Out of the Ashes (Trust Book 2)

by A M Raulerson

  “My stupid mouth gets me in so much trouble sometimes. I try not to say what I think, but sometimes it just comes out anyway. That’s what happened. I told him to go fuck himself. I didn’t see the razor still in his hand. It wasn’t until he stabbed the blade into my side, and sliced down towards my cock, that I knew he still had it. Fortunately, he never got the chance to finish castrating me. I screamed loudly and passed out. I never saw the door being broken in, or the cop tackling Mark. I never saw the looks on the cop’s or emergency people’s faces. But I didn’t have to. I saw it on the students faces when I tried to return to school. Part horror, sympathy, and curiosity.

  “I’d never really liked a whole lot of attention. Yes me. So get that look off your face.” Lucas’ chuckling eased some of the tension I was feeling.

  “Anyway, a friend, Jackson, consoled me, listening for days after I’d finally been released from the hospital. He told me something I’d never even considered. ‘Honey. If they want to see something, give ‘em something to really talk about. I know you hate all the looks you get because of what happened, but until you give them something to talk about, they’re going to talk about this. Well, then Honey, give them something to talk about.’” I was finally able to pull back from Lucas so I could see his face. I saw the tracks of his tears and wiped them away with a smile, but kept talking. Now that the story was out, I did feel better. But I needed to finish.

  “It took me a while to figure out what he meant, but when I did, I saw the wisdom in it. If I continued to hide away it would just keep getting worse, and weirder. The gossip mill was never nice if you didn’t feed it. I had an idea what I wanted to do, but there was no way I could do it by myself. So, of course, I called Jackson. It was his idea so I figured he should be there.

  “When I walked into this gothic looking Tattoo Parlor he stopped and told me he wasn’t going any further if I was thinking identical tattoos. Laughing at him, I told him this was the only place that does dermal piercing. I had never seen Jackson look so pale. ‘You’re doing what?’ I thought he was going to pass out right there. I had wanted it to be a surprise, but now I was thinking it was going to be a spectacular fail. He must have read something in my face because the next thing he did was squeeze my face between his hands and tell me. ‘I love you, and I want to be here for you, but Girl couldn't you have picked something without needles?’ Turning, he looked at this giant of a man standing behind the counter and told him, ‘My friend wants to be an idiot and pierce his body. I want to be there for support, but I don’t do blood. Think you can accommodate us?’ That big slab of meat looked Jackson in the eye and calmly told him he could. With a sexy wink added, he gestured for us to follow. Jackson turned to me and spoke quietly to me. ‘Maybe this won’t be as bad as I thought.’

  “As you can figure, Jackson and Lurch, whose real name was Erik, got along famously. I guess Erik was used to having to talk and pierce at the same time. He took the scar running down my abdomen and towards my groin and made it beautiful. The cut had come close to the Adonis line so with a little finagling he pierced so that you could still see the scar but now you notice the piercings more. He never asked who I was, but that was no surprise. My face had been plastered over every newspaper and newscast for weeks. I’m not sure how much money they’d made off my pain, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it, so why beat a dead horse. The only thing Erik asked was for Jackson’s phone number, and whether he was free for coffee sometime. They’re still together, what is it… thirteen years, I think. I see them when I can, but they’ve adopted two kids, so they’re all always busy.

  “Jackson was right though. Once I started talking to people, showing off my scar with the dermal piercings, they slowly but surely stopped asking. It also made me who I am today, not the stabbing, Jackson and his good ideas. I reached out, put myself out there, instead of being the quiet boy. I got more friends, went out more, got more courage. I learned to be the man I am, and to be happy with it. I like the man I am now. Yes, the stabbing had some effect, how could it not? It’s the reason, or one of them I should say, that I became a cop. I knew that I wanted to help people, but social work would have broken me. Police work? I knew as soon as it had been suggested to me by one of the faculty advisors, that it was what I wanted to do. My Mom threw a fit about me going into law enforcement. When I finally came out to them all she said was that it was about time.”

  I could feel the rumble of Lucas’ laugh with my hands still on his chest. I felt so much closer to him. I felt like I knew him, which was ridiculous, but it’s how I felt. I didn’t know what was going to happen between us. Only time would tell. But what I did know was that I finally felt like that awful box in my head had been opened. While the things inside it could still hurt from time to time, they wouldn’t be a gnawing, biting fear anymore.

  CHAPTER 4

  Lucas

  I couldn’t believe how strong Alexi was. Not just for what he went through, but for having the courage to reach out to me and tell me things he’d never talked about. As much as I needed him to know the story of my brother, he knew we both needed him to feel just as committed to this relationship.

  “You’re so much stronger than I gave you credit for. So much stronger than you probably give yourself credit for. You had help from your friend, but Alexi, you took that idea and ran with it. Don’t you see how amazing that is? To have the strength and wisdom to push past your pain and anxiety and step forward not backward?”

  “I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t see another way out except going to a different school, but I did have friends here and I didn’t want to leave really.” He was shaking his head, but I stopped it.

