All of the younger men were naked or practically naked, barely covered by scraps of cloth or leather in an attempt at decency. Most of them did nothing to hide their organs, which were displayed proudly.
“Who are these people?” I whispered in Max’s ear, before we were seated at our table.
“This is a BDSM club, Sloan. You are seeing some of the finest Dominants in the area, along with their contracted submissives.”
“Why are they kneeling and not sitting at the table with their partners?”
“That’s the way of this world, Sloan.”
“Huh. Seems rather degrading to me.”
“It’s not. It’s a traditional act of submission that is expected and most appreciated by their masters.”
We were interrupted by a waiter, who brought us our champagne. He laid everything out with a flourish and left us alone again. Max handed me a flute, clinked my glass gently and said, “To your new and exciting career.”
“Which career are you referring to, Max?”
He smiled that wicked smile again, the one that always sent a thrill up my spine, and he leaned in to kiss me. “That is for you to decide, my beauty.”
25
A HUSH had fallen over the room as two men took center stage. The older guy had on black leather pants, jackboots, and a white shirt that looked soft and terribly expensive. Everything about him exuded class. He was holding a leash attached to the collar on a gorgeous young man who followed him with his head bowed. He was naked, but for a silver cock ring encircling his semi-erect penis.
I watched this in fascination, more interested in the sub’s reaction than in the Dom’s strutting. They stopped and the Dom started to talk.
“Welcome to our small celebration tonight. This is the final step in Eric’s journey. He has grown over the last few months.” The audience shared a laugh as the sub’s erection seemed to increase with his Dom’s every word. He looked over at his young man and smiled in appreciation. “I don’t mean that way, although I must admit that my Eric is quite the shower. Tonight we celebrate my pet’s collaring. He’s earned it and it gives me pleasure to present him to you, but first, a lovely demonstration of his willingness to please me.”
Eric stepped forward and Beck removed the leash and collar he’d been wearing when they walked into the room. He replaced them with leather cuffs, on his wrists as well as on his ankles, before leading him to the cross. Eric’s back was turned toward us and his arms and legs were secured to silver hooks on the four ends of the cross. He had an incredible physique, which was very much appreciated by his Dom, who caressed him with a light hand, all the while whispering in his ear.
The Dom stepped back and pulled out a riding crop. He raised his hand and hit Eric’s buttocks with a forceful strike. The young man moaned and shifted position. The chains holding him rattled gently, only to be yanked by a forceful pull when the crop came down again in three successive strikes. Eric’s ass had four red stripes across the rounded cheeks and his master moved to rub him with his hand. He said something to Eric, who nodded, and he proceeded to stripe his back with rapid-fire strokes. Finally, Eric’s head sort of flopped back and his eyes closed. I thought he’d passed out from the grueling punishment, but he seemed to be in ecstasy, rather than in horrible pain.
“Is he unconscious?” I asked Max in alarm.
“He’s in subspace, Sloan. His pain has shifted to exquisite pleasure. Look at his face. Does he seem to be suffering? And look at his cock.”
My eyes were back on the sub, who did appear to be in some sort of trance while his cock remained rigid. His master moved to release the cock ring after whispering a command, and Eric began to climax immediately. The room filled with the odor of his spunk, and there was a general groaning from the audience. Suddenly, everyone was all hands and mouths, and what had been a silent observation turned into an orgy of sorts. Subs were giving blowjobs left and right.
I looked at Max and he raised an eyebrow. “Are you shocked, darling?”
“No… I’m hard as fuck.”
He leaned in and gave me a deep kiss, fucking me with his tongue. “Hold that thought, my beauty. I have plans for later.”
“Okay,” I replied, a little breathless but determined to wait it out. My curiosity had no bounds.
After the Dom had given Eric a few minutes to regain his headspace, he released his hands and ankles from the cross and moved him to center stage. He picked up the flat, velvet-covered box that had been sitting on the table and opened it, pulling out a flexible silver chain that glinted when the light hit it. He placed the necklace around Eric’s neck and kissed him gently. He then drew him into his arms and pressed him tightly against his body. Everyone started to applaud and the ceremony seemed to be over.
“So now what happens to Eric?” I asked, while Max poured me more champagne.
“They move into another phase of their relationship. He’s now a contracted sub and belongs to Beck. No one can touch him; but by the same token, Beck is obligated to see to his safety and daily needs. Eric is his.”
“So it’s a marriage of sorts?”
“You can call it that, although it’s renewable, which makes it that much better.”
“Right.”
“Come, my beauty. I’ve asked for a room.”
“They have private rooms here?”
“Absolutely. Not everyone likes to perform on stage. There are some members who need strict privacy. I, personally, do not like the public forum.”
“Thank God, ’cause there’s no fucking way I’d strip down to nothing in front of this group.”
“Sloan, your cock would make them forget what you are so ashamed of.”
“Whatever, Max.”
