CHAPTER 33 - WHINING AND DINING...AND PAYBACK BEGINS

OUTSIDE NINE ON NINE - FIVE MINUTES LATER

MICHAEL

I check my watch again and then see the car pulling up. “Oh for fuck sake, Lindsay, hurry up!” I grumble. “I don’t want to miss the marathon. Oh finally! Oh for…” I seethe as she goes back indoors. “Well fuck this! I am going!” I get in the car then tap the partition and the driver lowers it. “Can we go now?”

“Sorry. Ms Peterson is the lead passenger and needs to be present.”

“Oh for fuck sake!” I growl, and stare at the door. Rolling my eyes, I get out of the car again and hobble to go and hurry her along, we have phones she can call whoeverthefuck she’s talking to! I am about to open it when someone else does and I fall forward hitting the floor hard. “Ouch fuck me!” I yelp as I sit up, clutching my chin.

“Michael! What on earth are you doing?!” Lindsay demands coming towards me with an angry rather than concerned expression on her face!

“I was coming to get you! You said we were going and…”

“Go and clean yourself up! You’re bleeding!” She snarls as she virtually hauls me to my feet and pushes me towards the bathroom.

MENS ROOM - 3 MINUTES LATER

I have finally stopped bleeding but my lip is starting to swell. “Well isn’t that just great!” I look at my watch again and gasp. “ Shit, we’ve only got 30 minutes to get home!” Grabbing a handful of tissues I rush as fast as I can back to the car as I clamber in, she just shakes her head at me. “What’s that face for?”

“Two things; have you seen your face? And apparently you were going to abandon me here for a Batman marathon!”

“I would’ve sent the car back!” I exclaim.

“Of course you would. We can go now.” She tells the driver and then pulls out her phone and doesn’t say another word to me for the rest of the journey.

TOP TABLE, NINE ON NINE - 30 MINUTES LATER

BRIAN

We have had the first course and the seating plan has been abandoned and people are circulating, but I am seriously going to queen out if I don’t get hold of my son in a minute! I haven’t been able to hold him since he got here, and, of course, he is being completely angelic, not a DEFCON in sight!

“I believe this belongs you.” Jennifer’s gentle tones soothe my frazzled nerves, but not as much as putting Gus in my arms does. “The carrier is coming too.”

“Thanks. Do you know where Justin went?”

“Talking to the Bull-Wearings.”

“About?” I smile down at a bubble blowing Gus.

“Dominating.” She replies then grinning she walks away.

“You okay? Bri? You okay?” I turn to face Ted and just nod. “It’s a good spread and he’s been very good.”

“Yeah. He’s been an angel.”

“Which is more than can be said for his father.” Justin whispers in my ear. “Such queenliness. Tisk tisk. But…” He puts his hand on my thigh and strokes up when I go to defend myself. “I understand. Your first time out with him with people other than us, so I will let you off this time. But just this time…” He stands up and then leans down to whisper. “...next time you do that, I won’t let you cum for ages.” He saunters away, leaving me astonished.

“What were you two talking about?” Ted asks, causing me to look at him in surprise, as I’d forgotten he was there. “Well?”

“A business idea.” I reply slowly, watching Justin talk to another guest.

“Is that code for something?” He smirks. “Give me my godson and get yourself calm.” He flicks a look at my lap. “I know for a fact that that is not because you were talking about fractional theories in the current economic climate.”

“No, but those last few words have worked like a charm!” I snipe at his retreating back.

“My work there is done!” He calls back.

“Bitch!” I gripe.

JENNIFER

I adjust his collar and smile at Justin, he looks relieved to have passed his first little test. “So, tell me about them.” I point to the Bull-Wearings.

“They are just curious I think. I gave her the links I had…”

“Well done, she is definitely the stronger one.” I look over his shoulder at Emmett and Brandon. “I think he is close too. I take it your little chat with Brian is the reason he had to remain seated?”

“Yeah.” He grins back at me. “Why didn’t you tell me? About me I mean?”

“How would that conversation have gone?” I laugh.

“Hideously!” He laughs back going slightly pink.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please retake your seats for the main course!” Melissa calls out. I try not to smile at the speed with which Justin runs back to his seat.

