Trapped

Ken runs into an old flame at a resort. Is this good luck? What's Jack doing here anyway?

         Ken, a tall, black haired man with slightly chubby cheeks, stood staring at the invite in his hand. An all expenses paid trip to stay at the Palms and the Winchester Mansion in Los Angelos, CA. It had arrived out of nowhere, and Ken didn’t bother to question his luck.

         He arrived at the Palms, a lush, fancy resort right under the Hollywood sign in Los Angelos. Plush, overstuffed chairs adorned the lobby and as he walked up to the front desk to sign himself in as he took in the dark cedar walls and inky black tiles. Checking in ahead of him was a tall, handsome man of middle age, with white hair and creases around his laughing green eyes. For all that he must have been only fifty, Ken found himself unusually attracted to the man’s maturity.
         Suddenly he was next and found himself face to face with his only serious former relationship partner, Jack.
         His shock must have shown on his face, because Jack answered in a slightly saddened tone, “Yes, it really is me, Ken.”
         Jack was 6 foot with blonde hair, blue eyes, and an even build, his maleness lingering in the way he held himself. A dark blue t-shirt and khaki jean shorts barely covered his well formed body. Around his neck, was a shining blue and turquoise pendant which shimmered in the light from the window. Ken found himself slightly enraptured by the pendant and well Jack quite frankly, as he had never wanted to end the relationship in the first place.
         Jack cleared his throat, smirking slightly and said, “How may I help you sir?”
         Ken was reminded of Jack’s sassy attitude and if possible the chasm in his heart felt a thousand feet deeper. Rousing himself, he decided to pretend he didn’t know him, “I’d like to check in please. The reservations are under Winchester Tours. I’m Ken, the recipient.”
         Jack, slightly disarmed by being dismissed so quickly, announced, “Oh, so you’re our lucky winner. Well, that’s most satisfactory indeed. Let me get you all checked in and have your things sent to your rooms. You have the suite, a one of a kind set of rooms…”
         Ken stopped listening as his eyes again caught that pendant around Jack’s neck. Was it his imagination or was it glowing? It had to be some trick of the light or maybe it was illuminated from the inside. Whatever the reason, Ken had tuned Jack out, and in doing so missing the valuable information that Jack was trying so hard to impart on Ken.

         Ken was seated in the dining room, waiting on his fourth glass of wine, when Jack showed up. He was still wearing the same outfit and looked a bit out of place in the swanky leather and velvet dining room. Still, Ken found himself striking up a conversation with Jack and they laughed their way through the evening.
         It was only after his eighth or ninth glass that Ken realized that Jack was urgently holding his hand and saying something which seemed important. Through his fuzziness he tried to focus, “Get out of here while you can. You think this is a prize, I thought so too, when I received it, trust me, and get out of here now!” And with that Jack stood, hesitated slightly, then placed a soft kiss on Ken’s lips before he hurried away.
         Immediately, it seemed and out of nowhere, which was impossible Ken scolded himself, a younger man the age of himself slid into the seat across from him and started to talk.
         “I’m so sorry about that sir, please excuse that ruffian,” the man smiled seductively before reaching out and brushing his hand against Ken’s arm. “If it’s alright, I’d love to visit you later, I’m Damon, and I’m the owner of the Palms.”
         With a wink, he smiled again, and then disappeared after Jack in a blur. Ken, who normally would have enjoyed the advances of two different men, and one such as handsome as the owner, felt quite queasy after the conversation. Something was screaming in the back of his mind, something that told him to heed Jack’s warning but the seductive smile and multitude of alcohol made him unsure of his instincts.
         Plus something was bugging him about Jack. Shaking his head, dizziness rushed to the forefront of his brain and he realized how drunk he was. Reasoning that he was just paranoid because of his drunken state, Ken realized that he better sober himself up in a hurry if that young man Damon was really coming to visit him.

         The next thing he knew, he found himself chained to a wall next to Jack, staring at him miserably. Around his neck, Ken found the same blue and turquoise pendant.