by K. C. Wells
It was Alex’s turn to breathe deeply. “I’ll admit it, what happened hurt me for a long while. I thought you and Mum had done your best to ruin my life. Even though she was ultimately responsible for the whole Leo episode, I’m still a little stung over your part in it.”
Rob couldn’t blame him for that. He opened his mouth to apologize again, but Alex held up his hand.
“Then I recalled a conversation I had with Dad after it happened. He didn’t try to make excuses for her, which surprised the hell out of me. He then shocked me even further by sharing candidly that he wasn’t sure why they ever had kids, because she wasn’t interested in them at all.” Alex shrugged. “It was the first time I saw him as another person, not just my dad. But he’s not like her. He loves us—he just has a hard time showing it. He’s gotten a lot better since then, and maybe you ought to talk to him too.”
“But what about… us?” Rob whispered. Alex’s manner implied a willingness to hear Rob out, which heartened him. He didn’t think he could stand it if Alex rejected him.
“Like I said, it hurt a lot. It just took me a while to realize you hadn’t done anything. I had a long talk with Leo, and he reminded me that Mum was the one who said those things, not you.”
Rob swallowed. “I told her I’d seen the bruises. But I swear, I only wanted to make sure you weren’t being hurt. As much of an arse as I was, you were still my brother, and the thought that you might be in trouble meant I had to do something. The mistake I made was in going to her.”
“I know, and I truly appreciate your concern. I just wish you’d come and said something to me about it.”
Rob shrugged. “To what end? You were already angry and hurt. Would you have believed me if I’d showed I was concerned? Because I know I wouldn’t. Let’s be honest here, all right? I never did one thing to make you even consider giving me a chance.”
Alex expelled a long breath. “You want honesty? Okay, that’s true, I wouldn’t have believed you. I blamed a lot of things on you. But looking back? There was one thing I never did but should have done.”
“And what was that?” Rob’s heartbeat sped up.
“I never thanked you.”
For a moment his words didn’t register. When they finally sank in, Rob stared at Alex in disbelief. “Me? What the fuck could you possibly have had to thank me for?”
Alex grinned and arched his eyebrows. “At least that’s one thing that hasn’t changed about you. Hasn’t Vic cured you of that foul mouth?”
Rob snorted. “He tries, bless him, and what’s really sweet is that he thinks it’s going to work.”
Alex bit his lip. “In the words of Tweety Pie, he not know you vewy well.” Both of them laughed. Alex leaned back in his chair, appearing more relaxed. “You may not believe this, but you being an arse, as you said, forced me to step out of my comfort zone. I tried to push Leo away, thinking that if I did, you would back off. Of course, Leo being Leo, he wouldn’t let me. I came out of that mess a lot stronger, thanks to you.”
Rob sighed. “I truly am sorry for everything I did when we were younger. I was a shit, and you have every right not to forgive me.”
Alex reached across the table and cuffed Rob on the arm. “For someone who’s bright, you do say some stupid things. Would I have come all this way if I hadn’t forgiven you? By the way, you have Leo to thank for that too. He knew how much I was still hurting over losing some of my family. He insisted that I needed to listen and do my best to keep an open mind. He… may have spanked me once or twice before I agreed.” His cheeks flushed.
“Vic made me kneel in the corner,” Rob groaned. “For two hours.”
When Alex laughed, the ice surrounding Rob’s heart began to thaw. It was a sweet, genuine chuckle, and it made Rob feel better. Now that he had a moment, he looked Alex up and down. Time had been good to him. He had the healthy glow of someone who was genuinely happy. His eyes were bright and his smile came easily. And for the first time, Rob felt not one twinge of envy. He was happy for Alex.
“I still can’t believe you’re here,” Alex told him. “And living with a Dom.”
“Mate, that makes two of us. But I have to admit, he’s helped to make me a better person, too. I… love him.” Rob pulled the collar of his shirt down to display the necklace.
Alex’s eyes widened. “You’re collared? Holy shit, I didn’t see that coming at all.”
“Well, I may have bought it and given it to him to put on me.”
