Read Online Discipline by Chris Owen, Jodi Payne - Free Book Online
Authors: Chris Owen, Jodi Payne
Tags: General Fiction
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Master Bradford suggested I go in with Nikki and Brian."
"It's okay, sweetheart," Tobias said softly, one hand running over Noah's hair. "Bradford and I had to yell at each other a little." He looked at Bradford and schooled his features. "Are we done?" he asked.
"As you so eloquently pointed out, I'm not your Dom, so I can hardly tie you up to keep you here. I think you're making a mistake in leaving, but my opinion hasn't held much water with you this evening, so
-- run if you need to, Tobias, I'll do the best I can here."
Bradford didn't wait for an answer but simply headed back to his office.
"We're leaving, sir?" Noah asked from his knees. "Aren't we going stay to make sure Phan is okay?
Didn't the doctor say she wanted to talk to you?"
Suddenly weary, Tobias sighed. "I know, pet. But I don't know if I can deal with this right now. I... I Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
need to make some decisions, and now is probably not the right moment. I seem to be a little worked up."
"If you think that's best, sir." Noah stood and retrieved his own coat.
Best. Tobias stood there for a long moment, fully aware of what he was doing to Noah, to Bradford, to Phantom... to himself. "I don't think it's best," he said softly. "I simply don't know what else to do."
Shaking himself he looked back the way Bradford had gone. "Into the lion's den, then. Come along, pet, you can help me lick my wounds later. If we all survive." He walked to the door and knocked, Noah just behind him.
"Come in," came the voice behind the door.
Tobias opened the door and walked in, holding it open until Noah was in as well. As he swung it shut he said, "What would you have me do? Honestly, how the hell do you see this working, Bradford?"
Noah knelt by the door.
Bradford, damn him, didn't seem the least bit surprised to see Tobias in his office again. "I don't know,"
Bradford said. "Maybe if we talk it out a bit we'll come to something." Hesteepled his fingers and tapped them against his chin. "Moving in with you seems premature, and perhaps ultimately it won't be necessary. I think you're right, though, that he does need a full-time Dom, someone to keep him in his space, to keep him purposeful, to give him reasons to keep doing what he's doing. With your guidance, I will fill that role for now, if you want me to."
Tobias glanced at Noah. "I'm certainly not taking him home," he told Noah. He walked a few steps and turned. "What kind of guidance are we talking about here?"
Bradford looked thoughtful for a moment. "Domestic submission, evening punishment and morning discipline, training, the works if you think he needs it. I'll commit to that for a trial period if that's what we decide he needs, Tobias. No one has suggested that to me to this point, including his doctor."
"Yes, well. His doctor will have a couple of questions to answer." Tobias paced again. "There're too many variables. Too much he's not saying -- and I'd bet lying about. Up until an hour ago, I thought everything was fine."
"Phan lies," Bradford said simply. "He always has. He tells everyone what they want to hear, whether or not it's strictly true. I don't expect his doctor would be any different." He filled their glasses again and sighed. "Tobias, in a perfect world, what would you have happen right now? If it weren't for these other variables, what would you see as the solution?"
Tobias snorted. "Everyone healthy and happy and whole, what else?"
Bradford snorted at him. "That's not a solution, Tobias, that's a pipe dream."
"So I have to choose one? Don't make me choose between them. Noah is my life, you know that. I love him. He's stronger, though -- don't make me choose being happy with Noah and saving Phan; I can't."
"What?" Noah said looking up from the floor.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Tobias. I never said you had to choose, did I?"
Noah got to his feet.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Tobias said softly, one hand running over Noah's hair. "Bradford and I had to yell at each other a little." He looked at Bradford and schooled his features. "Are we done?" he asked.
"As you so eloquently pointed out, I'm not your Dom, so I can hardly tie you up to keep you here. I think you're making a mistake in leaving, but my opinion hasn't held much water with you this evening, so
-- run if you need to, Tobias, I'll do the best I can here."
Bradford didn't wait for an answer but simply headed back to his office.
"We're leaving, sir?" Noah asked from his knees. "Aren't we going stay to make sure Phan is okay?
Didn't the doctor say she wanted to talk to you?"
Suddenly weary, Tobias sighed. "I know, pet. But I don't know if I can deal with this right now. I... I Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
need to make some decisions, and now is probably not the right moment. I seem to be a little worked up."
"If you think that's best, sir." Noah stood and retrieved his own coat.
Best. Tobias stood there for a long moment, fully aware of what he was doing to Noah, to Bradford, to Phantom... to himself. "I don't think it's best," he said softly. "I simply don't know what else to do."
Shaking himself he looked back the way Bradford had gone. "Into the lion's den, then. Come along, pet, you can help me lick my wounds later. If we all survive." He walked to the door and knocked, Noah just behind him.
"Come in," came the voice behind the door.
Tobias opened the door and walked in, holding it open until Noah was in as well. As he swung it shut he said, "What would you have me do? Honestly, how the hell do you see this working, Bradford?"
Noah knelt by the door.
Bradford, damn him, didn't seem the least bit surprised to see Tobias in his office again. "I don't know,"
Bradford said. "Maybe if we talk it out a bit we'll come to something." Hesteepled his fingers and tapped them against his chin. "Moving in with you seems premature, and perhaps ultimately it won't be necessary. I think you're right, though, that he does need a full-time Dom, someone to keep him in his space, to keep him purposeful, to give him reasons to keep doing what he's doing. With your guidance, I will fill that role for now, if you want me to."
Tobias glanced at Noah. "I'm certainly not taking him home," he told Noah. He walked a few steps and turned. "What kind of guidance are we talking about here?"
Bradford looked thoughtful for a moment. "Domestic submission, evening punishment and morning discipline, training, the works if you think he needs it. I'll commit to that for a trial period if that's what we decide he needs, Tobias. No one has suggested that to me to this point, including his doctor."
"Yes, well. His doctor will have a couple of questions to answer." Tobias paced again. "There're too many variables. Too much he's not saying -- and I'd bet lying about. Up until an hour ago, I thought everything was fine."
"Phan lies," Bradford said simply. "He always has. He tells everyone what they want to hear, whether or not it's strictly true. I don't expect his doctor would be any different." He filled their glasses again and sighed. "Tobias, in a perfect world, what would you have happen right now? If it weren't for these other variables, what would you see as the solution?"
Tobias snorted. "Everyone healthy and happy and whole, what else?"
Bradford snorted at him. "That's not a solution, Tobias, that's a pipe dream."
"So I have to choose one? Don't make me choose between them. Noah is my life, you know that. I love him. He's stronger, though -- don't make me choose being happy with Noah and saving Phan; I can't."
"What?" Noah said looking up from the floor.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Tobias. I never said you had to choose, did I?"
Noah got to his feet.
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