Trusting Him

by L. M. Somerton

  Chapter Three

  As soon as he got back to his room, Skye stripped then stretched out on his bed. He stared at the cock cage for a long time before he dared to touch it. Just looking at it had the effect of making his shaft plump, then the metal rings pressed into his flesh, stopping his erection in its tracks. The frustration was delicious. Knowing that he couldn’t remove the device and that Luke held the key also turned him on. Fuck, why does this make me so horny? He was not going to be able to forget, or ignore, the constricting metal cage. It didn’t hurt, but its weight was noticeable. It was a little bit of Luke’s control that he had no choice but to carry with him.

  Skye climbed off the bed and explored his room. His new home was much more luxurious than he could have hoped, with a comfortable double bed and his own bathroom. Luke had told him that its most recent occupant, a houseboy called Rowan, had found love with one of The Retreat’s guests. Staring at the peaceful forest view out of the window, Skye took a deep breath. He didn’t dare wish for the same happy-ever-after for himself in case he cursed his chances. A small sigh of longing escaped him.

  This is my chance to work out what I want from my life. I’m not going to screw it up. He’d already discovered that stern, ex-military blonds with a fondness for chastity featured at the top of his wish list. Working out how to create a chink in Luke’s impenetrable armor would be his first challenge. The man’s rare smiles, his undivided attention, were worth fighting for. Skye would have to find the courage from somewhere to go after what he wanted.

  His stomach rumbled. Checking the time showed him he had been lost in his own thoughts for far too long. Luke would never trust him if he couldn’t even manage to be on time for dinner. Traveling had made him feel grubby so he took a quick shower before dressing in comfortable jeans and a plain navy-blue T-shirt. Vanity wasn’t one of his failings, but wearing dark colors did highlight his silver hair and unusual eyes. He pulled at a few stray strands, shoving them back into place. It had been five years since the incident that had contributed to his hair changing color and he found it hard to remember how he had looked when it had been its original dark brown. He sighed, the sadness still present but dulled by time. The past couldn’t be changed—it was time to look to the future.

  He only made two wrong turns on his way to the kitchen. The Retreat was a big house, corridors and staircases running in directions that seemed to make no sense. In the end, he followed the sound of voices and laughter and ended up in the right place. Meeting new people was not one of his favorite things so he held back, peeking through the doorway to observe the group of men gathered around an oblong oak table. Three of them were dressed in kitchen whites, the other three in casualwear similar to his own. There was no sign of Luke.

  Hunger was the only thing that convinced Skye to take a few steps into the staff room. Everyone stopped talking and stared at him. He was tempted to turn around and run, thinking of a scene in An American Werewolf in London where a couple of hapless tourists walked into an old pub. At least there were no arcane symbols on the wall.

  “Wow! You’re stunning.” The man that spoke had red hair, freckles and a cheeky grin.

  “Hardly an appropriate way to create a new colleague, Rayne. Come on in, Skye. Take a seat and I’ll introduce you to this rabble.” The second speaker was tall and intimidating.

  Skye sidled farther into the room. By the time he’d taken a seat, a mug of tea had been pushed in front of him. Wrapping his hands around it gave him something to do instead of making direct eye contact with anyone.

  “I’m Tor Halvorsen, the chef. These two reprobates are my kitchen assistants, Benjy and Frank.” Tor gestured to the two young men sitting either side of him. “I’m attempting to turn them into half-decent chefs. The idiot with the red hair and big mouth is Rayne, The Retreat’s chauffeur slash mechanic slash pain in my backside.”

  “Hi!” Rayne waved. “Welcome. We’re going to be great friends, I can tell.”

  “Last but not least, Fergus and Henry are our current houseboys. We don’t have any single men staying next week so they’ll be helping out wherever they’re needed. With ten men in residence there’s going to be a lot of errands to run.”

  “Hey.”

  “Hi.”

