9. Reece
Reece
Reece let out a long sigh. It was one of frustration and a little bit of confusion too. Having not heard from Faustino in two days, Reece didn’t know where he stood with him, and it was gnawing at him.
Already, he’d checked his phone a dozen times that morning alone, hoping for a text, a call, anything to let him know he was okay. After all, Faustino had promised to look after him, to sort out Timo Taylor, and set him up with a fancy-pants acting coach, but now… silence .
It wasn’t like Reece expected Faustino to be glued to his side, but after the spanking and sweetness that followed, Faustino’s sudden disappearance left him feeling off-balance.
Was he in trouble?
Had something happened with his family?
Or worst of all… had Faustino changed his mind about him?
Reece tried to shake it all off as he stepped into the small studio space for his one on one acting class, paid for and arranged by Faustino before his disappearance.
The room smelled faintly of old wood and coffee, with a single chair and a small table set up in the center.
So far, so good.
Mr. Albert Adler was already there, pacing with a clipboard in hand. He was a legend in the business with decades of Broadway hits and a reputation for turning talent into the real deal.
Reece had Googled him the night before, his excitement bubbling over at the chance to work with someone so iconic. But now, standing in front of Mr. Adler, that excitement was fading fast…
“Reece, yes?” Adler said, barely glancing up from his clipboard. His voice was clipped, his gray hair slicked back, and the cold look on his face all screamed showbiz arrogance. “Let’s not waste time. Sit. We’re starting with a cold read.”
Reece hesitated, then slid into the chair, clutching the script he thrust at him.
“Um, okay,” Reece said, his voice nervous. “Hi, by the way. It’s an honor to-”
“No chit-chat,” Adler said as he cut him off, tapping his pen against the clipboard. “You’re here to work , not to flatter me. Read the first page. Now .”
Reece’s cheeks flushed, but he nodded, flipping open the script.
Who does he think he is?
All the awards and shows in the world doesn’t mean you should be rude.
I hope this isn’t another Timo situation…
Reece looked at the script. The lines were dense, heavy with emotion, and far from the science fiction scripts he’d read back in LA.
Reece took a deep breath, trying to focus, but his mind kept drifting to Faustino. Where was he? Why hadn’t he texted? With all this in his mind, Reece stumbled over the first line, tried to go again, but got it even worse the second time.
On the third attempt, Reece did manage to get the words out in the right order, but he was still distracted and knew that the magic wasn’t there.
“Stop,” Adler barked. “Where’s the intensity? You sound like you’re ordering a sandwich, not facing a murderer. Again .”
Reece bristled. He wasn’t some amateur or rich kid paying his way to the top. Adler didn’t need to talk to him like that. He started over, pushing more feeling into it only for Adler to interrupt him again, his tone dripping with disdain.
“No, no, no. You’re flailing,” Adler said, slapping his hand on his thigh in frustration. “Where’s the depth? Dig deeper, boy. You’re wasting my time.”
“I’m trying,” Reece snapped, stomping his foot. “Maybe if you gave me a second to-”
“Talent doesn’t make excuses,” Adler shot back, stepping closer, looming over Reece. “I’ve trained Oscar winners who didn’t whine half as much as you. Faustino Fendi said you had potential, but I’m starting to think he was dead wrong.”
Adler’s words stung Reece and he stomped his foot once more.
Faustino had set this up for him, believed in him, and now this smug jerk was acting like he was nothing. Reece crumpled the script in his hand as a show of defiance.
“You don’t have to be so rude about it,” Reece spat. “I’m here to learn, not to get yelled at.”
Adler’s eyes narrowed.
“Last chance,” Adler said, his voice full of simmering anger. “Straighten the script out. Give it another shot. It’s either that, or… you know where the exit is.”
Reece had experienced just about enough of arrogant directors, and he wasn’t going to let Adler run all over him like this.
“You know what? I am done ,” Reece protested. He tossed the script onto the table and grabbed his bag before storming toward the door. “Thanks for nothing .”
“Ungrateful brat!” Adler called after him, his voice brimming with anger. “You’ll regret walking out. Trust me. They all regret it!”
Reece didn’t look back. His heart pounded as he hit the street, the cool air doing little to calm him down. He’d wanted this lesson to be a step toward his dreams, but instead it felt like another failure.
All Reece could think about was getting home, curling up with Squirt and his other stuffies, and drowning his frustration in sugary treats and maybe a Disney movie on his laptop screen. Faustino might have been missing in action, but at least his bedroom was a safe haven.
