Chapter 24

Nico

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not right now,” he sighed, closing his eyes. When the light turned green I looked back at the road, wondering what was going through his head.  Thank god Benji called me;   I owed him big for that.  But I was worried about Finn.  He looked absolutely wrecked.

My lawyers had been keeping an eye on his mother for a while after she signed over guardianship, but lost track of her when she and her new husband started moving around; they hadn't had any information in about a year and a half, so I had no idea she was back in L.A.  The way they reported she’d been living, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she turned up dead; they basically ran through all the money my lawyers gave her within a year, drinking, gambling and drugs.  I shook my head.  I’d never seen her before and when you looked close, you could see parts of Finn in her blond hair and blue eyes, except her features were dulled from her bad habits.  She wasn't that old, in her late thirties, if I remember correctly, but her face was drawn and wrinkles were starting to show around her eyes and mouth.  But it was inside that the difference was most pronounced.  His father must have been a Saint to have stayed with her.

On the ride over to the café I’d called Stuart, one of my lawyers and gave him an update.  I’d talk to him again tomorrow, after I spoke with Finn, to discuss our next move, if any.  While I had my eyes on the road I felt Finn’s hand reach over for mine, so I took it, holding it firmly and rubbing circles into the back with my thumb.  I glanced over, but he still had his eyes closed.  I picked his hand up and kissed it as my heart soared at his need for contact with me.  God, I would move mountains for him if he needed it or even just wanted it.

Was this another obstacle we’d have to get over?  Finn knew I’d obtained guardianship in order to get him registered in school, but he never knew any of the details, or that I'd paid her off.  I had to believe he’d understand.  And that was one thing I never gave Declan.  I promised not to see him, but I never signed over guardianship.  When he needed documents signed relating to Finn, I had him send them to my lawyer overnight, I reviewed them electronically, made arrangements to sign them and sent them back.  It was a moot point after he turned 18, but I wouldn’t give Declan complete control and I had Jaime to thank for talking him down from fighting that too.

“We’re here Finn,” I said softly as I parked at the marina.

He opened his eyes and attempted a smile.  “Good,” he replied.  He grabbed his shopping bag as we got out of the car and went over to the waiting speedboat.  I’d texted my Captain just before we left the city.  I stowed the bag safely once we’d hopped down and patted the seat in the front of the boat for Finn to sit.  Once he’d hopped up I snaked my arms around his chest from behind and rested my chin on his shoulder.

“I’m glad we’re having a quiet night together, life’s been too hectic lately,” I told him quietly.

“Me too.” He offered me a half smile and I gave him a small squeeze to reassure him.  My crew members maneuvered the speed boat expertly out of the marina and through the bay to Serenity where another one of my staff was waiting as we docked up to the lower entrance.  As they are trained, they were all discreet as they helped tie off and we climbed aboard the larger vessel.  I took Finn's hand immediately and led him up two levels to the top deck where our private quarters are.  Yes, 'our'.  This is our sanctuary now, I've instructed all my employees that what is mine is also Finn's and they are to accord him every right and privilege that they provide for me.

"Can I get you anything?" I asked as we walked into the living room.

"No…I'm good.  Um…I hope I didn't take you away from anything important."

I walked straight over to him, "Nothing, no one, is more important to me, than you."  I lifted Finn's chin with my finger until he was looking me in the eyes.  He'd gotten so tall I barely had to lift it at all and I let out a chuckle. "I need to get lifts in my shoes if I want to keep my height advantage."

That got him to crack a smile.  "I think I finally stopped growing, so you might be safe."

"What do you want to do?"

"Can…" he let out a sigh.

"What?  Anything, baby."

"Can we just lie down together?  Can you just hold me for a little while?"

"Of course."  I led him into our bedroom and Finn kicked off his shoes.  I watched as he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed, so I quickly did the same, sliding in beside him.  When he turned toward me, I pulled him into my chest and cradled his head against my shoulder, running my fingers through his hair.  "How do you feel?" I asked, I have to admit I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do.  I know what the old Nico would do, but things are different now.  This was Finn's mother and I had to find out what was going through his head, what he was feeling and how I could support him.

