Settling For More

by Aria Grace

  Asher’s eyes darken even more as his Adam’s apple moves up then down. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” I know he can hear the fear in my voice, but I hope he doesn’t mistake that for uncertainty. There’s nothing I’m more certain of than how badly I want this night with him.

  “I’ll be gentle.” He leans forward for soft kiss then hops off the bed. Asher grabs his jeans off the floor and digs in the pocket. The sound of a wrapper being pulled is followed by his return to the bed between my legs. My shaft is hard and my body quivers at the thought of him inside of me.

  I can’t believe I’m about to lose my virginity to this gorgeous man.

  Asher strokes my cock for a second before pouring some lube across his fingers and moving them to my virgin hole. He presses lightly, breaching my muscles and carefully pushing into me. Impulsively, I grab at the blanket covering my bed, grasping it as the intrusion of his finger exploring me hits. It takes a second for my body to relax enough to realize that it doesn’t really hurt. It’s strange but not in a bad way.

  “Is that okay?” Asher asks, flicking his finger inside me. “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

  “No, it feels…interesting. Good, I think.” I squirm and reach for my cock, wanting to offset the foreign feelings.

  Asher’s hand covers mine, gently stroking me with slick fingers. “I want to make you feel good, Ian.”

  I close my eyes and focus on his hands and what they’re doing to me. “I want to feel you inside me, Asher.”

  When Asher removes his finger from my hole, I feel empty as I wait for him to fill me again. It’s not long before pressure against my hole has me squirming again. This time, Asher’s tip is lined up with my tight ring of muscle.

  “Just breathe, Ian. It’ll sting for a second, but I’ll make you feel good.”

  I nod and take in a slow breath.

  Asher kisses my mouth, licking my lips as he pushes forward, inserting the tip of his thick shaft into me.

  When I inhale sharply at the pain, he waits for a moment, allowing me to adjust to the feeling of fullness. Then he pushes deeper inside me, filling me in a way I never thought possible. The first wave of pain hits, electrifying my body with the unknown sensation of having my ass fucked by a massive dick.

  I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until Asher’s soft words glide across my ears. “Breathe, Ian.”

  I force myself to catch my breath, and Asher uses that moment to become fully seated inside me. His thick cock stretches my ass beyond what I thought I could ever handle, but the pain I first felt quickly gives way to a different sensation. It takes a minute to be able to move, but when he licks my mouth and strokes my weeping cock, the pain in my ass quickly morphs into extreme pleasure.

  I’m not sure where to hold or what to do as Asher pulls at my hardened shaft, allowing me to enjoy the spikes of pleasure vibrating through my body. Asher starts to move in a faster rhythm, picking up his speed as he thrusts inside my channel again. Moaning with desire, I caress every part of Asher I can reach as he strokes my cock, bringing me closer to release as he plunges in and out of my ass. I’m surprised my body can adapt to his size so quickly, especially since I’ve never been fucked before.

  It’s like the two of us are made for each other.

  Asher’s tip nearly pulls completely out of me before he shoves himself back inside with a load groan. I hope he’s enjoying this as much as I am, but my brain can’t even think past the feeling of my cock throbbing for release as Asher continues to nail my insides in a way that electrifies my entire body.

  “Asher.” His name is like a prayer on my lips as I fly closer to heaven. “I’m gonna come.”

  “That’s right, Ian,” Asher says, pulling out and pulsing inside me again. “Come for me. Shoot that load so I can give you mine.”

  Another few strokes and the tightness at the base of my cock releases. With the most intense release I’ve ever had, my cock explodes, shooting a huge stream of hot, creamy come across my chest. When the second release follows, I hear Asher’s groan melding with mine.

  He grunts and pushes even harder against me as his orgasm erupts inside me, filling the condom with his come. The two of us buck against each other as we ride out the electric waves rushing through our bodies.

