Saving Sebastian: A Catharsis Novel (Custos Securities Series Book 3)

by Luna, David

  A small smile made its way to Gideon’s lips. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed, because I want him to be held accountable, but I can work on that angle myself. You’ve thought about it and you’ve made the best decision for you. I’ll make some calls and he’ll be released.”

  Sebastian sat, staring at Gideon in shock. “You’re not going to try to change my mind or push me to do it?”

  Gideon shook his head and answered, “No. You’re an adult, your reasons are sound, and it’s your choice. I’m going to go and make some calls, though. I’ll let the police know you’re not pressing charges. I never gave them your name to begin with, so we’ll see if we can avoid using it at all. I’m going to make sure that the friend who brought him in, and the asshole himself, are blacklisted from BDSM clubs, both locally and statewide. Once we know there’s an abuser posing as a Dom, the community closes its ranks to protect our own. Are you feeling all right? Do you need anything before I go?”

  “I’m fine. I don’t need anything. Thank you, Sir.”

  Gideon stood and held his hand out to Sebastian, who took it and stood at Gideon’s silent command. “You’re welcome.” Gideon clasped his chin in his hand, and then rubbed his thumb back and forth over that full lower lip, again. Stepping back, he pulled out his wallet. “Here’s my card. Put my number in your phone and call me if you need anything. Think about what you want out of a contract with me, boy. Download the standard contract from the Catharsis app so you have a starting point. I’ll be in touch in a few days to discuss it.”

  Sebastian took the card, his hand trembling a bit. He glanced back up and nodded, thanking him again. Gideon made his way out of Sebastian’s place and glanced at his phone when it vibrated at an incoming call. Clenching his jaw, he hit the power button to ignore the call but made another one immediately.

  “Zavier, I need you to take that video and blur out everything that identifies Sebastian and send it to me. Sebastian won’t press charges, so the guy will be out on the streets soon. I want to make it harder for him to slip into clubs like mine and continue to assault subs. I’m going to call the chief right now to let him know what’s going on so that we don’t have cops asking too many questions about Sebastian.” Gideon paused as his brother responded, pulling out his keys. “Yeah. Perfect. Thanks. I also need to take a trip to finish that job I recently handled, so I’ll be out of touch for a few days. Thanks, man.”

  Ending the call, he got on his bike and took off for home, frustrated that he needed to tie off the loose end before it started to unravel further, but knowing he didn’t have a choice.

  THE HOUSE WAS RELATIVELY NON-DESCRIPT compared to those surrounding it. The neighborhood—well established, with immaculate landscaping—was full of large ranch style homes. The landscaping was meticulous, though Gideon thought it rather understated compared to the neighboring houses.

  Knowing everything about that was purposeful, Gideon had to hand it to the man, he was nothing if not methodical, even in his choice of real estate. The anger Gideon felt towards him dissipated a bit, once he was face to face with those idiosyncrasies. A soft spot he’d forgotten he had for his former submissive came to the forefront of his mind upon remembering the man’s almost pathological need for secrecy, order, and privacy.

  The one thing that had drawn Gideon’s attention, on his first visit, was the gate surrounding the property. Made to look relatively benign so that it fit in with the others close by, it boasted hidden cameras and extensive security measures. It stretched its way across the driveway, keeping unwanted vehicles from getting too close, and continued around back, surrounding a pool, flanked by dark brown wide-plank composite decking. Everything surrounded by a dense wall of tall, orderly arborvitae that bordered the fence and was pruned within an inch of its life.

  A simple call to one of Zavier’s men at Custos took care of the pressing problem of bypassing the high-tech security system. He’d tested it out the day before, when he’d searched the house thoroughly. His findings disturbing him, making him realize his fears had been justified. The home was meticulously organized with an utter unlived-in feel that had him thinking the worst.