  Skye hoped he’d be able to remember their names. They all seemed welcoming and friendly, which was a relief. Tor had striking good looks and had to be a Dom from the way he took charge. He gave off the same commanding vibe that Luke did. Fergus and Henry were both very pretty and Rayne had a charming, if naughty personality. There was no one that Skye felt wary of—his first impressions were promising.

  “Now, it’s time to eat. No interrogating Skye, you lot. He’s only just arrived and I’m sure this is all a bit overwhelming. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other. You don’t need his entire life history in the first ten minutes.”

  Skye gave Tor a grateful smile. He sipped his tea and took surreptitious glances at the group of men around the table. Tor took Benjy and Frank into the kitchen to help plate their meal. Fergus and Henry chattered away, clearly already friends. Skye caught Rayne’s eye and got a wink in return. Rayne had mischief written all over him and Skye wished he had the same confidence. Apart from Tor, he guessed all the others were subs like him unless his first impressions were wrong—and that was a possibility. He knew better than to make assumptions based on the way people looked or even acted. He’d seen enough different men at The Underground to learn that much.

  There was a scraping of chairs as the men remaining around the table pushed them back and stood. It took Skye a moment to catch up with what was going on because he had his back to the door.

  “Good evening, Mr. Redding.” The singsong chorus of greetings gave him a clue. Luke had arrived. Hurrying to catch up with what he guessed was an evening ritual, Skye shoved his chair back to stand. Luke’s hands on his shoulders kept him in his seat.

  “Good evening, gentlemen. Please be seated.”

  Luke sat at one end of the table where he would be opposite Tor when the chef returned, with Skye to his left and Rayne to his right. The chatter resumed as Tor and his assistants brought several serving dishes into the room, placing them on mats in the center of the table. Silverware was already laid out along with a tumbler at each place setting. Skye breathed in the rich aromas coming from the dishes and his stomach rumbled.

  “It sounds like you’re ready to appreciate Tor’s cooking,” Luke said. “Did you get settled in your room?”

  Skye tried not to think about lying naked on his bed examining his cock cage. “Yes, thank you, Sir. It’s very comfortable.”

  “Good. After we’ve eaten, there’ll be a staff meeting to go over the specific requirements of next week’s guests. After that, I’ll see you in my office.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Skye wondered what Luke might want with him. He hadn’t yet had the chance to do anything wrong that he knew of. His worries were interrupted by the arrival of warm plates, which Benjy distributed. Tor took his seat while Benjy and Frank removed the covers from the serving dishes.

  “Everyone tuck in,” Tor instructed. “We don’t stand on ceremony here, Skye. Especially where food is concerned.”

  Skye still waited his turn, letting the others take their share. Then a steady stream of dishes was sent his way. Lamb and rosemary casserole was accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes, carrots and broccoli.

  “Take as much as you want,” Rayne advised. “Tor’s cooking is guaranteed to give you a tongue-gasm. You can also be sure that there’s extra back in the kitchen just in case we’re all super hungry tonight.”

  Skye gave him a shy smile and spooned a small helping of casserole onto his plate. “It smells wonderful.” He tucked into the food and flavors exploded across his taste buds. He moaned before he realized what he was doing, gaining a few knowing chuckles from around the table.

  “It’s a good job we all have access to the gym and the pool here or we’d all be humungous. N
ot that being big is a bad thing, I can appreciate the benefits of a cuddly bear pinning me down and—”

  “Rayne. Eat your food.” The threat in Tor’s voice was evident and Skye wondered if there was something going on between the handsome chef and the cheeky chauffeur. They’d make an interesting couple.

  With the main course finished and cleared away, Skye didn’t think he had room for anything else until Tor produced sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Steam rose from the glossy surface of the sponge, which had a layer of smooth, golden sauce all around it. There was extra-thick cream to go with it. Skye licked his lips in anticipation but only took a small portion.

  “Are you sure that’s all you want, Skye?” Frank asked.

  Skye nodded. “I don’t really have room, but I can’t resist. This is one of my favorite puddings.”

  “Mine too.” Frank served himself an enormous helping, slathering it in cream before tucking in with relish. “You’d be surprised how many calories you work off in a kitchen.”

