A Little Roughed Up at The Asylum Safe House - Part Fifteen

 

Almost the weekend!

And almost the end of this story. Just one part left after this. I hope you've enjoyed the journey. :)

Happy Reading!

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Part One

Part Two 

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six 

Part Seven

Part Eight 

Part Nine

Part Ten 

Part Eleven

Part Twelve 

Part Thirteen 

Part Fourteen 

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Being home was awesome.

Being home, stuck in the loft, staring at the ceiling?

Not so much.

The plane ride from wherever they’d been had been long enough for a decent nap. Still, Pike tried to be good when Seth brought him up here and go back to sleep, while his Dom dove right into tending to the club’s fighters. Seth’d stopped by the dungeon on the way up to get some updates from Blain, his expression hardening when he heard about a few of the fighters who’d opted for DIY treatments at home, rather than going over to Jared’s clinic or swinging by the hospital. One arm supporting Pike, he’d called Sin and asked him to get in touch with every single one of them. Have them come in or risk their memberships being suspended.

Could he actually do that? Hell if Pike knew. But if anyone could make good on that kinda threat, it would be Seth.

None of the guys are stupid enough to test him—unless they got knocked in the head one too many times.

But Seth would deal with that, too.

His Dom might be a badass merc, and Quint sometimes quietly warned Pike that Seth wasn’t made for a domestic life, but...he was a healer at heart. For a long time, he’d been undercover as a private medical professional for gangsters and lowlifes, gathering whatever information would help bring them down—and not in an entirely legal way, which was why a merc had been brought in instead of a cop. Sure, maybe some of them hadn’t been too bad, like a few of the guards Pike had known who’d worked for his family, but Seth had to do the job without really caring about the lives he saved.

The Asylum, Anniston Falls, gave him that. He might be all gruff, and Pike was pretty sure he’d picked up his bedside manner from Jared, but there was something in him that changed when he patched up the fighters.

And even more when he took shifts at the clinic and there were regular people who needed him, who didn’t have much money and might hesitate to even walk past the doors if they hadn’t heard care was offered on the ability to pay.

Pike didn’t leave The Asylum often, but there’d been a few times Seth and Quint had snuck him over to the clinic to hang out while they saw patients. He usually sketched and did his best to stay out of the way, but sometimes he’d watch them, those two men who wanted him in their lives for some crazy reason, working their magic of putting people back together.

If Pike had the option, he’d be down in the clinic, watching them now. But he’d already put them in overprotective mode by almost getting himself killed. Again.

All right, so he couldn’t sleep, and he didn’t want to do anything else that might stress them out, but there had to be something useful he could do, right? Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he grabbed his crutches, pushing to his feet with a wince as the thinly covered wood dug into the already bruised spots under his arms. Seth had noticed the dark marks yesterday while Quint was getting him ready for bed. Said he’d get something better for Pike to move around with while he healed, but with everything that had gone down at the safehouse, no way was that a priority.

Besides, it wasn’t the first time Pike had used crutches. He could manage.

Making his way to the living room, he looked over the luggage that Dallas and Keiran had brought up. Everything needed to be washed. Quint had shown him how to do it right, so he wouldn’t screw it up like he had his attempts when he’d been living with Ez.

Took a few trips, but he managed to get the clothes from the luggage to the laundry room. The light wasn’t working, but he wasn’t gonna climb up on anything to switch out a burned out bulb and risk breaking more bones. Dropping in a laundry pod, he started the washer for a full load.

Nothing happened.

Frowning, Pike opened the washer. There should be water filling it up. He leaned his crutches against the wall, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight to look behind the machine. Maybe something was clogged from them being away for a bit?

There were a few tubes back there. He wasn’t sure what any of them did, but couldn’t hurt to undo a couple and checked where the blockage was. Part of one looked like it was meant to unscrew. Blue and red, for hot and cold. Quint had told him most of their stuff could be washed in cold water, and that was the usual setting, so it was probably what was blocked.

Reaching in, he unscrewed the tube.

Water burst out in a hard spray, hitting him in the face. Sputtering, he tried to force the tube back on, but the water pressure was too hard, soaking him from head to toe. His phone hit the floor, the screen shattering and the light going out.

“Fuck!” Pike backed up, staring at the water, which was hitting the ceiling and already covering the tiled floor with water. He snatched up the weird phone in the main room that was attached to the wall, tapping in the number Curtis made him remember—had seemed silly at the time, but good fucking thing he’d listened. “I fucked up, I’m sorry! I’m flooding the goddamn place! Seth is gonna fucking freak. Quint is gonna lose his mind. Holy shit, why isn’t it stopping?”

