Joe straightened up, a length of silver chain in his hand.
“That’s a c-c-collar.”
“Clever boy,” Joe murmured, but his focus was all on the clasp he was undoing. “Come here.”
Scott hesitated for a moment, glancing toward the security guys at the back door, but no, what Joe thought of him was far more important than anyone else’s opinion could ever be. Scott lowered himself onto his knees in front of Joe’s chair; presenting his neck at what he hoped would be the most appropriate way.
Joe hadn’t suggested Scott should wear a collar. He hadn’t asked Scott’s opinion. Scott was well aware that Joe had made the decision long before either of them had reached the club that night. It probably hadn’t even occurred to Joe that Scott should be consulted.
Scott smiled to himself. Joe’s read on the situation couldn’t have been better. Being presented with the final decision suited Scott right down to the ground and added an extra layer of perfection to the situation.
The collar clicked into place at the back of Scott’s neck. “Done.”
Joe tucked a knuckle under Scott’s chin and encouraged him to look up. With his other hand, Joe caught hold of the collar. Was that what the collar was all about, Scott wondered, an easy way for Joe to hold onto him and control his movements? Some of the porn stars Scott had seen online had used collars that way, but—
“It means you belong to me,” Joe said, as their eyes met.
Scott stared up at him, shocked by how deadly serious Joe looked. It was obviously far more than a convenient handle to him.
“It means you’re my submissive and I’m your dominant. It means you’re answerable to me, and that, in a slightly different way, I’m answerable to you, too.”
“Yes, s-sir.” Scott couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I own you, and I’m responsible for you. Your job is to obey me, and mine is to make sure I issue the right orders.”
Scott swallowed. “Yes, s-sir.”
“Whatever happens, from this moment on, this collar doesn’t leave your neck for any reason.” He frowned slightly, as if something had just occurred to him to make him think that wasn’t as wonderful a statement as Scott thought it was.
Scott held his breath as he waited for Joe’s final verdict.
“If you have to have an x-ray, or something, I’ll get you a temporary replacement that’s not metal.” Joe nodded, as if very pleased to have solved that problem. “Either way, you’re going to wear some version of my collar for the rest of your life—and I’ll be right there to make sure you do.”
Scott wished there was something suitable for him to say in response, but the only words in his head were those Joe had just said to him. They swirled through his mind, filling every part of his psyche. There was no room for other thoughts or for words that were Scott’s own.
“Yes, s-sir,” was all he managed to say.
“I won’t insist that everyone in your life knows you’re kinky,” Joe said, his voice and his expression as serious as ever. “It can just be a silver necklace as far as the vanilla people are concerned. But, any man who knows about leather will know what it is. He’ll know that you’ve been claimed, that he has no right to even smile at you without my permission; and I’ll never consider that to be anything other than a good thing.”
“Yes, s-sir.”
Scott’s words were little more than whispers now, but Joe continued confidently.
“You’re mine. Never doubt that.”
Scott nodded again. “Yes, s-sir.”
Joe’s seriousness slowly drained away to be replaced with a grin. “Good boy.” He bowed his head and brought their lips together.
Scott didn’t hesitate to close his eyes and give himself up to the kiss. He had the strangest feeling that, in a dingy room in the back of a leather bar, with only two nicotine-addicted bouncers as witnesses, he’d just got married to Joe.
You’ll wear this collar for the rest of your life.
Until death do us part.
A wedding ring by any other name…
Scott whimpered into the kiss and tried to make himself a little taller so he was more easily accessible. Joe tugged at Scott’s collar in response, encouraging him to strive up into the kiss even while he remained on his knees.