"Heavy," he said quietly. "My heart feels very heavy."  I didn't say anything, but kept a tight hold and continued running my hand up and down from Finn's shoulders, down his back, making loose circles and rubbing away any knots I came across.  "But this feels really good," he added after a few minutes.

"Mmm…" I hummed.

I could feel Finn physically relax in my arms, the tension lessening; his hand that was resting on my chest began moving, his fingers ruffling through the curly dark hair.

"I want you to kiss me," he suddenly announced, pulling his head back. 

"Oh do you," I laughed.  He smiled back and I took the welcome chance to flip  us over so Finn was lying against the pillow as I hovered on my elbows. Before he could reply I leaned down and kissed him, softly at first, but then deeper, checking his response as I went and once I realized he was enjoying it, I let my tongue slip between his lips exploring his mouth, dancing sensuously with his own.

Finn began rocking his hips up slightly to press against mine and when he spread his legs, I sagged comfortably in between, until my pelvis rested right over his.  He let out a sigh that turned into a moan as I trailed my mouth down his neck, nibbling and kissing the sensitive skin that always elicited the most amazing reactions from him.  His body shivered as I sucked on the area just below his ear.

"Nico," he groaned, rolling his hips back so that his growing erection pressed up into my own; the thin fabric of our boxers barely offering any barrier.

"Is this okay?" I asked.  "I know you were upset..."

"Yessss, this is just what I need Babe." 

I let out a chuckle, I was still getting used to him calling me Babe.  Never had I thought I would be the one with that type of nickname.  But it felt good.  It warmed my heart in a way that Master or Sir never did.  Master and Sir met other needs and desires, but not the ones I had now, for this beautiful man.  And that was all I needed to capture his lips once again in a fervent, passionate kiss while pressing our bare chests together.  The moment was pure bliss and divinely sublime. 

When we broke for air I trailed my mouth down his chin and neck, placing small kisses all over his collarbone before moving further down to his chest.  I leaned on one arm while I trailed my other over his almost hairless pecs and down his torso, over his flat abdomen to a faint blond happy trail.  His chest had started to rise and fall faster as his breathing became more distinct.  I loved watching how he reacted to my touch and the gasp he let out when I slid my hand up and pinched his nipple.  The more I slowed down, enjoying small touches and light kisses, the more he squirmed in anticipation or frustration.

"Stop teasing me," he whined.  When I let out another chuckle, he turned the tables and pushed me over, following until he had me pinned to the bed.  The smile on my face grew wider at his boldness.  I let him take control as he grinded against me while his face hovered above mine and intense blue eyes bore into me.  'Take control' Finn was fucking sexy.  I had to give him that.

He sat up, straddling my hips until his sweet ass pressed down against my cock and it took all my strength not to growl like an animal and flip him back over and take him roughly.  I inhaled deeply and let the air out slowly several times, calming myself.  With a smirk he began to circle his hips over my shaft and then slid them forward and backward once my cock was nestled into the crack of his ass.  "Don't make me cum in my shorts," I said, my voice deep and husky.

"Don't worry, that's not where I want  you to cum."  My eyebrows perked up at his brazen words.

"Ahhhhh," I let out a loud groan as the my feisty lover clenched his ass over the length of my shaft that was now burrowed between his cheeks, my hips immediately shot up and when he started to lose balance, I took the advantage back and flipped us back over.  "Talk about teasing," I growled down at him; he still held the smirk on his face, the kind telling me he got his way. Now I was ready to really give him what he wanted.  Leaning down once again I took his lips in a forceful kiss, sucking his tongue deep into my mouth.

With a loud pop I let go and Finn's head fell back the few inches it had risen keeping up with the kiss.  I immediately slid down and pulled his boxers off while he watched me with a heated gaze.  His shaft sprung out, bouncing up and slapping his stomach before standing at attention.  "Fuck, that was sexy," I murmured before leaning down and taking him into my mouth while my hand caressed the base and his balls.

