Double the Heat Brewed by The Asylum-Part Twelve

 

A day late on my totally random schedule, but I've been in recovery mode from my second dose of the vaccine, so I had a good reason. Such a good feeling to FINALLY get that over with.

Now for the fun stuff!

Happy Reading!

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Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6 

Part 7

Part 8  

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11 

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The Asylum after the club was closed, everything washed and polished, the core all back up in their lofts, was a whole different beast. In the morning, with the sun filtered through the frosted glass windows and the first pot of coffee brewing, it was almost...grounding. When Matt walked around alone first thing, he was filled with the sense of security and belonging he’d been missing for the longest time before he’d come here.

At night it was like the shadows reminded him he should be safely tucked away with his Doms. Only whoever was on security would be up this late. Not knowing who it might be made him even more cautious as he crept down the stairwell, his sneakers hardly making a sound. Avery and Keiran wouldn’t be too bad, they’d started getting into their own kind of fun trouble with Danny, and were a lot less anal about ‘the rules’.

Even though the core subs didn’t always get along, there was an unspoken agreement between them not to rat each other out.

Well...most of them.

 If Quint was guarding the place, who knew what he’d do? Matt liked the older sub, but he didn’t know him all that well. With how perfectly he obeyed, he could make even Wren look like a brat. If not for being in charge of Pike—his complete opposite as far as well-behaved subs went—Quint would be the ideal sub on a level no one could hope to reach.

There had been times when Matt had wanted to be that perfect, and he got pretty close when Lawson eased him into the service sub mindset, but he’d ended up preferring a comfortable middle ground.

So he could enjoy nights like this.

Palming the key and the leather bag he’d snuck out that held a few supplies and a stand for his phone, Matt reached the landing in front of the dungeon. Familiar creaks coming from the building settling, a hint of lavender hanging in the air, and the slightly dimmed lights of the stairwell brought on the feeling of disturbing the peace of the night. He held his breath as he slid the key into the hole.

The door at the base of the stairwell being thrown open sounded over the click from the lock.

“Sorry I’m late, I had to jump in the shower in the gym.” Reed bounded up the steps, skidding to a stop at his side, sprinkling him with droplets from his still wet hair. “I got on top of everything early and I was kinda curious about that exploding watermelon trick. Seriously didn’t expect it to work.”

Matt snorted as he pushed open the dungeon door. “It’s basic science, of course it worked. How much of a mess did you make?”

Spreading his arms wide, Reed grinned at him. “Huge. I’ll have to go over the whole galley again in the morning. The freakin’ thing hit the ceiling and rained down on me. It was kinda beautiful. I wish I’d thought of recording it.”

Door shut securely, Matt flicked on the lights, casting Reed a sideways look. “You’re a nut, but it’s part of why I love you. I guess it’s better than your blender experiment. You do know you don’t have to try everything you see on TikTok, right?”

“But how else will I learn?” Reed rested his chin on Matt’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “So, what exactly are you planning to do to me?”

Eyeing the different stations, Matt shrugged. Just being in here was pretty naughty, that had to count for something, right? He’d kinda hoped he’d be inspired when he walked through the door, but he was hitting a blank. “I figured I’d cuff you to one of the pillars. Tease you until you were begging.”

“You can do better than that. But I like the teasing and begging part.” Reed nipped Matt’s earlobe, then slipped away. Walking along the stations, he ran his hand over one of the Saint Andrew’s crosses. Stopped at the massive web of chains Curtis had spent months putting together, but still hadn’t had a chance to use. “How about this? It’ll look great on camera and you can come at me from any angle.”

“The cuffs aren’t gonna work on that.” Matt scratched his chin as he moved to Reed’s side. “I guess I can use rope. There’s some in Curtis’s bag.”

Lips parting, Reed dropped his gaze to the bag Matt set down by the frame of the web. He gave Matt a huge smile. “You’re so bad sometimes and I fucking love it. It’s like you save it up after being so good for so long and then just burst with it.”

“I’m not that good. I still lose my temper a bunch.” Matt wiped his hands on his jeans, sucking in a deep breath, then blowing it out slowly to calm his nerves. “But we have our Dom’s stamp of approval, so it’s all good, right?”

“Exactly.” Reed turned to face the web, leaning forward against it, positioned like he was on a cross. “And I’m your willing sacrifice. Fuck me up, sexy.”

