Page 31 of Collin: Episodes 10-12
The sound traveled through the door and into Collin’s bones. His legs weakened. He leaned against the doorway, fingers digging into the wood. He needed his master to stop, to be calm, to feel better.
Maybe he hadn’t done enough. Maybe he should have worked harder, shielded him more from the reporters, ordered better lunches.
Maybe he wasn’t enough for Mr. Reevesworth. Maybe he was too much trouble, too much of a burden. Maybe Mr. Reevesworth and Mr. Moreau had left him to finish making dinner because they just couldn’t handle him anymore, because they needed a break.
“Give them space.”
Collin flinched and looked over his shoulder.
Damian wrapped his hands around Collin’s shoulders and pulled him away from the door. “Richard needs this.”
Collin shivered. Does he?
Damian shook his head. “Come on, little bro.”
Collin resisted, looking back at the door. He needed to fix this.
Damian took a firmer grip on Collin’s arm and pulled him toward the bathroom. He turned on the water in the shower, drowning out the sound of Mr. Reevesworth’s cries and the whip.
“Were you going to shower?”
Collin blinked. Shower? Why would he shower? Why was Damian acting so calm? Shouldn’t they be doing something?
“Collin, did you shower since you got home?”
Collin tried to focus on Damian’s face. Everything was too bright, too stark. He shook his head.
“Then you need a shower. Me, too.” Damian started to strip off. “We can shower together.”
Collin swallowed. Numbly, his hands went to his shirt collar. Evidently, they were going to shower. It didn’t make much sense, but at least it was an order. And as long he was following orders, then maybe, just maybe, everything would be all right.
He didn’t stop until he was naked. Damian physically towed him into the shower by the hand.
“You good being here with me?” Damian asked, offering him a loofah.
Collin nodded. Of course, he was. Why wouldn’t he be?
“Émeric isn’t hurting Richard more than he needs,” Damian said, getting wet under the shower head.
“Does…does this happen…often?” Collin managed to whisper.
“No.” Damian rubbed soap on a washcloth and offered the bar to Collin. “After Enzo died, Richard whipped Émeric a few times. And when Tanner betrayed us. Once or twice at other times when the business was in crisis.”
“Feels wrong.” Collin whispered.
Damian stepped closer, offering an open arm. Collin pressed himself against Damian’s side.
“Why does it feel wrong?”
“I—” Collin tried to think past the panic in his belly. “I should fix it.”
“No.” Damian gripped Collin hard, then pushed the loofah in Collin’s hand toward his chest, making motions that he should wash. “What our dom is going through right now isn’t ours to fix. We didn’t do anything wrong. We’re not responsible. Except for being here for him and being his partners. Which we’re doing. And Émeric is doing. Right now, Émeric is doing something we can’t do, giving Richard release. What we need to do is be washed up and relaxed and ready to be with them when they come out.”
Collin closed his eyes, limbs heavy, throat half strangled. “My head knows, logically. Like I know spanking can be therapeutic, but he sounds so…angry.”
“Because he is.”
“I don’t want him to be angry.”