"Nico...oh my...mmmm....ahhhh.....godddd.  Fuck, Nico, mmmmm, yesssss."  The harder I sucked, the more words and sounds started coming from his mouth and I had to use my other hand to hold his hips down.  "Please...please...Nico..."  The sounds Finn was making coupled with the wet sounds my mouth made on his cock was about to make me cum in my shorts, it was like a symphony of pleasure.

"What baby?" I asked as I pulled my mouth off with another loud pop and I heard a thudding sound as his mushroom head slapped against his stomach.

"I...you're going to make me cum like that," he panted.

"Precisely," I grinned,  using my free hand to pop him back in my mouth.

"Fuckkkk," he groaned, dropping his head back on the pillow.  I began sucking him so hard every few seconds his whole body would shudder and he was alternating between gasping and panting.  I squeezed his balls gently as I bobbed my head up and down, taking him all the way to the back of my throat on the down, sucking hard on the very tip on the up, then tracing my tongue firmly down the underside as I bobbed in each direction.  "Please...oh god...Nico..."  

When it felt like he was holding back, I lifted my mouth just enough to talk around the wet, throbbing head of his cock, "Don't hold back baby, you don't need permission to cum. Let go, I want to taste you, taste every bit of you as it slides down my throat," I paused every few words, sucking the tip, "....mmmm, I want to drink you in baby." 

When I swallowed him down my throat again, he finally lost control and came hard with a shout as I took every drop, savoring it with my own pleasurable sounds.  God, he was amazing, the way his face looked, strained but beyond pleasure, almost had me cumming.  I quickly reached my other hand down and squeezed the base of my shaft to hold it off as I knew what he'd want next.  I knew my lover well.  As if on cue, after catching a few breaths, Finn lifted his head, his eyes darker and full of lust.  "Fuck me Nico," he demanded, "please...fuck me now."  At least he was polite, I thought to myself, trying to keep a wry smile from showing on my face.

I sat up on my heels and flipped him over before I quickly stood off the bed and stripped off my boxers.  Grabbing the lube from the side table drawer I was back in a flash palming a generous amount on my painfully hard erection.  Finn was still breathing hard as he leaned down on his elbows, his ass high in the air ready for me. Before he could catch his breath, I slapped his ass for good measure and launched myself right into him with enough force that my hips slapped hard against his ass almost pushing him forward into the headboard.  Our lovemaking seemed to take on a new flavour since the spanking; we were both bolder than we'd been since getting back together, like we knew what we wanted and just went for it. 

I pistoned into him several times before pulling Finn's torso up until his back was pressed against my chest and I was holding him up with one arm across his stomach.  I then slowed my pace, gently gliding my length in and out.  With my other hand I turned Finn's face until I was able to capture his lips with my own in a sensuous kiss.  "I love you," I whispered against his mouth as our kiss softened.  "I love you," he confirmed back.

"Mmmm,"  he moaned into my mouth as the different angle stretched him in new ways, spearing against another part of his prostate.  "Uhhhh, faster…harder Neeeec…ohhhh."

Finn slipped out of my arms until he was back on his hands and knees, his hips rocked back against mine, meeting my thrusts with equal force.  "Ahhh, fuck baby," I growled when he squeezed his walls tightly around me so I almost lost it completely before I was ready.  It made me pound harder against his ass, my hands gripping his hips while grunting at the exertion. 

"Yassss, Babe, don't stop, please," Finn whined.

I could feel sweat rolling down my brow and my damp hands began to slide off his hips, so I moved one to his shoulder and wrapped my other around his shaft, pumping him in tandem to my thrusts.  I could feel us getting closer and closer together; my balls tightened painfully and Finn was shaking until finally he came with a loud cry grinding his hips back and tightening around me to the point that I barely made it one more thrust before I was exploded deep inside him.

Exhausted, Finn fell onto the bed as I slid out of him, a trail of my juices dripping down his leg, it's probably screwed up how much that turned me on.  "Stay here baby," I said as I ran my hands up his back, massaging his tired muscles.  "I'll go get a washcloth."  Finn mumbled into the pillow so I quickly went into the bathroom turning on the hot water.  I grabbed a couple of cloths and after a quick clean of myself, I brought the other hot cloth into the bedroom and did the same to Finn.

