Page 35 of Collin: Episodes 10-12
“Then we make an offer people can’t refuse.” Mr. Moreau sat on the edge of the couch. “Significant knowledge holders in various parts of their operations, people we already know aren’t entirely happy. Not C-suite executives but engineers, personal assistants, nannies, publicists.”
Mr. Reevesworth nodded. “Death by a thousand cuts. After that will be the news stories, photos from ten, twenty, years ago that they hoped disappeared, video from private speeches made with their friends that show what they really think.”
“And not just in the English-speaking media.” Mr. Moreau leaned forward. “French, Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, anywhere there are significant stockholders and partners.”
“Nowhere for them to hide.”
Collin shivered. “Good. Because business or not, no one should be threatening kids.”
“No one should be making others suffer just for quick money today either.” Mr. Reevesworth pressed a kiss to Collin’s temple. “Trust me, kitten. I will rage, but it will not burn you. It’s as safe as your own rage, perhaps even safer.”
“I don’t have rage.”
Mr. Moreau laughed softly. “Oh, but you do, Collin. That’s what floats just under that strong sense of justice and humanity that drives you.”
“But I don’t want to be angry!”
Mr. Reevesworth pushed Collin gently to his feet and stood, holding Collin’s hand and leading him toward the kitchen. “We’ll cross the bridge when we come to it, precious boy. But know this, Collin, I trust your rage even now. And when you face it, you can always come to me, and we’ll work through it together.”
Collin shivered, looking between both his doms. If every man in The Residency believed he was sitting on a sea of internal rage, it didn’t feel like he could discount them, but he hoped and prayed, to whatever deities might exist, that it wasn’t true. Rage felt like insanity. He didn’t want to be insane.
Mr. Reevesworth slept on his belly that night. He let Collin spread a second coating of healing salve over the whip marks that lined his back. The welts lay in neat rows, almost never crossing. They started at his shoulders and went down to his thighs. Collin touched each one with reverence. While he loved being spanked, he didn’t know if he would ever want to be struck like this. Mr. Moreau had used a bullwhip, Damian had explained. It took training and significant practice to wield responsibly.
Damian lounged on the small bed. Mr. Moreau was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, and Collin was finishing with the last of Mr. Reevesworth’s welts.
“Are you petting me to sleep, kitten?” Mr. Reevesworth murmured.
“If it would work, sir.”
Damian chuckled into his pillow.
Mr. Reevesworth reached down and pulled Collin onto the mattress at his side. “I’m fine, little one. Franklin and Émeric have done worse to me before.”
“How are you going to sit in your chair tomorrow?”
“He won’t.” Damian chortled.
Mr. Reevesworth shot Damian a sharp look. “Pup.”
Damian bit his lip and ducked his head, still giggling. Mr. Reevesworth lifted himself up enough to reach over the empty spaces between the beds and swat at Damian’s rear.
Damian rolled away, still laughing. Mr. Reevesworth groaned and launched himself off the large bed, landing on the mattress beside Damian and swinging a leg over his older boy’s hips. He pinned Damian between his thighs and leaned over Damian. “Want to repeat that, pup?”
“Of course, sir. I said you wouldn’t be sitting down much tomorrow, sir, because you’re going to be pacing around at the head of the room and glowering all day.”
“Hmm.”
Damian raised an eyebrow. “Am I wrong, sir?”
Mr. Reevesworth raised an eyebrow in return. “You’re getting cheeky, pup.”
Damian grinned. “Maybe.”
Mr. Reevesworth leaned down and claimed Damian with a kiss. Damian’s arms rose, and then his hands settled for gripping his dom by the man’s upper arms, avoiding his back. Their bodies moved together, their hips pressing against each other. Mr. Reevesworth reached between Damian’s legs and cupped his groin. “I’m going to make you come.”
“Sir!” Damian groaned and bucked up into his dom’s hand.
“We need to sleep, so you don’t have very long. Do you think you can come before Émeric comes out of the bathroom?”
