Kyle did as he said, picking up his clothes to take with him. He went to his room upstairs and pulled back the covers, opening the shades to let in the lightning before he set the flashlight on its end in the hallway so Grant could find his way to his bedroom.
He climbed into his bed, settling on his stomach and wishing to fuck he hadn't been so dead set on making Grant see how hard it was to witness something of the sort. Even with the shit on his back, it still stung like a swarm of bees had gone after him.
Kyle heard the footsteps on the stairs, which actually gave him some comfort. When Grant opened the door to the guest room, he was surprised. "Are you asleep?" Grant asked.
"No," Kyle responded.
"I'm sleeping in here," Grant stated. Kyle heard him place something on the floor next to the bed, so he grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bed, rolling onto his back. He didn't hold back the hiss.
"I'd like you to sleep in here, but not on the floor. I'll sleep on the floor so you can have the bed," Kyle offered.
"Why… why are you doing this? Why would you do this?" Grant demanded.
Kyle took a deep breath. "Because I don't want you to suffer anything, Grant. I'll take your punishments and your approvals. I'll do anything you ask, and if I fail, I'm prepared to pay the price. I care for you. No, I love you, which is why I offered to leave the firm. I don't want to lose you, but I don't want our relationship to compromise your position at the firm," Kyle confessed as he lay down on the thin yoga mat.
Kyle turned to his side, prepared to sleep on the floor. Grant knelt down next to him, kissing his shoulder. "Come on. I have a big bed," the blond insisted. Kyle complied, raising himself from the floor slowly. He felt as if his whole back had been slashed with a knife. Kyle couldn’t comprehend why Grant found it remotely fulfilling, but he was damn well going to find out. That was another thing he'd have to explore with Felicity. It was a side of pain he'd never known, and he never wanted to experience it again. Why did Grant?
Kyle stood in the shower, feeling the sting of the hot water on his back. He certainly had no idea the cat would be so wicked, but as he’d studied the one Grant had custom made for himself, he’d seen tiny balls of glass embedded in the knots, which explained the scars on Grant's back. He didn't know if Felicity had noticed it, but he was going to show her. They needed to have a discussion, for sure.
After he finished cleaning up, Kyle opened the shower door to find a plush towel and a terrycloth robe resting on the counter. When he woke that morning, he was alone in the bed, but then again, Kyle didn't really feel Grant in bed with him while they slept… not the way he’d hoped he would… bodies tangled and tongues caressing flesh. He didn't feel his flesh had been caressed at all.
He opened the bedroom door after he pulled on the robe to hear music downstairs. It was pop music, and Kyle didn't hate it, which was really a surprise. He walked into the kitchen to find Grant busy at the counter.
"Morning," Kyle greeted.
Grant looked up at him and walked over to pull out a chair. "You have a dramatic streak in you, don't you?"
Kyle picked up the cup of coffee Grant put in front of him and took a sip, scalding his throat. He'd hoped the hot liquid would take his mind off the sting in other places. It didn't.
"Well, I guess to be a convicted felon, one has to have a bit of drama inside. Anyway, we're supposed to work on the coffee presentation today before we go to the birthday party for Lance tonight," Kyle reminded.
Grant chuckled. "I'll put some cream on your back before you dress. You'll need to pick the birthday gift for Lance since you know him better than me. Take me to the office and drop me off before you go shopping, and Kyle, if you ever do anything like that again, I'll take a paddle to your bottom, do you hear me?" Grant threatened.
Kyle smiled at him. "Yes, Sir," he responded as he looked down at the floor. He was surprised when he felt a gentle finger under his chin, nudging him to look up.
"Please don't hide those beautiful eyes from my sight. I have a hard time thinking when they meet my gaze, but I'll adjust," Grant told him with a gentle smile that lit up Kyle’s insides.
Kyle smiled. "May I have… would you kiss me?"
Grant didn't hesitate. He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Kyle's eager lips. The jolt he felt from the kiss was like a shock of electricity through his body. The feeling was beyond describable. It was a taste of heaven, to be sure.
