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Even María was here. She was acting as DM and had already told me a dozen times she was not afraid to go down against Tony. The visual was kind of funny.

She winked when she caught me looking her way.

It was oddly soothing.

“You have a question, boy?”

Right.

Ev had been raising his hand. I crossed my fingers he wasn’t about to throw me under the bus. He was a shy guy, but I admitted I got under his skin a few times too many. If it were me, I’d totally be aiming for revenge.

“Isn’t it unsafe to have your first scene with someone like this?” Ev nearly stammered but managed to get the whole sentence out. A weird sense of pride filled my chest. “I mean, there’s more pressure on Jaime to not make you look bad, isn’t there?”

I frowned.

Tony glanced my way before he addressed Ev again. I breathed out. For a second, I thought he was going to ask that I answer.

“Itisriskier, and it wouldn’t be a risk I’d take with a quieter, more service-oriented sub. However, not having spanked Jaime before doesn’t mean I haven’t played or interacted with them. One thing they don’t care the slightest about is how they make me look.” I snorted. It was accurate. “So, it is not a concern in this particular case, but good eye, boy.”

Ev blushed and shrank back. I’d talk with him later. It had been a good question, and I loved that he was getting bolder. A few months back, he’d had a bit of a bad scene. Tony had been DM that night, actually, and helped with the aftermath. I’d been worried it would set Ev back to the meek thing he’d been when we’d first met him.

Right now, I was too caught up in Tony’s presence on the stage. I didn’t miss how he’d started mixing in his pronouns for me more often. There had been an itch under my skin, but I hadn’t been able to put words to it until I’d heard him address me with they/them pronouns today. It lifted a weight that had begun settling on my shoulders.

“Any other questions before we start?”

No one made a sound. I noticed the way Tony’s eyes lingered on Sergio.

I’d made Sergio promise yesterday that he wouldn’t get in the way, no matter what. Apparently, he and Tony had already agreed he could only intervene if it was cleared by Abel, but it was never a bad idea to reinforce shit with him.

“Good.” Oddly enough, Tony hadn’t sounded like he’d be annoyed if there had been more questions. I’d pictured him being grumpier on stage. Must be the professor in him. “Sit down, pup.”

Right.

Enough with the distractions.

Tony was pointing at the couch we’d moved up on stage. I perched on the arm, my eyes on him. As expected, he rolled hiseyes. I caught the corner of his lip tilting up before he crowded me, though.

He tugged the hair at the back of my head, standing close enough to have me question my balance on the piece of furniture. “Is this how it’s gonna go, pup?”

My heartbeat started thumping rapidly against my rib cage, but I smirked as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. As if I could fool him. “I’m sitting down,Sir.”

Tony moved his hand from the back of my head to cup my cheek. I frowned. I would’ve expected another tug. Instead, I got the softest tap on the cheek before he sat down on the other side of the couch.

Why did I get shit for perching on the arm of the couch, but he didn’t for manspreading?

Asking for a friend.

“So, you know I don’t like beating around the bush.” Despite the stage, and the audience, Tony kept his eyes on me at all times. He moved his hands to the back of his head. He was wearing the same stupid leather gear from the other day. It did even more stupid things to enhance the muscles in his arms. I huffed out of principle. “Tell me about your experience with impact.”

Of course.

“I’ve been spanked before.” I wrapped my arms around my middle. I was too used to wearing puppy gear when I was at the club. This was a level of exposure I hadn’t expected. “It was light, though.”

Tony grinned. He seemed unperturbed by everything. It was annoying—the fact that this was his turf. “Define light.”

Was this really necessary?

Well, yeah, it was, but it still bothered me.