Tony's visit to the head was brief and as he washed up, he regarded his reflection in the vast mirror above the sink and frowned. He looked like a guy who'd been up all night - and up to no good! Hair sticking up in all directions, a smattering of stubble and bleary eyes stared back at him. He stuck out his tongue at himself and exited the bathroom whistling tunelessly between his teeth.
The deliveries had been unloaded, checked and signed for and with his and Gibbs's help - stored away in record time. Alex and Nicky took their leave of the three remaining men - Nicky to fetch Amanda and see her home safely with Jimmy - he'd be riding shotgun - just in case and Alex to meet up with his security guys for one last briefing before heading home himself.
Pushing open the door to the kitchen, Tony stepped through - his eyes scanning the room for any sign of life.
"Gibbs? Rick?" he called out. "Come on guys - now is not the time to start messing around!"
"Hey Tony," Rick raised a hand in welcome, closing the freezer door behind him as the younger man walked to the nearest stool and sat down, leaning forward onto the steel work surface. "Jethro's headed upstairs - I'm almost done here - you look like you need some shuteye."
Tony just smiled. His brain was telling him to open his mouth and say something but his throat tightened - suddenly dry as he raked his eyes over Rick's butt while the other man bent to stow away a couple of meat pans. This was getting stupid - not an hour ago he'd been fine - Gibbs at his side and there was no sign of nervousness, no inability to actually put a sentence together - no nothing and now he'd been reduced to feeling like a dumb school kid with a crush on the unreachable, the untouchable - except he already knew - all he had to do was ask - Rick wanted him - and from what he'd learned over the last couple of hours - Rick usually got.
"Look, Tony. I'm sorry about earlier - "
"Mm?"
"Me coming in here and shouting the odds to Nicky - about - Taylor. It's just - "
"No problem," Tony silently thanked the heavens as the power of speech was once again granted - although quite why his voice had shot up an octave or three left him feeling a tad ridiculous. "Family - " he coughed more to get a grip on himself. "Family - can be a burden." Yay! Now he sounded like Tony! "Most people have a skeleton hidden - hell - I should know!" Why the hell had he said that? He pushed a hand over his face, as he did so he suddenly felt a pair of massive hands - one on each shoulder - as they began a slow, steady massage leaving Tony groaning as the tension simply melted away, he let his head drop back and closed his eyes - not saying a word as Rick worked on the deep seated kinks within his upper back and neck.
As Rick's thumbs ran in rhythmic loops over his lower neck, the touch of skin on skin sent a bolt of molten fire through Tony - making him growl deep in his chest as a smile broadened across his face - his upper body swaying in time with Rick's massage.
"Good," Rick said soothingly. "You're finally starting to relax."
"Am I ever!" Tony murmured almost to himself. "You're good at this."
"Thanks."
A feeling of peace began to seep through the young agent - a calmness that began at his head - his mind beginning to settle - uneasiness slid away, taking with it that slight panic that had been threatening to overcome him. He'd faced guns - bombs - he'd been ko'd, poisoned, punched and everything else that went with a being a field agent - but nothing in the world could have prepared him for what he felt when he had first set eyes on the man still at his back - and five minutes ago he would never have imagined he'd be sitting here with - he still could not find the words to describe Rick - maybe he never would - did he care? Did he heck anymore!
"Back with me?" Rick whispered softly.
"Uh-huh."
"Tony, I need to take off the collar - I can't work with it in place - may I remove it?" He felt Tony stiffen slightly under his hands and smiled to himself. "It's okay - it'll be off for five minutes - no more."
"I don't think Gibbs'd be happy, Rick. He asked me to wear it for a reason and for you to take it off - it'd be - wrong." Tony swallowed heavily, his fingers clasping the silver ring at his throat. "I've defied him enough tonight - and besides - I can't lie to him - he'd know you'd unbuckled it - even if you did put it back."
"Does he frighten you?" Rick continued his ministrations, his voice taking on a silken steel tone.
"Sometimes," Tony admitted.
"I mean - tonight - last night." Rick pressed. "Was there a time when you wanted it all to just stop - and just fall asleep?"
