Winning Big

Chapter One

Dom

He had his own apartment. It was a very nice place that Dom had worked hard for. All his favorite things were in his apartment. Well, except for Jimmy, his pet bird who was currently perched on his shoulder. His apartment was also private, quiet, and Dom could do whatever he wanted there. None of that explained why after two months he was still staying in the guest room of what they all now affectionately called the big house.

This house wasn’t even that big. Brandon and Dane had added on a second master suite, which made getting time in the bathroom easier, but it was still just a normal house on a residential street. Nothing special. Other than the people that lived inside. His friends. People who cared about him. The only ones that worried for Dom.

As much as he tried to keep his distance from everyone, his friend group had slowly been growing over the past year. It had started when he met Lake, the bouncer of the little club in the casino where Dom worked. Lake had been too sweet. His big brown eyes had begged not to be rebuffed. Dom was a sucker for the sweet littles. The protectiveness he felt for Lake didn’t make sense as the big guy towered over him but Lake only looked scary.

Ezra was next. The young single father joining Dom at the coffee shop had his own issues but had slowly opened to Dom. Dom was happy having the two friends. They were both busy and didn’t mind when Dom would disappear for days at a time. Dom could put them off when they asked about his health, and they had respected his privacy.

Until Ezra started to date Eric, the undercover cop that brought his own friends and a brother into the mix. Eric’s brother Brandon also ended up being a little, adding to their kinky little group. Eric’s best friends Dane and Remi were cops and Daddies. Bossy men who cared for all the boys. Dane was dating Brandon and Remi…Dom didn’t know what to think about Remi.

Without a doubt Remi was the most dominant of all the men. He also seemed very determined to take care of Dom. It didn’t matter how many times Dom threw a tantrum or lashed out with his words. Remi wasn’t giving up.

Just like now. Dom knew if he sat in his room long enough, Remi would be knocking on his door asking him to come eat. And it would be a good meal too. No more fast food for Dom. Remi made everything from scratch. When Dom was adamant last week that he was going to eat tacos, Remi had made homemade tortillas and used only fresh ingredients for him.

Dom had maybe decided right then and there that he would find some way to get under Remi’s skin. Still hadn’t worked though. And Dom had tried hard. Pushed buttons. Been a complete brat. The longer that Remi showed not only patience but the fact that Dom couldn’t push him away confused Dom. Made him ache for what Dom couldn’t have. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone Dom got involved with. Unless he could get an agreement beforehand.

No feelings. No attachments.

The idea had been formulating for days now.

Dom just needed to figure out if Remi would be interested in a little fun.

Little being the key word.

Dom regressed with his friends but there was always a part of him that he held back. He didn’t go as deep or young as when he’d played before he’d gotten sick. Too many worries and responsibilities in the back of his mind to be able to sink fully into his little persona. He wanted to go back to the time when he could trust his partner. Dom hadn’t had a dedicated Daddy of his own, but he’d played around. Until the day that he got the news that changed his life forever.

The past year had been about surviving but now that he’d had time to process and was as healthy as he could be, Dom was starting to consider his priorities. If Dom was going to die, he wanted to enjoy the time that he had left. He was done wallowing in how unfair life was. And he wasn’t being dramatic.

Dom could have years. It might only be months. The doctors couldn’t tell him. His body had a mind of its own. Even if he knew his timeline, Dom would want to spend his days enjoying himself. Of being true to himself.

The question was, could Dom make an agreement with Remi and trust the older man to abide by the rules?

A knock came from outside his door.

Dom grinned before clearing his amusement and calling, “Come in.”

The door opened silently before Remi stuck his head inside. Remi’s smile was instant when he spotted Dom sitting with his bird. “Dinner is ready.”

“Another nutritious meal?” Dom taunted. He just couldn’t help it! He wasn’t really a brat or he hadn’t been before. Dom had just become so angry with what life threw at him. And he was just fucking exhausted of fighting to live.

“Only the best for you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m tired of eating vegetables.” Dom wasn’t really. He liked that Remi cared enough to make sure he ate right. No one had cared about him for a very long time. Not since his parents had decided that his sinful life made him no longer their son.

“Vegetables are good for you.” Remi stepped in front of where Dom sat on his unmade bed. The sleeves of Remi’s white button-down shirt were rolled up, showing off his muscular forearms and Dom had to look away. The thought of what Remi could do with those arms haunted him.“And the doctors said that the better you eat, the easier dialysis will be for you.”

“And yet chocolate tastes so much better,” Dom argued.

