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“You hate being called Lev.”

“I do.” Levi shrugged, and if he were anybody else, Ben would say he was being bashful. “Whatever. You were about to yell at me, and I interrupted. Continue.”

Amusement sparked next to Ben’s seething rage. He ignored it, like he ignored all the worry that surged through him as he searched the rooms and found them empty.

“I know you think this is some sexy game,” Ben began.

Levi looked hurt. Ben couldn’t blame him. But what the fuck was Ben supposed to say after he caught Levi outside like that? Even if Levi had moments of understanding the severity of the situation, he clearly didn’t understand how important it was that he stayed the fuck inside. Visions of Levi with his brain splattered all over the snow invaded Ben’s head, fueling his anger.

“But this isn’t cute,” Ben spat. “You need to listen to me when I give you a fucking order.”

“You said nobody could get us in the storm⁠—”

“And the storm’s done!” Ben stepped into Levi’s space, crowding him against the front door. He didn’t mean it as a come-on, but Levi’s proximity affected him anyway, his cock stirring in his boxers. Never mind that they’d had sex twice today. Levi was making him feel like a young man again, even before he started massaging life back into his knee.

Ben wasn’t the only one affected. Levi’s lips parted, and he looked down at Ben’s mouth in clear interest. Ben knew he should move away, make Levi know this was serious, but he couldn’t make himself step back.

“I’m serious,” Ben snapped. “Stop looking at me like that. I can’t—” Ben stopped, the words too uncomfortable. Then he thought back to his conversation with Dominic and forced them out. “I can’t lose you like that.”

It was hardly romantic. The words came out as if he would rather cut off his dick than say them. But Levi acted like Ben had started crying. His eyes went wide, and he reached up as if he was going to touch Ben’s face. Then at the last second, he dropped to his knees in the scant space between Ben and the door, forcing Ben to back up so Levi didn’t get squished.

“I’m sorry,” Levi said quickly. He even sounded like he meant it. “I wasn’t trying to piss you off this time. Or put myself in danger. I—I know I don’t take this seriously sometimes. But I know what’s at stake. I don’t want to lose you either.”

He said it in a rush, like he wanted to get it over with. But he didn’t look away from Ben, even as his cheeks heated with something other than cold. He hesitated, then bent to press his cheek very gently against Ben’s jean-clad knee, which he had massaged so tenderly every day since the first time Ben let him.

Ben’s heart slammed against his ribs. Oh, fuck. He was well and truly gone for this kid. If Levi didn’t want him the same way, he was screwed. Was this a good time to talk about it? The moment stretched, heavy and tense. Ben swallowed, reeling as he tried to come up with the right thing to say. He couldn’t just come out and ask. He needed to be casual about it.

Levi broke through his whirling thoughts. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Ben’s mind stuttered to a halt. Lust and disappointment warred inside him as Levi cupped the bulge growing in Ben’s jeans. He felt like he’d missed his opportunity. But there wasn’t just one opportunity to talk about this shit, right? He could bring it up after sex. Maybe it was better to do it after sex, so Levi had his guard down.

“Seriously,” Levi continued, shifting his cheek from Ben’s knee to Ben’s cock. “I didn’t mean it. Let me make it up to you?”

His face was different. Usually when he propositioned Ben, he was all sly and smug. This time, he looked almost vulnerable. Eager, yes. But also like he wanted Ben to forgive him. Like he actually understood how much he’d scared Ben with that stupid stunt.

Ben gave in and stroked Levi’s hair. Levi sighed, his eyes slipping closed as he leaned into it. The sight filled Ben with warmth, and only some of it went to his cock.

“You don’t need to make anything up to me,” Ben started, dropping his voice low in the way that made Levi shiver with anticipation. “But you need to be taught a lesson about what happens when you don’t follow my simple fucking orders.”

He tightened his grip on Levi’s hair. Levi went still, moaning sweetly under his breath.

“Nod if you want this,” Ben said.

Levi nodded, the movement barely anything thanks to Ben’s fist in his hair. “Yeah. Teach me a lesson, Daddy.”

Ben rubbed Levi’s face against his denim-covered cock, trying to figure out why this felt off. He did want to have a conversation. But the longer he watched Levi’s cheek smear against his jeans, the more he wanted to take Levi apart first. To make him understand that he couldn’t do that again. That Ben was actually in charge when it came to this shit, and not just in the bedroom.

He let go and moved back. Levi swayed and had to catch himself before he fell forward. He straightened and looked up at Ben, already disheveled and panting. The sight made any apprehension Ben was feeling dissolve. He was going to talk to Levi, but before that, he was going to fucking wreck him. Maybe that would get it through Levi’s head.

“Take off your clothes,” Ben said. “Go to your room and get on the bed.”

Levi shuddered, a full-body thing that made Ben’s cock pulse in his boxers. Then Levi stood, stripping off his clothes like he had never disobeyed an order in his life. He walked down the hall toward his bedroom, and Ben watched him, his chest full of an emotion he didn’t dare name. Then he followed Levi down the hall and into his bedroom.

Levi was already on the bed when Ben walked in. He had his face against the mattress and his ass up. He was even spreading his cheeks. Ben gave himself a moment to admire the sight, then headed to the nightstand and took out the lube they’d been going through like wildfire.

“Open yourself up,” he said. “I’m going to get something from the living room.”

Levi made a confused sound but obeyed. Ben went to the living room and came back with the History book he’d been reading for the past few days. He took his clothes off and sat on the bed, arranging his naked back against the headboard. He opened the book to the bookmarked page, ignoring Levi, who was fingering himself obediently.