  When he was finished, Skye pushed his dish away with a sigh. “That was one of the best meals I’ve had in ages.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Tor said. “There’s no better compliment for a chef.”

  Frank and Benjy cleared everything away before producing fresh mugs for everyone and an enormous cafetière of coffee. Once everyone who wanted one had a drink, Luke cleared his throat and the chatter subsided.

  “I just want a few words about next week’s guests before you all get a good night’s sleep. As you know, we have a group of ten coming in. Five couples, one of which is celebrating an anniversary. Each couple has chosen the theme for one of the five days that they are here. Tor will produce corresponding menus for the evening meals and Skye, Fergus and Henry will have specific costumes to wear each night. You’ll find the clothes in your wardrobes, labeled by date.”

  Skye hadn’t even unpacked his bags. He hadn’t had a chance to look in the wardrobe yet and wondered what the costumes might be like. It sounded like the incoming guests were determined to have a good time.

  “In order, the themes are sport, Brideshead Revisited, angels and devils, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a Roman slave auction. The guests are bringing their own outfits and the themes are just for the evenings. They’ll use the facilities as they see fit during the day.

  “I think most of you know Goran from The Underground—he’ll be joining us tomorrow to run the bar and wine cellar for the duration. Skye will be providing table and room service. Fergus and Henry will run errands, refresh the rooms, clean and stock the dungeon, the gym and the pool. I want you all to pre-empt our guests’ every wish. Now, are there any questions?”

  “You didn’t mention transport, Mr. Redding,” Rayne said.

  “Ah yes, thank you, Rayne. In addition to Rayne’s usual car, we have a limo service on call and a minibus available if the whole group wants to go out together. If any of you are asked to arrange transport anywhere, please relay the requests to Rayne and he’ll make appropriate arrangements.

  “I’d like the kitchen staff and Skye to report for duty at six-thirty each morning, when Tor will brief you all on the menu requirements of the day and any specials available. Skye, you’ll also be responsible for laying and clearing tables in the banqueting hall or anywhere else the guests wish to eat. Benjy, Frank and Tor will take it in turns to be on call for room service between midnight and six.”

  Skye raised his hand.

  “Yes, Skye?” Luke asked.

  “If someone could show me where everything I’ll need is stored…”

  “Of course. I should have thought about that. Tor, can you—”

  “Leave him with me once we’re done,” Tor said. “I’ll show him the ropes.”

  “You’ll show him the table linen and the glassware,” Luke growled.

  Tor beamed, apparently pleased at pushing Luke’s buttons. Skye glanced between them, his face heating. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble. He wondered if hiding under the table might be an option.

  Shaking his head, Luke sighed. “Let’s make this the best week these guys have ever had. Any problems, you know where I am.” He pushed his chair back. “Don’t forget, Skye. My office once Tor is done with you.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Luke made eye contact with everyone before he left the room.

  “He’s the dommiest Dom I’ve ever met,” Rayne announced. “Shame he’s not my type. Looks like you’re his, though, Skye. Are you and he—”

  “Rayne! Mouth closed or I’ll stick the biggest ball gag I can find in it.” Tor got up and Rayne followed his every movement. Skye conjectured the tall chef was exactly Rayne’s type because he didn’t seem at all fazed by Tor’s threat, more eager that Tor follow through. Rayne gave an overdramatic sigh. “Guess I should go polish the car then.”

  “You guess right. If I had my way, you’d be doing it naked.” Tor crooked his finger and beckoned Skye to follow him. Skye hid his grin as Rayne stuck his tongue out at Tor’s back before blowing Skye a kiss and departing.

  For the next half-hour, Skye did his best to memorize where everything was that he would need to lay the tables for various meals, from simple sandwich lunches to banqueting and parties. As they went, Tor reassured him that there was no problem with him asking questions.