Shaking his head, Matt crouched down to take out the phone stand, setting it up on a nearby spanking bench and making sure he got the web in the center of the screen. Then he tapped Jamie’s number, opening up a video call.

When the call answered, Jamie was breathless, like he’d just run to wherever he was. Which, from the black pyramid-shaped foam boards on the walls, was his studio. “You’re so lucky you caught me when you did. Danny just left and I was about to head to bed.” His eyes went wide and he started whispering, despite the soundproofing around him. “Are you in the dungeon?”

“Ayup.” Matt slid the other sub a smirk before flipping the camera around. He gave it a salute as he returned to Reed.

Knowing Jamie was watching put all his doubts on hold. Part of him was starting to get how things being a performance brought out a whole different mindset. At the cafe, no matter how frustrated he was with rude customers, or when orders didn’t go out as smoothly as he’d like, or his designs in the foam weren’t perfect, he’d smile and keep a chipper tone.

It wasn’t about being fake, it was knowing the role he had to play. Focusing on the big picture.

And the big picture here?

Finally getting the other sub to admit defeat.

May the sexiest sub win.

Without either of his Doms here, thinking of himself as sexy was tricky. Usually, when he snuck off with Reed, things were spontaneous. He got caught up in Reed’s wild passion and the rest of the world disappeared.

Now he was in charge, setting up a whole scene, and he wasn’t sure where to start.

Might help if he’s naked.

Hooking his fingers to Reed’s T-shirt, Matt tugged it up and over his head, tossing it aside and using his body to pin Reed against the chains as he undid his jeans. The chains clinked as Reed lifted his arms to grip the woven parts above his head. He hissed through his teeth as Matt shoved his jeans down. Bent low to remove his socks and sneakers, then work his jeans the rest of the way off.

Gaze trailing up Reed’s toned legs, and the sweet curve of his ass, Matt couldn’t help sliding his hands over the skin kept soft by all the sparkly lotion his co-sub practically bathed in every day. There wasn’t a speck of hair on Reed’s body. Leaning close, Matt breathed in the scent of Reed’s body wash, making his mouth water with the hint of raspberry sorbet and cotton candy.

“You know, just because you beg, doesn’t mean I’ll give you what you want.” Matt let his breath caress the back of Reed’s thighs as he slowly rose to his feet. He used a bit of a mix between Curtis’s wickedness when he was ready to use erotic torture until either he or Reed—or both—was a whimpering mess, and how Lawson calmly stripped down every defence, never letting anyone rush him in exploring every bit of pleasure he could give, even when Matt was positive he couldn’t take anymore.

Wasn’t quite as masterful as either of them, but it was damn satisfying when Reed shivered.

Fetching the rope from Curtis’s bag, Matt worked it between the chains, then around Reed’s wrists, tying it like he’d seen Curtis do a hundred times. His pulse sped up as he recalled the feeling of the ropes around his own body, slipping into a euphoric zone as his Dom secured him in place, leaving him vulnerable to anything the man wanted to do to him.

He moved down to spread Reed’s legs, tying his ankles with another length of rope, checking to make sure nothing was too tight. “How does that feel?”

“Fucking amazing.” Reed tipped his forehead against the chains. “Shit, why haven’t we tried playing like this before? Think of all the fun we could be having.”

     “Hmm, I mean, I wouldn’t mind, but...it’s not the same.” Matt stroked Reed’s side, kissing the back of his shoulder. “I can’t bring you to the same place Curtis or Lawson does. And forget Jared, there’s no way I can mess with the painful shit.”

Reed huffed out a laugh. “True, but it’s you, Matt. You touching me and trying stuff out with me. It’s good.” His tone slurred a bit, like he was a little high. “Real fucking good.”

The reaction he was getting from Reed already was damn satisfying. It took him away from the uncertainty of not being able to claim any real kind of control and into a space where his submission was in what he could give. Pleasure, sensations, all the things he could share with Reed were more important right now than trying to be like either of their Doms.

Taking one more thing out of the bag—the coconut oil Curtis enjoyed using on them when he added a bit of wrestling to sexual play, and even used on Lawson for erotic massages—Matt scooped some into his hand, letting it melt on his skin before smoothing it over Reed’s back. He grinned at Reed’s moan as he slicked his hands down to his ass, then between his thighs.

Hand slipping between the chains, Matt wrapped it around Reed’s dick in a loose grip, stroking him at a languorous pace.

