(Joshua's POV - Wed. 9 October 2013)

My erection is finally going down after nearly half an hour under the cold shower. It would be about time! Last night's dreams have been filled with what I would love to do with Liam and waking up with morning wood was no surprise. I can't remember what these dreams were about exactly, but I know it was much pleasurable. I spent most of yesterday evening checking my phone, hoping he might maybe call me, at the same time as I was working and eating Liz's delicious sauté of veal with rice. However, when I eventually went to sleep well past midnight, he hadn't called. I wonder if he made the research I asked him to do and what he thinks about what he found out. I think it was a pretty good idea to give him a brief introduction yesterday evening and to let him search on his own for more details. All the websites I advised him represent BDSM exactly as I personally view it.

There are so many different practices of the lifestyle and so many degrees that I didn't want him to look at things that I don't do or believe in, especially as far as sex is concerned. For me, the most important part is the trustful relationship between the Dominant and his Submissive; the respect between both parties. I love to exert my power, my dominance and my authority on my Submissives - and on people in general. Sex is also extremely important and an integral part of the relationship and I am obviously as addicted to sex as my co-Dominants of friends are. I also have a certain perverted mind, but I am not extremely fond of the most torturous instruments like the whips and canes or other instruments that Cam and even Aaron use at times.

Once I have wiped myself dry, I hurry to my walk-in closet to get dressed and select my favorite gray button-down shirt with the platinum cufflinks, a dark gray striped tie and a charcoal gray suit. I curse my libido and its damn erection for making me later than usual, meaning that there will be more traffic... meaning that it will take us more time to reach the office... meaning I won't be in before Liam. I can't really blame my libido for manifesting though; I can hardly believe that I have gone without sex at all since August. This has never happened to me before, but I really wanted to preserve myself for Liam and anyway, since I have met him, I haven't found any interest in any other guy.

Tony's mood is much lighter than earlier this week. I noticed his smug look in the rear-view mirror yesterday evening as we drove Liam back. Being a personal bodyguard / driver and security manager, Tony is used to bearing a blank expression on his face and ever since he accepted to work for me, he has never allowed himself to judge my habits or the people accompanying me at the back of the car; well maybe except for Devin. Like Liz, I think he particularly loathed him. But I believe he rather appreciates Liam; not that I really care about what he thinks, but it somehow pleases me that he seems to have some affection for the young man. It comforts me in my belief that Liam will be different from all the other Subs I had in the past.

It is just before 9:00 am when we reach the Pierce Building since as I thought, traffic was awful. I spent the whole time looking at my phone, wondering when Liam would finally call to ask where I was. But he never did, which upsets me a little after what I told him three weeks ago on that day I was stuck in traffic and had to walk to the office. When I reach the 21st floor, I am not as surprised by Allan's presence - since we have a meeting at 9 - as by Liam's absence.

"Hi Josh, how are you?" Allan asks as I unlock my office door.

"Hey, I'm good, and you?"

"All good. Was there a lot of traffic this morning?"

"Yeah, I left home later than usual, and with the rain, it doesn't help... Sorry I got you waiting."

"No worries, I just arrived. Is Liam off today?"

"Not that I know... Haven't you seen him?"

"I only arrived here two minutes ago, but his laptop and coat are not here, so I guess he hasn't arrived..."

That worries me a little. Liam is always early in the office and, checking my phone again, I don't see any message from him warning me that he'll be late or anything. I quickly send him a text to ask him where he is and both Allan and I go to settle in the meeting-room since more people are going to join us throughout the day to prepare Cole and his lawyers' visit tomorrow. Allan sets to prepare some coffee while I log into my laptop. Liam is offline on Lync but I see that he was connected only 15 minutes ago, which is weird. I suddenly hear the phone ringing in my office, so I pick up the phone on the meeting-room table and take the line.

"Pierce," I announce when I see that this is Elena calling.

"Good morning Mr. Pierce, I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted to inform you that Mr. Reed called this morning and said he was sick; he won't be able to be in the office today, Sir."

"What's wrong with him?" I ask, a bit more harshly than I wanted to. Other than the fact that I really needed him to work on a presentation for tomorrow's meetings, I am a bit worried. He was fine yesterday evening.

"I'm sorry Sir, he didn't tell me... his voice was hoarse but..."

"Okay, thanks for letting me know."

I do not wait for her answer and hang up with a sigh; I know that I can be a little of an asshole at times, especially when I am upset. I wonder why Liam would have called HR to call in sick rather than calling me directly. I just hope that his absence is not related to the searches he made on the internet yesterday evening. I was hoping that he did make this research, went to sleep too late and forgot to wake up this morning, but this is obviously not the case. I try to call him on his cell phone and it rings and rings, until it reaches his voice mail but I don't leave any message since I already texted him.

