"Um, Grant… Grant, you may speak freely," Kyle stated, feeling a little dumbfounded. He'd read about presentation of a sub in the presence of another Dom, but he didn't realize that was what this meeting was turning out to be. He thought it was four people getting together for a barbecue.
Grant looked up at him and smiled warmly. "Thank you." He then turned to Lance and extended his hand. "I've seen you at 'The Mpire Club' a time or two when I was with my old Master. It's nice to make your acquaintance." He and Lance shook hands, and then Grant turned to Felicity, who was under Lance's arm, with a glowing smile.
"Ma'am, it's is an honor to meet you. I've witnessed a few of your scenes in the past. You are very proficient with decorative-silk bondage play. Thank you for inviting me into your home," he stated quietly as he bent forward and reached for her hand, kissing her knuckles when she extended it.
Kyle looked at her and saw her smile.
"Thank you, Grant. I know Kade from the scene, well, back when he was involved. I'm very sorry for how he severed the relationship you two shared. I hope you know, we voted him out of the membership because of it. We thought it shameful the way he treated you. Let's get comfortable and talk, shall we?" she asked as she stepped forward and put her hand on Grant's shoulder, raising him into a standing position. She wrapped her hand around his arm and began escorting him through the house.
Lance wrapped an arm around Kyle's shoulders and gave him a bright smile. "You like Corona? Fe said you're a beer man, much like myself," Lance asked.
Felicity turned and smiled. "I believe Grant likes red, right?" she asked as she looked at the short blond. He nodded and blushed a bit.
"And you, my love?" Lance asked with a loving gaze. It was so different from what Kyle had witnessed at their house on Friday night, he was nearly speechless.
"Maybe break out a bottle of the Claret that arrived on Thursday? I'm anxious to try it. Grant, is that okay?" she asked.
He gazed up at her, and the adoration on his face was something Kyle found surprising. "As you wish, Ma'am."
"I-uh, I'll help Lance, and we'll join the two of you in a minute," Kyle suggested. Felicity winked and turned Grant toward the back patio.
Kyle followed Lance to the kitchen. "Can I ask you something without getting you in trouble?" He'd read the book, and he knew how serious the bond was between Dom and sub. He didn't want to cause Lance any problems, but he was utterly confused.
Lance chuckled. "This is your first time seeing all this, isn't it? Fe told me to answer any questions you have because, as she told me, 'I'm sure the poor guy is scared shitless.' Ask away," Lance offered with a broad, friendly grin.
"The look on his face when she spoke to him is the most at ease I've seen since I met the man about a week ago. What gives?" Kyle asked as Lance handed him a knife and a lime.
"Ah, you've only seen the interaction on Friday night, so you don't know how a happy Dom and sub interact. We only play on weekends. During the week, Fe and I are just like any other couple, though we always remember to respect each other. We fight, we joke, we have a healthy relationship. I work at a cybersecurity firm downtown, Monday through Friday, but from six o'clock on Friday night until six o'clock on Monday morning, my Mistress rules my world.
"What you're seeing in your friend is a sub who's been neglected and needs the structure. We discussed this after Fe released Anthony and me this afternoon, so this wouldn't be too tense for all of us, and things could be more casual," Lance explained.
"So, um, Anthony? That doesn't make you jealous?" Kyle asked as he cut lime segments while Lance opened a bottle of wine and placed it on a large tray with two small wine glasses.
He chuckled a little. "Back in the day, it would have driven me crazy because as much as she owns me, she's mine, as well. Over time, I’ve become more accustomed to it because I trust that she loves me, and she's not looking to replace me. She doesn't do it very often, taking on other subs, but she's doing this for a dear friend of ours.
"She doesn't have sex with him. That's where she draws the line. It's training, and there are ways to instill discipline and teach proper behavior without sex. Now, Anthony and I are allowed on occasion to play because he's gay, as is his Master. I'm bi, myself, so I don't mind helping him with the sexual side of his submission when Fe allows.
