An Unlocked Mind

by K. C. Wells

  Vic’s grin was downright scary. “Oh, I know exactly what’s going to happen. You’re going to bust your balls on a daily basis, then limp home and hope that I ordered a pizza instead of insisting that you cook. You’ll want nothing more than to lie down as soon as you’re through the door. When you find out that’s not going to happen, you’ll call me all kinds of names, but you’re still going to march into the kitchen so we can cook. After we’re done eating, you’ll get into the shower and let the spray relax your muscles. Then you’ll go to bed and sleep the whole night through, because you’re too damned exhausted to get up to pee.”

  Rob gaped at Vic. “And you did this job for how long?”

  “For many years” came the frank reply. “And you know what? I loved every minute of it. There are days I wish I was still out there, working the ground. It’s the connection to nature that I miss most. It’s why Kew means so much to me. True, I didn’t work on it, but there’s a part of me that enjoys being one with the world around me.”

  Rob snorted. “I was right. Hippie.”

  Vic winked. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  But it wasn’t. Vic made the job sound amazing. Backbreaking, maybe, but something Rob could do and be proud of. Just like Alex was good at something, Rob hoped this would prove to be where his strengths lay. Although he’d probably never have the opportunity to see his brother and say, “I helped make that,” it still gave him hope that Alex might see it one day and comment on how beautiful it was.

  It made the decision an easy one. “I’ll do it.”

  Vic beamed. “I really think you’re going to like it. I spoke with Adrian from our human resources department. You’ll have to fill out some paperwork, but the job is yours and you’ll start after we’re done with our holiday. Which means we have a lot of running around to do after lunch.”

  “We do?”

  “Yes. We’re going to get you keys to the house, because there may be days you get here before me.”

  “And how will I do that? I’m not even sure where I’ll be working. Can I get there by train? Will I need to walk? Can I bike there?”

  Vic laughed. “Oh. I see. Well, excuse me. I’ve never had anyone live with me before. It’s not like I thought through every little detail.” He stuck his tongue out, which made Rob chuckle. “And it’s not as if you’d be working in one place. You might end up at sites all over London and the surrounding area. That means a bike is out, and trains too.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I think we need to get you a car.”

  “What!” Rob shook his head vehemently. “Oh, hell no. I don’t want or need a car.” More expenses? He had no idea how much his new job paid, but he doubted that it would be enough to buy him a car just like that.

  Vic speared him with a look. “You’re not being practical. You’re the one who asked how you were going to get to work. I’m just coming up with a solution. And as for not wanting a car, you know you do, so stop arguing. Besides, you’re going to need a place to store your gear, so a car makes much more sense.”

  “Vic, I don’t have the money for a car, remember? If you hadn’t given me the pass to get to London, you never would have seen me again.”

  “And that would have been a shame,” Vic replied, gripping Rob’s shoulder. “But this is an investment in your future, so it’s important. We can buy a nice secondhand vehicle. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant.”

  Rob had to admit that what Vic was saying made sense, even though he might not like the idea. He couldn’t argue with the facts. “Okay,” he agreed grudgingly.

  Vic gave Rob a sheepish look. “We’re also going to have to deal with something else while we’re out.”

  Rob didn’t care for the sound of that. He liked it even less when Vic got up, stepped over to the countertop, and picked up several envelopes.

  “These came for you this morning.” He dropped them on the table.

  Bills. And Rob was certain they weren’t all that he had outstanding either. “Oh.”

  “We’re going to figure out what you owe, and then we’ll ensure they’re all paid off.”

  “I don’t have the money,” Rob protested. If he couldn’t afford to pay his bills, he sure as hell wouldn’t have the money to put toward a car.

  “I’ll loan it to you, and you can pay me back when you can.” When Rob opened his mouth to argue, Vic shook his head. “It’s either me doing this, or they pass your debts onto a collection agency. Supposing money is tight one week, who would you rather deal with—them or me? If you’re late with a payment, they come and take away your belongings. My way, you don’t have to have this hanging over your head.”

