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When Carter is mentioned, Nathan finally forces himself to care about whatever has everyone so on edge. “Someone needs to tell me what’s going on right now.”
Everyone goes quiet, avoiding eye contact with him. Nathan turns to Benny and raises an eyebrow. His friend sighs before gesturing to the rest of the table and explaining, “The men were all hoping to attend the party tomorrow evening.”
“Oh?” Nathan scans the men. A lot of them look like they’re regretting their existence at the moment. Or at least their attendance at this particular meal. “Why? None of you cared much before. I asked for volunteers weeks ago.”
“That wasbefore, sir,” Jason explains.
“Before?”
Benny’s eyes flick to Carter. “Before the boy.”
Nathan looks down at Carter as well, then at the table in confusion. “Someone is going to have to explain the logic here.”
Jason looks around the room before lifting his chin defiantly at Nathan. “You’re letting people use him at the party.”
A sharp rage spikes in Nathan’s chest. He forces himself to breathe through it before responding. “Actually, I don't believe I am.”
“You’re putting a show on for them, at least. Rumor has it, it’s going to be quite entertaining. And interactive.” Jason shrugs. “We’d like to be in on that.”
Nathan looks down at Carter again. The boy is in the perfect rest position, his eyes on the floor, but every muscle is locked up impossibly tight. He’s practically vibrating.
If Nathan was better at his job, he’d say something like, “Sure, then. Whatever. If you want to come, talk to Benny. He’ll sort out the details.”
But Nathan is shit at his job lately, so he says, “Your intel is wrong. I have no intention of sharing him. If I play with him, it’ll be because the host invites me too, but there is no plan in place. If I do, in fact, play with him, it will not be elaborateorinteractive. Tomorrow night is too fucking important to risk everything just so I can show him off and share him.”
They all look extremely disappointed.
Benny looks shocked and unsure.
But Nathan looks down at Carter to find the boy relaxing in relief, and that’s enough to make the risk worth it.
That’s enough to make it so Nathan can fucking breathe again.
At least until he tucks Carter in for the night and goes to Benny’s office. Then his best friend pours him a stiff drink, double-checks that the locks on his office door are in place, and looks him directly in the eye to say, “That boy needs to be in a much deeper slave mindset tomorrow. Tell me what you’re going to do to make that happen,” and Nathan suddenly can’t quite breathe at all.