"I'm sorry, but this is the only way to keep a shirt from sticking to the weeping marks on your back, you foolish angel," Grant demanded again, which only made Kyle smile. They were getting ready to go to the party, and Grant had insisted on helping him with his back.
"Whatever you say, boss," Kyle responded as the man put a pad on his back that guaranteed not to remove the abused skin when he took it off later. Of course, Grant would know what to use, and if Kyle's acting out made Grant stop his self-abuse, it would be worth it.
After the two of them were dressed and ready to go, Grant called a taxi to take them to the Pembrook home. Once they were inside, Grant took Kyle's hand. "I'm going to have to tell her what you did because it's my fault, and I need to be punished."
Kyle laughed. "I don't know how you came to that conclusion. The way I remember it, I punished myself. You didn't lift a hand to me, and you haven't hurt yourself in a while. If she has an issue with anyone, she has an issue with me, Grant. It's not your punishment to take," Kyle assured him as he continued to hold the man’s hand.
After Grant paid the cab, he turned to look at Kyle. "Don't say it. You'll call them about it tomorrow and get your account figured out. I have this."
Kyle was carrying the gift Grant had insisted on paying for when Kyle dropped him off at the firm earlier in the day. Kyle had sent a text to Felicity inquiring about gift ideas, and she responded there were a few video games Lance had mentioned, so Kyle went to a gaming store he found on his phone, purchasing three and the accompanying add-ons. He also stopped to get a haircut before he went back to the office to pick up Grant. They stopped to have lunch on the way home, and then the two of them reviewed the preliminary boards for the meeting on Monday afternoon.
Kyle was keeping a mental tally in his head regarding the money he owed Grant, fully intending on paying him back as soon as his bank account situation was rectified. He glanced at Grant, seeing a nervous smile on his face. "What's wrong?" Kyle asked.
"I'm a bit concerned about some of the people who might be in attendance. I, uh, I haven't been to 'The Mpire Club' since Kade and I broke up, and I'm nervous about being around them. I've been away from the lifestyle for almost six months, more or less if I don't count Miss Pembrook. Just… will you stick by me?" Grant asked.
Kyle quickly changed places with Grant, pushing him in front as he promptly rang the bell. When the door opened, he nudged Grant to greet Anthony, who was dressed in a pair of black leather pants and a white chef’s jacket. He had his hair slicked back, and he was wearing lots of eyeliner. There was also a gorgeous leather collar around his neck with a diamond pendant attached.
He bowed at the two men and smiled. "Welcome. Please come in. I can't wait for you to meet my Master. Miss Pembrook has set up the party in the solarium. I was honored to be asked to cook for the occasion," Anthony told them quietly.
"It's good to see you, Anthony. I take it Brandon's back?" Grant asked, equally as quiet. The young man nodded with a happy smile as he offered them entry into the lavishly decorated house.
Kyle took Grant's hand but pushed him to lead them into the party. Once the door was closed, Anthony took their coats and bid them further into the house. When Grant got to the solarium, he stopped dead, causing Kyle to look up. The room was filled with people, some of them dressed provocatively, while others were dressed as if they were going to any other party on any other Sunday night.
"No, I can't do this," Grant whispered. Kyle took his hand and led him into the formal living room, which was surprisingly empty.
"Yes, you can, and here's how you're going to do it," Kyle instructed as he quickly took off his dress shirt and reached behind him, peeling off the large, gauze pad with a hiss.
"What are you doing?" Grant asked him as Kyle removed his shoes and socks, along with his belt. He gently shifted his black slacks down a bit, so they hung low on his hips, and he turned to Grant, smiling.
"How do I look?" he asked.
The look on Grant's face was one Kyle wished he could capture for perpetuity, but there wasn't time. "You look sexy as hell," Grant told him.
"Thank you, Sir," he stated as he bowed low to Grant.
"What are you doing?" Grant hissed at him.
"For one night only, I'm going to be your slave. We're going into that party, and you're going to hold your head high when you see those people. Look, if they see you've taken the role of a Dom, they'll respect you, knowing you trained as a sub and then a slave.