  Rob couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I can’t let you do that.”

  “You say that like I’m giving you a choice. I told you, I’m helping you reestablish your center. One of the ways we’re going to do that is to take all these bills that are clogging your mind with fear, and get rid of them.”

  One nagging thought wouldn’t leave him alone. “Are you doing this because we—”

  Vic held up a hand. “Don’t! This has nothing to do with anything we’ve done or may do in the future. This is my way of fulfilling the promise I made to you. That is it.”

  It was said with such vehemence that Rob couldn’t think of anything to respond with beyond a whispered thank-you.

  “Don’t thank me just yet. We’ve got a busy afternoon ahead of us. What I wanted to talk about can wait until we get home. So get your jacket, and we’ll go shopping.”

  It wasn’t until they were on their way in the car that Rob realized there was still something to be addressed: going to the club.

  Let’s see if he brings it up again.

  Rob wasn’t going to say a word on the subject.

  IT HAD been a whirlwind of an afternoon. They’d gone to get Rob some work clothes, which included three pairs of what Vic said were the best pants to wear and an equal number of thick, heavy shirts to protect Rob’s skin while he worked. Plus two pair of boots with steel toes.

  Rob had stared at their purchases as they loaded them into the trunk. “I’m going to look like I’m trying out for a revival of The Village People.”

  Vic stared fixedly at him. “And you’re going to be safe while working. I think it’s a fair trade.” Then he smirked. “I always did have a thing for the guy in the hard hat and tool belt, though.” When Rob glared at him, Vic opened his eyes wide. “What? He was hot.”

  Afterward, they drove to a few car sales lots, looking for a sturdy older vehicle. They ended up with a red 2004 Ford pickup truck with a black bed liner. It was in very good condition, although it had over a hundred thousand miles on it. Vic said there was a mechanic at the club who could make sure it stayed well maintained. They arranged to pick it up in a couple of days, once it had been checked and cleaned.

  When Vic pulled into the parking lot of a health clinic, Rob had been puzzled, until it dawned on him why they were there. Shit. We’re getting tested. He’d had no time to dwell on the prospect, as Vic had led him inside, sat with him while they filled out forms, and waited while the nurse drew blood. It was obvious from Vic’s manner that this was business as usual, and that had gone a long way to helping Rob not to freak out. Because to him, this felt huge.

  To round off the day, they bought a new phone to replace Rob’s cheap piece of plastic, got a set of keys made, and then drove to where the company was located so Rob could learn the route.

  “This is where you go first,” Vic told him. “You may find you’re traveling to a job with the crew, but you still need to know how to get here.”

  “My brand-new phone has GPS,” Rob commented practically.

  “Which doesn’t always work,” Vic replied. “It’s fine for finding your way to a job site, sure, but knowing your way around is always a good thing. Eventually you’ll get used to London, but for now, I feel better having the option available to you.”

  Rob stared out the windscree
n at the company’s site. “You know it’s going to take me years to pay this off, right?” he said with a sigh.

  Vic placed his hand on Rob’s shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere, so take your time.”

  To Rob’s ears, it sounded like Vic was making him a promise, if only Rob would hold on to it. And God knew, he wanted to.

  “And now, we’re going to grab some dinner, then go home and take care of those bills.”

  Rob did some quick calculations. Add in the stuff they were about to pay off, and he might be indebted to Vic forever. Which wouldn’t be so bad, as long as he got to stick around.

  That thought made Rob shiver with anticipation.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  VIC PRESSED Send. “That’s it. All done.” Rob sat beside him on the couch, and Vic swore he could see the weight coming off Rob’s shoulders as he paid the last of the bills.

  As soon as Vic shut down the laptop and placed it on the coffee table, Rob threw himself into Vic’s arms and squeezed him for all he was worth.

  “Thank you,” he said again.

