Chapter Seven
Terry vibrated with excitement and nerves.
The past month had been insane. He’d had to cancel their planned visit to his mom’s house for Thanksgiving because he hadn’t felt well enough to travel yet.
She’d visited instead and fed them all. Me, Phil, Ellery, his date, Gerard, Marco and Marty.
Terry had contributed to the meal and so had Phil, but his mom had been pretty pushy when it came to Terry taking it easy.
He’d also taken some time off work. The cable show was still on hiatus until the first of the year and his home studio had needed to be redone, along with broken equipment that had to be replaced.
It didn’t help that the whole story, his and Phil’s names included, had been plastered all over the media.
No hiding that whole BDSM thing now. Ironically, it hadn’t hurt client interest in the slightest. On the contrary, he suddenly had people clamoring for much more daring photos than had been requested in the past.
Not only was he all healed, but Gerard had hinted he wanted to speak with Phil about some sort of business venture, it was Phil’s birthday, and they were finally going to get to enjoy the decadent evening they’d originally planned the night Terry had been attacked.
He shuddered at the last thought. Phil had tried to keep from him some of the lurid details of the murder spree Joe and his accomplice, Norm, had been on—but the Internet had turned Phil’s attempts at shielding Terry from the drama into a pointless exercise.
Terry checked his reflection in the bedroom mirror.
He was plugged, but the one Phil had used on him was the smaller one he sometimes made Terry wear during the day.
It was manageable. Phil had explained that depending on what happened, he didn’t want to have to stop and prep him.
Terry had also been made to endure several reminders that he could safeword at any time if he became too uncomfortable.
The ‘Duh, I got it already,’ remark had just barely been contained before it had flown from his mouth.
By the same token, he cherished how protective Phil was over him.
Fucking came bursting in there like my knight in shining armor.
Terry wasn’t the only one who’d been hurt.
Phil’s knuckles had been swollen and bruised for a couple of weeks, his lip had also been split open, and he’d had a swollen eye as well as several minor cuts from rolling around on the broken glass from the light bulbs and Terry’s glass desk that had been smashed.
“Mmm.” Phil walked into their bedroom and wrapped his arms around Terry’s waist from behind.
They gazed at each other through the reflection in the mirror.
“God, you’re hot. I could bend you over this dresser and fuck you right this second.
” Phil straightened as he popped Terry on the ass.
“But I won’t. Great things come to those who wait. ”
“I’ll say.” Terry adjusted his swelling dick in his new leather pants with some difficulty. They were crushing the shit out of his junk, but Phil had assured him they’d loosen up with wear.
“Those look incredible, baby. I’m so turned on by you, so proud of your bravery tonight.”
Terry flushed. He was too busy being aroused to consider whether any bravery was involved. “I want this, Sir. I really do. But only with you.”
Phil entwined their fingers together. “Same here.”
Once Terry had spent another five minutes obsessing over if he looked okay, Phil shuffled him out the door and into the car.
Terry’s teeth were clenched so hard on the drive there, he worried he might crack them.
As they pulled up the long driveway of Gerard’s home, Terry let out a small moan before he could stop it.
Phil parked the car then took Terry’s hand in both of his.
“Talk to me, baby.”
“I didn’t safeword.”
Phil sighed. “I realize that. But I was just checking to make sure—”
“Sir? No offense, but remember when we first came here, and you asked me if ordering me to do something was part of the kink?”
Phil chuckled. “Right. You need your boundaries pushed more than I’ve been doing lately.”
“Yeah.” Terry covered their joined hands with his other one.
“I’ll forever be indebted to you for what you did that night, for how you risked yourself to save me.
I hadn’t thought it was possible to love you even more than I already did, but you proved me wrong when you protected me from those murdering freaks.
But I don’t want to think about them anymore. I only want to think about us.”
Phil gazed into his eyes, the hint of a smile on his lips. “You’re right.” He placed a quick kiss on Terry’s mouth then straightened. “So, you’d better do what I say tonight or you’re going to regret it. Understand?” Phil’s tone was firm and the sound went straight to Terry’s dick.
“Yes, Sir. I understand.” He didn’t imagine that grinning as he answered would go over so well.
Once they were out of the car and headed to the front door, they were on high protocol and Terry fell into step behind Phil. Before Phil even had the chance to knock, the door swung open, light from the inside streaming out onto the path leading up to the entrance.
