RockStarPeach

Okay, so this is it!! The final chapter! There will be an epilogue coming, next week, where we (sort of) learn how things have been working out for everyone.

Title: Arrangement

Characters/Pairings: Giles/Lindsey, Lindsey/Spike, Giles/Wes, Giles/others, other slight pairings

Rating: Adult

Summary: Giles is a ridiculously unfaithful wealthy older man, keeping Lindsey around for pleasure and company, but when someone else catches Lindsey’s eye, he realises he wants more out of a relationship. Giles has sex with just about everyone. Spike tries to. Wes gets in over his head.

Banner by angelstoy Thanks so much, honey!! *hugs*




Previous Chapters

Chapter 23

The knock on Rupert’s door at just after ten o’clock that night came as a mild surprise. He wasn’t expecting anyone, wasn’t thinking (hoping perhaps, in vain, but not thinking) that Wesley would change his mind and come back, and he honestly couldn’t think of anyone else that would just show up at his door this late at night.

When he opened the door and saw Lindsey on the other side of it, the surprise was more than mild.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, not bothering to invite the other man in. He thought he had made it very clear that he and Lindsey were completely finished, and he’d hoped that Lindsey had gotten the message. He didn’t know if he was strong enough to face him again. The temptation of having him so close, of being able to take him if he wanted to, could prove more than he could handle.

Lindsey didn’t even blink, didn’t flinch, just look straight into Rupert’s eyes and told him what he’d come to tell him. “I want things to go back.”

“I don’t,” Rupert answered, short and dismissive, and prepared to shut the door in Lindsey’s face. It was a lie. Completely and totally. He very much wanted things to go back, but he knew they couldn’t. Lindsey had outgrown what they had, and he’d never be happy with it, no matter how much he might pretend, and in turn, neither would Rupert.

Lindsey put his hand on the door to prevent Rupert shutting it, and put one foot just inside the doorway. “Look,” he said. “I know I fucked up. I’ve been punished, I’ve learnt my fuckin’ lesson, okay? Can’t we just forget about this?” He didn’t really expect this to work, and maybe that’s why he was feeling so on edge about it, but he did think Rupert was being more than a little fucking unreasonable. Had been from the start.

He didn’t understand why a couple of tiny little slips should end everything. Not when it was obvious that Rupert had still wanted to be with him, even after Spike.

“No, Lindsey, we can’t. We’ve been over this, a number of times. Our arrangement was no longer mutually beneficial, and it had to end. Besides,” he added, some of the vehemence coming out of his voice, being replaced by a sort of resigned sadness. He didn’t want to be saying this again any more than Lindsey wanted to be hearing it. Especially this next bit. “What would I tell Wesley?”

“That his plan worked?” Lindsey offered with a half grin and head tilt.

“I’m sorry?” Rupert asked, confused.

“He came to see me today,” Lindsey explained. “Told me he left you.”

“And so you thought… what?” Rupert asked, almost snarling. He was pissed of that Wesley had gone running to Lindsey, advertising the fact that he’d walked out on Rupert, and pissed off that Lindsey seemed to have expectations just because of it. “That just because Wesley’s gone, you could have your old job back?”

Lindsey actually flinched at that, the harsh words a slap in the face, and Rupert was immediately contrite. He couldn’t believe he’d just referred to his entire acquaintance with Lindsey as a ‘job’. There was no small amount of truth to it, but it hadn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, been all there was to it. They’d truly felt for one another, Lindsey especially, toward the end. Lindsey was in love with him, for God’s sake, and Rupert knew that, used it, and called Lindsey a whore when he had come to bare his soul, beg for his life back. He was a dick.

“I’m sorry,” he said, eyes moving to Lindsey’s shoes, unable to look into his eyes at the moment. He stepped back from the door slightly, let go his death grip on the edge of the wood and slowly let his gaze drift back up. “That was a terrible thing to say.”

“’S fine,” Lindsey mumbled, trying not to sound as injured by Rupert’s careless words as he really was.

“No Lindsey,” Rupert disagreed, resisting the urge to reach out and touch his former lover. It was difficult. He very much wanted nothing more than to grab the man and pull him close, but that wouldn’t do anyone any good. “It’s not. I should never have said such a thing.” He stepped even further back and turned his head into the apartment, quickly before looking back at Lindsey. “Come in,” he suggested, asked. This conversation obviously wasn’t going to be over as quickly as he’d have liked, and there was no sense having it in the hallway. His one and only neighbour up on the penthouse floor might overhear.