INSIDE THE CAR BACK TO MICHAEL’S HOUSE

MICHAEL

I will not look at my watch again. We’ve missed the good bits of the first movie now, and Lindsay has got such grump on, you’d think that she was the one whose chin connected with the floor! As we pull up to the house, she doesn’t even wait for the driver to come out to open the door and almost slams it on my head.

“Are you alright, sir?” The driver asks as he opens the door for me.

“Yeah I’m fine thanks.” I look up at him and he winces. “I don’t normally look like this. I fell over in the restaurant.”

“I’d put some ice on it immediately then.” I nod and wince at the throbbing the nodding has caused. “Well, goodnight sir.”

“Goodnight. Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime.” He replies with a smile and gets back in the car.

As I go inside, I notice that he’s watching me walk in. Considering I am looking a bit battered, I am flattered!

DRIVER - 5 MINUTES LATER

“Hello, this is Jeremy. Yeah, I am just on my way back to the garage. Yeah, about half an hour. Traffic was a bastard.”

I hang up and still can’t believe my luck! Of all the people to pick up. Don’t get me wrong I was going to try and find him to teach him a lesson, but seeing the way he reacted, I have a different idea. I am going to treat him the same way he treated me...see how it feels for him to be on the receiving end.

NINE ON NINE - AN HOUR LATER

BRANDON

What the hell has Justin just said to Brian?! He looks fit to bursting, and hasn’t left his seat since the main course was announced, and the plates were removed about 20 minutes ago. I look across at Emmett who is talking animatedly to a couple so I head over.

“...now there is a show coming up end of next week if you’d like to attend?” He tells the woman and she nods. “Okay, give me your contact details, or should I get those from Justin or Jennifer?”

“Jennifer has both of ours.” The woman is smiling. “It was a very illuminating conversation and I look forward to the show. Now come on, you, we have some appointments to shift!”

“Yes, dear.” He replies, but there is something in his voice .

“Hey there.” He grins at me. “Just the man, what are you doing next Friday?”

“Going to a show I presume?” I reply wrapping an arm around him. “What’s the show about?”

“Well, I want to introduce you to my other world. Very gentle introduction. You can watch and see if that is something…” He pauses as I press my hips against him. “...well, your curiosity is peaked, amongst other things, but seeing it live is something else.”

“I still want to see.” I whisper in his ear, and his smile gets bigger. “I shall let them know I will be bringing a guest but not participating.”

“Good.” He frowns as Justin walks by with a big grin on his face. “Someone has been testing his powers.”

“His powers? I don’t...oh!” I laugh as I look at Brian staring incredulously at his phone. “Well that explains a lot!”

“Hmm. I wonder how long he will last.”

“He’s the ex-Stud of Liberty Avenue. Did you hear about that…”

“Orgy? Yes I did, but that was about his control, not Justin’s. And he really shouldn’t be doing that…”

“Why not? Seems that Brian is fine with it.”

“Time and place. A word needs to be had methinks.” He kisses me on the cheek. “I will be right back, don’t move from here.”

JUSTIN

Okay, I am in deep shit! Mom is giving me the stop it look, and judging by the speed that Emmett is approaching, I have committed a major faux pas. “I’m stopping.” I tell him as soon as he gets up to me.

“Good.” He replies but does give me a quick smile. “There is a show next week, which I think both of you will benefit from seeing.”

“You don’t seem surprised that I know about anything. By anything I mean that anything.” I point out.

“Her name is Daphne, and of course she’s going to tell you, although I’m surprised that you haven’t asked for my assistance.”

“To be honest, it’s because I just…”

“Want it to be something for the two of you.” He smiles and gives my arm a squeeze. “I would be the same too. Now go and calm him down.”

I head back to the table and sit down. He doesn’t say anything so I clear my throat. Still nothing. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

“You are in so much trouble.” He growls but when he turns to face me his eyes are full of laughter and lust. “It has taken some effort but…”

“You held off, I know.”

“Just.” He puts his hand on my thigh then slides it between my legs. “That last text was a corker.”

“I could tell that when you went bug eyed and had some water.”

