An Unlocked Heart(Collars & Cuffs Stories) (32 page)

Leo’s face blanched. “What?”

Thomas nodded. “Apparently, they wish to take you down to the police station to answer some questions. Miles says they’re not here to arrest you, not at this stage, anyway.” Thomas’s brow creased.

“Questions about what?” Leo asked in exasperation.

Alex spoke quietly. “You can ask them yourself, Sir. They’re here.” He nodded his head in the direction of the restaurant’s main door. Two men were standing in quiet conversation with Sev, who nodded, his expression serious, before leading them to their table. One of the detectives hung back while the elder one approached Leo.

“Mr. Hart?” Leo nodded briskly. “I’m Detective Inspector Mark Saunders. I’d like you to accompany me to the station, sir. We have to ask you some questions about a complaint that’s been made against you.” He spoke in a hushed tone, trying to draw as little attention to them as possible.

“Can I ask what this is about, DI Saunders?” Leo asked, equally quiet.

DI Saunders shifted from one foot to the other. “We’ve received a call from a Mr. and Mrs. Daniels”—Alex’s eyes widened—“who are claiming you’ve assaulted their young son, Alexander Daniels.”

Alex opened his mouth to speak and felt Thomas’s hand squeeze his arm in warning. Thomas flashed him a look. Alex wasn’t about to go against Thomas, but he was deeply troubled.

Leo nodded, appearing quite composed. He stood up, turning to Thomas. “Can I get you to make the call, Thomas?” Thomas nodded. “Very well, DI Saunders. Shall we go?” He motioned toward the door. Sev was hovering close by, Leo’s long greatcoat held out for him. Leo gave him a grateful smile as he slipped his arms into the coat, finally catching Alex’s eye. He smiled, no trace of nerves about him at all, and then he was following the detectives out of the restaurant, calmly and easily.

As soon as they left, Thomas picked up his phone and dialed. Alex couldn’t move. He desperately wanted to go after Leo, but Thomas shook his head, as though he could read Alex’s thoughts. “Just hang on, pup,” Thomas said, holding up his hand. His attention was focused on his phone. “Peter! Sorry about the lateness of the hour. Do you have a moment?” He listened. “We have need of your services again. Yes, the usual. It’s Leo this time. Yes, he’s on his way to the police station. But I happen to know for certain the police are barking up the wrong tree.” He winked at Alex. “I’m bringing our secret weapon with me.” He listened once more. “Thank you, Peter. We’ll meet you there.” He hung up.

“Thomas, what’s going on?” Alex couldn’t keep the anxiety from his voice.

Thomas’s face wore a patient expression. “Alex, I’ve lost count of the number of times in ten years that someone has claimed a Dom has assaulted them. And usually it’s the morning after their first scene, when they’ve reacted badly or when someone else has seen the results of a scene and panicked. We have a lawyer permanently on the payroll—Peter Willoughby—and he’s a ball-buster. He’s worth every penny he charges us, believe me.”

Thomas got to his feet as Sev approached, carrying his coat and, surprisingly, Alex’s jacket. Alex stared and Sev winked. “Well, you can’t stay here, can you, lad? You need to go help your man.”

Alex gave Sev a grateful smile and hurriedly put on his jacket.

“Come on, pup,” said Thomas, guiding Alex to the door. “Let’s go show the police what asses they’re being.” He gave Alex another wink.

Alex was amazed Thomas could be so calm. But if this was a common occurrence, then he supposed Thomas was used to it. Alex smiled weakly, doing his best to appear equally calm. Inside, however, he was anything but. What the fuck were his parents playing at? There could only be one explanation: Rob. But what on earth had Rob said to them to warrant such a reaction?

Following Thomas out of the restaurant, Alex realized it didn’t matter. What was important now was to clear up this mess, and then clear out of that house.

