An Unlocked Heart(Collars & Cuffs Stories) (29 page)

Alex was happy.

For what felt like the first time in his entire life, he was truly happy. His new life had opened a window for him, and the dazzling sunlight spilling through it spread into all the corners of his world and made everything it touched that much brighter. Well,
nearly
everything…. Home? Alex didn’t believe in Santa Claus, so he wasn’t expecting a miracle to take place any time soon. He simply kept out of his family’s way, keeping conversations—and the opportunities for them to take place—to a bare minimum. But as for Rob…. Spending time around Leo, getting to know the man, spending a lot of time in his bed—it all seemed to have the positive effect of building an impenetrable shield around Alex, one which seemed able to resist the vicious barbs and jabs of his little shit of a brother.

“Someone’s a happy bunny today!”

Alex glanced toward the door. Pietro was standing at the laundry door, holding two mugs, a wide smile across his face. Alex sniffed appreciatively.
Oh, bless him
, he thought, as he caught the aroma of green tea with vanilla. Pietro held out one of the mugs, and Alex took it gratefully, straightening his back as his did so—which caused something else to shift slightly. Alex bit his lip.
Leo is a sadistic fuck sometimes.

“I’ve been standing here, trying to work out what’s different about you, apart from the huge shit-eating grin, that is.” Pietro’s eyes positively danced with amusement.

Alex said nothing. There was no way he was letting
this
particular cat out of the bag.

“You’ve not been fucked, I know that much,” Pietro said with a smirk. Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise, and Pietro laughed. “Nah, you always have this blissed-out look on your face the morning after Leo reams your ass.” Alex’s mouth dropped open, and Pietro laughed even harder.

“Seriously?” Alex demanded. “Do you think the others can tell…?” His words trailed off, his cheeks blushing furiously.

Pietro chuckled. “Hell, yeah,” he replied. “But not one of them would
dare
call you on it, especially not after the Vittorio episode last month.”

This time it was Alex who chuckled. He’d offered an embarrassed Vittorio his apology the following day, which Vittorio had grudgingly accepted. And now that Alex thought on it, Vittorio seemed to have learned his lesson. There’d been no more attempts to discuss Alex’s sex life in front of an audience, thank God. And work
was
better, he couldn’t deny it. His mates were more inclined to laugh and joke around with him, and he knew that stemmed from him standing up to Vittorio.

“Ahhhh.” Pietro’s face wore a triumphant smile. “Got it!” His eyes gleamed mischievously. “You’ve got a butt plug up your ass.”

“Hey!” Alex glanced around nervously, making sure no one was in earshot. “Tell
everyone
, why don’t you,” he hissed, blushing profusely. He grimaced slightly as he changed position and the plug shifted inside him, nudging his gland. “This was Leo’s idea. Something about focusing me for tonight.”

Pietro gave a quick glance over his shoulder, no doubt looking to see if Luca was on his trail, and then slipped into the laundry room and closed the door softly behind him. “Why? What’s happening tonight?” he asked, clearly bursting with curiosity.

Alex sighed. “Tonight’s the first night I’m going with him to the club,” he explained. It was a big deal—no, strike that—it was a
huge
deal. In the month since he and Leo had worked out their contract, all their scenes had taken place in Leo’s apartment. Leo had started training him almost immediately, and Alex loved the routine of it all. Getting himself into the correct stance focused his thoughts and allowed him to slip more easily into the right mindset. He was still amazed how easily he’d taken on everything Leo had taught him. But still, his membership card had sat unused in his wallet until Leo casually suggested the previous night that he wanted Alex to accompany him to the club after work.

“Wow.” Pietro’s wide eyes definitely weren’t helping his nerves. “He must think you’re ready for it, or he wouldn’t have suggested it.”

He’d never looked at it from that particular angle.
Oh yeah
…. “I want to make him proud of me,” he confessed quietly, raising his gaze to look directly at his best friend. Pietro smiled, put down his mug, and grasped Alex in a tight hug. Alex accepted the affectionate gesture, his hands coming up to return the hug. This was the best part about having another submissive as his closest friend—Pietro understood so much of what Alex was going through.

Pietro spoke quietly into his ear, his cheek against Alex’s. “You’ll be fine, Alex.”

