Safe in His Arms (11 page)

Hank glowered a moment but then shrugged. ―What
ever
,‖ he said. Russell hated

when he said that—it reminded him of a spoiled teenager. ―I‘ll just call Troy or

Diamond to keep me company while you‘re gone.‖

―Uh huh,‖ Russell said dryly. ―You do that.‖ Russell didn‘t admit this remark irked

him, though he was reasonably sure Hank wasn‘t serious. Hank couldn‘t get what he

needed anymore from those young guys who had no idea how to handle him. Still,

Russell knew it wasn‘t fair to expect Hank to see only him, not at this point in the

relationship.

They weren‘t officially even a couple yet, let alone in a Sir and boy kind of

relationship, which is where Russell felt they were ultimately headed. It was what he

wanted, and Hank did too, even if he didn‘t entirely know it yet. Hank became a

different man under Russell‘s sexual control, and that‘s when Russell got to see the part

of Hank he loved the most.

When they were making love, Hank let go of all the props and shields he used to

protect himself from the world. The arrogant, entitled, spoiled brat vanished when

Hank was naked and under his loving but strict control. Bit by bit he had built up their

D/s relationship so that Hank felt safe whether on his knees worshipping Russell‘s cock

or balanced naked over his knees, taking a thorough spanking.

Hank was insatiable. He could come several times in a night, and never tired of

worshipping Russell‘s body, and letting himself be bound, sucked, teased, spanked and

held. He especially loved the spankings, and could take as much as Russell could give

him, begging Russell not to stop until his poor ass was red hot.

Hank‘s ass was perfect for spanking. Russell loved nothing better than to turn the

round, hard globes of pure muscle from creamy white to crimson red. But beyond

Hank‘s physical perfection, Russell had never been with a man who was so responsive

to the erotic spankings.

Russell experienced a sweet, powerful rush each time he felt Hank surrendering.

He could actually feel Hank giving himself over to the pleasure and the pain, his cock

hard against Russell‘s thigh as his skin heated beneath Russell‘s palm. The connection

between them was palpable during these times, something that needed no words and

deepened as the trust between them grew.

Afterwards, when they made love, Hank‘s naked adoration and eagerness to please

touched something in Russell. Beneath the outward swagger he still sometimes

displayed, there was something ultimately very innocent about Hank, at least in ways

of the heart.

It occurred to Russell that Hank had probably never been in love before. That he

hadn‘t had the tools for such depth of feeling. It warmed Russell to think he was a part

of Hank‘s learning to love, or at least of opening himself to the possibility. Could it be

Russell was falling in that direction himself?

Though Russell realized it was too soon to talk of love, their D/s relationship

continued to grow in a way that was deeply gratifying to them both. ―I never knew,‖

Hank breathed after one especially long spanking session. He was tied spread eagle

with ropes Russell had secured beneath the mattress, his sexy ass raised by several

pillows. His hair was wild around his face, his eyes preternaturally bright, an

expression of bewildered bliss on his face.

―I never understood what it meant to let go like this,‖ Hank said. ―I mean, I‘ve tied

up my boy toys before, but it was really more of a power trip than anything. This is

so…different. It‘s so fucking intense. I just feel like, I don‘t know, lifted out of myself

somehow. Like I‘m in this different place. A place where I‘m finally at peace.‖ He

paused for a long time, trying to find the words, and finally said, ―With you I feel cared

for. Maybe for the first time ever.‖ Hank‘s voice cracked with emotion and he drew in a

sharp breath. He turned his head away, but not before Russell saw the bright, unshed

tears in his eyes.

Russell well understood what Hank was experiencing. Though he didn‘t like to

admit it, before Mark had taken him in hand, Russell had been a lot like Hank. Back

then he was a homeless twenty-year-old college dropout carrying on a love affair with

pot and cocaine. Sex was nothing more than a weapon or the price he paid for room and

board. It was a way to get close and manipulate someone without involving the heart. It

was about power wielded to hide inadequacy and fear. He‘d used guys back then much

in the way Hank did. Love had never entered the equation. Sex was just another way to

get high.