  “You’re welcome.” Vic liked this lighter, more relaxed Rob. But then he remembered they had some unfinished business. The practicalities were dealt with, and that meant he could return to their lunchtime conversation. “And I think this calls for a little celebration.”

  Rob’s eyebrows went up. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

  “Well, like I said earlier, I was thinking we could make a trip to the club.” Vic waited for Rob’s reaction. “Did you think I’d forgotten?”

  Rob blanched and pulled away from him. “I’m not sure they’d let me back in,” he said in a whisper. “I wasn’t exactly at my best the last time.”

  Vic cupped Rob’s chin. “Are you that same person? Wait. Let me answer that for you. ‘No, Vic, I’m not.’ And guess what? You’re right.”

  Rob sighed. “I’m trying not to be him anymore.”

  “And you’re doing well. You’re making an effort, at the very least. I’m willing to bet that meditation gets easier now too.”

  Rob became still. “I thought you said I’d come a long way with that.”

  Shit. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. You’re starting to let things go, but meditation is a lifetime of learning. There will always be new things you can teach yourself—or we can teach each other—about clearing our minds.” Vic’s response appeared to have the desired effect: that brief flash of tension evaporated.

  Rob regarded him thoughtfully. “Have you ever meditated after sex?”

  “Now that you mention it, no. I’m usually way more relaxed after I get off than I am when I meditate, but I’m willing to give it a shot if you are.” He grinned.

  “I think we could arrange that,” Rob replied, leaning over to snatch a kiss.

  Vic marveled at the change in him, in such a relatively short time. He’s finally accepting who he is. It was a great feeling to know Vic had played a part in this transformation.

  Rob sat back and glanced at him. “As for the club, if you don’t think it’ll be a problem, then, yes, I’d like to go.”

  Vic’s chest swelled with pride to see Rob’s confidence finally making an appearance. “It won’t be. A lot of people in BDSM seem gruff, but you’re going to find they’re a lot more forgiving than most. They understand the stress of shouldering a burden like the one you’ve been carrying. I sincerely doubt that anyone will make a comment beyond welcome.”

  The words were supposed to soothe Rob’s nerves, but he seemed noncommittal. “Sure, we’ll try it.”

  It was clear that despite Rob’s words, he wasn’t convinced.

  “Hey, we don’t have to. It’s just….” Vic decided to go for full disclosure. “Look, I want us to explore what we have together, but I’m going to be honest. BDSM impacts many aspects of my life, and it’s not something I can simply turn off. It wouldn’t be fair to you or me if we jump into something, then find out that you’re not comfortable with it or that our needs don’t mesh.” Rob opened his mouth, but Vic pressed on. “From what I’ve seen, I think they do, but we both have to be certain.”

  Rob frowned, then nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “I know I am.”

  There was a hint of that smile Vic was coming to love. “Cocky bastard.”

  Vic reached down and gripped his own crotch. “You know it.”

  That had them both laughing.

  When he’d regained his composure, Rob said, “Yeah, let’s go ahead and go to the club.”

  If only it could be that easy. Vic considered how best to broach the subject.

  “Before you say yes, there are some things you need to know. If—and I stress if—this is something you see us working toward, there would be a whole new set of discussions we’d need to have.”

  Rob did an eye roll. “I have been to the club before, remember?”

  “Yes, but not with me. I would have expectations of you, just as you should have of me. My job would be to take care of you, but at the same time, you’d need to give yourself over to me. Your goal would be to please me.”

  “Gee, I thought I did that already,” Rob sassed.

  Vic cuffed him lightly across the back of the head. “You know what I mean. You’re not a neophyte fresh off the street. You may have watched what went on in the club, but you’ve never participated. One of the things I hope for is to have an active partner in my play.”

  Rob regarded him in silence for a moment, long enough that Vic was aware of his heartbeat racing. Finally he nodded. “Okay.”

