Chapter Seven
Gem
This was stupid. Did Gem really believe all the words that Luka had sent to him when they’d flying back home?
That Luka was Ty? Maybe. Okay, Gem was afraid to hope.
Or hope was already there and Gem was scared that this was still just a mean joke.
Once he’d arrived home, Gem had reread those messages no less than ten times.
Luka did know all of Gem and Ty’s interactions.
Had shared things that Ty had told him in the past. Either Luka was Ty or he was the biggest asshole to ever live.
Flattening down the lapels of his suit, Gem stared at the front of the private club. It was set up differently than the one in Seattle had been. How was this going to work? There was no way that a line of subs was going to be waiting for him like the first night that Gem had seen and claimed Ty.
Obviously, he was curious enough to drag himself out of his house and across town. Luka’s words had touched something inside Gem that he had to show up. If he was wrong and Luka was actually his Ty, then what did that mean? Would they just continue where they left off?
Gem didn’t have the answers that he needed and hated it. He despised not being in complete control. And Gem had felt out of control since Luka had sunk to his knees in his suite the prior night.
Had kicking Luka out of his suite been a mistake?
No, Gem hadn’t been in the right headspace to deal with all this. Even now, he was struggling to put all the pieces together. To trust. This could still be some sick joke by Luka and some of his teammates.
Gem’s fingers tightened around the mask in his hands.
Only one way to find out. Gem rolled his shoulders and strode toward the front door of the club. A large man stepped out of the doorway and held up a hand.
Gem pulled his phone out, showing the membership card on the screen.
“Welcome, sir. I believe your partner has already arrived. Please go through the door and to the right. There’s a lockbox for your phone and any personal items.”
“Thank you.” This was new. Usually, Gem had to check in with the receptionist to turn over his belongings.
He followed the guard’s instructions, first stepping into the small lobby, dropping his phone, wallet, and keys into a lockbox and taking the key.
He headed for the door to the right instead of the one to the left.
He pushed the door open and walked into a dark lobby with low lights and a line of subs on their knees with their heads bent. They all wore masks.
Lifting his hand, Gem stared at his own mask before carefully setting it in place. If this was how Luka wanted to do this thing, then Gem would let it play out. At least until Gem was ready to take control.
He’d already spotted Ty, no, Luka—Gem needed to remember that this was his teammate. Either Luka was telling the truth and he was Gem’s boy or he was about to learn a very harsh lesson. Gem was known for bringing big men to tears as they begged. Luka was as big as they came.
Striding forward, Gem passed the males and females that remained kneeling. He stopped in front of Luka. His brown hair shone under the lights of the lobby. His back was straight as he kept his head down. Hands clasped behind his back.
The perfect little sub.
With two fingers below Luka’s chin, Gem urged his head up. It was the same mask. The same everything. Just as it had been the night they first met. Staring hard into Luka’s eyes, Gem recognized the hunger and need. It…it was him. Gem’s fingers shook where he touched his boy.
“Do you see it, sir?” Luka asked in a whisper.
Silently, Gem nodded. He had no idea how this was possible. After traveling across the country and making an impromptu appearance at an event, Gem ended up being with someone from the league. Fuck! Once his brothers found out about this, Gem was never going to hear the end of this.
Chuckling quietly, Gem leaned closer so only his boy would hear him. “I’m going to enjoy punishing you for not telling me as soon as you knew.”
Luka blew out a long breath as his body seemed to release tension that looked like it came from his soul.
Gem cupped the side of his sub’s face. “It couldn’t have been easy. Holding this inside. Trying to convince me.”
“It wasn’t.” Luka’s voice shook.
“That’s why I’m going to punish you. I’ve told you time and again that you can tell me anything. Instead, you tried to play with me.”
A wince briefly crossed Luka’s face.
“Your only saving grace is because it was only a couple of days. If you had gone any longer, I would make sure you didn’t come for an entire month,” Gem threatened.
“Please, sir.” Luka leaned into his palm.
Gem straightened before he snapped his fingers.
Slowly and with order and calm, the subs who’d been lined up rose and exited the lobby.
“Did you reserve us a private room?” Gem questioned his boy.
“Just like our first night,” Luka responded.
“Good boy.” Gem stroked the side of Luka’s face. “But this time…” He carefully pushed Luka’s mask up and off his face. “No more hiding.”
