Page 51 of R for Rough

Angel often felt the need to assert herself in her Little space, as if wanting to make sure nobody forgot she was also a sadistic Domme—even if it was only to one person. Like Abel, she had a horrible poker face.

Then there was Tracy.

We locked eyes, and he didn’t shy away. He was guarded and bracing himself.

I finished the last of my cinnamon roll, took another swig of my coffee, then rose to my feet—without making a face. Sweet Jesus, was my boy going to give me a proper rubdown tomorrow. Daddy needed aftercare too.

Rather than stopping in front of Tracy, I continued toward Abel.

He stood up straighter and clenched his jaw.

“Hello, brat. Why are you so sweaty?”

He scowled up at me. “I took a nice shower.”

“You have a very generous Owner,” I replied with a nod. He wisely kept his mouth shut. “Where’s the key?”

He widened his eyes. “I don’t know!” Instant hothead.

I glanced over at the other Tops, and I made eye contact with Ryan. “I think we can crack him fast.”

Which was a good thing, because Abel was quick to revert into Little mode with Madigan, who had only cleared his boy for a taste of interrogation play.

“Excellent.” Ryan stood up and nodded for Madigan to join us, and I waited while the latter decided what tool we could use. Ryan had brought a whole duffel bag o’ treats.

We had a dog cage too.

“I swear I don’t have the key,” Abel said forcefully.

“We might believe you, trouble,” Madigan answered. “That doesn’t mean you don’t have information, though.” He came over with a vampire glove—that he handed to me—and a spiked paddle.

I put on the glove and squeezed Abel’s jaw, settling my thumb and index finger nicely over his carotid arteries. The boy sucked in a breath, getting worked up before I’d even applied pressure. I wasn’t doing that without Madigan’s green light.

Ryan, Madigan, and I crowded Abel, and it was enough to get his breathing accelerated.

“I don’t know who has it,” he bit out.

“You’re gonna have to give us more than that.” Madigan dropped the paddle lower and gave Abel a hard thwack along his thigh.

“Ow! I don’t know, I don’t know! I don’t know anything!”

“Everyone knows something,” Ryan stated.

Madigan resumed his paddling, and Ryan and I gave him enough space to move freely. I stepped to the side, maintaining my hold on Abel’s neck, and the boy gnashed his teeth against the pain.

“You can do it, Abel,” Justin coached. “Just keep your mouth shut.”

“Not my strongest suit!” Abel groaned. “Motherf—ouch!”

“Not yet,” I heard Colt say quietly. I didn’t know what he and Jameson were talking about, but I hoped they stayed back a while longer. Angel was next to curse us out and encourage Abel to breathe through the pain, and we logged every response, every reaction.

“Fuck! I promise I don’t know anything!” Abel struggled against his tears, and Madigan nodded to me. So I applied just a bit of pressure, and the boy’s eyes flooded with fear. “I don’tknow anything—I’m fucking telling you! Kit and Angel asked around, and everyone denied!”

Jackpot.

A clue, at least. Blurted out in the heat of the moment. I doubted it was fake.

“What did they ask?” Madigan pressed. “Word for word.”

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