Page 45 of Collin: Episodes 10-12
Katharine’s eyes were wide as stars, and she had both hands over her mouth.
“Now see here, punk,” the man on the phone snarled, “this is my daughter’s number, and I demand to speak to her! What kind of fucked-up business is this absurdity?”
“Please watch your language, sir.” Collin smirked at his audience but kept his voice professional and slightly affronted. “We provide sought-after services to eco-conscious individuals who wish to contribute to the future of the planet with their last worldly possession, their corporal form. All of our clients are humanely inhumed with exceptionally well-bred piranhas and?—”
“You feed people to piranhas! The hell? I’m reporting you!”
“Sir! We are a professional licensed and legitimate business.”
“You’re killing people!”
“Sir, all of our clients have already passed their mortal coil before meeting the piranhas. Now, if you would like to give me another name for your daughter…”
“My daughter is not dead.”
Collin summoned his most professional voice. “I’m very sorry for your loss, sir, but if this is the last known number for her, then she has most certainly left humanity behind.”
Eliza was shaking with laughter. Veronica had a new kind of tear running down her face and Katharine was just shaking her head back and forth.
“If you would like therapy or counseling services in this difficult time?—”
The man cut him off. “I don’t need counseling!”
“You sound very distressed, sir. If you would give me your location, I will send someone to be with you in this trying time.”
“Fuck you! You’re not locking me up in some loony bin.”
The call cut off.
“Is that”—Veronica was hiccupping with laughter—“is that a real business?”
Collin shrugged. “I don’t know. I made it up as I went. Having fish eat industrial waste is something I researched once.”
Veronica glanced at Katharine. “I think you better block his number or change your number.”
“What if he really thinks I’m dead?”
“Would it be so bad?” Veronica giggled hysterically and kicked her feet. “He’ll walk around the rest of his life telling people you were eaten by piranhas.”
Katharine tilted her head back and forth. “I suppose dying is one way to end a relationship.”
Collin finished answering half a dozen emails and compiling a new list of potential resources and then shut his computer down for the day. He dragged himself to Ash’s dungeon. Ash and Paulsen had their heads together over something so Collin reminded Ash to drink water and eat something, then left to find his master.
Master. He rolled the word over in his head. Sometimes he thought of Mr. Reevesworth as his dom, sometimes as master. Sometimes it felt like the first letter was capitalized, and sometimes it felt like a position reference, like teacher or police officer without someone’s name included, which wouldn’t be capitalized. But sometimes, especially when he was feeling vulnerable, or needy, or particularly overwhelmed, it was a capital M, for sure.
Does it always have to be one way? Maybe this was something he could ask Damian about.
Or maybe I should ask my sir and my master about it.
Collin shook himself, mentally poking his own head. Of course, this was something he should bring up with them, but this week, starting with the craziness of Monday and every day since, he hadn’t had the spoons for that conversation, let alone the time.
He slipped into Mr. Reevesworth’s office, quiet as the man was on the phone, and sat down on the floor beside his dom’s chair and put his head down on Mr. Reevesworth’s leg. Mr. Reevesworth’s hand came down and played with Collin’s hair, scratching gently on Collin’s scalp. Collin let his eyes close.
Yes, they needed to work on the new contract, but even so, this was good. This felt good. Felt better than any relationship he’d ever had before.
“I’m done, pet.” Mr. Reevesworth said, shutting down his computer. “We have to visit the hair salon for me, and then we can go home. I’ve booked you in next to me to get your hands done and a facial.”
“Facial?” Collin touched his cheek. “I’ve never had one.”
