The Sentinel is owned etc. by Pet Fly, Inc. This story is not meant to infringe on, nor are they endorsed by, Pet Fly, Inc. and Paramount.

Thanks to Elaine and Geri for their wonderful friendship and continued support.

Warning: Underage relationship. James is in high school.

This story is a sequel to: Work of Desire, Chapter 8

Unsure of what he had just heard, Simon shook his head in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"I said... James is my brother and you can't have him."

Simon stumbled backwards and sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. "I know James is your brother but...."

"Good. Then give him back."

Still confused, Simon reached for the reassuring presence of his guide dog, Jeffrey. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Stevie plopped down in a chair opposite the blind artist. "Are you deaf, too? I said, give him back." He started swinging his legs back and forth, the tips of his tennis shoes grazing Simon's legs. "He hardly comes home nowadays cause you always got him over here." Deliberately kicking the older man, Stevie's voice wobbled slightly as he said, "I never get to see him anymore."

Simon reached out and touched Stevie on the knee. "James is free to come and go as he pleases. He stays here because he wants to, not because I make him."

"But he's my brother. He should be at home with me!" Stevie jerked his knee away from Simon's hand. "Dad gets real mad when James doesn't come home."

Instantly concerned, Simon leaned forward. The boy's words had thrown up a red flag and he wanted to make sure he understood. "What do you mean... your dad gets real mad?"

Stevie settled back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest. "You know... gets mad."

Once again, Simon reached out, this time touching the boy on the arm.

"Ow!" Stevie pulled away.

Slowly removing his hand, Simon swallowed the bile that had risen in the back of his throat. "Does your dad hit you when he gets mad, Stevie?"

The ten year old slid off his chair and knelt beside the sleeping dog. "That's a dumb question. Don't all dads hit when they're mad?" He laughed when Jeffery woke up and slobbered his face with a kiss. "You sure do ask a lot of questions."

Simon forced a smile. "I guess I do, but that's...."

"Hey squirt! James yelled from the backdoor. "Sharrie and her daughter are down at the pool. Come meet `em."

"Okay, okay." Stevie stood and looked at Simon. "You gonna do like I said?"

Unsure of how to answer the boy, Simon hesitated. Before he could form a reply, Stevie spoke again.

"If you don't let James come back home, I'm gonna tell Dad. He'll make you do it." With that threat hanging in the air, Stevie ran from the kitchen.

Simon was still struggling with the boy's last words when James slid his arms around his neck and started playing with his nipples. "You and Stevie getting along?"

Gripping the teen's wandering hands, Simon held them still. "James, we need to talk."

James wrestled his hands free and rubbed then over Simon's broad chest. "Later, Si. Sharrie's got some ice cold lemonade and if I don't haul my ass back down to the pool, Stevie's gonna drink it all." He tugged on his lover's collar. "Why don't you slip into your swimming trunks and come join us?"

Turning his head to the side, Simon reached up with his hand and cupped the side of James' face. He kissed him softly on the mouth, allowing the sweet warmth of James' mouth to calm his anxiety. "I love you, Tiger," Simon whispered against his lips. "And I hope you know you can always come to me with your problems."

"Sure, Si." James pulled Simon off the chair and slapped him on the ass. "Go put your trunks on. I feel the need to get wet and wild with you in the pool."

"I'll be there in a minute." Chuckling, Simon hugged the teenager. "Make sure you save some lemonade for me."

James pulled free and headed toward the back door. "One glass of frosty lemonade coming up."

As soon as James was gone, Simon quit smiling and, collecting Jeffery's harness, went directly to his assistant's office. Opening the door, he poked his head inside. "Whatever you're doing, put it down. I need you to go change into your bathing suit and meet me at the pool in five minutes."

Dawn stared at her boss as if he had lost his mind. "I can't go swimming right now, Simon. I've got tons of work to do."

Simon walked into the office and placed both of his hands on the desk. "Right now, your work is being my eyes. I need you down at the pool, Dawn. There's something I need to check out." He passed a hand over the desk and located Dawn's arm, touching it lightly. "Please do this for me."

Sensing the urgency, Dawn rose from her chair and squeezed Simon's hand. "I'm on my way."

Simon followed her out of the office. "Sharrie and Chloe are already down there with James and Stevie. I'll join you in a few minutes."

