The Protector

by Jessie G.

  A small smile tugged at his lips. “I’m allowed to curse?”

  “Honestly, this one was the most confusing for me to explain. You hold yourself to a very interesting standard and I get it. At sixteen, on your own, the people who were supposed to stop you from making stupid mistakes suddenly left you floundering. Through no fault of their own, I get that too, but it doesn’t change it. Without question, you are a good, respectful human being who, by his own admission, rarely even curses in his own head. The rules are no longer your burden. Skewed though they might be, live by my rules for six weeks. If it’s not working for you, we’ll adjust.”

  Kyle toyed with the paper, no doubt trying to reconcile it with what he thought he knew of the lifestyle. “There is nothing standard about this contract, is there? I mean…I guess I thought…”

  The words trailed off in doubt. “You thought I wanted to control you—the way you dress and act, how you spend your time and money, who you can and cannot have in your life—is that closer to what you thought this lifestyle was about?”

  “Well…I don’t know exactly. I have seen some contracts…when I started dipping my toes in the leather scene I did some research.” Kyle peeked over and flushed. “Online.”

  “Ah, is there a Wikipedia site or was Google your reliable resource?” Saul laughed when Kyle’s embarrassed flush reached his ears. “It looks like I need to do some research, see what’s got you blushing like that. Kyle, Pup, I don’t want any of that. It would be an insult to the man you are, the man you built yourself up to be. I don’t want to strip any of that from you. And in reality, there is no standard contract. Some couples have agreements, some just make promises, and some are just that in tune with each other.”

  “Like you and Javi.”

  “And like you and I will be, hopefully, at the end of six weeks. This is just a tool to get us where we both want to be, an agreement to take the time to discover who we are together.” Kyle caught his bottom lip between his teeth and reread the document. The downside of trying to learn about the lifestyle online or even in a leather club was that you only saw one side and might never be exposed to all the possibilities. “Do you think I don’t see the longing in your eyes when you watch Javier tune himself to me, or when we walk out the door in the morning, leaving you to your own resources? Forget what you think you know. You’ll never refer to me as Master or Sir, I’ll never demand that you bow your head, and I will never beat you. Those trappings aren’t what you need.”

  Kyle nodded slowly. “Without rules or titles, you control Javier entirely and that you choose to do it with gentle hands doesn’t change the totality of it, I get that.”

  “Earlier I said that you needed to take the time to think about what you want from me, and from yourself. Do you know why that’s important?” Kyle took a second to think about it before shaking his head. “Because I want a lifetime of meeting your needs, not because some piece of paper dictates that I do, but because we’re both committed to making that happen together.”

  Kyle stood and laid the paper flat on the desk. “Do you have a pen?”

  Chapter 35

  Kyle

  “Come here, Pup.” They signed the document and Saul slipped it in an envelope before putting in a drawer. Now, as he walked around the desk, Kyle marveled at how light he felt. Making the decision to come back had been an easy one. His mind and body had been in total agreement, and he knew his heart was seriously interested. The subsequent three weeks had been a crazy ride and in many ways more fulfilling than the whole of his twenty-eight years, but something had been missing.

  “Strip and put your folded clothes on the chair by the bathroom.” Saul watched him remove his clothes, folding each piece as he was told. The touch of approval in Saul’s eyes warmed him. “If I bring you in here or our playroom, or send you to either to wait for me, I expect you to strip immediately and kneel with your hands behind your head, knees shoulder width apart.”

  “You want me to kneel?” The agreement didn’t hold a candle to this demand. Javier told him on a number of occasions that Saul would never accept that prostrated position, not from either of them, and he’d seen that abhorrence for himself.

  “Are you refusing, Pup?”

  Kyle flushed and could have kicked his own ass. Two seconds in and he was already screwing up. “No, of course not, I was just shocked by your request.”

  “Shocked or not, kneel.” Saul rose as he dropped to his knees and assumed the position as directed. “Chest out, head up, eyes on me at all times, and do not rest on your heels. This is a form of display and can be done standing or kneeling.”

