Endings and Beginnings Read online

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  THE HOUSE was quiet. Eli had gone out to do the grocery shopping, and Jarod wondered if that had been a good idea. It was normally something he liked to do himself, but Eli had insisted.

  He’s bored. It wasn’t the first time the thought had occurred to Jarod, and definitely not the first time he worried about his Master. He knew Eli had given up his job to be with him, but Jarod was back to normal, running the house and serving Eli. He was content with his life. He just wished he could say the same for Eli. This isn’t enough for him.

  Yet again, his mind went to Thomas’s idea. Could we do it? He’d gone over and over the suggestion in his head, trying to work out how best to put it to Eli.

  This isn’t going to be easy.

  The shrill ring of his phone interrupted his uneasy thoughts.

  “Jarod? It’s Thomas.”

  Jarod had to smile to himself. How does he do that? “Hello, sir.”

  “Do you have a minute to talk?”

  “Certainly.” Jarod’s chores were done, and lunch was already prepared.

  “Then I’ll come straight to the point. I spoke with my friends last night and told them about you and Eli. They’re very interested in meeting with you, if you’re interested.”

  And that was the crux. Was he still interested? The possibility of owning a business with Eli had been an alluring one, but Jarod hadn’t ventured much below the surface. Faced with the prospect of actually doing something about it, he was forced to consider all the ramifications.

  First and foremost was his mother. He couldn’t leave her. Stopping by her house on Sunday had become part of their routine, although he worried every time either of them asked him to leave the room. It seemed whenever he did, Eli suddenly had a grand inspiration for something new he wanted to try out. Not that Jarod minded, but the thought that his mother might be responsible for the suggestion kind of killed the mood.

  “Jarod? Are you there?”

  “Oh, sorry, sir. My mind wandered for a bit.”

  “They do have a tendency to do that, don’t they?” Thomas amused Jarod. When they first met, he’d thought Thomas to be a gruff man, not all that friendly. It wasn’t until he’d gotten to know Thomas better that he’d realized beneath the exterior there beat the heart of a man so obviously in love, it made Jarod happy to see it.

  “May I be honest, sir?”

  “Please. I would expect nothing less.”

  Jarod took a breath and let his concerns roll out of him. “I don’t know if I can just pack up and leave. My life is here. What would I do without the boys? Or….”

  “You’re thinking about your mother,” Thomas said quietly. “I can imagine why the thought of leaving her is daunting. The woman is quite the force of nature.”

  “Yes—a hurricane and tornado all rolled into one.”

  Thomas’s laugh warmed Jarod. “Have you talked to her?”

  He sighed. “I haven’t even spoken with my Master yet.”

  There was a pause at the other end of the call. “Okay, I understand. I do think this would be a good thing for you, but if you’re not interested, that’s perfectly fine.”

  Jarod thought of Eli, pottering about every day, trying to find something to make himself useful. Jarod had to shoo him out of the way several times a day while he cleaned. He needed a focus. He needs this. We both do.

  “I… I’ll talk to him tonight, sir.”

  “Please, don’t feel pressured,” Thomas added quickly. “If you’re not interested—”

  “No, it’s not that,” Jarod hastened to reassure him. “I’ll speak with him. May I call you tomorrow?”

  “Feel free. Would it help if I e-mailed you some details about the place?”

  Jarod smiled to himself. Thomas knew Eli too. His Master would want to know everything. “That’s a good idea. Yes, please.”

  “I’ll do that now. I look forward to hearing your decision, whatever it might be.” Thomas said good-bye and disconnected.

  Jarod stared at the phone, his stomach churning. Oh boy….

  When the e-mail arrived, Jarod read it through twice, liking what he saw. He noted down a phone number to call. If he was going to be fully prepared for when he broached the subject with Eli, he’d need all the facts.

  This is going to be an interesting conversation. And he didn’t have a clue how Eli was going to react.

  THAT AFTERNOON Eli strolled through the door, armed with several bags of shopping. One look at the items he’d bought confirmed Jarod’s fears. Eli had chosen different brands than those Jarod normally got—cheaper brands, a far cry from the products Jarod usually purchased, and which Eli claimed to love. Jarod sighed, knowing that tomorrow he’d be at the store himself.

