“Come with me,” Marcus said. He took Lucian’s hand, guiding him from the clothing he’d been stripped of. They moved together through the living room, dodging the high-back armchair and the edge of the couch. The hallway was dark, and light from the living room provided only partial visibility. Marcus led the way and pushed the bedroom door open with his palm, then flicked the light on. The bedroom was revealed, no longer so lonely now that Lucian was backinit.
Lucian followed him through the door and headed for the bed, but Marcus took him by the wrist before he could getthatfar.
“Not yet,” Marcus told him. “I want something elsefirst.”
Lucian looked up at him, eyes brilliant beneath the bedroom light. His gaze searched for meaning, but his mouth stayed shut, not daring to speak the question onhismind.
He didn’t need to speak it—Marcus already knew whatitwas.
“Do you remember our first time behind The Shepherd?” Marcus asked. His hand glided up Lucian’s arm, savoring hisbareskin.
“I do.” Lucian bowed his head, but his curious gaze stuck toMarcus.
“Do you remember how I released you? How I got you to let go and justfeel?” Marcus’ hand met the back of Lucian’s neck, and with a gentle touch he directed himforward.
“Yes.”
“I want to do the same for you tonight,” Marcus said. “I want to take away everything you have so you can truly let yourself be free. Isthatokay?”
Lucian’s eyelids drooped, and he lifted his head to meet Marcus’ eyes. Lips parted with lust, henodded.
“Then I need you to stay still and trust me,” Marcus said. He let his hand drop and took a step away from Lucian, driving distance between them. “I need you to remember that I willneverhurt whatismine.”
Marcus never explained himself to the submissives he bedded. The heated sessions he was used to moved too quickly for discussion, and the men he’d brought home were more concerned with the ache in their balls than they were the implications behind the actsMarcusdid.
NotLucian.
Marcus’ disinterest in the lifestyle hadn’t been brought about because he was tired of it, and he realized that more plainly than ever now that Lucian stood dewy-eyed in his bedroom. The root of Marcus’ apathy had been his partners. All it took was the right man for everything to feel freshagain.
“Every freedom of yours that I take away, I take into myself.” Marcus kept his voice above a whisper, but still low enough that the statements were intimate. As he spoke, he opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, eying Lucian from his lowered position. “When I limit you, I take the responsibility of your care onto my shoulders. Everything I do, I do to set you free of the limits you’ve imposed uponyourself.”
From the drawer, Marcus freed one of several toys. With it in hand, he returned to Lucian’s side, introducing the leather to his hands. Marcus took good care of his wearables. The leather was softened from years of conditioning, but still sturdy enough to endure the task it was designed for. The rich black finish was unfaded, carefully stored away from light. There were no cracks or strains. Even the silver loops secured in the fabric were polished until theyshone.
“What is it, Master?” Luciandaredask.
Marcus had not asked for his silence, so he did not punish him for speaking out of turn. Instead, he opened the first of the leather pieces and slid it over Lucian’s palm, securing it around his wrists. The strap pulled tight, then was threaded through a belt buckle and secured. His eyes met Lucian’s, and he watched Lucian stare in wonder at the cuff on his hand before he lookedMarcus’way.
“These are suspension cuffs, fledgling.” Marcus slid the second of the two cuffs across Lucian’s free hand, securing it in much the same way he had the first. “They’re yours to keep. They suit yousowell.”
Marcus surveyed his work, enjoying the way the leather contrasted Lucian’s pale skin. He ran his fingers along Lucian’s new jewelry, up along the cuff to the riveted flap by Lucian’s palms. Thick, stainless steel rings were secured in place at their ends,gleaming.
“Tonight they’re not going to be used how I best like to use them, but I have hopes that one day we might play together somewhere I can fix that.” Marcus caressed Lucian’s cheek, and Lucian nuzzled into his hand. “Get on the bed now. You know how I like to see you,don’tyou?”
“Yes,Master.”
Lucian took a small step back, but he hesitated before he turned. Wonder glimmered in his eyes, partnered with rapidly building trust. Lucian was still uncertain, but he was investing his faith where itbelonged.
InMarcus.
Marcus watched as Lucian climbed onto his bed on his knees. The modest globes of his ass gave way to the cleft between his cheeks. Hanging balls swung, hairless. Marcus hadn’t noticed before the attention Lucian invested in grooming his body, but he noticed it now. Lucian hadn’t only come back for him—he’d prepared his body for his Master’spleasure.
Lucian kept his ass in the air, his thighs apart so his cheeks spread naturally. As he presented himself, he lowered his torso to the bed, his arms looped beneath his head for support. For a while, Marcus allowed himself to watch. He drank in the sight of Lucian’s slender thighs and the shape of his ass, the dip of his spine and the lift of his shoulder blades. Lucian was a work of art, but Marcus wanted to sculpt himfurther.
From the bottom drawer he selected a collapsed metal bar. With practiced ease, Marcus slotted the bar back into place, elongating it. The click of metal snapping together flooded the quiet bedroom, and Marcus watched the bed to see if Lucian would look to see what washappening.
Hedidn’t.
Marcussmiled.