Lindsey wanted to say ‘no’ at that point, wanted to tell Rupert to kiss his ass, and that he didn’t even need him anyway. But of course he couldn’t. He did need him, wanted him so badly it made him feel sick to think of being without him. So he just shrugged, stepped across the threshold into the apartment that had so recently been home to him, and fidgeted, nervously, as Rupert shut the door behind him, leaning just a little too close, before stepping back.

“Take off your shoes,” the older man suggested. “Come on in. I’ll fetch us some drinks.”

Lindsey blinked. Blinked again. Thought about what it was that Rupert had said, and again, blinked. Rupert had just said that he was going to get Lindsey a drink. That was… that was what happened in bizarro world. For the last almost half decade, Lindsey had been the one who had gotten Rupert’s drinks when he’d wanted them at night, and it felt off somehow that he wasn’t asking Lindsey to do it now. Like he knew he shouldn’t bother, because Lindsey wouldn’t be doing it anymore anyway, and this one time meant nothing.

“No, it’s cool,” Lindsey said, slipping out of his shoes and stepping past Rupert, brushing just a little too close, and speaking into his ear, quietly. “I’ll get the drinks. I know what you like.”

His attempt at being flirtations didn’t go unnoticed, but it did go unanswered. “No, Lindsey, that’s fine.” Rupert said. He knew what Lindsey was thinking, and he couldn’t afford for the younger man to be falling back into old habits at the moment. “Have a seat, and I’ll be right there.”

It did feel odd, for both of them, they had to admit, Rupert pouring Lindsey a glass of the atrocious bourbon that Rupert still kept in the house, even after the past months, and carrying it over, handing it to him before sitting down next to him on the sofa.

He could have chosen one of the other chairs in the room to sit on, but he hadn’t. If they were going to have this talk, one that Rupert had hoped to avoid by storming out on Lindsey with the intention of never seeing him again, they both might need the closeness.

He placed a hand on Lindsey’s knee, hoping that it didn’t seem like too much, because he didn’t want to be making any promises he didn’t intend on keeping, and looked at him, trying for an expression of warmth and understanding, with just a touch of distance. He wasn’t sure if he pulled it off, because all he was feeling was loneliness and near desperation. He missed the stupid little shit, with all his heart, and it was hard to see him again, knowing that nothing could happen.

“I meant what I said at the door,” Rupert told him, fingers tight on his glass. “I don’t want things to go back.”

“You better be sure about that,” Lindsey said, eyes turning slightly hard as anger started to well up. He was sick and fuckin’ tired of being such a little bitch. “Because this is your last chance.”

“Excuse me?” Rupert asked, a bit surprised at Lindsey’s words, and his tone. Lindsey had never made any demands on him before. Asked, sometimes teased and nagged and wheedled, but he’d never sounded so serious. Perhaps he actually meant it. Well, that was good. It hurt a little, like a tiny hot poker through Rupert’s heart, but it was for the best.

“I’m sick of this bullshit,” Lindsey continued. “Sick of you jerking me around like this. I love you. We both know that. And I’ll do whatever I have to, to be with you, but you’ve got be with me. You can’t just keep fucking with my head and my heart, and expect to be there forever. So… this is it. If you don’t want me, I’ll go. But leave me the fuck alone.”

“Lindsey…” Rupert started, and sighed. “I can’t honestly say that I don’t want you. I do. Of course I do. I always have.” I always will. “But… you were obviously unfulfilled by our arrangement. Wanted things that I wouldn’t give you. Wanted them so badly that you found them elsewhere. If things go back to what they were, it will only happen again. Neither of us will be happy.”

Then change, you bastard! Lindsey wanted to scream, but knew it would be useless. This was Rupert. This was what and who he was, this was what Lindsey had fallen in love with. And maybe he was right. Maybe they weren’t ever going to be happy. But… “I love you,” he said again, quietly, a lump settling in his stomach as he finally started to realise that this thing was really over.

“I know,” Rupert said again, because Lindsey wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. And it was hard to keep going through this. “God, Lindsey, don’t you see that’s why we can’t do this any longer? You want things that I’m unprepared to give at the moment, feel things I’m unprepared to feel. It’s just not going to work.”