"A problem...?" Allan asks as he brings two cups of coffee on the table. I realize that I have been frowning.

"No, not really; Liam has just called in sick and I had asked him to prepare a presentation for tomorrow," I explain as a pretext for my probably upset expression.

"I can ask my assistant to do it, if you need," Allan offers.

"No, don't worry. It's a short one and I can do it tonight."

Allan and I spend the first hour reviewing what we have, until we are joined by Megan and my lawyers. Before we go out for a quick lunch outside in a nearby restaurant, I try Liam's phone again, three times in a row, and it always rings until I reach the voice mail. We then get back to the office and spend a large part of the afternoon working on the agreement with Derek as well as Connie from HR since the contract includes taking over part of the personnel in New York. This is where Cole and I disagree as a matter of fact. Having looked at his designers and architects' profiles, there are only a few of them that I want to keep and have move to Chicago. There are other points of disagreement as well, but my lawyers will sort this out. By 3:30 pm, we are done with the preparations and everybody gets ready to leave the meeting-room.

"Oh Connie, have you looked at the compliance manager CV I sent you?" Derek asks as they all stand up.

"Yes, I have. It looks pretty good. I'll probably ask him to attend an interview next week," Connie says, arousing my curiosity.

"What is this about?" I ask.

"None of the people we have interviewed to replace Denzel fit for the job," Connie regretfully explains. "Derek sent me one of his friends' CV and... the person might suit..." Cooptation is not something I usually approve, but I sometimes make exceptions if the person is really suitable. However, for high-level positions, I am slightly more reticent. I did hire a friend of mine in the person of Allan, and it was my responsibility to make sure that he wouldn't fuck up, but Allan being Allan, I had no doubts that it would work out well. Hiring someone that you know personally has its risks. It is not always easy to put things in perspective and separate the private from the professional.

"He is serious and very experienced, Joshua," Derek assures me.

"You both know the policies of the company," I tell them, ignoring their glances toward Allan. "Once you have interviewed him Connie, and if you think he can do the job, I want to see him too and get my own impressions, alright?"

"Yes, of course Joshua..." Connie says.

After they have all left my floor, I go back to my office. Throughout the day, I have kept checking my phone and emails, hoping for a sign from Liam, but he has remained mute. I try his cell phone again but it ends up going to his voice mail again. For a few minutes, I pace in my office, wondering what I should do. Is Liam really sick? I should hope that he would have called me if he didn't feel well after his research. My office phone suddenly rings and I rush to pick it up, hoping this is Liam but unfortunately this is not his name displaying on the dial. I still pick up my headphones and answer the call from my friend Aaron, who as I guessed, wants to know how things went with Liam today. I called him yesterday evening to let him know about the conversation I had with Liam and everything that had happened. He was really happy that the plan we schemed last week-end worked well and like me, he truly believes that Liam will be a perfect Submissive. However, he is as perplexed as I am when I tell him that Liam called in sick this morning and that he hasn't answered any of my calls or replied to my text.

"This doesn't sound logical, Josh. From what you told me yesterday, he seems to have taken things pretty well. Those sites you asked him to look at provide more details, but they're quite soft and he shouldn't be too shocked by what he read and saw there."

"I know. That's why I don't think that his absence is related to this. Maybe he is just really sick," I propose.

"Even if he is sick, don't you think he would have at least sent you an email or replied to your text?" he argues rightfully.

"Yeah I know..." I sigh. "I think... I think I'm going to pay him a little visit..."

"Yep, do that. But take it easy on him Josh, alright?"

"Yes, Sir," I reply with a smile.

After I have hung up with Aaron, I send a text to Tony to meet me downstairs in five minutes and pack up my things. I still have a lot to do, but I can work from home later tonight. Being also the security manager of the company, Tony has his own office next to the surveillance room and another meeting room where he regularly gathers his small team. His guys are here to watch the building entrance and they also keep an eye on the videos. He also has local teams working on risky building sites and who make sure that the sites don't get sacked or wrecked.  Tony also works closely with Spencer, the IT manager, on the protection of our systems and data. So, unless I need him to drive me to some appointments or business lunches, he spends most of his time on his floor. Even if it is only 4:00 pm and that he might have been busy, I know that he will be waiting for me downstairs as I asked him. And of course, as I walk out the building, he is right there, opening the door to the back seat for me. I ask him to drive me to Liam's place, which surprises him a little, so I explain that Liam was not in today and that I just want to make sure that he is fine; as if I needed an excuse to go where I want!

