Chapter 9

~Damion~

"Why?"

My brows furrowed at his question. "What do you mean why?"

"Why? Why now?" he spread his arms wide. "Why all of a sudden?"

I frowned "Who said it was all of a sudden?"

Donny shook his head, but a small smile played about his lips. I watched as he pushed back in his chair and folded his arms before him. "You can't bullshit me Damion. I know you." He said. "You like to plan. You like to roll an idea around in your head for a long time, find all the possible hitches, do all the math and all that shit before you even discuss it with anyone."

"And here I am, discussing it with you. What's the issue?"

"The issue is brother, that whenever you have a business idea, you call the whole team together and you convince us using facts, figures, a business plan, charts" he waved his hand around as he spoke as though each item he called was floating around in the air."

I raised a brow and he sighed. "Okay, maybe not charts, but you know what I mean and you're wasting your time trying to convince me otherwise, so tell me what made you suddenly drop everything and come to me with this random idea."

I hesitated—something I never did—and he noticed. "What if I told you I just have a good feeling about this?"

Now it was his turn to raise a brow. "A good feeling." He repeated the words slowly, as though trying them out for the first time. Then he stood, walked around his desk and came to stand in front of me.

"Wha—"

I was cut off as he bent slightly at the waist so he could stare into my eyes; a suspicious, searching look on his face. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" he questioned, and I shook my head and pushed him away.

"I'm serious Donny." I said

"I can see that." He tapped his finger against his chin as he watched me carefully. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your new sub would it?"

I frowned "What would wanting to expand our business have to do with Cam?" I asked in annoyance and he shrugged.

"I don't know, ever since you started spending so much time with him you seem different."

"Different." I said simply.

He nodded, "Yeah, less like you have a heart of steel and more...human." he finished, and when I frowned he was quick to say; "This is a good thing of course."

"Can we stop with this nonsense and get back to the matter at hand please?"

It was then that he finally relented, and with a sigh, moved to leaned against his desk. "Hey, I like the idea of opening another branch and I'm sure the others will too." He began, but I could already sense the but coming. "but opening it in Chicago doesn't sound like a sound business decision."

"What's wrong with Chicago?"

If I didn't know better I'd say he rolled his eyes at me "Everything."

I groaned. "Donny—"

"Okay, how about this." He interrupted. "You show me why Chicago is our best bet. Lay out your strategy, show me the numbers and all that other crap you always do and I'll back you with the others, but you can't come to me with a good feeling for something as important as this and expect me to back your play Damion."

For a moment I glared at him while he watched me calmly and with raised brows, until finally I shook my head and agreed to his terms. "I'll have something prepared by next week."

"Great, that's what I like to hear." He grinned, rubbed his hands together, then said, "Now tell me about Cam."

"No." I glanced over to the corner of the room where a litter of fur balls fought for the attention of their mother, noting in particular, the runt of the litter, who, no matter how hard he tried, couldn't get past the others.

"You know, your reluctance to tell me about him is just cementing the fact that you really do feel something for him."

"The only thing it means is that I don't discuss my subs...with anyone."

"Really?" he asked with a raised brow, "What about all the other subs you've had no problem talking to me about over the years?"

"I've never talked to you about my other subs Donny."

"That's because I've never asked, but I'm asking now."

"Why the sudden interest?"

He shrugged. "What can I say, I never like the others...but I like Cam."

My eyes narrowed. "You've never even met him."

"Doesn't matter. I can see a difference in you and if he can achieve so much in such a short time then the guy's practically family."

There was no difference though, Donny was simply seeing what he wanted to see as always, and trying to persuade him otherwise would be a waste of time.

I glanced at the puppies again. They looked like moving fur balls against the hardwood floor. The smallest one, who'd been unsuccessful in getting past the others was now sitting alone in the corner, watching his brothers and sisters vie for their mother's attention. He just sat there, having given up so quickly, willing to let the others treat him the way they wanted, willing to take whatever scraps of affection he could get because he was afraid to fight; afraid he'd lose.

It was crazy how much he reminded me of Cam and I shook my head.

"He's been abused by every Dom he's been with, and now he thinks it's normal." I told my brother. "I could beat him half to death with a club and he'd come limping back with an apology."

"Jesus." Donny breathed, and when I looked at him, his eyes were wide with concern.

"He doesn't know any better." I continued. "He's afraid of his own shadow and he thinks he needs my approval just to breathe."

"That's fucked up Damion. "Donny was saying. The smile had long ago left his face.

I nodded. "He's beautiful though." I told him, and pulled out my phone, tapped the screen a couple times before turning it to Donny. I watched as he looked at the picture on the screen. I'd taken it once when Cam was asleep. His face was smooth of all worry as he slept; propped against a pillow with his dark curls framing his delicate face. I should have deleted it a long time ago, but for whatever reason I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"He is." Donny nodded. "He looks so young." He continued almost reverently.