  Saul walked around him slowly, humming a note of approval and he felt himself blushing. Suddenly he felt barer than he’d ever been in his entire life. It was both scary and exhilarating. “My pretty Pup, look at how hard you are already.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited.” Of course he was turned on; this was every fantasy come true and more. Kyle was pretty sure he was hard when he saw the lock on the door.

  “Puppies tend to be reckless balls of energy. If not properly trained, they can become out of control. The first step in that training is earning the pups trust enough that he’ll wear your collar. Lift your chin.” Saul sat and Kyle watched in fascination as he pulled a thin leather collar affixed with a metallic tag from the drawer. “The tag tells anyone who finds my puppy who he belongs to. The hope, of course, is that my puppy never wanders so far from my side that he’ll be lost. Will you wander, Pup?”

  “Never.” Holy fucking shit balls! Based on what Javier told him, he believed that a collar was lower on Saul’s list than kneeling, but even without their agreement, he didn’t need to ask what was different. He was the difference. Saul slipped the collar around his neck and he bowed his head to make it easier to fasten. “I would never wander from your side.”

  “I know you’ll be good, Pup.” Saul tipped his chin up again, admiring the collar around his neck. The lust was there, the darkness, but the old pain lingered around the edges. If nothing else came out of this simple strip of leather, Kyle hoped that Saul could at least put that demon to rest. “The second step in training is teaching the puppy how to walk on a leash and stay at his owner’s side. This is called walking to heel. In the clubs I’m sure you’ve seen subs walking a step behind their Doms, right?”

  It wasn’t something he really paid attention to. Foolishly he focused on the playrooms, believing wrongly that being able to accept pain would make him more attractive to a dominant man. It was a wonder Saul hadn’t laughed at his pitiful knowledge. “Now that you mention it, yes, I do remember seeing that.”

  “That doesn’t work for me. Outside these doors you’ll continue to stay where I can see you so that I know you’re safe. Is that understood, Pup?”

  “Yes, absolutely, I love holding your hand when we walk.” Though he knew it was a simple thing, it didn’t change the fact that when they walked hand in hand he felt part of something. Part of them.

  “I know you do.” From the drawer, Saul pulled out a leather leash and affixed one end to his collar. “In here, my pretty Pup, you will learn to obey the leash just the way you obey my hand when it’s holding yours. Let it guide you and know that it’s just an extension of me.” To illustrate, Saul tugged the leash down, encouraging him to bend forward. “Hands and knees now.”

  Kyle complied and Saul tugged him forward until he was crawling between Saul’s legs. Once he was about three quarters through, Saul stopped him with a short tug on the leash. A strong hand stroked over his ass before landing a sharp slap. “Saul!”

  “Relax, Pup, you did nothing wrong.” Saul soothed the spot. “Now tell me if you still believe you want pain in our play.”

  Kyle focused on the sting on his ass. The slap wasn’t especially hard, more surprising than painful, and there was an interesting warmth that followed that wasn’t exactly unpleasant. The most disappointing result was that instead of increasing his pleasure,
his erection had diminished noticeably. When Tory was strapped to the cross, eagerly accepting every lash of Master Clay’s whip, his cock was always rock hard and dripping profusely. Tory craved pain, possibly even needed it. Kyle did not. “No, I mean it wasn’t horrible or anything, but no...I don’t think I’d want to experience more than that.”

  “Not everyone is the same. What we’re building together will be our own.”

  “That would be awesome.” Just hearing Saul say they were building something was enough to bring his erection back to life. For the first time Saul was talking about the future—he even used the word lifetime. The reality was so much more rewarding than Kyle hoped for.

  “There is one more thing all pups have that you seem to be missing.” The leash was tugged and he crawled backward, following the lead until he was facing away from Saul. With his mind focused on the direction of the leash, there didn’t seem to be any room for the usual rambling thoughts and it was a surprising relief. So focused on where the leash might lead him next, he let out a startled yelp when lube covered fingers stroked over his hole. Saul gave him a moment to relax before stroking and pressing. “Relax, Pup.”

