Page 33 of Designation: Null

Logan said Hank was going to hurt him. He’d said it soft and afraid. He’d come to Robert, reeking of frightened submissive, and collapsed, crashing as he waited for Robert to get back. To help him.

Robert had done his best to be objective, distant, and respect Logan’s claim that he was null and not submissive, and it led to one of the biggest crashes he’s ever seen. Is he doing Logan any favors by pretending he’s null when he isn’t? Is that actually helping him?

Hank has been sniffing around Logan since the rescue. He likely figured out Logan’s designation the day of the flight back. Logan hadn’t been in a good place then, either.

Robert had been out of it, in so much pain and drugged, and he’d used a hell of a lot of his reserves trying to get Logan feeling safe and calm on that flight, trying to keep him from crashing and giving it all away. Resisting the temptation to tell Logan to get on his knees, to come closer so Robert could hold him and they could both sleep, had been exhausting.

He was content to leave it alone when he thought Logan could protect himself. And he’d needed a few days to recover from his captivity (physically; the mental recovery was a work likely to be forever in progress).

Robert had assumed Logan had come back from that mission, gotten a handle on his designation, and that everything was fine. He’d thought it was a fluke, triggered by Robert not controlling his dominance, but Logan seems to be getting worse every time he sees him. Robert isn’t sure why no one else has noticed.

People will if they don’t get a handle on Logan’s needs.

Is Logan’s designation Robert’s concern? Isn’t it Logan’s decision and life to sort out? But how can he put others at risk? How can he do nothing when every time he’s near Logan, all he wants to do is claim him?

He doesn’t want to out Logan’s submissive nature, but Robert might not have a choice. Hank might not leave him one. But Hank is forcing his hand. Hank doesn’t want to spar with Logan; he wants to dominate him, get him down on the mat, make it so Logan isn’t able to say no and then use him. Hurt him. He can’t stand to think about what that would do to Logan.

This needs to end now.

Robert slams into the gym and Felix looks at him, giving him a raised brow as he wanders over.

“Is this about Burrows or Hank?” Felix asks. Robert’s known Felix for a while now. He saved him from Hank and a few other unsavory Dominants on the base.

“Yes. Both.”

Felix looks Robert up and down. “So, I call you if something goes wrong with Logan, huh?”

“I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that. But yes.”

“I like him. But he’s not well,” he says. “I don’t think there are many people who are going to accept his null designation if he doesn’t turn up with some swagger on Monday.”

Fuck.

“Hank just went to take a shower,” Felix says. “Are you going to beat the shit out of him?”

“You gonna cover me or what?” Robert asks.

Felix snorts. “Yeah, I’m on it. Then I’m gonna go get laid because you’re really putting the vibes out. This is a whole new side of you,” he says, shivering theatrically.

Robert ignores him and slams into the locker room. Hank is just grabbing his towel.

Robert’s not a hundred percent sure how far he’s going to take this except that Hank leers at him. He’s half hard and gives his balls a squeeze. “Did you find him for me?” Hank asks. And then he turns away from Robert and saunters into the showers like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

What a fucking asshole. Yeah, Robert is gonna beat the shit out of him.

Felix enters the locker room and gives him a questioning look.

“Five minutes.”

Felix ducks out; he’ll stand guard so no one comes in while he’s beating up Hank. This is part of being a Dominant. The aggression and testosterone combined with the biological pressures of their designations means that fights are common. And they are not reported. If a Dominant gets his ass kicked by another Dominant, the last thing he wants to do is lose face by admitting he lost.

He can beat Hank up and Hank won’t tell a soul. And if this is what it takes to keep Logan safe, then Robert will do it.

He waits a minute before heading back to the showers, wanting Hank to be right in the middle of his jerk-off session before he surprises him.

Robert pulls back the curtain of the shower. Sure enough, Hank is facing the wall, hand frantic on his dick. He whirls around. “What the fu—?”

Robert punches him hard, hearing the sick crack of Hank’s jaw, then grabs him by the balls with his other hand and squeezes as he slams him into the tile. He wraps his hand around the back of Hank’s neck.

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