"He's innocent...and good." I shook my head. "I didn't think a truly good person still existed until I met him." I smiled, and when I retrieved the phone from Donny, who now watched me in silence, I chuckled. "and he's clumsy as hell; can't go a day without getting a scratch or bruise."

"Sounds like you really care about him."

My attention went back to the puppy, who was now lying in his corner, his small head resting on his paws.

"I care about what happens to him." I said honestly. "Which is why I'm helping him. He won't leave the lifestyle, it's too much a part of who he is, so I want to teach him how to survive it. I want him to be able stand up for himself when he needs to."

A brief silence followed my words before Donny spoke again. "What happens when you're done training him? You think it'll just be easy for him to move on when you're the only person in his life who's ever shown him kindness? Isn't it cruel to expect him to?"

"I'll set him up with a Dom I trust; Stan or David. They'll treat him right, and he'll be collared in no time. It's what he wants."

"What about you?" he questioned.

"What about me?"

"Why can't you be the one to collar him?"

I looked him in the eyes "You know why."

Donny shook his head and pushed himself off the desk. "That sub is gonna melt that heart of yours Damion" he told me with all seriousness. "And there won't be a damn thing you can do to stop it."

I stood when he settled himself around his desk again. "I'll see you on Sunday." I told him and I was at the door before I paused and turned around, making my way over to the litter of puppies in the corner.

I bent and scooped up the little one and tucked him under my arm. "I'm taking this one." I told Donny, who looked at me in amusement, but otherwise said nothing, and a few minutes later I was depositing the fur ball into the passenger seat of my car.

"Ready?" I asked it when I'd strapped on my seatbelt, but it only watched me with his head resting once again on his paws.

Cam will love him. I thought, as I backed out of my brother's driveway.

........................................................

The puppy was a pain in the ass, but the searing pain in my abdomen was much worse. I shifted uncomfortably on the bed, careful not exert too much energy.

That's what you get, I thought. That's what you get for running into a burning building without backup and against orders. My mind drifted to the night of the incident and to the two days I'd spent strapped to a hospital bed because of it. They'd told me I was lucky to be alive and I had to agree. After all, not many people walked away from almost being crushed to death by a wooden beam, and I'd not only walked away, but I'd walked away with minimum damage. If you could call my heavily bandaged abdomen and the deep gouge beneath it minimum.

I hadn't told Donny about the injury because I wasn't in the mood to watch him play mother hen, but times like this, when the pain became so intense that I couldn't breathe without feeling it, made me wonder if keeping my mouth shut had been sensible.

In a few short minutes the pills would take effect though and I'd be glad I hadn't let it slip. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand and glanced at the sleeping puppy. I'd gone through the trouble of setting him up with his own pillow on the floor in the corner of the room and the thing had still cried and cried until I'd had no choice but to take him with me onto the bed, where he'd promptly fallen asleep. As I glared at it, I wondered if I'd been right to take it from my brother earlier today. I wondered if it would turn out to be more trouble than it was worth.

I ran my fingers gently over the bandages. Tomorrow I'd be picking up Cam and I wondered if there was much sense in that considering my present condition, but Cam, who had actually built up the courage to text me the night before to ask what time I'd be picking him up, was far too excited and I wasn't about to let him down. It seemed he'd had enough of that in his life already.

.........................................

The diner was practically empty at this time of night, but I noticed that despite this Cam, who hadn't realized I'd come by, still kept up a steady pace, wiping down counters with vigor, refilling the cups of patrons with coffee whenever they signaled him over and organizing the salt and pepper shakers on each table as he passed. I hadn't been there long, but I'd learned the system pretty quickly.

Each worker was responsible for the section of the diner to which they were assigned and it seemed I was sitting in the section of a very plump waitress with rosy cheeks and a very lazy disposition. There were three patrons in her sections and so far she'd only served one of us. Not that I'd come in for the food and coffee anyway.

I continued to watch Cam buzz about, which was really the only word I could use to describe his movements. He was energetic, very pleasant to his remaining customers and genuinely seemed to enjoy what he was doing. It was just too bad that just as I was about to get up and seat myself in his section, that the plump waitress spotted me, blushed a very deep shade of red, and came bustling over to my table—leaving the customer who had come in long before me, staring at her in annoyance.

"Hi there." She greeted with a bright smile.

I nodded in answer and she held up her coffee pot. "Coffee?"

"Just water...please." I requested, and with a quick nod and an expression of uncertainty she was hurrying across the floor once again, ignoring the lone customer who was trying to get her attention.

She was back in an instant, and while she poured the chilled liquid into my glass, I asked her to let Cam know I was here.