“Whoa, what’s going on?” Curtis had that voice he always did when he went from chill to high alert. “Take a deep breath. Reed overfills the bath all the time because he can’t see where the bubbles end. Is it something like that?”

Pike shook his head. “No, the washing machine. I was checking if the pipe was blocked and—it fucking isn’t. I’m emptying a fucking lake in here, man.”

That got him a laugh. “Just turn off the washing machine. I’ll be right there, but you probably pulled out the drain.”

“Nope. It wasn’t filling at all, so this is something else.”

“Oh… Oh shit.” A door slamming cut off questions in the background, Curtis’ running footsteps on the stairs bursting over the line. “Did you unscrew the water supply?”

“Umm…” Pike retreated a few more steps as the water crept into the hall. “Maybe?”

The front door swung open, Curtis rushing in, catching himself on the walls as he skidded through the flood. He splashed into the laundry room, reaching behind the washing machine and turning something.

And the spray cut off.

Shaking his head, Curtis came out, picking Pike up and carrying him to the kitchen. He sat him on a chair, then tapped his phone. “Hey, Matt, my boy. Mind running downstairs to the storage room and grabbing the Shop-Vac for me? And as many rags as you can find? Thanks.”

“I’m so fucking sorry.” Pike peeled his wet T-shirt away from his chest, chewing on his bottom lip as he glanced down at the cast Quint had worked so hard to keep from getting wet. “I was trying to make shit easier.”

Curtis gave him a slanted smile, reaching out to brush Pike’s hair away from where it was sticking over his eyes. “You made cleaning the floors a bit easier, so that’s something. But next time? Leave the plumbing to me. Looks like the light wasn’t working in there, so a breaker might’ve gone off. I’ll take a look.” He tipped Pike’s chin up when he kept his gaze on the floor, too ashamed to let his cousin make light of everything. “Hey, mistakes happen. No one died.”

Letting out a bitter laugh, Pike shook his head. “I almost did. And I’ve almost gotten a few people killed. I’ve fucked up more than my share and I ain’t gonna pretend that’s not a problem.”

“Oh, shit. Chaos Cowboy strikes again.” Tramping into the loft, Matt stared at the water glistening on the floor. He gave Pike a wide-eyed look. “What did you do, man, try to make your own indoor beach?”

Straightening, Curtis walked over to his sub, taking the Shop-Vac from him, a sharp edge to his tone. “That’s enough, Judgy Mc Judgerson. Read the room.”

Gaze snapping between Curtis and Pike, Matt sobered. “Sorry, sir, I was just teasing. Last time Reed flooded the loft, you got his rubber ducks out and had them floating in the bathroom.”

The edge of Curtis’s lips twitched. “Yeah, well I wanted to show Lawson I’d waterproofed almost everything and the new drains were gonna make it easy to clean up. After I got all the glitter out of the pipes.” He let out a heavy sigh as he set up the Shop-Vac. “But this has been yours and Reed’s home for a long time. You know you’re good if you fuck up. Pike’s not there yet.”

“Hey.” Matt came over to crouch in front of Pike. “What about ‘you’re family’ don’t you get? Wait. Scratch that. With your family, I guess I get it, but this is nothing. At worst you get spanked to make you feel a bit better. Makes a huge difference for me when Lawson does it.”

Pike used his damp sleeve to wipe some droplets from his cheeks. Not tears. He wasn’t gonna be a punk about this. Except...having both Curtis and Matt being cool with him after he’d fucked up so bad had his throat going tight. And his voice didn’t sound right when he spoke. “I’m really trying, man. I don’t want Seth to have to take time from important stuff to punish me for being a hot mess again, you know?”

A familiar presence brought Pike’s gaze to the doorway, his mouth going dry as he met Seth’s eyes. His Dom said something to Curtis he couldn’t hear as the machine started, then crossed onto the kitchen, squeezing Matt’s shoulder and giving a nudge of his chin to dismiss him.

Once they were alone, Seth smoothed his hand over Pike’s hair. “You are ‘important stuff’. I thought Quint was with you, or I would have come sooner.”

