by Sara Brookes
“I can tell by the look on your face, you’re thinking about work. Do you ever take a break?” Enver set a glass of champagne down and slipped into the seat beside Marcus. “It’s Kochran’s coming out party, for Pete’s sake. He’s announcing to the world he’s a bisexual switch with a soon-to-be husband and wife. You’re supposed to get drunk and disorderly by this shocking news.”
Though Marcus didn’t share Enver’s enthusiasm since he hadn’t known the trio all that long, he did have reason to celebrate. The past ten years living with fear and constantly looking over his shoulder were finished. All the work and dedication he’d thrown at BLINC had paid off with a long-term contract with Noble House. Not to mention the added bonus of the meeting he’d had last week with the doctor who’d ordered twenty licenses to use the program on the hospital campus. Marcus was going to have to hire an honest-to-god staff to help him.
He truly did have reason to celebrate, but he wasn’t interested in drinking. Instead, he eyed Enver. Kochran had insisted on making the event a formal affair and the members had delivered, dressing in their absolute finest to mark the occasion. Kochran had asked Saint and Enver to stand as witness for his announcements, showing their unwavering support for their friend and business partner. Which meant Enver was dressed in a tux.
Enver hadn’t lasted long in his, though, as Marcus had suspected. His flawlessly pressed white shirt was unbuttoned at the throat, his bowtie hanging loose around his neck. At some point, he’d ditched the formal jacket. Half dressed, he still looked damn handsome in Marcus’s eyes.
His attention snapped back when he heard a thunk on the table. He blinked at the square bag the size of his fist sitting in front of him. His gaze darted to Enver, who wore the ghost of a smile that made Marcus’s pulse race. He ordered himself to calm down as he eyed Enver. “You’ve got that look again.”
“Which one?” Enver asked as he casually sat back, obviously trying to feign ignorance. His expression went blank as he nudged the bag closer. “Go on.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against the collar of Marcus’s shirt then skimming up his throat to his ear. “Or I will have you slip on that cock ring I gave you last night and make a mess of your perfectly pressed slacks with an exceptionally long, exceptionally thorough hand job right here at the table.”
Marcus’s fingers trembled as the explicit image of Enver doing just that flashed behind his eyes. “This isn’t a matching plug, is it?”
Enver’s eyes glinted. Those fucking gorgeous eyes that were filled with emotion. “No, but I’m absolutely going to make one for you now.”
“Of course you are,” Marcus muttered as he pulled on the ties. The idea wasn’t a poor one. He’d wear anything Enver made for him. Anything at all. He shook the bag, inhaling sharply when the heavy weight spilled across his palm. He stared at the item for what seemed like forever, his mind blanking of coherent thought and speech.
He turned the highly polished metal over, the light from the candle centerpiece catching on the smooth surface. The last thing he expected to find was a simple analog watch. The silver band contrasted starkly with the cobalt-blue face and the mother-of-pearl hands and indicator dots used to read the time.
“I picked up the mechanical insides from a jeweler in San Francisco who dabbles in making custom jewelry for some of our members. The outer casing of the face and entire band are my handiwork, though. Much smaller than what I’m used to working with, so it’s not perfect.”
But it was, in so many ways. “It’s gorgeous, Enver.”
“I know you wanted to finish that talk, but I couldn’t wait to give it to you.” Enver took it from him, unlatched the catch and flipped over the back, holding it up so Marcus could see the simple block letter engraving.
From your one and only weaselhead fucknugget.
Marcus burst out laughing. When he calmed, he noticed Enver looking at him expectantly. “Is this what I think it is?”
“It’s a collar, yes. Meant to be worn at all times. Everyone else will think it’s just a thoughtful present from your boyfriend, but you and I will both know better.” Energy crackled in the air around them, the kind that heralded an approaching storm. “I wasn’t so out of it that I didn’t see how you reacted at the hospital to my commands, Marcus. Or remember that time in the snow on my deck at the workshop. You don’t have to wear it until we’ve had a chance to go over some things, but I want you to have it.”