  Vic’s heart soared. He’s willing to give it a chance. Vic had always gone to the club with one thought in mind, but after meeting Ellis and seeing the look of joy on Wayne’s face, something had changed. He’d watched the two men together, and it wasn’t long before he started to think that maybe he had it wrong.

  Cue Rob walking into the club—and Vic’s life.

  It wasn’t long before Vic’s idea of a fun night had morphed from reddening an arse before sinking into it, to spending an evening on the couch with Rob, taking joy in his smiles and laughter. Vic knew that BDSM relationships developed faster because of the intensity of emotions the partners shared. He also knew that they could run their course just as quickly.

  He didn’t want that with Rob.

  What he wanted were quiet nights at home, cooking together. Meditating in the Zen garden. Having wild, passionate sex, or making slow, tender love. Holding Rob’s hand while they were out for the evening, or showing him off at the club, letting other men see what they could only hope to have.

  He wanted Rob to be his, in a way Vic had never wanted anyone before. To show him how cherished he was, how much a part of Vic he’d become.

  The thoughts made his head swim with delight.

  “Your smile is freaking me out,” Rob muttered.

  And just like that, the spell was broken.

  Vic blinked several times before he focused on Rob. “I’m sorry, what?”

  Rob smiled. “You had this look on your face like…. Hell, I don’t even know. It was as though you were in some kind of weird fantasy sequence, like you see on TV with dancing squirrels or something.”

  “Dancing….” Vic shook his head. “Just how much television do you watch?”

  Rob shrugged. “When you can’t go out, it becomes more important than you think.”

  That did it. “Well, we’re going out tonight.”

  Rob dropped his gaze. “You know I’m not a member of the club, right? I was only there as a guest to check it out. They had this trial period. Three visits before you had to make a decision.”

  “I suspected as much. Have you seen the fees they charge for membership? If you had been, I honestly would have been shocked.” Vic patted Rob’s knee. “It’s fine. You’ll go as my guest. Later, if you decide this is what you want, then we’ll look into getting you a membership. How does that sound?”

  “Okay, sure. That sounds good.” Rob was quiet for a mom
ent. “Vic?”

  “Yes?”

  “That first night you saw me… did you ever imagine we’d end up like this?”

  The difference between the Rob that Vic had taken home with him that first night and the Rob who now shared his home was remarkable. All he’d needed was someone to believe in him, to guide, and to nurture him. It was those things that had made Vic want to become a Dom in the first place.

  “Honestly? I don’t know. You were here and then gone so quickly, but there was something about you.” Vic smiled. “I thought you needed me. And since then? I’ll admit, you’ve turned my world upside down, but it’s been for the better. Having you here means more to me than I thought it could.”

  A heartbeat later, Rob was snuggling up to Vic’s chest. “It means more to me too.”

  Vic kissed Rob’s hair, the scent of their shampoo faint, but still there. He wrapped his arms around Rob and squeezed, enjoying when Rob gave a little squeak. Vic couldn’t believe how much pleasure Rob had brought to his house. He’d begun to bloom, to break free of the crusty exterior that kept all the light inside from spilling out of him.

  He leaned over a little more and nibbled on Rob’s neck. The resultant moan had Vic sucking even harder on the tender flesh.

  “Vic,” Rob whispered. “Fuck, that’s so good.”

  Vic tugged Rob onto his lap and held him close, Rob’s legs astride his. God, he feels good in my arms. Rob’s weight on him sent all sorts of delicious ideas flitting through his mind.

  It seemed he wasn’t the only one.

  Rob’s breath was hot against Vic’s neck. “Are we going to…?”

  “Get changed before we go to the club? Yep. It’s already eight thirty. Not to worry, though. They don’t close until three.”

  Rob thrust his crotch against Vic, as if to remind him of the delicious hardness that lay hidden inside those pants. It would have been so easy to go along with him, to strip Rob where he sat and be inside him a heartbeat later, but no. Vic was in charge, and the sooner Rob understood that, the happier they would both be.