Flesh Cartel, #8: Loyalties

Definitely one of the doors on the left. Which narrowed it down to . . . three. Great. He’d only ever been up here twice, and the first time he’d been incoherent. The second time, he’d been on his hands and knees.
    Which, actually, didn’t seem like such a bad idea now. He dropped to his knees, where the hallway looked more familiar. He remembered crawling fifteen, maybe twenty feet last time. Second door, then. Has to be the second.
    He popped back to his feet again to close the distance. No reason to crawl without Nikolai here to enjoy it. Besides, it’d only make him slower. Keep Nikolai waiting. And that was simply unacceptable.
    When he reached what he hoped was the right door, he knocked politely, trying to imitate the perfectly unobtrusive rapping that Roger had mastered.
    “Come in, Douglas,” Nikolai called softly from inside. He didn’t sound angry. In fact, he sounded quite happy, genuinely at ease, and the thought of being called to him under these circumstances filled Dougie with sweet pleasure. More than that—warmth, pride, want . His cock stiffened, tall and proud as the rest of him, as he opened the door and quietly stepped inside, then shut it behind him. This morning had been a test, then—the waiting, and more waiting, and Jeremy’s brusqueness, and the vague order about the plug, all of it—and he’d done well. He’d chosen correctly at every turn. Anticipated his master’s needs. And now his master was rewarding him with his company. Maybe, if he was very lucky, his master would reward him further with a good hard fuck. Permission to orgasm. A kiss and some kind words.
    He couldn’t ask for more. He smiled demurely at Nikolai, tucked his arms behind his back, and presented himself.
    From his place on the bed—on the bed with Roger , with Roger in his lap and Jesus, they were cuddling —Nikolai smiled. Dougie’s own smile almost faltered at the sight of the two of them being so intimate, but he forced down the surge of jealousy and disappointment— Roger’s a good man, he deserves Nikolai’s love too and I’m just an untrained pet I don’t deserve anything stop acting like a spoiled child —and froze his expression in place .
    “Don’t you look lovely and well rested, Douglas. Roger and I were just talking about how very attractive and pleasant you are. What was the word you used, Roger?”
    Roger shifted lazily, casting a soft smile at Dougie that made him burn simultaneously with desire and shame for ever being jealous or resentful of this kind man. “Pretty, Sir.”
    “I believe you said very pretty,” Nikolai corrected, and reached out to crook a finger in Dougie’s direction. Dougie walked toward them both, feeling a little like a mouse caught between two cats. At Nikolai’s nod, he climbed up onto the bed at their feet. “And thoughtful, wasn’t it?”
    “Yes, Sir. Clever, too. Good heart.”
    This close, Dougie could see that Roger’s face and arms were covered in a mottled pattern of bruises, livid and fresh, like they’d still be hot and raised to the touch. Had he been disobedient? Had Nikolai punished him? They certainly didn’t seem like there’d been any falling-out between them. But then, maybe Nikolai was quick to forgive, not the type to carry a grudge once the consequences of a bad choice had been delivered. Or maybe it wasn’t Dougie’s place to question and he should just stop thinking about it at all.
    “Roger’s been very loyal, Douglas, and deserves a reward. However, you may have noticed he’s a little too tender for the kind of fucking I like to give my slaves. And since I’m a little busy playing chair for Roger right now, I’ve devised a suitable alternative.” He paused, staring at Dougie expectantly.
    Oh God, he means me. He means that I should suck Roger’s cock. And why wasn’t that thought as disgusting as it should have been? Wasn’t Dougie straight? And he hardly knew Roger. The thought of having to pleasure a near-stranger—a male near-stranger, made his heart race and his throat tighten.
    But it was a good fear, he realized. Like riding a roller coaster. Exhilarating and terrifying, but ultimately safe.
    Because Nikolai was here, and this was what Nikolai wanted, and what Dougie wanted was to make Nikolai happy. And if this was all it took—Roger was a kind, giving man, and he was undeniably attractive—Dougie could pleasure him. Of course he could. It’d almost be like pleasuring Nikolai directly,