Bad Behavior (Bad in Baltimore) (25 page)

Tai had meant his belt, maybe a ruler if he could find one, something short where he could control the impact.

“You said I’d be sore, and when I looked, this seemed pretty serious.” David’s eyes tracked the motion of the brush as Tai swung it and tapped it lightly against his palm.

“That doesn’t explain why you brought it to me now. You didn’t break your silence last night.”

“You told me I needed to trust you enough to ask for what I needed.”

Point for David there. “Did something happen you haven’t told me about?”

David shook his head.

If he got off on it, if he needed it to calm down, it would be one thing. Yes, Tai was pissed David hadn’t come to him about the problem with the lease, that David had ignored the first two warnings, but after a shitty day, how much frustration would Tai be venting on David’s poor ass? Tai let the brush rest across his knees again and made his voice as soft as he could get it. “I don’t feel in the space for this.”

“Oh.” David got up and walked to the balcony, slid the door open and stepped outside. Tai dropped the brush on the couch and followed.

After the cool of the apartment, stepping through the hot night air felt like moving through soup, a soup of marine diesel and dead fish given the smells from the harbor. Then a breeze came, chasing it all away, and it was only the sparkling lights out on the water, summer air moving over them, lifting the hair from Tai’s neck like a kiss. And David was ready to give this up so Tai and Jez could spend the night with him.

David had one hand on the rail as he turned to face Tai. “Is there some kind of safe word for Doms?”

Tai let out an amused breath. “Not usually necessary. Though some people do switch between the roles.”

David nodded. “It’s just—I don’t— It’s how I know to be around you. It feels like I’ve done something wrong that you don’t want it. You told me it was who you are.”

Christ, Tai had been one epic asshole tonight. He dragged David close, wrapping him in a hug until David let out a long, shaky breath. “You’re right. I’ve been giving you some majorly fucked-up signals since I got here, and that’s wrong. Maybe you should try out the brush on me. Did you go buy it today?” The nod rubbed against Tai’s chest. “How did that feel?”

“Terrifying. But—” David turned his head so that his mouth was aimed near Tai’s ear. “Right and exciting. I felt so stupid when I opened that letter. Then pissed off enough to stomp into the management office and tell them where to shove their bigoted ideas about dog breeds. Getting a matched pair of Dobermans as a fuck you didn’t seem fair to the dogs, so I ended up buying the brush. I felt somewhat less crazy after, so then I found a hotel and called Officer DiBlasi.”

Tai lifted David’s chin. “And how do you feel now?”

David’s gaze flicked away until Tai tightened his grip. Barely meeting Tai’s gaze, David blurted, “Like there’s a thing hanging over me. I need to do something. Go somewhere. Try something.”

David needed. Tai wanted. A connection deep and satisfying and as certain as when Sammie first focused on his face and closed her tiny fist around his finger.

A gentle suggestion in Tai’s grip and David sank to his knees on the balcony with a shudder that echoed through them both. David rubbed his face against Tai’s groin. He knew, deep down in his gut, not only would David kneel for him out here, yield under the sky, with the risk of eyes watching from neighboring balconies or the dark windows on the next wharf, but with the slightest encouragement, David would suck him off. Power surged under Tai’s skin. He could light up the harbor with it.

He dragged David to his feet. “Inside now.”

Once the balcony door was closed behind them, Tai tipped David’s face up and kissed him hard. With a groan, David opened his mouth and took it, answering the rough thrust of Tai’s tongue, pushing to flatten their lips against teeth and bone. Hand tight in David’s hair, Tai yanked David’s head back and licked a line up his throat.

“If you think you need to be punished, go get that brush and bring it to me.” Tai released him, letting David find his balance, letting him decide.

After a few shaky breaths, David walked over to the couch and picked up the brush. Then, damn, but he was perfect, he knelt and offered the brush resting on open palms.

Tai ran his fingers over David’s hot, swollen lips before grabbing the handle. “Take a piss first. Then go into the bedroom. Take off your clothes and wait for me.”

“Yes, Sir,” David whispered.