“Am I interrupting?” Mom comes back with Gus who is sleeping. “He’s been fed and changed. Will you be staying for the dessert course?”

“No, I think not. I think it’s time for this angel and that devil to go home now.” Brian replies, taking the carrier off her and briefly he wriggles but then settles back to sleep.

“Well, goodnight then.” She gives me a wink and then goes back to join the others.

We head to the car in relative silence, and once Gus is strapped in securely, I am pulled into his lap and his hands are down the back of my pants.

“How did…” I begin and then gasp as his fingers feather the base of my spine and he wiggles my pants down. I squirm as the cold air hits my cheeks…but they soon warm up as he palms them.

“Now, whatever should I do to my little devil?!” He demands hotly in my ear.

“Forget that it happened and you...” I smirk at the expression on his face. “...accept my grovelling apology with good grace with no repercussions. No? Okay. Then you have me at your mercy.”

“Then I shall do nothing.” He replies and I blink at him. “Not until I get Little Grub round to his mother’s tomorrow. Then this ass is yours.”

“I do believe that should be the other way around.” I breathe against his lips and he stares at me, and then I realise what he has just said. “Are you kidding me? I can seriously try?”

“Yes, you can seriously try, Sir.”

“Oh.” I am not quite sure what to say now, so he just kisses me.

“There is no rush.”

“TheresashownextweekendthatEmmmettsaidmightbeagood…”

“Breathe. Sir.”

“Emmett said there’s a show that we might want to consider coming to.” I suck on his lobe to keep the noise down. “He’s...going...to...Brian stop!” I whimper as the featherlight touches on my cheeks are making them tingle and my cock twitch.

“Is that an order, Sir?” He looks teasingly at me and I just nod. “Okay. Now up.” I sit up and he redresses me.

“How the hell did you undo them so fast?” I ask as I buckle up my seatbelt.

“I have an incentive.” He chortles.

“What?” I frown as we pull up outside my house.

“You did not just seriously ask me that?” He looks astounded.

“Yeah, it’s a...oh!” I blush and then sigh. “Just say it.”

“You are a pillock!”

BLOOM GALLERY - FRIDAY AFTERNOON

SIDNEY’S OFFICE

SIDNEY

“Did you enjoy the dinner?” I ask Lindsay as we go through the summer schedule.

“Unfortunately, I had to take my mother home as she had a headache.”

“Yes that is a terrible shame. You both missed a spectacular affair. Such a good idea of Melissa’s to take us out of our club.”

“How come I haven’t seen you at the club or a club event before?” Her smile is so brittle it could crack at any minute!

“I don't like to mix business with pleasure. And you are business.” She blinks for a few seconds before looking back down at the slides. “Been meaning to ask you, what happened to the cottage? You know the one that your folks helped you, sorry, are helping you to repair to a sellable standard.”

She gulps and then affixes an almost mournful expression on her first face, whilst shifting on her true face. “My parents have been more than generous and…”

“Would have preferred an accurate figure, is what I told...I mean heard, what was it in the end?”

She is now longer shifting and is regarding me carefully. “I would prefer to keep that to myself, my parents wouldn’t want me to discuss that with people, who they don’t know that well.”

“Of course, let’s consider the subject and the bank of dad closed.” I smile at her and again she gulps but this time she adds a grimace. “So the Picasso and Dali showing, how are we doing with that?”

“The venue is confirmed.” She says brightly highly relieved to being moving on from that subject. “I take it you have you have your guest list?”

“Not yet but I do have some guests that have already booked and paid.”

“Oh that is excellent!” She smiles a non-crocodile smile...let’s see how long she can hold it for...“Do you have their names? How did they hear about it, since we’ve barely advertised?”

“I was talking to some dinner guests. They expressed a keen interest. Now let me see here, ah yes, here it is.”

LINDSAY

I take it off him and my stomach twists and my heart sinks. For on there on the list are Mel, Diana, the barren, the incubator boyfriend stealer, Annabella and the cream of society and I will be working! Fucking working! This is one of the reasons I never mentioned the showings at the club, I want to be able to circulate with them not kowtow to them! I need to escalate my house-grabbing plans. Once it is mine, I shall kick him out, sell it and move back to my true home! The cottage was a mere stop gap, once Mel made senior partner, I would’ve persuaded her to move nearer my parents. Well one out of two isn’t going to be too bad!