“I don’t care if you feel it!” Lindsey groused, and for a moment Rupert thought he might actually stomp his foot. He really was incredibly adorable when he was being petulant like this.

“You should,” Rupert told him. It had been different when they were both in this thing for the same reasons, but if Lindsey wanted love, he shouldn’t settle for what they had. Though Rupert had to admit, at least to himself, that what he felt for Lindsey was becoming remarkably close to love. Still, he’d never call it that, wouldn’t treat Lindsey like a real partner, and now that he wanted that, Rupert wanted it for him.

He was letting him go so that he could be happy. Perhaps he did love him, just a tiny bit. It was going to be hell, trying to get over him. Rupert wasn’t even sure that he wanted to.

“And,” he continued, before Lindsey could say anything else. “It’s been a week since we last saw each other. I haven’t called, I haven’t come to see you. And trust me, darling, I’ve wanted to. I’ve missed you. But I’ve been leaving you alone. This is hard on both of us, but I am trying.”

That was true. And Lindsey felt kind of stupid showing up here giving Rupert an ultimatum when he’d already made up his mind, but he’d been stupid enough to believe his lover would actually want him back.

“If this is about what happened between me and Wesley…” He was almost glad it had happened. He didn’t know how much longer he could have kept up the way they had been, anyway.

“It’s not,” Rupert assured him.

“Because it was nothing. I swear.”

“I know that. Do you really think I walked out just because I found you kissing him?”

“Yes?” Lindsey answered, making it into a question, because he wasn’t really so sure anymore.

“I had to tell you that,” Rupert said, removing his hand from Lindsey’s leg, both of them looking at the now untouched thigh. “Had to tell myself that. The truth was, still is, that I ended this because I care too much about you to let you fester in this type of relationship. I can’t be what you want.”

“You are what I fuckin’ want!”

“Lindsey,” Rupert sighed and finally took a sip of his drink. It was possible that Lindsey honestly did think he’d be happy if they were together again. It was also possible that Lindsey didn’t understand why Rupert was really ending things, because he thought the older man was incapable of truly caring for anyone but himself, and the concept of letting Lindsey go for his own good was completely lost on him.

“If I didn’t care about you as much as I do, I wouldn’t mind at all,” he said, ignoring Lindsey’s insistence on Rupert being all he wanted. It just wasn’t true, even if the younger man didn’t know it yet, and arguing about it wasn’t going to get them anywhere. “I’d keep you here, knowing that you’re not truly happy, because whatever else either of us feels, I enjoy you tremendously.” He let a small grin slip, thinking about all the ways that he enjoyed Lindsey, and he saw the corners of his ex-lover’s lips turn up as well, and knew that he was obviously remembering the same things.

“But it wouldn’t be fair. To either of us. Things have changed for you, and that’s alright. You’re looking for a real relationship, one you can fully participate in, be an equal in, and I can’t give that to you right now. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to give it to anyone.”

“You did before,” Lindsey said, thinking of Jenny. He’d heard about her, but didn’t know a whole lot about what their relationship had been. Just that they’d been together, been in love, and she’d died. Yeah, it sucked, but boo fuckin’ hoo. Shit happened. It had been a damn long time ago, and Rupert needed to get the hell over it already.

“This has nothing to do with that, Lindsey. I just prefer this type of relationship.” It was true that he’d started his loveless arrangements with people because he’d been heartbroken, and had felt like anything more real would be a betrayal of what he’d shared with Jenny, but that wasn’t true anymore. He’d developed a taste for the way he lived, the types of relationships he had, and he was happy with it.

Lindsey nodded, looking down at his glass and spinning it around between his fingers. He raised the glass to his mouth and tilted his head back, knocking down the drink in one swallow. “So it’s over,” he said, still looking down. It had been over a week ago, and he knew he’d been stupid to get his hopes up that he could change that. Damn Wesley.

“I’m sorry, dearest,” Rupert said, moving closer to him and putting his arm around him, pulling him close so that he was resting along Rupert’s side, head on Rupert’s shoulder. “So very sorry.”