"You can say Felicity is helping with my training because you don't have the time or patience to do it. She's very astute, Grant, and she'll catch on right away. This way, you don't have to worry about them thinking anything, okay? You meet them as equals. I surrender my will to you, Master," Kyle told him as he knelt in front of Grant, touching his head to the floor in front of him as he'd seen Grant do in the past.
Kyle heard fear in Grant's voice, but it was okay.
"Thank you, my pet. Rise, and let's pay our respects to Mistress Felicity. Address her as Ma'am in front of the others, and don't make eye contact, okay? Hold my hand, and if you have questions, squeeze it. I'll take you aside, okay. Don't speak until I say something to you.
"God, I love you for doing this," Grant told him as he kissed his lips after Kyle stood. Kyle gave Grant a reassuring hug, and the two of them regrouped. Grant carried the gift, and Kyle looked at the floor, following Grant's feet as they walked into the party.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kyle saw people turning to stare, so he caressed Grant's thumb with his own, hoping to give him the courage to continue. Grant led him over to the piano, where Felicity and Lance were talking to a group of people while a young woman in a long black gown played soft music as appetizers were being passed.
"Good evening, Felicity," Grant greeted. Kyle glanced up to meet Lance's concerned gaze. He minutely shook his head for the man not to say anything and was grateful when Lance didn't acknowledge him.
"Well, good evening, Grant. Thank you for coming to celebrate Lance's birthday with us. What, um, oh, you remember Daniel," she stated as she turned to a large man who had walked up to join the four of them.
Grant turned to Kyle, touching his shoulder with a gentle push. Kyle lowered himself to the floor and kept his head down, anchoring his hands behind his back. "Daniel, it's been a while since I've seen you," Grant told the large man.
"Yes, it has, bitch, and it’s Master to you," the man hissed. Kyle felt Grant begin to squat, so he lifted his fist and brought it down on Felicity's foot, hearing a yelp.
He glanced up at her with an imploring look before she smiled. "Daniel, I've been working with Grant to train his new sub. He's no longer a submissive," she told the man.
"Oh? I thought you were shopping around for a new Dom for him? That was the rumor I heard," the man stated.
Grant chuckled. "Obviously, that was started by Kade. No, I've crossed the line to look at life from the Dominant side. We're still in the breaking in stage," Grant stated as he pushed Kyle's head down, so he presented his back. He hissed a bit as he leaned forward, but he heard the gasp from Felicity. They were both probably going to get their asses beat when the party was over.
"Lance, this is for you. Happy birthday from both of us," Kyle heard Grant comment as Kyle continued to kneel on the uncomfortable marble floor of the solarium.
"Um, well, thank you, Sir," Lance offered, sounding very confused.
Kyle couldn't help but squirm because his knees were fucking killing him. Grant reached down and gently touched his shoulder. "Rise, pet," he stated quietly.
Daniel, the man Kyle didn't know, walked around to look at Kyle's back, touching the welts. Kyle wanted to turn around and punch the fat fuck in the nose, but he didn't move. "Impressive, Grant. I didn't realize you were so proficient with a whip. I suppose those years with Kade left an impression. Get it?" the daft idiot joked.
Felicity chortled and turned to Grant. "Yes, well, since this is Lance's birthday, and we're not all into pain play as you and your sub seem to be, I respectfully request that we might cover up your sub's back and continue with the birthday party a little less conspicuously," she demanded with a cocked eyebrow.
Without waiting for a response, she turned to Lance. "Love, can you help Grant's pet find a loose shirt while the three of us get a drink?"
"Pet, you're released from service. Thank you for your submission," Grant stated as he pulled Kyle down to kiss his forehead before Lance led him from the solarium.
Once they were in the hallway, Lance turned to him with wide eyes. "What the fuck is going on? I feel like I'm in the fucking Twilight Zone."
Kyle pulled him into the formal living room where he'd stashed his shirt, belt, socks, and shoes. "He panicked when we were about to come in, so I decided we'd pull a switch, and I'd be his sub so he could save face with these people. We didn't consider in advance who might be invited, and he was freaked. He needed it," Kyle told Lance as he finished dressing.
"How's my hair?" he asked the handsome god staring at him in disbelief.
"When did that happen to your back?" Lance asked.
