The very first thing my eyes settled on was a picture of the kid. He really hadn’t changed all that much from the last time I’d seen him; right before he left me by force. His black hair was still in his eyes, as if he couldn’t be bothered to get it cut. From the looks of it, he had finally gained some weight. Which, I’ll admit, was nice to see.
I gently ran my finger down the side of his face, picturing him standing before me.God, I miss him,I inwardly groaned. I never knew it was possible to miss someone you hardly even knew. As it turns out, it was possible. Though what hurt my heart the most was knowing I couldn’t do anything about it. Instead, I’d continue living life.
At least now I know he’s okay,I tried to convince myself.
Reluctantly dragging my eyes away from Judah’s picture, I pulled the enclosed papers closer and began to read. As expected, there was really nothing of value to report in them. According to everything Theo had gathered, the kid lived alone and his family didn’t appear to be in the picture any longer. Which wasn’t exactly a surprise given the fact that they’d kicked him out as a teenager. He did appear to have a few friends that he hung out with once in a while, so there was that. Though what I found most interesting was the fact that he went to therapy.
Therapy? I wonder if he was as messed up as me after our rescue? I wonder if he still is?I thought in dismay as I gave his picture one last lingering look, his brown eyes seeming to seep into my soul in a way that I’d never be able to explain.
Right then and there, I promised myself I wouldn’t go looking for him. I would stay out of his life because for the first time since the two of us met, it appeared he had his shit together. Far better than me, at least.
Ezekiel
The sun had long since set, the chilled air brushing past my leather clad skin as I maneuvered my black motorcycle down the long dirt driveway. My helmet’s visor up, I could clearly me see the empty road ahead and the nearby town’s twinkling lights on the horizon. If only a long ride through the backroads of town could cure the itchiness I felt deep within. Sadly, things were often never that simple. At least not for me.
Things would be so much less complicated if I could just block all the bad memories that kept infiltrating my mind and causing me more stress and worry. But life didn’t work like that. If anything, the reality of it was ten times worse.
Everywhere I turned, there seemed to be something that would thrust me back to that cell and the hell I had somehow managed to survive. As time went on, the struggles became less overwhelming. However, there were still some days that were worse than others.
Those first few months after our escape were by far the worst. Still, I somehow managed to push through it. However, it wasn’t lost on me that the cost of doing so wasn’t exactly the healthiest. Honestly, my friends and family should be grateful that my newest methods were working because they were far less harmful than all the other options.
Pulling up to the inconspicuous looking building, I quickly parked my motorcycle and stashed my helmet in the seat. With one last breath, I strolled up to the door and gave the bouncer a nod in greeting. There was no need for words because he knew why I was here, as did the person I was here to see.
As soon as I stepped inside, the beat of the music washed over me. I squinted, allowing my eyes a moment to adjust to the bright lighting as I signed in at the desk. When I had finished, I proceeded to hand over my personal effects before traversing farther into the club.
The deeper I ventured into the bowels of the building, the darker it became. Booths, some with more privacy than others, filled the spaces around the black, elegantly padded walls. Given the club’s popularity, it was no surprise to find that most of the seating had already been occupied by various attendees. My gaze didn’t linger on anyone in particular for very long before darting to the other seating areas that were scattered around the room.
At the bar, the counter black as night with matching barstools, sat the woman I had come in search of.My fix.Despite any curiosity she may harbor, I knew she’d never question my reasons for being here or why I needed this type of relief. Not outright at least. She knew everything she needed to know. If she didn’t, she’d never have touched me in the way I so desperately craved.
Almost as if she knew I was coming all along, she turned and watched me like a predator to its prey, her light gray eyes drawing me in. Like all the times I’d seen her before, her dark red hair was pulled back into a perfect ponytail, highlighting her naturally high cheekbones.
“Well, aren’t you a sore sight.” Her voice was sultry, chin dipped low. I stood next to her with my hands shoved into the front pockets of my jeans. “It’s been less than a month and you seek me out again so soon?”
I shrugged, grimacing slightly.
“You know the drill, Ezekiel.” Her mouth curved into a mischievous smile.
Bowing my head slightly, I looked up at her with a blank expression. “Mistress Destri,” I began, playing her game almost as well as she played mine. “I need you tonight.”
“I suppose that will have to do.” She turned, her hair whipping out around her before she mumbled something I couldn’t quite understand to the bartender. Without another word, she stood to her full height. Of course, I knew better than to let her petite stature and skin tight red dress fool me; I knew what this woman was actually capable of.
Her heels clicked on the cement floor as I followed quietly behind her, knowing that anything I were to say would have been lost in the music thumping around us. When we reached one of the private rooms near the back, she stepped aside and allowed me enter ahead of her.
“What is it that you need tonight,Pet?” I shivered, hating how the nickname came out as a hiss, laced with adoration.
I dared to meet her gaze before muttering, “Same as last time.” The words came out no more than a whisper.
She lifted a perfectly arched brow, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.
I knew exactly what she wanted and I hated it nearly as much as I hated asking. I sighed preparing to do as she expected. Luckily–or maybe not–she let it slide, her words catching me off guard.
“Just pain? No subspace?”
My shoulders dropped. “Correct.” I couldn’t handle anything more than pain. I didn’t deserve it either.
“You know the drill then. Shirt off,” she instructed. “Hold up all five fingers on your right hand when you’ve reached your point. Three fingers when you are nearing. ‘Red’ ends everything for the session.”
I nodded in understanding. “No sexual release,” I quickly added, making sure she didn’t dare forget that part.