Alex snickered. “Now that sounds like you.”
“I couldn’t let him get away, could I? I haven’t felt this alive in years.”
Alex’s smile lit up his eyes. “They’re kind of wonderful that way, aren’t they?”
“Much as I agree with you, Vic never needs to know how right you are. Because if I tell him how wonderful he is, it will go straight to his head.”
“Oh, God no. If I told Leo, he’d never stop reminding me that I’d said it. No, it’s best to keep them in the dark about stuff like that.”
“Amen to that, brother.” Rob couldn’t resist. “You and Leo, though. You’re amazing together.”
Alex stilled. “Excuse me?”
Rob’s cheeks grew heated. “Secret’s opening night? I… was here.”
Alex’s jaw dropped. “Well, fuck.”
Rob snickered. “No, I left before you two got that far.” He grinned. “Does Leo know about that mouth of yours?”
He had to admit, laughing with Alex felt wonderful too.
VIC SAT at the bar, talking with Leo Hart, one of the two owners of Collars & Cuffs. It was as if they were old friends, despite the circumstances under which they were meeting.
“Do you think they’ve killed each other yet?” Leo teased.
“No. I think Rob is so scared that Alex is going to walk out on him that he’s on his best behavior.”
Leo cleared his throat. “If I’m honest, Alex wasn’t going to come when I first broached the idea. He was very adamant he wouldn’t see Rob. He took some convincing.”
“I didn’t tell Rob that Alex was coming. I don’t think that would have gone over well at all.”
“Ah. But Jarod knew?”
“Yeah, I spoke with him before we left. It worked out well, because Rob had an idea about getting together with some people from the club, so Jarod took them up to his apartment.”
Leo raised his glass and tipped it in Vic’s direction. “You’re sneaky. It’s a quality I appreciate.”
Vic shrugged. “Rob is my life. I could no more ignore what was happening to him than I’m sure you could for Alex.”
“You’re right. When I talked with Alex, he drew in on himself. I couldn’t let that happen. If he’d insisted that he wouldn’t see Rob, I would have sided with him. As much as I wanted him to be able to let go of the pain he’s been carrying around, I would shield him from it if I thought he might be hurt again.”
“Rob won’t hurt him,” Vic swore. “He’s been torn up inside for years over this. It’s been his own personal hell for the longest time. Then to find out that Alex knew he wasn’t responsible? That crushed him.”
Leo shook his head slowly. “I have to admit, after dealing with Rob’s machinations, I never thought he’d grow up. I thought Alex was better off without having that kind of toxicity in his life. Even if this becomes a knockdown, drag-out match between the two of them, at least it’s all out in the open now.”
Vic glanced at his phone. It had been an hour since Alex had taken the lift to Jarod’s apartment, and Vic desperately wanted to know what was going on. He could only hope the two of them hadn’t become embroiled into a fight, because there wouldn’t be anyone there to stop it.
Jarod stopped by their table, and Vic jumped at the opportunity. “Any idea how it’s going up there? I admit, I’m nervous.”
“They’re fine, trust me. Mother and Maxwell are both nearby in case things get out of hand. Believe me when I say they needed this.”
Leo sighed, obviously relieved to h
ear it. “Thank you, Jarod. How did you convince your mother to babysit those two?”
Jarod laughed. “She’s a born snoop. She would have been doing her best to listen in regardless. I had to leave the door ajar so she could hear, though. I spoke with her a few minutes ago. She says they’re talking. No shouting, no hitting. She thinks there might have been some tears shed, but she also heard them laugh once or twice.”
Vic breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s my boy,” Leo whispered. “He never fails to make me proud.”
Jarod poured Vic and Leo another round of club soda. “This is on me,” he said. He turned to Vic. “May I say something, sir?”
“Of course.”
Jarod fiddled with the cuff on his jacket. “Rob’s nothing like I thought he would be. After Alex told me about the things he’d done, I disliked him. I wasn’t sure I could ever not be angry for him on Alex’s behalf. But I can tell he’s a good man. He just needed the right person to bring it out.”