The last thing he’d ever wanted to do was hurt Lindsey but he’d botched that up spectacularly. In fact, a lot of the reason he’d chosen him in the first place, was because he didn’t think something like this would ever happen. The younger man had only really seemed interested in the lifestyle at first, and he didn’t think that he ever could have hurt him this much.

They sat together several long minutes, not saying anything, not quite ready to let go. This was it. And it was both easier and more difficult than either of them had expected. Finally Rupert pulled back, kissing the top of Lindsey’s head, letting his face linger and breathing in the spice of his shampoo.

“Can I get you another?” he asked, plucking the empty glass from Lindsey’s limp fingers. “I think I need one myself.”

“Yeah,” Lindsey answered, sitting up straighter and wiping the wetness away from the corner of one eye. “Thanks. Small one though. I’m driving.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll get Henry to take you.”

“In that case, bring the bottle,” Lindsey said, looking up.

Rupert put their glasses down on the table and disappeared into the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with two bottles. He put them both down on the table next to the glasses, and sat back on the couch, each of them filling their glasses up.

They drank in silence for a long time, Rupert going through his bottle more slowly, only having two drinks to Lindsey’s six. They had both accepted the fact that they were no longer together in any way, but Rupert was still very much attracted to Lindsey, and he didn’t trust himself to keep his hands off him if he had too much to drink.

“When I get home,” Lindsey said, pouring himself another drink of the amber liquid, his words slightly less clear than they had been an hour ago. “I’m gonna kill Wesley. This was a terrible idea.”

“When you get home?” Rupert asked, nearly choking on his scotch. “Why is Wesley at your home?”

Lindsey looked over at Rupert and smiled, the alcohol working wonders to loosen him up some, and take away the sting of rejection, and the dull ache of knowing that he had to look forward to a life without Rupert. “Yeah. I kinda invited him to move in with me. You don’t mind do you?” he asked, still smiling, amusing by Rupert’s shocked expression. He didn’t exactly look pleased.

“If I did,” Rupert said carefully. “It wouldn’t be my place to mention it. Not anymore. I just… I wasn’t aware the two of you were on such good terms. I think the bruising in Wesley’s cheek has only just recently faded, and I can still see the crack in your lip that resulted from the last time the two of you were in the same room.”

“It’s cool. Just guy stuff. He needed a place, was feeling kinda shitty, and I’ve been there, so I thought I could help. Besides,” he said, smirking, and pausing to take another sip. He’d forgotten how much fun it was to tease the older man, and now he wouldn’t even get punished for it. Wouldn’t get rewarded either, and that was less fun, but still… “Fighting wasn’t the only thing we were doin’ that night. And we were gettin’ along pretty damn well then.”

Actually, that wasn’t true. They hadn’t been. The aggressive making out was only an extension of the physical violence, and not a result of how much they did or didn’t like each other.

“If you’re trying to make me jealous, Lindsey,” Rupert said, sternly. “I wouldn’t bother.”

“Nah, you’re right,” Lindsey said, smile fading from his face. “Wouldn’t work anyway. I know.” It would have been nice if it had though, nice to have some evidence that Rupert cared as much as he said he did.

“Oh, no,” Rupert corrected, breaking into a small smile of his own. “It would work very well. Is in fact. Because I’ll never be with you again, and Wesley will get to be with you every day. I could quite happily kill him right now, to keep him away from you.” He was only half joking. He took another drink.

“Thanks,” Lindsey said, honestly meaning it, and he looked at Rupert longingly for a moment, before shaking his head, clearing it of those kinds of thoughts. “But it’s not like that. He just needs a place to crash for a while. I still don’t like him.” He didn’t really like him, but damn, did he ever think he was cute!

“It wouldn’t be any of my business if it was… like that,” Rupert said. “All the same, I’d sleep a lot better if I didn’t have to picture the two of you sleeping five feet apart.”

“Don’t worry about it, baby,” Lindsey said, slipping back into using a name that he’d been calling Rupert for years. He wasn’t sure why he was trying to reassure him. He should be encouraging the jealousy, the attention, enjoying it now. He would have given anything for Rupert to have admitted to stuff like this when they were together, to give some hint that he felt something for Lindsey. Now Lindsey was getting that, but it was too late. “He’ll be gone soon. And I ain’t interested in him.”

“Thanks,” Rupert said, mimicking Lindsey’s earlier sentiment.