She looked surprised as she regarded me with raised brows. "You're here for Cameron?" she questioned, as though it were the strangest thing she'd ever heard, but when I merely nodded in response she turned and left to do my bidding. By this time the lone customer had left the diner in an angry huff and I took a sip of the water.

Cam flushed red the moment he looked past his coworker and spotted me and gave a shy little wave which forced a smile out of me and sent an involuntary flush throughout my body. It was just unfortunate that this weekend would be an uneventful one because of my injury, but something told me that Cam wouldn't mind in the slightest.

I watched as he glanced down at his watch and quickly began pulling the apron over his head as he made his way over to my chair.

"Sorry, I didn't realize it was so late." He told me with a soft smile. "I put my bag in the back so I'll just go run and get it."

"Take your time. I'll wait." I told him and his face turned a deep red shade again, before he turned and quickly made his way to the back of the diner.

It was a quaint little place really. Clean with a relaxing atmosphere. I imagined the place was decorated to pull in the younger crowd, especially since it was located so close to a prominent university and a public high school, which made me think that while it was nice and quiet tonight, it was probably loud and rowdy during the daytime. The walls were painted in a simple olive-green and lined with strategically placed framed photos and cheap modern art. The tables were round and wooden; giving off a rustic vibe, while the chairs were metallic with chipping dark-green paint.

There was a small flat screen television mounted on the wall behind the counter, which was now airing the replay of a college football match and below that, stood the plump waitress from earlier, who was counting her tips and chewing a piece of gum. There was one other person behind the counter; another woman—a girl really, looking about college age, who had a pair of red earphones in her ears and was bobbing her head to whatever music she was listening to, as she put on another pot of coffee.

When Cam reentered the room he was struggling with an oversized bag, which he somehow managed to sling over his shoulder. I pushed up from the table, where I dropped a tip for the waitress, before making my way over to my guest for the long weekend ahead. I took the bag from him and ushered him through the door.

I could hear the puppy barking as soon as we stepped outside, and as I opened the back door to deposit the bag onto the seat, Cam peered through the cracked window at the annoying little fur ball. "You got a puppy?" he asked, pulling open the door, and by the time I'd reached around to my side and hopped in, the thing was already snuggled in his lap.

"What's his name?" Cam asked, as he ran a hand through the dog's fur. Truth be told, I hadn't really even considered naming him. For the most part I called him Hey. Like; hey, don't do that or hey don't chew that, or hey stop your barking or hey don't pee on the goddamn floor.

"I haven't thought of one yet." I told him. "You can name him."

Cam looked at me in surprise. "Really?" and I nodded.

"You hungry?"

"No I ate earlier." He responded as I backed out of the car park.

"I was actually planning to go get a few things for him tomorrow. Maybe you can help me pick them out."

Cam's answering grin was so wide that you'd think I'd just offered to marry him.

"He's really cute." He was saying as we turned at the first intersection, and I glanced at him briefly.

"He's the runt of the litter, so truth be told, he's the ugliest." I felt it necessary to explain to him, but he only laughed; a genuine, beautiful sound that filled the car and sent my libido into overdrive.

"He's not ugly at all. Did you buy him?"

"No I rescued him from my brother."

There was a brief silence that caused me to glance at him again and this time he was frowning. "Does your brother not like puppies then?" he asked seriously and I smiled in understanding.

"He loves them." I explained. "But this one just reminded me of someone." I told him, and after a moment he nodded.

................................

I think it was a combination of the three of us jogging out of the cold and up the front steps, plus weight of the heavy bag that I was carrying for Cam that did it, but it wasn't until I was inside the warmth of the house, with the front door locked behind us that I felt it, and even then, I saw the blood before I felt the pain, but holy shit when that pain came, I could only liken it to what I'd felt on that first night in the hospital.

It was Cam who saw it first and came rushing to my side in concern, and I'd noticed for the first time, that I'd involuntarily dropped the bag onto the floor by my side. I'd ripped open my stiches, there was no doubt in my mind, and not only had the evidence of it soaked through the carefully wrapped bandages, but it had also spread onto my stark white shirt.

I figured it was the contrast of the blood against white that really scared Cam as much as it did. That, or the fact that I had long since doubled over, with my palm flat against the wound.

"Just a small injury." I assured him while he clutched my arm and we made our way up the stairs and into the master bathroom.

I would have pulled the shirt over my head, but the simple action of lifting my arms sent such a ripple of agony throughout my body, that I settled with cutting the shirt off with a pair of scissors, while Cam watched with wide, terrified eyes from the doorway. When the shirt was off and had fallen to the floor, staining the cream rug at my feet, I began the process of unwrapping the bandages with shaking hands.

"We should go to the hospital." Cam's small voice interrupted my process, but I was shaking my head even before he got the last word out.

"It's nothing serious. I'll be fine." I told him as the cold-sweat broke out along my forehead.