"I don't fuck him, but we play with arousal to teach him how to control his body's responses until his Master allows his release. It's not easy to learn that mastery over one's body, so I appreciate the practice as then I can please my Mistress as well. Do you identify one way or the other?" Lance asked as he picked up the tray with Kyle following him outside.
"Gay man all the way," he stated as they walked through the grand house and out onto a large stone patio with lovely teak furnishings bearing substantial fluffy pillows, situated next to a stunning swimming pool.
"Baby, should I turn on music?" Lance asked as he placed the tray on the cocktail table in front of the couches which faced each other. Felicity was sitting on one with Grant sitting across from her, smiling again.
"Oh, that would be great, sweetie. Low, though, so we can talk," she stated as she picked up the bottle of wine and poured Grant and herself each a glass, then handed one to him, lifting her own.
"This is a wonderful Claret or Bordeaux, as the French call it. Lance and I were on vacation last year in France when we found it. He's not really a wine drinker, but he likes it. My love bought me a case of it for my birthday," she recounted as the tall, black man sat down next to her, handing Kyle a beer while taking one for himself.
After he shoved the lime into it and gently mixed it, Lance settled back on the couch and pulled Felicity closer, kissing her cheek. "Here's to a meeting new friends," he offered as he held up his drink. Kyle joined him in the toast, and when he glanced to his left, he saw Grant was wide-eyed. He lifted his glass as well.
After they toasted, Kyle sat back, pulling Grant by a belt loop. He looked as if he was about to leap from the patio. "So, Grant, I realize this is much different than the Master/slave relationship you had with Kade. He wanted a twenty-four-seven arrangement, isn't that right?" Felicity asked.
Kyle saw Grant look down at his lap. "Yes, Ma'am. I was released from service at seven in the morning and returned to service at seven at night. If a meeting ran long and I couldn't notify Master, I expected a punishment when I returned home," Grant explained.
"And you were in servitude for how long?" she asked as she joined her fingers with Lance's hand over her shoulder. Kyle could see Grant eyeing her in disbelief.
"Twenty-six months as Master's only slave before he took on another for eleven months and ten days before dismissing me," Grant answered.
Kyle looked at him with great concern. He glanced at Felicity and saw a tender smile on her face. "And why did he dismiss you, Grant?"
Grant slugged back the rest of the wine in his glass. "He was bored with our arrangement, and he'd fallen in love with a female submissive with whom he'd begun a romantic relationship. I was unaware he had a submissive in New York. I was unaware that my service to him hadn't been pleasing enough for him. I'd have made adjustments as necessary if I'd had any idea," Grant stated as he continued to look down.
Kyle saw a drop of water fall from Grant's face to his jeans, and it broke his heart. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to him. "Thanks," he heard Grant whisper.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kyle saw Felicity motion her head to Lance with a tender smile. "Hey, Grant, don't feel bad about it. Before Fe came along, I had an asshole of a Dom. He would set me up to fail just to take pleasure in beating my ass. He had no desire to help me grow as a sub. He was a sadist, and I had no idea how fantastic a Domme/sub relationship could be before I met my girl.
"I've heard gossip about Kade. He was petitioning to be named the Head of the Board of Regents for 'The Mpire Club,' and he thought having you indentured as he did would show others he was levels above the
other Doms and Dommes at the club. All it did was make him look like an ass when he behaved the way he did that one night, which was confirmed for the membership when he cut you off without notice. There are good Doms at the club who would love to have you as a sub. I've never been cut out for the slave route because it's too damn hard to be on all the time.
"Don't get me wrong, I love my subspace, just like the next sub, but I also love sitting out here and watching a sunset with my girl or even balancing the household accounts together. The downtime makes the service time that much more special," Lance explained as he kissed Felicity on the temple.
Grant looked up at the two of them as he wiped his eyes. Kyle placed his hand on the man's back in support, not sure what else to do. Just as Kyle was about to ask Felicity how she could help Grant, Anthony came flying out in a pair of board shorts and a tank top.
"I'm so sorry, guys. My Brandon called to check-in. Miss Pembrook told him I'd be released early because we were having guests, and he wanted to check on my training," he explained.