  “I haven’t had time to properly prepare myself there for you.” It was actually embarrassing to be embarrassed by this. Saul knew how carefully he prepared himself every day; hadn’t he made it a bullet point in their agreement?

  “This isn’t porn and we aren’t scheduling scenes. I don’t expect you to be perfectly prepared every time we fuck.” While he understood and appreciated that Saul wanted him to relax the strict physical standards he held for himself, to let himself just be once in a while, it wasn’t going to happen overnight. “I can almost hear those wheels turning, Pup. When I want you I won’t wait while you cleanse and I’ll expect you to be present, not worrying that you haven’t prepared. Understood?”

  Kyle nodded because he did understand, but he didn’t speak because he didn’t want to make a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep.

  Saul continued to stroke and press, slicking him thoroughly before pulling back. “All puppies have tails, don’t they?”

  “A tai…” The question died when he felt the cool metal of a plug being pressed into his hole. Fuck...he breathed and bore down, letting it slide in easily...a fucking tail. There was a moment of embarrassment that was quickly washed away by a feeling of rightness. Having been teased all his life because of his height, he had no desire to be called ‘boy’. Saul had known that from the very beginning and called him Pup. Yes, he would happily be Saul’s puppy, tail and all.

  “Oh, that is a sight, Pup,” Saul murmured, stroking his ass reverently. “I’m almost tempted to take a picture of you like that.”

  “You...you could…” Just the idea of it had his erection waning again. The camera hadn’t been a problem from his very first scene, but since leaving Kip Veil behind, Kyle had found it hard to stand for even the most innocent photo. It wasn’t so bad if Saul or Javier was standing with him, or they were taking silly selfies, but alone it was enough to make his skin crawl.

  “No, your days of being naked in front of the camera are over. And Pup, pushing boundaries isn’t the same as crossing them. You never have to agree to anything that doesn’t make you happy again, not even for me.”

  Saul stood and he focused on the direction of the leash, letting Saul guide him around the space. If there had been a worry in his head before he stepped in the room, it was gone under the sensation of the leash, the pressure of the plug and the gentle sway of the tail on the back of his thighs. As they made a complete loop back to the desk, Kyle had the weirdest desire to be in a bigger space, maybe an outdoor space, and let them both have the full experience. He didn’t know how to make that happen or where, but he was definitely going to file that away for the future.

  “That mind of yours is always racing, Pup. You’ve been focused on all the shit we brought in your life and all the bad things you see at the crisis center. I imagine it gets pretty crazy up there. Puppies don’t have those worries, do they?” When Saul stopped and pulled the chair back, giving him his first glimpse of what was underneath that wide desk, Kyle almost came all over himself. Saul crouched beside him, stroking a hand down his back, and damned if he didn’t wag his tail in pleasure.

  Sure enough there was a plush dog bed laid out beneath the desk and he couldn’t wait to curl up on it. “I’m pretty sure all they worry about is their next meal.”

  “Did you have dogs growing up?”

  “Sure, what self-respecting ranch doesn’t have dogs? They were happiest chasing balls and chewing on things.”

  Saul’s laugh was rich and rolled through him. God knew he loved making Saul laugh and being able to dispel all the bad stuff. “We do know how you love to chase balls, Pup.”

  Yeah, he was the guy on all fours wagging his tail again. Who would have thought something as silly and simple as this little game would get him worked up? “We had this puppy that loved feet. He’d rip the socks right off your feet so he could lick and nibble on your toes.”

  “Luckily for my puppy, I showered before we came in here.” Saul tipped his chin up and took his mouth in a leisurely kiss before giving a short tug on the leash. “I need to go over the bills for the house, Pup. You curl up nice and quiet on your new puppy bed and think about things puppies like to do. Clear your mind and focus on this moment. Can you do that for me?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Kyle took a risk and licked at Saul’s lips quickly, reasoning that a puppy would love to lick his owner’s face, before following the tug on his leash. It didn’t take but a few moments to crawl beneath the desk and find a comfortable position on the wide dog bed. Funny how the first time he’d seen the massive desk he thought about Saul fucking him on it. Now all he could think about was how hot it would be if Saul unlocked the door and let someone in. They wouldn’t even know he was there, Saul’s naked little puppy curled up at his feet while he worked. That was easier to accomplish than the outdoor fantasy and he knew he was going to suggest that sooner rather than later.

