“I’m ready to go.”
Zack walked over to him and took him into his arms. He resisted at first, struggling and turning his head, but in the end, he allowed Zack to kiss him for a very long time. When his knees started to sag, Zack put one arm around him.“Hold out your hand, baby.”
Trembling, Gabe held it out, and Zack put his ring back on his finger. Somewhat mollified, Gabe leaned against Zack for a moment before Zack escorted him out to his car. Behind his back, Zack breathed a huge sigh of relief. Life with Gabe was certainly interesting.Since he’d won this particular little skirmish, when they got back to the lodge, he was going to push the envelope a little. He thought about the collars at home in his dresser.After all, he’d told Gabe once he’d made his decision, he couldn’t go back. In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought ruefully. It would seem Gabe still had a few more lessons to learn, and Zack knew just what he had to do to make sure Gabe learned them. He was going to have to make a quick trip down the mountain in the morning.
Chapter Five
Gabe went downstairs the next morning in a fury, barely acknowledging all the greetings from the rest of the pack.He didn’t know exactly how he felt, really. Part anger at being bossed around by Zack, part relief he wasn’t being sent away from Zack. He also had an erection refusing to go away and making it difficult to walk. The day started with Zack rousing him out of bed before the sun was fully up. He’d just spent an hour in a chair facing the wall, while Zack watched him. It was infuriating. It was maddening. Shit, it was sexy as hell. The idea of Zack making him sit there naked and watching him do it was a turn on. Probably why his dick was still so hardeven after the extra hours of sleep he’d put in after Zack left.
Damn, did he like being bossed around and controlled by his mate? A little part of him did, and he had to admit it. He appreciated the fact Zack had given him a choice of whether to stay or not. Of course he wanted to stay.He’d only been bluffing when he threatened to leave, and it made him furious and damn near ripped his heart out when Zack had called his bluff.
O nce he’d agreed, Zack’s dominant nature came out to make him toe the mark. He liked that too, though he’d never admit it to Zack. There was a real need inside him to surrender his will to someone who would care for him and protect him, but not let him get away with some of the outrageous things he was compelled to do sometimes. Maybe it was because of the traumatic experience of the attack on him. His mother was killed right in front of him and he wasn’t able to do anything to stopit. He wasn’t sure, but whatever caused it, he had a self-destruct button inside him, and he needed someone strong enough to prevent him from pushing it. Still, it was his nature to tease and be as defiant as he could get away with. It also kept Zack’s attention firmly on him, which was the real point. He craved Zack’s attention and seriously couldn’t do without acting up, to make Zack notice him.
He got some toast at the buffet table and a glass of milk and sat down to eat a late breakfast. Aware ofZack’s presence, he glanced up to see him walking toward him with determination. Excitement rippled through him, but he kept his eyes down and pretended to ignore him. Zack veered off to go to the buffet table. In a few minutes a plate plopped down in front of him.
“Not just toast. I’ve told you repeatedly. Eat these eggs too. Toast won’t last halfway through the morning.”
“Yes, sir,” Gabe snapped back. “Anything you say, sir.”
“Stop being a smartass or you’ll go back upstairs to our room and I’ll put you over my knee.” Zack sat next to him and began to calmly eat his breakfast. Gabe glanced down at his hand and a flood of relief swept over him as he saw his ring on his finger. Still he was angry he’d taken it off in the first place.
Gabe finished his meal in silence and started to get up when Zack reached for his hand.“Not yet.We need to talk about some things, and I’ll be busy the rest of the day. My beta, Jamie, and I are going up to the mine to check on operations.I won’t be back until late afternoon.”
“The mine? What mine? What exactly do you do up here anyway?You’ve never really told me.”
Zack glanced over at him.“You never asked. We own mines all over north Georgia. The most productive one is the one we’re going to today.”
“What kind of mines are they?”
Zack smiled.“Gold mines, mostly. A few sapphire mines and some ruby mines.”
“Gold mines?” Gabe said quietly.“You actually own gold mines?” He started laughing, hard enough he fell up against Zack.
Zack smiled and nodded his head. “Yep. Gold mines. It’s why I bought gold rings and you a gold collar.Sort of symbolic, you know?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“I need to talk to you about some things, like I said. If you’re finished, let’s go up to my office.”
“Your office? This must be really official.You’ve never asked me to your office before.”