Tai caught his breath as David walked away. When he was out of sight, Tai checked over the brush. The back was varnished, sealing away any rough spots that could drive in a sliver or break the skin. The heft of it, concentrated in a six-inch-diameter circle head, would be a lethal enough impact. Tai never used an implement he hadn’t tried on himself first—or with a single tail, let Nic try on him. Tai took a few practice swings on the top of the sofa, wincing at the dent, then choked up on the long handle to shorten the swing. He smacked the side of his thigh, sucked in a pained breath, then aimed for his ass and jumped a little at the impact.

Christ. David was going to get more than he bargained for. Tai had topped for heavy sensation bottoms and pain sluts, learning from Nic how to dole out the impacts, timing and placement. He’d punished service subs who craved the correction and brats who couldn’t stop themselves from pushing. David might go the brat route sometimes, but that wasn’t what he was asking for now. He wanted this—he’d made the choice clear—but what drove him wasn’t like anything Tai had seen.

David had taken to D/s like he’d been waiting for it his whole life. There were bumps and adjustments, but he was always straining for more with a half-frightened, half-hungry look in his eyes. Tai started to smooth his gauntlets only to realize they were still at home, that he hadn’t planned on any of this. Now David was waiting for Tai to give him the release he needed. Tai remembered his own eagerness, wanting to discover everything, try everything. Taking a firm grip on the brush, he locked down the fear that he couldn’t, wouldn’t be enough for David. At least not enough to keep him.

As Tai came into the bedroom, David looked up from his seat on the bed. Anticipation had him licking his lips and rubbing his hands over the bedcover while his feet circled in opposite directions. Tai switched on the lamp and drew the curtain over the balcony.

“Stand up.”

David bounced to his feet, and Tai selected a seat where he could angle David across his lap.

“Come here.”

David stood in front of him. There was a jump in his muscles, a fine vibration like a tremble. It reminded Tai of the horses headed for the gate he’d seen when he worked summers at Pimlico. The sharp edge of expectation, an explosion waiting beneath the surface. David’s body might have been excited, but his cock was soft, balls loose and heavy, though a deep breath brought Tai the smell of sex in the sweat from David’s crotch. “Did you jerk off today?”

“No, Sir.”

“It’s all right if this turns you on.”

“It doesn’t when it’s happening. It hurts too much. It’s after. Because—it’s like the cuffs. I can still feel you. And it doesn’t hurt for long.”

“You might not say that this time, boy. Let’s go.” Tai pulled David’s wrist and settled him across Tai’s quads. The bed supported David’s torso, while his feet were on the floor.

Tai warmed him up with brisk slaps, catching David’s hand as soon as he reached for his ass, pinning it to his back. He alternated the slaps with rubbing and squeezing, sensitizing the skin while easing David into the sensation. As soon as his ass started to color, Tai stepped up the force of his swats until he heard grunts spill out along with David’s pants.

When Tai stopped, David’s body went slack against him. The room was suddenly quiet, David’s breath the only sound. Even the air-conditioner fan had shut down. Tai ran a hand down David’s spine then felt the heat of his skin.

David’s breath turned to a hiss. “Shit. I forgot how much it hurts.”

Tai smacked him hard. “Why are you being spanked?”

“Because I asked you to punish me. Because I know I shouldn’t have ignored the first two notices, and I guess I should have told you what I was planning. Sir.”

Tai picked up the brush. “You guess?” He placed the smooth, wooden back on David’s ass and rubbed it in a circle. “Did it affect us both?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Tai tapped lightly, bouncing it off one cheek and then the other. David squeezed his ass tight.

“Don’t clench like that, boy. You’ll take what you asked for.” And there’d be less bruising, less ache tomorrow if he stayed relaxed.

“Yes, Sir.”

Tai had considered starting over David’s cargo shorts. The material wasn’t heavy like denim, but it would still let him get a feel for the impact of the wood before it stung and slammed deep into his skin. But Tai needed to see what effect he was having so he could stop before he went too far.

He gave him a solid spank, turning his wrist so the weight of the brush and not Tai’s strength was what David felt. The result was electric. David reared off the bed.

“Back down, right now.”

Just as quickly, David got back into position. Tai shifted to pin David’s legs under one of his own. “Give me your hands.” He didn’t want to chance hitting David’s wrist or fingers. Hitching David closer, Tai gripped both wrists in his free hand.

“H-how long?”

“I’ll decide that, boy. You take it.”

