever. The bed would be all his once I got out of here. He could hang out with his little cult buddies all he liked. I crept over to the door, careful not to awaken him. I pulled the keys out of my pocket and slid them into the lock, turning it quietly.

"Zach?"

I cursed quietly. I turned to see Colin sitting up, his eyes foggy from sleep. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting out of here," I said. I opened the door and turned to leave.

"You can't!" he whispered. He got up and ran over to me, grabbing the door.

"You want me to just stay here and let him sell me to some rando terrorist?"

"It's the middle of the night, Zach. You can't go out there, you'll get lost, or killed."

"I have to go now. I took the keys from the guard this morning before you got here, now's the perfect moment. If I wait, he'll notice the keys are missing."

"What are you going to do once you get outside?"

"I figured I'll take my chances. We can't be THAT far into the jungle. Once I make it to the main road I should be able to find someone who could help."

"That's a lot of ifs," said Colin.

"What would you have me do instead, Jim Jones?" I said scathingly.

Colin considered for a moment. "Let me come up with a plan. Once I get a better lay of this place-"

"No. I don't have the time, I'm sorry." I pushed past him and out into the hallway. "You can do what you want. I'm leaving now."

I could hear the sound of Colin groaning behind me as he closed the door and began to follow.

I crept up the stairs, which were pitch black in the darkness. Colin's footsteps were right behind me. Once I got to the top of the stairs, I slowly opened the door and peered out.

The back hallway was empty. All of the indoor lights were off, although I could see the lights on outside illuminating the back porch. I slipped out of the door, creeping down the hallway.

I peered outside, looking for any signs of movement. After a few seconds, I saw a man walk past carrying a gun, slowly circling the house. He disappeared behind the left edge of the porch as he continued past.

I waited for a minute until I saw another man walking slowly past. Like the first guard, he was carrying a large rifle. He too disappeared behind the edge of the porch.

"We should go back downstairs," said Colin. "They're armed and they'll shoot us if we try to run."

"They won't shoot me," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'm the president's son. They need me alive, remember?"

After another minute, I saw another guard walk past. I squinted. Yes, it was the same guard from before! That meant that there were only two guards patrolling outside tonight on a loop. With about a minute in between them, that should leave enough time for me to slip away.

I waited for him to disappear behind the edge of the porch, then quietly opened the door.

"Zach!" whispered Colin.

I ignored him, stealing out onto the porch. Colin followed me out, closing the door quietly behind him. I crawled over towards the edge of the porch, looking out into the jungle. I could see the first guard disappearing back behind the left corner of the house. I looked to the right, but didn't see the second guard coming yet.

I stepped off the porch and walked as quickly and quietly as I could in the same direction as the first guard. As I approached the left corner of the house, I peered around it. I could see the guard off in the distance, about to pass round to the front of the house.

"Now!" I whispered. I ran in a perpendicular direction away from the house, headed straight for the treeline a few dozen yards away from me. I was running for my life now, and I could hear Colin's footsteps running behind me. My heart was beating out of my chest as I neared the trees. If I could just make it behind their cover, I could escape without anyone coming after me.

"Stop!" I heard a voice yell behind me.

My heart froze in my chest, but I continued running with reckless abandon. I was only a few yards away from the trees at this point and I was certain that I could lose them in the dark forest. I had to try, at least.

I heard a gunshot ring out, hitting one of the trees in front of me. I ran even faster, my heart beating frantically. I had just a few more feet left when I heard another gunshot, then Colin cry out from behind me as he fell. I was running too quickly to look back.

I tore past the trees into the darkness, ducking behind one of their giant trunks for a second to catch my breath. I turned back to see Colin lying on the ground just a few yards back, his hands grabbing his leg as one of the guards ran over to him. The guard had his rifle pointed right at Colin's head.

"Hands up!" he yelled.

"Please, don't shoot," cried Colin.

I felt like I was split in two. I wanted so desperately to run back to him, to help him. But I was so close to escaping.

The other guard came running up, carrying his rifle. "Where's the target?" he said.

"He ran off into the jungle. Go after him!" yelled the guard.