L
EO
stared at the plastic cup containing what was possibly the most revolting cup of tea it had ever been his misfortune to taste. He glanced down at his watch; it wouldn’t be long until Peter arrived. Leo knew the drill. He’d said nothing, knowing Peter liked to do all the talking. Instead, he’d spent the time reflecting on Alex’s present predicament. Obviously there was no way the boy could carry on living in that house, not if this was how his parents were going to treat him. Well, maybe not so much the parents. That brother of his was definitely a nasty piece of work.

“Mr. Hart? Your lawyer is here.”

Leo gave a friendly smile to DI Saunders. Unlike some policemen Leo had encountered during his years at the club, this one seemed a fairly decent individual. In fact, he’d go so far as to say the detective had gone out of his way to be courteous. Definitely not your typical straightlaced copper.

Peter Willoughby entered the room. He was a bull of a man, stocky, bald, and immaculately dressed. Leo had always thought he’d make an excellent Dom. Peter gave him a tight smile before sitting in the empty chair next to him, opposite DI Saunders.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

Leo had to smirk. Peter was never one to waste time.

DI Saunders smiled politely, glancing down at the sheaf of papers in front of him. “Mr. Hart, we were contacted this morning by Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, with regards to their young son—”

“Can I interrupt?” Peter flashed his killer smile. “I believe Alexander Daniels is twenty-two years old, yes? This reference to him as their ‘young son’ is somewhat misleading.”

DI Saunders nodded. “Agreed. That was how the complaint was worded, however. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels claim Mr. Hart assaulted Alexander, and that there was physical evidence to back this up.” He sat back, waiting.

Peter said, “Fine. I assume, since you went first to the club, Collars & Cuffs, you are aware of the nature of my client’s business?” DI Saunders nodded. “So you are no doubt aware it is normal for there to be some physical evidence if the individuals concerned are involved in a D/s relationship.” Peter glanced at the DI over the rim of his glasses. “I am furthermore assuming you know what I mean by D/s relationship.”

“I do now,” DI Saunders said with a faint smile. Leo bit back a smirk—he liked this guy.

“Very well,” Peter continued crisply. “There has been no assault. Any physical evidence was arrived at as a direct result of the normal D/s relationship between my client and Alexander Daniels. Furthermore, the boy’s parents could only have gained their knowledge of this evidence from one source—Alexander’s younger brother, Robert Daniels—and this young man was fully aware of the nature of their relationship, which he obviously did
not
share with his parents.” Peter gave the detective another piercing glance over his glasses. “So perhaps the police should be speaking with the young man in question about his wasting of police time.” Peter flashed that smile again. “Should you seek further corroboration, Alexander Daniels is seated just outside. He is presently giving a statement which confirms everything I have just mentioned.” Peter sat back, removing his glasses to clean them with a cloth from his pocket. “Was there anything else?”

DI Saunders straightened the sheaf of papers. “I don’t think so.”

Peter beamed. “Excellent. Then I believe we are done here, and there will be no charges leveled against my client. Is that correct?” Another nod from the detective. “In which case, my client is now free to go.”

Peter got to his feet, and Leo hastily followed suit, trying not to smile.
God bless Peter
, he thought. To be honest, he’d heard very little once Peter had mentioned Alex was here. They were led from the room by the detective, and once through the door, Leo’s eyes alighted almost instantly on Thomas and Alex, seated on plastic chairs at a desk. Alex was in the process of signing his statement. Thomas gave Leo a reassuring smile and then indicated Alex with a wider smile and a thumbs-up. Leo grinned. His boy had performed well, as far as Thomas was concerned. Alex caught sight of him and got to his feet immediately.

Leo didn’t give a damn that he was in the middle of a police station. He pulled Alex into his arms and held him tightly. Alex’s arms encircled his waist without hesitation, and then Alex tilted his face upward, seeking Leo’s mouth. Leo gave it willingly, brushing lips with his boy, relief flooding through him. He didn’t even know why he felt such relief, he only knew he didn’t want to spend another night apart from his lover. And with that in mind, he had a proposition to put to Alex. He only hoped Alex would accept it.

“T
HAT
was delicious.” Peter sat back with a contented sigh, pushing away his empty plate.