  “Sir, can we talk?”

  Eli walked into the kitchen. “Let me guess. You want me to take you shopping tomorrow?”

  Jarod smiled. “Perceptive man. Maybe, but that isn’t what I want to talk to you about.”

  Eli frowned. “Is everything okay?”

  Jarod glanced at the worktops to make sure he’d put away the perishable items. “Yes, everything’s fine. These can wait. Can we go into the living room?”

  They took a seat on the sofa, Eli inviting Jarod to cuddle. He leaned against Eli’s shoulder and took a moment to breathe.

  “Master Thomas… no, wait. When you were out with your mates last week, I went to the club to wait for you. Do you remember?”

  Eli shifted. “Yes. Are you sure everything is okay? Did someone say something to you?”

  Jarod noted the hard edge to Eli’s voice. He’d been so protective of Jarod ever since the episode in Spitfire.

  “No, no one said anything,” Jarod hastened to reassure him. “Master Thomas has some friends who live in London. They own a BDSM club there.”

  “I think I heard Thomas mention it once.”

  “They’re selling the club, and Master Thomas thought maybe we—you and I—could look into purchasing it.”

  “No.”

  Jarod’s heart sank at the prompt negative response. Did I really think it would be that easy? He straightened and turned to face Eli. “Okay. May I ask why?”

  “I can’t afford to buy a club.”

  “But together we could,” he said gently.

  Eli stiffened. “I told you, I don’t want your money.”

  Of all the…. Jarod knew he’d be punished later for what he was about to say, but it still didn’t prevent him from speaking his mind. “Stop being such a stubborn git.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Eli’s tone let Jarod know the punishment wasn’t going to be pleasant.

  Jarod looked him in the eye. “It’s our money—yours and mine. And if we want to check this club out and buy it, then the two of us would own it. It would be something we could build, Sir. Something that would mean a lot to people like us. Master Thomas said no one else was interested, and I don’t like the idea of it closing.”

  Eli arched his eyebrows. “Seems you’ve put a lot of thought into this. Would you like to tell me what you know?”

  Jarod pulled Eli down onto his lap, massaging his scalp with gentle fingers. “The building was constructed in 1959. It’s got a good, sturdy foundation. The club has been on the spot since the late eighties. It’s been renovated extensively over the years, but the last couple of years, they haven’t done much to it. The building comprises five floors, with the ground floor for the club, the first floor set up with private rooms, the third is mostly dry storage, and the fourth and fifth floors are unused. Each floor is about six thousand square feet, so it’s got a lot of room to add on if necessary.”

  Eli chuckled. “You have given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?”

  “Yes, Sir. You’re not happy—”

  Eli opened his mouth, probably to protest. Jarod placed his hand across it, flinching when Eli licked it.

  “Ew.”

  Eli snorted. “Please, like you don’t love my tongue.”r />
  Jarod chuckled. “I love your tongue, but there are better places you can employ it. And before you go further down that road, let’s be serious for a minute, okay?” He waited until Eli had stopped smirking before he continued. “You aren’t happy. And please, don’t deny it, all right? I am not blind, Eli. This life wasn’t meant for you. It makes me happy, serving you, but you’re not that kind of person. This would give you the chance to be your own boss, to build something with your own hands. Master Thomas said he’d train you to instruct other Doms.”

  That shut him up for all of five seconds. Jarod swore he could hear the cogs turning. Eli narrowed his gaze. “And what would you be doing?”

  “There would be five floors to take care of. I think my days will be quite full.”

  Eli stared at him in silence for a moment before drawing in a deep breath. “No,” he said firmly.

  Damn. For a brief spell there, Jarod had really thought Eli would go for it. “You don’t like the idea?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying. If we’re going to do this, we’re doing it as a couple. As Master and pet. You’ll be by my side though it all. That point is nonnegotiable. The rest? We can talk it through with Thomas.”

  Oh, God. Jarod was dizzy. He beamed at Eli. “That’s wonderful. Thank you, Sir.”

