Page 71 of Bottoms Up
Then he sat, spine straight, eyes steady. Not an ounce of submission. He followed Gavin’s orders because he respects him. Because he understands the chain of command.
“I’ve talked to Marco,” Gavin said. “If we come to an agreement, I will share with Marco what I know of Atlas’s history, the agreement we’ve worked under, a list of Atlas’s personal strong points, and his short list of weak ones.” He looked to Atlas and back to us. “I will share his strong and weak points regarding his job with all of you, so you’ll know how to best utilize his talents.”
Part of me was disappointed we weren’t going to learn his history, what had made him the man he’d become, but I understood what Gavin was saying. As Master Vampire over the territory, Marco needed to know, but it wasn’t any of my business, or Julian’s. Atlas would tell us what he wanted us to know.
“That’s fair,” I said, before Julian could argue.
“It is,” Julian agreed. “Atlas will tell us what he wishes us to know. You wouldn’t have assigned him to Silver if she wasn’t safe around him, and that’s all I reallyneedto know.”
Julian looked from Gavin to Atlas. “Why don’t you open the negotiations? What is it you want from us?”
“Four things.” His voice didn’t waver. He might as well have been stating his name, or giving a field report. “A guaranteed minimum of one extreme pain session per week. Hours of pain, the same level or higher as you put me through in our long session. Whether I’m allowed release or not will be up to you, but I’d like it to be random enough, I won’t know until we get there. I don’t care how you structure it, or who delivers it. If neither of you are available, I’ll accept being loaned out — but only to someone you trust, and only for that purpose.”
“Agreed,” Julian said.
“Two. The once per month scene you alluded to when you last fed from me.”
“Absolutely,” Julian said.
Atlas met my gaze next. “Three. No emotional intimacy. No cuddling, no aftercare unless I’m incapacitated. No pet names, no grooming. I won’t be your third. Won’t be part of your relationship. I’ll be part of your lives because I’ll be assigned as your main security, but that won’t make me part of your little two-person family.”
I pursed my lips. “How about calling you our toy? Is that acceptable?”
“Toy, paintoy, painslut, painwhore, cocksleeve,” Julian interjected. “You are never going to be mydarlingor mydearest, but outside of that, I’ll call you whatever I damned well please. Also, there will be nominal aftercare following our once-per-month scene, and you’ll deal with it.”
He looked at us a handful of seconds. “Acceptable.” He looked back to me. “Can you avoid demanding intimacy of me? Emotional attachment?”
I wanted to ask him why he was singling me out, but it was fair. Julian wasn’t likely to fall in love with him, but I was going to care for him. No way around it. But I’d known he wasn’t a cuddly guy from the start, so while the intimacy refusal bugged me, it wasn’t a surprise.
“I won’t ask you to show me affec…” I stopped and started again. “I won’t promise something I can’t be sure of. Odds are, you’ll be special to me. I’ll want to make sure you have a chance to eat, that kind of thing. However, I will promise to make no emotional or intimate demands of you.”
A nod. “Four. Give me structure, rules, expectations, but don’t micromanage. I’ll follow orders as given. If you need my presence, I’ll be there. If not, I’ll make myself useful elsewhere. I won’t disrupt your household. I’m not here to be in the way.”
Julian’s voice was low, controlled. “Your requirements are acceptable. In exchange, you’ll protect us. You’ll live full-time at Homewood, on-site. You’ll know what’s in Silver’s jeans andyou’ll keep it to yourself, and you’ll be ready to die protecting her if someone comes for her.”
“I would’ve done so at any moment this week,” Atlas said simply. “But yes. Agreed.”
Gavin reached into a folder and withdrew a single sheet of paper.
“This is Marco’s formal offer,” Gavin said. “I’ve negotiated it on Atlas’s behalf.” He met Atlas’s gaze. “It’s generous, laying out salary and benefits. Standard security agreement with a few additions. This is the short version with the main points; the one you sign will take a while to read through.”
He slid it across the table toward Atlas, who took it with a nod, lifted the fold, glanced at it, and nodded to Gavin. No smile. No frown. Just quiet agreement, like the deal had already been made in his head and the paper was just a formality.
Atlas looked at Julian.
“I’d like to hear the rules you have in mind.”
Julian shifted slightly. Kissed the top of my head.
When he spoke, his tone was firmer. A little colder. Not unkind, but firm. Resolute.
“When we wish to make use of you, we’ll arrange for someone to relieve you if you’re on shift. All activity will happen in a secure room, so you can let the security mindset go and be our toy for the duration.”
Atlas didn’t move. Just listened.
“I need to hear a verbal agreement,” Julian said.
“I understand and agree with this protocol, Sir.”