“You got the bag of hard candy I left for you?” Remi asked.

The man thought of everything. Since Dom had to limit the amount of liquids that he consumed, he had to rely on hard candy to keep the dry mouth away, like he was eighty years old or something. Remi had bought him such a large selection that Dom wouldn’t be running out for a very long time. “Yeah.”

Remi crouched in front of him. “Yeah?”

He swallowed hard. “Thank you.” Dom wasn’t submissive but he did have manners. Remi deserved his appreciation at the very least.

Remi patted his knee. “Let me know when you start to run low.”

Dom nodded. It wasn’t an order. Remi was looking out for him like always.

As much as Dom didn’t like being told what to do, the way Remi approached the subject had Dom all fuzzy and warm on the inside. It was hard for dominants to see him as a little and not get frustrated because there wasn’t a submissive bone in his body. Even Dom had thought there was something wrong with him until he’d really started to dig into age regression and being a little.

Regressing was all a mindset. There was no wrong or right way to go about it. With the Teddy Bear club being Dom’s main playground, he’d met littles, pups, and subs of all ages and body types. All different careers and economic status. That had led to Dom finally accepting himself.

Finding a full-time Daddy was a whole different story.

Except maybe Remi was the man that Dom had been looking for. At least he already knew about Dom’s disease, which would hopefully make it easier to accept Dom’s plan.

“Hey.” Remi squeezed his knee. “Are you okay? You look tired.”

“I haven’t done dialysis yet,” Dom pointed out. “I’m fine.” He would be exhausted later.

“You always claim to be fine,” Remi pointed out. “It’s okay not to be.”

Not in Dom’s experience. “What’s for dinner?”

Remi laughed. “Guess you’ll have to come and see.” He rose before petting the top of Jimmy’s head. “It’s just us tonight so you can bring Jimmy Buffet with you if you’d like.”

“Where is everyone else?” It was rare for Dom and Remi to be alone in the house.

“Dane took Brandon on a date. They’re having dinner and going to the club to meet up with Lake. Eric, Ezra, and Annabelle are at the movies. Eric is about to start his new assignment and wants to get a few last-minute moments with them before he has to work so much.”

Life went along for everyone but him. It was work four days a week, dialysis three days a week, and doctor appointments scattered between just so he could be poked and prodded even more. “Oh, okay. I didn’t realize Eric was going back undercover.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll drop you off at dialysis and pick you up,” Remi told him.

“I can drive myself,” Dom argued. This was an argument that he never won.

“And I can take you and pick you up.” Remi got that stubborn look on his face.

“Fine.” Dom huffed. “And Jimmy isn’t name after Jimmy Buffet.”

“Sure. Come eat.” Remi walked away, whistling the tune of Margaritaville .

The traitor on his shoulder started to hum along.

Damn it. Jimmy had come to him already named when Remi had picked him up at a rescue. Still, it was embarrassing that Dom had become a fan of the music. Not something that he’d ever wanted to admit. Pushing himself off the bed, Dom did his best not to smile. It would totally ruin his reputation if Remi saw it.

He followed behind the older cop because no matter how much he bitched, Dom loved being taken care of. The scent of dinner had his mouth watering.

Remi was an amazing cook. He often split the task with Brandon but when Remi cooked, the Italian side from his mother came through. Dom was a sucker for the homemade pasta and sauce that Remi served.

Jimmy began to bob his head and squawk as they entered the kitchen. There was a formal table in the dining room but they only ate there for their now customary Sunday family meal and at holidays. The little kitchen set next to the back door was where they took most of their meals.

Dom couldn’t help but look toward the far wall that blocked the view of the hall going down to the basement. The playroom. It had been too long since he’d gotten to play. He had the weekend off. No work and no dialysis. Dom needed to broach his plan to Remi or lose the next forty-eight hours.

First dinner. Maybe he would be braver with a full belly. He slid onto the bench seat before leaning over and inhaling deeply. Dom didn’t bother to hold back his moan.

“At least I know you like my cooking,” Remi said. He was drying his hands on a towel as he walked to the table.

Dom already had his fork poised over his plate. “You can cook.”

Chuckling, Remi sat across from him. “Thanks. I think.”

Jimmy hoped off his shoulder to the table before bobbing his head. Dom placed one piece of pasta on the table for his little buddy to play with. While shoveling the food into his mouth, Dom thought about how best to approach Remi. He swallowed his overly large bite. “What are your plans for tonight?”

Remi wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I have an appointment. It’ll only be a few hours.”