Or so Reece thought…
Reece trudged up the stairs to his room, his bag slung over his shoulder, and a bag of sour candies and several chocolate bars from the corner store tucked under his arm.
The shared house was quiet for once. No jazz blaring from the musicians’ rooms, no clatter of sculptors at work. It felt surreal, but Reece wasn’t about to start complaining.
Reece unlocked his door and was ready to flop onto his bed and forget the day, when suddenly, he froze.
“Hey…” Reece said, his heart beating and his stomach doing flips.
Faustino was there, sitting on the bed, his broad frame and powerful legs looking ominously like he meant business. As his dark eyes flicked up to meet Reece’s, he felt himself go weak.
“Faustino?” Reece repeated, his voice a mix of surprise and relief. “You’re here! I haven’t heard from you in-”
“Two days,” Faustino said, his tone clipped. “I had to go undercover for a couple of days to resolve some… you know… family issues. All bullshit. It’s handled… for now.”
Reece dropped his bag and snacks on the desk, and stepped closer to Faustino. He looked moody, even edgier than usual, like a coiled spring ready to snap.
“Are you okay? I was worried,” Reece said.
“I’m fine,” Faustino answered, but his voice was gruff, and he didn’t meet his eyes. “I just needed to lay low.”
Reece frowned, sensing the weight Faustino was carrying. Whatever had happened, it wasn’t good. But he was here now, and that was all that mattered.
“Well, you’re back, and I’m glad,” Reece said, giggling nervously. “Let me make you feel better, okay? I’ll set up a little picnic, right here in my room. We can chill, eat some snacks, maybe watch a Disney movie. How about Lion King? The original of course.”
Faustino’s lips twitched, a faint hint of a smile breaking through his gloom.
“A picnic, huh?” Faustino chuckled. “You’re something else, young man.”
“Only the best for my Daddy,” Reece teased.
He grabbed a blanket from his cozy corner and spread it over the rug.
Next it was time to reveal his snack stash.
Chips, chocolate, a couple of juice boxes he’d kept in his mini fridge, and not forgetting the fresh treats he’d just bought.
“See? Instant picnic. All we need is you.”
Faustino slid off the bed, settling onto the blanket with a grunt.
“You’re too good to me, you know that?” Faustino muttered, distracted but unable to stop himself from smiling.
“Hehe, I know!” Reece sassed. He sat down beside Faustino and popped open a juice box and handed it to Faustino before opening one for himself. “Cheers to surviving whatever craziness you’ve been through. I’ve kind of had my own craziness too. But, we’ll talk about that later.”
Faustino clinked his juice box against Reece’s, before the pair of them heard Faustino’s phone buzz and beep in his pocket.
As Faustino reached for it, his expression darkened in double-quick time as he read the message. Reece leaned over, curious as ever, and caught a glimpse of the sender’s name… Adler .
Reece took a deep intake of breath. This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all.
Yikes.
It wasn’t my fault. I’ll tell Faustino what a stinker Adler was.
Urgh. Adler was a total jerk!
Faustino’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he scrolled.
“What the hell is this?” Faustino asked, his eyes locking with Reece’s.
“What’s what ?” Reece asked, his stomach churning. He had a bad feeling about this. Suddenly, it felt like it was going to be a lot harder to explain away what happened as being Adler’s fault.
Faustino turned the phone toward him, his voice low and full of menace.
“Adler says you walked out of your lesson today,” Faustino growled. “Called you disrespectful, ungrateful. He said you threw a tantrum and stormed off. Now tell me… is that true?”
Reece’s cheeks burned, a mixture of embarrassment and defiance bubbling inside him.
“He was a jerk, Faustino! Pushy and rude, yelling at me like I’m some idiot,” Reece said, slapping his hands down on the picnic blanket and kicking his feet. “I tried, but he wouldn’t even give me a chance to-”
“You walked out,” Faustino cut in, his tone sharp. “I set that up for you. Pulled some strings, called in favors… and you just ditch it because you don’t like the guy?”
“He was awful !” Reece protested, crossing his arms. “I’m not ungrateful, I just-”
“Enough,” Faustino bellowed, standing up, the picnic a distant memory.
“I told you I’d look after you, but that means you’ve got to step up too.
Adler’s the best, and you blew it. He’s a good man.
He’s tough, and he demands respect. But he’s a man who gets results.
I can’t let this slide, Reece. You’ve got one more chance.
