Fic - The Ninth (4/4)
Chapter 4
The three men moved quickly, two holding him down so quickly and efficiently that he didn’t even have the chance to fight, and the other picked up the instrument that would start the tattoo on Esca’s hand. One of the big thugs moved so that he was holding Esca’s hand against the arm of the chair, Esca clenching his fist, unable to stop the way his heart was racing, as the other man grabbed his hand straightening it out and putting the needle to his skin-
“Stop!”
Everyone in the room turned to look at Marcus, Esca watching as his large fists clenched and unclenched, a stubborn look crossing his face, a look Esca had seen once before, when the idiot had jumped in front of a bullet for him.
“I’ll do it,” Marcus said, glaring at Claudius.
“Do what, Marcus?”
“I’ll take his place,” Marcus replied, taking a step further into the room. “You want a good show, right? That’s why you haven’t been using junkies and crims. Who better than me? Even I could sell the damn show, Claudius.”
“You want to fight in his place?” Claudius asked, and even Esca could see the excitement in the man’s face.
“I’ll last longer than the ones you kidnapped right?” Marcus shot back, and Esca could sense something else going on here, something that he couldn’t quite figure out. “I mean they couldn’t have lasted that long right?”
“They weren’t up to your standards, that’s for sure,” Claudius agreed, shaking his head as if the poor kids he’d grabbed had disappointed him by not being able to fight well.
“What did you expect when you drugged and kidnapped them?” Marcus replied, walking further into the room.
“A little better than what we got,” Claudius answered.
“There you go then,” Marcus continued. “Let Esca go and I’ll fight in his place.”
“Oh, I think Mister Cunoval will be one of our honoured guests,” Claudius said, his hand falling on Esca’s shoulder and squeezing hard. “To ensure you keep to your end of the bargain.”
“Gentleman,” he continued, stepping away from Esca. “Let’s leave Marcus and his friend for a few moments.”
“But the tattoo,” one of the men started, only to stop when Claudius turned back and glared at him.
“Marcus already has an eagle.”
With those words he left the room, the men following behind them, Marcus glaring at them all as they walked past.
“Please tell me you weren’t stupid enough to come alone,” Esca hissed, glaring as Marcus shuffled forward, once again the big, lovable oaf that he knew.
“Did they hurt you?” he asked, ignoring Esca’s question.
“I’m fine,” Esca replied, knocking away the hand that was reaching out towards him. “You did come alone, didn’t you?”
“It’ll be fine, Esca,” Marcus replied, running a hand over his face.
“You do remember what happened to the other victims, right?” Esca asked, standing up and moving into the other man’s personal space. “That the other guy gets some kind of weapon?”
“This isn’t my first time doing this, Esca,” Marcus replied, stepping even closer, his eyes flashing.
“But it’s different this time.”
“Why? Because you care about me?”
“What … I don’t … No!” Esca replied, taking a step back. “No, I don’t care!”
“Liar,” Crofts said, appearing behind Marcus, Esca sending him a withering glare, before being distracted by the smile that was spreading across Marcus’s face.
“You definitely care for the Jack,” Bends added, appearing on the Marcus’s other side.
“I don’t,” Esca started to answer the ghostly gangsters, before shaking his head. “You haven’t fought in years, and you’re a cop. That’s what makes it different. Not because of … what you said.”
Marcus simply continued grinning at him, looking like some kind of dopey Labrador puppy, which Esca did not find cute. At all.
“It’s time.”
Esca turned and saw one of the goons standing in the door way, the man smirking as he held the door open. Before Esca could say anything, his face was turned, and soft lips were covering his, moving gently in a chaste kiss, before Marcus was moving away from him, not even giving him the chance to respond.
**
Esca had always known Marcus was big, big shoulders, big hands, big body, but he’d never really realised just how dangerous the other man was because of it. Not until now, watching him as he danced around the ring.
The other man he was fighting was the reigning champion, according to the guys around him, and Esca wasn’t surprised when he recognised him as one of the men who had gone missing after visiting Hadrian’s Bar. Because he was the champion, he got to choose a weapon, Esca clenching his fists as he saw the man pick up knuckle dusters, grinning viciously at Marcus as he did.
Marcus hadn’t seemed phased in the slightest, small smirk on his face as he looked back at the man before looking up into the crowd. Esca had risked a quick look around the ring, wondering if Marcus was smirking at someone in particular, and had been surprised when he saw Marcus’s Uncle watching from a balcony, the smirk Marcus had on his face echoed on the old man’s.
And that had been when the champion had made his move, diving for Marcus, fist flying, and Marcus fought back. Esca had heard how boxing was like dancing in a ring before, but he had never really appreciated it until now, as he watched Marcus. Marcus was good, dodging the flying fists the champion was throwing at him and landing his own.
“See, you can see the Jack is a proper fighter, while the so called champion, isn’t,” Bends said, Esca seeing him ducking and weaving along with Marcus out the corner of his eye.
“The champ clearly only won cos of his size and the impact of his fists,” Crofts continued, Esca listening with one ear, the rest of his senses honed on the fight. “But up against someone who actually knows how to fight, and who matches him in size, he can’t really compete.”