  As I squeeze the last drop of cream from my slit, Asher pulls out and rips off the condom, allowing his last few drops to fall onto my stomach. The warmth of his come covering my body is unreal. Part of me suddenly wishes he had deposited it down my throat.

  But who knows… Maybe that’ll be our plan for next time.

  Seven

  Asher

  As hard as it is to be away from Ian after our amazing night together last week, I have work to do.

  Tanner and Chase have been working closely with Johnny to deal with the potential vigilante rent boy in our midst while I’m back to running The Vault. Despite the potential of having a rogue employee intent on serving his own kind of justice, there are two dozen other men on staff who need to be cared for and protected in every way. And that’s no easy task because several guys came down with the flu this week, and we’ve been rescheduling and cancelling clients for days.

  None are happy about the change in their entertainment plans, but everyone understands, and no one wants to get sick. I’ve had an agency with industrial-level cleaning experience in twice to disinfect the entire property, but bugs like this are inevitable with so many people living together in shared quarters.

  Once I finally have the schedule worked out for the night, I print out the weekly payment statements from our new merchant bank account and do a quick audit. From what I’ve heard, the new system is fast and easier to use than our old credit card terminal, and there have been fewer transmission errors since we made the switch.

  However, with just a glance at the statements, I can see an obvious problem. There’s been a downturn in transactions over the past few weeks which doesn’t make sense. Other than this week with our reduced capacity, we haven’t had any meaningful reduction in guest attendance. In fact, there were a few nights when we were at capacity and had to turn members away. It doesn’t happen often, but I know it’s happened recently. Unfortunately, the statements don’t show any spikes in sales at all.

  Which means this isn’t a simple review and approve like I usually do. This time, I have to dig further to find out where the missing money is.

  After printing out six months of statements, I still can’t understand what has happened. According to the statements, our sales have gone down by almost 20% over the past three weeks. Normally for a situation like this, I’d call Tanner and leave it to him to figure out. But that’s my job now. Making sure this company works…and works well…is my responsibility. I can’t keep running to Tanner with every clerical error or accounting question I have. He’s trusting me to keep his business running at maximum performance, and I’m not going to let him down.

  Besides, he has enough on his plate right now.

  So, I make the executive decision to submit a request with the bank to find out if it’s possible some transactions haven’t been recorded properly. It’s a longshot, but there’s got to be an explanation for the reduced receipts when we haven’t had any reduction in sales at all.

  Accepting the fact that there’s not much more I can do about it tonight, I pop a mint into my mouth then head out onto the main floor.

  On most nights, we have cages on pedestals set up throughout the room. Nude guys sit on display to be selected for the evening by our guests. Tonight, however, we don’t have any extra guys on the floor. Everyone who isn’t sick has been booked, so it’s pretty quiet in the common areas.

  Cayson Dixon, one of our newer boys, is bent over a wooden chair and being fucked hard by Brady Andrews. Brady is one of our best tipping clients. He averages a $10,000 gratuity on top of the $5000 payment he makes per visit, so although he is kinky as fuck and likes to humiliate his boys, everyone is happy to spend a few hours wi
th Brady because of the pay day they get after.

  Tips from clients are paid in cash directly to the guys, so that is their spending money. The rest of their earnings from The Vault comes at the end of their twelve-month commitment in the form of their $200,000 fee plus bonuses. Leaving The Vault with over half a million dollars isn’t uncommon for most men here.

  That’s why they come here. And that’s why they stay.

  But if we’re hemorrhaging cash like this bank statement suggests, Tanner won’t be able to sustain that kind of generosity for much longer.

  Without hovering, I keep an eye on Cayson and Brady to make sure things don’t go too far. Brady likes to put on a show, so I know he doesn’t mind. If he wanted privacy, he would have used the private room Cayson has been assigned for the evening. And although Cayson has a lust-drunk expression on his face, I’m sure he feels better knowing someone is watching out for him and he’s not alone through this.

  But Brady only needs a few more minutes before he finishes on Cayson’s back, smearing his come into Cayson’s porcelain skin before flipping the man over and sucking him off until he reaches his own climax.