“Fuck.” Reed jerked, making the chains clinked as he tried to thrust into Matt’s hand. The restraints and the chains kept him from getting far. “Don’t stop, that feels fucking amazing.”

From the distance, Jamie’s voice came, giving Matt the perfect excuse to leave Reed writhing and needy. He freed his hand from the chains, wiping it on his jeans before going back to the phone. “Sorry, what was that?”

“Bring the phone closer, I want to see what you’re doing to him.” Jamie bit into his bottom lip, staring at Matt with some awe in his green eyes. “Please…”

“On one condition.” Matt flipped the camera as he picked it up with the stand, letting Jamie see nothing but him. “Admit I won.”

Jamie’s lips parted. “But… Ugh, you fucking cheater. I can’t. Noah would be so disappointed.”

Lifting his shoulders, Matt held Jamie’s gaze. “Can’t have that. Hope you have a good night, man. Talk to you tomorrow.”

“Wait!” Jamie shook his head, laughing as he tipped his head back. “Fine. You win. You are the Top sub. The king of seduction. You take being bad and sexy and everything to a whole new fucking level. Come on, what do you want me to say, I’ll say it! I can’t miss this!”

A broad smile spread across Matt’s lips. He was tempted to do a little victory dance, but that wouldn’t be all that sexy and he didn’t want to ruin the moment. So he gave Jamie his best regal nod. “That’s plenty. But you can only watch. No jerking off, I heard what Noah said. Next time you come, it’ll be me that makes you.”

“You’ve picked up all the best and the worst things from Curtis.” Jamie pouted at him, his gaze flicking to the side as though he might be able to see the web. “Keep going, you can’t leave him just hanging there like that.”

“I won’t.” Matt winked at Jamie before positioning the phone so he’d get the best view. Behind Reed again, he slicked him up with more coconut oil, stripping off his own shirt so he could slide their bodies together. Freeing his dick, he used some oil as lube, rubbing his dick between Reed’s ass cheeks until his begging was an endless, incoherent sound.

Fisting his dick, he pressed into Reed, slamming in hard, not sure if the loud groan was his own, Reed’s, or Jamie’s. He latched onto the chains at either side of Reed’s hips, the metallic sound echoing around them as he used them to pull Reed against him.

The grip around his dick tightened and he lengthened his thrusts, head bowed against Reed’s shoulder, raising his slick hands up to where Reed was bound to the web. The thrill of being watched, while also not wanting to get caught, the way Reed felt, all slick against him, made any kind of restraint almost impossible.

As much as he wanted this to last all night, eventually, Lawson or Curtis would come looking for them.

Pistoning in and out without trying to hold back anymore, he let out a rough sound, jerked over the edge by Reed’s shout as the other man found his release. It was like finding himself at the top of a roller coaster without having prepared for the ride, holding on tight as the world bottomed out, everything flashing by. He kissed the side of Reed’s neck, his shoulder, laughing as he realized the oil was absolutely everywhere.

“This is gonna be hard to clean up.” Forcing himself back down to reality, he eased out of Reed, placing a hand on his co-sub’s hip when he shuddered. “How are you feeling?”

Reed cast him a drunken smile as he leaned heavily onto the web. “Like I can add this to the top ten of my favorite ways to be fucked. I’m stealing a jar of coconut oil from the galley for our own personal stash. Next time, you’ll be the one under me while I get you all nice and slippery.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that.” Matt fixed his jeans, then bent down to untie the ropes around Reed’s ankles. His fingers slipped and the ropes, soaked with oil, didn’t want to move. He frowned as he took in the red marks on Reed’s skin. “Does this hurt?”

Shaking his head, Reed seemed perfectly fine staying right where he was all night. “Naw, man. Everything feels fucking amazing.”

You’re not gonna be very helpful right now, are you?

“What’s wrong?” Jamie’s voice came from a bit to Matt’s left, where he’d completely forgotten the other sub was still watching. “If the ropes are stuck, just cut them off.”

“Obviously.” Matt grabbed some wipes from Curtis’s bag to clean off his hands. Found the scissors and eyed the rope. With how snug it was against Reed’s ankles, he wasn’t sure how to work the scissors in to cut it without risking cutting Reed. “Shit.”