"Mmm, thank you," he murmured. 

"Anytime Baby," I replied, giving him a kiss on the side of his head.  Was it silly how much I relished these small, intimate moments?  Making love to Finn was mind-blowing, and Finn allowing me to care for him in this manner, was my life blood.  Right now I was the happiest man alive.

Sitting up in bed after making love, Finn was sprawled out over my lap with his head resting on my stomach while I carded my fingers through his hair.

“Why now? Why do you think she’s come back now?” He asked.  I knew why, money, but I wasn’t going to talk down about his mother to him, it was still his mother and it wasn’t necessary.

“I don’t know baby,” I sighed.

He frowned.  “I know, she wants money.  Once she saw my name in the paper and a sold out show. I’m not going to lie to myself and say that she missed me or was sorry she left.”

All I could do was stroke my hand over his back, offering him as much comfort as I could.

“I…I don’t know what to do Nico.  I mean, I know what my first instinct is, but then I think about what my Dad would want me to do.  He loved her…I did too, maybe I still do, she's still my mother, I don’t know…but I need to do what my Dad would want me to do.  For him.”

“I understand baby, I’ll support whatever you choose.”

“I know…thanks.”

“Do you want to meet with my…our, lawyers about it, once you have some ideas?”

“Yeah.  Are…are they the same ones who set up the guardianship?” I nodded, taking in a deep breath.

“I know you probably paid her off to sign it over…I don’t blame you…she’s greedy, she wouldn’t have done it out of the kindness of her heart or in my best interests.”

“I’m sorry, I should have told you.”

“Nah, I don’t really care.  Part of me knew and I didn’t want to know any more of the details.”  He lifted his head and looked at me closely, “Do you think that’s weird?  Am I supposed to be mad?”

“I don’t think it’s weird, and…I don’t think there’s any ‘normal’ in a situation like this.  I’m just grateful you’re not angry with me, I know it was the selfish part of me…that had to control everything, but I really just wanted what was best for you…I wanted to take care of you the best way I could.”

“I know, I know. I get that.  It’s all in the past, it doesn’t matter anymore, I’m an adult now and it’s my choice to be here.  I choose to be with you.”

“I choose to be with you too,” I whispered, leaning over, pressing my lips softly to his.  God, I’ll never get tired of the way it feels to kiss him.  I’ll never not want to breathe in his sweet scent; fresh soap with a hint of apples and spring air.

After we kissed, Finn and I got up and I ordered up a light supper from the kitchen.  Luckily my chef was one of the crew that lived on the boat pretty much permanently.  He didn't have a family or significant other that I knew about, which was sad as he was only in his mid-thirties, but he was painfully shy and when he wasn't cooking or baking, he liked to spend time in the ship's library reading or tapping away on his laptop.  He once told me he wrote short stories, but when I asked for more information he blushed bright red and changed the subject.  The kitchen was a much quieter place then when Louisa and Rosita ran it, but he was masterful at his craft.

Finn was quiet and introspective during dinner, until he finally looked over at me with a determined look, like he had just made up his mind.  "Can I meet with the lawyers tomorrow?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged.  What do you have in mind?"

"I'm not sure if you'll like it."

"It's not for me to like or dislike, I told you I'd support whatever you choose."

"Umm…if my Dad had set up some sort of insurance for us, how much do you think it would have been for?"
 

"My guess, for his income level anywhere between $100,000 and $300,000."

"Between what I've made on my paintings and what I have left in my 'trust'," he said, making quote gestures as he said 'trust', "I can probably swing that.  My tuition is paid for the year and I'll be able to sell enough paintings at my next show to cover my rent and expenses.  That is…is it okay to use my trust?"

"That's your money Finn."

"Yeah…but I'm going to have stipulations.  The money gets doled out to her monthly in moderate amounts, so she can't blow it all at once, but she can afford food and a place to live…and she can't contact me again.  If she contacts me, the money stops.  Can I have that part of the deal?"

"Yes, you can set any stipulations you want and have her sign a contract before getting anything."