  As soon as Cayson is done, he falls into Brady’s arms, whispering something in Brady’s ear that has the older man grinning. Cayson has learned a lot in his short time here, and apparently, he knows what to say to stroke the egos of his clients.

  I see a generous tip in his immediate future.

  Jasper, a cute blond who is only with us for another month, walks out of his room wrapped in a plush robe. “Hey, Asher. How’s it hanging?”

  “Still hanging just fine, Jasper.” I wink. “How are you?”

  “Good.” He glances in both directions before leaning forward to whisper near my ear. “But I think I might’ve been patient zero with this bug going around. I was sick as a dog last week, and now everyone else is sick. I feel so bad.”

  I shrug then reach out to pat Jasper’s shoulder. “It happens, man. Everyone will be fine. I’m just glad you’re better now.”

  “No joke. I wanted to die for twenty-four hours straight. The good news is, it seems to pass quickly.”

  “I hope so.” I turn when I hear raised voices at the other end of the hall. “Take care of yourself, Jaz. I’ll catch you later.”

  When I get to the last room, Johnny has a client I know only as Mr. Jackson cuffed up and is dragging him out of a room. Mateo Lopez is huddled in the corner with a bloody gash across his cheek.

  “What the fuck?” I rush to Mateo and kneel down beside him. “What happened?”

  He wipes his wet eyes and looks up at me. “I kept telling him to stop. I said he could do my back, but not my face.”

  I take a look around the room, searching for whatever weapon was used against Mateo’s previously flawless skin. When Johnny moves out of the doorway, light reflecting from the hall catches on a piece of metal on the ground. I’m horrified when I realize a bloody razor blade is tucked against the leg of the bed.

  “God, Mateo.” I carefully tug him forward, so I can see his back. A mix of long and short streaks of blood cover Mateo’s lower back and ass. My heart breaks and my jaw clenches over what he’s been through on my watch. “What did he do to you?”

  Mateo falls into my arms and sobs. “He said it would be worth it to me to let him have some fun. He knows the marks can’t be visible, but after doing my back, he wanted more. He wanted my face.”

  “I’m so sorry.” I hold him against my chest, pissed at myself for not vetting Mr. Jackson more thoroughly. He’s been a member for two years but only visits every four or five months. I haven’t heard any complaints about him in the past but that obviously isn’t going to help soothe Mateo’s insecurities when he has to look at a thick scar on his face for the rest of his life. “That piece of shit will be banned immediately. You’ll never see him again.”

  Mateo mumbles something against my shirt before pulling away. “Thank you, Asher. I’m sorry I didn’t call for help sooner.”

  I carefully swipe at the blood on his cheek, so I can get a closer look at the wound. It’s not deep, but it’s in the fleshy part of his cheek so it’s bleeding a lot. “Me too, Mateo. But we’ll get this stitched up by a plastic surgeon and that scar will be barely noticeable.”

  He nods then crawls toward the closet to grab a robe to cover his nudity. “It was stupid. I won’t let anything like this happen again.”

  I nod and give him a reassuring smile, even though I’m not sure about anything anymore. “I know you won’t. Let’s get you dressed and I’ll take you to the hospital myself.”

  Eight

  Ian

  “You have an encyclopedia set?” I try not to laugh out loud at the image of Tanner looking up words in the multi-volume set. “Have you not heard about the greatest encyclopedia in the world called Google?”

  Tanner shoots me a playful glare. “What? I thought they looked nice in my bookshelf. It’s not like I read them next to a roaring fire with a snifter of brandy every night.”

  “Are you sure about that?” I hold up the first volume which covers A through C in the alphabet then flip through it. “There are some fun descriptions of anal sex in this one…”

  “Shut up, brat.” Tanner tosses a pen and it bounces off my shoulder. “You’re supposed to respect your elders.”

  I laugh harder. “Oh, wait. Is that a dog ear on the circumcision page?”