  It was around 5:30 p.m. The neighborhood was alive with people returning from their busy days. Gideon had rented the same model Range Rover Autobiography that he owned, as it would fit into the neighborhood without drawing any undue attention. He parked right out in front of the house and pulled out his military duffle. A woman glanced his way as she pulled into her driveway. He waved and got a flirty little wave in return. He went so far as to open the mailbox and pull out the mail, tucking it under his arm. He headed up the walkway and made as if to fish out a set of keys, which was really a few lock picking tools.

  He had the door open in less than a minute and was inside the house a moment later. He sent one last wave to the woman who was still watching him as he closed the door. Deactivating the alarm, he whistled a tune as he walked into the kitchen and dropped the mail on the countertop and gathered some stuff from the fridge that would grill up nicely for dinner.

  Tossing his dinner on the grill, he stripped down to his boxers and dove into the pool. He swam laps and checked on his food, ravenous by the time it was ready. Halfway through his meal, he sensed someone behind him. “Put down the gun, Boone.” He cut another piece of steak. “Thank you for the meal, by the way. Great marinade on the rib-eye.”

  Savoring the piece he just put in his mouth he smiled as he heard an angry growl behind him. “What the fuck are you doing here, Gideon? You were supposed to show up at my office three days ago. You fucked with my case and I need that report. I need everything you were able to get before you fucked me over with your vigilante bullshit. I’ve been scrambling with my superiors to come up with an excuse for Alan’s death. If I don’t—”

  “I think there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, Boone.” Polishing off a bite of sweet potato, he pushed his chair back and grabbed his beer. Taking another pull from the bottle, he leaned back and swiveled the chair to face his former submissive and CIA handler. “I no longer work for the Special Operations Group of the CIA. That means that doing the CIA’s bidding is no longer part and parcel of my daily life.”

  “Look, I get it, but—”

  As if Boone hadn’t spoken, Gideon continued, “You made a mistake dragging my brother’s company into your business. You won’t utilize members of my family to get to me ever again. Custos Securities is not in the business of government sanctioned black ops. Not because they can’t, but because they won’t. Zavier took that meeting because he knew I had a right to turn you down or accept your proposition myself. He will not afford you the luxury of coming into his world ever again. That was an asinine bridge to burn.”

  Boone crossed his arms defensively over his chest. “All right, I get it, Gideon. What do you want from me? The only way I knew I could get your attention was by going through Zavier. The upper echelons are scrambling. This syndicate is out of control. We need to take it down and you fucked up! The unsanctioned hit isn’t going over well! I need to pull you back in for a debrief. I need you to meet with my superiors, and we need to strike while we’ve got the upper hand.”

  Ignoring him, Gideon shook his head. “Don’t make that mistake a second time, Boone. My family stays out of it. You’ve pushed too far this time.”

  Boone threw his hands in the air. “Jesus, come on! Who cares about that? I did what I had—”

  Gideon stood slowly, his steely eyes burning bright, causing Boone to stop talking. Gideon leaned in, his voice lowering an octave. “I care. I care that you came unbidden back into my life and used my family to do it. Never again, are we clear?”

  “Gideon—”

  “Are we fucking clear?”

  Gideon was surprised when Boone’s body gave in involuntary shiver like it was responding to the tone Gideon used, and not his words.

  “Yes, S… Gideon.”

  Gideon was concerned that Boone reacted so swiftly to his aut
horitative voice, wanting to call him Sir. How long had it been since he scened, to have such a visceral reaction to something so simple as Gideon’s tone? To figure that out, he’d have to shut down the business conversation first. “Let’s table this discussion until later.”

  Boone shook his head and huffed. “Gideon, this is my work we’re talking about here. I need that information.”

  Gideon softened his tone. “Boone, you know I wouldn’t be here unless I had what you need for your superiors. But I think we have more important things to discuss. Shop talk will wait until this evening.”

  Boone sighed, obviously not looking forward to Gideon checking in on that part of his life. “Fine.”