Another voice came through the phone. Thankfully, it was Wren. “Jamie, Noah asked me to make sure you don’t pull another all nighter. He said ‘I understand giving in to your creative urges, but you have a full day at the center tomorrow and a meeting with that…’” He trailed off as his face came into view. His eyes widened. “What are Matt and Reed doing? They’re going to be in so much trouble.”

Jaw ticking, Matt glared at the other sub. “Only if you open your big mouth.”

“He won’t.” Jamie grabbed Wren’s arm, his eyes pleading. “Right?”

“No, I’m not a snitch.” Wren looked a little hurt that either Jamie or Matt doubted that, the word he’d chosen a reminder that he’d been in prison. He didn’t keep much from his Dom, but with stuff like this, his loyalty was something they could count on.

Which helped Matt relax a bit, but he still needed to figure out how to get Reed off the fucking web. He tried tugging on the rope again, getting nowhere. “Damn it, it’s not gonna matter if anyone tells if I can’t get him down.”

“I have an idea.” Wren took Jamie’s hand, giving Matt an encouraging look. “Make sure he doesn’t move around too much so the rope burns don’t get worse. We’ll be right there.”

Matt opened his mouth to tell the other subs not to come down here, but the screen went dark. Sighing, he stood and checked the ropes at Reed’s wrist. Those were even tighter. His throat locked as he put his hands around Reed’s cold ones.

“This was such a stupid fucking idea. I’m sorry.” He pressed his eyes shut. “I should’ve fucking known better, I just got caught up in the whole thing and—”

“Don’t. Seriously, Matt. Look at me.” More alert than he’d been before, Reed lifted his head and gave him a steady look. “This was my idea. It went a bit sideways, but it was...so fucking hot. And seeing you let loose like that? Whatever happens, it was so worth it. Next time, we stick with your first idea of using cuffs. Or we just hit the ring with a tub of coconut oil. We’ve got our whole lives to have all kinds of bad ideas, but I want to keep having them with you, okay? Don’t let this fuck things up.”

Cupping Reed’s cheek, Matt nodded. “I won’t.” He took a deep breath as the dungeon door opened. “We should probably give up on not getting caught, though. No way can you hide those rope burns.”

“Meh, we make sure Curtis and Lawson get some good sleep before they have to beat on us.” Reed winked at him. “They’ll thank us for it.”

Matt brushed Reed’s hair back, not entirely sure his co-sub wasn’t still a bit high if he expected a ‘thank you’ for breaking all kinds of rules, but it was a nice fantasy to hold onto in the meanwhile. He glanced over his shoulder, stilling when he saw who Wren and Jamie had brought to save the day.

We’re fucking doomed.

Setting his medkit by the frame of the web, Quint gently nudged Matt over. “Don’t worry, his color’s still good. It may be uncomfortable when the circulation comes back fully, but I’m sure you’ve both experienced something similar before.”

The soothing tone of the older sub’s voice, the steady calm in his every movement, reminded Matt of the times he’d been under Quint’s care. Even when he was pissed off over having broken a bottle during a trick he’d thought he’d mastered, or didn’t duck fast enough when sparring with Reed and got a bloody lip, Quint managed to distract him, then get him right back on track with whatever he’d been doing.

Without wasting any time, Quint flicked out a knife and cut through the ropes, first on one side, then the other, having Matt hold on to Reed so he didn’t fall when the last ropes released him. Leaning heavily on Matt, Reed limped a bit as Matt got him over to the ottomon in the Dom’s corner. He followed Quint’s lead and began massaging the sensation back into Reed’s feet and hands.

No matter how much Matt appreciated Quint’s help, and respected him, he knew the other sub’s presence meant the gig was up. He sighed, glancing over. “You gonna lecture us first or just go get our Doms?”

Quint shot him an amused look. “Now why would I do that? You know they’re going to find out on their own and there’s no emergency that requires their attention.” He smoothed some white cream over the reddest parts of Reed’s wrists, bandaging them before doing the same with his ankles. “As far as I’m concerned, there was a slight mishap, it’s been handled, and we can all carry on with our night.”

“But…” Matt shook his head, confused. He’d had this whole idea who the guy was. Coldblooded as a merc because obviously, kind and caring as a doctor, and the exemplary sub. Between all that, sometimes he wondered how Quint didn’t strangle Pike in his sleep, but he saw how the subs looked at one another. That kind of love was always the exception to any rule. His brow furrowed as he pointed at Quint. “You’re supposed to be setting a good example.”

