Page 4 of Black Light: The Crossover
“Asshole,” Jax muttered, forcing himself to shake off the concern as he moved toward Tyler and Cash.
“So, we’ve got restraint points on all four sides of the pillar, and since each one is a foot wide, we’re hoping we’ll get multiple people using it at once.” Turning, Tyler gestured to one side of the tree where the dim lighting had previously disguised some kind of rope work. “And over here we have a spider’s web set up. You’ll notice we had to go with leather wrapped cables in order to support the weight, but I think it pays off.”
“Fucking genius.” Cash moved closer to the rope web, yanking on it a few times. “This could be fun.”
“Absolutely,” Tyler replied, clearly thrilled to have people admiring his work. “On this side we incorporated the stocks between two strips. Of course we put it facing inward so whoever gets locked in also has to watch whatever is happening in the middle.”
“Very devious.” Turning to scan the other sides of the ‘tree,’ Jaxson walked over to where one of the regular leather strips was connected to the floor.
“Inspecting our work?” Elijah asked, lurking nearby with a cocky smirk on his face.
“Just looking it over.”
“Go ahead. We’ve got protective covers over the bolts fastening each of the regular strips to the floor, and the rope web keeps people from potentially tripping over the ones for the steel cables,” the Dungeon Master explained, gesturing toward the web. “And, just for fun, I had a few of the DMs pull on the leather straps and push on the pillar to make sure they couldn’t move it.”
“If you think that’s going to get you out of me testing a whip on you for fun, it won’t.”
“Who’s playing with whips?” Tyler asked as he and Cash approached.
“Jaxson was just explaining that if I went over budget he’d make me regret it,” Elijah answered, still smiling like an asshole.
“That’s a hollow threat,” Cash said, laughing. “He doesn’t play with anyone but Emma and Chase and we all know it.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be playing,” Jax retorted, turning toward his friend. “And while I’m at it, maybe I should include you in that.”
“Me? Why?” Cash looked confused, but it was Jax’s turn to laugh, his frustration from earlier in the week returning fast. “What the hell did I do?”
“You scheduled a damn concert next week!”
“I didn’t schedule it, our agent did!”
“I don’t really carehowit happened, you’re an asshole either way,” Jax grumbled, and Cash threw his arms wide with a frustrated huff.
“How the fuck am I an asshole for doing a concert? It’s my job, Jaxson.”
“Yeah, well, I hope you and the family have fun in New York while I’m stuck in Wisconsin for twelve fucking days.”
“What!” Another roar of laughter escaped the jackass standing across from him. “You’re throwing a fit because you have to spend some time with Emma’s family?”
“It’s notsometime, asshole. It’s twelve fucking days.”
“With your wife’s family! At Christmas!” Cash continued, still laughing his ass off like this was funny.
“No. Don’t do that,” Jaxson growled, pointing at Cash as the tension inside him escalated. “This has nothing to do with Emma’s family and you know it.”
“Oh, yeah? What is it then?”
“It’s twelve days of being a good boy around Emma’s daddy,” Elijah interjected, chuckling under his breath as Jax rolled his eyes.
“Christ, don’t you start in on me too.” He groaned, shoving his hair back from his forehead as he turned away from the other men who were enjoying this way too much. “And don’t call Robert her ‘daddy,’ that’s fucking wrong.”
“Why? Are you ‘Daddy’ now?” Tyler asked and Jaxson spun around to glare at him as all three of the assholes started laughing even harder.
“Do you like working here?”
“Definitely,” Tyler replied, still laughing and not looking even a little worried.
“And he’s not going anywhere,” Elijah added.
