Caged Sanctuary (4 page)

Decision made, Kade shifted and turned until he was on his side, punched and flipped his pillow over, and closed his eyes. He focused his mind and his breathing, working to relax and turn off his racing thoughts and hopes. The last thought he managed centered on the goodie bag he still had hidden in the back of his closet. He hoped he would have need of it again.

K
ADE
WOKE
to bright sunlight streaking across his room and bed. He shifted to his back, closed his eyes, and stretched as best he could, arching as he reached above his head as far as possible. Eyes open again, he noted the time. The alarm wasn’t set, not for a Sunday, but still, he was surprised to see it was only eight.

He thought back to the previous night. Well, specifically to the part where he and Deacon had spoken outside by his car. Kade still couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea someone as handsome, powerful, and obviously determined as Deacon seemed would want to take on a broken sub, but he’d be thankful for whatever insanity afflicted Deacon, if only for a short time. Part of him hoped that somehow this new relationship would work.

Rolling over onto his side, Kade focused on how Deacon had taken his hands into his strong one. The way he’d squatted down to be at his level to converse, not just towering over him. Honestly, he’d liked that part to a point, as he’d needed the reassurance right then. He could admit that, not that he wanted to, but he’d needed to know Deacon cared enough not to just want him for sex, but would take care of him too.

That was the part he most needed to be true. That Deacon would really want
him
. That he’d be willing to work around Kade’s limitations. His thoughts snagged on the concept of limits. Deacon had said they would discuss limits. He hadn’t had many back when he was clubbing, so he’d not thought of them in a couple of years. Turning his focus to what might be expected or wanted, his mind raced with the possibilities.

Once upon a time, he had loved everything from binding and spankings to the cane and extended denial. Kade doubted even a Dom willing to work with his issues would be willing to do much along those lines. When he’d been going through rehab and the surgeries, Kade had truly wished his love of erotic pain had helped him, but there had been nothing sexy or manageable about what he’d gone through.

Instead of descending into the past too much, Kade sat up, then carefully got out of bed and focused on his hopes and wants for Friday.

A
FTER
WORKING
all day in the office Monday, Kade was disappointed that Deacon hadn’t called or texted. He’d probably changed his mind already, though Kade had hoped this time would be different.

Shortly after Kade made it home Monday night, his cell rang. He set his takeout on the counter in his kitchen and fished out his phone. The caller ID said Deacon (Sir), speeding his heart rate considerably. After fumbling it once, he managed to answer the call. “Hello?”

“Hello, Kade. How are you this evening?” Deacon’s rich voice washed over Kade, raising goose bumps along his arms and sending a shiver down his spine.

“I’m fine, Sir. I just got home. How was your day?” It sounded lame to his ears, but he didn’t know what to ask. He didn’t know the man well, so he wasn’t too sure what to do. Well, that and it had been so long since he’d had anyone interested in him, he didn’t remember how to do this part anymore.

“Long,” Deacon replied, humor in his voice. “You have very protective friends, by the way.”

“Uh, I do?” The only friends Deacon knew were Katie and Dane, and they’d been the ones who set them up, so….

“Mmm, you do. Dane stopped by my office today at lunch to politely tell me he doesn’t care if I am his boss; I am not allowed to hurt you or use you in any way. I wanted to ask if that included the use of floggers, ropes, cuffs, spankings….”

A moan slipped through Kade’s lips before he thought to control his reaction.
Ropes? Floggers?

“Oh, that’s a nice sound. You like the idea of me using those on you?” While the words were a question, the tone was a demand, one that shot straight to his groin, making him deliciously hard.

“Please?” Kade thought about how he’d been bound previously, but again his lack of usable legs crossed his mind. “Can, can you do that with me like I am?” he asked, afraid yet hopeful at the same time.

“Can and will, once we know each other a little more. I have such lovely plans for you, Kade. I’m pleased you crave what I want to give.”

The matter-of-fact way Deacon spoke made Kade wonder what he had planned for Friday, but he worried about pushing for too many details, not wishing to displease Deacon or seem too needy prior to working out the rules.

“Will we be playing Friday?”
Please say yes!

“We will have dinner together and talk about your limits, my expectations, and what we both want from our time together. What we do and where we go from there will be mutually decided upon then. But for now I will expect you to be ready for me at all times, whether we actually do a scene or not.”

Kade nodded, forgetting about Deacon not being able to see him. His mind was too busy racing ahead to Friday night to focus that much.

“Do you understand, Kade?” Deacon’s tone sharpened slightly. He didn’t sound angry, just firm.

“Sorry, Sir. Yes, I understand and will prepare before I come over on Friday.”

“Good boy.” For the next few minutes, they chatted, spending time with each other via phone. It wasn’t crucial, but made Kade feel important to his
—
hopefully
—
new Dom, a sensation he’d never thought to feel again. By the time he hung up, Kade was so excited about Friday, he could barely eat the food he’d bought for dinner that night.

B
Y
T
HURSDAY
afternoon, Kade was a nervous wreck about the planned date the next night. He was in his office enjoying lunch when his computer chimed, alerting him he had a new e-mail. He set down his sandwich and wiped his fingers, then clicked to open the message. After reading it over twice, he closed his eyes, a small sigh slipping out. Basic “get to know you” questions were fine. Asking about soft and hard limits, no problem. However, asking if Kade already had a chastity device or if Deacon needed to send him one? Yeah, that was going to kill him.

