Arslan nodded.“And are we to be told where you’re going?”
“No.”Ellery added nothing to the answer.It was complete as it stood, and he’d be damned if he’d take his politeness so far he actually ended up apologising for doing what he thought was best for his sub.
Standing up, Ellery stepped back from the table.Kefir, having finally been cured of the idea Ellery would be pleased with him for moving his chair around behind him, walked to the door at his side.Ellery opened it for him and ushered him through.“I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
The little lion left without protest.
“You’re taking him to a leather club,” Arslan said, as Ellery closed the door behind Kefir.
“Yes.”
“The same one we met at?”
“Yes.”And that seemed to Ellery to be more than enough information to offer up.He turned back to the door, eager to follow Kefir up the stairs and get his plans under way.
“Does that impress human submissives?”Arslan asked, as Ellery took hold of the door handle.
Ellery turned back and raised an eyebrow in query.
“Acting like an unpleasant child and refusing to answer a simple question?”Arslan clarified.
Ellery‘s lips twisted into a little smile.“Lions don’t understand the concept of offering their subs surprise treats then?That’s a pity.Perhaps you should have Ryland explain the idea to you one day.It might be a habit he’d enjoy seeing you acquire.”And, with that, he closed the door behind him, quite pleased with the look on Arslan’s face.
Upstairs, he found Kefir sitting cross legged on their bed, staring intently at the bag Ellery had left there.
“There’s a lock on your backpack, sir.”
“And how exactly did you discover that?”Ellery asked.
Kefir looked from him, to the little padlock and back again.There wasn’t the slightest hint of guilt or guile in him.He genuinely didn’t seem to have any idea what his master was teasingly accusing him of.
Ellery ruffled the kitten’s hair as he took a seat on the bed next to him.Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his keychain and unlocked the fastening.“I brought some things for us to wear when we go out tonight.”
Kefir leaned forward, apparently eager to see.But he wasn’t going to be that lucky, not yet.
Ignoring the larger compartment, Ellery only undid the smaller pocket on the side of the bag and took out a solitary length of chain and leather.Lead in hand, Ellery locked the bag back up.
Kefir watched Ellery’s every movement, appearing curious and clueless in equal measure as Ellery turned to him and clipped one end of the lead onto the loop on his collar.
The little lion trailed his fingers down the length of it, all the way to where the leather handle rested in Ellery’s palm.He seemed to examine every link in turn, as if one of them might hold the key to all the mysteries in the universe.
Rising to his feet, Ellery picked up his bag and stepped back from the bed.A little tug on the lead brought Kefir to kneel on the edge of the bed.
“You said we were going to change our clothes, sir?”
“Yes—but not until we get there.”
Kefir seemed to accept that decision with the same calm he accepted almost all of Ellery’s announcements.He walked neatly at his master’s side on the lead, never once letting the chain grow taut between them, as they made their way down the stairs.
He only hesitated when they stepped out of the house and came face to face with Ellery’s bike.
“Ever ridden?”Ellery asked, although he already had a fair idea of the answer.
Kefir shook his head.
“Easiest thing in the world.All you have to do is hold on tight to me.I’ll take care of everything else.”
He didn’t seem the least bit scared as Ellery put a helmet on him and arranged both them and the backpack safely on the bike.Pulling out of the drive, Ellery raised a hand in farewell, well aware that they were being observed from the one of the windows.