Tony closed his eyes as images began flashing across his mind - brief visuals - summaries of what had passed between the two lovers. He pulled in a deep breath and shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "Not for a nano second. It was - weird in a way."
"How so?"
"It was as though Jethro knew just how far to push me - he knows exactly what my limits are - he knows when to push but he also knows when to call time out, if that makes sense?" Tony stretched his neck from side to side, suppressing a yawn behind his hand.
"A good Dom can read his sub like a book," Rick nodded. "I understand you didn't safe word on him once - and for a first time out - that is an achievement." Tony leaned forward again, away from Rick's hands as he linked his own fingers on the work surface. Rick sat down opposite him, a look of concern on his face as he lifted Tony's chin with a finger. "What's wrong?"
"I - what you just said - Jethro told you about the safe word?"
"Yes, he did. I didn't ask, he volunteered it." That old chestnut was beginning to bubble up inside Tony. He wanted privacy - he didn't want Gibbs discussing what went on - not yet anyway - not to anyone. He cursed himself silently, remembering the conversation he'd had with his lover earlier - he wasn't a pervert - he was just a guy who had a kink. "He told me because he is very, very proud of you - and that's all he said - you didn't safe word on him although there were many times he really thought you would - but you hung in there, Tony - you took your pleasure and punishment with the same degree of composure and confidence."
"So the fact I was crapping myself - "
"Doesn't come into it," Rick snickered, shaking his head. "That's allowed - a degree of fear is to be expected - you faced him head on - you had ample chance to leave but you chose to stay."
"I couldn't walk out on Jethro - he - we've been planning this for weeks." Tony lifted tired eyes to Rick's azure gaze. "I can't and will never - let him down. I owe him too much to do that to him, Rick - and right now - I can't imagine life without him."
"I don't think he can either," Rick offered.
Tony's fingers were back at the ring at his throat. "I belong to him - I want to belong to him," he whispered. "I've gone through some - stuff - last night - and I want it all again - this soon!! Is that greedy?"
"No," Rick slid off his stool, pacing the short distance to the nearest fridge, pulling open the door and collecting up two bottles of water. "It's the adrenalin rush - once you're back in his arms, spooned together - you'll be out like a light, trust me - been there done that."
Tony yawned again, stretching his arms above head and rolling his head around. He pulled the water bottle close and twisted off the lid. "Man - I so need my bed."
"Me too," Rick saluted him with his own bottle. "Just need to take out the trash and we're done. Wanna give me a hand?"
"Sure thing - lead the way."
*****
The area out back was deserted except for an SUV and a couple of other cars belonging to the security patrol guys. These were all facing a high brick wall opposite the kitchen entrance. To the right, through a wire fence, the car park of the small office block next door and to the left a further wall flanked a wide alley leading to the street. The huge red trash dumpsters were up against the wire fence, lids down.
"Watch the door, Tony." Rick warned as he collected up two bags in each hand. "Don't let it slam shut - it'll jam."
"Got it." Tony nodded, grabbing two bags himself.
"Remind me to remind Alex to fix the damn thing!" Rick called over his shoulder. A cursory glance up at the camera fixed high on the wall facing the doors had the Uber Dom groaning, the red light wasn't flashing. "And also fix that damn lens!"
"Gonna be a beautiful day," Tony said, standing still for a moment to enjoy the warmth of the sun on his face, eyes narrowed against the glare. "Shame I'm going to be otherwise engaged."
"You and me both," Rick commented as he passed the young agent on his way back inside.
Tony turned with him with a look of curiosity - surely he didn't mean - could he? Nah! Now he really was daydreaming.
"No," Rick smiled as he reappeared with more trash bags. "Accountants."
Tony's cheeks flushed slightly and he lowered his head for a second to cover his embarrassment. How did Rick do that? He shook his head and paced across to toss his bags into the dumpster, slapping his hands together briefly as he followed Rick for the last load.
Shouldering his way through the exit door a final time, Rick held it open for Tony who nodded thanks as he edged past him, bags in hand. He stood on the threshold for a moment, his mind - once again - rating Tony's ass - Nicky was right - he so was a 'ho. His smile broadened only to vanish instantly as he inadvertently kicked the door closed - concentrate on the job in hand - not that peachy butt - he told himself. "Damn!" he cursed, quickly getting rid of the last of the garbage and returning to the door. He punched in the code and twisted the knob - nothing. He tried again - cancelled the last code - punched in the code - nothing! Of course, Rick could have opened the door without a problem - but with Tony at his back, he didn't particularly want to freak him out by just waving his hand over the metal buttons and letting the door open of its own accord - in that context - the young man was under probation for the foreseeable future.