“I shouldn’t need either of you here all the time!” Pike pressed his lips shut when Seth’s brow lifted at his shouting. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. “I’m sorry, sir. I just...I don’t want to hold you back. I want to be useful—or at least not be a walking disaster. I want...the time you and Quint spend with me to be because you want to, not because shit’s dangerous for me or because existing is hard.”

Huffing out a laugh, Seth pulled him into a hug, then immediately drew back. He looked down at the damp spots on his shirt. “There’s been nothing ‘holding me back’ for a very long time, my pixie prince. You and Quint give me something to come back too and you have no idea how much that means to me. And hell, loving you is a different kind of adventure.” He stood, lifting Pike into his arms. “Now let’s get changed and go put a new cast on you. Maybe your cousin can teach you a bit about repairs around here so you’ll feel more useful—after you’ve healed. Until then, I don’t want you to feel trapped, so I got you something.”

Pike’s brow furrowed as Seth walked over to the front door, where he’d braced some strange contraption against the wall beside it. He inspected the thing when Seth handed it to him while carrying him to the bedroom, carefully maneuvering around Curtis and Matt who were cleaning up the flood with practiced ease.

It was embarrassing to have them cleaning up after him, but...well, at least he hadn’t burned the place down.

Note to self. Listen to Quint and don’t try to cook anything. Ever.

Seated on the edge of the bed once Seth had his wet clothes off, Pike held still as his Dom dressed him, trying to figure out the strange contraption. The bottom part was exactly like his crutches, only metal, but the part looked a bit like some kind of restraint, with straps and all.

Before he could ask, Seth helped him up, bending down and positioning the thing by his casted foot. “This is a hands-free crutch. You’ll be able to use your legs to support yourself, rather than your arms. No more bruises I don’t put on you.” He tapped Pike’s thigh and had him bend his knee, placing it on the center piece and strapping the top part over his thigh. “You’ll need to be careful on the stairs, and you’re not to go up or down them without someone with you. But I know how much you hate feeling trapped and alone. This will help avoid that.”

“Thank you, sir.” Pike held Seth’s forearm as his Dom stood by his side, finding his balance and taking a step. It was tricky at first, but in only a few minutes he was able to cross the room on his own, biting back a laugh when Seth kept reaching out like he was worried he’d fall, then schooling his features like he had complete faith in the gadget. Stepping out into the open area of the loft, Pike grinned as his cousin glanced over from where he was wrapping the wire around the Shop-Vac.

Curtis gave him a slanted smile. “Nice. You’re gonna be able to get in even more trouble now, rascal. I shoulda figured your Dom wouldn’t let too much time pass with you on the sidelines.”

That got a chuckle from Seth. “You’re damn right. No one keeps my pixie prince in the corner.” He grabbed Pike by the waist, lifting him up over the glistening spots on the floor. “I appreciate you taking care of this for us. Both of you.”

“Hey, that’s what family does. Real family.” Matt gave Pike a pointed look as he tossed the last of the rags in the wash. Then his gaze slid down to the hands-free crutch. “You look a bit like a cyborg. It’s really cool. Gonna go down and show it off?”

Pike shrugged, looking around for his phone—which had been set on an end table. Completely trashed. Shit. “I wanna see what Quint’s up to. It’s weird that he hasn’t checked in, but if he tried to call, it wouldn’t have gotten through anyway.”

Following his gaze, Seth clucked his tongue. “I’ll replace it tomorrow.” He lowered his brow when Pike started to protest. “I spoil my subs, it’s not up for debate. I know Curtis made sure you can provide for yourself, but I happen to like the idea of being your sugar daddy.” He brushed his thumb over Pike’s bottom lip. “And I very much enjoy the perks.”

When Seth put it like that, Pike didn’t want to argue. He flicked his tongue over Seth’s thumb. “You’re the best sugar daddy a guy could ever ask for, sir.”

“Oh, I know.” Seth drew him in for a kiss, smiling when Pike groaned at him ending it too quick. “Let’s go find Quint. You’re right, it’s strange that he isn’t hovering.”

Concern had Pike’s blood pumping back up to his brain where it belonged. “I figured he’d be taking care of the fighters with you.” His stomach growled and he laughed. “Or maybe he read my mind like he always does and he went to the galley with Keiran. I bet he’s claiming some cupcakes for me before Jamie gets to them.”

“Yo, if he is, grab me some too.” Matt plucked at his jeans, making a face. “I need to get changed and bring Lawson some tea in his office. I swear, no one around here knows how to take a night off.”