After a moment, he calmed and gathered his wits. It took him three times before he was happy with his wording for the reply, but he finally managed to compose it and hit send. He’d hoped and dreamed that was something Deacon would want of him, but to see it in black and white that the Dom—his Dom?—wanted the same thing, made his head swim and his body throb with need.

Five minutes later, he had Deacon’s response and instructions. “Bring it with me to dinner?” Kade mumbled, rereading the screen. “Oh God, I hope that means what I think it does.”

His door opened, and Katie poked her head in. “You have a—” She stopped abruptly, her head tilting to the right slightly as she stared at him.

“What?”

“Why are you so red?” she asked. Katie stepped the rest of the way inside, then closed the door. “What are you doing in here?”

“Nothing,” Kade snapped, then closed his e-mail program quickly. He’d never revealed his lifestyle to Katie. She knew he was gay, but he’d never told her about the rest of his preferences and desires. He wasn’t about to do so before knowing if things worked out with Deacon.

“Mmhmm. Porn or chatting with the cutie from dinner the other night?”

“The latter, if you must know.” He knew he was smiling, a near constant event since the other night, but didn’t care. Their e-mails and texts made him happy. The call the previous night had had him so hard, it took him forever to fall asleep.

“Yay! Well, then, this should make you even happier. You need to come up front to sign for something,” she said cryptically before opening the door again.

“I’m not expecting anything,” Kade mumbled, but followed her out of his office and down the hall. He paused a couple of times to allow patients or one of the hygienists to pass him, but eventually made it to the reception area. The man standing by the front desk held a long thin white box wrapped with a jade green ribbon.

“Can I help you?”

“Delivery for a Kade Thorn,” the bored-looking man said, holding out the box.

“That’s me.”

After signing for the box, Kade set it in his lap, intending to return to his office before opening it. Sunny, the receptionist, and Katie had other ideas. “So… open it already and see who it’s from,” Sunny insisted, her eyes wide. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised, after all, he’d never gotten a personal delivery at the office before, but as he had no idea what he might find within, he wasn’t certain opening it with others there was the best idea.

“Not here. It’s personal.” Kade looked around, noting a few patients staring, and knew he was blushing again. Swallowing hard, he glanced at the box in his lap then spun himself around and sped down the hall. He wanted to know what was in the box, almost as much as he didn’t want to be watched opening it. Behind him, Katie and Sunny giggled, promising to hunt him down if he didn’t spill soon.

Trying hard to ignore them both, Kade reentered his office, pausing to lock the door this time. Once back at his desk, he set the long box down, then pulled the ribbon off carefully, not wanting to damage it. He slowly slid the lid off, more nervous than he thought he ought to be. There was a cream-colored card tucked into the white tissue paper covering the contents.

Kade picked up the card and opened it.

Kade,

I saw this rose and thought of you. I hope you like the material. I simply love leather. Don’t you?

Deacon

He stared at the card, throat tight as he thought about how sweet Deacon was being already. No one sent him gifts. Ever.

Excited, Kade quickly set the card aside, then opened the tissue, revealing a beautiful, long-stemmed, emerald green leather rose with delicate black lace between the petals. Staring at the rose for a moment, he idly noted that even the stem and leaves were made of soft leather. He’d never seen anything like it and could hardly believe it was for him. They hadn’t even had their first real dinner together yet and already he felt more cherished than he ever had before. He wasn’t sure whether he should be happy that Deacon was so attentive or depressed that no one else had ever done anything like this.

After staring at and carefully stroking the soft petals for a few more moments, Kade reverently set it back into the satin lining the box. He then woke up the computer and quickly sent a thank you e-mail to Deacon, wishing it were Friday evening already.

K
ADE
MADE
it home the next evening already a nervous wreck. He hadn’t been able to eat anything at lunch, and it had taken him three tries to unlock the car door at the end of the day. After maneuvering himself into his home, Kade set his bag down on the couch, and forced himself to take a deep breath, knowing he needed to hurry but also focus enough to get ready and arrive on time.

After another moment, Kade hurried into his bedroom. He stripped out of his clothes but before he rolled into his bathroom to shower and shave, he looked over what he’d laid out to wear for his dinner date. Happy with his choices, he went to clean up and get ready.

Kade took the time to carefully shave his groin smooth and clean himself inside and out. He kept his touch efficient as he worked to groom himself to meet Deacon’s instructed requirements. This close to seeing Deacon again, he was determined to do everything he could to please his new Dom.

Once clean and dry, Kade looked himself over in his full-length mirror, disappointed he couldn’t do anything about the series of scars on his thin legs from the surgeries he’d gone through after he’d been shoved into traffic that horrible night. He had a long one down the underside of his left arm as well, but it never bothered him as much as the ones on his legs.

He flashed back to the attack outside one of his favorite clubs at the time. He’d had a great night and was heading to his car when four men jumped him. The kicking and beating with a bat had been bad enough, but when he’d managed to escape the gang hell-bent on killing him—they’d screamed that’s what they were going to do, along with many and varied slurs about his orientation and “perversions”—his relief that he’d escaped was short-lived. He had made it as far as the curb before one of the men caught up to him and shoved him out into traffic. Kade hadn’t been able to move fast enough to avoid the car, the broken bones, or the spinal trauma. All he remembered after that, and for weeks, was pain, blinding light, then darkness.

Panting hard, clutching the arms of his chair, Kade forced his mind back to
now
. He wasn’t in the past still and had no interest in dragging that pain into his new relationship. Working quickly, Kade dressed in the dark gray slacks and hunter green silk button-down shirt laid out on the bed, then slipped on his sock and shoes.