Page 34 of Designation: Null

“You don’t take a single mission with him, understand me? You don’t spar with him, don’t go near him, and you sure as shit don’t talk about him, or else you’ll regret it.” He lets go and Hank drops to the floor, whirls around and stares up at him with wide eyes.

Hank throws up a hand, as if to protect himself. Robert takes a step back, something about Hank’s demeanor unsettling him, but he’s so amped up he can’t think it through. Hank is hard, his mouth is open, and he looks—

“Stay away from him. Keep your mouth shut. And you know what? If I get one more complaint from a submissive that you’ve harassed them or taken advantage of them, you’ll pay. Got it? I’m done with your bullshit. Everyone on this fucking base hates you.”

“Fuck you,” Hank tries to say without moving his jaw.

Felix gives him a once-over when he leaves the locker room. He shrugs. “You should have castrated him. You’re too soft.”

“Thanks.”

It’s only then that he realizes his clothes are soaked from the shower.

He’s walking toward the elevator when his friend Sam calls his name. “Robert! Are you wet? Is it raining outside? Inside?”

“No, I broke Hank’s jaw in the shower.”

He laughs. Then he stops laughing. “Shit. Is there going to be paperwork?”

“I don’t think he’s going to complain. What’s up?”

Sam frowns. “I wish we could just get rid of him.”

“Well, I don’t think I’ve made him enjoy his job more.”

Sam huffs in amusement. “Your knuckles are dripping blood onto the floor. Look, I know it’s got to be tough being back and with everything that’s going on. I just wanted you to know that we’re making contact with Eric tonight. I don’t know how serious it was between you two, but if you want, I can get him a message. Extenuating circumstances after what you’ve been through—maybe he can get pulled off mission? Craig thinks it’s a bad idea. Apparently, he had lunch with you and Logan and now he wants you to go out with Logan.”

“Oh. Eric,” he says, like a fool. What does he tell Sam? He can’t have Sam pass along a message that it’s over, can he? He must take too long to answer.

“Do you want me to give a message to Eric or just leave it alone?”

“Well, I guess you could tell him I’m alive, but I’m thinking it’s pretty over. I don’t think he’ll volunteer to come back for me, but if he did… that’s probably not a great idea. We weren’t exclusive. And I might be… seeing someone.” Is he? Would Logan even want to? Maybe it doesn’t even matter. His relationship with Eric has run its course. They both knew that it would from the start.

“Robert, I’m sorry… and congratulations.” Sam chuckles and puts a hand on Robert’s shoulder, then takes his hand away, wiping it on his pants.

“It’s just water. Hey, if you can work it into conversation, can you find out where my sweatshirt is?”

“He’s undercover and you want me to ask about your sweatshirt?”

“Only if it fits into conversation.”

“I’ll try, but only because you beat up Hank. Let’s get together soon. Bring Logan, my boy wants to see him again.”

Robert changes into his spare set of clothes then gets them lunch and heads back to his office. He’s starving and he’s finally starting to come down from the endorphin high of dominating Logan. And beating the hell out of Hank. Maybe he can take a nap with Logan. Maybe he can take Logan home with him and just… keep him.

He’s a hundred percent sure it won’t be that easy.

When Logan wakes up,Robert is gone. There is a note saying he had a meeting and that he locked the door. He promises to bring lunch when he returns.

What fucking time is it, anyway? If Robert is bringing lunch, then it’s not that late. Logan feels rested and yet still somehow tired. Like he really wants to take a nap and could sleep for a good eight hours (isn’t that the dream!) but if he has to get up, he’ll be sharp.

It’s unusual. And his muscles are rubbery, as if he’s just had a massage.

So this is what it feels like to drop and get taken care of properly. It’s amazing. He turns over, breathing in Robert’s jacket.

Maybe submission isn’t always awful, if one can find the right Dominant.

He stretches his arms overhead, spine cracking and an indecent sound of pleasure slipping out of him. He’s never in his life made a sound like that!

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