  “Hold your horses,” Eli told him. “What about your mum? It’s more than two hours by train from London to Manchester. That would make going for Sunday tea a bit difficult.”

  “I know,” Jarod said sadly. “I’ve thought about that. She’d want us to go. She’d insist on it, if we told her about the opportunity.”

  Eli nodded. “Then we tell her, but then we also inform her of one codicil.”

  Jarod stilled. “Oh?”

  A smile broke out across Eli’s face. “We go, she comes with us.”

  “You’d be okay with that?” Jarod asked, surprised.

  Eli opened his eyes wide. “Of course. You love her, and she loves you. Plus she gives me some amazingly wicked ideas.” He grinned.

  Jarod frowned at him. “If you ever expect me to try something new with you again, don’t tell me it was her idea. I beg you.”

  Eli cackled but sobered up when he caught sight of Jarod’s expression. “I promise,” he said solemnly. Then his lips twitched. “But you have to admit, she’s got a great ima—”

  “Eli!”

  I NEVER realized Darren could be so sadistic.

  After the week JJ had just been through, the thought was hardly surprising, even though it was a little harsh. It wasn’t as though Darren had beaten him or subjected him to torture.

  No, he just put my dick in a cage and made me wear it all fucking week.

  He’d assured JJ that it wasn’t punishment, that he was merely planning something and he wanted JJ focused. Focused? Yeah, JJ was fucking focused. Being denied orgasms when every night Darren fucked him into the mattress, demanded morning blowjobs, and seemed to be going out of his way to turn JJ on…. The result was a grumpy, frustrated JJ who was dying to know what was coming—and hoping to God it was him.

  He’d been surprised that morning when Darren had informed him they were going to Collars & Cuffs. JJ had assumed whatever Darren had planned would take place at home, so yet something else to put him off balance. But it hadn’t stopped there. It felt like every thirty minutes or so, he’d get a text from Darren—amazingly hot texts that made him ache with want, sent shivers of desire racing through him, and made him yearn to be able to bring himself off.

  But noooo, there was that bloody cock cage….

  JJ could see the point of sending him a text now and then, but so often? It felt like his engine had been permanently revved up all bloody day.

  Darren closed the door to the private room he’d booked, and the solid sound brought JJ back into the present with a thump.

  “Strip and then on your knees.” Darren stood by the bed that was covered in a black vinyl sheet. The only other furniture in the room was a chair and the equipment cupboard. JJ watched as Darren began to undress, catching his breath when the white shirt came off to reveal a black leather harness.

  Oh. My God. It was the first time Darren had worn such a thing, and JJ was lost in a world of lust. It fitted him snugly across his chest, so dark against Darren’s creamy skin and pale sandy-blond chest hair. Darren turned to place his shirt on the bed, and not for the first time that evening, JJ licked his lips at the sight of that firm arse encased in tight leather that clung to his toned thighs.

  Bloody hell. Everything about Darren tonight screamed Dom.

  Darren cleared his throat. “Did someone looking remarkably like me give you an instruction?” He arched his eyebrows and smirked. “Unless, of course, you don’t want to find out what I have planned for you.”

  JJ gulped. “Sorry, Sir.” He quickly removed his clothing and went to pile it on the chair, but Darren stopped him.

  “We’ll be needing that. Just put them on the floor.”

  JJ did as instructed, his mind already focused on Darren’s words. What are we going to do with the chair? Then all such thoughts fled his mind when Darren slowly undid the laces that crisscrossed his crotch, slid his hand inside his pants, and pulled out his cock, that was already hardening.

  “Fuck,” he said softly, unable to take his eyes off Darren’s erection.

  Darren walked over to him with unhurried steps and stopped in front of him. “Knees, boy,” he whispered.

  When JJ did so, he found himself staring directly at the engorged cock, precome beading already, that lovely thick rod of flesh curving up.

  Darren reached down and grabbed JJ’s hair, tugging it until JJ was looking up at him. “Did I say I was going to fuck you?” He grinned.

  Shit. JJ’s heartbeat sped up. What the hell does he have in mind?

