25. Volt #3
Wallace happily cut him off, sensing his weakness. “You’re right. It would probably take days for the funds to clear. Give me the account numbers for the individual loans, and I’ll pay them off directly. Don’t worry about the gift tax.”
Gift tax? Jesus. He hadn’t even known that there was a gift tax, but a quick, instinctive search showed him that Wallace would have to pay that, too.
“It’s too much.” Volt was putting his foot down. It was the closest they’d ever come to a fight, barring that first time when he’d turned Wallace down for a date.
I have to stop him, Volt told himself. He’s going to regret this later. He’s going to leave me.
But Wallace wasn’t the timid little hamster he’d been a year ago, and now he sounded pissed.
“Volt, my father spends more than this every time he goes on vacation with whichever airhead he’s cheating on his current wife with.
My brother would blow this kind of money in a single night, throwing a party for all of his rich, asshole friends.
I’ve had exes get annoyed with me when I won’t spend money like this on a diamond tennis bracelet that they absolutely had to have because so-and-so at the club just got one from her boyfriend and money is the only thing I’m good for.
I don’t want to minimize my wealth, because we all know I’m fucking rich, but I’d like to at least do something good with it for once. ”
Wallace was red in the face. He’d stood up while delivering this monologue, staring Volt down.
Then he seemed to realize what he’d done.
“Oh, shit.” Wallace covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking. “Sorry. Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I’m sorry. It’s your choice. I shouldn’t have said anything. I just… Oh, god. I’m such an asshole.”
And Volt couldn’t stand seeing him cry.
He pulled Wallace down, settling him back on his lap. “Is that really how you think about it?”
Wallace sniffled, still not meeting Volt’s eyes.
“I just wanted to be h-h-h-helpful. I hate it, being rich. Having this whole family legacy. And my f-f-father. Do you know what he uses his money for? To back anti-spark legislation. To keep them from inheriting b-businesses like this. T-t-t-to make sure it’s legal to put all nine types of restrictions on s-sparks simultaneously.
I’d k-kind of like to see his face if he ever found out I was using my inheritance to invest in a s-sexbot place owned by an old l-l-lady and two sparks.
” He gave a wet laugh. “What’s the point of having all this money if I can’t use some of it to support my boyfriend and his family, when you’re the most w-wonderful people I know? ”
Volt used his thumbs to wipe the tears from beneath Wallace’s cheeks. How could he ever say no to those gorgeous brown eyes? Or knowing that his family made up the most wonderful people that Wallace knew?
“Okay,” Volt said finally. He could never resist those tears. Or that courage.
Everything about this terrified him. Even knowing it was a gift, it felt like Wallace was buying Prism. Buying Volt. Like if anything went wrong in their relationship, or maybe even if things went right, Volt would owe him.
But he was so tired of worrying. So exhausted from being stressed all the time. So angry that Prism never seemed to catch a break, even when they weren’t dealing with outright sabotage and harassment.
“Okay?” Wallace asked. “Like, I can cover the loans?”
“Yeah.” He tried to force a smile. “I guess I mean, thank you. I can’t even tell you what a difference this will make for us.”
Even if it was the beginning of the end. Even if Wallace left him in a few months or a few years or even a few decades—and this would be the legacy of Wallace’s disappointment with him.
He’d give his agreement—because what choice did he have?—but that didn’t stop the anxious little algorithms from skittering around in his brain.
“This won’t make you think less of me? As your Daddy?” He hadn’t meant to say the words, but they were already tumbling out of his mouth.
He hated that he worried so much. He knew that there were plenty of healthy couples where the sub made more than the Dom. The only thing that should be important was how Wallace felt.
Wallace touched his cheek, looking deep into his eyes.
“Of course not, Daddy. All my life I’ve had money, but I’ve never had love or even affection.
I’ve never had somebody care about me or put me first. What you give me is worth so much more.
This is just… doing the right thing. For Prism.
For your whole family. It doesn’t change that you’re my Daddy and I’m your, uh, creampuff.
” Wallace blushed on the last word, and that just made it sweeter.