Standing up and drawing out Gabe’s chair, Zack looked confused. “You don’t have to be asked to come to my office. You can go anywhere you want.You’re my mate.”
“Uh-huh.I’ll remind you of it someday when I crash one of your meetings with all your big, scary wolves.”
Zack leaned over and whispered in his ear.“You never have to be scared of anyone, baby. Anyone who messes with you messes with me. Remember that.”
A little thrill went through Gabe at the words, but he tried to look unimpressed. He allowed Zack to take his hand, but he was still angry with him.He just hadn’t decided how he’d show it yet. Agreeingto stay didn’t mean he was going to be a door mat. Oh, hell no.
He followed Zack to his office and sat down across from him, feeling a little nervous. This all seemed so official, somehow. Zack didn’t sit behind his desk. Rather he perched on the desk in front of Gabe and looked down at him.
“I have something I want to talk to you about, but I don’t want you to freak out. I’m handling the situation.”
“Okay…what is it?”
“I think the brakes on your truck were deliberately tampered with. In fact, I’m sure of it.”
“Deliberately tampered with? Who would do such a thing?”
“I was hoping you could tell me. Are there some enemies you haven’t told me about? No matter what it is, you can tell me.”
“No. I have no idea. No one I know has any clue where I am, and if theydid, they’d have no reason to harm me.”
“Someone did try. It could have been a random act, but until we know more, I want you to have a guard on you at all times. After I leave this morning, Scott will have one of his best men sent up to guard your door and go with you everywhere you go.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I’m sure you can, but I’d feel better if you had a guard.”
Gabe shrugged.“Whatever.”
“Good.”
Zack looked relieved. Gabe wondered if Zack really thoughthe’d fight him on this?
“One morething.” He pulled a black leather collar from his pocket.“I know I told you I could wait till you’re sure. As far as I’m concerned you made your decision yesterday, and you belong to me.You’ll wear this one until you earn the gold one. Put it on.”
Gabe looked up at him in fury.Actually, he’d already decided to wear the gold collar after coming so close to losing Zack in the crash. He knew he loved him to distraction, but with recent events, he couldn’t bring himself to tell him. He hated Zack ordering him to wear this ugly leather one. Until he earned the gold one? Bullshit!
“No,” he said softly, shooting a defiant look at Zack. “If I wear one, it’ll be the gold one.”
“I thought we established the fact that you don’t make the rules, baby.” He tossed the black collar onto his lap. “Put it on.”
“I said no.” Gabe tossed the collar back at Zack.
Zack stood up with a stern expression on his face, giving Gabe warning. He was in big trouble. Still, Gabe folded his arms and stuck out his lips in a pout.
In one swift move, Zack picked him up in his arms and carried him to the adjoining bedroom. He literally kicked the door open and threw Gabe onto the bed. Not giving him a chance to recover, Zack bent over him and ripped his shirt over his head and tugged down his pants, while ignoring the blows being rained on his head and shoulders by his furious mate. He straightened and began to take off his own clothes, stopping only one time when Gabe scooted toward the edge of the bed.
Zack pointed a finger at him and growled.“Don’t you move!”
Gabe sank back down and considered his options.There didn’t seem to be many. He knew he was about to get fucked into the mattress, and the idea excited him. Hecouldn’t wait to see what other interesting things Zack might have in mind for him.
“Lie down on your back—knees up.”
Gabe lay down and pulled them up, expecting the lube to come next. Instead, Zack went to the closet and pulled something down from the top shelf. He came over to the bed with something in his hand, a rigid steel bar, with a long chain hanging from the middle and double cuffs on either end. A sex toy!Gabe’s excitement grew exponentially as his cock hardened. He couldn’t hide his cock, but he could hide the big grin he felt coming on.
“What-what areyou going to do?” Even to him, his voice sounded quivery and scared.
“Sit up and don’t you dare fight me. I’ve had enough out of you. Take hold of your ankles.”
Gabe sat up, giving token resistance, pulling back slightly with each hand and foot while Zack opened the twocuffs on one end and put Gabe’s left ankle in one and his left wrist in the other. He pulled back a little harder, anxiety building when his other wrist and ankle got the same treatment. He was going to get fucked, he knew, but Zack had never pulled out any sex toy before, making Gabe even more interested in what else was going to happen. His legs were held wide apart so no amount of struggling would close them. With his hands cuffed helplessly beside his ankles, he was basically hog tied.