  “I’m well aware that you’re going to have a lot on your hands for someone who’s brand-new here and still finding his way around. Don’t be afraid to ask. There are no stupid questions, okay? I’d much rather you asked than got into a panic about getting everything right. I don’t expect perfection on the first day.”

  Though nervous, Skye was confident that he’d be able to manage. Working in a very busy, top-class restaurant had given him nerves of steel when it came to juggling the requirements of demanding customers. He resolved to take his time, not panic and ask questions when he needed to.

  “Thank you, Mr. Halvorsen. I appreciate the tour.”

  “Well, I’ll see you in the morning at six-thirty. It’ll be your job to lay the table for the staff’s breakfast, and serve it. It will be good to get your hand in with a few friendly faces and, unlike with the guests, you can give the cheeky ones a clip round the ear. Or, in Rayne’s case, ask me to do it. Now, I think Mr. Redding is expecting you in his office so you’d best get along. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

  Skye didn’t need to be told twice. He scurried from the kitchen to Luke’s office where he found the door ajar. He raised his hand to knock.

  “Come in, Skye.” Skye lowered his hand, wondering how Luke had known he was there. He hadn’t made much noise crossing the carpeted floor. He shrugged then pushed the door open. Luke sat behind his desk, paperwork spread out in front of him. He had on a pair of black-rimmed glasses that made him appear even sterner than usual. Skye gulped even as his cock jerked with excitement inside its metal prison. He’d always had a thing for men in glasses.

  “Did Tor tell you everything you needed to know?”

  “Yes, Sir. I just hope I can remember it all.”

  “I’m confident that you will.” Luke gave Skye an intense stare. “You don’t need training in how to be an excellent server, but there is plenty for you to learn if you want to be an equally good submissive.”

  Skye ducked his head. “Yes, Sir,” he murmured.

  “Lean forward and put your hands on the edge of the desk for balance.”

  As he was standing about a foot in front of the desk, bending over put Skye in a particularly vulnerable position. Luke rose from his chair and moved to stand behind him. “I believe that regular discipline is essential in training a submissive. Some men prefer to start the day with a reminder of who is in charge of a relationship. My preference is to end the day that way. You’ll have the rest of the evening and all night to contemplate how you feel. For the purposes of your training, your discipline will consist of a single stroke of the cane. Any questions?”

  “No, Sir.” The words ca
me out in a rush. Skye didn’t want anything he said to stop what Luke was about to do. If it wasn’t for the chastity device, Luke’s words alone would have made Skye come.

  “Keep still.” Luke pressed close behind him, reaching around his body to undo his fly. He pulled Skye’s jeans down his thighs, taking his underwear along for the ride. Skye shivered with excitement, eager to feel the kiss of the cane on his bare flesh. He craned his neck to watch as Luke fetched a flexible black cane from its resting place on a bookshelf. He didn’t reprimand Skye for trying to see what was going on.

  “One stroke.”

  There was a slight whistling sound as the cane broke a path through the air. When it struck, the bite of pain made Skye yelp. A line of fire ignited across both his arse cheeks and he desperately wanted to reach back and rub away the hurt. He kept his position, muscles clenching.

  “You may pull up your clothes,” Luke said after giving Skye’s backside a pat. He laid the cane on his desk and resumed his seat behind it, his face betraying no emotion.

  The rub of fabric against his sore skin made Skye wince. He couldn’t wait to get back to his room and try to see the mark Luke had made, but Luke hadn’t dismissed him so he stood still, hands clasped behind his back.

  “We’ll end each evening this way,” Luke said. “Any punishments you earn during the day will be added to the number of strokes you receive. Have you decided on a safe word?”

  “With everything that’s been going on, Sir, I haven’t had the chance to think about it. I’m sorry.” Skye wondered if he had just earned his first punishment.

  “There’s no need to apologize. You’ve had a busy day and there’s a lot to take in. I didn’t give you a firm timescale. I’ll expect you to have chosen the word by tomorrow evening. Now, you should try to relax and get a good night’s sleep. You have to be up early in the morning and it’s going to be a hectic—the first day with a new set of guests is always demanding.”