“Besides, I think it’s safe to say that Wesley isn’t gonna be thinkin’ about anything with me. Not after the way he practically swooned when Spike felt him up in my living room tonight. Looked like his attention was gonna be pretty seriously elsewhere for a while.”

Rupert blinked, trying to absorb those pieces of information. “I’m not sure what to say to that,” he admitted. “I know I’ve given up any right to tell you what to do, but it would probably be better for both of us if you didn’t tell me what Spike was doing in your apartment tonight.” He knew he couldn’t control Lindsey anymore, but he didn’t need to hear about his new sex life. New, fucked-up, Spike-and-Wesley-filled sex life.

He wanted to hit someone. Maybe Ethan would be free later.

“It wasn’t anything,” Lindsey told him, hoping that Rupert believed him. It didn’t really matter at this point, but it wasn’t anything, and he needed Rupert to know that. Needed him to know everything, even if it wouldn’t change things. “I mean, yeah, after you kicked me out, we kind of… a few times… but it was mostly because I was so messed up, crazy missing you, and pretty soon we stopped. Believe it or not, I think…” He paused, let out a small bark of laughter at how ridiculous this was going to sound, and continued. “I think we’re kind of… friends”

Rupert made a pained sort of face, that bit of knowledge not coming as quite the comfort that Lindsey had hoped. It was good, Rupert told himself, and almost believed it. Lindsey should have someone, and a friend was better than a lover as far as Rupert was concerned, but it still stung. The two of them had obviously developed a strong bond, to still be together even after the excitement of forbidden sex had faded, and Rupert didn’t even bother to pretend that he wasn’t jealous of that.

“I’m glad,” he said, and attempted a smile.

“Really?” Lindsey asked. “Cause you look constipated.”

Rupert let out a small chuckle and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad you’ve had someone to be there for you through all this. And I really do hope you find someone who can make you happy. You deserve it.” He took another sip from his glass and muttered, “I just hope it’s not Spike. Or Wesley.”

“Trust me,” Lindsey said. “I think I get just about all the Spike I can handle. I can say with pretty damn good certainty that nothing’s ever gonna happen there again.”

“Really?” Rupert asked, reverting back to a previous topic, hoping that Lindsey could keep up with his scattered mind. “Spike was coming on to Wesley? And Wesley let him?” He knew Wesley had a bit of a thing for Spike, but he’d figured it was just theoretical, and if Wesley had ever gotten up close and personal with Spike’s particular charms, he’d lose the infatuation very quickly. Then again, if he’d really thought that, he would have just let them talk months ago, and gotten the blond out of Wesley’s system.

“You’re surprised that Spike hit on someone?” Lindsey asked, incredulous. “Spike hits on everyone.”

“No, I’m not at all surprised about that,” Rupert said, laughing. “He’d have to be an idiot not to. You and I both did, and Spike’s not nearly as discriminating.” The two men shared a look, and then hid their faces behind their drinks. “I’m just surprised that Wesley was interested in someone like…”

“Someone like you and I were both interested in?” offered Lindsey, grinning.

“Yes, true,” Rupert conceded. Still, he was concerned. Spike had an even worse habit than Rupert did of working his way through lovers, and losing interest very quickly. He didn’t want Wesley to get hurt again. “It’s just… never mind,” he said, shaking his head, and putting his empty glass down on the table.

“I know it must be… I dunno, hard, I guess,” Lindsey said, finding this a little hard himself. “Thinking about someone who just broke up with you being with someone else. But he’s a big boy, and he can take care of himself. And I think you did a hell of a lot more damage to him than Spike ever could, so if you were really all that worried, you should have just left him the hell alone.”

“Reading my mind?” Rupert wondered out loud, tilting his head. “Yes, you’re right, of course.” Rupert leaned slowly closer to Lindsey, not even really realising what he was doing until they were touching, shoulders pressed together, and their faces turned. They’d been talking about Wesley and Spike, not a particularly romantic or seductive topic, but without his permission, his body had decided to seek the contact of Lindsey’s. It was probably time for the younger man to go, before something happened.

Well, in a couple of minutes would probably be soon enough.

Rupert couldn’t help but reach one hand forward and cup Lindsey’s chin, tilt his head up and lean forward just the smallest bit more, to bring their lips together. Their eyes closed, and they let out soft puffs of air through their noses, tiny little moans of appreciation and pleasure escaping them.

