Page 34 of Reforging Onyx

But it had been enough to keep Dominic’s fingers out of his ass. If he had to initiate sex to keep that from happening, would he continue to do it?

He didn’t know.

He stared at himself in the mirror, hating what he saw.

When he got back into the bedroom, he returned to bed, pulling the blankets up over his waist to hide his bottom half from view.

“What was it about last night that upset you?” Dominic asked, barely waiting for Onyx to settle before speaking.

Onyx couldn’t say the question surprised him; it didn’t. But he didn’t want to talk about it.

He didn’t think Dominic was going to accept that as an answer, though.

“Everything,” he muttered.

Dominic hummed. “What specifically? Why?”

Dominic and his fucking questions.

Onyx glowered at him. He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to even think about it. But the Bancroft witch was going to fucking make him, wasn’t he?

“I didn’t…” He gritted his teeth, hating how he’d reacted so strongly to the blond witch and his pet. “I didn’t like seeing him here. And his pet was pathetic. I don’t want anything to do with them.”

Dominic hummed again. “I underestimated the impact his presence would have on you. Another miscalculation.” He sighed. “I’m sorry for that.”

Onyx huffed. A miscalculation. Yeah, it seemed Dominic had made a lot of those, if he was to be trusted that he actually felt that way. He’d done a lot of things with Onyx that he claimed to regret now, that he’d miscalculated over, and that didn’t make things any better or easier.

“I had thought to offer the opportunity for increased social activity, but it seems that idea was not well-received.” Even though it wasn’t quite a question, Dominic arched an eyebrow at Onyx, inviting a response.

“I have Shane,” Onyx retorted stubbornly. “I don’t need to be around people who just want to gossip until their masters call them to suck their cocks under the table.”

Dominic frowned slightly. “Was something inappropriate said? Tell me.”

Onyx’s brow furrowed. “No? They were just…”

Everything I don’t want to become.

“They were boring and stupid and pathetic, that’s all,” he said dismissively.

“I see,” Dominic said. “Well, I won’t attempt that again, then.”

Onyx didn’t think Dominic saw at all. But the important thing was that he wouldn’t do it again, and Onyx nodded. He didn’t want to be around them. He didn’t want to look in the mirrors of their eyes and see what Dominic wanted him to become.

At least, what he was pretty sure Dominic wanted him to become.

“No matter what happens, or how I act, I’m never going to go uncollared,” Onyx mumbled after a moment. He touched his throat, where the unbreakable collar sat against his skin to neutralize his magic. “Why does he get to go without a collar?”

“Because he is not dangerous,” Dominic replied simply. “Tristan doesn’t wear a collar because Nathan doesn’t have any concerns about him trying to escape, or harming anyone, or doing damage. The only way that you would be able to go uncollared is if I had utter certainty that you would not and could not be a risk, and that, my tiger, would leave you so broken that you could not think to act against me. That is not what I want for you. I value the brightness in your eyes far too much to bestow that future on you.”

Of course Tristan wasn’t dangerous. Of course he was that pathetic.

But Onyx frowned at Dominic, not sure he was following. “But you wanted me to do what they were doing. You wanted me to be like they were.”

Didn’t he?

Dominic chuckled. “Is that what you thought, my tiger? No, you will never be as they are, and I do not wish you to be so. By necessity, your existence is fairly restricted, and there are few ways in which I might be able to offer alternative social opportunities. I had thought they might be an option for you to make acquaintances. Not more than that.”

If he was to be honest with himself — which was not something he was very good at — Onyx would have to admit that he was lonely. He’d been used to being around people all the time at the rebel camp, and he’d gone from that to almost complete isolation in Dominic’s home. He had nothing in common with the silent servants and slaves who came in and out, and the only person he could rely on was…