MICHAEL’S STORE - NEXT MORNING

MICHAEL

I have decided to open, I sigh at the darkness the temporary door has created, so have to turn on the lights. I look around and realise that something is off. I grab my inventory book and start to double check. I am not imagining it, things are missing! I hear the door going and am surprised to find Ma making her way in.

“Hello, Ma.” I say quietly and she just nods. “What are you doing here?”

“Coming to see what happened?”

“What do you mean what happened?” I approach her with my usual, sorry, expression.

“After your fine was paid. Did you find out...why is it so dark in here that you need the lights on?”

“Because of the door of indecency.” I grumble and deepen my sorrowful frown. “And I think I have been robbed.”

“How and when?! Let me call Carl!” She declares and reaches for her phone, she talks to him for a few minutes before hanging up. “You need to make a list of everything that is missing and…”

“Can you help me, Ma? I can’t do this alone.”

“No I can’t. I just came to check up on you and…”

“So you want your key back?” I ask hopefully.

“Not yet. I am still angry at you, but you are still my son.” She sighs. “Now, the quicker you report this then the quicker you can claim back on the insurance and stuff. You do have insurance right?”

“Yes, I have insurance.” I declare hotly. “This is top of the line stock, which I bought and…”

“Brian bought, you didn’t, so of course you would have insurance!” She snaps and then scratches her scalp. “Are the premiums up to date?”

“Yes.” I grouse, smarting from both the damage to my face that she’s not mentioned, and the fact it is up for renewal soon. I had asked for and got him to pay the highest level of coverage for a year. I head to my office to look through my papers.

“By the way, what happened to your face?” She asks coming into the office.

“I fell over at a restaurant going to get Lindsay, who was dawdling...” I start to smile on the inside as I think of the slightly flirty action. “...as women are apt to do.”

“Nice way to talk about your roommate.” She scoffs and then scrutinises my face. “Just bruised chin, ego and a fat lip?” She queries.

“And sore feet from the shoes she insisted I wear and then stamped on my foot.”

“You have been in the wars haven’t you?” She looks around the office. “Is everything  in here that should be?”

“Yeah, it just looks like some comics and minor collectibles are missing.”

“I see. Well I have to go to a viewing and…”

“On a Saturday?” I frown. “Where is it?”

“Client confidentiality agreement forbids me from saying.”

“Brian made you sign one of those?!” I gasp. “That’s a bit much isn’t it?”

“Standard business practice, especially when dealing with houses in that price bracket.”

“Are they like your house, my house or Brian’s house?” I know how much ours were but his must be more than them, plus he has Britin.

“Nice try. Well, I’ll see you…”

“When?” I interrupt quickly and hopefully.

“When we are ready to see you.” Carl’s voice is like a bucket of cold water.

“What are...do you mean? She’s my mother! I can see her…”

“When I am ready and not before! And be grateful that, unlike Brian, I am willing to give you a very small chance to redeem yourself!” She snaps and turns to leave. “What really chaps my ass is that you still haven’t said sorry.”

“But I am sorry.”

“Yeah we know what you are, but you still need to say sorry to her.” Carl retorts, glaring at me. “Just having that expression on your face is not an apology! Come on, Debs, I’ll drop you off.”

“I’m sorry, Ma, it was a knee jerk reaction!”

“An apology should’ve been the knee jerk reaction when you saw me!” She seethes. “You’re only saying that because you’ve been told to, and you shouldn’t have to be told.”

“I know that now.” I try not to sound whiny, but come on I have apologised now, let’s just move on for crying out loud! “I left numerous messages, which you said you wouldn’t listen to…”

“Didn’t listen to, not wouldn’t. And I did, and you never said sorry then either you just kept asking me to call you back to explain…”

“And if you had called me back to let me explain, then I would’ve apologised and…”

“Oh for fuck sake! Why are we still standing here arguing the sorry-toss with a twat like him?!”

“CARL!” Ma screeches and slams her bag down.

Yes finally! She’s back to being my Ma!