“Enver, I don’t...don’t. Shit.” Marcus swallowed the emotions clogging his throat as the rest of the world dropped away. The man he loved had just given him—made him—the most gorgeous, heartfelt present. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Whatever your heart tells you.”
“It says yes.” Marcus shot Enver a boyishly playful grin.
“About damn fucking time.” Enver took his mouth with a brute force that caused Marcus to shiver. “What do you say we celebrate with some play in Court?”
Marcus froze. “Enver. You don’t have to do this for me. Just because I’m—”
“It’s time, Marcus.” Enver kept his eyes trained on Marcus as he gently kissed him. “Everything with you is easy. Natural. I don’t have to fight for control with you. I did in the beginning because I didn’t know how to handle you. I didn’t expect this—expect you.”
“You just needed to find someone younger who could match your sex drive.” Marcus could spend all day with Enver, making love or fucking away the desperate need that clawed at them both. Marcus understood exactly what Enver meant because, for him, loving Enver was as natural as breathing. And now he had Enver’s collar.
“So, about that talk we’ve been meaning to have.”
“Yeah.” Marcus swallowed carefully. His body felt strung out and empty, aching with a need he knew only one person could fulfill. “What I’ve actually wanted to talk to you about is that I said a lot of things in that hospital room that I’ve changed my mind about. Then I was still the man who was always on the run, constantly looking over his shoulder. The fact I didn’t need to do that anymore was so new I didn’t know any better. For once, I’m on a different path. That’s because of you. You’re the difference, Enver. The person who makes me want to stand my ground. I feel like a different person.”
“But you’re not,” Enver countered. “You’re the same man you’ve always been, Marcus. You’re just not afraid anymore.”
Marcus agreed, lacing his fingers together with Enver’s. “There’s never been any doubt we have a physical connection. From the second I spilled my papers all over you at the convention, I knew our link was overwhelming. I also know that love isn’t easy or kind. It cuts us to the quick when we’re at our most vulnerable. Leaves us bleeding in bright crimson splashes against a dull world. It skews our moral compasses, and robs us of our ability to choose between right and wrong. All so we can be with the person we’re convinced we’re destined to be with.”
Warm happiness settled in the center of his chest. Life was damn good. “I’m ready to spend the rest of my life with you, Enver. If you’ll still have me—”
“Still have you?” Enver interrupted. “I just gave you a collar that I made for you. What makes you think I don’t want you?”
“A collar and a marriage are two different things,” Marcus said carefully, his heart racing as trepidation slid through his midsection. “You may want me only as your submissive, but not your husband.”
Enver touched the side of Marcus face. “For us, gorgeous, they’re one and the same.”
Marcus blew out a relieved breath as he offered the watch to Enver, shaking his wrist until Enver fastened it in place. “Who knew you were so romantic?”
The glint that had been lighting Enver’s uniquely colored eyes shifted to something darker. “Nothing romantic about what I want to do to you.”
Marcus sucked in a sharp breath. “Well.”
Enver tilted his he
ad toward Marcus’s, their foreheads meeting. “Been needing you all night.”
“Why didn’t you find me sooner? We’re in a sex club. Plenty of dark corners and private rooms. Hell, we could have had a quickie right here and no one would have noticed.”
“Oh, they’d notice. And they’d hear. And knowing the perverts we’re surrounded by, they’d watch every last second of it. But I don’t want a quick fuck. I want you in my ropes. For real. In Court. Now.”
“Keep talking like that and I’ll come before we even get started.”
Enver’s eyes flared. “No fun in that.”
Marcus shook his head. “Didn’t think so.”
Celebration still going on around them, Enver curved a hand around the back of Marcus’s neck tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Marcus was aware of the noise of the crowd, the raucous cheers of the party, but he didn’t care. After what felt like an eon, Enver pulled back.