  Darren released him and squatted down so they were eye to eye. “You look so good like this,” he whispered. “So eager. So nice.”

  He leaned forward, and JJ could feel the minty breath brush gently across his lips. God, he ached for Darren to kiss him. He tried to lean forward, to close the gap, but Darren simply chuckled and pulled back.

  “Be patient. Good things come to those who wait.”

  JJ wanted to argue, to demand a kiss, but Darren put a finger over his lips.

  “Stay still. If you move, this all ends, and you’re going to end up with a case of blue balls.”

  “What do you mean, end up with blue balls?” JJ groused. “I’ve had them all fucking week.”

  “Tut-tut. Mouthy subs don’t get to come. Only good subs who play nice get that.” Darren grinned once more. “Now, which one are you?”

  JJ glared at him. “Have you been taking secret how-to-talk-like-a-Dom lessons with Thomas? Because I think you just passed with flying colors.”

  He stayed as still as he could, but he was vibrating with need. Darren rubbed his hand over his chest, running his fingers over his nipple, and JJ moaned.

  “You like your nipples touched? Yes, I think it’s time to seriously discuss getting them pierced. A metal ring through them that I could tug and twist,” Darren whispered in JJ’s ear. “Would you do it to make me happy?”

  The sound that came out of JJ’s mouth couldn’t be called speech. Hell, it didn’t even qualify as a grunt. All he knew in this moment was that anything Darren asked of him, he’d gladly do, if only Darren would touch him some more. When the fingers returned and tweaked JJ’s nipple again, he said a silent thanks to whomever was listening.

  “You’re such a needy boy. Tell me, right now, at this moment, what do you need the most?”

  “You,” JJ whispered. God, how he needed him.

  “I can’t hear you. You’ll have to speak up.”

  “You,” JJ said, slightly louder than before.

  “Hmm. I guess you don’t need anything. If you’re not willing to ask for what you want, then it must not be important.”

  “You, damn it!” JJ shouted. “I need you. Plea
se, don’t tease me.”

  “But JJ, that’s what I want. To make you needy, to have you beg. And aren’t you here to make me happy?”

  “Tell me what to do to make you happy,” JJ yelled. “I’ll do anything. Only, please….” He ached.

  Darren crouched down once more. “What? What is it? What do you want?”

  “Please, Sir, I… I want to come.”

  Darren rose to his feet. “Then we’re ready. Sit on the chair, your hands behind it, legs spread.”

  JJ was up off his knees and onto the chair in a flash, his heart pounding. Darren walked over to the cupboard, his dick bobbing gently, still erect, the tip wet. JJ widened his eyes at the sight of the heavy leather cuffs in Darren’s hand and then groaned when he saw… a leather cock strap. Darren walked behind him, and JJ bowed his head, joy spreading through him in a slow tide when he felt the cuffs snug around his wrists. Then Darren moved to stand in front of him. He knelt down and looked JJ in the eye.

  “The cage is coming off, and the cock ring will replace it. Just so we’re clear, you are not to come unless I tell you.”

  JJ held his breath while Darren unsnapped the cock cage, willing himself not to get erect at the feel of those cool slim fingers on his dick. He stifled a moan as Darren tugged at his balls to get the strap around the base of his cock and then the soft snap as he closed it.

  “That’s better,” Darren said smugly.

  JJ glanced down at his dick, already stiff and dark with blood, the skin over his balls stretched tight. “Not from where I’m sitting,” he muttered.

  Darren snickered. “Patience, JJ. And we’re not quite there yet.” He walked over to the cupboard again.

  JJ groaned. “What else have you got planned in that devious brain of yours?”

  Darren laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He was back at JJ’s side, his hand hidden from view. “This is the last item. I promise.”

  Then the breath stuttered out of JJ when he slipped a blindfold over his eyes. Darren’s warm breath ghosted over his ear.

  “I remembered how much you liked it the last time I blindfolded you.”

  Like was definitely an understatement. JJ had loved it. And here he was again, wrists bound, cock bound, vision gone, with no clue what was in store for him.