“If Law took time off, I’d be worried. And so would you.” Curtis gave Matt a one-armed hug. “Reed’s fast asleep, but I don’t want him trying to get out of bed and come look for me if he wakes up, so I’m gonna head back to the loft.” He glanced over at Seth. “Jared’s coming to check on him later. Both you and Quint are great with him, but my boy needs a good mix of Dom and doctor to keep him on the mend and the man reads him even better than I do.”

Seth opened the front door to let the other two men pass, inclining his head. “It’ll be good for Reed to have his follow-ups with someone he’s comfortable with, and Jared hated not being there when he had his initial surgery. Quint and I can pick up the slack so he has time to be the tender, loving caregiver we all know he likes pretending not to be.”

That got an eye roll from Matt, who obviously didn’t agree, but Seth simply glanced at him with a hint of amusement in his eyes before closing the door behind them and positioning himself by Pike’s side as he worked out how to manage the stairs.

A low beat spilled into the stairwell, along with the scent of cigar smoke and liquor, the door opening and closing ahead of them. Down in the bar, Pike stuck close to Seth, grateful that his Dom had established the kind of presence here that cleared their path a bit. Not quite to the level Noah or Jared could, but he’d get there.

Spotting them, Rhodey snapped his fingers at an unfamiliar Dom sitting in the stool next to him. The man blinked at Rhodey, glanced around, then got up and found somewhere else to be.

Without comment, Seth took the stool, lifting Pike onto his lap. “I see you’re wasting no time marking your territory again.”

Rhodey’s lips twitched as he tapped the bar, getting a refill of whiskey for himself from Sin, and a glass for Seth. “I considered pissing around the bar to speed things up, but Dallas thought that might be a bit much.”

At his other side, Dallas snorted. “No need to give me extra work when all you have to do is look at someone.”

“My subs don’t clean.” Rhodey relaxed back into his his stool, smirking over the lip of his glass. “It’s a new rule I just came up with.”

“Mhm.” Dallas had some challenge in his gaze. “But I’m not one of your subs.”

Hand up, Rhodey rocked it from side to side. “That’s up for interpretation. But you’re still mine and you’ve ranked up enough in the place to leave the menial tasks to the subs who enjoy that kind of service. Or who wanna suck up.” His gaze drifted to where Kirby was serving drinks in the sub corner, where Noah had settled in with Jamie, Connor at Jamie’s other side, looking like he was giving them some kind of update.

When Kirby fumbled the tray at the barest acknowledgement from Noah, Connor steadied it, saving them all from wearing what was probably rootbeer on their laps.

A knowing look filled Jamie’s eyes as he looked up at the other sub, leaning forward a bit and whispering something to him that had Kirby’s cheeks going red. For a minute, it seemed like Noah was too engaged in his conversation with Connor to notice.

One arm around Pike’s waist, Seth followed his gaze. “Toppy sub. He keeps trying to push that fantasy he has and he’s going to end up with problems.”

Pike cocked his head, trying to see what Seth did. “He knows Kirby has a crush on Noah… Is he trying to make something happen?”

“Noah has a reputation here. At one point, he might’ve toyed with Kirby for his own amusement, then left the poor boy with nothing but the memory of one hot night. I don’t think he’s been that man for a long time.” Seth tipped his glass to his lips, taking a few sips before setting it back down. “Jamie...seems to think he’s missing out on something, never having been part of Noah’s life before prison. I think he’s trying to relive that time. But he’s not very good at reading his Dom’s cues. Noah’s uncomfortable, but his focus is on making his boy happy. Which could lead to both of them doing something they’ll regret.”

Making a thoughtful sound, Rhodey polished off his own whiskey. “It could. But don’t forget—” He nudged his chin toward where Wren was approaching the table. “—they have two other people who read them very well to balance things out.”

Expression perfectly neutral, Wren helped Kirby clear off the table, distracting the other sub with what must’ve been a few orders, because Kirby immediately scurried to the bar, drawing Sin’s attention. Slipping onto the couch at Noah’s other side, Wren shook his head at Jamie’s questioning look, settling in as Noah slid his arm around his waist.

“Wren’s a lot nicer than I woulda been.” Pike rested back against Seth’s chest, narrowing his eyes at Kirby when the sub looked their way. “Whatever Jamie might be playing at, Noah’s still in several committed relationships. Dude needs to back the fuck off.”

Seth’s lips brushed his ear as he spoke softly. “And you need to watch your language, my little pixie. Leave them to their little dramas. You won’t ever need to worry, I’m perfectly happy having my hands full with you and the boy is easily intimidated.”

