Chapter 21
Colton gets Graham into bed (no small challenge considering the man is built like a brick shithouse and will likely sleep for a solid twelve hours again) and orders more provisions for the days ahead. First on the list are some damned electrolytes because no one is supposed to come this often.
And then he orders a giant lasagna and salad from the Italian place down the street that does delivery and puts in a delivery order for groceries.
Since Graham is sleeping so heavily, he could go and get them himself but that feels wrong.
He needs to be here just in case. There is something primal about it.
Graham is his. His boy is down so far because of Colton and to leave him alone, even in a safe place, is too unsettling.
When all the physical stuff is out of the way, his mind goes to the mental challenges and pleasures of dominating Graham. Being with Graham is like planning an assault mission. But sexy.
Especially now that they’ve used the L word.
He’d always heard that compatibility could happen fast but he hadn’t expected it to be like this.
Colton needs contingency plans and emergency exits.
And just like most missions, the one thing he doesn’t know to plan for will be the thing that bites them in the ass.
For example, Jonah. First of all, who’d have fucking thought Graham would run into him, and secondly, who would have thought Graham Knox, a living fucking Adonis, would be envious of Jonah, the twinkiest slut to have ever joined the military?
Jonah is ordinary and Graham is extraordinary.
It was never serious with Jonah. Hell, Jonah was the one to approach him!
Jonah isn’t the sort of guy Colton would ever fall in love with.
Someone would have to be a fool to fall for him because he is genuinely the sluttiest submissive Colton has ever met.
He isn’t the sort of guy a Dominant would even want to commit to.
Which had been part of his appeal, honestly.
He’s easy and Colton couldn’t get swept away in the heat of the moment and make the wrong decision.
For someone like Colton, with the designation he has, that’s important to him.
He knows submissives who’ve been traumatized, knows the damage a shitty Dominant can cause, and that will never be him.
Colton is educated and informed and prepared and hopefully Graham will realize (please, let it be fucking soon) how much better things are, how much safer Graham is, because Colton cares enough and takes the time.
Patience and gentleness can get Graham what he really wants. Love. Devotion.
And Colton knows how to get a sub to ask for what they want.
And he can craft a fucking scene that will make Graham lose his goddamned mind.
And he’ll make it be something Graham doesn’t even know he wants.
Because Graham Knox doesn’t know what the fuck he wants.
And he certainly doesn’t know what he needs.
Colton does. And he’ll do it right. And then everything will be fine.
Graham is lonely and touch starved. He is anxious and has confidence issues. He wants to be forced because it’s easier for him to keep to himself. Then he’s fighting someone else, can stay protected and closed off.
Graham doesn’t want to be vulnerable—he needs to be vulnerable, he needs to give in and get comfortable with his designation or he’ll never go deep enough into subspace and release enough dopamine and rewardin to be healthy.
If he isn’t vulnerable, he won’t be able to process the alphazine and hormones that Colton’s semen contains and which are biologically necessary for Graham to thrive.
And when he’s getting his needs met and feels safe then he calls Colton Daddy. Which is so fucking good his dick starts to get hard again.
He ignores it and drinks two large glasses of water then takes a shower.
The deliveries arrive and he puts everything away, gets some food and something to drink for Graham.
Instructions have been sent over to him from Whitestone with the amount of calories Graham needs to consume because of his designation.
And they sent over almost all of his medical files.
His medical records are glowing depictions of health except for when it comes to his submissive designation. Then it’s just a long list of drugs, dosages, and speculations by various doctors of why certain medications aren’t working.
Graham’s stubbornness is noted, too. He’s a fighter, although Colton thinks that might diminish as they build up trust and Graham balances out.
Watching Graham fight his nature is both arousing as hell and distressing.
The only way to deal with one’s designation is to accept it, find the good where one can, and move on.
He isn’t sure Graham will ever accept that.
Fears he’ll always try to climb out of subspace and stay alert and ready to defend himself.