"Sharrie's at the pool?" Dawn's eyes lit up. "I hope I can keep my mind on your mission with her nearby. She just bought a new swimsuit and looks absolutely delicious in it." Dawn started unbuttoning her jacket. "Meet you at the pool, Simon," she called over her shoulder as she walked away.

Climbing the stairs to his bedroom, Simon shook his head and smiled. "I'm not sure who's lustier... her or James?" He touched his neck, searching for the hickey James had given him. "Silly question." The sound of youthful laughter drifted through the open window of his bedroom and the smile on Simon's face faded, replaced by a concerned frown. "I pray I misunderstood what Stevie said about his father. Cause if it's true, James will go ballistic." With a sigh, he began to undress.

+++++++

Securing the neck tie of her bikini, Dawn crept up behind her mate and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. "Want to share in a little afternoon delight," she whispered as she slid her hands across Sharrie's ample bosom. "You look absolutely sexy in your new suit, my dear." Covertly tweaking one nipple, Dawn laughed softly. "And I'm sure you'll look even sexier when I peel you out of it."

Sharrie lifted her face and kissed Dawn. "Behave, sweetness." She waved her hand at the pool. "There are innocent children present."

Dawn sat down on the lounge chair beside Sharrie's and took her hand. Placing it on her bare midriff, she inelegantly snorted. "Stevie and Chloe, yes. James stopped being innocent the moment he found out he had a penis."

Sharrie laughed and tickled Dawn's bellybutton. "What brings you out here? I thought you had a busy day?"

Dawn watched James bounce Chloe across the surface of the water. "Simon asked that I come down here. He wants me to see something."

"What do you mean?" Shading her eyes, Sharrie checked on the pool's occupants.

Dawn intertwined her fingers with Sharrie's. "I'm not sure exactly but he was pretty adamant about me getting here as fast as possible."

"Well... here's your chance to find out why." Sharrie nodded her head at the approaching man and dog. "Afternoon, Simon. Glad you could join us."

Simon waved in the direction of the two women and smiled. A splash of water caught him by surprise as he walked by the pool.

"Be careful, Si. There's a shark in these waters and he's hungry for some juicy, black dick." James slithered a hand up Simon's leg and over the front of his trunks.

Simon laughed and caught James' hand before it could slip inside and touch him. "The shark can bite me later. Right now, all I want to do is stretch out and soak up some sun."

James hauled himself out of the pool and plastered his wet body against Simon. "Sure you don't want to play with the shark?" He took the older man's hand and placed it on his barely concealed manhood.

Simon raised an eyebrow. "Your swimsuit seems to be missing a great deal of material."

James turned and rubbed his bare ass against Simon's groin. "Nope. It's perfect for swimming and..." James lowered his voice. "... for fucking."

Simon pushed James into the pool and laughed when the teenager came up sputtering. "We'll test your theory at a later time." Repositioning his cock in full view of his lover, Simon licked his lips and turned away.

"You are just as bad as he is, Simon." Sharrie stood and helped the artist find his lawn chair. After handing him a glass of lemonade, she touched Dawn's shoulder and with her permission, slid in behind her.

Simon took a swallow of the cold beverage and smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Wrapping her mate's arms around her waist, Dawn tapped Simon on the shoulder. "What is it you wanted me to see?"

Simon's face grew instantly serious. "Where's James? Stevie?"

Dawn looked toward the pool. "They're over at the diving board."

Simon sat forward, his sightless eyes searching helplessly. "I need for you to look at Stevie and tell me what you see."

Dawn shaded her eyes and examined their young guest. "I see a boy bugging the shit out of his brother."

"No, no." Frustrated, Simon ran a hand over his face. "Do you see any marks on his body? Any bruises?"

Dawn whipped her head around and stared at her boss. "What the hell do you mean... bruises?"

Simon ignored her question. "Do you see any bruises?"

Sharrie answered the blind man. "There's not a mark on him, Simon."

"Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?" Simon gripped the armrests of his chair.

Dawn shared a confused look with her lover. "He's got a skinned knee but that's about it, Simon." The redhead waited a minute before asking, "You want to tell me why you're checking Stevie for bruises?"

Simon slammed his hand down, the force of the blow spilling half his lemonade. "That little bastard."

Dawn reached out a hand to her boss. "Talk to us, Simon. What's going on?"