“Am I? All right, then.” Quint straightened, his ever-present smile slanting his lips even more. “Don’t use rope. Pike likes handcuffs sometimes, but they leave marks. Soft cuffs are best. Get creative with where you use them. And hide the evidence.”

Now Jamie was the one who looked confused. “You...you sneak around? But you’re allowed to do whatever you want because you’re so perfect. Why bother?”

“That’s what you see from the outside looking in. Seth enjoys keeping me on my toes and he uses every opportunity to do so. Most of the time, yes, I follow orders without question. But Pike has fun tempting me and I’m still human.” Quint laughed when Matt and Jamie just stared at him, even Wren seeming a bit caught off guard. “I have my moments. You’ve just witnessed one of them. None of the Doms will hear a word about this from me.”

“So that’s it, we’re in the clear.” Reed pushed to his feet, plunking right back down with a groan. “Or...well, almost. I think I need a minute.”

Quint snapped his fingers at Wren, flipping right into take charge mode without missing a beat. “Get him a bottle of water, some chocolate, and a robe. We’ll get him levelled out.” He reached out and patted Matt’s hand. “Don’t hesitate to come to me if anything like this happens again—you will find no judgment from me. I hope it won’t, not with the ropes, in any case. This could have ended badly.”

There’s the lecture.

But Matt couldn’t blame the guy, even though his cheeks heated. “Believe me, I’ve learned my lesson. And I get why all the Doms have to train before they get to do stuff in here. A lot of it looks so easy, but there’s tons of shit I wouldn’t even consider.”

“Like slippery ropes?” Jamie sat on the floor beside him, resting his forearms on his bent knees as Quint opened the bottle Wren had brought and gave Reed a few sips. Tongue pressed to his bottom lip, Jamie glanced over at Matt. “I don’t think any of us besides Quint woulda thought of it, if that helps any.”

It really did. Matt still felt like a fool for not planning things out better, but it was nice to have the other subs there, all acting like it was just a mistake that could’ve happened to any of them. He bumped his shoulder against Jamie’s. “Thanks for getting Quint. And coming down and all.”

Jamie shrugged. “Getting Quint was Wren’s idea. But...yeah, I had to come. I mean, this kinda ended up involving me and Wren, too. Me and you were getting crazy competitive, so it’s like...I feel a bit responsible for how things went, you know?”

Bringing his hand to Jamie’s shoulder, Matt shook his head. “You shouldn’t. I’ve been having a blast with it, to be real with you. Kinda sorry it’s all over. I never thought I’d look forward to a text or a call from you.”

The edge of Jamie’s lips quirked. “You want more dick pics, I’m totally game.”

“Not just the pics, dude.”

“Aww.” Jamie looped his arm around Matt’s neck, climbing on top of him. “I’m feeling the love. I’m gonna start texting you all the time. Calling to see how your day’s going. Swing by the cafe so you don’t miss me too much.”

Snorting, Matt braced his hands on the floor behind him while Jamie kept being ridiculous. “You trying to make me regret saying something nice?”

Jamie grinned, shaking his head. “Nope, I’m showing my appreciation.” He wiggled a bit on Matt’s lap. “This is me, happy for my win.”

Brow shooting up, Matt huffed out a laugh. “Did you hit your head on the way down here? You lost.”

“We’re friends now. Kinda...right?” Jamie chewed on his bottom lip, uncertainty in his eyes. “I consider that a win.”

Okay, it was impossible not to like the guy when he was being so...real. Matt wrapped his arms around Jamie, hugging him tight. “Yeah, we’re friends. I’m probably still gonna have moments when you drive me crazy, but it’s not all tangled up with other shit anymore, so… I think things are gonna be cool with us. Mostly.”

Jamie smiled against the side of his neck, speaking softly. “I can deal with ‘mostly’.” After squeezing Matt, Jamie slipped off his lap to sit beside him again, watching Wren break off pieces of the chocolate bar to feed to Reed. “How’s he doing?”

“I’m good, I just like being spoiled.” Reed caught Wren’s wrist, sucking the melted chocolate off his fingertips. “And I’m enjoying one of the first times the four of us are hanging out that didn’t end with anyone bleeding.”

Wren cocked his head. “There was some blood on the rope burn on your ankle. I’ll check it in the morning if Quint’s busy, it might get a nasty infection. I know which antibiotics to use.” He glanced over at Quint. “Do you think he’ll need stitches?”