Mark had been Russell‘s first Sir, the first one to clue him into his submissive

feelings and needs. He‘d taken Russell firmly under his wing, and taught him about

dominance and submission, but more importantly, about love and letting go. Under

Mark‘s loving guidance, Russell had cleaned up his act, returned to school and found a

job. He‘d felt safe with Mark, in a way he never had until then. The nature of their

relationship had shifted over the years, but they had always remained close friends,

even after Russell began to tap into his more dominant feelings years later, and assume

the role of Sir himself. Hank still had a long way to go, but Russell saw his potential, as

Mark had seen potential in him.

When Russell came back into the bedroom after his shower, Hank was still lying on

the bed. He‘d turned on the huge flat screen TV and was idly flipping through the

channels. ―You‘ll come back tonight?‖ he asked, his eyes still on the screen.

―No. Nolan‘s meeting me early tomorrow. We just got a big order from a restaurant

he‘s been trying to sell to for a while now. It‘ll be all hands on deck for a few days to get

ready. You should come help. I could keep you occupied, I assure you.‖

Hank shook his head. ―I don‘t do menial labor, sorry.‖ His tone was haughty and,

though Russell knew he was acting off his disappointment, it irritated him.

―That‘s one of your problems. You need to get off your ass and do something

productive. How can you just lie around all day? I would go insane.‖

―I don‘t lie around all day,‖ Hank said in an affronted tone. ―I go places. I do stuff.

Hey, it‘s not my fault my daddy‘s rich and yours isn‘t.‖

Russell shook his head, aware they‘d fight in a minute if he didn‘t get out of there.

But then Hank climbed out of the bed and moved quickly toward Russell, kneeling

naked in front of him on the carpet and wrapping his arms around Russell‘s legs.

―God, I don‘t know why I get like this. It‘s like I can‘t seem to stop myself. Can we

just rewind to when you said you had to go? And I‘ll answer, ‗Okay, see you later. Have

a good night.‘‖ He looked up, smiling though his eyes were sad, as if he‘d already lost

and knew it.

Russell leaned down and pulled Hank into his arms, wrapping him tight. ―It‘ll get

better, Hank. I‘ll help you. I promise.‖

Hank hugged him back. ―Thank you,‖ he whispered. ―I don‘t know why you put

up with me, but I‘m glad you do.‖

~*~

Hank was dozing in a recliner in front of the movie he‘d downloaded when the

sound of the ringing telephone woke him. Hardly anyone called on his land line. It was

probably a salesman, he decided, and let it go to voicemail.

―Mr. Seeley, it‘s Doug Harrison. I need to talk to you. This is the third message I‘ve

left. You need to call me right away. There are some pressing issues, uh, financial issues,

we need to discuss.‖

Hank groaned. Doug Harrison was his liaison with the family fortune and keeper of

the purse strings for his allowance. Periodically dear old Dad tried to pull rank and

threaten Hank with disinheritance. He ranted about cutting off Hank‘s allowance if

Hank didn‘t shape up and join the family construction empire, but he never followed

through.

Still, Harrison was a persistent bugger when he had something he needed Hank to

sign, or some boring information about a mutual fund he was desperate to impart.

Hank had let him wait long enough, he supposed, to show who was boss. He reached

for the phone and hit the call back button.

―Harrison and Stein, may I help you?‖

―Hank Seeley for Doug Harrison. Returning his call.‖

―Oh, right away, sir.‖

In less than five seconds Harrison‘s nasally voice was on the line. ―There you are.