Then he finds himself walking toward the bedroom, hand straying to his cock, which is already half-hard.
No. Not yet. He’ll get the man fed and watered, watch TV for a few hours, and then go to bed.
At which point he can wake Graham up to fuck him and then hopefully sleep for several more hours before he’ll need to take him again.
The Dominant in him doesn’t like that plan. Doesn’t like being held back and forced to wait. If his cock is getting hard, then Graham is hard. Normally, that’s reason enough to fuck his sub’s brains out, but this isn’t normal.
It isn’t the sort of thing one complains about necessarily. Too much sex isn’t a bad problem to have. Especially when it’s so fucking good. But if they need to leave the house or, god forbid, go on a mission, then it will definitely be a problem. He forces himself to leave the bedroom.
Graham needs to sleep and be in subspace.
Graham’s sex drive is equally high. Now that he’s getting his needs met, his body is making up for lost time. This state of hyperarousal could go on for days, weeks, or even months. No one knows because each designation has the insane disadvantage of being different.
Why the military ever thought gene manipulation was a road they should go down, he has no idea.
He doesn’t think they should have built the atom bomb or flame throwers either, but they did.
Men wanted to play god and in order to do so people who were disposable were needed.
Citizens didn’t want to pay for wars, but the military industrial complex needed money.
Tying in longevity, cures for cancer, and advanced medical research turned out to be a surefire way to get public and congressional approval for endless amounts of money.
Weapons of mass destruction brought down governments, could end humanity.
Small conflicts between each country’s perfect soldiers, stealing research and people, is the new cold war.
Military games of life and death with smaller, cheaper pieces that can be disposed of and used…
while companies siphon off money from the government.
Obviously, Colton didn’t have quite such a jaded opinion when he signed up for the military but he basically knew what he was getting into.
He just didn’t want to die from cancer. He doesn’t have any regrets.
How can he? He’s alive and healthy, has money and status as a Dominant. He’s luckier than a lot of people.
His body being revved up to satisfy Graham’s is a sign of their deep biological and designational compatibility. Satisfying Graham is becoming an all-consuming necessity at this point.
And Graham is responding well. Physically, Graham’s numbers are now great. Every chemical that corresponds to ejaculation and physical satisfaction is moving toward a normal range. The toxic buildup is close to resolved. But mentally he just hasn’t been in subspace long enough.
They’ll keep working on it.
He has plans. Many plans. But that all can wait. First, he has to… what?
What the fuck is he supposed to be doing? Why is he in the kitchen staring at the microwave while he gropes himself?
Right.
Graham needs food.
Food, not cock.
Simple.
He grabs Graham’s food and brings it to the bedroom, sets it carefully down on the nightstand, then gets fully dressed and sits down beside him on the bed.
He’s even put on shoes, sneakers that lace.
If he gets carried away and wants to fuck Graham instead of feeding him and letting him sleep, then the clothing will hopefully remind him of his real purpose.
“Hey, sweetheart. We need to feed you,” he says, rubbing his thumb gently across Graham’s lower lip. Graham licks his thumb, warm and wet, lets his mouth open so Colton can slide his cock in and fuck his mouth.
Colton’s free hand goes to his pants, unbuttoning the top button so he can get Graham to suck him. Wait. Colton pulls his hand back from Graham’s mouth, lets go of his pants, and pats him on the forearm instead.
Graham moans, a sound Colton would describe as pornographic, and opens his eyes. He blinks slowly, sees Colton, and smiles. The cuffs jingle. Colton loves the cuffs and puts a hand to the bedspread, wanting to pull it down and see his boy all chained up.
Not helpful.
He lets go of the bedspread.
“We have to feed you now,” he says, shaking his head to clear it.
“Yes, Sir,” Graham says, and he sits up, looping his arms around Colton’s neck.
Jesus. The bedding falls away from his chest, exposing the flat planes of his stomach, the muscles all bunching and releasing as he sits up, sleepy and warm and soft.
