Page 13 of Sir Avery's Wish
Marc leaned back in his chair, his brow wrinkling. “Maybe there’s a middle ground. If—and it’s a big if—this young man turns out to be with Ryan and Zane, perhaps they could act as intermediaries. Find out what kind of help he actually needs, rather than what we assume he needs.”
Avery nodded slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “That makes perfect sense. I’ll send Zane a text, then go from there.”
The idea of having a buffer between himself and Eli appealed to him more than he’d expected. If the young man truly was terrified, having Avery show up at Zane's door would likely send him fleeing again. But Ryan—with his gentle manner and obvious experience helping people in crisis—might be able to bridge that gap.
“Good plan." Marc lifted his glass in a mock toast. “To finding solutions instead of creating more problems.”
Avery managed a smile as he joined the toast, though the weight in his chest hadn't entirely lifted. If Ryan’s guest wasn’t Eli, then he was right back where he started: agonizing over whether Eli was safe.
Chapter Four
Trying not to openly stare at the pricey furniture and stunning antiques of the sort Eli had only seen in museums was making his head hurt. When Ryan told him he lived in Beacon Hill, he’d expected something very nice. His grandparents had once taken him to visit one of their friends who lived in the upscale neighborhood. But this? Ryan’s place outdid anyone’s home he’d ever been in before.
Ryan didn’t tell me he lived in a freakin’ palace.
“Have a seat anywhere, make yourself at home.”
Ryan was busy shuffling through some mail on a black, marble-covered entryway table. The legs were gold and curvy, with some fancy decorative elements surrounding the wavy edge. He had no idea what any of the styles were, if they were reproductions or valuable antiques. All he knew for sure was that he’d never set foot in a home so grandiose.
Ryan dropped the pieces of mail back in the cut crystal bowl he’d retrieved them from when they first entered.
“It’s okay, Eli.” Ryan smiled as he glanced up. “Get comfortable. Do you want anything to drink? If you’re still hungry, I can make us a snack.” He tapped his chin, his bottom lip sticking. “You know, I never ate before I went to the shelter. Daddy won’t like that. I’ll fix us something. Is there anything you don’t like?”
Eli blinked several times, trying to process everything Ryan had blurted. He was still stuck on the ‘Daddy’ part.
“Umm… Anything is fine. So, your dad lives here with you and your boyfriends?” If so, Ryan had a very progressive father.
“Huh?” Ryan’s bottom lip jutted out again. “Oh! Yeah, sorry. Once you said you’ve been around the BDSM world, myfilter evaporated. Zane is my Master, but also my Daddy when I need him. You know what a Daddy Dom is, right?”
“Oh, okay, that’s what you meant.” Eli nodded. “Yeah, I know what that is.”
“I’m only Little when I get stressed out. Not that I’ve regressed right now, but it feels good to think of him that way. If I’m still anxious later, we’ll spend some time together in the playroom.”
Eli didn’t fully comprehend the Daddy/little dynamic, but that didn’t mean he was against it. One of the first things he’d learned when he started to explore the BDSM world was the concept of ‘your kink is not my kink’ as being vital to embracing the lifestyle.
Ryan gestured for Eli to follow him out of the living room. “The counter stools in the kitchen are pretty comfy. We can talk in there while I throw something together.”
Eli followed Ryan down a hall that opened up into a magnificent modern kitchen with chrome appliances and an assortment of copper pots and pans hanging from a rack above a center island. He climbed onto one of the kitchen stools in front of a center island. The surface was a gray stone of some sort, with sparkles in it. He ran his hand across the cool surface. Whatever it was, it was impressive.
While Eli took in the rest of his surroundings, Ryan was busy rummaging in the large, double-sided refrigerator. He assumed they must entertain a lot or something. Three people didn’t need all this space. Eli hung his head. Why was he being so judgmental? Especially since Ryan had gone out of his way to help him.
Ryan turned around, his arms loaded with a bunch of cheese and meat packages, along with some condiments. He plopped everything on the island, and Eli rushed to grab a cheddar cheese block before it tumbled to the floor.
“Good catch!” Ryan laughed breathlessly. “I’ve got pickles and onions too, if that’s your thing.”
“I promise, this is great. I appreciate everything you’re doing. Can I help?”
Ryan was busy arranging all the items on the counter. “There’s bread in the pantry.” He pointed to a door with an etched glass center pane next to the fridge. “We had some friends over a few days ago, so there’s different types.” He shrugged. “We have to eat it before it goes bad. I’d freeze some, but oh man. Ty’s always trying new recipes, so that freezer is stuffed to the brim.”
Eli slid off the stool. “Ty is yours and Zane’s boyfriend?”
“Yup. He works as a line cook at the café in the Charles River Suites hotel.”
Eli tripped on his own feet and had to grab the door handle to keep from crashing through the glass. Ryan gasped, rushing to his side.
“Oh my God! Are you okay?”
Eli nodded shakily. “Yeah, totally. Just me being clumsy.”
