Mafia henchman Nik Fros examined the newly arrived goods that had just been delivered to his penthouse. Mr. Fros paced up and down with foreboding heavy footsteps as the two new twink ‘entertainment escorts’ that sat blindfolded and shivering were not what he had expected.

Milo sat all alone in a non-descript room that he’d been escorted to by two very large Mafia bodyguards. The pretty Latin twink was curtly instructed to wait in the room and remain there until the man only known as ‘Mr. Fros’ arrived.

I’ve been accepted as a mafia escort but the role has not been as simple and straightforward as I had assumed it would be. After servicing several mafia leaders to prove that I was serious, and worthy to be in their stable, I was sent away. It was almost a week before the first call came in the form of a text. It was cryptic and vague. It gave an address and a time. It said that I was to meet a priest, Stepfather Zetta, and tell him that “payment is on the way.” It ended with “Make very certain that he is pleased with our arrangement.” My questions went unanswered.

Newly minted Mafia escort Luciano didn’t bother to knock on the hotel room door- he simply walked in as instructed. The client waiting inside, Mr. Stryker, was seated by the window. He seemed to be lost in thought at first glance, but when Luciano got closer to the tall, towering fellow, the older man turned and allowed a wicked half smile to cross his handsome face.

Life has been crazy since my friend Andrew and I ran away from home. I don’t know why I did it, really. Andrew hated being a Senator’s stepson in the constant spotlight. The security details. He wanted his own life. I guess I did, too. My stepdad wasn’t as high profile as Andrew’s was but I was just as sheltered. I had my own nanny and, later governess, from the time I was born. Later, I had a security guard. I mean he was cool, but still! I grew up in a gated mansion where, I admit, I had everything. Except freedom. Adventure. There was never a moment in my life that wasn’t planned, sheltered, supervised.

I had no idea what to expect. In fact, sitting there waiting for my first client, I was becoming terrified. It was way too late to back out but, for the first time, this wasn’t just a kinky fantasy. This was real. My ass was actually on the line. I was committed to having sex with a man that I knew nothing about. Zilch. Not even a name. I was given an address and told that a man would be waiting for me and I was to do what he asked.

When my stepfather found evidence that I’m gay, he was not pleased. Traditional Spanish men can be macho and chauvinistic. My stepfather was as traditional as possible. While not a member of the Mob himself, we are part of a mafia stepfamily. My Stepuncle Luise is deeply involved. Even though my stepfather has always been careful to stay arms length from the stepfamily connections, he turned me over to my stepuncle. I needed to be taught how to “be a man.” I guess in his mind, it was a choice between the Mob and the military and he trusted his stepbrother more than the government.

I was lost. I just finished my first year in college because my parents were paying for it and that’s what you do, right? Well, unless you want to be a total loser. What my stepdad didn’t know was that the college had an option to spend freshman year just taking core curriculum classes and wait until sophomore year to declare a major, and that’s what I did. The problem was that freshman year was over and I still didn’t know what to major in. I had no fucking idea what to do with my life.

Andrew was excited to have gotten the call for his very first official client as the Mafia’s ‘entertainment escort.’ The one who had tagged along with him, Noah, had gone out on assignments already, but the same could not be said for the mastermind behind their plan.

It was one of those days that was so beautiful outside, you couldn’t help but feel lucky to be alive. I had to get out there and enjoy it. Spring was in full bloom. The sun was shining, and the temperature was perfect for a run. A warm breeze came through the window as I tied up my running shoes, grabbed my favorite jockstrap and running shorts and headed for the door.