A
LEX
was trying to stay calm, but his heart was beating so fast, thundering so loudly in his ears, he was surprised those around him couldn’t hear it too. Leo was talking quietly to Miles by the stage, and Alex had immediately dropped down onto his knees, remembering Leo’s instructions. His gaze was lowered, his hands rested palms down on his thighs as he sat back on his heels, back straight. The butt plug was still inside him. Alex hadn’t dared ask if he could remove it, and Leo hadn’t said a thing about it. The collar lay snugly around his neck, and at that moment, Alex was so proud to be wearing it. He’d caught the surprised glances of Doms and subs alike when Leo led him into the club, nude, on a leash. Judging from at least some of their reactions, this wasn’t the norm, but Alex had been relieved to see there were other subs in a similar state. He had been absolutely horrified at first when Leo had given him his instructions as to how he wanted Alex to dress.

“Y
OU
want me to go there naked?” Alex squeaked, staring incredulously, forgetting for a moment that he was speaking to his Dom.

Leo’s eyes widened. “Are you questioning my instructions, boy?” He spoke softly, but there was a dangerous quality to his voice that was suddenly very arousing. Alex’s cock stiffened in response.

“No, Sir,” he whispered. Oh fuck. This was the first occasion that he’d ever spoken in such a way, and he fucking
knew
there’d be a punishment for this at the end of the night—although it wouldn’t be a spanking. Leo already knew him too well for that. He just hoped to God Leo would spank him at
some
point that evening. ’Cause Lord knows, Alex was aching to feel Leo’s large, powerful hands on him again.

“You will strip now,” said Leo in a firm tone, “leaving all your clothes here.” He went to a cupboard in the hallway and pulled out a long greatcoat and a pair of knee-length leather riding boots. “You’ll wear this in the car to the club. Once we get in there, you will hand over the coat and boots to Elliott in reception. Apart from your collar and this”—Leo removed a long leash from his pocket, and Alex caught his breath—“you will be naked all night.” His eyes glinted. “Is that going to be a problem, boy?”

Alex took a deep, calming breath before replying, sinking more fully into his role. “No, Sir.” If that was what Leo wanted, Alex would do it. No questions asked.

Leo looked him up and down with obvious amusement, his eyebrows arched. “You’re still dressed, boy.”

Hastily, Alex pulled at his clothing, fingers trembling, until he stood there nude before his Dom, Leo’s eyes moving freely over him. He cupped Alex’s half-hard cock, working it with a firm grip until it reared up, thick and already beading with precome. Alex struggled to keep still all the while, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides.

Leo pulled something from his pocket and fastened it around Alex’s cock and balls, then pulled it tight. Alex glanced down to see a leather cock ring. Leo had put a cock ring on him. Fuck, it looked almost… obscene. First the butt plug, now this? The man was definitely trying to kill him.

Alex let out a low moan as Leo tugged on his cock. “And, boy?” A firm squeeze ensured Leo had his complete attention. “You don’t come tonight. Not unless I tell you. Understood?”

Alex’s mouth dropped open, but he quickly remembered himself and nodded, swallowing hard. At least now he knew what his punishment was. “Yes, Sir.”

Fuck. This was going to be one hell of a night.

“T
ALK
about piling pressure on the boy. Leo, you’re just plain evil!”

Leo grinned at Miles. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said innocently.

Miles snorted. “Could you have even
made
a bigger entrance? Walking Alex through those doors, naked, on your leash….
Most
of us are quite happy to let our subs change in the locker room, y’know.” He was smiling, however, as he spoke. Leo glanced down to where Alex was kneeling, fully aware his sub could hear this conversation, but give the boy his due, Alex’s stance was perfect.

“Yeah, but we’re not Leo Hart, are we?” Trevor was passing by and stopped to converse with them. “Besides, I don’t think it was about Leo making an entrance. I think it was Leo showing his complete and utter faith in his submissive. Hell, we all knew it was Alex’s first time, and Christ, Leo, he does you proud.” Trevor gave Alex a quick glance and leaned closer to Leo, lowering his voice. “I only hope you’ve got one hell of a reward planned for him. That boy hasn’t lost his hard-on since he came through that door.”