We stood and left the room, no longer stopping to chat. Max went straight to the stairs, and we climbed to the second story. It looked like any hotel, except the paintings on the wall were male erotica. Some of them had to be antiques, each one more explicit than the next, and I would have enjoyed looking at them, but my host seemed to be in a big hurry to get me to the room. He tugged on my hand every time I’d stop.
When we finally got to our room and he’d closed the door behind us, he picked me up and carried me to the four-poster bed that took up most of the room. It looked like any other bed except for the hooks embedded in the wooden posts on four corners. It was canopied and curtained as well, giving it an old-world feel.
Max was covering my face with kisses and growling softly.
“I want you very much.”
“I’m all yours, Max.”
“Will you let me tie you down?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, my beauty. I’d like to experiment a little. Test your boundaries.”
“How?” I was a little overwhelmed by his assault. My senses were on high alert with everything I’d seen downstairs. I was achingly hard and desperate to get off, but he seemed to have other plans.
“Let me show you rather than tell you. Would you strip down, please?”
The lights were on, although very muted. Still, I hesitated.
“Darling, I’ve seen most of you. At least the important parts,” he added. “Trust me, I won’t judge.”
I closed my eyes and began to take off my clothes, peeling off the layers one by one until I lay there completely exposed. I kept my eyes shut, hoping not to see the look of desire change when he saw my naked body, but then I felt his hand caressing me, moving over my chest and stomach and bypassing my cock, which leaked with moisture, hoping to get noticed. He ignored it, which was maddening and made me moan.
“Shh, my impatient one. Let me take my time with you.”
“God… not too long.”
“I’m going to get up and grab some things from the bureau. Give me a second,” he whispered, kissing me hungrily. “Open your eyes, Sloan, I want to see them.”
I opened them and stared at his face, expecting to see derision or contempt, but I saw none of that.
“You s
till want me even though I’m skin and bones?”
“Sloan, my darling boy. You’re beautiful.”
“Really?” I didn’t believe a word he said, but at least he wasn’t repulsed and still wanted me, despite my lack of an obvious six-pack.
“Why the hell are you so insecure about your physique?”
“Years of programming.”
“I’m going to have to work on you, get you to believe me when I say you’re beautiful.”
I felt my eyes fill up, touched by his kindness. It was coming from such an unexpected source, and I was caught off guard. He wiped my tears away with gentle kisses, whispering endearments that calmed me and helped me relax. When he felt I could continue, he stood and went to the mirrored cabinet, opened it, and removed some leather cuffs and an instrument that looked like a ping-pong paddle. It was covered in dark leather. I’d seen a picture of a paddle in the book he’d leant me, although I’d never felt its sting.
“Let’s start with a few spankings,” he said, “I think you could use this right now.”
“I could?” Somehow I found that hard to believe, but so far, he’d been right on every count. “Shall I flip over?”
“Yes.”
I did and he took a pillow and slid it under my groin, raising my hips slightly. He rubbed my ass with his bearded cheek. It felt wonderful and I moaned softly, which seemed to encourage him to put his warm tongue right where I wanted it. I closed my eyes and moaned even louder, spreading wide and offering myself in the most wanton way. I wanted more of him, needed that push inside of me, but he was teasing the outside of my hole, flicking at it with his wet tongue, driving me mad with desire. “Max, please.”
“Not yet, darling, first a little pain.”
He sat back on his heels, lifted his hand, and brought the paddle down on the meatiest part of my butt with a splat!
“Oh, my God.”
He followed it with a series of successive blows, each one more forceful, and soon I was writhing against the pillow, humping it with abandon. I would have shot my load if he hadn’t stopped to rub my ass, whispering words of encouragement, telling me how gorgeous I was. I didn’t give a shit about that; all I wanted was release.
“Max, touch my cock.”
“How do you feel?”
“Good,” I practically whimpered, “too good.”
“The pain isn’t too much?”
“No.”
“You need to let me take away the hurt, darling. Let Max help you forget all the horrible things you’ve ever thought of yourself. Let me be your reality.”
“Yes,” I acknowledged, “anything, Max. Help me.”
He lifted the paddle again, throwing in a few more swats for good measure, and I was about to make a mess all over the mattress. He must have sensed it somehow because he flipped me over like a pancake and took my cock down his throat. I screamed once and exploded, shooting endless streams of come, which he swallowed gracefully. His throat muscles undulated around my cock as it throbbed with desire.
I was panting and moving my hips up and down, wanting to fuck his face for all eternity. The slight sting on my ass cheeks seemed to enhance everything, making the pleasure more intense. Finally, when he’d extracted every ounce of fluid from my body, he pulled away and turned me over again. He positioned the pillow under my hips once more and grabbed some lube from the nightstand. After smearing his fingers with a healthy dollop, he plunged them into my ass, making me scream again. “God,” I yelled out, hoping the rooms were soundproofed.
