Ed trotted past him, back into the house and straight to his food bowls. Gregory obediently followed, scooping some pre-cooked chicken into Ed’s dish and topping off his water.
He brewed himself a cup of coffee and blew into it on his way down the hall, hoping it was cool enough to drink by the time he had to face Landon again. Halfway to his room he stopped, thinking better of the location, shouted for Landon and backtracked onto the patio.
Landon ended up close behind him, lingering doubtfully in the doorway to the back porch. Gregory was sitting with his back to the slider and could feel Landon’s hesitation rolling off him in waves.
“Take a seat, Landon,” Landon still hesitated and Gregory couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped his lips.
“In a chair,” he amended.
Landon came around beside him and folded his legs down into one of the patio chairs and wrung his hands together in his lap nervously.
Gregory had spent a good majority of the last two weeks thinking about what he wanted to say when Landon returned. The things he wanted to hear from Landon and the apologies he felt he deserved, but he wouldn’t ever ask for. Landon was admittedly hot-tempered and emotional; he always had been. He needed a strong hand—he knew it—and that’s why he and Gregory had started exploring the kinds of play they had when they were younger.
As much as the one small corner of Gregory’s heart wanted to have it out, and have this fight with Landon, he knew that neither of them would be the better for it. He was his Dom; he needed to remain calm and in control, even if he felt the world spinning out from underneath him, even if it felt like his heart would collapse under the responsibility.
That’s why he’d sent Verity to New York instead of going himself, why he’d taken on the work he had, because he’d known it was what needed to be done. Even through his hurt, Landon had been, and always would be his priority.
“I know I said it last night, but I’m sorry for the fight,” Landon interrupted his thoughts. “I overreacted and I treated you poorly, and in response you did exactly what I didn’t even know I needed you to do. But you knew, and I spent the last week hating myself for being so undeserving of the way you love me.”
“You’re plenty deserving of my love. You work for it. You cry and scream for it.” Gregory stroked his thumb across Landon’s damp cheek. “You hurt for it.”
Gregory grabbed Landon’s face in his hand and pulled him forward, off-balance. He was done thinking about the life he could have lived, the things he should have done, the ways he should have acted. He was here, now, and Landon was here now, forced onto his knees—always so fucking perfect and pretty on his goddamn knees.
“Don’t you ever forget your place again. You disrespected the dynamic of our relationship with the way you acted. You disrespectedme.Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” Landon tried to look away, but Gregory held him steady.
“I’m not saying I don’t want you to have your own thoughts and opinions, I do. I love your mind, Landon. But you disrespected meandthis with the way you treated me before you left for New York. I’m not your fucking Daddy, but if you trust me to take care of you and protect you… If you ever want toenjoysleeping at my feet again, then you don’t ever shut me out of your life. Because I can’t care for you the way you need, the way youdeserve,if you do. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you.” Landon sniffled and blinked away his tears.
“Now, kiss me.”
Landon flew onto his lap, and just as his weight settled atop Gregory’s thighs, it felt like an anvil had been lifted off his shoulders. Landon wrapped his hands around Gregory’s face and pulled their lips together, delving his tongue into his mouth with salacious intent.
Gregory gripped Landon’s hips and used the leverage to thrust his body down against his cock, searching for friction. Landon moaned into his mouth and Gregory swallowed the sound with a flick of his tongue.
He wove his arms together around Landon’s back and stood from the chair, taking Landon with him, carrying him inside and back to bed. He lowered them both onto the tangled sheets, letting the warmth of Landon’s body soak into his skin. He kissed his way around Landon’s mouth to his neck, licking furious swipes at the hint of salt under his ear.
Gregory reached between them and flipped the button of Landon’s pants.
“Take these off. Take it all off,” he mumbled to Landon, rolling away to strip his briefs away and grab the lube while Landon threw his clothes onto the floor then reached for Gregory and pulled him back on top. Landon took Gregory’s cock in his fist and stroked him roughly, his lips searching out Gregory’s mouth.
“Demanding little thing,” Gregory spoke into Landon’s mouth and was met with a moan and an arch of Landon’s hips against his groin.
Gregory kissed and licked at Landon’s mouth, tongue sliding along his teeth when he felt the slick of a lube-soaked hand against his shaft. He gasped and Landon’s lips curled into a smile while he rubbed his palm against Gregory’s dick, angling it downward towards his hole.
“Stop,” Gregory panted.
His cock was ready to burst, desperate for Landon after so long apart, but they both needed this reminder. Landon groaned and took his hand away, fisting the sheets, arching his back, and looking away. His hips jerked against Gregory twice, then he settled into the sheets.
“Who’s in charge?” Gregory asked him.
“You, Sir.”
“Who loves you?”
“You, Sir.” Landon opened his eyes and blinked away his tears, his pupils shining like brilliant gems in the light of the room.
