AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nods, his eyes still on me. When I gently nudge him more to the left, he goes easily. I check my phone for any pressing issues before plugging it in and turning off the main light so all that's left is the dimmed lamp on the bedside table. I only put my briefs on after my shower, figuring it'd be weird to sleep in clothes. Especially since I'm sure most masters sleep naked with their slaves. I can't sleep naked though. It's where I draw the line. What if I get horny in my sleep and try something? What if it scares him? What if he's upset about it once he finds out the truth?
He's only had one master. For all he knows, DuGray was the outlier. That's believable, right?
As I've done many times now, I find myself wondering how in the fuck my best friend does this. Especially when he was making these kinds of decisions before Carter found out the truth. It’s fucking exhausting.
I go with my gut, keeping my briefs on and climbing into my spot on the bed. I look over to find Casey still kneeling. I suppress a sigh. "Look at me. In my eyes."
Casey takes a deep breath as if to brace himself before obeying. I reach out, cupping his cheek. His breath catches. "You're going to lay down beside me in this bed. Don't curl up in a ball. Don't try to make yourself small. I want you to take up space in my life. In my bed. You are not a pet. You are not a burden. You are simply mine, little one. I need you to accept that. Forget about your old master. Forget about his rules. He's not here with you anymore, and he never will be again. You're mine now, and do you want to know a secret, little one?"
Wide-eyed and breathless, the boy whispers, "Yes, Master."
I smile. "I'm going to take such good care of you."
Casey's body shudders with a suppressed sob. He tries to speak but either decides not to or realizes he can't. I kiss the boy's forehead and then pull him into my lap, both hating and loving the way he falls apart for me. It's progress, the boy letting his walls down, letting himself break some rules. He's clinging desperately to me, crying and receiving comfort from someone probably for the first time since his sale at the auction, if not longer. But it's still fucking heartbreaking.
I don't rush him, letting him sob in my arms for as long as he needs. I never hush him or try to tell him to calm down. Sometimes I rock him side to side or hum softly to him or stroke his back, but I never try to stop his emotions from pouring out. They’ve been bottled up for far too long.
When he finally cries himself out, I lower him into his spot on the bed, giving him a warm smile when his tired eyes find mine.
"If you need the bathroom at all tonight, you will use it. You're allowed to go whenever you need to, and you don't have to ask my permission. Just go and then return to bed, okay?"
He nods.
"This is where you belong at night," I tell him, brushing a curl off his forehead as the boy settles into his pillow. He blinks slowly, struggling to reopen his eyes more each time. "Get some rest now, little one."
Casey nods again, his eyes finally closing for good.
Just a minute after I've turned the lamp off and settled in the bed, I feel the boy shifting beside me. I crack one eye open to find that Casey has turned to face me, his face outlined by the soft glow of the under-bed lights that Travis gave me shit for installing after stubbing my toe for the fourth fucking time. Casey immediately averts his gaze so he's not looking at my face when he realizes I've seen him. It makes me smile. It's kind of fucking adorable.
Sue me, okay? I'm a fucking daddy dom who has never gotten to have a boy, and Casey is hitting all of my buttons tonight. It’s impossible to ignore my instincts, but it’s not like I'll ever act on them.
"Need something, little one?"
"Do you… want me to show you how grateful I am, Master?"
I fight a groan as I realize what he means. Definitely not.
"That's alright. I'm tired. I just want to sleep. And I want you to sleep, too."
Casey’s eyebrows pull in. "It would… please you for me to sleep, Master?"
"Yes."
"In… your bed?"
"Yes."
"All night?"
I force a smile. "As long as you need. This isn't a trick, little one. I know it will take time for you to trust me, but I do not enjoy cruelty for the sake of being cruel, and I despise those who set others up for failure. I mean what I say, always."
Casey seems to consider this for a moment. Then he releases what seems like a very deep breath and forces his eyes to meet mine again. I smile in encouragement. The boy blushes, but he doesn't look away. "G-good night, Master."
Having a feeling that's not something Casey would have been allowed to say before, at least not without prompting, I feel a warmth form in my chest at the little bit of progress we've made. "Good night, little one. Sleep well."
Chapter Nine
Casey
