Something in the Way He Needs (Family 1)

Coming in at just a couple of inches shy of Asher’s imposing height, with the same muscle mass, just covered with an extra layer of padding, and looking every day of his forty-two years, Oliver certainly wasn’t what anybody would describe as little or a boy toy.

Asher laughed out loud at his friend. “You think just because a man enjoys pain he can’t defend himself? I have news for you, Ollie—staying still on your knees while a cane connects with your back isn’t something a weak person can handle.”

“You beat them with a cane?” Oliver shuddered in horror, his brown eyes going wide. “Jesus! I’ll never understand why that gets you off.”

“It’s not the beating, at least not for me. I’m not a sadist,” Asher said, trying to articulate why he enjoyed, no, why he needed something nontraditional in his sex life. “The power exchange is what’s important. Inflicting pain is secondary. The cane, the whip, the rope, they’re just tools to demonstrate that I can do anything I want to him, and he’ll take it. That for those few minutes, I own him.”

Oliver looked stricken, so Asher let the subject drop. He wasn’t ashamed of his needs, wasn’t ashamed of who he was. But he realized that even the most open-minded people, like Oliver, would never be able to understand what made him tick. Hell, most of the guys he knew in the scene didn’t really get him, so he shouldn’t expect more from an outsider.

“So what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?” he asked, changing the topic. “Are we gonna hit the tables?”

“Uh, I guess that depends on what the rest of the guys want to do,” Oliver replied. “They should be getting in soon. Let’s settle up and go to the hotel, and then we can figure out a game plan.”

“Sounds good.” Asher raised his glass to his mouth and drained the last of his beer. Then he unfolded his large body from the less than comfortable chair and waited for Oliver to do the same. “So remind me, again, who else is joining us on this”—various adjectives were considered and rejected as being unnecessarily harsh before he gave voice to them—“uh, trip?”

They began weaving through the tables, making their way to the exit.

“Well, most of the guys I know said two bachelor parties was their limit, so they aren’t coming this weekend.” Oliver frowned as he spoke, clearly frustrated with the fact that nobody seemed to be giving much thought or respect to his third marriage. “But a couple of single buddies from the service can make it and so can my little brother. It’s probably better this way, anyway. We can all fit at one table when we go to dinner.”

Asher decided to go along with Oliver’s attempt to whitewash the situation.

“I still don’t understand how it is that you’ve never once mentioned you had a brother in the ten years I’ve known you, and suddenly the guy is coming to Vegas to celebrate your marriage. Or, as you so promisingly called it, your last weekend of freedom.”

Oliver rolled his eyes, but didn’t verbally acknowledge the dig. “We have different mothers, just like with all my sisters. And he was raised on the other side of the country, so it’s not like we were close. He couldn’t make it to my other weddings, but he’s available now and he’s my only brother, so I want him here.”

They took a cab to their hotel on the Strip and walked into the casino, then made their way to the lobby. They hadn’t even gotten to the elevator before two men called out to Oliver.

“Ollie! Hey, dude, we’re ready to parteeeee!”

“Hey!” Oliver shouted and hurried over to his friends, where they exchanged fist bumps. Asher managed not to snicker. He trailed behind, not feeling in any kind of hurry to join the rowdy group that was starting to draw attention. And that was really saying something, considering how some people in this city chose to dress. By the time he caught up to the guys, they’d said their hellos and apparently made plans.

“My brother should have been here by now, but he hasn’t called.” Oliver checked his phone and shook his head. “Well, since the rest of us are here, we may as well hit a few more clubs before dinner. You need anything from your room or are you ready to go, Asher?”

Was there a third option available?

“You know, how about I let you guys catch up and we can all meet for dinner? I could use a little rest.” From the naked women and the grown men acting like frat boys.

Thankfully Oliver agreed and the three men laughed their way out of the hotel, leaving Asher sighing with relief. He collapsed onto one of the couches in the lobby and enjoyed the relative silence of the space. Sure, he could hear slot machines, music, and the combined hum of many conversations, but at least he didn’t have to deal with Oliver’s annoying friends, unwanted advice, and overall intrusiveness.