Leo looked down at Alex, noting the erection that rose from his newly bared groin. It had been a lot of fun shaving Alex tonight, even though the boy had been somewhat ticklish. Maintaining an erection, however, had been Alex’s suggestion, based on something he’d read in one of his books, and Leo wasn’t about to knock him back. Trevor was right: Alex was making him so proud.

“I worried I’d pushed him too far, too fast,” he confessed in a low voice to Miles and Trevor. “I asked a lot of him, I know.”

“Yeah, but you have the right to ask that of him—you’re his Dom,” replied Miles, equally quietly.

Leo gave him a grateful smile. He looked down once more and was suddenly seized by the urge to kiss his boy. He reached down and stroked the top of Alex’s head, noting with pleasure how Alex pushed into his soft caress, clearly seeking his Dom’s touch. Leo bent down and took Alex’s mouth in a possessive kiss, thrusting his tongue into that eager mouth, lips parting for him instantly. Alex’s cock twitched. Maybe it was time for Alex’s reward.

He broke the kiss and whispered into Alex’s ear, “Stand up, boy.” Alex got to his feet gracefully. Leo always marveled how someone with legs as long as his could still manage to put so much poise into his movements. He knew, however, from his earlier encounters with the boy, Alex was naturally awkward. His boy was working damned hard to move like that, and Leo appreciated his efforts. He caught the admiring, appreciative glances of the other Doms as they passed, and it made his heart swell with pride in his sub.

A rich chuckle caught his attention. After making sure Alex was standing correctly, feet together, hands by his sides, Leo turned his attention to Miles, who was regarding the pair of them, shaking his head and still chuckling. “What’s tickled you?” Leo asked, unable to refrain from grinning.

Miles broke into a huge smile, his dark eyes twinkling with good humor. “I’m just finding this so fucking ironic, that’s all.” Leo gave him a puzzled look, and Miles lowered his voice to a whisper, leaning close. “Leo Hart is in love with his sub.” He straightened, grinning, his eyes fixed on Leo, as if daring him to deny it.

Leo caught his breath, glancing across at Alex. The boy stood quietly, eyes lowered, and gave no sign he’d heard Miles’s whispered utterance.

Miles’s eyes widened. “He doesn’t know how you feel,” he said in a whisper. Leo shook his head, flashing Miles a warning glance. Miles gave a brisk nod, but his expression of surprise gave way to a smile that lit up his whole face. He leaned in close. “I’m so happy for you,” he confided. “You deserve some happiness, especially after what you went through when Gabe….” He broke off, his smile fading instantly.

Leo hastened to reassure his fellow Dom. “It’s okay, Miles, really it is.” Leo smiled. “I’ve done a lot of healing in these last few months.” He glanced fondly in Alex’s direction. And it was all because of his boy. “So if you’ll excuse me,” he said, speaking loudly so Alex would be able to pick up every word, “I have a private room booked for me and my sub.” He caught the flash of joy in Alex’s eyes.
Ooo, his boy was happy about that!
He cupped Alex’s face. “Ready, boy?”

“Yes, Sir.” Alex’s eyes were still fixed on Leo’s chest, but the eagerness in those eyes was unmistakable, especially when Leo slid his hand around to cup his ass, squeezing it firmly. Leo rubbed a finger along Alex’s crease, noting how his sub bit back a moan of arousal as his finger came into contact with the butt plug. He glanced down at his boy’s cock, which was pointing up at the ceiling, wet at the tip, and he had to stifle his own moan. Time to reward his boy with a good, hard fucking. And who knows? He might even let him come.

A
LEX
looked around the room with interest. He’d never seen the inside of the private rooms, and he wanted to explore, but he was unsure of Leo’s requirements now that they were here. He gave a quick glance in his Dom’s direction, and Leo caught him.

Leo chuckled. “It’s okay, boy, take a good look around while I make sure the lines are working.” Alex grinned.
All right!
He gazed at the furnishings. A double bed was the main item, equipped with mattress, plain sheets, and pillows. A washbasin was provided in the corner of the room, together with cloths and towels, and there were a few chairs of varying sizes, though they all looked fairly sturdy. The floor was polished wood, and large mirrors adorned the walls. A large cupboard definitely aroused Alex’s curiosity, and he pulled open its double doors, to reveal…
oh fuck
.