  Gideon lifted his brow at the disrespectful petulance coming from Boone. He nudged the man’s chin up until Boone met his gaze and he spoke quietly but sternly to get things moving in the right direction. “Do you want to try that again?”

  Boone shuddered and sucked in a breath. “Yes, Sir.”

  “There you go. Now, are you hungry, pet?”

  A slow, shaky breath eased from Boone’s lips, the final switch having been flipped with the use of the submissive endearment. “I’d rather serve you first. May I heat it up for you, Sir?”

  “Thank you, yes. On the grill, please. Not in the microwave.”

  “I remember, Sir.”

  “Take care of it, and while the food is on the grill, present yourself properly to me.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Gideon waited for the natural fluidity he was used to seeing when Boone was in submissive mode. It had been absent from the man just minutes before, so he hoped it would return once he was put in his place. However, as he went about heating up Gideon’s food, it didn’t show and the man seemed to be searching for it, unable to find it. A sadness came over Gideon and he hoped his assumption was wrong, but he had to ask. “Pet, when did you last scene?”

  Boone stilled all movement and then his shoulders slumped, answering Gideon’s question. “You don’t have to worry about me, Sir.”

  Gideon knew they couldn’t go any further until they specified their terms. “Boone, while I’m here, do you agree to adhere to our previous contract’s stipulations as my temporary submissive? We won’t go any further, if you don’t. I want to help you, but if you’re unwilling, I won’t force you.”

  Gideon watched as Boone took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “Yes, Sir. I agree.”

  “Do you have our old contract at hand?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Get it please, and a pen.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Gideon saw him glance at the grill. “I’ll take care of it, pet. Go.”

  Gideon flipped the steak and Boone was back in less than a minute. Gideon sat and wrote out a quick temporary addendum stating that they would both adhere to the previous contract’s stipulations while he was with him temporarily. They both signed it and he handed it back to Boone.

  “So, with the contract being a healthy reminder, what happens when I ask you a question?”

  “You expect an immediate answer.”

  “That’s right. So, I’ll ask again. When did you last scene?”

  Boone sighed and answered, “It’s been a while, Sir.”

  “You’re trying my patience, pet.”

  Boone sighed. “I honestly can’t recall, Sir. It’s been some time. Don’t worry. There have been several scenes since you left.”

  “How many is several?”

  Gideon saw Boone’s grip on the grilling tongs tighten as he moved his food back on the flames. “Around ten?”

  “You’re asking me? More than ten or less than ten?”

  “Less than ten.”

  “I’ve been gone for five years.”

  “I’m aware, Sir.”

  “In all that time, you’ve scened less than ten times and had no other contracts?”

  “Yes. I… I have issues with trust.”

  Gideon sighed and rubbed his hand over his stubbled jaw. “I’m aware, pet. When I asked you before I left if you were in love with me, you told me no. Were you telling me the truth?”

  Boone turned swiftly, eyes wide, meeting his gaze. “Yes, Sir. I swear. It’s just…” His gaze returned to the ground. “I tried. It just never felt right.”

  Gideon watched Boone’s shoulders slump again and his heart went out to him. No matter what went on between them professionally, Gideon would always set everything aside to be what a sub needed and at that moment, the sub needed him. “I’m going to call someone—”

  “No! Sir, please. I’m dealing with it.”

  Gideon stood taller, crowding the sub. “Present yourself to me. Now.”

  Boone turned and dropped the tongs on the counter and was on his knees in seconds. His legs were spread shoulder width apart, hands on his thighs, palms up, head forward, and eyes cast down. His stance was nearly perfect and Gideon could see that as nervous as he was, he was also reveling in his submission. He tapped his finger on the middle of the sub’s back and Boone instantly squared his shoulders. “Why did my words have bite?”

  “I interrupted you, Sir.”

  “How many of my rules have you broken in the last ten minutes?”

  Boone paused, thinking. “Three, Sir.”

  “List them, please.”

