Page 7 of Bondage Play

“Stop that. This shirt is coming off and you’re going to show me your elbow and whatever else is bothering you.”

Terry glanced down, no longer meeting Phil’s eyes. “I only hurt my elbow when I fell.”

“Uh-huh.” Phil furrowed his brow. “Then why were you wincing in pain when I touched your upper arms?”

“Because I…look, my pants are ruined from the damn blacktop, and anyway, why did you call red? Are you mad at me?”

Phil scrubbed one hand over his face. Terry was quick, whip smart. He was also clearly hiding something.

“You know that’s not acceptable, Terry.”

“What’s not…?” Terry lowered his head before meeting his eyes. “Okay. You’re right. I’m sorry, Sir.”

“You don’t have to call me Sir right now.”

Terry pulled his eyebrows together. “Are you sure you’re not mad at me?”

“Baby.”

Phil’s voice had been soft, his heart full of love for his beautiful sub and the undeniable urge to keep him safe always, even if it was from any thoughtless actions or words that he, himself, might do or say. He leaned in, careful not to touch Terry until he knew where he was hurt, pressing his lips to Terry’s mouth, licking across the seam until Terry opened up for him. He kept the kiss gentle but put as much of his love into it as he could. He wouldn’t let Terry doubt, not even for a moment.

With a final peck on Terry’s lips, he leanedback. “It’s obvious that we both need some clarification and reassurance from each other.” Phil stroked one hand across Terry’s thigh in a soothing gesture, still not convinced that he might not be unwittingly hurting him. It was one part of the reason he needed the full truth from Terry.

Terry’s cheeks pinked lightly. “Yeah. You’re right.” He nodded. “Okay, me first.”

Terry continued what Phil had started, wincing as he pulled his arm free of the sleeve that had the tear. Phil helped him, anxious to see how bad the injury to his elbow was. Instead, two angry red patches that Phil knew would end up bruising on Terry’s biceps drew his attention.

Someone grabbed my boy. Hurt him.

He breathed in harshly through his nostrils, fighting the urge to rage so as not to scare his lover. Terry had ducked his head, almost as if he were ashamed. Phil needed immediate answers.

“What happened, baby? Whole story, and I meaneverything. No hiding. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Instead of the reluctance Phil had expected, Terry had almost seemed relieved at Phil’s orders. It was as if Phil commanding him had made it all okay.Like the way he’d wanted me to tell him what to do our first night at Gerard’s.Another thought occurred to Phil.And his desire for the rape fantasy,for me to force him. It was becoming clearer than ever that being told what to do was what his sub needed to thrive.

“It was Anson.”

Phil shook his head in confusion. “You mean that sub you told me about, the one you said was a simpering idiot?”

Terry snorted. “I don’t remember being that kind, but yes, he’s the one.”

“Go on.”

“He showed up out of nowhere at the studio. I was searching for a lens in the trunk of my car—” Terry squirmed as he cleared his throat and Phil knew there was a story there too. “Well, anyway, when I straightened, there he was. At first, I couldn’t figure out what was going on, he was acting all weird, which is, shall we say, not that unusual when it comes to him—”

“To the point, baby.”

“Right. He finally told me that his Master wanted me—” Terry cringed as Phil clenched his jaw, anger threatening to burst out of him at the thought of any other man touching his sub. “And he got incensed when first I laughed then told him to fuck off.”

“But how did you get hurt?”

Terry flushed. “He was trying to kiss me, and I was struggling. He had me pinned against a soundstage so I yelled for help. He freaked out then threw me to the ground before running away.”

I’m going to kill him, ran through Phil’s mind, but it wasn’t what Terry needed to hear right then. “This is insane. Why would he be approaching you that way, and why was he so aggressive about it?”

“Yeah, that’s the part that unsettled me too. Anson kept saying Master Joe would hurt him, likereallyhurt him if I didn’t go along with it and I could tell he was genuinely scared. He even offered to pay me a shitload of money.”