God, he was a lucky, lucky man.
Volt gripped Wallace’s neck in return, bringing their faces close.
“I hope you know how much I love you, darling. And not because of this.” It was critical that Wallace understood that.
“I’m madly in love with you.” He’d fallen so far into the pit of love for this boy that he might never see the sun again. And he hoped he never found the bottom.
As long as this didn’t taint it.
“I know, Daddy,” Wallace told him with that sweet sincerity that made him such a treasure. “I can feel it. And this won’t change how much I love you, either.”
Somehow, Wallace always knew what he needed to hear.
His baby was so much wiser than he was sometimes.
“If it helps,” Wallace continued, “this feels like the best choice I’ve ever made with my money in my life. Prism is special. You’re special. Magnolia and Angel are special. This is just… I really want to do this, okay? It would mean a lot to me.”
Volt wasn’t going to cry. He also wasn’t going to fight it any more. He was just reeling with how sweet and generous his boyfriend was.
How much this was going to change their lives.
After all of these years of stress, he couldn’t quite believe that this was happening.
“Thank you, baby girl. I just… God, creampuff. Thank you.”
He felt like he was floating. Like a balloon, soaring into the sky without anyone holding the string.
Only Wallace was there to anchor him.
Holy shit. They weren’t going to be in debt any more. Their credit would recover. They could even start saving again.
And Wallace looked so damned happy. Volt couldn’t help kissing him. Claiming his mouth again and again. Pouring his gratitude into every inch of cuddly flesh that he could touch.
I’m doing it, Volt told Angel.
Immediately, he was blasted with one celebratory image after another. Music. Video clips. Emojis.
He snorted out a little laugh and had to stop kissing Wallace when they kept coming. An endless stream of random people cheering and hugging and leaping for the sky. Trumpets and bells. Entire fucking orchestras.
Hell, that was eighty-seven files sent in two seconds and Angel didn’t look like he was stopping any time soon.
He must have been smiling like a loon at Angel’s happiness because Wallace started grinning back at him, even without understanding the joke.
Holy fucking fuck. They were going to be debt free. He wouldn’t need to choose between selling off a bot or taking out a terrible loan. He could maybe even take some more time off to spend with Wallace.
“So we’re doing this?” Wallace asked, caught up in the excitement. “And I guess Angel’s excited?”
“God, you and Angel are just as bad as each other. Yeah, I guess we’re doing this.” He forced himself to shut down all the worries, shunting them to hard storage for later. He wanted to live in the euphoria of the moment.
“Thank you, Daddy!” Wallace crowed, covering Volt’s face with kisses.
Volt only stopped him because he needed more. He needed to taste those lips, wringing all of those needy whimpers and desperate moans out of his amazing boyfriend. Wallace writhed in his lap, clutching his shoulders and melting into his touch.
They finally separated, grinning at each other.
“This feels totally crazy, baby,” Volt whispered. “But I trust you. Um, please don’t make me regret it.”
“Never, Daddy. I want to do this. You and Angel and Magnolia owe me nothing. Even if—and I’m not saying I want this—but even if we break up, the money is a gift.
Or a grant, really. An investment in a meaningful small business that serves the community.
Not a loan. No conditions. If it makes you feel better, we can say I’m giving it all to Prism and Magnolia. You’re not even involved.”
He already knew it, but it was good to hear it again. They weren’t going to have any debts. Wallace loved him.
Wallace would have done it anyway, just for Magnolia and her vision for Prism, and he had the most amazing boyfriend in the world.
“Daddy?” Wallace asked sweetly, calling him back to the present. “I can’t pay any bills without my tablet.” His voice was full of teasing laughter. Happiness.
Volt kissed his cheek, then handed it over. “The first thing I’m getting you is a purse. Something cute for you to carry around.”
Wallace blushed, right on cue. “Thank you, Daddy.”
This whole money thing felt like he was jumping off a cliff. It was crazy. It could be the worst thing that ever happened to him or the best.
But it felt like when he landed, they’d be sharing a parachute together.