Terry held in a groan at the sound of Marty’s voice. It was the first time he’d seen him, or been in his proximity since the night they first met.
“Welcome, Master Phil and Terry.”
“Hello, Marty.” A hint of amusement tinged Phil’s voice. “Or is it Master?”
“Eventually. Working on it.”
“Terry?”
“Yes, Sir?”
“Respond to Marty’s greeting.”
Terry cleared his throat. “Yes, Sir. Hello, Marty.”
“He won’t bite, baby. He’s not allowed to.”
Terry’s face filled with heat, but it was okay. He wanted what they were doing, and it was better he work off some of his embarrassment before much more intimate exchanges occurred.
“Don’t worry. I have manners.” Marty grunted. “Gerard’s been a helluva trainer so far.”
Phil began to make his way after Marty and Terry followed. His hands shook and it was all he could do to focus on not stumbling or face-planting. That would be a real mood killer.
“Phil! Terry! So great to see you.” Gerard’s welcoming voice helped to ease some of Terry’s nerves. “Terry, how’s your mom doing?”
“She’s doing well, Sir. I think we can talk her into visiting again for Christmas. My sister is in her last trimester, so she doesn’t want to travel to Mom’s place this year.”
Phil had already strolled across the room to the couch and Terry followed, sinking to his knees next to him as soon as Phil sat down.
Terry caught sight of Gerard’s sleek black, short boots and the hem of his leather pants as he perched on the sofa to his right.
When Marco assumed his kneeling position, Terry resisted the urge to take a peek at the sweet young man.
He wanted to know his story, since Gerard had hinted at something there that made him very careful with whom he allowed Marco to interact with.
“Well, be sure to tell her I said hello.”
“Yes, Sir. I will.”
“Marco?” Gerard’s voice was distinctly softer when he addressed Marco. Terry had never noticed it before. “Would you get the refreshments for our guests?”
“Yes, Master.” Marco rose and Terry noted he was in his bare feet, that everything Terry could see was bare. He also assumed Marco was naked as usual.
Only time I’ve ever seen him in clothes was at Thanksgiving. Fortunately, Gerard had spared Terry’s mom Marco’s nudity in honor of the holiday.
Phil’s hand landed on Terry’s head. “Baby? I’d like for you to help Marco.”
“Yes, Sir.” Dammit. I’d wanted to hear what they talked about.
His grace had returned now that his side didn’t hurt like a sonofabitch anymore. There had been a slight fracture of his ribs, but that was it. He counted himself fortunate overall.
Terry trailed after Marco into the kitchen he hadn’t entered since that night with Master Joe, Anson and the Norm guy. Fuck. Little did I know.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh?” Terry tore his gaze from the island where the drinks had all been arranged that night and turned to Marco.
“Sorry, I…” He glanced back, swallowing.
“The last time I was here, well…” He’d made a point of telling Phil not to think about those idiots, but he hadn’t expected he’d have such a strong reaction to being in Gerard’s damn kitchen, for chrissakes.
“Is it because of those men who were here that tried to hurt you?”
Terry sighed. Marco had such an earnest expression on his face. It was obvious he was genuinely concerned about Terry’s feelings.
“It’s all right, Marco, really. I want us all to have an awesome time tonight. This…” He swallowed hard as he pushed the unwelcome memories from his head. “It just caught me off guard because this is where I ran into them the first time.”
Marco’s eyes rounded. “Oh, I didn’t know. My Master didn’t tell me very much about it, he knows how upset I get.”
Terry’s only opinion of Marco so far had been vague, that he seemed like a sweet, pretty guy who had the best ass he’d ever seen. But he also appeared to be a very compassionate man with a certain fragility to him that made Terry curious. I’ll have to see what I can find out from Phil later on.
“Well, let’s not talk about unpleasant things, okay? We’re here to have fun. Tell me what I should grab, and I’ll help you take everything out there.”
Marco offered him a shy smile. “Okay, I think that’s a good idea. And thanks.”
Once they’d gathered two trays of finger foods, which Terry carried—and a cart that Marco pushed with glasses, ice and a variety of non-alcoholic drinks—they made their way back to the living room.
“Ah, two beautiful boys.” Gerard’s voice was light and happy. “And they bring treats. We are all very lucky bastards.”