Page 24 of Collin: Episodes 4-6
“I thought you had lots of friends.”
Daman shrugged. “I do, but it’s just nice to have someone to be with when Mr. Reevesworth is with Mr. Moreau. Sometimes, after the incident, and after Matthew married, it was lonely. I didn’t like being in The Residency if they were out together without me.”
“Did that happen often?”
“No.” Damian shook his head decisively. “But it did happen. And I’m happy for them. They have a strong relationship, but sometimes…sometimes it’s hard being on the outside, looking in.”
“You feel that way, like you’re on the outside, looking in?”
Damian nodded. He took a sip of wine and swirled the liquid in the bottom of the glass, watching it spin. “Not so much at first. In the early days, there was so much to learn and so many fits I was throwing. I think I took up most of both of their energy. And Matthew’s. And, well, I’m not saying his name. He was always the well-behaved one until…until he wasn’t.”
“The one who betrayed all of you.”
“Yeah.” Damian sighed. “But these past few years, sometimes, it’s lonely.”
Collin shook his head and looked down at the wood table. It was pretty, a char finish beneath a glossy gold protective coating. He ran his finger over a burl in the grain. “What changed?”
“I did.” Damian bent his head. “It’s me. And I know it. But I’m glad you’re here.”
Collin straightened slowly. “I don’t think you’re just glad I’m here to keep you company even though that’s what you’re saying.”
Damian looked away. “I know our dom is going to leave the door open to us being intimate. I’m not ready to talk to him yet because I don’t know how to say what needs to be said. I didn’t really realize what was happening until you arrived. But…”
“You’re leaving.” Collin looked straight at Damian. It wasn’t a question.
Damian nodded. He swallowed around something in his throat. “I’m grateful. I love them both. Mr. Reevesworth, Richard, I owe him everything.”
Collin dropped his gaze. “But you don’t need him.”
“I don’t need him to be my dom, not like I used to. I don’t…” Damian sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t think I’ll ever submit to anyone else in my life. I don’t feel that urge.”
“But you do feel the urge to dominate. You felt that towards me when you kissed me.”
Damian nodded. He blinked hard.
Collin extended his hand across the table. He coaxed Damian’s fingers into his own and squeezed. “I felt it.”
“I thought—you should know—before you did anything with me. I’m not just another submissive you’d be playing with. I’m not… You might feel that I had crossed lines with you if we played together, and then I came out as a dominant exclusively.”
“Thank you.” Collin squeezed Damian’s fingers again. “I liked you kissing me. It was a lot. I wasn’t ready. There’s a lot in life that we’re not ready for, and it doesn’t make those things bad.”
“But you don’t want me to kiss you again.”
Collin blushed. “I don’t feel the urge for it, no. Not like I feel for Mr. Reevesworth.”
“And Mr. Moreau?” Damian raised an eyebrow.
Collin dropped his eyes. “There’s something… I think… I don’t know if I’d want to be his partner exclusively, but when they’re together?—”
“I get it. Sometimes we have relationships with relationships, not just the people in the relationships.”
“I’ve never heard anyone actually enunciate something like that, but yes, that, maybe.”
“So, this morning, after breakfast, on the floor.”
Collin grinned. “I’ve never had an older brother.”
“And if I’m an older brother that might see you get fucked at some point?”