The sag of David’s weight told Tai he was on the right track. His own heart hammering high and hard in his throat, he laid on the brush. No force, but the weight and the jerk of his wrist delivered a bruising thud and sharp, echoing sting. David flinched at every stroke, breaths sounding trapped. Tai checked to make sure his mouth wasn’t covered.

“Don’t hold your breath.”

“I’m sorry,” David spat out.

Tai nailed him three times on the same spot, low on the cheek.

“Sir. I’m sorry, Sir.” David’s gasp was full of desperation.

Tai stopped, leaving the brush on the bed while he rubbed David’s ass, taking in the reaction, the ragged breathing, screwed-shut eyes, fingers and toes clenching as his body absorbed the pain.

Tai picked up the brush again, resting it on the top curve. David didn’t have much room, but he shrank away. Tai tightened his grip on David’s wrists. “Fight it if you want to, boy. I’ve got you.”

Tai dropped the smacks faster, concentrating on one spot at a time, until David jerked. Tai drove him harder, felt the rebellion rise up in a push from David’s legs and held on as he tried to buck off.

“Please, Sir. Please. I can’t.”

The rush of power Tai had felt when David knelt on the balcony was nothing compared to this. It was dizzying, hot, strong. He was enough. He could make a man as jaded as David feel something he craved so badly. And Tai would keep him safe through it all.

“No choice, boy.” Tai aimed for the top of David’s thighs, and he struggled harder. “You’re mine.”

“Please.” There was an edge of surrender in that plea.

“Get your ass up for me.”

David stopped bucking and tipped his ass as much as he could with Tai pinning his chest and legs. Tai flipped the brush and dragged the bristles over the cherry-bright skin. David shuddered but kept his ass tilted up. There were some darker spots, a hint of a bruise where Tai had focused on the crease of David’s thighs. He’d feel it a little tomorrow, maybe. Tai scraped with the brush, back and forth over the sore skin.

David groaned. “Please, Sir. I don’t think I can—”

“Almost done.” Because they were almost there. “Trust me to give you what you need.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Don’t think, just feel, David.”

Tai started laying down smacks in a rhythm, following a pattern like the five spots on dice. Slow at first, listening to David’s breath, then faster. David pushed up to meet the brush, body there even if his head wasn’t yet. He was almost relaxed, a steady exhale.

Tai didn’t give him a warning but increased the force and speed, laying it all on the spots that were already darkest. David made one more attempt to fling himself off Tai’s lap, then collapsed like he’d come, surrender in every inch of him, limp and vulnerable to the smack of the brush on his ass.

His voice was thick as he slurred, “Yessir,” over and over.

Tai tossed the brush on the mattress, helping David to sit up. His nose was running, his eyes a bit wet, but his breathing got under control fast.

“Good boy.” Tai kissed him gently. “Tell me how you feel.”

“Sore, damn.” David leaned his head into Tai’s shoulder. “Sweet Lord that hurt. But that feeling of something I had to do—it’s better. Thank you.”

Tai studied David’s face. “You know how we end this, David.”

David’s breath came sharp against Tai’s skin. “Sir…” He looked up from under spiky lashes.

If things were going to work between them, Tai couldn’t fail them because of the appeal in those wet blue eyes. “You needed that yes, but this is something you earned.” He stood and dragged a pillow to the center of the bed. “Over it.” Tai didn’t give David time to think about it, tugging him so that the pillow put his ass up.

“Fuck me, please, Sir.”

That decided it. Tai picked up the brush and dealt out a good swing.

“Fuck. Oh fuck. Tai—Sir.”

Tai lowered his chest onto David’s back, breathing in his ear. “This isn’t just about you, is it, boy?”

“No, Sir.”

“It wouldn’t have been hard to call me. To answer a text and let me know what was going on.”

“No, Sir.” Now David did sound sorry. Probably more because of what he was dreading.

“This is so you remember.” Tai pushed himself away. “Ten. If you kick, reach back or swear, there will be extra. After each one, you will tell me what you’re going to do better.”

Tai shifted his grip to shorten the swing, though from how dark the bottom half of David’s ass was, even that would be enough to make his point.

The brush connected with David’s ass, pushing deep into his reddened skin.

“One. Let’s hear it.”

“I won’t ignore things, Sir.”