Rupert parted his lips, and Lindsey followed suit, tongues brushing out to slide against each other, hands blindly grabbing for arms and shoulders and backs of heads, pulling the other closer. Almost a minute passed, and in that minute they both just about forgot the reasons that they weren’t going to be doing this anymore, losing themselves in the feeling of each other, thinking that this was right, how things should be, and everything that had happened lately had just been a bad dream.

But it had been reality, and this was a bad idea, because it could only make things hurt more. Lindsey was sort of surprised that he was the first one to come to his senses and pull back, pressing a hand to Rupert’s chest to prevent him from following. “Unless you changed your mind,” he said, swallowing and licking his lips. “I think I better go.”

Rupert sighed and closed his eyes briefly, before smiling and pulling back the rest of the way. “Yes,” he said, even though what he really meant was ‘no’. “I think that’s best.” Finally ending things was best, even if it didn’t feel like it, because as long as Rupert was there, in Lindsey’s life, reinforcing all the behaviours that he’d drilled into him the past several years, Lindsey would never be able to realise exactly what else he could have, if he was arsed enough to go and get it.

Lindsey nodded and got up, Rupert rising with him, and the two men walked to the door together. They moved slowly, quietly, fingers just barely brushing against each other’s, accidentally on purpose, and when they reached the door they stopped, and Lindsey turned to face Rupert.

“I don’t…” he said, almost choking on the words, and blinking back unwanted tears. What the fuck?! He’d been okay this afternoon, and every day for the past week. Well, not okay exactly, but a hell of a lot better than this. “I don’t think I can do this.”

“Sure you can,” Rupert told him, trying for an encouraging smile.

“Fuck, I don’t even know what the hell I’m gonna do!” Lindsey said, starting to panic. It was really sinking in now that Rupert wouldn’t be around anymore, and neither would his money, and fuck, yeah, he was going to be miserable without Rupert, but he was completely lost without his financial support. He hadn’t really thought he’d ever have to actually provide for himself, so he hadn’t really given any thought to how he might do that. Now he was going to have to. And he didn’t know where to start.

“You’re going to be fine, is what you’re going to do,” Rupert told him. “You’re going to figure something out, and you’re going to be fine. You’re going to be happy.”

“Easy for you to say,” Lindsey said. “Everything is easy for you. You’ve got everything in the world.”

“Not everything,” Rupert almost whispered. And then louder, “And I’m still here, Lindsey. I have complete confidence in you, you’re far from stupid, and I know you’ll manage just fine, but… I’m still here. If you ever need anything…”

“Thanks,” Lindsey said, forcing a smile. “But I think that would just make it harder.” He still had his apartment at least, for the next almost ten months. And he’d been saving a little bit of the weekly ‘allowance’ Rupert had given him, for food and entertainment, so he’d be alright for a while. And then he’d just have to get a job.

Rupert nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out shakily as he felt one tear well up in his eye, then fall, and make its salty, slippery way down his cheek. Shit. He should really be better at this sort of thing. Damn Lindsey, for making him care so much. And not enough.

“Well, good luck then,” he said, and wished he’d been able to think of something better.

“Yeah,” Lindsey said, opening the door, stepping through. “You too.” Because Wesley was right; if Rupert wasn’t careful, he’d end up alone and miserable, and as angry as he was with him for everything that had happened between them lately, he loved him, and he wanted him to be happy.

Rupert stood in the doorway and watched Lindsey go, watched him walk down the hall and get in the elevator and disappear. He was sad of course, but he was also relieved in a way. Lindsey had been with him for a long time, and it had been wonderful. They’d spent some of the best days Rupert could remember together, and he would always think of Lindsey with warmth, fondness and not a small amount of desire.

But Lindsey had outgrown him, had outgrown what they had together, and Rupert knew that he needed to let him go. Lindsey needed to find out exactly who he was, what he wanted in life, without someone like Rupert telling him, forcing him.

Rupert would keep an eye on him, he knew. He’d be too worried, too curious not to, and if Lindsey needed help, he would help him, even if he didn’t ask. And maybe one day, when Lindsey was his own person, and Rupert had grown a little more as well, grown tired of his desire for control and meaningless sex with strangers…

Well, maybe one day.

END

Epilogue