  “You could have left, or you could have quit. That would have been the easier road. You could have shut down or turned to drugs and alcohol, but you didn’t. You came out of the fire and built from it, like a Phoenix. Yes, the life you had before was gone, but you created a new one from the ashes. A better one, right?”

  I watched him give me a look, but then my words sank in and he thought about it. I could see the wheels turning. I didn’t know how long those thoughts would take him to figure out, but I did know that they would help. He would take my words and build on them. Much like he had Jackson’s.

  Alexi’s bright, bubbly twink act hid the strong, intelligent man that he was. I didn’t know how much of an act it was. It was probably a release for him, much like it was for a Dom. He no longer had to be in charge or the one who made the decisions. He had a reason to need that release and I would find that out in time. Alexi was like a flower. Maybe a little slow in opening, with many different petals. But when he finally opened up? He would be beautiful.

  Shifting his legs around so he straddled mine, I looked into his face. I’d seen it before, but I saw it in a new light now that we had shared some of our stories. Running my fingers over his high cheek bones, trailing them gently over his eyelids, and down to the tip of his nose. Tapping it gently so he would open his eyes, I smiled at him. A gentle smile, drawing out until it became a knowing one.

  “I think there might be one or two things that we’ve forgotten, Boy. Did I forget?”

  Reaching one hand behind my boy, I pushed the base of the plug in his ass, hearing his swift gasp of air.

  “No, Patron, you didn’t forget.”

  I chuckled and watched a flush climbed over those beautifully carved cheekbones. He was almost too pretty to be a boy right now, flushed face and long eyelashes spread across his cheeks. He was biting that sinfully pink bottom lip, causing the pink to darken the more he bit it and worried at it. Pulling it away from his teeth with my thumb, I loved the sigh he gave me.

  “I didn’t forget. Will you be following my rules then, Boy? Will you give yourself to me? Allow me to take care of you? I need to hear this from you, Boy. You will answer me aloud. No nodding, you must think about it and tell me. Once you decide we will go on from there.”

  I ran my thumb over his lips in time w
ith my pushing on the plug in his ass. Listening to his gasps, feeling them on my thumb, was a special type of torture for me. I wanted to jump in, take control, but Alexi wasn’t just a one night stand. He wasn’t someone I picked up from the club to scratch an itch. I wanted so much more than that from Alexi. I also knew that he got that. He knew this wasn’t just an undercover mission, or a relationship with an end date. I was asking for more and he knew it. I could feel it in the straightening of his spine. It needed to be consensual. It needed to be more for both of us, and the waiting was killing me. He seemed to take forever, but it was only moments.

  As he raised his eyes to look at me, I wonder what he saw? Would I be enough for him? I’m not the best looking man. I’m not short by any means but my stocky build gets more notice. If I had to give a description I would say rough and well worn. I keep my shoulder length dark hair in a tight queue at the base of my neck. It’s just long enough that the curl is weighed down, turning it into more of a wave. I rarely wear it down because it gets in the way.

  When I’m at the club, the full sleeve tattoos on both my arms, that climb up across my chest then up the left side of my neck, get more notice as well. You can see them hinted at in the dress shirts I wear to work. But my usual club gear of low cut, red leather pants and arm bands show them off with pride. I also have them running over my stomach and down my right thigh. It’s taken multiple visits to my tattoo artist, but they’re coming together.

  I don’t know if I’ll be enough to win the man I want. Alexi has all the things I love about a sub, but my needs are more than some can handle. I told him I wanted a long term, 24/7 Dom/sub relationship. That takes a lot of time and patience from both parties.

  What I loved the most about Alexi was the way he pushed. He skated as close to the edge as he could get. He’d be a handful, and he was exactly what I wanted.

  I saw the sinful arches across his Adonis lines. He must have had the other side done to match. He changed out the jewelry, and I never knew what color he’d wear or how low his leather boy shorts would ride. They must have been made specifically for him. They clung to his ass as if painted on, cupping him gently while riding very low on his abdomen. Leaving very little to the imagination.

  Looking back into his eyes, I saw the moment he decided. It made me stop breathing for a minute, but I didn’t need to panic after all.

  “I know what you need, Patron. I will follow your rules as closely as I can. I will place myself in your care. Willingly and freely.”

  I saw the color rise in his cheeks again. All I could do for a moment was trace the color there. I was blown away with the emotions slamming their way through me. Joy, fear, love and peace. They seemed to balance themselves quickly. Then I felt his hand rest on my cheek.

  “We’ll figure this out, Patron. I trust you, and that’s the best step forward I can make. You are my Patron, the man to take care of me, to punish me, to protect me. I am your Boy, Patron. If you want me.”

  The words were barely out of his mouth before I couldn’t control myself any longer. Closing my lips over his, I used my tongue to pry his mouth open. Running my tongue over his teeth and the roof of his mouth, memorizing the feelings, the texture. He let me do as I please. Not passively, but knowing I have to show my control, and he allowed it.

  Pushing again at the plug in his ass, I bit at his lower lip as he gasped and pushed against my chest, as he moaned. Letting go of his lip I sat back, slapped his ass hard and watched his eyes fly open. They were a darker shade of blue than usual. My Boy’s eyes changed when he was aroused. Now a shade closer to navy around the pupil. They were beautiful to look at and so very expressive.

