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Hunter's expression smooths out into understanding before he gives Travis a polite smile of his own. "Seems you two are back together, then?"
"We're trying." Travis shifts his body so they're face to face, wanting a bit more privacy for what he plans to say next. "I wanted to thank you. I was incredibly impressed with how you handled yourself that evening. You were a great dominant for him. I don't even want to think about how badly the night could have gone if he'd been with someone else."
Any possible ill-feelings Hunter had toward him melt away as the words sink in. When he smiles this time, it's not concerned or polite, it's friendly. Warm. "I'm glad he had someone like you to come get him."
"Even though my friends pulled guns on you?"
Hunter laughs. "I have to say, I could have gone without that part of the evening. But they clearly meant well."
"If only meaning well was enough," Travis mumbles, more to himself than anything. His eyes find Carter across the room. The boy is standing with a guy close to his age, his grin wide and eyes bright as he listens to the guy talk wildly with his hands. He looks so happy. So free.
"You know," Hunter says softly, pulling Travis's attention back to him. His eyes are narrowed on Travis, but not in an accusatory or angry way. More like he's just trying to figure him out. "A group of us doms gets together once or twice a month, outside of community events. Just to chat. Get advice. Vent. Whatever. I'm hosting this week, just a small poker game at my house. You should come."
Travis frowns. "Come to your house?"
"Yes."
"To play poker?"
"To spend time with fellow doms. To make friends. To relax. And sure, yes, to play poker." Hunter shrugs. "There's a reason BDSM is found in a community setting, you know. We watch out for each other. Learn from each other. Support each other.”
“I don’t need that.”
“If you want to be a good dominant for that boy over there, then yes, Travis, you do.”
Travis looks back at Carter then, emotion thick in the base of his throat. It’s tempting to slip into his Nathan Roarke persona right now. To pull on a cloak of confidence, grin, say something witty, and charm his way through this entire evening. Just weeks ago, he could have bought out this entire building and everyone inside of it. He could have kidnapped Hunter and sold him off to the highest bidder for torture and rape.
But Nathan Roarke doesn’t exist, and Travis is just going to have to get over the fact that he has no fucking idea what he’s doing in this world. He’s just stumbling through it, no confidence, no charm, no money or power.
Hunter is a good dominant. Good enough that Travis felt this ridiculous need to speak to him. If Hunter thinks that Travis - and therefore Carter - would benefit from some time spent with fellow doms, then Travis supposes he needs to give it a chance.
“When is this poker game?”
“Friday night. You can text me at the number I gave you for the details.” Hunter grins. “Shall we go find your boy now?”
Hearing Hunter refer to Carter as Travis’s boy is like sliding into a cool pool of water on a scorching hot day - pure fucking relief.
“Yes.” Travis smiles, barely managing to keep it from turning into a ridiculous grin. “Let’s go find my boy.”
Jax is in the middle of telling Carter about his collection of paintings when Travis and Hunter finally make their way over to them. They weren’t separated for more than a minute or two - only long enough for Carter to say hello to Jax and Wells and for Jax to tell him how great it is for him to be here tonight - but it felt like a fucking eternity. Was Travis upset about something? Would he pick a fight with Hunter? Accuse him of hurting Carter somehow? Was he apologizing to him for the intrusion involving guns? Was he asking him questions about what Carter let him do to him when they played?
Both men are smiling when they approach, but Carter isn’t sure if that’s a good thing. He tries to give Travis a look that asks if things are okay. Travis just winks at him. What is that supposed to mean?
“Sir,” Jax says brightly when he spots Hunter. “Master said you’d be here. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course. The art is rather beautiful, pet.” Hunter touches his fingertips to Jax’s cheek, giving him a fond smile. Then he pulls his hand back and nods at Jax’s master standing just behind him. “Wells.”
“Hunter.” Wells smirks. “You’re late. I thought I told you 7.”
“What will you do, flog me?” Hunter asks dryly. He arches a brow at his friend, looking amused more than anything else. “I’m terrified.”
Jax drops his jaw playfully before turning to Wells with wide eyes. “Master, he’s being so sassy!”
“I’m aware, pet.” Wells presses a kiss to Jax’s temple and whispers something in his ear. Jax gasps, his cheeks going pink. He tries to look at Hunter, but can’t meet his eyes, dropping his gaze to the floor and shuffling his feet instead. Wells chuckles and winks at Hunter.
Carter bites down on his bottom lip to keep from asking questions, fully aware it’s not his place. He distracts himself by introducing Travis to them instead.
“Jax and Wells, I wanted you to meet my-” Carter stumbles then, not entirely sure what Travis is to him. Is he Carter’s dominant? His boyfriend? Just his date for the night? “My - uh-”
