Fandom:	Houston Knights
Series:	Alternate Universe/ Made Man
Rating:	NC17
Pairing:	Joe/Levon
Archive:	Starwinder's
Title:	The Flame Burns Bright
Author:	Starwinder
e-mail:	starwinder2of7@gmail.com
Standard Disclaimer: Houston Knights belongs to Jay Bernstein and Michael Butler and Columbia Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This is fan fiction, written out of love for the shows. I am making no money off this. I have no money so please don't sue me. Any original characters who may appear in these stories are the property of the author.

I sit. Still and silent, nothing moving but my eyes as I watch Mario pace back and forth in front of Uncle Mikey's desk. Uncle Mikey isn't happy. He leans back in his chair and scowls at Mario.

"This is bad, what you got yourself into Rio. You shoulda known better." He says. "But if you hadda do it you shoulda never been on the scene. We got people for that. We stay clear. First rule of survival: Never do anything questionable yourself." He points a finger at Mario. "Very stupid."

"All right!" Mario snarls. "I was stupid! Now what?"

"Now you back off. Forget the deal. Let it go. Take a vacation."

"I can't do that! Valdez isn't gonna just go away. I need your help."

Uncle Mikey regards his kid brother coldly. "You totally disregarded my advice then you wanna come in here making demands! Lemme tell you something, Rio. I didn't get where I am by being careless. You were careless. You were foolish. Now you got a problem. It ain't my problem. I don't gotta help you ... and I'm not gonna expose myself to legal complications for you." He looks at me and I give a tiny nod and he goes on. "I'll let you have Joey. He's smart. He's tough. He can handle Valdez. You want any more help from me, you get out of this stuff you're in."

Mario swallows hard then nods. "All right, Mikey. I'll clean this up then go back to business as usual." His voice is bitter. He signals me to follow and stalks out.

Uncle Mikey looks up, "Stay a minute, kid. I wanna word with you."

Mario turns back, giving him a glare, but Uncle Mikey stares him down and he goes out closing the door.

I wait patiently. He takes his time lighting up a cigar, before turning to me. "You're playing a dangerous game, Joey."

I don't answer. We both know that he has suspected that I have been tipping the cops to Mario's business.

He nods, "Wanna give me one good reason not to tell Rio."

I hesitate then say one word. "Andy."

It hangs between us. He knows what I'm talking about. Andy was my kid brother. A year and a half after I went into the Marines, he died. Drug overdose. He was fifteen. It was Mario that got him the dope. We both know it and we both know that no one will ever be able to prove it.

He nods again. "Andy was a good kid. I'm sorry about what happened. But are you sure you wanna do this?"

I look him straight in the eyes. "I love you Uncle Mikey. I always have. I always will. You've been like a second father to me. I would never do anything to hurt you ... but Mario ..."

He nods again, noting that as has been usual since I returned I don't call Mario, 'uncle'. He's always known me better than anyone. He understands me. In some way I think he was proud of me for joining up, staying clear of the family business all those years. He seemed almost disappointed when I came back and started hanging out with that side of the family. Now he knows why. Payback. Mario is gonna pay for Andy. He swivels the chair around turning his back to me. "You take care of yourself, Joey." His voice is carefully neutral.

I know I've been dismissed. I also know that he's not gonna rat me out to Mario ... or anybody else.

I walk away, going to take care of business, knowing that there is a good chance this will be the last time that I see Uncle Mikey. If things work out, I'll be far away and safe from reprisals, soon. If not, I'll be dead. I'm glad I told him that I love him.

Mario is waiting. "What'd he want?" he snaps.

I shrug, it's none of his business. "He said to take good care of you," I lie.

"Yeah, right."

Mario has always resented Uncle Mikey. I'm not certain why. Could just be that Uncle Mikey is older and that makes him head of the family. Could just be that Mario thinks the world owes him something.

"I got arrangements to make. Valdez and his people will be sprung in an hour. We'll use the other warehouse. You go set the place up. Make sure we got an emergency exit. I'll meet you back at the office. Two hours. Don't be late." He leaves me standing on the sidewalk and climbs into the limo.

[Two hours. Don't be late. Thanks for the lift Mario.] I can't believe he's gonna be so stupid as to use the other warehouse. It's right next to the first one. If Valdez goes for it he must be just as stupid. I look around, hunting a cab, then grin suddenly. Things are looking up. I've got a tail. Szabo's following me. I wait for a break in traffic and angle across the street to where he's parked. I don't recognize the guy with him but it doesn't matter.