I flattened myself against the back of the tree as the guard ran towards me, passing me by unnoticed as he disappeared into the forest. Now was the time. I could run off in the opposite direction, I could escape without them knowing which direction to go...

I heard Colin cry out as the guard hit him in the face with the butt of his rifle.

"I should fucking kill you, apostate," said the man, spitting on Colin.

"Please, just take me back to my cell," said Colin weakly.

He raised his rifle to his eye and pointed it right at Colin's head.

"No!" I shouted out.

The guard turned towards me, aiming his rifle at me as I ran towards them.

"Stop right there!" he shouted.

"Zach, run!" yelled Colin.

I ignored them both, falling to my knees as I wrapped my arms around Colin.

"Don't hurt him, please don't hurt him!" I said. I grabbed Colin's face and looked in his eyes. They were red with tears and his teeth were gritted.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I looked down at his leg to see a streak of red on his calf.

"I think it just grazed me-"

"Get on your feet," said the guard. He pointed his rifle at Colin again. "Do it!" he shouted.

I helped Colin to his feet. The guard made us put our hands in the air and march back to the house. He led us through the house to the living room and ordered us down onto the couch.

"Don't move," he said.

We sat there in silence, the guard aiming the rifle at us the entire time. I wanted to reach over and grab Colin's hand, but I was afraid that the guard would hurt him if I did.

After a few minutes, I heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned to see Dominus entering the room wearing a silk bathrobe and rubbing his forehead.

"You know, I bought blackout curtains specifically so that I could sleep through the night WITHOUT interruption."

He kneeled in front of Colin, staring into his eyes. He shook his head. "I let you live so that you could keep him in line. This is exactly the kind of negative energy that I wanted to avoid. What were you thinking, brother?"

He slapped Colin, causing him to cry out. "Haven't I been good to you, even after what you've done?"

"It wasn't Colin's idea," I said. "It was mine. I'm the one who stole the guard's keys."

Dominus looked at me, then stood up. "Maybe so. But he's the one who's gonna pay for it."

The guard with the rifle grabbed Colin and threw him on the ground.

"No!" I shouted as he started kicking him.

Colin put his hands up to protect his face, curling into a ball as the man kicked him again and again.

"Stop it!" I said, rushing over to the man to shove him away.

One of the other guards came up behind me and pulled me back, holding my arms behind me as the other man continued to kick Colin. I struggled against him, desperately trying to break free as I watched Colin take blow after blow.

"You see what happens when you don't behave?" said Dominus. He pointed at Colin, who was groaning on the floor. "I can make it a lot worse."

"Please, I'll do whatever you want," I said. "I'll give you money, I'll be a perfect prisoner... just please don't hurt him."

Dominus raised his eyebrows. "You really do love him, don't you?"

I stared at Colin, who was curled up on the ground, shaking.

"Yes," I said softly.

Dominus smiled. "There is something you can do for me, actually. A way you can help me move things along, as it were."

"Anything, just don't hurt Colin."

Dominus turned to the man standing over Colin and nodded. The man grabbed Colin and pulled him to his feet.

"I have a buyer who's interested. But he wants additional proof as to your identity. So I have a little video I want you to film for me in the morning."

I glared at him. "You're fucking sick."

"Or I could just keep kicking him-"

"I'll do it," I said frantically.

Dominus nodded. "Get them cleaned up and take them back downstairs. Oh, and I'll take those keys back."

I pulled them out of my pocket and threw them at him. The man behind me yanked my arm, dragging me towards the back of the house. The two guards led Colin and me up the stairs to a small bathroom. The guards shoved us in, causing Colin to land on the ground, crying out.

"You've got ten minutes," the guard said as he locked us in.

I knelt down to Colin, who was clutching his ribs in pain.

"Are you all right?" I asked. "Did they break anything?"

"I don't know," said Colin.

"Let me get you into the shower."

I pulled his shirt over his head, then reached over and turned on the faucet. The cold water streamed out of the showerhead into the tub as I took off my own shirt and unbuttoned my pants. I undressed quickly, then helped Colin take off his own pants and underwear.

"Here, sit down," I said, helping him down onto the side of the tub to rest. I reached my hand out to test the water, waiting for it to heat up.

"You should have left me there," Colin said quietly.