Leo (Vigilance 3)

Ezra groaned and arched his back. “God that’s so filthy and so good.”

“Believe me, I have every intention of doing this again. Now roll onto your back and let me get the ropes off you.”

It would’ve been easier to untie him if he sat up, but with as thoroughly as I’d worn him out, I thought he might be dizzy. I unwound the ropes from his wrists, then rubbed them and massaged his hands. “Everything feel okay? Any numbness? Any pain?”

“No, I’m fine. You took care of me just like you said you would.”

I snipped the rope around his hips and helped him lift up so I could slide it out from under him. Next, I encouraged him to sit up and lean against me as I went to work on the more intricate knots in the chest harness. When all the rope was in a pile on the bed, I lowered him gently to the mattress. “I’ll clean you up now.”

“Mmm. You take such good care of me.” His voice was soft and almost sad. I sat back down beside him and brushed his sweaty hair from his face.

“Always.”

He frowned. “I wish that were true.”

I started to speak, but my phone blasted out X’s ringtone.

“Shit.”

“It’s okay,” Ezra said, but it wasn’t. Ezra needed me. I grabbed the phone, sat back down on the bed, and pulled him against me, stroking his back as I spoke.

“This better be an emergency.”

“Sometimes I miss when you used to be afraid of me.”

I snorted. “I was never afraid of you.”

“Fine. I miss when you used to show deference to me.”

“Seriously, your timing is terrible.”

“What’s going on?”

I didn’t want to share any of what was growing between Ezra and me. “Personal shit.”

“Leo.” His voice was stern.

“I’m handling it. Just tell me why you called.”

“Someone from Swain’s office called to get him on the guest list for my fundraiser for A Way Forward this weekend. They gave some bullshit excuse about how Swain really wants to reach across the aisle and how supporting a cause my sister supports would show how genuine that desire is.”

“The fucker has never done a genuine thing in his life. Do you think he knows who you really are?”

“It’s a possibility, but it’s also possible he’s trying to look like he actually cares about people. Even men like him pretend to support children’s charities.” A Way Forward provided mentors for children who’d lost one or both of their parents.

“That son of a bitch is not going to spend one more day in Congress.”

“No, he’s not, but we need to handle this carefully. I don’t want to use your shop since it’s likely under surveillance. Niall and Giorgio are on their way to my house.”

“I’ll call in. I’m not leaving Ezra, and I’m going to need at least half an hour.”

“Because of Ezra?”

I fought the urge to snap at him. “Just give me a little while.”

“You better not be putting this off to take advantage of that boy.”

“That is not what this—”

X whistled. “Wow. I was teasing, but I think I know what’s going on now.”

I really needed the call to end. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Take care of him.”

“I am.”

I ended the call, and Ezra looked up at me. “Do you need to leave?”

“I need to call X back later. There’s time for me to hold you, clean you up, and get you something to eat and drink.”

He frowned. “I thought the whole point of this was to punish me.”

“It was to make you remember to obey me, but your punishment is over now. You deserve to be given all the care you need.” He shivered, and I pulled him against me. “Cold?”

“A little and… sticky.”

I smiled. “I bet you are. Do you want me to clean you up now?”

“I can just take a shower if you—”

“No. I’m staying with you. I can clean you off in the shower or here, but X and the others can wait until you’ve recovered.”

He shook his head. “How can you be so wrong about yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“You are amazingly good for me. The best.”

“I want to be.” I pulled him against me and held him tight. “You’re everything to me, but I don’t want you in danger all the time.”

“I want to stay here. I want…” His words trailed off, and I squeezed him tighter.

“Just let me hold you for a little while.” Later, when I wasn’t headed to a meeting to discuss walking into more danger and Ezra wasn’t recovering from submitting to me, we would talk about the future.

21

Ezra

Leo held me for several long, wonderful moments, then he needed to shower and have a phone meeting with X and the others. For a while after he left the room, I lay there, staring at the ceiling and thinking about how much I wanted to stay with Leo forever, wishing there was a way to convince him he was exactly what I needed. Finally, I dragged myself to the shower, cleaned up, and dressed.