Page 45 of Baiting Kong

“Maybe you should have thought about that before you pulled the shit you pulled,” Kong declared. “Now, I do get why you warned Scout about getting involved with me, but why encourage him to keep silent about the salvage yard? You nearly got him into some real trouble with Mark.”

“Which wasn’t my intention,” Teddy snapped. “All I wanted was the chance to finish the project I’d been assigned so I could prove to Mark that I was capable of handling it. He had no right taking it away. I might not have the same experience with bikes as other people, but I spent a lot of time researching and tracking down locations only to realize he’d rigged the whole thing so I would fail. So yeah, I warned Scout about giving up any information. I didn’t want Mark to cut him out of the process the way he did to me. It’s not fair. I worked my ass off on that and every other task he gave me. That should have been enough for him. But of course it wasn’t. I needed to show him that he was wrong. That I was every bit as capable as I’d always been. Just because I’m getting older doesn’t mean I don’t still have value and something to contribute.”

“We’re all getting older,” Kong pointed out. “And I can almost see how it made sense in your twisted mind to encourage Scout to keep bringing in the parts alone since you’re the one who brought him to the club in the first place. There’s just one thing you failed to consider.”

“Yeah, that Mark wouldn’t give a shit how much effort I put in,” Teddy replied. “I was never going to be enough. I’m washed up, don’t move the way I used to, and whatever sparkle and appeal I once had has dulled enough that he and Kat aren’t interested anymore.”

Tears shimmered in Teddy’s eyes as he picked at his fingernails.

“Just didn’t wanna see Scout waste his time on people who’d just use him up and throw him away once they got bored,” Teddy said. “If that makes me a bad person, so be it. You all think I’m trash now anyway, so who cares?”

“Mark and Kat never got bored with you. They got pissed because you’d already earned your place with them and us a long time ago, so there was no reason for Mark to test you. Only youcouldn’t see that. You created an issue and an adversary where there never needed to be one. Now you need to figure out why you chose that route and own up to it before there’s no going back.”

“It’s way too late for that,” Teddy remarked. “I just hope you don’t do the same thing to Scout after the years have taken their toll. He’s got a beautiful soul. He deserves to be loved and cherished forever. Not cast off when he loses his shimmer. It sucks, and it isn’t fair to do to anyone. I just wanted to spare him that pain.”

There was real emotion in his voice, sincerity and misery mingled with a hint of frustration.

“You know what, I believe you,” Kong relented, ‘cause dammit all, it even made sense to him now. “There might be some hope for you yet.”

Teddy tried to smile, but only one side of his mouth quirked upward, while his eyes just remained dull and sad. As he turned to go, Kong wondered if either Mark or Kat truly had a clue about the way Teddy saw himself, or how deeply he believed that they’d thrown him away because he’d gotten older and was no longer the young wannabe stripper they’d first brought home with them. He could see how his insecurities had fed into his issues with Sinn, the beautiful man drawing stares whenever he moved through a room. He hadn’t been here when the man had joined them and had no way of knowing if Kat and Mark’s eyes had strayed to him too. Had there been interest there before Saint had claimed him and Night, or had Teddy just seen what he wanted to see because he’d already been down on himself?

If Teddy could just say that to them, maybe there would be a chance of putting things right again. As he backed away and watched Teddy close the door, Kong doubted he would find it in himself to be that honest with Mark and Kat. There was too much bitterness and hurt there now, which was ashame, because when Teddy, Kat, and Mark were on the same page, there was nothing in the world they couldn’t accomplish, especially when they were focused on what was best for the club.

Chapter 14

(Scout)

The crack of the whip against his skin made him flinch, but there was no crying out around the o-ring stretching his lips wide. Guttural gasps and groans were the best he could manage when his scene partner gripped his hair and slid the whip beneath his chin.

Oh shit, shit, shit.

He’d told them, right from the very beginning, that choking was off the table, and they’d pushed it on the very first shoot, forcing him to bring Sawyer with him after that. Now he felt the whip pulled tight as panic immediately started to set in.

For a moment, he reached up, clawing at it, tugging until he could suck in air and whimper.

Mercifully, it was withdrawn, only to crack against his skin again.

He wasn’t bleeding, though. Not yet. His partner was only doing enough to sting, not split skin. His partner pinched one of the welts, making him squirm, right before he issued a hard smack with his palm.

Hands settled on his hip as the man resumed fucking him, going for the money shot now and mercifully bringing the scene to an end. It felt nothing like the night he’d spent with Kong, though he pictured the way the man had touched and excited him as a means of getting himself off while his scene partnerplayed to the camera, whipping off the condom and cumming all over Scout’s ass and the back of his thighs.

The director yelledCuta few seconds later, and Scout immediately reached for the buckle on the gag, undid it, and pulled it from his mouth so he could suck in a full lungful of air.

“Good job, kid; that was amazing.”

“Told you not to have anyone choke me again,” Scout snapped as he rubbed his neck.

There would probably be a mark tomorrow, one he’d have to cover up with a bandana since it was too hot to put on a flannel, let alone think about buttoning it. Hopefully that would work to keep anyone from noticing. Otherwise, he might have to drop into the pet store and see about getting a wide dog collar, though he’d much rather earn one like some of the other club subs had. Especially if it came from the man he couldn’t keep his thoughts off.

“Sorry about that,” his scene partner said, ruffling his hair until Scout batted at his hand. “No one said not to, and the moment was there.”

“It made for some great film,” Mr. Duchamp said. “Gonna sell a lot of copies of that one.”

“That mean I get a bonus?” Scout asked, knowing before the words left his mouth that it didn’t, but still feeling the need to give Duchamp shit after the way he’d failed to warn his partner against choking him.

“Sure, kid, here’s some free advice; do with it what you will,” Duchamp said. “Don’t signup to do anymore films if you can’t handle whatever might be thrown at you on set. Not everyone is gonna be willing to hold your hand and babysit you through the parts you’re squeamish about. Either get over whatever reservations you have or get out of the business.”

“I’m not in the business,” Scout insisted. “This contract is a one-and-done thing. As soon as it’s fulfilled, I’m never shooting another video.”

---