“How do you feel?” I ask as I dry off his groin and legs with a towel.
“I thought my dick was going to freeze off, Sir. But…I feel good. Thank you for helping me.”
I look into his eyes, seeing the sincerity there. “I’m always here for you, Antonio. Always. You’re not alone anymore. I hate that you felt you couldn’t trust me.”
He swallows and shakes his head. “It’s not that…” His voice cracks. “I just… I was trying to help.”
“You could have gotten yourself captured, or worse, killed. How do you think I would have felt if that happened? What about the twins? You’re not to put yourself into these situations, especially without talking to me first. Understand? We could have found a better way, together. I won’t interfere with your job, but if I can’t trust you to not be reckless, this isn’t going to work.”
“I do trust you!”
“With your body, maybe, but not with your safety. Stunts like today tell me you don’t trust me as a Second in this Family, and we can’t have that. What we’re building here, what the Council is doing, it only works if all of us participate. You didn’t do that, and even worse, you dragged Marcus into it.”
Tears fill his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“I know you are. But I need you to understand the consequences of your actions… Hearing you were gone, that you ran head first into danger without a damn word to me…it was hard. You make me feel…so many fucking things. I don’t understand it all, the pull I have to you, the need to keep you safe... Those feelings are still foreign to me, but I do love you, and I want you here with me for a very, very long time.”
He lets out a stuttering breath. “I love you, too.”
I smile at him. “Then no more galavanting around without letting me know where you’ll be, okay? I can’t promise to always be on board with your ideas, but I can reassure you that I’ll always listen to them first.”
“Okay.”
I kiss him softly. “Good Boy. Now, let’s get back to our lovers. Bring a towel to mop up the floor.”
He groans but grabs the towel I used on him and waits while I wet a cloth to clean Nicolo and Nario up. Back in the bedroom, Antonio cleans the water from the floor, while I gently wipe the twins down. They let me move them however I want, content to curl up together while I have my way with them. Many images of how I can use their trust in me against them try to invade my head, but I shove them to the side—for now. As I told them, there will be plenty of time for more fun and games at a later date.
“Sir?” I look over at Antonio and smile when I see him standing by the dresser, ice bucket in hand.
I toss the used cloth onto the nightstand for later disposal and make my way over to him. “I see you stumbled across the last part of your punishment.”
Taking the ice bucket, I set it on the dresser, then pick up the cock cage. “I don’t want you to think I’m an easy dominant…”
He shakes his head immediately. “I don’t, Sir, trust me. I learned a lot today.”
I laugh. “I’m sure you have, but still. Until I’m sure the lesson will stick, that I trust you will work on trusting me, you’ll wear this cage. A few days…or weeks, however long it takes. I already said your orgasms belong to me, and well, this reinforces that all of you belongs to me, Bello. Every single naughty inch.”
He shivers when I reach for his cock, but he doesn’t protest, letting me do whatever I want with him, which is a heady feeling I never expected to have, and I have to rein in my baser instincts. Unwilling to push him too much in one day, despite how badly I want to brand him.
Once the cage is in place, I admire the way he looks, naked save for the metal around his cock. So perfectly mine.
“Such a beautiful flower, all for me. I love watching you bloom.”
Antonio sways, and I put my arms around him, holding him close for several long minutes before leading him to the bed, where the four of us settle in. There's a Boy on either side of Antonio and me, while my Bel Fiore curls into me, clinging with all his might.
The last of my lingering fear from being told Antonio was gone dissipates as the four of us relax into the bed, and I hold my Boy just a bit tighter, grateful he’s here with us, because I am never letting any of them go.
Marcus follows me toward our suite without a word. Smart. If he dared open his mouth right now, I’m not sure I’d be able to stop myself from tearing into him right there, instead of waiting for privacy. The sheer audacity of him to dare put himself—and our Families—at risk. My fingers twitch with the need to put him over my knee.Fucking hell. I try to shove the anger down, but the fear that lurks underneath…those icy tendrils strangle me more.
Stepping inside our rooms, I note with satisfaction that the kitchen has left a bag of uncooked rice on the bed. Smiling inwardly, I move to the side so Marcus can see it. I eye him carefully as he takes it in. It finally cracks his veneer and he sneers at it, which only pisses me off more.
I stalk toward him, grabbing him by the throat and squeezing. “You will not only appreciate the rewards I give you,but you will fucking appreciate and respect the punishments too. Do you understand, Marcus?”
I ease my grip and he draws in a shaky breath, his eyes widening. “Yes, Sir.”
I nod, waving him away as I grab the bag and head toward the opulent bathroom. If he’s going to kneel, it won’t be on the carpet. No, he can get down on the cold tiles.
I dump out a good layer of rice, one he won’t be able to easily push away by “adjusting” his form. Although, I have a plan for that if needed.