Luka blinked up at him.
Such a beautiful boy kneeling for him.
And he was Gem’s for the taking.
“Stand,” Gem ordered. “Show me to the room.”
It spoke of Luka’s experience that he was able to rise to his feet after kneeling for however long. Luka licked his lips instead of following Gem’s directions.
“What is it? Do you not consent?” Gem would always give his sub the choice. Consent was everything in their world.
“Of course I do!” Luka’s voice rose.
Gem lifted a brow at the outburst.
“It’s just…” Luka returned to holding his hands behind his back. “What about you?”
“Me?” Gem inquired.
“Your mask,” Luka said.
Gem smiled. “Soon. Show me to the room.”
Luka nodded, then turned sharply on his heel.
He marched across the lobby and Gem followed behind.
Sliding his hands into his pocket, Gem fingered the surprise he’d brought for Luka.
The rooms came completely stocked but sometimes it was nice to bring his own fun toys.
The club allowed it, so that item was the only thing that Gem carried.
There was a low throb under his feet, probably coming from the portion of the club that had the dance floor. Gem didn’t spend much time there as he didn’t enjoy loud music, but he wouldn’t mind seeing Luka shaking his ass.
That reminded Gem of Luka’s suggestion of joining him in Hawaii and the promise of that tiny speedo. Hmm, that was something that Gem could look forward to.
In front of him, Luka climbed the stairs to the second floor where the private rooms were.
Gem watched the way Luka’s ass moved as he stepped up.
Fuck! Luka really did have the greatest ass.
High and tight and so damn bite-worthy. Gem had never been a biter before, yet he could just imagine leaving his teeth marks behind.
Luka walked to the third door on the right and unlocked it with the key on the band around his wrist. Luka pushed open the door before standing to the side and putting his hands behind his back once again.
Gem strode to the door to peer inside.
A spanking bench and a cabinet full of implements were ready for them. There was more in the room than just those items but that was what Gem would be concentrating on, just like the first time.
“Safe word?” Gem questioned.
“Traffic light system. Red means stop, yellow means I need a break or to talk, green means go,” Luka replied instantly.
“I will use the same,” Gem told him.
“Yes, sir.”
“Once you step inside that room, you will be my boy for the night,” Gem said. “You may and are encouraged to use your safe word if you need to. I will be using my hand and a paddle on you.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you consent to sex?” Gem asked even though he already knew the answer.
“Yes, with condoms,” Luka said.
“Agreed.” Gem motioned for Luka to enter.
Without hesitation, Luka entered the room.
Gem was right on his heels and closed the door behind them.
The door wouldn’t lock as it was against the club’s rules.
Not that Gem cared if someone walked in.
He wasn’t an exhibitionist and the club was discreet with excellent security.
That assurance helped Gem decide to pay for the very expensive membership.
If anything went wrong inside the club, it could ruin Gem’s career before it had even started.
“Undress and drape yourself over the spanking bench,” Gem ordered.
Luka moved to the small chair and table in the corner and began to undress, folding up his clothes and setting them on the chair. Gem removed his suit jacket and hung it on the hook beside the door.
Normally, Gem liked wearing his leathers to the club. Luka wanted a repeat of their first night so Gem had worn the same suit as he had in Seattle.
As Luka pulled off the remainder of his clothes, Gem rolled up his sleeves.
There was no way that Luka would have recognized him that first night. The suit, while fitted and expensive, wasn’t out of place in the club. The mask had been a spur-of-the-moment purchase from a Halloween store so he’d fit in with the event.
Luka walked to the bench and laid himself over it.
Coming up behind him, Gem ran a bare hand over Luka’s right ass cheek. He squeezed until Luka grunted for him.
“Stay still,” Gem ordered as Luka shifted slightly on the bench.
“Sorry, sir,” Luka replied softly.
“What are you looking for tonight?” Gem asked. Just like he’d done back in Seattle.
“I want you to claim me as your boy,” Luka said clearly.
Gem yanked his hand back. That wasn’t how Luka or Ty had answered. “What?”
“I want you to claim me as your boy,” Luka repeated. “I want to belong to you. I don’t want to hide anymore.”
“Luka,” Gem said.
Luka shook his head. “I know that everything is supposed to be the same as that night so I convince you that this is really me, but I don’t want to lie to you. I want more.”