A chill rippled through Marcus. “I can’t believe I almost lost you.”
“Fuck you all to fucking hell, Marcus Holly.” Enver drew in a deep, shuddering breath as he pulled Marcus into his arms. “You’re my miracle, Marcus. You know that, right? You have helped me in ways you can’t even imagine. In ways I can never express. You helped me—we helped each other become the best we both could be. Now will you just fucking marry me already and let me love and protect you?”
“Yes, Enver. Yes, I accept your collar and your marriage proposal.”
“Let’s get out of here.” Enver stood, shifting his tux pants to hide his obvious erection.
“I was wondering why we weren’t already gone.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Marcus inhaled sharply as Enver guided him through the double doors that led to Court. The vibrations from the party downstairs caused the concrete under his feet to tremble as his gaze swept over the room. He’d spent plenty of time in Court taking measurements for BLINC, but now he was able to look at it with a less critical eye.
The usual heavy red drapes had been replaced with lighter panels composed of celadon, sky blue and charcoal gray. Not only did the muted cool tones seem to float, they transformed the room into something softer, blunting the harsh edges the space was known for. Further adding to the changes, the center of the room was dominated by a king-size bed with soaring metal posts and a metal canopy frame composed of bold black scrolls. The overhead framework was ornate and sturdy looking, clearly intended to support more weight than a simple decorative drape. Four long lengths of rope hung from the canopy bars, holding a large square of heavy-duty fabric that had been stretched to form a bed.
It was a masterpiece designed for sin.
And it had Enver’s craftsmanship stamped all over it.
Marcus turned, giving Enver a conspiratorial smile. “That bed is not made to be slept in.”
“Sleeping is at the bottom of a very long list of things I want to do with you right now.” Enver tugged on his hand. “Consider this an engagement present.”
Marcus was too stunned to be annoyed. “How did you know I would accept?”
Enver kissed his hand. “Because I know you, gorgeous.”
For a long moment they stayed quiet and still. The comforting feeling whenever Enver called him that blossomed inside Marcus. Said in that whiskey-and smoke-laced voice...magic.
Will I ever get used to how he melts my insides?
The answer was a hard no.
The gift was presumptuous, but Marcus didn’t mind. In fact, it added to the warmth swirling through him as he stepped closer, marveling at the skill that had gone into crafting the piece of furniture. “Is this what you’ve been doing all those nights I was working on the system?”
Enver bounced on the balls of his feet. “Had to do something with that junk heap you left me after the crash.”
“Wait. What?” Unable to help himself, Marcus touched one of the columns. “This was your car?”
“Didn’t feel right to try to rebuild her. Decided I had other plans for her.” Enver touched the nearest support post and a panel popped open to expose several eyebolts. “Thought I’d welcome you to my brand of the dark side.”
“It’s amazing.” Marcus didn’t bothering restraining the emotion clogging his throat. No one had ever taken such a horrible memory and turned it into something amazing. “Thank you.”
“Care to test it out?” Enver nudged a bag with his foot as he sat on the edge of the mattress, pushing with his feet to cause it to swing slightly.
Marcus eyed him, trying not to let his skepticism show. He didn’t want to spoil the mood Enver was building. “Only if...if you’re sure about this.”
“I used sex as a fix-it-all. A way to make me feel something. Anything. I don’t need sex now for the physical release. I need it because I need you. So, I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.” Enver tugged Marcus into his lap, snuggling their bodies together. He ran his fingers up Marcus’s side, the touch equally ticklish and arousing through the cotton. He nipped at Marcus’s collarbone then did it again and again until Marcus shivered and uttered a soft curse.
“Besides, everyone else is busy with the party downstairs. Figure they can go another few hours before it breaks up,” Enver continued. “Think of Court as our own personal dungeon for the night.”
Enver dragged over the bag he’d set on the mattress, extracting a few bundles of rope and positioning them over Marcus’s spread thighs. “Since we’re not inside your fancy toy now, we need to discuss some boundaries.”