  “I did not treat you with respect. I did not answer your question immediately. And I interrupted you.”

  “You have been too long without a scene if you are behaving in such a manner. This is not how I trained you, Boone. We’ll discuss punishment later. If I were you, I would be paying very close attention to my behavior tonight. Please stand and make sure you aren’t burning my dinner.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He got quickly to his feet and checked on the food. Gideon sat, contemplating the evening ahead. They had much to discuss, but he wasn’t about to let business be the only thing being dealt with that night. Moments later his food was back in front of him, freshly heated and smelling wonderful. Boone kneeled in resting pose to his right.

  After several bites he paused to glance at Boone. Knowing it had probably been hours since he’d eaten, he cut a succulent piece of meat and placed it at Boone’s lips, which dutifully remained closed. Boone only opened his lips and took the bite when Gideon said, “Eat, pet.”

  He spent the remainder of his meal sharing bites with Boone. When he was done, he pushed his chair back and stood. Boone didn’t move a muscle, his training having finally, fully kicked in. “You may stand. I’m going to go take a nice long shower. You can fix yourself something, if you’re still hungry.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Boone stood.

  When Boone bent to clean up the mess from the table, Gideon stilled his hand on the dinner plate. “Pet, did I ask you to clean up?”

  Boone shook his head. “No, Sir.”

  “You will leave the mess. Fix yourself something to eat. When you have done so, and eaten, come see me. Do I make myself clear?”

  Nodding, Boone said, “Yes, Sir.”

  Gideon grabbed his duffle and walked into the house. He took his time, knowing that Boone had to still be hungry and would feed himself and seek him out immediately, hoping he’d be permitted to clean up. When he was done with his shower and dressed more comfortably in loose fitting basketball shorts and a fitted t-shirt, he placed a call to an old friend.

  The familiar deep voice answered. “Hello?”

  “Connell.”

  “Gideon?” Surprise laced his response.

  “Yes. How are you?”

  Connell let out a low rumbling chuckle. “I’m doing well. This is a wonderful surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  Gideon smiled. “I might need to call in a favor.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Are you still located in D.C.?”

  “I am.”

  “Are you… encumbered?”

  Connell paused on the other end of the line. “I’m not.”

  “Are you… relu
ctant to become so?”

  Another pause and then a slow exhalation. “I’m not.”

  Gideon couldn’t tell if Connell’s reactions were wary or interested. “If I gave you an address, would you have time to drive to McLean in the next day or so?”

  “I can make time. What am I walking into, Gideon?”

  “I have a pet in need. He was my sub over five years ago. We were not in love, we were colleagues that fell into a…comfortable contract, I guess you could say. I didn’t know he was struggling, but I should have checked and that’s on me.”

  “Gideon, I know you well enough to know that you didn’t just carelessly walk away.”

  Gideon grunted. “Be that as it may, he didn’t utilize the resources I arranged for him. He’s not seeking what he needs because he feels as if he’s unable to build trust. Because of the sensitivity of your career, I believe that you may be a good fit for him, as he would have similar issues and be unable to discuss his work with his Dom.”

  After a pause, Gideon heard Connell audibly exhale, knowing the man was allowing him to hear it finally made him feel like he’d made the right choice. “I would be happy to meet with you both.”

  Connell’s response relieved some of the stress he’d heaped upon himself when he’d realized his former pet had been struggling. “How does dinner tomorrow evening sound?”

  “It sounds good. Though I won’t be able to make it out that way until around seven p.m.”

  “That should be fine. Connell, please understand, I’m not trying to be a matchmaker here. What I need to find is a Dom he can trust. He’s adrift and needs a guiding hand from someone able to give him the time he needs. If you don’t have time to dedicate to a needy pet that denies that neediness at every turn, please tell me now.”

  “I have the time.”

  “Good, I think you’ll be a good fit for him. When I ended our contract I thought of you, but you were in your own contract so I never made contact.”