Vic cleared his throat. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
“What does?” came Rob’s voice from behind.
Vic turned and grabbed Rob’s wrist. He tugged him in close and scanned Rob’s face for some clue as to his emotional state, but all seemed calm. “Everything okay?”
Rob cast a glance over at Alex, who was in Leo’s arms. “It’s a work in progress,” Rob said softly. “I have a lot to make up for, and one conversation isn’t going to fix things. At least he’s willing to give me the chance to make amends.”
Vic’s heart swelled. “I am so proud of you. I guess you could say you’ve finally found yourself.”
Rob frowned. “No, I haven’t. That’s a lifetime journey, and it’s one you’re going to be with me the whole way.” He leaned closer and kissed Vic on the lips. “I love you.”
Vic nuzzled Rob’s neck. “Love you too.”
“We should get going,” Leo said. “It’s a long way home.”
“You could spend the night at our place,” Vic offered. “There’s a guest room that you’re more than welcome to use.”
“Your offer is appreciated, but maybe another time. Alex has earned himself a reward, and I want to take him home so he can get it.”
Alex’s eyes lit up. “A reward?”
Leo leaned in and whispered something in Alex’s ear. A blush crept over Alex’s cheeks.
“Yeah, okay, we have to go now.” He turned and held out a hand to Vic. “Thank you for what you’re doing for Rob. And what you’ve done for us.”
“It’s mostly selfish,” Vic admitted. “I want Rob happy.”
When Alex opened his arms and Rob stepped into them, Vic couldn’t have been prouder.
“You think you might want to come see me sometime?” Alex asked.
Rob pretended to think about it, until Alex whacked him on the arm. “Ouch! Okay! I have a pass to get there by train. As long as Vic says it’s okay—”
Vic snorted. “Okay, hold it. Since when do I have a say in things?”
Rob laughed. “We’ll talk about it.”
“Dad and I are going to be having lunch next week. Think you might be able to make it?”
Rob sagged against Vic, who squeezed him a little harder. “Really? You’re asking me to come?” Rob appeared doubtful.
“Yeah, really. You might find this hard to believe, but I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with you. Especially now that you’re not being a total shit.”
Vic opened his mouth, but Rob sat up straight and quickly covered Vic’s lips with his hand. “Don’t ruin the moment.”
After another round of hugs, Alex and Leo left.
“Can we sit down for a bit?” Rob asked.
Vic regarded him in surprise. “Don’t you want to go home?”
Rob tilted his head to one side. “Would it be okay if we stayed here a bit? Jarod said something tonight, and it’s got me thinking.”
Vic frowned. “That scares me.”
“Shut up,” Rob said, pushing Vic’s arm playfully. “But seriously, would it be okay?”
“Sure.” Vic pointed to a booth in the corner of the bar. “Shall we sit over there?”
Rob nodded, and Vic led him across the floor. When they were both seated, Vic gazed at him with interest.
“Is there something particular you want to discuss?”
Rob glanced toward the main floor of the club, then back to the occupied tables around them. He returned his attention to Vic, his bottom lip quivering just a little. “There are subs here who are naked. Some of them are kneeling, others are sitting quietly, their heads bowed and eyes closed.” He paused. “Are you going to expect that from me?”
Okay, Vic hadn’t seen that coming. “What brought this on?”
“Jarod said something earlier, and I’ve been mulling it over since then. So, are you going to expect me to be nude?”
“If I had you naked here, do you have any idea how many Doms would be asking me if I was about to share you? And of course the answer would be no.” Vic chuckled. “But all joking aside, I won’t ever ask you to strip down here. I already know your feelings on the subject. The only place I expect you to be naked is at home, where I can be the only one who sees you.”
Rob smiled. “That’s all I wanted to know.” He stood up and began to take off his shirt.
“What are you doing?” Vic whispered harshly.
“Liberating myself,” Rob replied, removing the shirt and tossing it to Vic. “See, Jarod told me that when you’re owned, there’s only one person whose opinion really matters to you. I thought back to Leo and Alex, and what I saw them do here. It left no doubt in my mind how Alex feels about Leo.” He fingered his necklace. “This? It means you own me.”
