Kasper's Den Ch. 10

"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.