A Strong Hand

yourself. What is your safe word?"
    "London, sir," Nick said softly. His face looked serene, at peace.
    Damian crossed his arms. "I would like to mark you tomorrow, nothing permanent. Just a welt or two, that would be gone within a week. Do you object?"
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    "H—how much would it hurt, sir?" Nick asked nervously, wondering what he was letting himself in for.
    "As much or as little as I decide," Damian said. "It's not the implement; it's how you use it. I can use a whip to set your nerves tingling or break the skin with my belt. I'll teach you to reach for the pain and ride it to the peak, if you like.
    To surf the pain like a wave in the ocean. Do you trust me?"
    "Yes, sir," Nick said, looking him right in the eyes. "I trust you."
    "Good." Damian smiled. "I hope the anticipation will be pleasant for you."
    He bent to free Nick's wrists and helped the younger man to his feet. "Wear these until tomorrow," he commanded, touching the wrist cuffs. "We'll need them."
    "But ... I have school tomorrow."
    "I know," Damian said with a wicked smile. "Have fun."

    * * * *
    Damian had released Nick from the cock ring before sending him home, but directed him not to touch himself. To his surprise, Nick found his wrist cuffs drew no attention at school. At first, he kept trying to pull down his sleeves, but so many kids wore leather wristbands of some kind, only the color set his apart.
    All day at school, he flushed and chilled intermittently, sometimes terrified of what Damian might do to him, sometimes so excited he had to find a restroom and squeeze his cock to calm himself down.
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    The studio was empty, but the door unlocked when he arrived. There was a pool of light spilling over a spanking bench in the studio. Nick shivered when he saw that, imagining himself naked, helpless, bound to it, waiting for whatever Damian decided to do to him.
    He stood silently, wondering if he was ready for the next step.
    "Nicholas."
    He turned to see Damian standing behind him. For the first time, Damian was dressed, not in his usual T-shirt and jeans, but in tight black leather pants. His chest was partially covered by a leather vest, laced loosely across the front, showing his cut shoulders and muscular arms.
    Nick shivered in fear but at the same time his cock slowly filled, swelling with arousal at the sight of the beautiful man into whose hands he had delivered himself. Damian seemed to tower over him, powerful and remote. Nick wondered if he was making a mistake even while he knew that he would go through with it.
    Damian took a step closer and took Nick's face in his hands, staring at him. He kissed his lips tenderly. "Thank you for your trust, Nicholas. Thank you for submitting to me."
    Nick closed his eyes against the sting of his tears. "You are my master."
    Damian's hand cupped his chin. "I will never hurt you, do you hear me? Never."
    "I know," Nick said very quietly.
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    Damian turned away and took a breath. When he turned back, he was smiling, and the devilish smile that told Nick he was in for a ride.
    "Right then, pet, strip for me."
    Nick ripped off his clothing and dropped to his knees automatically, clasping his hands behind his back. His cock stood out, pointing at Damian, straining at the master of his pleasure.
    "So beautiful," Damian murmured. He stroked Nick's throat, circling it with his hands. "This is yours now," he said and brought the soft red collar out of his pocket, buckling it snugly around the slender throat. He attached a leash to the buckle. "Up now, pet."
    Nick rose to his feet, keeping his hands clasped behind him, following Damian out into the studio.
    Damian led him to the spanking bench and detached the leash, urging the boy closer to the bench. He widened Nick's stance with his booted feet and bent to strap the sub's ankles into cuffs attached to the bench legs.
    He stroked over the boy's buttocks gently. "So beautiful, my pet." Damian went to a nearby table, where he'd laid out various implements of punishment but returned with only a cock ring. "I think we'll have this on until I permit you release."
    A hand on the middle of his back pushed Nick flat, so that his chest was supported by the padded surface.
    "Give me your wrists."
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    Silently Nick held his hands up, allowing Damian to stretch them out onto the padded armrests, attaching his cuffs to the ring bolts.
    Damian