The boy’s voice sounded breathless, his pupils dilated, tongue darting out once more. The pieces began to drop into place. Elijah wanted Shep watching. This boy, his little rabbit, was signaling loud and clear and Shep’s body responded accordingly, his cock hardening in his jeans almost as if Elijah had willed it to happen. He almost laughed out loud. It was like his body was dialed into Elijah’s frequency, toonlyElijah’s frequency. He was a gift.
“Shep?”
Elijah had asked him a question. “Yes. I have access to every camera, anytime I like. Does that bother you?”
Elijah didn’t answer, just shook his head no, swallowing hard.
Shep took a step closer, but not close enough to touch. “Do you like knowing I can watch you anytime I want?”
Elijah stared at him, swaying closer almost like Shep’s voice had hypnotized him. “Yes.”
Elijah was so responsive, so needy, yet so closed off at the same time. How long would it take to peel back the layers? Shep didn’t know, but he wouldn’t rush it. He’d let Elijah set the pace.
“You should try to get some rest,” he said.
Elijah blinked, Shep’s words breaking whatever spell had enthralled him. The boy’s whole demeanor changed, shoulders slumping as he turned and walked away. Had Shep made the wrong call? He wasn’t sure, but after the morning the boy had, trying to get closer to Elijah physically seemed unwise. At the thought of Elijah’s manager, Shep couldn’t stop himself from calling out. “Hey, rabbit. Can I askyoua question?”
Elijah stopped, glancing back over his shoulder. “Sure.”
Shep had to know. “Why don’t you just fire her?”
Elijah frowned. “Who? Lucifer?”
“Yeah.”
He gave a bitter laugh. “I can’t fire her. She’s my mother.”
By the time Shep processed that information, the boy was long gone, disappearing down the hall towards his room. How had that information escaped him? Why hadn’t Linc mentioned that in the briefing? Maybe he needed to make sure Elite had already vetted all of Elijah’s team. He made a mental note to talk to Linc about it in the morning and starteda sweep of the house before changing the codes on the doors, as promised, and sending them to Linc in an encrypted email, per protocol.
Once he entered his bedroom, he used his phone to dial up the security feeds, pulling up Elijah’s room and propping it up on the soap dispenser while he went about his nightly routine of brushing and flossing.The boy wasn’t in bed, but he could see shadows playing over the floor indicatinghe was in the bathroom, likelydoing the same things Shep did now. After a few minutes, the boy emerged, wrapped in a towel, damp hair pushed away from his face. Shep continued his routine, watching Elijah do the same.
It wasn’t until Elijah paused, gazing into the camera that Shep paused too. He just stood there, staring into the camera like he knew Shep was watching. Did Elijah know? Was this little show all for him? He stood, toothbrush in hand, watching as Elijah unknotted the towel and dropped it, letting it pool at his feet. Shep studied him, giving Elijah’s naked form the reverence it deserved. The boy was long and lean, each muscle sculpted to perfection. He was a work of art and it seemed only fair Shep take the time to admire his form.
Shep finished brushing and flossing, watching as Elijah turned from the camera, bending to pick up the towel as if he wanted Shep to observe every part of him. So he did. The boy had long shapely legs and a firm plump bottom. Shep’s cock throbbed as Elijah took his time crawling onto the bed and climbing beneath the covers. He gave one final long look at the camera then turned on his side away from the lens.Shep discontinued the feed.
He stored his gun in the top drawer by his bed just like the night before, plugging his phone into the wall and extinguishing the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. He had barely closed his eyes when his phone vibrated, signaling a call.
Elijah’s name blinked on the screen.
“What’s wrong?” Shep asked, by way of greeting, suddenly on high alert.
“What’s your last name?” Elijah asked, his voice a step above a whisper.
Shep frowned into the darkness but didn’t hesitate to answer. “Shepherd.”
There was a long pause. “Your parents named you Shepherd Shepherd. Wow. No offense, but your parents sound like dicks. Did they not want kids or something?”
He smiled at the boy’s candor. “My parents named me Jayne Michael Shepherd.”
“Jayne’s a girl’s name,” Elijah stated as if this knowledge may have escaped him after all these years.
“Yes, several kids were happy to let me know during my schoolyard days. Usually while beating the shit out of me,” he said with a light chuckle.
Elijah sounded dubious. “It’s hard to imagine anybody trying to beat you up. You’re so big.”
“Now. But my brother and I were scrawny, and nerdy, and kind of ugly growing up.”
Elijah giggled. “Well, you showed them.”