Leo chuckled. “Buying you dinner was the least we could do. Besides, you missed your own dinner to come out to us, so it only seemed fair we feed you.”

Thomas was nodding in agreement, but Leo was watching Alex carefully. He had been very quiet since they’d left the police station. Leo was grateful Thomas had thought of getting Peter to talk to Alex.

“I just can’t believe Rob would
do
something like this.” Alex was speaking, and Leo heaved a sigh of relief.
At last.
“I mean, he knew what was really going on, and yet he worried my parents enough for them to call the police.” Alex shook his head, and Leo reached across the table to clasp his hand. Alex gave him a grateful look, but it was clear the boy was distracted and unhappy.

“I’m just glad you told me what was going on,” said Peter. “Though I have to say, the police really should go after your brother. There’s no excuse for what he did. He must have realized they’d find out it was consensual.”

Leo snorted. “The boy’s eighteen. Eighteen-year-old boys don’t think with their brains. They’re usually too focused on another part of their anatomy.” The humor seemed to sail right over Alex’s head. That settled it. Leo needed to talk to his boy. “Alex, Sev’s given you the night off. Come home with me, boy.” He shook Peter’s hand. “Thanks again, Peter.”

Peter waved his hand. “Get out of here, you two!”

Leo got to his feet, Alex’s hand firmly held in his, and led him from the table.

A
LEX
sighed. This was
exactly
what he needed.

He was lying in Leo’s arms under the softest duvet imaginable. The sheets and bedding were fresh, and there was the faintest scent of jasmine in the air. A nice touch. It was Alex’s favorite essential oil, and it never failed to lift his spirits. There had been no mention of sex, which had relieved him. All he wanted tonight was to sleep in Leo’s arms.

“Can we talk, Alex?”

Not a conversation with his Dom, then
. Alex murmured his agreement against Leo’s chest.

“You can’t stay in that house. Not now.” Leo’s tone was low and earnest. “But I do have a solution.”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you move in here?”

Alex felt as though his heart would burst with joy.
Oh hell, yeah!
Had he read Leo all wrong, after all? Maybe there
was
something there.
Should I tell Leo how I feel?
The words were on the tip of his tongue….

He got his answer a few seconds later, an answer that sent his heart plummeting.

“There’s a spare bedroom. You’ll have plenty of space. I’ll make room for your stuff in there. We can talk about food and boring details like bills another time.” There was a pause. “What do you think?”

That you sound like you’re going to be my landlord, rather than my lover
, thought Alex unhappily. He’d hoped, of course, for such a proposition one day… only this hadn’t worked out quite as he’d hoped.
At least I didn’t embarrass myself by blurting out that I’m in love with you
. It was so hard to admit a tiny part of him had been hoping Leo was in love with him. Alex angrily blinked back the tears that pricked the corners of his eyes. He was
not
some teenage girl, for fuck’s sake. At least he knew where he stood now. Leo didn’t love him. Alex would survive. He’d have to. And who was to say Leo
wouldn’t
love him in the future? If Alex accepted Leo’s offer, then at least he’d be near him on a daily basis. And if things didn’t work out, well, at least he’d be in a better place from which to start looking for somewhere more permanent.

Alex could live with that.

“That sounds like a great idea,” he said at last, keeping his voice level. There was the faintest sigh, and then Leo’s arms tightened around him.
Guess he’s happy with my response, then.

“Leave everything to me,” Leo whispered into his ear. “I’ll sort out some help to move all your stuff. When do you want to tell them?”

Oh well, no use putting it off any longer. “I’ve got tomorrow off. How about I go round and talk to them in the morning?” The thought of confronting his parents sickened him. Alex wasn’t sure he could do this alone. “Leo, would… would you come with me? Be there when I tell them?”

Leo pulled him close. “As if I’d let you go through that on your own. Silly boy.” Soft lips brushed against his forehead.

One day, I’ll tell you just how much I love you,
he thought as he drifted off to sleep, safe in the protective circle of Leo’s arms.

Twenty-Six