“No, but it won’t be long before you have someone to practice on around here.” Quint smoothed Wren’s hair back. “I believe Reed meant no one was bleeding because of a fight between all of you. You’ve known one another quite some time and you’ve been through a lot together. There’s no telling what life might throw at you next, but building this kind of bond with those you share so much with? Who you can trust? It’s fucking priceless.”

Not something Matt had ever cared to have with either sub before, but sitting here, with Jamie at his side, seeing how close Reed and Wren had gotten since sharing a Dom? He wanted it. And...he had been building it, without even realizing he was, ever since he’d opened the cafe. The competition with Jamie never would’ve happened if he hadn’t started feeling more comfortable with the guy. And he definitely wouldn’t have let him be involved with any kind of decisions involving his new business.

At the safehouse a few months back, Matt had overheard a few things about the teams Quint had worked with in the past. How he’d been forced to stop getting too close to any new ones, because of how many he’d lost. Matt couldn’t imagine going through all that, but he was starting to get what it was like to have a team around him.

Not just the men in this room, but all the core subs.

Including Quint.

Standing, he held out his hand to shake Quint’s, then pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you. And...it’s not just our bond. It’s yours too. Maybe it’ll take some time or whatever, but...we’ve got your back, man. Anytime, you just say the word.”

So many emotions passed through Quint’s eyes as he smiled at Matt. Hope, gratitude, and a hint of sadness, like he might be remembering his other teams. He squeezed Matt’s shoulder and inclined his head. “I appreciate that, more than I can say.” His lips quirked as he reached out to help Reed to his feet while Matt retrieved Curtis’ bag and all their things, cleaning up the best he could. After a brief assessment of the dungeon, Quint waved them all toward the doors. “Now let’s get you all back where you belong. I’m the only one who’s supposed to be out of my loft, but I don’t think it will matter if our Doms find us in here.”

“Yeah, no, Jared would totally beat your ass.” Jamie took Wren’s hand, hovering a bit behind Reed as he gingerly made his way across the dungeon. “Maybe you’ll get lucky and only have to deal with Seth.”

Quint arched a brow as he glanced over his shoulder at Jamie. “You won’t be saying that if you ever get on his bad side. I recommend not doing so. Don’t forget, he learned a great deal of what he knows from Jared. And he’s picked up several new tricks along the way.”

“Gotcha.” Jamie wrinkled his nose, tugging Wren a bit closer while Matt closed and locked the door behind them all. “I’m probably going to get the cane. I wonder if I can ask for it somewhere other than my feet—I need to learn that new choreography and that would put a serious delay on...well, everything.”

This was the side of Jamie that usually annoyed the hell out of Matt, but he found himself just snorting and rolling his eyes. “That’s what you’re worried about? Dude.”

“Well, yeah. Danny picks it up so quick. I just end up giving in to the music and doing whatever comes to me.” Jamie did a little jazzy slide across the landing, dragging Wren along with him. “Sometimes it fits, so that’s  always cool, but my natural swagger won’t matter if I can’t walk.”

The man was a little out there, but now that his every breath didn’t agitate Matt so much, he could see the charm in it. How almost everyone else found the dramatic flare kinda cute. And, if he was honest with himself?

He kinda did too.

Arm around Reed’s waist, relieved that his steps seemed a lot steadier, Matt hesitated a second and glanced back at the other subs. “I hope no one gets punished too bad. Or at all. Seriously, thank you for showing up.” He lowered his gaze, scuffing his sneaker against the edge of the stairs. “When I was younger, I didn’t have time to hang out with friends much. I...I had my brother, work, and...well, Dayes constantly hanging around, getting off on making my life miserable. I ain’t always so good at just…”

Hell, he couldn’t even explain it. He gave Reed a helpless look.

Reed took his hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing lightly. “You’re picky about who you let close. That’s not a bad thing, my man.”

“Yeah, but...I want this. Us.” Matt gestured at Jamie, Wren, then Quint. “The core subs. We can fuck around with each other. No one else gets to fuck with us. It’s...my new rule.”

“Are we talking orgies or…” Jamie ducked his head when Quint arched a brow at him. “I get it, I’m just teasing.” He let go of Wren, bouncing up to Matt to kiss his cheek. “It’s a good rule. And I’m totally in.”

