Page 105 of Unfettered

He doesn’t cry, but he trembles, soulful whines escaping his throat, and hitting all the soft places in me that he’s unabashedly claimed.

I kiss his head. “I got you, Javi. It’s okay.”

“I’m all alone,” he says, just loud enough to be heard. “I… They have a family who loves them, and they’re actively choosing to throw it away because that’s easier than trying to understand. Meanwhile, I have no one. Daniel doesn’t want me now that Ely is gone. And Ely…she was the only one who loved me. She…she tried to get me to go home, but—but…”

I grab his hair tightly in my fist and pull his head back, forcing him to meet my eyes. “But, nothing. This is your home. We are your family. I’m sorry you lost her, and you’re allowed to grieve however you need to, but get this through your head, you stubborn duck, you are mine. That means you will never be alone again. My Boys and I? We are your family now. My lovers will protect you as fiercely as they’ll protect each other and the Boys. You never have to question whether you’re wanted or not, because you are mine.”

He shakes so hard that I’m worried he’s going to fall off my lap, so I hold him tight enough to leave bruises, but he doesn’t complain. If anything, that seems to help settle him. “You…can’t mean that,” he manages to get out.

I tighten my grip on his hair. “I am not a liar, Paperotto. You’re mine. To care for, to guide, to…love. You’re not alone. Not ever again.”

He whimpers. “I’ve been so lonely.”

“I know. I know. I’m sorry. From now on, you’re welcome wherever I am. I don’t care if I’m with my Boys, or my lovers, or all six of them. You’re part of me, Javi. And that means, where I go, you’re welcome to go as well.”

“You…you mean that?”

I kiss him, hard and deep, biting at his lip until I taste blood. Pulling back, I swipe at the tears that have finally fallen from his eyes.

“Yes, Piccolo.”

And I do. It’ll take a while for Javi to believe me, I think. I don’t know his story, but what I do know of him tells me he’s never had anyone except Ely before. I plan on changing that, but that can only happen with time, and showing up every time he needs me to. I’m not worried. Javi will learn eventually, and we have plenty of time for me to show him. I’m a patient Daddy.

Javi snuggles against me, giving me all his trust and weight, even as my ass goes numb from sitting on the hard floor. I don’t dare move, though. Not when he needs this more than I need to feel my lower body.

My Paperotto is worth everything, even some discomfort, and one day, he’ll believe it too.

Of all the stupid fucking bullshit I’ve ever heard, this tops the goddamn list. I pinch the bridge of my nose, disgust rolling through me. I rarely give out punishments when I’m angry, for damn good reason. But this? I can’t let it stand.

You cannot claim loyalty and love, and then turn and yank it away when someone doesn’t dance to the music you hear. And fuck if I’ll let my Boy ever make someone feel less. He’d never accept it with Cole. Just because his former Master is undergoing a process of learning who he is… Fuck. I look away from Marcus, ashamed of my Tease for the first time in our relationship, and I hate it.

I gesture for him to follow me, unable to speak until I calm down. I focus on my breathing as we head toward our suite. I’m damn glad that he knows to give me this space, because I’ve fucked up once before in our relationship when it comes to punishments, and I will not do that again.

However, that does not mean I’ll make this easy. He will fucking learn that he can’t claim love if there’s no acceptance behind it. And it’s the one thing I can give back to Sandro, for not only forgiving me, but embracing me. I may not have understood the Martelli ways, but after paying my dues, he never once disrespected me, or my relationship with Marcus.

I point to the bed, letting him sit for a moment as I start preparing for his punishment. I open the closet door and take out a blindfold. Without a word, I put it on him. Then, turning back, I head to the closet again. This time, I unlock the case where I keep some of the more interesting toys.

After the rice incident, I decided that I didn’t want to have to ask the kitchen for rice each time, not to mention dealing with cleaning up afterward. A quick online search led me to a kneeling pad that mimics the fun—for me—of the sensation. I grab both pads. Taking them to the large bathroom, I lay them down. I make sure they are far enough apart that he’ll have to stretch his body.

I then backtrack and grab the instrument he hates the most, mentally thanking Sandro for the information. I knew it would come in handy at some point. I’m still not a fan of using instruments, but fuck if it isn’t worth it at times. Placing it to the side of the doorway, where it’ll be hidden by the open door, I decide it’s time to invite Marcus to take his punishment.

Snorting softly at the thought, I head back toward him. I take the blindfold off, wanting to look in his eyes. He doesn’t hesitate to meet my gaze, although red stains his cheeks, and the shame on his face is obvious. It doesn’t matter, though. Not when he needs this lesson reinforced.

I cup his cheek gently, blowing out a breath to rid myself of the last bit of my anger. Still, my voice is steely as I say, “I am disappointed in you, Marcus.”

He flinches at the use of his name, and while I feel for him, he needs to know how seriously he messed up. His eyelids close, as if the pain is too unbearable. I kiss his forehead, trying to reassure him. Letting him soak in my love, I try to put into words how I feel.

“I need you to understand that what you did crossed a line. It was hurtful to someone you claim to care about. What if that was Cole? After the trauma he’s been through? What if his friends made him feel like shit because he wasn’t acting the way they believed he should? How would you feel?”

His sharp indrawn breath is enough, especially when he opens his eyes and I see the panic and guilt warring inside him. Shaking his head, he opens his mouth, but I stall him. I’m not interested in hearing his excuses right now.

“No. I’m not done yet. Remain silent, because you haven’t earned the right to defend yourself. The mere idea that you think you can… This is the man who saved your life. More than once. He took a bullet that was meant for you. And he stepped in to try to protect your daughter. He has done everything he could, and the moment he opened up…the moment he offered vulnerability, friendship at being on the same level as you, you all attacked.

“What did he do to deserve that? Where is that loyalty that he swears his Boys have? You ask him to be Il Padrone, but you’ve turned your back on the values he taught you. So, while I’m tempted to give him the right to punish you, I won’t force him to take up that mantle. Instead, I’ll stand for him, since he didn’t.”

Marcus’s shoulders drop and he nods, accepting what’s coming. It’s not going to be fun for him, but he’ll take it. And afterward, it’ll hopefully help him let go of the guilt. Because that, at least, Sandro and I have always been in agreement with. Once a punishment is over, that’s it. The slate is wiped clean.

I take his hand, helping him off the bed before stripping him and leading him toward the ensuite. It’s still crazy how much room there is in there. And while I’m sure we’d both feel more comfortable in our room, I need him to feel the distinction between the warmth of what we have and the coldness of the bathroom.