“He’s also harmless. And he can take a hint.” Dallas lifted the beer Sin slid to him in thanks, then took a long swig, lips curved as he eyed Rhodey. “He gave you this look once. I thought he was going to choke on his drool when Avery popped down in front of him and asked him if he was lost.”

Rhodey chuckled, gaze going toward the galley, which meant Avery was probably in there with Keiran. “Our boys know how to draw some lines of their own. I’m not a fan of jealousy, but I can deal with a healthy dose of possessiveness. My little viper knows me well.”

“That he does. I’m just glad he decided I’d be a good fit.” Dallas’ expression softened. “And he claimed Keiran all on his own.”

“And they both seemed to have claimed Danny.” Rhodey jutted his chin at someone through the crowd, his tone dry. “I swear losing that boy must be their kink.”

Shea joined them a step ahead of Jacks, his gaze unflinching as he met Rhodey’s eyes. “Don’t give me that fucking look, my man. We were getting the puppy set up in his crate upstairs and the bird wouldn’t fucking leave us alone until we found the baby monitor in Stephan’s bags and set it up.” He rubbed his hand over his face, letting out a rough laugh. “The Raven Dom has a ring to it, but holy fuck.”

That the dog was securely locked away somewhere made it easier to breathe after the thing was mentioned. Pike dried his damp palms on his jeans, nodding when Seth mouthed ‘All right?’.

Holding up the cordless receiver, Jacks smiled softly at the crooning lullaby coming over it. “It’s the sweetest thing how Bram takes care of Koda.” He glanced at Rhodey. “Jared didn’t want Danny sitting in the clinic, worrying over Stephan. He’s the one who sent him to the galley to get something to eat. We didn’t lose him.”

“Speaking of losing subs.” Seth huffed out a laugh when Rhodey raised a brow at him. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen Quint?”

A strange look crossed Rhodey’s face, a mix of humor and something else Pike couldn’t quite figure out. The Dom pulled something out of his pocket and laid it on the bar. A key. “I did. He’s downstairs testing out the cells.”

Only Pike being on his lap seemed to keep Seth from lunging at Rhodey. As it was, he slid Pike to his feet, rising slowly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “He’s...what?”

“I was curious to see how long it would take you to ask.” Rhodey lifted his shoulders. “It wasn’t an unreasonable request. I told him he couldn’t stay in there more than two days.”

Jaw working, Seth glared at the other Dom. “You don’t make decisions like that for my subs, my man. I don’t give a fuck how much everyone else let’s you meddle in their shit.”

“Who’s meddling?” Rhodey sat forward a bit. “You have the key. I didn’t have a good reason to say no to him. He didn’t need me to draw that line, one way or another. He needs it from you.”

Running his tongue over his teeth and nodding slowly, Seth snatched up the key. “You’re a manipulative fuck, you know that?”

“Yes.” Rhodey’s lips curved. “Anything else?”

Without bothering to respond, Seth took Pike’s hand, leading the way toward the gym. Inside, there were a few service subs tidying up between matches. They continued their tasks without looking up as Seth and Pike passed, going in through the door to the security room.
 

The screens were dark, which meant Wren was probably keeping an eye on things remotely, along with Avery and Keiran using the monitor in the galley. The short hall leading to the upstairs entrance had been expanded, a new set of stairs going down. Metal clanged lightly under Pike’s crutch as he descended with Seth, his eyes widening as he took in a massive space, what looked like the beginning of an indoor pool that ran the length of the warehouse. Blue tiles gleamed inside it, along with some inset lighting that gave the whole space a welcoming glow. Two walls were covered in smooth stones, polished marble floors an added luxury that made it obvious Lawson probably hadn’t had much say in putting this together.

If he knew about it at all.

“Motherfucker.” Seth shook his head, letting out a quiet laugh. “Curtis brought up doing something like this once, but the idea was shelved when he went off to train and the other renovations had to be hired out. When Rhodey said he’d handle it, I doubt anyone knew he meant this.”

Pike smiled, brushing his fingers along the stones. “It’s...amazing. Curtis is going to love it. We...we grew up with a lot of things, but we didn’t get a lot of chances to enjoy it. He got even less because he was being taught how to run things, you know? He can make more lounge chairs like he was at the safehouse. And have time to just...chill out here. Mess around with Matt and Reed.”