Kyle shrugged. "It was a game of 'Truth or Dare’ we played last night during the storm. Anyway, it's healing. Now, I've been released, so what's that mean, actually?"
Lance shook his head. "Y'all done lost your damn minds. I can tell you for damn sure don't try to sneak out of here early because Fe will make me drive to the house. She's gonna want the full story on what the fuck happened to your back, so you better be prepared to hang around.
"You're released, which means you just act respectfully. Grant knows most of the people here, and since I've invited my employees, nobody's going to make a showing of being in the lifestyle. I don't tell my employees about my weekends," Lance told him.
It suddenly dawned on Kyle that maybe their display had embarrassed Lance and Felicity. "Damn, I didn't think about that. I'm sorry, man, if we fucked things up for you. I didn't even…" he began.
"No, no. It's okay. My employees know we have a wide variety of friends, so they won't think anything of it. Anyway, just stick with Grant or me. We'll make sure you make it out okay," Lance told him.
The two of them returned to the party to find Felicity in the corner, her nails appearing to dig into Grant's bicep. She was reading him the riot act, and Kyle knew he had to intervene in defense of his man. It felt great to think such a thing… his man.
"Whoa, there, Mistress. Let's not hurt the merchandise," Kyle stated quietly as he extricated her hand and stepped between the two of them, taking Grant's hand in his.
"What the fuck happened to your back?" she hissed at him.
"I told you it's my fault," Grant responded quietly, looking down at the floor.
Kyle reached over and tilted his head up. "You have no reason to hang your head." He then looked at Felicity. "I did it myself. I wanted to know what it felt like, so I took the cat to my back. He didn't lay a finger on me, Fe. He was quite pissed, as a matter of fact. Now, am I allowed to drink at this party?" Kyle asked.
Felicity took his arm. "You two will be staying late tonight. Don't get drunk because that will speak poorly of Grant as your Dom, but you may have a good time. Lance has been looking forward to the party all week. Connie and Brian should be here with the car any minute now."
Kyle laughed before he kissed her temple. "I have many good things to tell you, so don't be too mad at him. He's trying very hard," he whispered as he took Grant's hand. The three of them rejoined the group, and after Felicity broke off to find Lance
, Grant led Kyle to the bar and ordered him a beer. He had a glass of the Claret that Felicity was so fond of, and the two began working the room.
Kyle noticed Grant had calmed immensely, so he settled himself to have a good time with the man he loved. They both deserved it.
Chapter 15
"And you allowed him to do it?" Felicity shrieked at Grant after the guests had left Lance’s birthday party. They were cleaning up the solarium as they discussed the evening, and she really seemed pissed.
Grant stopped and turned to her. "I didn't allow him to do anything, Miss Pembrook. He did it before I knew what was happening. I didn't know he had the damn thing, which I'm burning when we get home," Grant stated as he looked at Kyle with concern.
"Hey, I did it myself, okay? I wanted to know what the draw might be for him, and I asked him to do it as a dare. He refused, so I did it myself. He wrestled the whip away from me, by the way. Did you know he had that damn thing embedded with glass?" Kyle asked.
"I didn't. Kade did," Grant snapped.
"Where is the fucking thing?" Felicity snapped in return.
"In my coat pocket. Trust me, if I'd have known, I'd have never taken it to my back," Kyle stated.
Felicity sighed. "When was your last tetanus shot?" she asked.
Kyle laughed. "Three years ago. Some wiseass thought it would be funny to stab me so they could get my job in the call center. He used a fucking plastic spork, but it broke the skin. I'm up to date, Mistress," he stated with a wink.
"Okay, then on Wednesday, I want to see both of your backs, do you understand? I'd quiz you mercilessly, but I owe my man a night of passion, and I plan to be so exhausted in the morning, neither of us can go to work. Call yourselves a cab and lock the door behind you. I'll be over on Wednesday," Felicity stated as she took Lance's hand, dragging him toward the stairs.
"Kyle, lunch next week. I gotta know how this came about. Thanks for…" the man offered before they heard pounding on the stairs and the slamming of a door upstairs.
Unbreak Him Page 15
