Page 32 of Disciplinary Action
“Patty Webber, Diabetes Educator for the hospital. I was just going over Callum’s options for managing his insulin.”
Gideon gave the woman a pleasant smile. “Nice to meet you. Would you mind giving me just a few moments with Cal?”
She cleared her throat. “Oh, not at all. I’ll come back in fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you so much.”
Once they were alone, Gideon perched beside Cal on the bed. He refused to look at Gideon, instead continuing to stare at his feet. Cal jumped when Gideon placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing, I just don’t want the pump. Vials are fine. I just don’t understand why I have to defend myself over what is my decision.”
There had to be something more going on. “Of course, it’s your decision. But is what that woman said true? You were better managed on the pump?”
“Yeah, but that was because I had the pump right up until I could no longer afford it. It’s hard to manage diabetes when you lack the funds.”
“I’m just asking you to explain to me why you’re so upset about the idea of using the pump.”
Cal’s face tensed, but Gideon could only watch the boy in profile. “Maybe because I don’t want something hanging off my body all day, every day. Maybe it’s a pain in the ass stopping and disconnecting every time I want to swim, or shower, or play sports, or—”
“Or?” Gideon prompted.
Cal finally looked at Gideon, cheeks pink. “It will get in our way. It will get inyourway.”
Ah. Sex. Interesting. Gideon frowned. “You said it was easily removed. Do you think I’m such an insatiable monster that I would somehow be unable to wait for you to remove it or that I’d do something to hurt you in a way we didn’t both agree to beforehand?”
Cal shook his head. “No. It’s not that. I can only remove the pump, there will always be something there, attached.”
“So what? This can’t be about cosmetic reasons. You’ve seen my scars. Surely, you’ve had sex with people with the pump on before.” Cal looked away. “Even if you haven’t, I’m not some fumbling kid who cares about something like you having a medical device on while we have sex. I promise you, it won’t hinder our activities in the least. So, tell me. Is that really what this is about?” Cal shook his head but not in answer to Gideon’s question—more like he was fighting with himself. “Please just speak to me.”
“Do you know how much pumps cost?” Cal finally snapped, anger contorting his face.
There it was. This was about money. Of course, it was. How could it not be? Gideon was an idiot. Cal was thinking ahead to when he assumed their arrangement would end. Gideon should have been thinking about the end as well, but the truth was he hadn’t been thinking of Cal leaving him. It hadn’t occurred to him, even though it should have. “I can’t imagine they’re cheap. But money’s not really an issue for me.”
“Well, you won’t be here in five weeks. Hell, it's more like four now. What do I do in four weeks when you’re gone and I’m back to living in your parking garage?” Parking garage? When had Cal been sleeping in Gideon’s parking garage? Before he could question him, Cal was talking again. “Maybe I should just go back to working for Hillary because I’d need a hundred jobs to afford the insulin that keeps me alive.”
Gideon’s nostrils flared at the idea of Cal going back to work for Hillary, at the thought of other men and women touching what was his. “Absolutely not,” Gideon snarled.
At Cal’s wide eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Cal was worried about money. No. Not money. Safety. He was scared. Of course, he was scared. He’d almost died four days ago because he had no food or shelter or medicine. Gideon was a fucking fool. This was why he never saw the same boy twice. He didn’t know how to be a Daddy long-term. Grant would have been ten steps ahead of Cal’s concerns. He would have already discussed terms and arrangements and contracts.
He turned towards Cal. “Look at me.”
Cal sort of flounced in Gideon’s direction, his jaw clenched tight as if he was expecting the worst.
Gideon cupped his face, forcing his eyes upward. “Listen to me very carefully. I’m not going to let you go without your medications. Ever. You’ll never go without a roof over your head or food in your stomach, whether you’re sharing my bed or not. Do you hear me?”
Cal’s expression softened somewhat but was still guarded. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I have more money than I know what to do with and I can only donate to so many museums and cancer charities. If I choose to spend my money on you and your health, that’s my business. Okay?”
“Even if I don’t want to be with you anymore? Even right now? If I wanted to walk away?” Cal asked, clearly testing Gideon.
The notion of never seeing Cal again punched a hole in Gideon’s chest. He didn’t know what there was between them, but there was clearly something more than just physical. They’d really only been intimate not even a handful of times, but something about Callum just called to Gideon. He had to be sure that Cal really wanted to be with him and wasn’t just afraid of being forced back on the streets. Forced submission was abuse. He wanted a willing power exchange, not a desperate boy scared for his life.
“Even then. If you need me to put it in writing, I will. Do you want to walk away? Tell me now. I’ll set up an account with my finance manager. There will be restrictions on how much you can spend, obviously, but I’ll make sure your necessities are covered while you finish school and get through college.”
Cal stared at him, bewildered. “Forget Batman or Superman. You’re secretly Robin Hood or Prince Charming. People like you don’t exist in real life.”
“Do you want to end our physical relationship?” Gideon asked. Cal shook his head beneath Gideon’s hands. “I need the words, baby. I need you to say it.”
