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Chapter 4

Ben almost told his husband not to shock Colby Kent with discussions of wrist cuffs and symbolic jewelry and kink. He didn't, because he was good at reading people, and he was damn sure that Colby Kent, Hollywood's sweetheart, would get on both knees and hold out those famous wrists for restraints—for Jason Mirelli's restraints, specifically—with unhesitating eager delight.

Apparently Colby had layers. Lock-picking. Loneliness, as a child, in a way that'd left invisible marks. Deciding on the spot to help with a break-in. Keeping that secret for decades. And keeping a secret about being thoroughly, sweetly, submissive, too. Colby had definitely guessed about the bracelets. Ben knew.

Colby did a little lip-lick. In answer to Simon's question, murmured, "I might like some, yes…"

"Would you," Jason Mirelli said. Jason in person could've doubled for a small mountain, and gazed at Colby like a knight with a holy mission, a charge to protect at all costs. Ben could probably have won a fight, but it'd be closer than he'd like. Jason was bigger, younger, and a martial artist. Ben had experience, some very dirty.

Colby said, "Well, we've already got the leather—" and then visibly heard his own words, and stopped, lips parted. And then outright shrugged, and kept going. "Well, we do. I like being Jason's. I don't have much that we could wear in public like this, though."

Simon's whole face had lit up. "Colby. Colby. Hang on, you and I need to have a talk."

"Er…" Colby's cheeks went pink, but only a bit. "Do we?"

"Yes. Tell me everything. How long has this been a thing? Do you have favorite clubs? Shops? Because there's this fantastic place in Los Angeles that does custom leatherwork, you must've been at least once, do you like—" Simon cut himself off. Reached out, corrected the motion into a small wave. "Sorry, that was a lot. Not my business."

"No, I…" Colby glanced at Jason. Got a nod, plus a rumble of, "Right here, babe, me and all your water-dragons," in that casual Southern California accent, and a touch of Jason's hand: a brush across the nape of Colby's neck, swift and eloquent.

Colby admitted, "I know which shop you mean, and we've ordered some things, but I've never been in person…I might like to, sometime…you might know more about this than I do. Actually, can I ask you a question or two?"

Jason's, "Question?" collided with Simon's half-shout of gleeful, "Yes!"

"It's research," Colby explained to his other half. "Er…for that particular scenario…about actual clubs, the detail…"

"Come here," Simon said, and plucked two champagne flutes from a passing tray, and waved Colby further into the alcove, near tall leather-bound books. "Come ask me everything. You two—" That meant Ben, and also Jason. "—chat about Dom things for a moment, and I promise we'll come right back, and we'll stay right here."

No one else had been in earshot for Simon's offhanded Dominant reference, but Ben was going to spank him for it anyway. Later. Maybe with a paddle, this time. And some other toys in play, for intensity.

"Colby," Jason said.

"Two minutes," Colby said, "I—I want to, I think. I love you." Jason nodded.

"Two minutes, darlings," Simon said, "the submissives are talking, entertain yourselves," and swept Colby into a very intense discussion in the corner, with champagne-flute gestures.

That was two comments. Ben added a few tally marks to the count in his head. Not too many. Simon was so happy. Happy to be forgiven; happy to have maybe found a friend, at last.

He looked at Jason. Jason was staring at their other halves with the expression of a boulder longing to be a shield.

Ben said, "So in John Kill 3, with that rooftop chase scene…"

Jason groaned. Hand over his face. "You're an actual spy. Please don't."

"No, it was great, because I recognized that roof—where you filmed, I mean. Had a meeting with someone up there, once."

Jason dropped the hand. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. I mean, just a meeting, information, no big Hollywood stunts. Still fun, though, seeing it up there."

"I feel like I should apologize," Jason sighed. "For me, and the whole franchise, and that car chase in Moscow, which I'm guessing you never would've done…"

"Oh, hell no. But movies are movies. Entertainment. Not the same thing."

Over in the book-corner, Colby said something too low to hear; Simon protested, laughing, "No, it truly does fit, I swear, we've tried—"

Jason said, "Tried what, exactly?"

"Um. Probably a lot."

"I feel like I should know what he's worried about fitting where."

"He'll tell you."

Jason did a little head-tip, maybe surprised by assertion. Ben explained, "He loves you, and he's yours, and your job is to take care of him." Not as obvious as Simon's phrasing, in case of any passersby; Jason nodded, getting it. Ben added, "So he'll tell you, because you need to know if there's something he wants, so you can give him what he needs."

"You sound so sure about it." Not exactly forlorn, but hopeful, instead; Jason's eyes were the deep rich brown of freshly tilled earth, wanting to offer nourishment.

Ben put a hand on his shoulder, an impulse. "I've got some experience. And I can see the way he looks at you."

"Thanks," Jason said. "That…helps, honestly. And I can see it with yours, too. The way he loves you." They both watched the bent heads, gold and dark, for a second; Colby, taller, was leaning down. Simon seemed to be showing him something on a phone.

"Oh, no," Ben said, "as long as he's not looking at the actual monster dildoes again, I just can't, I'm not saying he can't buy one for himself but I'd never be able to take a yeti or alien or sparkling vampire dildo seriously…"

"They make what," Jason said, looking simultaneously horrified and intrigued.

Ben sighed. "I'm sure you're going to find out."

"And I thought I knew some things." Jason pulled out his own phone. "Hey, so, if it's not weird…can I maybe…I don't know, can I ask you a couple things, too? Not now, I mean, like, email or something."

Jason was, after all, younger, despite the muscles and the Hollywood presence; Ben, who'd never been someone's older brother, said, "Sure," and they traded numbers, and emails. "Anything in particular?"

"Not exactly. Not yet. I just want to…" Jason sighed. "I want to be sure I'm good at this. For him. What he needs. I did some stuff, before him, but not as…much. And he's…I need to get it right."

"Someone hurt him," Ben said, "before you. And not just his parents."

Jason's eyes got more bleak, though not entirely so, not with the depth of love lighting up his face. "Someone…yeah. More than one, honestly, he never really…" He stopped, shook his head. "It's not my story. I'll ask him what he wants me to share. But it wasn't…good. Especially about consent. Really especially his last ex, before me."

"Well," Ben said after a second, "I've got a lot of weapons and a lot of old contacts, so, y'know, anything you need." Colby was making Simon laugh. And someone who could make Simon laugh, someone who looked at Simon and saw how brave he was and said so out loud, was someone Ben would protect.

Jason grinned, and saluted him with the phone. "Good to know."

Colby and Simon came back over, trailing merriment and empty champagne flutes. Colby was saying, "—but that dragon-inspired one…" and giggling; Simon said, "You should definitely get it, if you want it; you know I'm always going to encourage all the disreputable, kinky, and pleasurable things you want to do, darling," and Colby blushed but laughed more, tucking himself back into Jason's arm.

Jason said, "Dragon?"

Ben said, hand finding Simon's wrist, a squeeze, a promise for later, "Having fun?"

"Oh yes." Simon's eyes danced. "Also we're having dinner. Tomorrow. At Colby and Jason's."

Jason looked at Colby, a whole devoted legion's worth of alertness in his face.

"Are we," Ben said, entertained. His life now had Colby Kent and Jason Mirelli in it. Him, a retired spy. Hanging out with movie stars. Giving Jason advice, apparently. Which was definitely not going unnoticed, being unremarkable, blending in.

Maybe he didn't mind. Maybe he liked this: seeing Simon happy, and getting to know Colby and Jason, and being seen in turn.

"We are," Colby said to them all, "and yes, it'll be fun. I'm so glad we're here, and you're here. I truly am."

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