Page 62 of Bully for Sale

Earl scooped up the pasta and dumped it into the garbage can. “Your behavior with them was unimpressive, so I understand his point of view.”

“I do too. It’s just that it’s been hard to get him totrywith me. Even during the heat. He either refuses to talk to me, or he wants to fuck, or he doesn’t want to fuck, but then he throws our food on the floor, and he fucks me anyway.” Ned waved at the mess.

Earl started to scrub at the stain on the wall, remaining quiet, listening. Like how Ned wished Ezer would listen.

“Just now, I wanted to have dinner and talk, butthat’swhat happened instead. So, I fucked him until he passed out, and now I don’t know what else to do.” Ned’s shoulders drooped.

“He should be calmer now then,” Earl said, as if he could personally vouch for the effect Ned’s semen should have on Ezer. “Things will be better now.”

“He’s a fighter. I think he’s trying to fight how all this works. He wants to be angry.”

“It gives him power.”

Ned thought about how Ezer had seemed to enjoy denying him, the way his lips would twist up smugly after making Ned shake with need and then saying no. “Maybe so. What’s the solution?”

Earl came to sit by Ned and patted his knee. “Patience. Time. You can’t rush this, Ned. Let him get there on his own.”

“There’s no way to skip to the happy ending?”

“No, darling. There’s just real life.” Earl stood and went back to clearing up the mess.

Ned’s mind continued to turn over the way Ezer had behaved on the sofa earlier, challenging him, trying to provoke him to violence, and then taking what he’d needed without any thought to Ned’s preferences. But, in the end, he’d required Ned’s pleasure, too. He hadn’t been able to come or ejaculate until he’d felt Ned’s rough reciprocation.

Ned continued to think, and Earl finished cleaning up their mess.

“Let’s solve a smaller problem first,” Earl said. “Should I bring a new dinner, sir? I can bring something down from upstairs.”

Ned nodded. He was tired, hungry, and needed to develop a plan before his omega woke up in who-knew-what state of mind.

He had to be ready for anything.

So that meant he needed sustenance.

“Bring whatever you have. I’ll eat it.”

Earl disappeared to do as he’d been told.

When Ezer did come out of the dark back room, Ned was ready for him. He’d eaten enough for two men, so he’d better be.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Is there anyfood left?” Ezer asked, twisting his hands together in front of him, and keeping his eyes on the floor.

He’d woken feeling calm, rested, and embarrassed by the way he’d behaved earlier.

Top to bottom it was all mortifying: pitching a fit, throwing the plates, and then fucking Ned. Hell, needing Ned was humiliating enough. It was even worse to fail in every attempt to control himself.

“Of course,” Ned said, standing in his fluffy white robe. “Why don’t you get comfortable here, and I’ll bring you something.”

Ezer did as he was told without fighting for once. Not because he didn’t want to, but because the shame of earlier was still so fresh. He waited on the sofa for Ned to return with food with his stomach growling and his heart aching. The view from the windows was a beautiful one, all gray, blue, and brown with the cliff, sea, and sky mixing in a gorgeous color palette. He took it in quietly.

The air of the nest was scented. He didn’t know why he’d just realized that, but it was. He breathed in and out slowly trying to place it. Ah, yes. Lavender. It was supposed to have a calming effect. He remembered now how his da used to spray it over his pillow at bedtime to improve his rest.

This scent was yet another attempt to modify him, to control his emotions. Ezer hated it.

“Here you go.” Ned’s voice pulled Ezer from his reverie, and he turned to accept the plate held out toward him. It was piled high with a cheesy casserole, and his mouth salivated.

“This isn’t what we had earlier.”