Marcus traced the line of Enver’s collarbone. “I’ll do anything you want me to.”
“Anything?” Enver asked, one of his brows lifting in that sexy way that caused Marcus to think dirty, naughty thoughts.
“The limits we discussed that first day haven’t changed. Neither has my safe word.” Marcus tapped the watch he vowed to wear. “Plus, I always have a reminder, thanks to you.”
Enver unwound one of the bundles, looping the rope on itself to negotiate the first tie. “So willing and trusting. You want nothing more than to please me. I like that.” He kissed Marcus lightly before finishing. “I like that a lot.”
Marcus shivered in anticipation, a line of goose bumps rising up the length of his spine as he thought about all the ways Enver could possibly tease and torment him. “What do you have in mind for me?”
Enver eyed him as he continued to thread the length of rope together. “Whatever I tell you to do.”
Marcus blew out a breath, his heart racing as he squirmed against Enver’s thighs. “Where have you been all my life?”
Enver set the section he’d been working on to the side, captured Marcus’s jaw between his hands and positioned their faces inches apart. He whispered, “Waiting for you.”
The room spun. Marcus’s hands started to shake, his heart thumping so hard it was difficult to hear over the roar in his ears.
“And just so we’re clear... I fully intend to spend the rest of our lives making up for it. But we’ve got a few things to cover since this is our first official rope scene. I need you to promise that you’ll safe word if you’re uncomfortable. If something pinches or doesn’t feel right. If you feel any sort of numbness or tingling. The rope is intended to cradle you, not hurt. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Enver’s eyes glazed over for a split second before clearing. He leaned forward, touching his lips to Marcus’s. “Like how that sounds.” He set the section he’d been manipulating and wrapped his hands around Marcus’s waist. He untucked the shirt and slid his fingers against Marcus’s abdomen before digging the tips into Marcus’s sides. Watching Enver do his set up work was almost as mesmerizing as actually being bound in his ropes.
Marcus gasped at the intense sensations flooding his system as his muscles trembled under Enver’s touch. In a blink, he was staring at the ceiling of
Court. Enver hovered over him, rucking up his shirt higher so he could lean down and press a soft kiss between his pecs. He levered up and forward, grinding his pelvis against Marcus’s so their cocks were pressed together through the fabric of their pants.
Their mouths met again, a grinding assault on all five senses as Enver took him over. A breeze brushed over his abdomen as Marcus belatedly realized that Enver had undone Marcus’s shirt and was currently working on the waistband of his pants.
“You need to be naked too.” Caught up in the heat swirling around them, Marcus’s voice had gone husky. But he didn’t care. The only thing that mattered at the moment was how consumed he was.
“All in due time, gorgeous.”
Enver stripped him between kisses, cursing softly when the pant leg and sock tangled. Marcus couldn’t help but laugh. Enver shot him a stern look, but Marcus knew there was no heat behind the glance.
“I can’t stop thinking about you being inside me.”
“All in due time, gorgeous,” Enver repeated, this time with a gleam in his eyes and a smile tilting up the corners of his mouth. He kept that gaze honed on Marcus as he reached for the first bundle of rope. “Right now, I just need you to relax and let me make you even more of a treasure.”
Marcus nodded, lifting his wrists in offering. “Please.”
As Enver bound Marcus’s wrists individually, the rest of the world grayed around the edges and went fuzzy. His elbows followed with just enough strain to cause some tension, but not to make him uncomfortable. Enver looped a band around Marcus’s chest, circling the ropes over his shoulders so it connected with the bands at his elbows. Similar networks wrapped his legs and waist.
Marcus fell into a trancelike state as Enver worked. He wanted to admire Enver’s diligence and attention to detail, but he was finding it hard to concentrate on anything except how wonderful everything felt. He lost track of time, the room, the bed and even the texture of the rope being wrapped around his body. The only thing he was conscious of was how he didn’t care about anything at all and how freeing the sensation was.