Page 37 of Under Control

“I didn’t think you’d come,” Tracht said. “Alex isn’t smart enough to find me. But here you are. The jacket looks great on you. I picked well. You’re absolutely imposing in it.”

The insult didn’t sting, mostly because Alex was way too confused. Tracht was still rubbing himself against Alex’s body, kissing Alex’s jaw, and talking. Still, still talking.

“How long do you think it’d take me to break?” Tracht asked. “I wondered about it. I know all the techniques. I used some of them on you. How long until I got twisted around in such a way that I was a completely slobbering twit for Iglesias or the Nilsens or whoever they sold me off to?”

“Wait, the Nilsens?” Alex grabbed Tracht’s shoulders and pushed him away. “Why the Nilsens?”

“Yes, Captain. Why the Nilsens?” Espinosa came up from behind and draped a blanket over his shoulders. It didn’t exactly cover much, but at least Espinosa couldn’t see Tracht’s ass anymore.

“Because the container was theirs,” Tracht said, leaning into Alex’s arms. “If only you hadn’t meddled, Espinosa. Sorry, Ms. Espinosa.” He sighed. “Alex, I’m going to let you fuck me when we get back.” Then Tracht winced. “No, that was going to be a surprise. Forget I said that.”

Oh hell, Alex wanted it, but he didn’t want Tracht like this. It was weird. It was really fucking weird. He was super creeped out, even while one part of him wanted to take advantage. Maybe he could fuck Tracht here, before Tracht changed his mind… but Espinosa was in the room, and they still had to get the fuck out of here. Hopefully they’d run into Iglesias too, because Alex still hadn’t gotten to use the whip burning a hole in his pocket.

“Why did we have a container from the Nilsens on our ship?” Espinosa demanded. “That’s blatantly disregarding the law! You said—you said you’d never do anything to compromise the business.”

Tracht started laughing loudly. “Oh, Espinosa. That was then. This is now. I am now the kind of person who values one person above all else. A person! I didn’t think it was possible. But how else was I going to save Alex from being tortured? Anna would have let Alex die for Johan’s sake. That was unacceptable. So I talked to Anja Nilsen. And this was the deal. One container, and she helped me find Alex. And she let me take my revenge on the kidnappers.”

Alex’s entire face had to be red. He hadn’t known. He could barely remember the aftermath of that entire affair. They’d pulled his tooth, and next thing he knew, he was in the hospital. But Tracht had done this for him. Tracht had dealt with the Nilsens, for him.

That had to mean something. That had to mean a lot.

“Tracht. Let’s go. I really wanna make out with you, but we can’t do it here.” They’d wasted way too much time already. Alex took the blanket and wrapped it around Tracht’s waist, tucking it in. Hopefully it would stick. The cuffs around Tracht’s hands didn’t look super secure, but Alex wasn’t going to risk attempting to break them. Better to wait than to fuck up Tracht’s wrists.

Thankfully, Tracht didn’t put up too much of a fuss when they started walking. Espinosa looked pissed as hell, but Alex did not give a shit about her.

===

“We can’t leave,” Tracht said. They were going to the elevator. Alex’s arm was wrapped around Tracht’s shoulders, warm and strong. Nice muscles. They looked delicious under a crop.

Alex looked amazing in general. He looked so good in the jacket Tracht had gotten for him. He looked good in a lot of things that Tracht gave him. The Sigrun’s uniform especially. “You look amazing, Alex. I said that already. But I mean it. You’re not handsome, but I don’t believe there’s a single person more attractive than you in the entire solar system.”

“Uh, um, right. Why can’t we leave?” Alex asked.

Tracht really wished he could stop the words from falling out of his mouth. He’d had better luck with it earlier in the day, before the drugs had really kicked in. At least they dulled the pain. The pain from his concussion, the pain from his bruises, the pain from the collar’s hooks clawing into his skin.

He wanted to kiss Alex. There was no reason not to, so Tracht awkwardly grabbed Alex’s jacket with his cuffed hands and brushed their lips together. Alex kissed him back, of course he did, because Alex did what Tracht wanted.

“Stop that!” Espinosa hissed at them. Tracht broke away from Alex, and then chastised himself for having listened to her. He didn’t have to follow her orders. She did what he said. These damned drugs made it hard to remember those things though.

“Espinosa—Ms. Espinosa—don’t tell me what to do.” Tracht glared at her, or tried to, but the muscles on his face were refusing to cooperate.

“You’re the one who said we can’t leave. If the only reason we can’t leave is because you can’t stop pawing Alex, then I’m vetoing that.” Espinosa took another few steps towards the elevator, but she stopped to glare at them. “Are you two coming?”

“Hate to say it, but I’m with Espinosa. Let’s get out of here.” Alex said. “We can do all this later. Please, please tell me we’ll do all this later.”

“Yes, okay,” Tracht answered easily. He shouldn’t have. He knew he had to stop talking, but it was hard to care. Besides, he liked making Alex happy. Liked making him cry too. Liked having him nearby. Liked watching him hurt. Like watching Alex hurt others. “You’re so perfect, Alex.”

“Oh my god. We have to get the collar off him,” Espinosa said. She pushed the button for the elevator, then frowned when the door didn’t open immediately. “Somebody else used it, Alex.”

“So?”

“So? You left a bloodied, passed out woman lying on the floor! They’ll have noticed her.”

Tracht smiled at that thought. Alex using his lovely, powerful fists on somebody. “Wish I’d been there to see. But it’s better to beat up men than women, Alex.”

Espinosa gave him a look. “I didn’t figure you had even the smallest hint of misplaced chivalry in you, captain.”

“Chivalry? Oh, no. I don’t care, beat women all you want. I just meant, it would be much more attractive if Alex was fighting another man.”

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