A Strong Hand

But out there," he waved his hand, "the hatred, the lack of understanding, the prejudice—"
    "Exactly," Ashley agreed. "That's what you're doing to me.
    You're judging without experience, deciding based on no evidence at all, that I'm a sadist. Believe me, I don't like hurting people against their will. That's not what I do."
    "You mean, people enjoy being hit with a whip?" Derek asked in disbelief.
    Ashley laughed. "It depends on how your nerve endings are wired. The line between pain and pleasure is a narrow one. Remember that day I swatted you?"
    Derek nodded.
    "You had a reaction, you can't deny that. I saw it and you saw me see it. You were disgusted by yourself, not me,"
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    A Strong Hand
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    Ashley explained gently. "So you ran. You made me the demon."
    Derek sighed. "Perhaps I did. Would you be patient with me? Go slow 'til I can figure this out?"
    "Of course," Ashley said, his eyes warm. He pulled Derek closer for a hug. "Thank you for being willing to try."

    * * * *
    The afternoon was torture for Nick. Every time Damian's hand hovered near his pocket, the boy tensed, anticipating that perhaps the photographer was going for the remote. The wicked gleam in the older man's eyes kept him jittering nervously around the studio.
    For a short time he decided to hide out in the makeup room, but the sudden tremor against his prostate made him leap to his feet and rush to the studio, staring at Damian with imploring eyes. Without turning to look at him, Damian's hand went to his pocket and Nick drooped with relief when the beads went still.
    Whenever his cock started to relax a bit, Damian would hit the button, sometimes only for a few seconds, and Nick would spring to attention again. And as the day wore on, he became more aware of the feeling of fullness. He decided that perhaps, in self-defense, he might want to study up a bit on the items in Ashley's catalog.
    He was very grateful to Ashley for setting things right, although the private part of him squirmed at some of the other man's comments. The thought that Ashley knew precisely what was going on between him and Damian made 190

    A Strong Hand
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    Nick blush. The facts that he had allowed Damian to fuck him and spank him weren't exactly ones that he wanted to be common knowledge; he still wasn't entirely sure about the whole gay thing, gnawing it over in his mind. He only knew that when Damian told him to bend over, all the confusion in his head went away and he was happy to obey.
    He was very relieved to be sent for takeaway for lunch; at least he'd be out of the range of that deadly remote.

    * * * *
    It had amused Damian to flick the button of the remote at random intervals during the afternoon, whenever he decided that Nick was getting a bit too comfortable. He'd almost forgotten just how enjoyable it was to toy with his pet.
    At the same time, he was aware of currents passing between Ashley and Derek even while he composed his shots.
    Damian had to force himself to shoot with his usual care, he was so impatient to reestablish his ownership of Nick.
    Ashley lingered at the end of the day, beautifully unconscious except for a wicked glint in his eye, knowing full well that both men wanted him far away. At last he could no longer ignore the pleading look in Derek's eyes and took himself off chuckling, pleased that he had managed to annoy at least three people in one masterful stroke.
    He popped his head back in, startling both of them, to whisper in a sepulchral tone to Damian, "The AW 2001, don't forget."
    "Beat it, Ashley!" Damian ordered with a grin.
    "Yes, sir!" Ashley said and shut the door smartly.
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    "He calls you sir, sir?" Nick inquired in surprise.
    "Just his little joke," Damian said. "And now," he advanced on Nick purposefully, "I have something I'd like to show you, but you'll have to pay for the privilege. Strip."
    Nick's eyes immediately glazed over and his cock twitched.
    "Yes, sir." He still couldn't believe how that single word from Damian had the power to make him hard and eager to obey any command. He pulled his clothing off and dropped to his knees, clasping his hands behind his back.
    Damian circled the trembling young man, pausing behind him to push his knees apart with his foot. The string tail of the beads still inside Nick was visible between his legs and Damian licked his lips. He would have to exercise his self-control to make it through the scene he had planned for the