Then he kicked off his shoes and began to unbutton his pants.
Vic thought back to the Rob of a short while ago, the same Rob who’d been nervous of stripping off when there was only an unseen person at a monitor who would have seen him. The Rob before him was a revelation.
Rob paused after lowering his zipper. “You see, for far too long, I denied part of who I was. Then this guy walks into my life and shows me that not only am I not broken, I’m also worth something to someone. He gave me my collar—” Vic raised a finger, but Rob continued “—that I bought for myself. Last year I would never have had the guts to do this. The thought wouldn’t even have entered my mind. Today? Yes.” He slid down his jeans and kicked them in Vic’s direction. Then he took a deep breath before he slipped the jockstrap down to his ankles, bent over, picked it up, and twirled it on his finger. “My name is Rob Daniels and I belong to Vic Prentiss. Clothed or not, every part of my body is owned by him. I won’t ever be the perfect sub, and I fully expect that I’ll be ordered to the corner when we get home, but tonight? Tonight I’m finally going to be free.” He stood straight, his gaze locked on Vic, his eyes bright.
Around them, Vic caught the smattering of applause, but Rob claimed all his attention. He reached out, wrapped his hand around Rob’s wrist, and tugged him closer. When Rob was close enough that Vic could feel the heat of him, he grabbed Rob by the back of the neck and pulled him into a kiss. Rob sighed and opened for him. When Vic broke away, Rob’s eyes were dark.
“I love you, Rob. So very much.”
“I love you too, Sir.”
Vic smiled and pulled Rob close again. “And yes, when we get home, you’ll be in the corner. But tonight, I want you sitting here with me. I couldn’t be prouder of you.”
Rob glowed. “Then that makes it all worthwhile.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
ROB WAS stunned at how liberating it was to be naked. Added to that was the bonus of Vic holding him close, which Rob loved.
A sneaky Vic, now that Rob thought about it.
“So, you brought us to the club to force me to get together with Alex, huh?”
Vic smiled. “I did, and I’m fine with my decision.”
“You know what? I am too. If you hadn’t,
I probably would have found excuses not to do it because I was afraid of being hurt.” Heaven knew how long he’d have left it before making such a move.
Vic stroked Rob’s back. “I won’t ever let you be hurt if I can help it,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
“But….”
Rob pulled back. “But? I’m not sure I like that sound of that.”
Vic’s eyes sparkled. “Do you remember when I told you our meditation was working toward something?”
“Yeah….” The look in Vic’s eyes was enough to tell Rob something was coming.
“Well, since we’re here, and you’re in a good mood, what do you say we give it a shot?”
Rob’s heartbeat thumped, and there was suddenly a knot in his belly. “Give what a shot?”
Vic stood and held out his hand. “Come with me,” he said. “And bring your clothes.”
Rob scooped his garments up and trailed behind Vic. A few whistles went up as he walked, and Rob’s cheeks heated. “So you’re telling me that all this time, I could have just stripped off in the club to get the attention of some Doms?”
Vic whirled around, his expression icy. “I allow you a lot of leeway, but you don’t get to say things like that. You belong to me, and I don’t appreciate you making light of it.”
Rob’s stomach clenched. Apparently he didn’t know when to shut up. “Sorry.”
Vic scrubbed a hand over his cheek. “It’s fine. I tend to be a little possessive, you know.”
“You? Really. Wow, I’m shocked.” Rob stepped into Vic’s space. “No one here holds a candle to you, you know. The times I came here? Not one person interested me. You’re it for me, Vic. You’re the only one I want.”
“Make sure it stays that way, boy.”
Rob grinned and gave a mock salute. “Will do, Sir.”
They got on the lift, which took them up to the private rooms. As they made their way along the hall, Vic took Rob’s hand.
“I spoke with Eli and Jarod about what I wanted to try. Unfortunately the equipment I wanted to use was gone. It hadn’t been maintained properly and had to be tossed out. However, when I told them what I wanted, they found a model that was current and had it set up in this room.” He stopped in front of a door.