“What?!”

“No, you do not call him that!”

“Why?”

She puts her hands on her hips. “Because what he did, wasn’t twattish, it was cuntish.”

What?!

“There was no knee jerk reaction! It was all about self preservation!”

My jaw drops. “Ma!”

“What? It was. Now let’s go, Carl. Thank you for that.”

“Thank you?! What are you thanking him for?!”  I explode, my face burning with hurt and annoyance, as she has never ever used that word to describe me.

“I was trying to work out a way of calling you out on your behaviour, and he gave me the perfect lead in. I will call you, like I said, when I am ready.”

“I might not pick up the phone.” I retort.

“Your choice. At the end of the day, you want to see me more than I want to see you right now.” She calls over her shoulder as they walk out hand in hand.

CYNTHIA’S HOUSE - SATURDAY MID-AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

CYNTHIA

Gus is just looking at Hunter and frowning before the brush to his cheek makes him smile.

“He is just gorgeous. As gorgeous as his mom and his dad.” He sighs.

“About that. I heard that...”

“Yes, that is correct, but right now I am focusing all my energies on you.”

“Well that’s good to know and…”

“Cynthia?”

“You’d like to kiss me right now, and it helps if I stop talking?”

“Smart and beautiful.”

DAPHNE’S HOUSE - SAME TIME

KITCHEN

DAPHNE

I raise the spatula and my eyebrows. “I did not do that! Take it back!”

“Sorry, Ms. Chanders, but you did indeed waterbomb the head of the art department and then kept quiet.” Luke takes the spatula from me to taste the eggs. “Twice. And I got in trouble for it.”

“Ah, but you got yourself in...I mean really?!”

“You knew I took the blame for you?!” He demands.

“Yeah. But then you moved before I could say thank you.” I take the spatula back and go back to the scrambled eggs.

“Dad was so pissed at the double suspension. Know what he said?” I shake my head. “You have got to learn how to tame that woman.”

“Hah, as if!” I snort.

“That’s exactly what I said!” He laughs. “But you know what I also said?”

“You are going to have a good time trying?” I look over my shoulder at him and Luke just nods and smiles.

ATTIC, BLUE MOON HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

JUSTIN

I am so nervous! I mean, we’ve done kinda semi-dominating stuff, but this is for real tonight! I take another breath, and this time put my foot on the stair and walk up to the attic where I told him to wait for me. When I get upstairs he’s just standing there...quietly.

“Brian?” I walk up to him and take his hand even though some books have said I shouldn’t.

“Yes, Sir.”

“I want you to kiss me...like the first time we kissed.” It is quick, but he wipes the frown off his face and steps towards me. “Can we do this our way?” I loop my hands around his neck and look up at him. “As much as this is part of me. I…”

“Yes, we can. We can do this our way. Nobody else’s rules but ours, okay?”

“But the show on Friday I really want to see. Emmett sent me a link, the first part is a binding ceremony and then there is a bonding ceremony.”

“Okay, we will go. I’m pretty sure I can get Debs to get her DEFCON on.”

“So the kissing thing?” I prompt him and then sigh happily as his mouth covers mine. Ten minutes later we are both tender lipped and chuckling. “Um, question…” He rolls us so that I am lying on top of him on the bed. “...good answer.” I then groan as his hands find their way down the back of my sweats.

“Want me to take them out, Sir?”

“Don’t you dare!” I order breathlessly. “So the rules?”

“Denial.” He replies palming my cheeks as he did in the car and they start to tingle again.

“Orgasm denial? That’s going to be our thing?” I start to grind my hips.

“Yep. We place bets, and the one that lasts the longest gets to top the other for a week.”

“Uh huh.” I moan.

“Text and email only and…”

“Brian, can this start…”

“Next Saturday? Yeah, sure!”

He rolls us back over so that I am on my back. “Now then, let’s see what I can do about your little…” He slowly peels off my pants. “...oh, I was wrong. Your big problem.”

“Brian...oh god!” I cry out as my cock disappears into his mouth. At that moment, even though I'm excited to learn more about my dominant side, I am perfectly happy to submit as long as he keeps doing what he’s doing with his tongue!