"Miss Pembrook, I'm not allowed to have dessert, according to my Master's instructions. May I relate my transgression after company leaves?" he asked. Kyle was shocked. The man didn't seem upset by the punishment at all.
Felicity smiled. "Certainly, Anthony. May I do anything to help you get dinner underway? You mentioned a documentary you were interested in watching this evening?"
Kyle heard a gasp and turned to see Grant with a stunned look on his face. Felicity turned to him as well. "Darling Grant, you truly have much to learn. We'll discuss this after dinner, but for now, please relax and call me Miss Pembrook," she invited. Kyle felt Grant begin to sob, so he wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into his chest to offer comfort.
"Lance, would you go help Anthony bring out the steaks? I'd like to speak with Grant," she suggested.
"I'll help," Kyle was quick to offer.
Felicity smiled. "No, Kyle, you'll stay right here. Go ahead. I'm not getting any less hungry," Felicity told Lance and Anthony. With kisses to her cheeks, the two men disappeared into the house.
"Scoot," she ordered Kyle. He moved along the couch as she pushed Grant down next to him, taking him into her arms.
"Shh, it's okay, Grant. No one's going to harm you now. You're in a safe place. Now, tell me what’s got you so upset," she directed as she lifted his chin and took the handkerchief, gently dabbing his eyes.
"I've never seen… I mean, I thought I loved Master Kade… no, I know I loved him, but now I see he never loved me back. I've never been in the type of relationship you have with Lance. I've never witnessed such tenderness between a Master and a slave or a sub. Maybe it was because Master Kade's friends at the club were all like him, and they were competitive regarding who had the best slave.
"I can remember the beatings I'd get if I so much as raised an eye to see what a commotion might be when we were at the club. I just thought that was how it was supposed to be. What I've witnessed since I got here is out of my realm of comprehension," Grant explained as he calmed under Felicity's loving touch.
Kyle felt the tears beginning to fall from his own eyes, because, based on what he'd learned about the man over the weekend and while sitting there on that patio, it seemed as if the man had never known love in his entire life.
Felicity glanced up when she heard him sniffle a bit. "Could you go see what's keeping those two? I'd like to eat before it gets dark. I want Lance to light the new fire pit we bought because we're planning to do s'mores. It's a shame Brandon forbid Anthony from dessert because it was his idea, but a sub's gotta do what a sub's gotta do. I'll speak with you after dinner, Kyle," she instructed.
Kyle nodded and squeezed Grant's hand as he picked up his beer and went inside the luxurious house, finding Lance and Anthony in the kitchen, laughing at something. "Hey, I was sent to find out what's taking so long."
Anthony laughed. "It's my fault. Poor Lance doesn't know a porterhouse steak from his asshole. Anyway, is it okay to go out and start the grill?" he asked Lance.
"Go out through the side entrance and be quiet. Fe needs to talk to that poor man without interruption. I'll go out in a minute and ask if she'd like to take him into the library for a while so we can get the table set and stuff," Lance answered. He then looked at Kyle and smiled. "You want another beer?"
"Yeah, but I'm on water after this. I borrowed a friend's car, and I want to get it back in one piece," Kyle responded.
"Oh, that gorgeous girl out there isn't yours?" Lance asked.
Kyle smiled. "Naw. My neighbor… oh, Connie… he's dating a mechanic, who loaned me the car. It's great, isn't it?"
The two of them discussed cars and sports while Kyle kept his eye on the happenings on the patio. Felicity was holding Grant's hand, explaining something to him, and he could see the handsome blond had a stunned look on his face. He had no idea what they were discussing, but he prayed to God that whatever she said helped Grant Cummings re-tether himself to the real world.
"Oh, shut up, Lance," Felicity teased as they were all sitting on the patio sipping coffee and enjoying s'mores and the fruit tarts Grant had made. Lance had pointed out that Felicity had marshmallow on the end of her nose before he licked it off, and they were all laughing, including Grant.
Anthony had taken his leave after they finished dinner to watch whatever it was he wanted to watch, so it was the four of them on the patio with the copper fire pit blazing and a few mosquito torches lit around them. It was still early enough in the fall there hadn't been a frost, so the insects were still out and about.