I took a short break from the unwrapping because I'd become dizzy, and instead gripped the sink and closed my eyes as I drew in deep breaths.

"I'm gonna call a taxi for us okay?" Cam's tearful voice sounded from the doorway, but I shook my head.

"It looks much worse than it is Cam. I promise. Go watch TV or something. I'll be fine." I assured him as I looked up at my pale face in the bathroom mirror.

It's not that serious. I thought to myself as I resumed the unwrapping, and the next time I looked toward the doorway, Cam was gone. I made slow work of it because, for whatever reason, my hands were shaking too much to be of much use to me, and for a second time I had to pause to catch my breath. I lowered myself onto the closed toilet cover and leaned back until my head was resting against the wall.

I don't know how long I sat there, but when I opened my eyes again, it was to the sound of the doorbell. I pushed up very slowly from the seat, and took my time crossing the bathroom floor. By the time I'd reached the door, I heard the bedroom door fly open, and Cam was rushing toward me with a stranger in tow.

That was the last thing I remembered.

.........................................

I opened my eyes to soft dimmed lighting and the smell of peppermint.

"How are you feeling?" a hoarse voice questioned from my right, and I turned my head to see Cam sitting in bed with a line of pillows between us and a cup of what looked to be tea in his hands. He was watching me with wide, red-rimmed eyes and I realized for the first time that I was stretched out on my back in bed, naked save for a pair of boxer shorts and fresh, clean bandages wrapped around my torso.

"Did you do this?" I asked him, having already surmised that I'd probably blacked out earlier, but he shook his head.

"The doctor did. Monte used to call him for me after...after...."

After he was abused and was too hurt to travel to the hospital, I guessed and I nodded. "Thank you."

"What happened to you?" he whispered, gripping the cup tighter.

"One of the hazards of the job." I explained.

"When did it happen?"

"Monday night."

"So...so you could have died? Was it really bad?"

I noticed his expression for what it was; fear, so I lied to protect him. "Not at all. I promise it wasn't anything serious."

It seemed to calm him down and he nodded in relief. "The doctor says you weren't supposed to be lifting anything heavy with an injury like that." he continued. "He said you're supposed to get lots of rest and that you shouldn't exert yourself.

I nodded at the familiar words. Sitting still had never been my strong suit.

I shifted slightly on the bed, glad when I didn't even feel so much as a twinge.

"You got an injection." Cam told me, and I nodded. Of course. "I can take next week off and take care of you." He continued, and when I glanced at him with raised brows, he flushed despite his obvious eagerness.

I grinned. "I think I can manage Cam.", then before the light in those beautiful eyes could dim, I continued. "But you're welcome to come by if you want to."

"I do." He smiled, then looked down at his cup and back at me. "Do you want something to drink? Or eat? I can make you something."

"Thanks, but I think I'm good." Then, "Did you write in your journal like we agreed?"

Cam nodded.

"Go get it." I told him, and he placed the cup carefully on the side table and slid off the bed. He disappeared briefly out the door and came back a minute later with the journal in his hands.

When he'd settled once more onto the bed, I asked him to read me the first entry—There were only two.

He hesitated at first, but did as I asked, blushing all the way through, and I smiled as I listened, my head propped up on a mound of pillows as his soft voice floated over me. I frowned at the bit about his last Dom, but decided that was something that we'd need to tackle later.

When he finished, he turned the page and began to read the second entry without being asked;

December 16, 2015

Dear Journal,

I painted something for the first time in a while today. It wasn't anything special, just Monte's cat. She was sitting on the arm of our chair in the living room and she stayed there the whole time while I painted her. I think maybe she knew I needed her to sit still while I did it, because the second I was done she left. It came out pretty good and I gave it to Monte when it was dry. She really liked it. She even went and hung it on her room wall.

Work was okay. I found out today that I made employee of the month again. It was cool seeing my picture up on the wall for a second time. I'm gonna try to get it up there for a third time in a row, but then maybe I should let somebody else get a chance; like Rita. She didn't like it when the boss put my picture up there again.

I was thinking of maybe going down to the zoo one of these days. There's just so much I could paint there and maybe I could even get people to buy a few of them when I'm done. I miss Damion. There's not really much that happens in the week to write about since I spend most of my time at work, but It feels nice writing down some of the things I'm thinking about. Monte thinks it's a good idea too. She says it's not healthy to keep stuff bottled up anyway and that this will help me relieve stress, but I don't think I'm stressed, I think I'm just bored most of the time. It would be nice to do something fun one day. I think i'll try to maybe bake us a cake this Christmas and maybe some cupcakes; that should be fun.

Leo came over again today when Monte was at work, but I stayed in my room this time.

The highlight of my day was getting employee of the month again. Monte was very proud of me when I told her.

-Cam

                                                               AUTHOR'S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.