"Couldn't we - use the front door?" Tony suggested, pushing the buttons on the code lock himself as Rick told him the numbers.
"We'll have to," Rick reached around to his back pocket and swore loudly. "Damn keys are in the kitchen." He checked again and sighed. "I should tell you - Alex is keeping a tally of how many times this happens to me - and each time - he gets worse."
They took their time. At this time of day, the alleyway was flooded with sunlight - it was cool but without a cloud in the sky the promise of a warm day lay ahead.
"Might even do some barbecuing tonight," Rick stated thoughtfully.
"Out back?"
"No - roof." Rick pointed upwards. "We have a roof garden and terrace - Nicky wanted to turn the space into a swimming pool, hot tub and Jacuzzi - until I showed him some quotes - he soon changed his mind."
"Is there anything you guys haven't thought of?"
"Plenty," Rick chuckled. "We are thinking of setting up satellite clubs in other cities - maybe another here in DC - different themes of course - this place isn't to everyone's taste."
"To each his own," Tony smiled, glancing at Rick's strong profile as they neared the street. Cars could be seen passing, a couple of people also - on their way to work or the gym and in the far distance the faint sound of police sirens. This end of the alley was covered with a tarred roof that leaked when it rained but no sunlight could penetrate.
"You only have to ask," Rick said softly, stopping in his tracks and turning to face Tony.
"Ask? What?" Tony stared into the handsome face trying to read something there but Rick remained passive, the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Damn! His stomach rolled as the hairs on the back of his neck tickled. This man is just so perfect - he's - he's -
Any further thoughts were instantly gone as Rick leaned in close, lapping Tony's lips gently - almost tentatively - as though testing him. As his tongue begged entry, Rick snickered quietly at the sounds Tony made at the back of his throat - a plaintive mewling sound that had Rick rock hard.
Dear God in Heaven! Tony's entire being thrummed as the kiss deepened, he brought up a hand to cup the back of Rick's head while his other hand rested on the side of Rick's neck, his thumb stroking the other man's jaw as they explored each other's mouths, tongues warring as Rick wrapped strong arms around Tony, pulling him close.
Tony was boneless - he'd known intense, passionate kisses but this was something else! There was a fire within the man in his arms - an aura that lit up his whole persona - and Tony was feeding off it - he felt guilt too - but only briefly - as that reassuring calmness began flowing through him again - leaving him breathless as Rick finally released him.
All Tony could do was whimper in response and after an agonizing few seconds, Rick captured his mouth once more.
Suddenly, Rick's body jerked slightly and he stiffened in Tony's arms as a low moan escaped his lips before he slumped to the ground unconscious! Tony was on his knees beside him instantly, grimacing at the sight of the small feathered dart sticking out of the side of Rick's neck. He checked for eye reflex - breathing a sigh of relief as the pupils reacted. He turned quickly, scanning what he could see of the street - the dart had to have come from there - somewhere! He turned back to check on Rick one more time, totally oblivious to the sound of a car engine slowing down and nearing footsteps, when something hit him on the back of the head - something hit him so hard and he collapsed onto his side, rolling onto his back with a soft sigh. Greyness clouded the edges of his vision - he was aware of voices, strong hands grabbing him - he made a token gesture of a struggle but a punch to the gut soon put paid to that.
"What about this one?" said a deep voice to his left.
He was aware of a hand cupping his chin, moving his head from side to side but all he could see - all he could remember was a pair of very large sunglasses.
"Mm," said Sunglasses. "Pretty boy isn't he? Must be Rick's latest conquest - bring him too!"
A final blow to the head and Tony was manhandled into the back of an unmarked black van at the end of the alley, Rick thrown in beside him as the van doors were slammed shut - the stench of burnt rubber the only sign of the van ever having been there.
TBC…..
Author's Chapter Notes:
And some more -