Kyle felt as if he was ready to ask some questions. "So, um, what can I do to help Grant?"
Felicity winked. "Grant, what can Kyle do to help you? I know you're not used to expressing your needs, but that's something that has to change. If there's no communication between a Dom and a sub, how are they to know how to meet each other's needs and expectations?"
Kyle started to hold up his hand to remind her he wasn't a Dom, but Grant spoke before he could open his mouth. "I, uh, I've been unfair to Kyle. He's a colleague, and I've put him in this horrible position of trying to fill a spot in my life that he has no idea how to fill."
He then turned to Kyle and smiled, before he leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, by the way. I know this is all very odd to you, but bringing me to meet Miss Pembrook has been like throwing a life jacket to a drowning man. She's agreed to meet with me on Wednesday evenings at my place to help me adjust to not being a slave any longer. She told me a good Master would have worked with me to adjust, but since mine didn't, she's agreed to help me."
Kyle was beside-himself happy. "Is there anything I can do to help as well?" he asked.
Felicity smiled slyly. "As a matter of fact, there is. You can help Grant with his day-to-day routine. He hasn't had a routine since… well, in a while. You can give him daily expectations relating to his responsibilities, so he has goals to fulfill.
"Like, oh, I don't know. Tell Grant you expect him at the office by a specific time, and you expect certain things done before the end of the day. He also has food issues because his former Master was very strict regarding food intake, so give him expectations regarding meals and exercise.
"In turn, Grant will keep track of where he might fail your expectations, and then on Wednesday evenings, the three of us will get together and go over his journal. I'll administer his corrections until you're comfortable doing it, Kyle. I won't say they're punishments because I don't think the man needs to be punished. I believe he needs to have the self-destructive behavior corrected," she stated, shocking Kyle, the newbie to it all.
Kyle felt the blood drain from his face, and he knew Lance observed it as well because the man put his hand over his mouth and hurried inside the house where Kyle saw him nearly rolling on the floor laughing.
"I, uh, I'll… say what now?" Kyle sputtered.
Felicity looked at Grant and smiled. "Do you mind going inside to allow me t
o speak with Kyle. We'll be in shortly," she told him. She handed him the tray with the coffee cups to take inside. Grant accepted it, bowing to her before he took it inside, seeming a bit happier than when they'd arrived.
Once Grant was out of earshot, Kyle began, "Miss Pembrook, I have no idea…" he began.
"Call me Felicity, Kyle," she corrected as she stared at him.
"Fine. Felicity, I'm not a suitable Dom for him. Hell, I'm not a Dom at all! Can't you hook him up with somebody at that club who knows the ropes or whatever? I mean, he needs a seasoned person to help him, not some amateur wannabe. I don't have the slightest idea of how to be a Dom."
The woman had a warm laugh. "You're exactly what he needs to be able to retract from the stringent lifestyle Kade had him living. He's so far into being a slave, he doesn't know how to come out, Kyle, and don't you want him well? I mean, that's why you brought him, right?"
Kyle sighed. She was right, but he wasn't sure he wanted to play an active role in Grant's recovery or whatever the fuck it was called. "I want him to be able to do his fucking job so I can keep mine. I'm an ex-con, Felicity. There are exactly zero people out there willing to hire me to work for them. I can't beat the man if he feels like he fucked up. It's just not in me," he complained.
She smiled. "One, I'll hire you if it doesn't work out at T&A, and two, I'm not going to beat him either. There are ways to punish without actually hurting him, and he needs to learn it. No offense to Grant, but he was made into a pain slut by someone a long time ago, and he needs to learn about the positive side of living in a Dom/sub relationship. That's where you can help him, Kyle. In no way does he associate you with pain, and that's why your approval will become vital to him.
"It's hard to understand in the beginning, but some people, men and women, need the power exchange the life offers. My Lance, well, he'd be comfortable with me sharing this with you because he really likes you and respects what you're trying to do for Grant.
Unbreak Him Page 9