He’s only been out for a few hours. He’s naked and reeks of sex.
“Look at you,” Colton says, instantly captivated, and drags the covers off him, needing to see his boy’s cock.
He’s hard, curved up and hot to the touch.
A smear of pre-come is on his stomach. Colton’s hand is somehow flush against Graham’s erection, fingers pressing into him at the base of his shaft, just above his tight, full balls, and Graham rolls his hips into the touch.
His kisses are wet and sloppy on Colton’s neck.
“Need you naked,” Graham says, and goose bumps break out all over Colton’s skin.
“Yeah, sweetheart. Help me take this off so I can give you my cock.” Why is he wearing pants when he needs to be able to fuck Graham at a moment’s notice?
Wait.
Colton stands up. He blinks and rubs at his eyes.
Fuck.
Because he isn’t here to fuck Graham. He swears and throws the covers back onto him, goes and opens the window, and takes a few deep breaths of cold air.
His cock is hard. So hard. Uncomfortable, his balls heavy with come.
He gets the key to the cuffs out of his pocket and goes back to Graham, unlocking him quickly and then going back to where he was.
Graham will need to feed himself.
Although… he could fuck Graham and then feed him. Graham’s hand is moving under the covers as he touches himself, his hot gaze fixated on Colton.
“What are you thinking?” Colton makes the mistake of asking.
“I’m thinking you have something else I could eat.”
Well. Ask a stupid question… He points at the tray. “Drink your water. All of it.”
Graham looks at Colton’s crotch and licks his lips invitingly. Colton looks down, wondering just how visible his erection is through his pants. There’s a giant wet spot on the front.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
“I’m not thirsty for water.”
It’s such a cheesy line. Colton should roll his eyes and dismiss it as a joke. “Would you take every drop, baby?” he asks instead and squeezes himself through his clothing.
Graham pushes the covers away and crawls closer, on all fours, ass up, intently watching Colton’s cock, as if he has X-ray vision, as if his dick is the finish line of a marathon. Determined.
“Stop! No. Not yet. Get under the fucking covers.” Colton makes his voice firm. “Don’t speak. Drink your fucking water.”
Graham blinks at him. He frowns. The corner of his mouth twitches into a smile and Colton grips the windowsill tighter. Graham turns around, presenting his ass as he crawls back toward the covers. The plug in his hole flashes at Colton with each shift of his hips.
“You’re incredible. Drink your water. I promise you, you won’t like it if I have to tell you again. We get you fed before anything else happens.”
He can practically feel Graham thinking, wondering what he’d regret, what Colton’s promise of punishment might be.
Colton isn’t actually sure. The easiest thing is to deny Graham his cock, tell him he can’t have it, but that would punish the both of them and Colton’s pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to stick to it.
Denial isn’t an option.
Graham picks up the water and drinks it all, then sets the glass down.
“Good. Now the other drink. You need electrolytes.”
Graham drinks that, too, and puts the glass down. He looks at the plate of food. Colton is pretty damned sure Graham is considering not eating it just to see what the punishment might be. Graham’s stomach rumbles audibly.
“If you don’t eat the food, I’ll put an anal expander in you, get you so loose you won’t feel a thing, and that will be your day.
I’ll still come happily enough in your sloppy hole, but it won’t hurt you at all.
Totally your choice,” he says, and he almost wishes there was someone there to congratulate him for coming up with the right punishment.
Mack would have given him a wink or a thumbs-up.
Graham glowers at him but instantly starts eating. When he is almost done, he looks back at Colton.
“What’s the expander?”
“It’s like a balloon. Goes in small and a pump puts air into it which makes it get bigger. Hands-off stretching.”
Graham looks utterly horrified. “Hands off? There’s no touching at all?”
“It does all the work. Hell, you could hold the pump and I could take a nap or watch TV. Pay bills.” He keeps his expression blank.
“Me?” Graham asks, and he actually looks a little pale.
“Finish your food.”
Graham does.
Colton’s finally getting his submissive figured out.