Page 9 of Xtasy

“Listen, kid,” Ambrose started with a whisper. “Hawk will get mad if he finds out, but I have to at least give it a shot…tell me which props he used for the photos. Hawk always keeps everything top secret until he can show me photos. I’m not a man who is used to not getting what he wants, when he wants it.”

Relief flowed through Atlas. “I will not spill any secrets,” Atlas answered. “Remember, this is the man tying me up for the photos. I don’t think making him mad would be in my best interest.”

Ambrose laughed loudly. “My sweet boy, Hawk is a teddy bear compared to me, I’m a sadist. He just dabbles in ropes and some rough stuff. I feel like I should be the one you fear, not him.”

“What’s a sadist?” Atlas knew that not knowing the term probably made him look as inexperienced as he was, but he still wanted to know.

Ambrose leaned his head back and puffed on his cigar. “It means I like to hurt people—really hurt them. I enjoy humiliating my subs and lovers. I think of myself as a cat, playing with a mouse—toying with it until there’s nothing left for it to give me…than I move on to the next mouse.” Ambrose’s emerald eyes met Atlas’ blue. “Now who do think you should fear, little pet?”

Atlas was saved from answering when he heard Hawk’s heavy step clumping down the steps. “Don’t let him scare you with that sadist shit, Atlas! He’s all talk unless you are down with what he likes.” Hawk climbed into the hot tub. “Not to ruin the reputation he’s trying to scare you with, I must reveal that he harbors twelve rescue cats in his majestic mansion.” Hawk winked. “Now does that sound like somebody scary to you?”

“Keep my pussies out of this, Hawk!” Ambrose answered with a laugh. Turning to Atlas, he said, “I found all of them as tiny little kittens with absolutely no way they could survive in this mean world. Rescue was my only option. Sadly, they all turned into full grown cats—bossy little creatures they are. I’m not stretching the truth when I say they run the entire household.”

Atlas loved animals, all sorts as long as they had fur. Reptiles scared him. “Knowing that really does take some of the edge off the description of your sadist lifestyle,” Atlas told Ambrose, who answered by flipping him off playfully. Turning to Hawk, he asked, “How about you? Not much of a pet lover?”

“Why would you say that?” Hawk asked with a bewildered expression on his face. “Of course, I love pets. I’m more of a dog person, but Ambrose’s cats climb all over me like I’m a cat tower when I visit his home, so cats are cool too.”

Atlas looked around. “Why don’t you have any?”

“I travel quite a bit for my work, so it’s tough. I’ll probably still get one before long, though.” He leaned over and whispered, “Just don’t let me turn into an Ambrose when I do. It’s very annoying.”

“Whatever are you talking about, you fool? I’m never annoying.”

“I get at least five damn cat pics messaged to me on a daily basis. Annoying, as hell.”

****

Atlas was a nervous wreck-an absolute nervous wreck. When Hawk had first mentioned Atlas attending the opening of Ambrose’s club, he thought seeing nude pictures of his junk plastered all over the walls would be the most unnerving thing of the evening. Oh, how wrong he had been. While Atlas had enjoyed spending time with both Hawk and Ambrose the past week as they continued to work on the photos, he’d almost forgotten how far out of his league they were. When they’d taken a private jet to Texas, it had been an ugly reminder that his fairytale was about to end—even though Hawk was being extra attentive to him, even touching him from time to time and whispering reassurances of how awesome it was going to be. As soon as they’d landed, an extra posh limousine had picked them up at the airport and driven them to the club. Ambrose had gone straight in to make sure everything was ready for opening night while Hawk and Atlas had hung out in the bar of the hotel where the club was located on the rooftop level.

A fucking private jet.

Just when Atlas’ nerves had calmed enough for him to hold his drink without sloshing the contents because his hands were shaking, a gentleman came to tell Hawk that Ambrose was ready for them. His anxiety attack started all over again…until Hawk grabbed his hand and held it as they followed the man who’d come for them.

“Calm down, little unicorn. Your pulse is fluttering like a tiny bird. The Doms in the club won’t be able to control themselves when they see you,” Hawk whispered, adding a sexy grin to the words.

“Haha. Very funny. Stop making me even more nervous!” Atlas countered, holding even tighter to Hawk’s hand, whether the man wanted him to or not. Minutes later, they stepped off the elevator, went through a small lobby, and walked into the club. Atlas looked around, blinking as his eyes tried to adjust to the strobe lights flashing. The décor was beautiful, all black and red, with chandeliers hanging over each booth area. Everything, it appeared, was leather, the expensive stuff. Since the explicit photos adorned practically every space of every wall, it didn’t take Atlas long to turn a bright shade of red. “Oh. My. God.” He whispered. “I can’t believe I allowed you to take those photos of me. It’s so…notme.”

“Oh, doll, it’s all you and they are sheer perfection.” He paused. “Are you disappointed?”

After a few seconds, Atlas answered truthfully. “Not at all. You made me look so sexual.” He turned to look up at Hawk. “Thank you.”

“There are my boys!” Ambrose’s voice boomed from somewhere behind them, interrupting the moment they were sharing. Atlas was beginning to realize Hawk’s bestie really excelled at popping up at the wrong times.

Before he knew what was happening, Ambrose had picked Atlas up and swung him around and around. Finally, he sat his feet back on the ground and kissed both of his cheeks. “I knew you would be perfect, Atlas. It was simply a large, empty room until your photos arrived. Gorgeous, my boy! Absolutely gorgeous! So far it seems that everyone’s favorite is the picture where Hawk had your dick coated with glitter. It’s simply a masterpiece.”

“Hey! What about me? I get to take some credit, don’t I?” Hawk teased.

Ambrose’s eyes narrowed. “If I’m not mistaken, you’ve already takeneverything, haven’t you, my dearest friend?”

“Absolutely not,” Hawk answered quickly. “Atlas and I have been business partners. My usual rules apply.”

Atlas felt his heart plummet, in spite of the fact that Atlas had made it clear from the beginning that he didn’t mix business with pleasure.

“And now?” Ambrose questioned with a smirk.

“And now we aren’t,” Hawk answered in the most seductive voice on the earth. Hawk practically dismissed Ambrose by turning and leading Atlas to a corner booth, close to the center stage. He leaned in to whisper into Atlas’ ear. “You do realize when this opening of the club is over, you no longer work for me, right?”

Atlas couldn’t stop his grin or the way his cock jumped in his jeans. “That’s exactly what I was hoping.”

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