Page 76 of No Rules

Ryan’s threatening tone sank its claws deep into Alex. Images flooded his brain. How pretty his ass had looked with Ryan’s marks on it. How amazing it had felt when Ryan had fucked him when he’d still been red and hot from the crop. How proud he’d been to bear his marks. Hell, his cock hardened, and how ridiculous was that?

He swallowed. “If that was meant as a deterrent, it didn’t work.”

Ryan’s mouth curled up. “No? You like the idea of me reddening your ass again?”

“Yeah, I do. I really do.”

“I can make that happen. Tonight. If you’re a good boy today.”

Now, see, that was far more effective, using it as a possible reward instead of a punishment. Ryan had his number, didn’t he? “Okay.”

They sat munching on their meal bars.

“If we’re heading to Boston, are you coming with us?” Alex asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“‘Cause you hate the snow?”

“I’d have snow here as well, baby boy. Not much difference. Why?”

Why? How about because the thought of Ryan leaving was making it hard to breathe? “I wouldn’t want to have to get used to a new Dom.”

“You like me as a Dom?”

What kind of question was that? “I chose you, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, over fucking Master Mark. Not exactly a contest, was it?”

“He’s a good Dom.”

“I’m sure he is, but he wasn’t right for you, baby boy.”

No, he hadn’t been, but for different reasons than Ryan thought, probably. “I like working with you. As my Dom, I mean. Though I also like working with you on the job. I learned a lot these last weeks.”

“Yeah?” Ryan sat up a little straighter.

“For sure. I’m hoping I can assist again on the next case.”

“I’d be okay with that. I liked having you around. More than I had expected. You did good.”

Alex bumped Ryan’s shoulder. “Be still my beating heart. An apology and a compliment within five minutes? Where’s my grumpy, gruff Ryan?”

“I don’t know. Being around you has had a strange effect on me. As if that sunshine attitude of yours is contagious.”

What did Ryan mean by that? Was it a compliment or…? “Is that a bad thing?”

Ryan was quiet for a long time. Had Alex said something wrong? Shouldn’t he have asked that? But why not? It couldn’t be that sensitive for Ryan, right?

“No, it’s not a bad thing,” Ryan finally said, his voice soft. “It’s just…” Another long pause. “Things are changing, and I don’t know how I feel about that. I’m not myself anymore, but then again, maybe I never was. I don’t know.”

None of that made sense, but Alex was reluctant to ask questions. What if he dug too deep and Ryan closed himself off again? But he also didn’t want to pretend Ryan hadn’t said anything. “Are you okay with it?”

“Surprisingly so. I think…” A deep sigh. “I haven’t been myself in a long time, not even when I was with Quinton. I was so scared my coworkers would find out I was gay that I hid that part of myself, as well as my Dominant side. Only Quinton got to see that. And then after he died…I changed. Something broke in me, or maybe it died, and I wasn’t the same. But that man also wasn’t who I am. And now… Yet another version of me is emerging, and I barely recognize myself.” He looked sideways at Alex. “It’s you. Your sunshiny disposition is rubbing off on me. It’s damn hard to be grumpy and dark when you’re exposed to pure joy and sunshine all day.”

Pure joy and sunshine. That didn’t sound like Ryan minded at all. In fact, that sounded like… “Thank you. I think that’s one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me.”

“Then you’re hanging out with the wrong people. You’re precious, baby boy, and don’t make me repeat it, ‘cause I might gag.”

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