"Hello, Cousin!" I lean down and poke my head in the driver's window to kiss his cheek. "You following me cause you're working or cause you're horny?"

His partner, a big rough looking guy with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, nearly strangles on his coffee.

Steve just grins at me. "Both, Gorgeous. You wanna go somewhere and get naked?"

My turn to laugh. "Not right now. I gotta do something for Mario, but I need a lift. You guys wanna drop me off at the warehouse. Not the one you busted last night, the other one."

Steve grins, "So. It was you that tipped us. Get in."

I climb in the back, sitting on the edge of the seat and leaning up against the front seat so I can tease him. Reaching over the back of the seat I run my fingers through his hair and blow on the back of his neck as he pulls into traffic.

"Hey! Take it easy, kid!" He laughs as he swerves erratically. "or I'll climb back there with you!"

I laugh back at him, "So, what's stopping you? Scared you'll embarrass the straight guy?" He knows I mean his partner.

His partner finally decides to put in his two cents. "Who said I was straight, Pretty Boy?" He asks.

I laugh at him too. "I do. You wouldn't know what to do with another guy's dick if it had instructions tattooed on it!"

He looks insulted, which was my intention, and snorts. "The Hell I wouldn't!"

He walked right into it. I lean over toward him and run a finger along his jawline. "Then why don't you climb back here and prove it?" I purr.

He blanches.

Steve grins at him. "Joey'll be gentle, Jake. Bet he's even got a tube of lube in his pocket!"

Jake's eyes are wide, like he's not sure whether we're kidding him or not, then Steve lets him off the hook by saying, "Course I bet he'd rather use it on a certain cowboy ..."

Suddenly, Steven Szabo has my undivided attention. "Cowboy?" I can't hide the interest in my voice. My heart is pounding. My voice goes tight. "What cowboy?"

"One'a Valdez's men. Blonde hair, medium long. Brown eyes. Tightest jeans I've ever seen. Gets a hard-on every time he sees your picture. Sent you a present." He reaches in his pocket and tosses something over the back of the seat.

I snag it in mid air. It's a condom. A used one. Filled with cum, knotted just above it. "His?" It's all I can say and it comes out strangled.

Jake can't decide whether to stare at me or at Szabo. His head swivels back and forth. His expression is absolute disbelief.

"His." Steve's watching me in the mirror.

My hands are shaking. I can't believe that I'm this affected. I manage to choke out, "How?"

"Let's just say I had an intimate discussion with him ... about how I spent Thanksgiving ... and the color of your eyes when you come. He was very interested."

I sit back in the seat. Closing my eyes, I can see him. The way the cowboy hat sat on his head, the color of his eyes, the ostrich skin boots, those jeans, his erection, straining against them.

I know it's crazy but I do it anyhow. I bring the condom to my mouth and suck on the bulb of cum, gently at first then harder as my cock hardens. My other hand drops to my lap, I stroke myself. I bite into the condom. [I shouldn't! I know I shouldn't! but I have to!]. I need to taste him. Sealed inside the condom his cum didn't dry out. Still liquid, it floods my mouth. Sweet. Salty. Acidic. I can't identify it but it's wonderful. I come and collapse back against the seat exhausted, moaning softly.

"You got it bad, kiddo." Steve's voice is soft almost wistful and I remember thanksgiving at Grandma's, as he goes on. "Cowboy's a lucky man."

We're at the warehouse now. Szabo goes all business. "Something you wanna tell me, Joey?"

"Yeah. Keep an eye on this place. It's gonna get real busy ... soon." I get out then lean in the window to give him a kiss. A real one this time, on the lips. His partner's still staring so I ask, "You want one too, big boy?"

He blushes, dropping his eyes away then looks up, swallowing hard. "Yeah," he says in a strangled voice.

I give Steve a wink and circle round to the other side. Leaning in the window I slip one hand behind Jake's head and pull him into a long, hot kiss. I probe with my tongue and after a second's resistance he parts his lips and I plunge my tongue into his mouth, plundering it. He moans and I give the underside of his tongue a quick flick then continue trying to lick his tonsils. When I break the kiss he's gasping.

I glance at Steve and see him lick his lips. I release Jake and head for the warehouse. Something tells me that Jake is about to get to know his partner a lot better ... but I have work to do.

My mind is already on that work. I have plenty of time to set everything up. I'll need to make a stop at my apartment to change clothes before I go meet Mario but that won't be a problem. There's always at least one car at the warehouse. I'll just borrow it.

I'm smiling as I go about my work. If Mario had any idea what I'm setting up he'd kill me.

The End