He rolled a condom on quickly and rammed into me, hitting my prostate on one try. “Max.” I was almost incoherent, my breath leaving my lungs in quick pants as he plowed into me, shoving his cock in as far as it would go. He squeezed my hips with strong hands and pulled me back and forth, helping me along, as I seemed quite useless suddenly and unable to help myself. I could hear his breathing, harsh and strangled, as he thrust in and out, pulling back as far as possible and then shoving in again, balls deep, until we were both trembling with want. I was hard again, my cock hanging heavy and oozing drops of come. I reached out to grab myself, only to have my hand pushed away by his. His fingers wrapped around me, squeezing and tugging in sync with the movement of his hips, and we exploded within seconds of each other, in long, excruciating waves of pleasure that stroked and soothed and sent us to heaven and back, relieving every part of me.
Max collapsed. I could hear him breathing hard, the weight of his body heavy on me. I thought he might have fallen asleep, but he was awake and began to grope for my hands, clasping them, entwining his fingers with mine. He rolled over, carrying me with him, and now I was lying on top. He wrapped his arms around me and made no attempt to push me off.
“Sleep, my beauty.”
“I can’t, Max. I’ve got to go home.”
“Why?”
“I’ve got two classes tomorrow.”
“After they see your pictures, you won’t need to go to school anymore.”
“You’re wrong. I’d never model full-time.”
Max shook his head. “You’d turn down a million-dollar contract?”
“Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?” I asked. I pushed away from him and sat up. It had been an amazing evening, but I was tired and wanted to go home to think about everything that had happened to me since I met Max. His world was so far removed from mine I couldn’t fathom ever being a real part of it. Right now, it was all rather dream-like.
“I’d like you to start thinking seriously about what you’re going to do when I present you with a contract from Klas. I know what I’m talking about, Sloan. They will want to sign you, so you may as well get ready.”
“Max, I’m flattered, really. You have no idea how much. I just don’t understand why they’d want me.”
Max shook his head, annoyed suddenly. “Get up!”
I did, letting him lead me to the mirrored bureau. “Look at yourself, Sloan. Take a good, long look. What do you see?” he asked.
“I see a skinny bag of bones,” I replied sullenly, upset that he’d make me stand there completely naked. I saw the scars on my thighs, some still fresh, and I looked away quickly, ashamed.
“I don’t see that, and neither will anyone in the industry. You’re lean, yes, but so is everyone else in this corner of the world. Fat isn’t in high demand around here. You’re actually normal compared to some of our other models, and you have one extra thing that no one else has.”
“I’m not posing in the nude if you’re talking about my prick.” I had no intention of exposing myself in public, no matter how much money they offered, and I wanted to clear that up right away.
“No, darling, I’m not talking about your cock, although I will admit that it’s one of the more beautiful ones around.”
“What then? What’s this special thing you refer to?”
“No ego, my beauty. You are refreshingly humble for someone as good-looking as you.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Max. You keep telling me that, but I don’t see it.”
“Is this why you cut, darling? You really think you’re ugly?”
“No,” I said automatically. Hearing him say it out loud made it that much more pathetic. I felt like a fool, and I didn’t want to compound it by admitting I not only felt ugly, I felt unloved, and unwanted. I was such a loser.
“I’m going to have to work on you, darling, teach you how to love yourself.”
“Good luck with that,” I replied facetiously.
He took my hand and led me back to bed. “Come and sit for a few more minutes, then I’ll let you go. I want to discuss the scene we just had.”
“What scene? I thought we just fucked.”
“How many people have spanked you before getting off?”
“No one, but I’m not exactly experienced, Max.”
“The spanking enhanced the sex, didn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“For a few minutes, you forgot everything but the pleasure you were
receiving at my hands.”
“And your point is?”
“The more pain you can take physically, the more intense your pleasure will be.”
“I don’t know about that. I inflict enough pain on myself, Max. I don’t need you to help me along.”
“Are you at least willing to let me show you how this works?”
“I have to think about so many things, Max. My brain is leaking with information. I need time to process.”
“I suppose it’s better than a flat refusal.”
“Let me sleep on this, okay?”
“Okay, darling, but I’m very persistent.”
“I’m starting to learn that, more and more.”
Max smiled and whispered, “I want you, Sloan. I want you in my bed, in my studio, and under my lash. I will have you, eventually.”
I had no idea how to respond. I’d never been the object of anyone’s desire, and I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not. I just knew that for one split second I actually felt significant.
26
COLE WAS sitting in the living room with the lights off. It must have been around two in the morning by his calculations. It had been hours since Sloan stormed off to parts unknown, and he’d thrown himself on the couch to wait it out. He didn’t have a clue as to what he was going to say when Sloan finally came home; he just knew he wanted to be awake. Juliana had begged him to visit her and stay the night, but he couldn’t deal with her right now. He was filled with thoughts of Sloan and his conversation with John.
He knew he was at a crossroads. A wrong turn would guarantee him a lifetime of misery, but he was damned if he knew what it was he wanted. Everything had seemed pretty clear until Sloan walked into his life. The man was the most annoying thing on the planet, but he was drawn to him, inexplicably. He even made him forget he was going blind for a few minutes, so focused was he on his sexuality and this sudden attraction that kept getting stronger rather than weaker.
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