  For now he settled on his side and watched Saul ease into the chair, bringing it closer until his legs were under the desk. It was the perfect position for him to work and for his puppy to lick and nuzzle his bare feet. “Comfortable, Pup?”

  “Very much so.” Kyle didn’t know what all the rage in dog beds was, but the one beneath him was thick and plush and probably cost a pretty penny. He was comfortable, horny and content...really fucking content.

  “Good. Quiet now while I work.”

  Kyle leaned over and rubbed his cheek over the top of Saul’s bare foot. Immediately he shifted, moving his foot onto the dog bed so Kyle didn’t leave his place. Closing his eyes, he rested his head on that big foot and sighed. Yes, puppies had the life and his just got a lot better.

  Chapter 36

  Red

  The van was quiet despite the fact that four of them were packed in with the computer equipment. Sometime during the night Saul and Bull had taken Jacky to Velvet Ropes and guarded him as he set the bombs. Only Alaric had monitored the nighttime activities, hacking into Velvet Ropes’ own security system to guide Jacky’s path. Tampering with the security cameras would have cast too much suspicion on the club and its owners.

  For two hours Bull was completely off his radar and Red refused to go to the house to wait with the others. It was probably irrational, but he just wanted to sit on their bed with the phone and wait for Bull to call. He didn’t want to make small talk with the guys or do anything to distract himself or pretend he wasn’t scared shitless. At one point he heard the doorbell and figured it was Owen checking up on him, so he ignored it. A half hour later he heard the alarm disengage, followed by the murmur of voices, so he knew Owen had come in with his three shadows. He ignored them and they didn’t seek him out. Having them there didn’t make him feel better or safer…nothing had until the phone rang.

  “Red?” Alaric cut through his thoughts. “You have eyes on Chris a
nd Jacky?”

  “Yes, as well as Davin and both doors.” It had been decided that they shouldn’t watch their specific significant other. So he had eyes on Davin, Tory had Bull and Alaric had ears on Clay and Evan. After Durango’s people added the stipulation of no cameras during the party, neither Saul nor Clay were open to Alaric’s plan to put in his own. In what had become a dance of sorts, Alaric and Saul had negotiated every aspect of the plan, fighting for what they deemed important, retreating when it was prudent.

  Alaric looked over and offered an encouraging smile. It didn’t help. Until they were all home whole and safe, nothing would help. “How’s our boy?”

  “Vibrating.” It was the only word for Jacky’s appearance. The high had fully taken hold.

  “First wave of cars are rolling in. Stay alert, folks,” Juan called. The plan was to run every person through facial recognition to ensure that their targets were on premises and because Alaric seemed to think everything they captured on film today could be used as leverage later. Red wasn’t sure what to make of the hacker turned CSI, but everyone had their own reasons for being there. Right now it was just a relief to know it was beginning and, as the van filled with the steady clack on the keyboards, his mind focused to the task at hand.

  “Blue team in position.” Davin, Billy and Colin were waiting along Delia’s escape route to grab her and Marisol, while Owen waited in a truck nearby to pick them up.

  “Red team in position.” Bull’s voice came through his earpiece and Red bit back the instinct to respond. It was after two in the morning when Bull called to say he was headed home. It was ungracious, but Red kicked the others out as politely as he could, then went back upstairs to wait in their bed naked. No words were exchanged as they made love for hours. They didn’t sleep after that, just drifted in each other’s arms, seeking comfort and strength. On the drive back to the warehouse several hours later, they privately agreed not to exchange any words until they were back home. It was as much to keep focus as it was a promise that they would be going there together.