Their Bounty (Four Mercenaries 1)

Tank sucked air into his lungs and crossed his arms over his chest, watching Clover with an unreadable expression. “You lied to us. You used my phone without permission.”

Clover took a deep breath, fighting tears and a growing ache in his chest. “Please… I underestimated things, I’m sorry. I thought this nightmare was over once you killed Riggs. I don’t know what to do, I’m so scared.”

Drake scoffed. “Hollywood awaits someone with your acting skills.”

“It’s not an act! I’m way over my head. So I did some shit in life, I’m no innocent, but I’m not a fighter. I can’t protect myself from the kind of people after me.”

Tank inhaled again when Boar gave his shoulder a light punch. This wasn’t so bad. They were still considering what to do. Or so Clover hoped.

“Don’t even dare move,” Tank said, nodding toward the other side of the warehouse.

Drake clenched his teeth so hard the sound made Clover flinch, but the men left him, gravitating to their vehicles. Unlike his eyesight, Cover’s hearing was very good, but they went far enough to keep him in the dark about discussions concerning his fate. The inability to do anything had his stomach clenching again and again as he watched the four figures hovering in the shadows on the other side of the vast open space.

Tank was the most imposing of them all. Stiff in his movements, he kept looking back at Clover. Would he have mercy for a boy who was beginning to love calling him ‘Daddy’, or would nights of tenderness not matter in the face of the danger lying ahead?

Clover didn’t even want to consider what awaited him if his lies couldn’t be forgiven.

Time passed so slowly Clover thought he might develop ulcers in his stomach from the stress, but he sat up when the four mercenaries marched his way, with Tank walking first, like the tip of an arrow.

Clover sought out Drake’s face, since he’d been against Clover’s presence from the get-go, but the man’s angular features were like those of a robot. He wondered if there was anything at all to help his case at this point, but he was too frightened to move a finger, in case the men took it as yet another sign of disobedience.

He was at their mercy now and could only hope for a lenient verdict.

“You’re staying,” Boar said right away, causing Tank to roll his eyes.

“Not so fast.”

Clover swallowed, his legs heavy as if they were made of lead. “So… am I staying or not?”

Tank stood in front of him with his hands on his hips. “We need to establish new rules, boy, if you want our protection. First of all, you better be respectful. No acting up, no lies, no assholish moves. Is that understood?”

Clover nodded so fast hair fell into his face, but Tank continued, “If you break the rules, there will be consequences. You’re ours, and we protect what’s ours. But if you want to keep things that way, you take the punishment given, or you fuck right off. Understood?”

Clover’s heart stopped beating altogether as he stared up at Tank’s stern face, which made him feel as small as a hummingbird next to a vulture.

But he nodded.

Tank sat in the chair opposite Clover and pointed to his lap. “Since you acted like a naughty fucking baby, you’re gonna get a kid’s punishment. Get your ass over here.”

Clover stilled at first but then glanced at the others. Was Tank suggesting what Clover thought he was suggesting? In front of everyone? A flush crept up Clover’s face, which in some ways was even more embarrassing than the promise of things to come, because his skin made it impossible to pretend that this didn’t scare him.

“A-as in…?”

“As in I’m gonna spank your ass until it’s like a rare steak.”

Drake hissed and walked off, discontent over having been outvoted again. This wasn’t good. If Clover wanted to survive, he needed to gain everyone’s sympathy, even his. He needed to be pliant. Useful.

“Are you moving or not? Because I’m ready for the show,” Pyro said, flashing Clover a wide smile as he leaned against a pillar.

Clover swallowed and got up with a heavy heart. He didn’t expect Boar to step in and pull him into a tight hug. His beard was pleasantly soft on Clover’s cheek when the teddy bear of a mercenary pressed a kiss to Clover’s head.

“You’ll be fine,” he said, before releasing Clover.

Warmth filled Clover’s heart at that small gesture. This wasn’t just about him begging for protection. He was wanted, and the punishment, no matter how humiliating, was a way for them to forgive the transgression that had put everyone at risk. He took a deep breath and was about to bend over when Tank poked his chest.

“Pants down.”

Clover rubbed his face, stalled, shifted his weight from one foot to the other, but there would be no escaping his fate. He opened his jeans to the accompaniment of silence and then pulled them under his ass, along with the underwear, because he had no doubt that would be coming off as well. Tank allowed Clover to lean over his lap once his ass was bare against the cool air.