Read Online The Flesh Cartel - Episode #7: Homecoming by Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau - Free Book Online Page B

maintaining an erection before, not even when he was new.
    “Too much ‘contraband,’ perhaps? Sugar crash?”
    Douglas mumbled something around the plug that sounded to Nikolai like I don’t know, sir.
    “You must learn discipline, Douglas. Stronger self-control.”
    Another mumble, longer than the last. The boy clearly wished to make something known, but Nikolai had no intention of permitting excuses, not now.
    “If ever I deign to treat you again, I expect you to know your limits and stop before you make yourself useless.”
    No mumble this time, just a nod. The boy hung his head, the gesture contrite, but kept his shoulders squared and his back straight. Nikolai felt his irritation fade a little at that.
    “You’ll push through it, Douglas. It’s bad enough you’re letting it show; I should punish you for it.”
    A shudder. It looked like he’d started to shake his head, to beg, but then stopped himself. Lifted his chin, set his jaw. Yes, sir , that expression said. I deserve it, sir. I’ll submit and be grateful.
    Gods, Nikolai couldn’t stop himself from loving the boy. Wasn’t sure he even wanted to. “Shhh now. Shhh.” He stroked Douglas’s back. “I’ll help you. Do you want help to obey?”
    A quick, fervent nod, and were those tears in the corners of Douglas’s eyes? Nikolai leaned in to kiss them away, tasted salt and exhaustion and . . . sadness? “I’m here for you, Douglas,” he murmured against the boy’s temple. Stroked Douglas’s cheek, then pulled the plug from his mouth and laid it on the bed beside them. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.”
    Douglas sniffed back his tears, licked at sore lips, cleared his throat, and shook his head. “N-nothing, sir, I’m just . . . You’ve been so good to me and I’m letting you down and I’m sorry, I don’t want to let you down, sir, please . . .”
    Nikolai waited for Douglas to finish his thought, but the boy fell silent, lips pressed tightly together, chin wobbling.
    “I’m not angry,” Nikolai tried.
    “T-thank you, sir. That’s m-more than I deserve.” Lips tight again. Chin still wobbling. Not fear, then. Was he truly so upset at his failure to perform for his master? So early in their training? Could Nikolai be that lucky?
    No. Probably not. And whatever this was, it seemed unlikely to be a problem kindness could solve. There’d been nothing but kindness today. A firmer hand, perhaps. Nikolai stepped away, turned toward his walk-in closet. “No more tears, Douglas,” he said as he opened the closet door, rummaged through the shelves for what he needed. “You’ll make me think you’re unhappy to serve me. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”
    “N-no, sir.” The boy’s watery voice drifted in on another sniffle, but then he took a deep breath, let it out slowly, loudly. Nikolai found what he was looking for and took it back to the bed.
    No more tears had fallen in his absence. Even more pleasing, the boy was still holding position, arms tense at his sides and legs trembling with effort, but back still straight, eyes still forward, not tracking Nikolai’s movement—though the tension in his shoulders and neck made it clear that he wanted to. Nikolai opened his mouth to praise Douglas for his discipline, then thought better of it. It was time to be stern now. He laid the toy in his hand at Douglas’s knees—pleased again to see Douglas not trying to peek—and picked up the plug again. Lifted it to the boy’s lips and held it there, barely touching. Douglas unclenched his jaw and opened his mouth wide without needing to be told, even though he clearly took no pleasure—yet—from sucking on the silicone. “No more tears,” Nikolai reminded him as he swallowed hard around the plug, adjusting to its presence. The boy shook his head minutely.
    Nikolai picked up the other toy, held it where Douglas could see it. “Do you know what this is?” The boy studied it, blue eyes wide and still shining with wetness (and