Page 27 of Designation: Null

“Can I open the door?”

“Of course,” Logan says, pacing the office. The office starts to tilt sideways and he puts a hand on the desk for support. Fortunately, Robert’s back was turned.

Robert opens the door. Felix is standing there, looking up through his lashes at Robert in such a way that Logan wants to punch him.

“Felix. They sent you to come get me, huh?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Sir? Really?!? He barely stops himself from snarling.

“Logan, do you know Felix?”

“Yup. We were on the same mission that rescued you,” Logan says.

“Of course!” Robert says, grimacing.

Fuck everyone.

10

He goes home and sleeps for a full twenty-four hours and wakes up feeling empty. As if he is just a void. It’s not good. He takes a shower and goes into work and has a meeting where the only seat available is next to Hank.

Logan isn’t up to dealing with the nonsense of Hank. Hank isn’t just an asshole. Logan has heard rumors of him taking advantage of submissives. He’s probably the sort of Dominant Daniel would have loved. Which makes him even more angry at the injustice of this designation bullshit.

Hank leers at him.

Logan’s rage isn’t enough to repel Hank. He’s so tired and off that he refuses to make eye contact. It doesn’t occur to him until later that not making eye contact was probably what drew Hank’s attention.

He sits very still in his chair and tries not to draw attention to himself. Several minutes into the meeting he realizes that he’s leaning a little closer to Hank and that Hank is watching him intently.

Logan sits up, rolls his shoulders and tries to shake off the fog.

Ten minutes later, and he’s leaning toward Hank again. Hank leans closer and brushes against Logan. It isn’t an accident. Logan breaks out into goose bumps and sits up, leaning away.

He doesn’t want this. At all.

Hank’s knee touches his and it’s electric. He looks at Hank out of the corner of his eye, and blushes when he catches the man staring. Hank picks up his pen, writing on the paper in front of him:Let me help you with that.

Logan turns away, heart pounding with fear.

When the meeting is over, Logan leaves, pretends he doesn’t hear Hank calling him and goes straight to Robert’s office. He can’t think of what else to do. Where else to go. Robert will keep him safe.

If he found himself bending over for Hank or on his knees for him, he might kill himself. Let his father lock him up, freeze him in the dark just like—

Logan goes inside Robert’s office and shuts the door, leaning heavily against it. He locks the door from the inside. Robert isn’t even there. Logan paces. Robert’s coat is hung up and he goes close to it, wanting something of the Dominant’s to remind him of what it feels like to be safe. He grabs the coat and goes to the couch, sitting down with it on his lap.

He shivers. He’s dizzy. He lies down for a minute, head on the pillow and Robert’s jacket over him, and then he’s asleep.

Logan’s out of it,not quite asleep but not awake, either. Drifting. Almost like he’s waiting. It’s a surprise when Robert touches his hair, fingers gently scraping against his scalp.

His arrival is magic. Logan knows it’s him by the wash of warm pleasure that slips down his scalp and the back of his neck then pools into his stomach. Even with his eyes closed, the gentle wash of dominance against his skin feels like home. He turns absently, pressing his lips to Robert’s hand.

“Hey, sweetheart. Are you feeling okay?” Robert asks and stops touching him. Robert stands upright. Then he’s too far away. Robert takes yet another step back.

Logan doesn’t want him far way. He pushes himself to a sitting position, which turns out to be a lot more work than he thought it would be. His limbs are rubbery. He yawns and leans forward, resting his head on Robert’s thigh. “Don’t go.”

Robert’s leg tenses.

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