Page 29 of Wrestling with Daddy

Other Doms would frown at Ken right now for sharing his problems with a sub, letting him see the cracks in the armor.

Ken had never agreed with those kinds of Doms, who pretended it was possible to shield their counterparts from the fact that they were, indeed, human.

“May I give you a hug, Sir? My mother always said hugs are the number one remedy to all ailments.”

“Your mother must’ve been a very wise woman,” Ken replied before turning on his stool, arms outstretched to accept that hug.

Liam was as graceful as a swan as he straddled Ken’s lap, as if he was on a mission to have not a speck of air between them. His arms tightened around Ken’s back before he had the time to reciprocate the hold.

Ken allowed himself to inhale the boy’s scent, and he took a few deep breaths.

The embrace was bittersweet—everything he wanted from a boy, and yet not at all what his body was stubbornly yearning for.

It still helped, though, still grounded him.

It reminded him that he had more of a community than he would’ve thought, people who cared about him other than the friend who’d been there for him his whole life.

The one he didn’t really do enough for, despite all of Lee’s efforts to bring him back into the world of the living.

Ken promised himself there would be changes.

After he made it through the upcoming week with the brat Ken still refused to see as the evil he’d had no problem categorizing him as before—only a week before, for crying out loud.

CHAPTER8

nathan

His community sucked.

Between that, and the lack of new messages from Ken, Nathan felt like he was going to explode. Maybe tear his hairs out until there was nothing left.

His boss wasn’t helping, pestering about sending him the final copies for articles he’d had no interest in writing, then reminding him about his trip to South Lake Tahoe.

He hadn’t confirmed that one with Ken yet.

Nathan hoped it wouldn’t be a problem.

Besides, they’d still have to make it through that week. Nathan would see what he said depending on how that went.

It was his own fault.

Nathan glared at the metallic chair that was freezing his thighs even through his long coat and jeans.

Thinking about Monday, when Ken would supposedly be within reach, had been driving him nuts all night. He’d thought the munch held on Sundays would be a good way to keep himself distracted.

Because he clearly never learned his fucking lesson.

“So what’s wrong with you?” Parker asked. Nathan truly didn’t understand why Parker had to preside over all the events. “You look like you’ve sucked on a lemon or something.”

“I actually like lemons,” he retorted, his tone not as biting as he would’ve liked.

“But you’re doing okay?” It was Marcus who followed up.

Nathan slumped on his chair. He still didn’t appreciate the interrogation, but he’d rather face it coming from Marcus, no questions asked.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, it’s true, Luke said you two had an intense scene last week!”