Out of the Ashes (The Game 5)

He didn’t say anything on the topic, though. Instead, he undid his belt. “Gimme your mouth, boy. Master needs a release.”

Right away, Sir.

I helped him unbutton his jeans and pull out his cock.

Do you want me to call for pizza later?

I texted back as I got on the escalator to reach ground level.

Just got off the Metro. Home in five. Order the pizza! Your property is STARVING.

I grinned to myself and pocketed my phone.

Man, I hoped he was planning for a quiet evening. I was dead on my feet. After getting up at five this morning, thinking about my upcoming scene where I actually turned my Master into a cuck, working all day, and having a Halloween party with my students, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to get laid. Pizza on the couch was more like it. We could fall asleep halfway into a crappy movie.

“Shit.” I zipped up my jacket as much as it went, and I glanced up at the dark sky. It was cold as fuck today, below fifty, but we’d been promised low sixties all weekend.

My phone vibrated again, and I brought it out to see Master’s reply, but it wasn’t him. It was Ivy.

Are we gonna talk about the fact that October is almost over and we still haven’t heard a word about the boot camp event?

Yeah, something was definitely up. I texted back.

I did some digging at lunch today. Cam and Noa pointed out that River and Reese have barely shown their faces at the house the past two weeks. And Colt is at Langley, right? Do you think they’re postponing it and just neglecting to tell us to be dicks?

Ivy didn’t respond right away.

And I snorted a laugh when I saw why.

Shay has been added to the conversation

Kit has been added to the conversation

Noa (KC’s boy) has been added to the conversation

Aiko has been added to the conversation

That went on for a while. In the meantime, I went into my contacts and changed Noa’s information. I didn’t need a reminder that he was KC’s partner anymore.

A message from Kit popped up in the preview.

Hey! Happy Friday! Lucas and I are on our way to the house with Mistress Penelope and Ella. Who else is there?

Shay was next.

I’m here with Gretchen and Macklin.

Not with River and Reese?

Then Ella’s text popped up.

Is it true that Mack has met someone? His cryptic status update online has me curious!

Whoa, really? That was interesting. Macklin was our youngest Founder; he’d been there from the start eight years ago, even though he and I were the same age. And he hadn’t been alone back then. He’d belonged to Walker, our community’s best toymaker, who had unfortunately left us for Boston. But…as far as I knew, Walker and Macklin were still technically married. They’d eloped shortly after same-sex marriage became legal across the country.

I glanced up and noticed I was almost at home. Then I hurriedly typed out a message.

Maybe it’s time he divorced Walker, then.

Didn’t stop him from dating that weird Sadist in Baltimore.

Ivy had a point. Macklin had been in relationships after his breakup with Walker.

Still…

Lee and I had been fairly new in the community when Macklin and Walker had broken up, and it’d affected me personally. I remembered a Mack different from the guy he’d become. Part of me had hoped he and Walker would reunite.

Ella texted again.

It’s kinda hard for them to divorce when Macklin skips town every time Walker visits.

I chuckled. That was true.

Fuck, it was too easy to get sucked into the drama. I had a hopefully peaceful Friday evening with Lee to look forward to. I texted the group to say I was putting them on mute for a while and that I’d check in later. Then I hurried along on the sidewalk until I reached our building.

I took the elevator up and carefully dug out a drawing from my messenger bag. Lily had made it for me today, and I had a feeling Lee would get a chuckle from it. Either way, it belonged on the fridge until I’d bought a new frame.

Once out of the elevator, I spotted a note on our door. I tore it off and felt my lips stretch into a curious smile.

Pet,

Stronger than titanium

More durable than tungsten

The color of platinum

Find your Owner on his knees

“What are you up to, Lee?” I whispered to myself.

I opened the door and was greeted by soft rock music and candlelight. My heart fluttered at the sight, and I was suddenly in a rush to see what was going on.

Funnily enough, I’d bought us tickets to the singer currently playing. He was coming to DC next week.

“Sweetheart, I’m home!” I called.

“In the kitchen!”

I placed Lily’s drawing and Lee’s note on the side table, then hurriedly discarded my bag, jacket, and shoes. Then I made my way to— Okay, I didn’t get far. We rounded the corner at the same time and almost walked into each other.