Tragic King (The Dominant Bastard Duology 2)

Yeah, we can watch more tonight, as long as Severin doesn’t have other plans.”

Loïc grunted, sounding more like his brother every day. “Always if he has plans. The rest of us don’t get a say?”

“You do. Minnow and I prefer not having a say when it comes to him.”

“He’s so unreasonable and cold sometimes. I don’t know why you put up with it.”

“Every life has its challenges.”

Loïc inclined his head in agreement. “C’est vrai. I have nothing but spare time, if you need to talk to someone.”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“Of course.”

He paused so long that for a moment Rodrigo actually thought he’d dropped the subject. He should have known better.

“Your tragic king keeps you both wondering whether he cares about you, and yet he’s the one you both want.” He tutted, as though acknowledging his own silliness. “I should know by now people crave drama more than they crave love.”

“Loving someone who’s been hurt isn’t always easy.”

Loïc’s smile displayed too many dangerous teeth. “Everyone has been hurt.” He gave a short, ugly laugh. “His pain isn’t special, but everyone treats him like he is. He manipulates you.”

“Everyone tries to steer their relationships in the direction they want them to go.” He had more to say, but really didn’t want to discuss Severin with his brother. He kept walking, hoping Loïc would take a hint and go away, but he could hear his feet following the path.

“You know he doesn’t love you,” Loïc said, his voice low and harsh with something that sounded a lot like jealousy. “You weren’t meant to submit to him, Rodrigo. Anyone with eyes can see you’re dominant. I don’t know why you’re even trying – and with him of all people.”

Maybe it was true. He loved the way submitting to Severin made him feel in the moment, but living with all of the questions and the embarrassment during the long intervals between made him feel like a convenient third wheel – something to be used and discarded when the mood struck him. Hopefully Rodrigo had never left his submissives feeling that way.

Eventually they reached the first clearing. Neither of them had said anything for a while. The kid knew how to get under his skin – probably because he looked just enough like Severin for his brain to make the link, but what he offered was completely different.

And he offered.

And offered.

The dominant part of his brain sometimes wished he could take Loïc and bend him to his will, just like the kid was begging for. Loic’s gaze begging him for attention was a difficult thing to walk away from, even if the face was too pretty.

“If you choose me, I’ll be a good boy for you,” Loïc murmured, edging closer. They were almost the same height, but Loïc had to look up slightly. Maybe Sev’s brother was twenty-four, but sometimes Rodrigo felt ancient by comparison.

“You just stopped having to be the bitch, Loïc. Why would you exchange one life of service for another?”

Loïc didn’t answer, but plowed on. “If you choose me, I’ll be yours alone – you wouldn’t have to share. You wouldn’t have to ask permission from another man to touch me or to hurt me.” He stood toe to toe with Rodrigo now, so close he could feel the heat coming off Loïc’s body.

He needed to push him away, but the kid was so messed up – so broken. He was like a Severin no one had ever bothered to love. It hurt to be cruel to him, but he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“You’d stop complicating their relationship. I’ll worship you if you let me, Rodrigo. I’ll do anything you ask.” He sank to his knees and rested his forehead on Rodrigo’s boot.

For a long moment he looked at the boy groveling in the dirt.

He could own him. Walk away from the confusion of a poly relationship and humiliation of submitting and go back to just being a dominant.

The problem was, Severin and Minnow were what he wanted, even though it was anything but easy. Even if it meant watching the two people he was in love with marry each other and leave him behind.

Rodrigo backed away. Loïc’s forehead slid from his boot to the ground. He dug his elegant fingers into the dirt, and Ro backed another step, glad when the dogs moved between him and temptation.

“I love him, Loïc. Even if he doesn’t love me. And I love Minnow. I’m not giving up.”

“You’re honestly content to live your life as their second choice? Wouldn’t you rather be someone’s first?” Loïc pushed himself up from the ground, not bothering to brush the dirt from his clothes. “Even if it’s not me, you deserve to be more than their afterthought.”