  “Strip.”

  I watched as he stood in front of me, wincing a bit when he brushed against his nipple clamps. I knew he had sensitive nipples and they had to be throbbing by now. I reached out and pulled gently at the chain attached to both nipples. I loved the hiss he made at the pressure. I wanted him to enjoy the nipple play, but I knew they would be ultra sensitive after being clamped for so long.

  I had a naughty thought, loving it more and more as I watched him unbutton his jeans, dropping them to the floor. I leaned forward and found the scar, slowly tracing it with my tongue and gently massaging his cock through the tight boy shorts I’d picked out. These were just spandex, not his wonderfully sculpted leathers. I rubbed back farther and farther with my fingers until I reached the plug again.

  “You may not cum, Boy!”

  That was all the warning I gave him before I removed the clamp from his right nipple and slapped the plug harder when he moaned, making him cry out and raise onto his tiptoes. I knew it would be possible for him to cum like this. Maybe I’d let him, he had been a good boy. But I wanted him to come on my cock, wanted to feel him clench down on me when he came.

  “You have not stripped, Boy. I think you need punishment, most definitely. You’ve used profanity, and made me explain myself at the office. You’ve been racking up punishments and you need to clean your slate. I will not tell you again to strip.”

  I stood up and watched as he stripped the shorts off as fast as he could. I walked towards the staircase and turned towards him briefly.

  “Follow.”

  Walking up the stairs I heard him following quickly, his breathing elevated and louder now. I heard him moan as the chain still attached to his other nipple hit his dermal piercings, making me chuckle darkly. It would be a little while before that one came off.

  I turned into the second room on the left. The left side had two bigger rooms while the right had three smaller ones. The larger rooms had been part of the selling point for me. The first was the Master Bedroom, the second was my playroom. Looking at the door it showed nothing of what it held and looked like any regular bedroom door, but after buying the house, I’d had this room soundproofed. Removing the keys from my pocket I unlocked the door and turned to my Boy.

  “While in this room I am in control. Your behavior outside of this room will decide what you receive, but while in this room there will be no disobedience, no discussion. You will listen, you will trust, and you will obey my orders immediately. Is that understood, Boy?”

  I waited for him to answer, not going further until he did.

  “Yes, Patron. I understand.”

  Opening the door, I gestured for him to enter. Closing the door behind me I threw the bolt, locking us inside. I needed to know how he would react to being locked in. I saw no signs of fear or discomfort from the sound of the sliding bolt. Walking further into the room, I considered what I wanted. I had quite a collection of toys, always seeing something that looked like fun… for me that is. I had only brought a few subs to my home, but never here. I’d taken some toys out, but never brought them in here. This was a special place for the sub I would choose and I wanted it well stocked.

  Carefully thinking of what would bring my Boy the most pleasure, I glanced quickly over my collection of paddles and whips in the large walk-in closet. Seeing a short leather crop, I grabbed it along with a blindfold. I wanted my Boy’s complete attention.

  I was thinking of where to put him though. I had a St Andrew’s Cross, stockade, and different types of suspension chains. None of those things felt right. Looking at my bench I knew it was what I wanted. Walking back to my Boy, I placed the blindfold over his eyes. I smiled when I cupped his cheek and felt him lean into the contact. Leading him with a strong grip on his neck, I walked him to the bench.

  “First position, Boy. Step forward until you feel the bench.”

  Giving away a small bit of what was going to happen I felt my Boy relax that last bit. Following my directions, I placed the ankle cuffs on him. This bench was custom made. It had a leather saddle like area for him to lean on, but it had special extensions so his hands and body could be suspended forward or downward, depending on what I wanted. I laid him out as if he was laying across a bed, like earlier. There was nothing but open space, just bars with cuffs that could keep his hands far apart o
r directly above his head. Attaching both cuffs to his wrists, I chose to have them wide apart and pushed the button to retract the cord running to each extension. As they retracted, I helped to push my Boy down, listening to his gasping breath as he was pulled firmly into the position I wanted him in. This would cause him to hold himself up by tightening his abdominals and I heard when he was finally prone and he clenched down on the plug in his ass. He moaned loudly when I tapped the end that was visible now that he was in position.

  “I have a very active imagination, Boy. I created this room for you. You are the sub I’ve been preparing it for. I’ve got so many toys to show you, but it’s time for your punishments. Any transgressions will be dealt with immediately. Then we can... I can play.”

  Chuckling again, I watched the muscles play over my Boy’s back as he shivered. This position was difficult to hold for too long, muscles all over his body were trying to hold him up. I ran my hand gently over his back.

  “Use your arms, Boy. Relax into position, it’ll hurt if you stay that strained. Your arms will help and use your legs. You have to stretch for this position Boy.”

  I watched as he settled into a more comfortable position, not relying on his back and abdominal muscles as much. I watched as his muscles stretched and shivered, trying to find that comfortable position. I gently ran my hands over his back and the cheeks of his ass. I couldn’t help the desire to slap that round, perfect cheek, fondling a bit more than was necessary for comforting him. I watched and waited for him to settle.