Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

and took his hand. “Daddy,
    how could you even ask? I thought you knew how much you mean to me. I tell you
    all the time. I love you so much.”
    “What about the things I do to you in the dungeon and in the bedroom?”
    A spontaneous smile lit Angel‟s face.
    “Do you like that too, or do you just do it because I want it?”
    “Don‟t you remember the magazines I was hiding under my bed when we met?
    It was all about leather and domination, daddies and bears. I dreamed of having a
    daddy. You know I love to be spanked. I love being restrained; it‟s the sexiest thing
    in the world. Why would you even ask, Sir?”
    “I want to make sure that you‟re not just doing this because it‟s my choice or
    because it‟s what I do. I want to know that everything we do is entirely consensual.”
    “Daddy, it is consensual. You‟ve never done anything to me I didn‟t want.
    Well…when you spank my ass as a punishment, I don‟t like it. It hurts in a
    different way than when it‟s for pleasure, and it‟s embarrassing. I hate it when
    you‟re mad at me or disappointed in me.”
    Kael looked into the earnest young face for any sign that Angel was trying to
    placate him. “I just don‟t want you to have sex with me because you‟re grateful to
    me.”
    “I‟m definitely grateful, Daddy. I am totally grateful. If I hadn‟t met you, I‟d be
    living on the street selling my only asset—my ass.” He laughed.
    “Don‟t. That‟s not funny.” He couldn‟t bear the thought of Angel selling himself
    to men just to eat.
    “It‟s true, Daddy. Do you think my mom would have taken me in? She
    wouldn‟t.”
    “She might have given you money for a flat.”

    Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

    105

    “As long as it was on another continent.” Angel stuck his middle finger into his
    mouth and began chewing on the nail. He hadn‟t done that in months, and his nails
    were just beginning to grow properly. But he‟d started again after seeing his
    mother. I shouldn’t have reminded him of her so close on the heels of her latest
    rejection.
    “Daddy, I had no one. Now I have you loving me and protecting me. I have a
    home and real security for the first time in my life. I don‟t really remember
    anything before the foster homes, and for the six years I lived with Sven and my
    mom, I listened to him asking her why she didn‟t have any relatives that would take
    me. The fact is she didn‟t want me there any more than he did, except when she was
    bored. Then she‟d take me somewhere nice and expect me to entertain her. I kept
    expecting CPS to show up and take me away again.”
    “Come here, sweetheart.” Kael opened his arms, and Angel climbed into his
    lap.
    “Daddy, I love you. You have given me a home and a future, and yes, I am
    grateful. But why are you asking me this?”
    Because you are only eighteen and I started worrying about consent when I saw
    young women your age and younger being abused . “I just wanted to check in with
    you that you‟re happy.”
    Angel kissed his cheek and pressed his forehead into Kael‟s. “I‟m so happy
    with you, Daddy. In fact”—he smiled mischievously—“how about you let me show
    you just how much I love you?
    “How are you going to do that?” Reassured, Kael returned his smile.
    “We could go to bed, and you could let me do anything I want to you.”
    Without even considering the proposal, Kael shook his head. “I‟m the master.
    I‟m the daddy.” Everything in him rose up in protest at the idea of giving up control.
    “Just one time, Sir. You might even enjoy it.” The hopeful look in Angel‟s
    beautiful face made Kael vacillate momentarily. Could he obey orders from his boy?
    “It takes courage to give up control, Daddy. Did you know that?”
    Kael nodded but did not speak. He suspected he was being manipulated.
    “You have to trust completely. Just like I trust you completely. You would
    never do anything that I couldn‟t stand, would you?”
    “No. But I know you aren‟t crazy about enemas, and I insist you have one now
    and again.”
    “Yes, Sir, that‟s true, but I want to submit myself to you, so I do the enemas
    without complaint even though I don‟t really like them because I want to show you
    my submission. It can‟t all be about what I want.”
    “Good boy.” Kael was impressed at his boy‟s maturity, but also at his powers of
    persuasion. Angel was wearing him down. He sucked in a long breath. “All right.
    How do you want