  Messing with Tanner is always fun because he doesn’t treat me like a kid. My dad is great and he trusts me to be a mature adult, but he’ll never stop seeing me as his little boy. With Tanner, since I was already an adult when we met for the first time, we have more of a friendly relationship than a paternal one.

  He’s about to toss another pen when his phone rings. He glances at the screen then at me before hitting the speaker button. “Hey, Asher. You’re on speaker with me and Ian. What’s up?”

  “Hi, Tanner. I’ve got a code pink on my hands at the moment.”

  Shit.

  Code pink is the word they use for an incident that has drawn enough blood to need medical attention but isn’t life-threatening. I learned this about a month ago when someone cut open their hand while dicing a pineapple.

  I stand up and approach Tanner’s desk, staring at the phone and waiting for Asher to explain whose blood has been spilled.

  “Go ahead,” Tanner says calmly, already reaching for his keys.

  “Mateo was with Mr. Jackson tonight. Mr. Jackson went a little overboard with a razor blade and left some pretty good marks on his back and face.”

  “Fucking asshole,” Tanner hisses under his breath.

  “I’m taking him to the hospital now because he’s going to need stitches. But do you think Dr. Wilkins might be available on short notice?”

  “If he’s in town, he’ll be there. Go straight to his office if Mateo doesn’t need x-rays or a more thorough examination.”

  “He says there are no other injuries. Just the surface cuts.”

  Tanner picks up the phone and starts walking toward the front door. “I’ll call Wilkins now and meet you there.”

  Tanner hits the end button on his call then turns to me. “Tell your dad I’ll be back in a few hours.”

  I reach for him before he can get too far. “Can I go with you? Please.”

  Tanner sighs heavily then dips his chin once. “Fine. Let’s go. You can call your dad and explain on the way.”

  I guess it was ignorant for me to think that what Tanner and Asher do for a living isn’t dangerous.

  But as time goes on, and people are turning up dead or injured, it’s starting to worry me on a much deeper level. I don’t want Asher to end up like the dead guy who might have been a victim of our student vigilante, or even like this Mateo guy who has been sliced up with a razor blade by some sick fuck who gets off on hurting others.

  Tanner and I arrive at the private doctor’s office at the same time the doctor does. I’m not surprised when Tanner introduces me as his son
and Dr. Wilkins as a client. If you read between the lines, you can clearly see Tanner is using my status as his son as a hands-off beacon to anyone associated with The Vault. As far as his clients are concerned, I have no problem with that. But after the night I spent with Asher, I can’t keep pretending that the chemistry between us isn’t real…and amazing.

  I want to be with Asher, and I think he wants to be with me. Whether my dad or Tanner like it, I’m going to see this through.

  And I’m not gonna hide how I feel.

  As soon as we get into the office, Asher takes two steps toward us then stops in the middle of the room. I completely ignore Tanner and the doctor as I walk straight into Asher’s arms, wrapping mine around his chest before kissing his earlobe softly. “Are you okay?” I whisper in his ear low enough that no one else can hear me.

  “I’m fine, Ian.” He holds me tight, pressing his forehead against my neck. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Does stuff like this happen all the time? I’m worried about you and Tanner.”

  “No, luckily this type of stuff isn’t our norm, although there have been a few incidents in the past. I just wish we could have prevented it.”

  Asher leads me over to a set of chairs in the waiting room and we sit down.

  “Will he be okay?” I ask, nodding toward the hallway where Dr. Wilkins, Tanner, and the young man I’m assuming is Mateo disappeared down.

  “Mateo?” He stares down the empty hallway too. “Yeah, he’ll be okay. Tanner will make sure he’s taken care of.”

  “He does care for them, doesn’t he?”

  Asher takes my hand in his and then pulls it up to brush a kiss over my knuckles. “Yeah, Tanner definitely cares more for his employees than he probably should. That’s what makes him a great boss. Before you and Rod showed up, we were his only family, you know.”