The black man sagged in his chair. "I can't believe it. I can't believe he lied to me."

Dawn turned sideways on her chair and grabbed Simon's arm, shaking it. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just a few minutes ago, Stevie insinuated his father was abusing him."

Dawn fell back against her lover. "You're shitting me, right?"

Simon shook his head. "No. Hell, he even went as far as to pretend his arm was hurt. Yelled out when I touched him."

Sharrie quickly grabbed Dawn, preventing her from going after the lying boy. "Down, girl. Down." Turning her attention to Simon, she asked, "Why do you think he lied?"

"Pure and simple." Hanging his head, Simon sighed. "He wants his brother back."

"Wants him back?" With an apologetic kiss to her nape, Sharrie relaxed her hold on Dawn.

Simon held out his glass for a refill. "Stevie believes that I have stolen James from him... that I'm the one responsible for James not being at home every night. It's almost as if he thinks I've kidnapped his brother." Simon smiled his thanks when Dawn returned his glass to him. "It also seems that James' absence has not gone unnoticed and that his father is taking out his displeasure on Stevie." The black man frowned. "Obviously the displeasure is not in the form of physical abuse as the boy led me to believe."

"Do you think he's telling the truth? About his father?" Dawn watched the ten year old launch himself off the diving board in a classic belly flop position.

Simon took a swallow of lemonade before answering. "I'm not sure. From the little that James has revealed and from what others have told me, William Ellison is a cold-hearted bastard that cares very little for his two sons. He's a ruthless businessman and a strict disciplinarian. It wouldn't surprise me at all to discover that he's abusing Stevie in some form or fashion in order to make James toe the line."

"Does James know about this," Sharrie asked.

"Obviously, he doesn't," Dawn answered. "James may be a lot of things, but no way in hell would he allow his father to hurt Stevie. In fact, if I were Mr. Ellison, I would be worried about the future of my physical well-being. I don't doubt for a minute that James will inflict some major damage when he finds out."

Sharrie took a second to check on her daughter. She smiled at the sight of James playing water peek-a-boo with Chloe. "Maybe you could encourage James to spend a little more time at home... not sleep over here so often."

Leaning forward in his chair, Simon lifted his face to the sun and sighed. "Why does that sound easier said than done?"

+++++++

Simon opened the door to his studio and called out, "James?"

"In here, Si. Over by your worktable."

Simon made his way across the room, pausing here and there to run his fingers over sculptures he was working on. "What are you doing," he asked, wrapping his arms around the teen's waist.

James rested his head against Simon's shoulder. "Can you believe Stevie had the balls to say my dick is way smaller than the dick you sculpted on my statue? I said that was bullshit." He turned and kissed his lover's neck. "It's life size, right?"

Simon skimmed his hand over James' crotch. "Well...."

"Si!"

The artist smiled as he unbuttoned James' shorts and slipped his hand inside. "To be perfectly honest...."

James growled a warning. "Si...."

Simon's grin grew larger. Slowly fisting the teen's cock, he whispered, "If you really want the truth... yours is definitely... larger." He captured James' husky groan with a kiss. "The only reason I didn't make the statue life size was because I knew the public could not handle the true splendor of your magnificent manhood."

James laughed. "That's the damn truth!" Easing his lover's hand out of his shorts, he twisted around and pressed his erection against Simon. "After Stevie leaves, I suggest we resume this discussion upstairs. I'll find a tape measure and we can verify my true dimensions."

Simon was just about to agree when the echo of two voices reverberated through his mind.

"... he's my brother. He should be at home with me!"

"Maybe you could encourage James to spend a little more time at home... not sleep over here so often."

Swallowing the lump of misgivings in his throat, Simon smoothed his hands over James' broad shoulders. "Umm... Tiger? Dawn's about ready to take Stevie home. Maybe you should go with him. Sleep in your own bed tonight."

James snapped back his head as if hit, Simon's words wounding him to the core.

"What the hell do you mean... go home? You tired of fucking me already?"

End Work of Desire, Chapter 9 by Angelise: angelise7@hotmail.com

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Disclaimer: The Sentinel is owned etc. by Pet Fly, Inc. These pages and the stories on them are not meant to infringe on, nor are they endorsed by, Pet Fly, Inc. and Paramount.