Settling his hand at the small of Pike’s back, Seth pressed his lips to his hair. “We’ll all be able to enjoy this. But there’s still those damn cells.” He continued to the first door along the wall, trying the key, which didn’t work. Moved on to the next one. “I’m not sure whether I should be more or less worried now.”

At the end of the pool, there were two doors closer together. The second unlocked, Seth stepped inside.

Biting back a smile, Pike took in the room as Quint looked over at them from where he seemed to be inspecting the small attached bathroom.

It was a secure room, but not the dank, depressing space Pike—and likely Seth—had expected. With the door open, it could easily pass as somewhere to relax or get some privacy after spending the day enjoying the pool. There was a queen sized bed, built into the wall on an elevated platform made of smooth concrete. Against one wall was a table and two benches, also made of concrete, though the white cushions on the benches had him doing a double-take to make sure. Most of the fixures seemed built in, immovable, but also kinda...welcoming.

“Sir, I…” Quint laced his fingers behind his neck, coming out of the bathroom and giving Seth a pleading look. “I-I should have told you what I was doing, but I needed to see it first. Once I was here, I...was sure there was a trick.” His cheeks reddened and he cleared his throat when Seth arched a brow. “So far, I haven’t found one. Except, perhaps, that my phone doesn’t get reception here and it was too late to reach out to you once I had Rhodey lock me in.”

Shaking his head, Seth tugged Quint’s hands down, then pulled him in for a hug. “My boy, you are too goddamn independant for your own good. I will punish you for this, but first, explain to me why the hell you decided you needed to be locked in at all. Like I’m five.”

The mattress was really comfortable. Pike took off his crutch, wiggling back onto it and grinning at Quint as his co-sub glanced over at him. Not being the one in trouble was kinda cool. And Quint was sweet all blushing and not having the right answer. He needed Seth to be the tough Dom they both loved.

We should do this more often.

Throat working, Quint turned his focus back to Seth. “Stephan plans to let Rhodey keep him here. I won’t allow it until—”

“Both Stephan and Rhodey are Doms. How do you figure it’s your place to allow anything?” Seth eased Quint back, combing his fingers into Quint’s soft, light brown hair and forcing him to face him when he started to look away. “No. Try again. Why did you need this?”

“I owe Stephan better than bringing him here and… If I can stay and see for myself that he’ll be comfortable, that this place is all it seems to be, then I will accept whatever must be done.” Quint took a deep breath. “Please, sir.”

Seth released Quint’s hair, then cupped his cheek. “Yes, smiley. But next time, you will come to me for permission first, not after the fact.” He shot Pike a sideways look. “My smart little pixie has already made himself at home. Good. He can keep you company while I go get us whatever we’ll need for the next two days.”

Eyes going wide, Quint stared after Seth as he walked out the door, locking it behind him. “But…” He shook his head, as though trying to clear it, then sat heavily on the side of the bed. “I have no idea what just happened.”

For once, it looked like Pike got to be the one in the know. He plumped up the pillow under his head, lips curving. “He's taking control. Ain’t it awesome?”

Smiling, Quint slid up on the bed, laying beside him and pulling him in to lay his head on Quint’s chest. “There was never a point when he wasn’t in control, brat. I may have...forgotten that for a time.”

Not just this time, but Pike understood how hard it was for Quint, finding that balance. Usually, he did pretty well. And when he didn’t?

Seth was there to catch him in all the ways that mattered.

But maybe Pike could help him too, in his own way.

“I thought I was bad, flooding the loft, but then you had to go one-up me and get yourself locked away.” Pike tipped his chin to meet Quint’s eyes. “You won’t be able to call me brat anymore. You’ve stolen my crown.”

A sly smile curved Quint’s lips. “How badly do you want it back?”

Now we’re talking. Pike grinned, turning so he could lean over the other sub. “Hmm...depends. Are you planning on getting me in trouble?” He lowered a bit, tugging on the buttons of Quint’s shirt, losing a few that popped loose into the white covers beneath them. “I shouldn’t let you, you’re the one who’s always telling me to behave myself.”

Gaze hooded, Quint folded his hands behind his head. “Maybe, but since my judgment was very poor tonight, right now...” He hissed in a breath as Pike undid his slacks. “You shouldn’t…” His hips shifted as Pike kissed his way down his body. “Listen to a word I say.”

That...was a very good point. Not for always, but for right now?

Pike knew trouble. And if they were both gonna be in it…

Might as well enjoy every last minute.

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Part 16

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