Did you, or did you not throw a tantrum? ”
Reece felt his cheeks flush red. The truth was that he knew full well that he had crossed the line with Adler. And judging by the look on Faustino’s face, he knew it too…
“ Urgh ,” Reece said, kicking his feet again. “I just want to be in movies! And I’m sick of people not letting me!”
“Enough,” Faustino bellowed, taking Reece by the hand and walking him over to the bed. “You’re going over my lap, boy. By the time I’m done with you, this bottom will be visible from Mars.”
Reece gasped as Faustino pulled him over his lap and practically ripped his trousers and briefs down to his ankles.
But worse was to come as Faustino reached over to the shelf behind Reece’s bed and took one of the two table tennis paddles in his hand.
“No, Daddy! I’m sorry!” Reece hollered, knowing that what was coming his way was going to be way more severe than a hand spanking. “I’ll apologize to Mr. Adler! I promise!”
“Yes, you will, young man,” Faustino said. “But not before I paddle your naughty milky-white butt.”
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
“ Oweeeeee !” Reece cried out, wriggling on Faustino’s lap as his butt cheeks suddenly felt hotter than the sun.
“Six more, and then we’re done,” Faustino growled, holding the paddle high above his head before recommencing the action.
Reece yelped and hollered as the final six spanks were delivered at a slower and more deliberate pace. It was like Faustino was giving him the time to think about what he’d done and truly let the lesson sink in.
And even though he was in a bundle of pain from the paddle’s deadly swats, Reece couldn’t help but notice that with each swat, his crotch was bumping and grinding against the strong, muscular body of Faustino’s legs – and this was having its own undoubted effect on his cock too.
“Thank you, Daddy!” Reece called out as the final spank landed on his wobbling butt cheek as he rubbed up against his Daddy’s leg, his entire body electrified and his dick thumpingly hard.
“ Hmmm . I trust you have learned your lesson,” Faustino said. “Now let’s see about getting this butt cooled off. And seeing as you took your paddling so well, I think a little movie might be in order.”
“That’s… great,” Reece said, his breathing heavy and his butt throbbing. “I really did mean it. I am sorry. I guess I wasn’t prepared for Mr. Adler. You know, after what happened with Timo. But that’s not an excuse. I’ll apologize to him and ask if he’ll take me back.”
Reece turned his head and looked up at Faustino. His Fendi Daddy was smiling back at him, his eyes full of kindness.
And unless Reece was very much mistaken, judging by the huge iron snake in Faustino’s trousers, he wasn’t the only one who had found the paddling stimulating in more ways than one…
The next day, Reece stepped back into Mr. Albert Adler’s studio with a flutter of nerves in his stomach. But this time… something felt different.
The sting of yesterday’s spanking still lingered, a firm reminder from Faustino that he couldn’t just run from challenges, no matter how tough they got. Reece’s bottom might’ve been tender, but his newfound resolve was stronger.
Adler looked up from his clipboard as Reece entered, his sharp eyes narrowing like he expected another outburst.
“Back, are we?” Adler enquired, his tone as dry as ever. “Let’s see if you’ve got more spine today…”
Reece took a deep breath, clutching the new script Adler handed him.
Don’t bite.
Don’t give him a reason to kick you out.
Just show Adler what you’ve got. Give him the best Reece there is…
“Yes, sir,” Reece said, his voice steady.
This time, when Adler barked at him to dig deeper, Reece didn’t snap back.
Instead, Reece channeled the frustration, and the heat from Faustino’s paddling, and let it pour into his performance.
Reece’s voice rose, trembled, and emoted at just the right moments, and when he finished, the room was silent.
Adler set his clipboard down, leaned back in his wicker chair and gave a grudging nod.
“Better. Much better,” Adler said. “You’ve got fire in you, boy. Keep that up, and you might actually get somewhere.”
“Thank you, Mr. Adler.” Reece said, doing his best to hide how happy he was inside.
Reece still didn’t love Adler’s tough approach, but he could handle it now. And all because of Faustino. The paddling had flipped a switch in Reece, made him see he couldn’t let jerks like Adler or even Timo derail his dreams. He had to fight through, and Faustino had given him the push he needed.
As he left the studio, Reece felt lighter than he had in days.
And it was all thanks to one man… Faustino.
Suddenly, Reece was beginning to wonder whether Faustino might just be the kind of Daddy who, deep down, had always been right for him.
It was early days, and they hadn’t even kissed yet or done any of the really sexy stuff, but Reece had a funny feeling that he was going to be dreaming about his gruff, sexy Daddy all night long…