I‘ve been trying to reach you for a week. Something‘s come up. Something big. I‘d

rather not discuss it over the phone. Can you come to our offices this afternoon?‖

Hank studied his fingernails, annoyed with all the drama. He gave a histrionic sigh

and said, ―Oh, I suppose so. Three o‘clock suit you?‖

―That‘ll be fine. See you then.‖

~*~

―What is it? You‘ve been distracted ever since we sat down. Are you sure

everything‘s okay?‖

―Sure. I mean, yeah. It‘s nothing really.‖ Hank offered a smile but it looked forced.

―Okay.‖ Russell regarded Hank, who he could tell was lying. They‘d gone out to

dinner yet again—Hank never wanted to eat at home, which kind of bothered Russell,

though he hadn‘t made an issue of it. When he finally got Hank over to his place, he‘d

make him a nice homemade meal and they‘d sit together in his kitchen and enjoy it,

without anyone coming over to ask if they needed anything else, or putting the bill on

the table for Hank to grab before Russell could reach for it.

When the waitress had taken the bill and Hank‘s credit card, Hank said, ―I went

down to my accountant‘s office this afternoon. He‘s got his panties all in a bunch over

some financial irregularities. That‘s what he‘s calling it. Seems my father‘s been caught

with his fingers in the company till. Shifting all kinds of cash out of corporate

accounts—some kind of tax thing. Apparently the IRS got wind of it and went and froze

all his assets.‖

―Whoa, that sounds like some serious stuff. Have you talked to your dad about it?

Maybe there‘s some reasonable explanation.‖

Hank shook his head, a frown appearing on his face. ―I haven‘t talked to my father

for over five years. Both he and my mother heartily disapprove of everything about me.

My father thinks anyone who isn‘t slavishly devoted to the family construction business

has no right to live, and my mother still hasn‘t given up on trying to get me into therapy

to cure me of being a homosexual.‖

Russell absorbed this information, thinking of his own parents, who had kicked him

out for good once he‘d dropped out of college. He can still hear his father screaming, ―If

you want to kill yourself with the goddamn drugs, go ahead, but you aren‘t doing it

here,‖ while his mother sobbed in the background. He‘d eventually reconciled with

them, once he‘d gotten sober and come to understand that, while they hadn‘t been the

best of parents, they‘d done the best they could.

―So anyway,‖ Hank continued. ―Looks like I‘m being cut off for a while.‖ He

shrugged. ―I‘m sure it‘ll be straightened out soon. My father is very good about

weaseling his way out of tight spots.‖

―Are you saying your only source of income is an allowance from your dad?‖

Hank looked uncomfortable. ―Well, not entirely. I have a few of my own

investments, though you know, with the whole stock market mess lately…‖ Hank

trailed off but then brightened, meeting Russell‘s eye. ―It‘s nothing to worry about. My

father will get out the big guns and blow this
irregularity
out of the water. You‘ll see.‖

Russell figured this was as good a time as any to bring up a topic he‘d been

thinking a lot about. ―Hank, have you thought about, you know, getting a job? Doing

something with your life? You‘re thirty years old. Isn‘t it time to make something of

yourself? How long do you plan to rely on your father for handouts?‖

Hank bristled. ―Hey, just because I‘ve got family money, you don‘t need to go all

high and mighty on me. Jesus. Don‘t act like you don‘t enjoy being taken out to fancy

restaurants every night of the week, drinking my fine wines and staying in my mansion

on my thousand thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. Don‘t pretend it doesn‘t float

your boat to swim in my Olympic size pool any time you feel like, and be driven

around in my Mercedes.‖

Russell‘s temper flared. ―Are you kidding me? Do you honestly think I give a shit

about your money, Hank? Has nothing we‘ve shared penetrated that thick skull of

yours? Have I just been wasting my time?‖ He stood, quite ready to walk out of the

swanky restaurant Hank had dragged him to. He‘d take the bus back to his

neighborhood and get his car from Hank‘s place later. He didn‘t need this crap

anymore.

But Hank stood too, reaching out for him. ―Damn. I was doing better, right?‖ He