Esca winced as the other man managed to land a punch with the knuckle dusters, Marcus’s head snapping to the side, blood dribbling from the cut that had opened up above his eyebrow. The champ managed to land another blow to Marcus’s ribs, before Marcus hit him with a one-two punch that had him staggering around the ring.
“Ooh, he’s done for now, the Jack just needs one more hit and the man will go down,” Bends said, Esca watching as Marcus did just that, the champ falling to the ground, Marcus standing above him. Esca couldn’t help but stare a little at the other man, a flutter settling in his stomach, as his eyes raked over the sweaty chest, the man’s swollen lips, the hard look in his eyes, looking dangerous with the blood running down his face.
“Get down, Cunoval.”
Looking at Bends, Esca looked around the warehouse, before turning back to the ghost.
“What the hell are you talking about, Bends?” Esca hissed.
“The Calvary is here,” Crofts replied, before everything exploded.
Esca dove for a safe place as the warehouse was filled with light, coppers pouring in through almost every entrance, and the people around him erupting into chaos as they made a run for it. He tensed when he felt a hand land on his shoulder, instincts making him lash out, his fist being caught in a hand, a quiet voice murmuring in his ear.
“Calm down, Esca.”
He relaxed a little as Marcus’s voice washed over him, muscles unwinding as he leaned back into the warmth behind him, as he took in the people being taken down around him. He was shocked at the way the coppers actually seemed to be handling the take down, quickly and efficiently. The first time Esca had seen them doing something competently.
“Come on.”
He wasn’t sure why he just followed Marcus out of the warehouse, was shocked that no one was stopping them, before he realised that Marcus hadn’t come alone and that the man was a detective.
“You set this all up,” Esca said, turning and facing the man once they were out of the warehouse and down one of the alleys. Marcus snorted, leaning back against a wall with his arms crossed. Esca forced his eyes to stay on the man’s face, and not on the chest behind the arms.
“There are some of us who know who to do our jobs, Esca,” Marcus replied, sending a small grin his way. Esca felt his lips twitch, before forcing himself to frown.
“I know you do,” Esca answered.
Marcus’s grin turned into a more genuine smile, as he pushed away from the wall and moved over to where Esca was standing.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you give me a compliment,” Marcus said, as he moved closer, Esca ignoring the way his heart sped up a little.
“Don’t get used to it,” Esca replied, tearing his eyes away when he realised he’d been staring at Marcus’s chest. Marcus simply continued to smile at him, moving so that they were almost touching.
“So we got them then?” Esca continued, raising an eyebrow at Marcus as he leaned back against the alley wall.
“Some of them,” Marcus replied, smile falling from his face for a moment. “It’s hard to get everyone in cases like this. But we should get Claudius. Thanks in part to you.”
“Would you look at that, Crofts? Our boy all grown up and being hit on by a Jack.”
"It was only yesterday I remember him going on about how much he hated them.”
“And how much he hated Aquila in particular.”
“Couldn’t understand how someone that stupid was meant to protect us and solve crimes.”
Esca only just managed to stop himself from sending their two ghostly companions a glare, knowing that from how close he was, Marcus wouldn’t miss it. And he didn’t want to get into that conversation yet.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Marcus said, leaning closer.
“Aquila!”
Esca cursed under his breath as Marcus turned his head, turning to glare at Detective Lutorius.
“Chief wants to speak to you,” Lutorius continued, sending them both an apologetic look, before leaving. Marcus turned back to Esca, gave him a small shrug before starting to move away. Reaching out, Esca swung him back around, only seeing Marcus’s shocked face for a second before he leaned forward and kissed the other man.
Where the other kiss had been gentle and almost chaste, this one was hard and passionate, Esca using Marcus’s shocked gasp to sweep his tongue into Marcus’s mouth, as he pushed against the hard chest, arching his back to get his body closer. He smirked when he heard the small moan Marcus gave, the way the other man’s hands fell to his hips.
Pulling away, Esca took a step back, leaning back against the wall again, letting a small smirk cross his face when Marcus turned shocked eyes onto him.
“Don’t you have a Chief to report to?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to look unfazed. Marcus stared at him with an open mouth for a moment, before snapping it shut, smile crossing his face as he started to walk backwards.
“I do,” he said. “And after that I’ll take you out for dinner.”
“What makes you think I’m going to go out to dinner with you?”
“Because I know you’re dying to know how the case is going to end.”
“I have my ways of finding out,” Esca replied, eyes flicking to where Crofts and Bends were playing a game of cards.
“And because you care about me. The kiss just proved it.” And with that he winked at Esca, disappearing around the corner before Esca could give a response.
“I don’t think you need our help anymore tonight, Cunoval.”
“Nope, we might just head on down to the races.”
“Or the dogs.”
“Or anywhere that doesn’t involve witnessing you thanking the Jack properly for saving your life. Again.”
Esca watched them disappear, leaning against the wall for a few more moments, before rolling his eyes and heading after Marcus.
END
<< Chapter 3 I
