Page 45 of No Rules
Ryan gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening as he locked eyes with Wander. The challenge in Wander’s gaze was clear, questioning whether Ryan could handle the responsibility of being a Dom again. “Yeah, I know. I’ll take care of Alex, and I won’t have second thoughts about it. You have my word.”
Wander slowly nodded. “The decision is up to Alex. So, what do you want, kiddo?”
“Alex,” Ryan said more gently than he’d ever thought himself capable of, “the choice is yours. You can choose me as your Dom, or you can stick with Mark. I won’t hold it against you either way.”
Alex hesitated, his gaze flicking between Ryan and Mark. He swallowed hard. “You swear you want to be my Dom?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Oh, fuck. Alex wasn’t gonna make this easy on him, was he? And he had every right to be suspicious of Ryan’s motives.
“Because I know you better than anyone else here. I can read you like a book, baby boy. You know that.”
“That doesn’t explain why you want to be my Dom all of a sudden when you didn’t want to before.”
“I…” Hell, he didn’t know how to explain what he didn’t even understand himself. “I changed my mind. I want you to have the best Dom possible…and that’s me. Not for anyone else but for you. I’m the best Dom for you.”
Jesus, he was babbling. Had that even made sense?
Alex took a deep, shuddering breath. “I choose you… I choose Ryan.”
Sweet relief filled Ryan. “Thank you, baby boy.”
“Fine.” Wander sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Mark, I apologize for this drama. Ryan is not only rude and a complete dick, but he also has the worst timing in the world. To help you blow off some steam, I’m going to send Caleb with you. He’s more than willing to play by your rules.”
Caleb, who had been standing on the sidelines throughout the conflict, stepped forward with an eager smile. Oh, smart move on Wander’s part. Nothing would lessen Mark’s annoyance more than a sub willing to take his frustration.
“Is that so?” Mark’s irritation dissipated, replaced by curiosity. “Caleb, you up for it?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Get on your knees, boy,” Mark said, his voice dark and authoritative. Ryan couldn’t blame him for needing to reestablish his dominance, not after what Ryan had done. Caleb complied without hesitation, sinking to the floor with an obedient grace.
“Mmm, perfect, boy.” Mark assessed him with a predatory focus. Caleb’s breath hitched under the intense scrutiny, but he didn’t back down. Instead, he met Mark’s gaze with a challenging look.
“Good,” Mark murmured, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You may just be what I need right now.”
Ryan blew out a soft breath. Looked like those two were a good match. Phew. He owed Wander for that. Big-time.
“Thank you, Sir,” Caleb whispered, his eyes shining with excitement and submission.
“Let’s go, boy. Down to the dungeon.”
“Yes, Master.”
As soon as they left, the tension in the room evaporated.
Wander turned his attention to the rest of the team. “All right, everyone, show’s over. Give them some space.”
The team members dispersed, and Wander stepped close to Ryan until their foreheads almost touched. “Fucking took you long enough.”
What did he mean by that? “To do what?”
Wander sighed. “Never mind. Ryan, I swear to God and everything holy, if you mistreat that boy, if you don’t step up and take your role as Dom seriously, I will not only kick your ass myself but fire you, yeah?”
He deserved that. “Crystal clear.”