"I just…I mean, for my Dad's sake, I don't want her to end up homeless or something, he wouldn't have let that happen."

"Why don't you include some sort of rehabilitation program, or at least offer it."

"Yeah, she looked like she might be doing drugs again."

"We can talk to the lawyers about that part, I'm not sure if its legal to require mandatory drug testing, but just offering it might give her the incentive she needs to get clean."

"So you don't want to see her again once it's all set?"

"No, I'm sorry if it sounds cold, but she left me emotionally after my Dad died and then physically when I was 16…she didn't care what happened to me."

"It doesn't sound cold, you could never be cold.  I'll text Stuart to give him a heads up that we want a meeting tomorrow.  That gives you time to sleep on it and decide if there's anything else you want as part of it."

After dinner we relaxed out on the deck and watched the stars for a bit before we shared a hot shower and went to bed.  Finn seemed very restless as he slept and I tried soothing him in his sleep.  He seemed to settle down and I fell asleep soon after only to be awoken several hours later to Finn talking to in sleep.  I couldn't really make out what he was saying, but when it sounded like he was crying, I woke him up.

"Baby, wake up!  You're having a bad dream," I said softly as I shook his shoulder. A few tears had started to roll down his face and it took him several minutes of blinking and looking at me with confusion until he finally came out of it.

"Sorry," he murmured once awake.

"It's okay, what were you dreaming about?"  Finn thought for a few minutes.

"Some of it was the car accident," he started, his brows furrowed, "and then my mother telling me it was my fault, but right before I woke up it was just her leaving and feeling really alone.  I remember sitting at the bus station for a few hours, deciding what to do, where to go, before I got on the bus for downtown.  It was really scary and I felt so alone."

I rubbed Finn's back as he spoke, kissing his shoulder, doing anything I could think to let him know I was here and I loved him, and most importantly, I would never leave him…again.

"It was just a stupid dream," he finally huffed, looking cross.

"It wasn't stupid," I said.  "I've had a recurring dream ever since I was 5."

"What is it?"

"Reliving what happened with my mother.  I was standing on the beach at our island home.  My mother was going to the mainland for a few days to visit relatives and do some shopping.  I remember being angry that I couldn't go with her, but my Dad said she was having some time to herself.  It was actually the first time I wouldn't be with her overnight.  I was very attached to my mother, she was very doting and…well, I guess I was a bit of a Mama's boy," I chuckled.  "My father had recently bought one of those pontoon planes and had a pilot come to pick her up.  She didn't really like boats, having almost drowned on one, so she was very excited to be flying to the mainland.  She was helped aboard by some of our staff, and just before she climbed in, she turned and waved to me.  I waved back as tears streamed down my face at the prospect of her leaving, even if was only a few days.  She blew me a kiss and then got in and closed the door.  A few minutes later, the plane's started propeller's started to spin and the plane started to skim across the water until finally lifting off.  My father and I watched the plane as it circled around the water and then over the island to head towards Miami."

I looked down at Finn who was watching me carefully.  Very few people knew this story, most of them had passed.  Now, I guess it was only Ajax and his mother.

"All of a sudden we heard the engine start to sputter, black smoke started to stream out of the back.  It probably happened in seconds, but time seemed to stand still as my father and I watched the scene unfold.  The engine quit and the plane took a nose dive.  It was still over the northwest part of the island and we heard an explosion when it hit, and more black smoke."

"Oh my god, Nico."

"My Dad threw me in the arms of one of his employees and jumped in a jeep with some others and they raced away.  I was numb, I mean, I was only five, so I was confused about what happened.  I guess, I knew she wasn't coming back, but some part of me wasn't ready to believe it and I kept asking whoever was around when Mama and Papa would get back.  Finally, I was brought to the kitchen where Louisa and Rosita, who had only just started working for us, were busy baking.  They were crying when they heard, but when they saw me, they grabbed me, held me tight and rocked me until I cried myself to sleep."

"This is why you won't fly?"

I nodded. "It's stupid, I know.  Flying is safer than driving, I've heard it a million times."

"I get it, it's okay," he said, rubbing my back now.