Anyway, twenty minutes later and after we have stopped by a deli where I got some freshly cooked soup, Tony pulls off across from Liam's small building. I step out after I have told him to go get himself some coffee and cross the street toward the door Liam used yesterday evening. Since it is open, I just walk in and look at the mail boxes until I find the one saying "Liam Reed and Shannon Watts - 3rd Floor". I walk to the end of the narrow corridor and climb up the stairs until I reach the third floor. I quickly reach the door to his apartment and give it a knock. I wait for a few seconds and knock again, but there is no answer. Only for a second I wonder if he could be out, but then I fish my phone in my jacket and dial his number. As I thought, the door is not that thick and I can hear his phone ring on the other side until it goes to voice mail, as well as some shuffling noises. I put my phone back into my pocket and knock a little harder on the door.

"Liam, this is Joshua. Open the door please," I say; the shuffling noises on the other side stop but he still doesn't open. "Liam, I know you're here, so open the door!" I think I hear something but after nearly a minute of silence, the door remains closed and this is seriously beginning to annoy me. "Liam! Open the door! Now!" Finally I hear more noise coming from behind the door, but I guess he must be hesitating since half a minute later, I am still there, facing the wooden door. I just hope that this is not his friend being there... "I said NOW Liam!" And finally the door slightly opens, revealing a pale Liam - although he is always pale anyway - with puffy and teary eyes, disheveled hair and a rather distraught face. I force my way in and grab him in my arms after I have put the bag with the soup on the console by the entrance door. For a long moment, I just hold him close to my chest, rubbing his back, and we just remain silent while I take in the place I have just entered.

The apartment doesn't look that small and it is rather clean and tidy considering that two young men live in there. From the entrance door, you directly walk into a hall fully open on the long kitchen. On the left side, there is a closed door, then an open one which seems to be the bathroom, and then, there is another door. On the right side of the kitchen area, there is an arched entrance that leads to a living-room over there, and closer to the entrance, there's another open door that leads to a bedroom it seems; probably Liam's since the door is open. After maybe five minutes of hugging him silently, I gently push him away and cup his face in my hands, trying to decipher the expression in his eyes. His skin doesn't seem that warm and he doesn't look sick.

"What's the matter, Liam?" I ask gently. Holding him against me has removed the annoyance I felt a few minutes ago. His eyes look down to avoid my eyes but I tilt his head upward to make him look at me. "Please talk, Liam. Why didn't you call me this morning? Why have you been ignoring my calls?"

"I... I thought you'd be angry at me..." he says, his eyes filling up with more tears, and making me frown.

"Why would I be angry?"

"Because I didn't answer when you first called this morning... so I didn't dare answering when you called back at noon..." he explains. Well, this is one explanation, but there are many more unanswered questions.

"Okay..." I sigh. "Let's start from the beginning. But first, have you eaten today?" He briefly shakes his head, causing me to scowl at him. "You need to eat. Skipping meals is not healthy and you obviously don't need to lose any weight..." I say, looking at his frail frame. He is dressed in an old pair of sweat pants hanging very loosely around his legs and a white tee-shirt that shows off a slim chest and very thin arms. "You are not sick, are you," I then add, which sounds like a statement and not like a question. The light pink I have gotten used to colors his cheeks, providing me with an answer. After I have spotted the microwave oven on the counter of the kitchen, I let go of his cheeks and grab the bag with the soup that I take there. While it heats up in the oven, I lead him to the living-room and have him sit on the couch where he wraps his arms around his folded knees. I notice an old shut off laptop on the coffee table sitting next to his switched-on company laptop.

"Here, drink this," I order as I hand him the plastic bowl of soup. I take off my jacket and drop it on a chair next to the sofa, then go to sit on the opposite side from him. I purposely leave some distance to make him more comfortable and not oppressed.

"Thank you..." he says then starts to sip from the bowl.

"Did you work?" I ask, surprised to recognize what the screen of his company laptop shows.

"Yes... I just need to revise the presentation you asked for... I was just about to finish it and send it to you..." he explains before he goes back to his soup.

"Well... thanks. I thought I was going to have to do it tonight, so that's great... But you owe me some explanations now, Liam. Why didn't you come to the office and why did you call HR rather than me?" I ask, my tone becoming firmer now. He puts the empty bowl on the coffee table and grabs some paper tissue from the box that sits on the back edge of the couch to wipe his mouth.

"Hmm... I..." he hesitates, turning the tissue into a ball in his hands. "This is embarrassing..." he says, blushing furiously.

"Liam, if you accept to become my Submissive at some point, which I really hope for, you will have to learn to get rid of this feeling of embarrassment. Have you looked at the websites?" he nods, looking down at his knees. "So I guess that you read that part which says communication is extremely important, right?" he nods again. "Good, so now tell me please. Why didn't you go to work? Obviously, you are not sick. Have you been shocked by what you saw on the websites? Has it confused you?"

"No... no it didn't... well yes, a bit... but in a good way..." The last part is barely audible but a small and shy smile tugs at his lips, making me feel relieved. So he liked what he read and saw... this is a good thing. However, this doesn't explain why he didn't go to the office.