“A case?” Dom asked. Remi was the lieutenant to the entire narcotics department for the Metro Police department. Both Eric and Dane worked under his supervision. The man was always answering his phone for something. Even though he was obviously important at work, Remi was always available for Dom. Made Dom feel special.

“No, this is a personal appointment.”

Dom’s stomach clenched. “A date?” Was Remi seeing someone? Dom hadn’t considered the possibility. That wouldn’t work into his plan at all! Dom would not poach Remi from another boy that needed him.

“No. I’m not currently seeing anyone,” Remi informed him.

That shouldn’t make Dom as happy as it did. “Oh. Okay.”

“I’ll be on time,” Remi told him.

“I have no doubts.” Dom had lost his nerve though. Maybe after dialysis he would know what to say. He had a long session ahead of him to think things through better.

* * * * *

Remi

It shouldn’t make him feel so good to see Dom finish a plate of food and pat his flat stomach, but Remi found pleasure in making sure that Dom was taken care of. The dominant part of him urged for Remi to take Dom in hand. To be the Daddy that Dom so desperately needed.

Dom wasn’t like the other boys that Remi had been spending time around. Remi’s experiences in a kinky lifestyle were limited but he could read people better than most. He knew that he and Dom had a strong connection and that he’d make the perfect Daddy for the poor boy.

Not that Remi had thought about living a kinky lifestyle before he’d made a visit to Rocky Lake.He'd seen the amazing connection between his old lieutenant and Sam, learning that the degrees of kink including a more caregiver role. Perfect for a man like Remi.

Returning home, Remi had begun to research BDSM and kink lifestyles. He was a planner, a student, and didn’t like to go into anything halfcocked. Remi needed structure, so he’d started with the internet before reaching out to a local Dom in the lifestyle. It hadn’t been until Eric had found Ezra that Remi had started picturing putting his research into real life practice.

He’d started to work with a mentor when Remi found shibari.

The thought of tying up a boy and being allowed complete control over him. Just the thought made him excited. There had been no boy in mind until he’d first laid eyes on Dom. The sassy, cute, young man who managed the coffee shop that Ezra worked in. Even injured, Dom had glared and argued with Remi. Remi had ignored the words coming from the young man and instead peered into Dom’s dark eyes.

Dom might seem to have everything together. He fought hard for independence. But those dark eyes screamed that he just needed to let go.

Remi wanted to be the man that allowed Dom that freedom.

First, he needed to make sure that he wouldn’t let the boy down. Remi had been spending two nights a week for months with his mentor and even though Damon was happy with his progress, Remi was still doubting himself. His ability. Remi didn’t like the feelings of doubt, so burying himself with the task of caring for Dom helped ease his mind.

Being an overthinker had kept Remi from making moves in the past. Regrets sat heavy in his chest but Remi was forcing himself to move past that this time. He didn’t want to lose Dom before he ever had the boy. Dom deserved better. Just a few more months and Remi was sure that he would be ready to offer Dom everything the boy needed and wanted.

“I’ll clean up really quick while you put Jimmy away and grab your bag.”

Dom looked up at him with those dark eyes. “I really can drive myself. I hate to put you out.”

Leaning forward, Remi made sure his voice was firm. “I want to take you and pick you up. It makes me worry less. Please.”

Huffing out a breath, Dom nodded. “Fine.”

The boy tried so hard to put space between the two of them. To act like he couldn’t care less that Remi was even around. Remi knew better though. Dom was testing boundaries. Pushing but not wanting Remi to go anywhere. Remi was a trained professional at reading people and their intent. Dom had no idea how much it amused him that the boy really thought that Remi was weak enough to get frustrated or angry. Remi didn’t do those emotions. Dom didn’t have the ability to get under Remi’s skin, because Remi wouldn’t allow it.

As Dom exited the kitchen, Remi rose and began to clear the table.

He always cleaned as he cooked so it only took a few minutes to rinse the dishes before he placed them in the dishwasher. Remi placed a lid on top of the platter so that someone else in the house could eat leftovers if they wanted.

Ten minutes later Remi was locking the front door as Dom strolled casually to his truck.

No matter how he was feeling, Dom always headed to dialysis without complaint. All the research that Remi had done into chronic kidney disease and dialysis worried him on how much more Dom could take before his body finally gave in.

Fuck! Remi wouldn’t think about that.

Brandon had sent all of them to Dom’s nephrologist, his kidney doctor, and they were being tested to see if any of them were a match. They’d find Dom a kidney. They would.