Back upstairs, Matt found Reed’s long sleeved, bright blue nightgowns, styled like an oversized Henley that went all the way down to his feet, and helped him pull it on before creeping into bed with him. Neither Lawson or Curtis stirred as they slipped under the covers, but the slight change in Curtis’s breathing told him his Dom was awake. He didn’t open his eyes or say anything, so maybe they were in the clear?

Next morning, both Doms were out of the loft before Matt and Reed even woke up.

This can’t be good.

Not bothering to change out of his own PJs, Matt gripped Reed’s hand as they made their way down to the bar. Everything was eerily quiet, despite how many of the core was there. His breath caught when he spotted Quint, kneeling in front of Seth and Jared, Pike standing a few feet away, Curtis’s fingers hooked to the back of his shirt seeming to be the only thing that kept him from rushing over.

“I don’t believe I heard you right, my boy.” Jared tipped Quint’s chin up with two fingers. “You would like me to believe nothing of interest occurred last night while you were on watch?”

Quint gave Jared a small smile. “Nothing I will speak of, sir.”

“You may want to reconsider that, smiley.” Seth folded his arms over his chest. “Rhodey, your boy was on watch with him. I’d like some answers.”

A smirk slanted Rhodey’s lips as he snugged Avery a bit closer on his lap. “Good luck with that, my man.” He tapped his fingers on the bar, drawing Dallas’ attention. “Where’s my breakfast?”

Reaching down, Dallas plucked one out of the fridge and flipped a beer to Rhodey, his tone lightened with amusement. “You’ll have to go to the restaurant for your steak, Keiran’s waiting for a cheese delivery. I swear, with how excited he gets, you’d think it was his birthday.”

Making an irritated sound, Jared narrowed his eyes at Rhodey. “Avery will tell you if you ask. Enough with the games, my man.”

“What games?” Rhodey uncapped his beer, bringing it to his lips. “Did you hear me ask?”

“No. And I would like you to.” Jared spoke slowly, as though hanging on to the last threads of his patience. “This is a serious matter, Merc. Jamie and Wren were unaccounted for last night, as were Matt and Reed, and damn it, someone will tell me what the hell they were all doing.”

Swallowing, Matt glanced at Lawson, inching a bit closer to where Jamie and Wren were standing quietly off to the side. He held his breath as his Dom studied his face, letting it out when Lawson smiled a little, like he’d found all the answer he needed. Even without knowing everything, Lawson seemed to get that something important had changed.

“If you’ll put some coffee on, my boy?” Lawson nudged his chin toward his cup, then slanted a look over at Curtis, who was watching Reed like a hawk. “No offence, yours is good, but I can’t start my day without some of Matt’s special brew.”

Nodding slowly, Curtis relaxed a bit like he was taking Lawson’s lead. “None taken, I wouldn’t mind some myself.”

Relieved to have something to distract himself from the tension in the bar, Matt started around it, jumping at the clatter of metal. He stared at Noah as the Dom dumped a bunch of change on the bartop.

Exchanged a look with Jamie after seeing every single one was the same.

No one was getting the cane, but they were getting punished.

He bit back a laugh at Jamie’s loud groan. “Not the pennies.”

“Yes, the pennies. All of you.” Noah glanced at each one of the Doms in the bar, none of them objecting. “Either you tell us what happened last night, or you stay put until your schedule demands your time or you’re excused.”

At a pat on his thigh from Rhodey, Avery hopped down, grabbed a penny, and headed over to the wall. Wren glanced at Jared, who inclined his head, then did the same. One after another, every sub got into position—even Pike, who Matt was pretty sure didn’t know anything.

The only one left while Matt finished serving Lawson was Quint, who rose gracefully at a gesture from Seth. He grabbed an extra penny from the bar at a clatter, then a curse from Pike, moving to his side and handing it to him as he got back in position.

Chewing on his bottom lip, Matt palmed his own penny, his eyes stinging a bit as he looked over all the subs, lined up silently along the wall. His friends, who were willing to take a punishment to keep him out of trouble.

That kind of loyalty wasn’t something he’d ever really expected from anyone, not people he wasn’t in a relationship with. He’d seen it between the gang members, but that wasn’t the same. Their bonds were created by fear and desperation. They showed their loyalty through intimidation and violence, tearing down everyone who didn’t belong.

Matt’s team was made up of men he loved and respected. And even though this display of solidarity involved a handful of pennies?

What Quint had said the night before came back to him.

This kind of bond…

Was priceless. 

****

Part Thirteen