"I'm glad to hear..." I say smugly. "So then, what was the problem?"

"I... I..." His face falls and tears swell back in his eyes. I shift closer to him and catch his hands in mine.

"Liam, you can tell me," I encourage him.

"I... had weird dreams... and... when I woke up... I... I think I..." he pauses for a few seconds. "I'm sorry, Sir... I'm so sorry... I think something happened in my sleep..." he blurts out as the tears he was holding back run down his cheeks. "I was so ashamed... this has never happened to me before... I don't even remember what I dreamed of... and that confused me..." I grab his arms and pull him in my arms, somehow forcing him to straddle my lap. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I rub his back again hoping to make him relax. He is not sobbing, but I can feel how tense he is.

"It's okay Liam... these things happen. This is all new to you..." How much new is the question though... Wet dreams are something we, men, experience as young teenagers, so he should be familiar with this. I wonder how things will go when I take him for the first time to the club to watch a scene. I was hoping to do that on Saturday, but I am not sure if this is so much of a good idea right now. "Why didn't you call me?" I ask once I can feel he has relaxed.

"Shame..." he mumbles in the crook of my neck, shrugging his shoulders.

"Liam," I say, pushing him back from my chest so that he can sit up on my lap. His hands start to fumble again with the tissue. "However shameful or confused you felt, you should have called me."

"But you were at work... and I remembered you had a meeting..."

"I understand. I know how hard this is going to be to set some limits and borderlines between the private and the professional, but I am sure that we can work something out. I might not have been able to come to see you right away, but we could have discussed for a while over the phone. I would have reassured you. You need to trust me, Liam and let me know if something bothers you; can you understand this?"

"Yes... I'm sorry..." he whispers. My hands reach up from his shoulders to his face and make him bend over while I lean forward so that my lips can finally meet his. His hands balled into fists go lay on my stomach while our lips move in rhythm.

"So?" I sigh, once I have leaned back against the couch, my hands capturing his. "If you have checked these sites, what are your thoughts?"

"I... liked it..." he says with a smile and blushing again.

"Develop?"

"Well... some things are a bit scary... and... I don't know... this is so new to me... but I like the idea..."

"What is scaring you?"

"Well... the whips and things like that... and all these instruments and devices... I don't know how much I would allow myself to trust someone to... tie me to a bed or a cross..." His voice is barely audible but I get that what scares him is the sex part. "I don't know if I would like it..."

"You don't need to fear for the whips, because I don't use any. Yesterday, when I told you that there are various degrees of sadism, I meant it. I personally don't like inflicting pain with whips or canes. You might not be comfortable sitting on a chair after a spanking from my hands or a paddle, but not as much as if I used a whip," I reassure him. "As I said, being into such a relationship requires a lot of trust, especially on the Submissive's side. You will need to trust me, Liam, not only in day-to-day life, but also in sex. Once you start to do that, I can promise you that you will get to like being tied. You will see that the emotions you get from this are much more intense than in basic sex," I add, causing him to blush furiously. He is so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't seem to realize that a tent has formed at the front of his pants; but I do; it seems like my boy went commando this morning...

"I think I can trust you... but I'm just not sure... I mean... I read those blogs... and they sure say they love it... but it's a little hard to believe..." he whispers.

"Didn't you get aroused when you read these blogs?" He nods in answer. I know what would prove him how good the Subs feel when having sex with a Dominant, but isn't it too soon? "I think you should see for yourself." His eyes rise up to mine for a second before they go back down to our hands. "I'm not talking about tying you down just right now, Liam," I chuckle. "But I'd like to take you somewhere on Saturday; to show you what a sexual relationship between a Dom and a Sub can be."

"What?" he exclaims, surprise in his eyes.

"I want to take you to a place where you will be able to see Dominants and Submissive in action. Would you like that?" I smile at his mouth gaping.

"What's that place? Is it some... kind of club?"

"This is exactly that; a club; a private club," I reply with a smile. "And you don't have to worry; you won't have to participate in anything and I won't make you do anything. You're just going to watch." His little smile broadens while his body suddenly relaxes, so I pull him down again for a kiss.

I hope I am not skipping another step there. It might be too soon to take him to the club, but I really need to show him how ecstatic the Subs get on stage. My other concern is Aaron. I know he won't object to Liam's visit, so this is not a problem. The problem is that Liam met Aaron last week-end at The Lost Paradise and I wonder if he will recognize him. And if he does, he might understand that I sent Aaron to interrupt his little fun on last Saturday...

Published on 16 Sept 2016

So, in case it was too long ago that secondary characters were mentioned, Derek Jones is the CFO with whom Liam worked in the beginning, Connie is the HR Manager and Denzel was the Compliance Manager who resigned on the day Joshua came back from his vacation in August.

Thank you everyone for all the nice comments and for all the votes on each chapter!