Page 5 of In the Heat of the Dungeon

“I’m fine, Sir. Really,” he added, and his voice sounded strong.

Once again, Ford hovered a couple of seconds before deciding it was safe to leave the boy alone. “Good. See you in a few.” With that, he strode down the hall, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible, because holy fuck, the kid was hard again, and as disciplined as Ford was, he didn’t think he could resist that temptation for another moment.

Cody stayed for a few seconds where Master Ford had placed him, his mind still a bit numb from his time in the dungeon. So much had happened so quickly that he’d almost thought it was all a dream, except no… The lingering musky scent of the unfamiliar Dom assured him otherwise. And he’d given Cody an order. Best to get on that. Disobedience led to punishment and not always the good kind. Given how tired and hungry he was, he wasn’t sure he could take much, either. He didn’t like it when the pain had started to slip past pleasure and into a scary zone where he felt vulnerable and afraid. It wasn’t clear to him how much control Master Ford had over him, and he didn’t want to find out the hard way.

Dressing was easy, as he had few items to choose from. Master Gage mostly kept him naked, but he’d cut off one of his two pairs of ratty jeans into shorts and had some new tank tops that he’d received as rewards for doing a good job. It took no time to tug them on, although stuffing his hard cock into the shorts wasn’t easy. Damn, as if two orgasms in less than thirty minutes wasn’t sufficient to satisfy his horny body… Disgusted with his lack of control, he ruthlessly zippered and snapped his shorts closed, brushed his wet hair back into a stubby ponytail then headed back down to the first floor. Every muscle ached from the long hours of confinement, and he tried to find pleasure in the discomfort. Outside of a scene or the aftercare cuddling he’d become used to, it was difficult to be anything other than resentful that his body had been abused.

He found Master Ford in the kitchen, opening and slamming cupboards shut, muttering swear words under his breath. He winced at the sight and sound, because it reminded him of the home he’d been kicked out of. Memories of his father’s vicious temper rose unbidden into his head, as did the way Master Gage sometimes lost it when something unexpected happened. He knew to keep out of the way of an angry man, staying by the doorjamb, while still obeying Master Ford’s edict.

It wasn’t such a hardship, actually. It gave him a perfect view of the Dom—all that tall strength with layered muscles. Sweat caused his T-shirt and shorts to cling to his perfect masculine form. The high, firm ass looked powerful enough to drill a guy right into the mattress. Cody’s cock strained within its confines, feeling harder, if that were possible. His hole twitched with the desire to be filled. Staring was rude, but did it count if the subject of his desire didn’t realize what he was doing?

“Jesus Christ, Gage, not even a box of fucking Cheerios! Seriously?” Master Ford kicked the lower cabinet door.

A whimper escaped Cody’s lips before he could stop it. He shrunk against the jamb when Master Ford whirled around. The man’s expression morphed from stormy to reassuring in the blink of an eye.

“Hey there… That was fast.” Master Ford paused, glanced around the room, then returned his attention to Cody. “So, there’s absolutely nothing to eat.”

Cody didn’t say anything, like how he’d known that already and had even warned the guy. Although money wasn’t a subject that Master Gage ever shared with him, Cody’s impression was that his Master didn’t have a lot. Not that it mattered… When he’d picked Cody literally off the streets, he’d been completely broke. Having a place to live and not going hungry was good enough for him.

Master Ford ran his hand over the top of his head and blew out a breath. “Okay, it’s getting late, and I’m in no fit shape to eat out.” He stared hard at Cody. “You could maybe get a bite in the hospital cafeteria once I drop you off.”

Cody nodded even as he gnawed at his lower lip. He wrapped his arms around his middle and tried not to think about how hungry he was.

“What’s the matter? Cody?” Master Ford insisted in a sharper tone when Cody didn’t answer right away.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I don’t have any money.”

“Cash? You have a debit or credit card, though, right?”

Cody shook his head, miserable and a little embarrassed. “No, Sir. Master Gage takes care of all of that.”

There was more swearing, then, “All right, new plan. You’re coming home with me. We’ll eat, I can wash the stink off me, and we can… Well, see how it goes from there. Get some shoes on and pack a few things in case you need to stay the night.”

The idea that he might sleep over at Master Ford’s home sent Cody’s heart racing. He didn’t know what that meant. Would they play? Even after the miserable afternoon he’d spent, the idea of having a scene with this virile and intriguing man was an enticing idea. He should be afraid—and part of him was. The other, though, was excited to see what it would be like to be dominated by someone new. He’d only ever known Master Gage, and while he appreciated what he’d experienced with that man, he’d begun to wonder if all Doms were the same. This might be his one chance to find out.

“Yes, Sir,” he replied, before racing off to do as he’d been told.

Packing was easy, given his clothing situation and the few mementoes he’d kept from his old life. Kids’ stuff, really—his small stuffed bear, a few action figures and a tiny metal ambulance from one Christmas that hadn’t ended in tears and violence. He didn’t believe he would need these things, but they were always in the worn-out backpack he’d taken from home. The idea of leaving them behind for any amount of time bothered him. Slipping on a pair of flip-flops—his only footwear at this point—he returned to the house’s entryway. Master Ford was waiting by the front door.

The force of the man’s stare caused Cody’s already-warm face to heat even more. He wondered what the man saw. As far as Cody was concerned, he was just a skinny, short kid with a too-pretty face and nothing special in his shorts. He fiddled with the strap of his backpack as he waited for the man to make the next move, maybe say ‘Forget it. You’re on your own,’ because Cody wasn’t worth the trouble. The idea of being left alone petrified him.

“Let’s go” was all Master Ford said before leading Cody out into the waning heat of the day and into his massive SUV.

Chapter Three

The ride to Master Ford’s house took a while. Cody had no idea where they were going except that it was clearly out to the suburbs. He didn’t mind the drive, given how cool the SUV was. For the first time in days, he didn’t feel sweaty and sticky. He was almost a little chilly. Master Ford navigated the roads with obvious skill and ease. After a while, the busy streets turned less so and houses became farther apart. There were lawns, bigger and better kept than those in the Master’s neighborhood. The homes were larger and nice cars were parked in the driveways. When Master Ford pulled into an equally impressive place and right past the opening door of a wide garage, Cody realized that the man was well-off. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Living with Master Gage had been much like living in his family’s home, without the censure and abuse, of course. He worried he’d feel out of place in a big house like this.

Master Ford killed the engine then went to the door leading to the inside without waiting to see if Cody was following. Naturally, he did, hugging his backpack almost like he used to do with his bear. He didn’t know what to expect, but upon entering a spacious kitchen, he found nothing was that surprising. It was, however, also cool from what must have been central air conditioning. At least he’d be comfortable in some respects.

Master Ford pulled out his phone from his back pocket. “I’m going to order pizza. What do you like on yours?” He gave Cody the side-eye as he waited for an answer.

This was easy. “Whatever you like, Sir.”

The man frowned. “No, see I’m ordering a large meat-lovers pie for myself. The question is what would you like on your own pizza? The truth now. I’m too hot and aggravated for games, Cody.”

His heartbeat stuttered a bit at the mild rebuke. He’d thought he knew how to be a sub, but obviously not. And he took the man at his word. “I like mushrooms and anchovies, Sir.” He winced afterward, waiting for a sneer or some other indication that his choice sucked.

Instead, the man merely nodded. “Okay, then.” He tapped away at his phone before saying, “It’s on its way. I’m jumping into the shower because I can’t stand myself for another second. The delivery people usually come to the front door, so answer it if I’m not out by the time they arrive.”

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