Page 71 of Under His Heel

Shit. He curled up into himself and hid his face in his hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

He heard Tracht get out of bed, and then he felt Tracht’s hands on his arms, urging him up. He shook his head and made himself go limp and heavy.

“Alex. Get up.”

The harsh tone struck Alex deep, and he sobbed loudly. “I’m sorry. Please. I’m sorry.” He struggled to stand up, and his body shook. He didn’t dare look at Tracht’s face.

Tracht placed his hands on Alex’s shoulders. “What’s the problem now?”

“I don’t know!” he said between sobs. “I don’t know.” He shook off Tracht’s hands and got back into the bed, pulling the covers up around him.

He didn’t want anybody to touch him. But now that Tracht wasn’t touching him, Alex felt unmoored.

He flinched when Tracht got in the bed and spooned him, and he started struggling against him. It was more of a fair fight than usual, but in the end Tracht wrapped his arms tight around Alex and held him until Alex ran out of steam.

“I’m sorry,” Alex said again, his voice hoarse. “Don’t hurt me. Please.” He could feel Tracht’s hard cock against his ass, and the idea of getting fucked on top of everything else made his tears flow stronger.

“I might have overdone it yesterday,” Tracht said. He loosened his hold and started stroking Alex’s stomach, at times dipping dangerously close to Alex’s cock. “We’ll take it easy today, no matter how attractive you are right now.”

Alex turned his tear-stained face to look at Tracht, and sure enough, Tracht was leering in open lust. Then Tracht sighed and extricated himself completely, settling back against the headboard. He took one of Alex’s wrists and pressed a kiss onto Alex’s palm.

“I do prefer it when you cry because I actually inflicted something on you.” Tracht let go of Alex’s wrist and patted his head. “Eat more. Take a nap, or watch a vid. I need to do some work, but I’ll stay here.”

That was exactly what he did, too. Alex watched warily, expecting Tracht to change his mind, but Tracht kept his concentration on his tablet. His erection faded, and except for occasionally brushing his fingers across Alex’s hair—a reminder that he was still aware of Alex—, Tracht left Alex alone.

Alex didn’t know what to feel anymore. He had hated the party more than anything else Tracht had done to him. Which was ridiculous because it hadn’t really been that bad—he got to fuck a chick, he wasn’t on the receiving end of any of Tracht’s worst perving, and even the caning was tame. He’d gotten to eat too, so that was already a million times better than the long stretches where Tracht had starved him.

“What’s wrong with me?” Alex rubbed his eyes to get rid of the remnants of tears. “I don’t understand. Why the f—Why am I crying?”

“I’m sure it’s something to do with hormones and the severe emotional beating you took yesterday.”

“Emotional beating? You didn’t hurt my feelings! I’m fine!” As if Alex was so fragile he couldn’t handle some insults thrown at him.

Tracht chuckled. “Yes, I can see that. Now do be quiet and let me concentrate.”

Well, whatever. Alex ate the rest of the cherry oranges and let his mind wander. He still couldn’t pin down why he was feeling messed up and confused, but if Tracht wasn’t mad then it probably didn’t matter. He rolled a bit so that his shoulder touched against Tracht’s thigh, and that point of contact relaxed him enough that he was able to doze off.

Too soon, Tracht was shaking him awake.

“Alex. I have to go to a meeting.”

Alex shot upright and grabbed Tracht’s wrist. “No.” His voice came out needy. “I—don’t go.”

Tracht’s expression lost all its sympathy. “It isn’t up to debate. I need to negotiate in person.”

“I could go with you?” Alex let go of Tracht and scrambled out of bed. He started gathering Tracht’s clothes. “I’ll take notes. Look intimidating.”

“As tempting as that is, you’re in no state to be shown off.” Tracht allowed Alex to help him dress, even smiled at him when Alex kissed his bare foot, but he didn’t change his mind. “The only thing you’d accomplish at the meeting is to give the other party the impression I can’t afford a better bondservant.”

“Please,” Alex begged. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone.”

Tracht scowled lightly. “This is getting tedious.” He petted Alex’s hair and sighed loudly. “Very well. Get dressed. I’ll call somebody to keep you company.”

“No! I want—” Oh no. Alex clamped his mouth shut around that last word, but it was too late. Tracht knew, and he grinned widely.

“Me? Oh, Alex.” He pulled Alex upward and kissed him hard, using his hands to keep Alex’s head in place and forcing him to accept the kiss.

Alex closed his eyes and let Tracht do what he wanted. He kept his mouth slack and his hands limp at his sides, and focused simply on getting Tracht to stay.

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