Ricochet (61 page)

to be?"

Matt stared at him. He was shocked by the

ultimatum, but he didn't even need to think about

his decision; he just wanted to get to Rick. "Please

call for the car," he said quietly.

"Very well." Rule turned to a nearby servant

and ordered the car to be brought around. "While

we are waiting for the car, you will take your

punishment." He got up, went over to the wall, and

unhooked the cane.

Matt didn't wait to be ordered over the

spanking bench. He removed his pants and boxers

and took his place quickly, wanting to get this over

with as soon as possible, so that he could get to the

studio and see if Rick was okay.

Rule tapped the inside of his thighs with the

cane, forcing his legs wider apart, and Matt took a

deep breath and braced himself. Next minute, there

was a rush of air, a whistling sound, and then the

cane landed on his ass. It didn't sting like a switch

or smart like a paddle; it bit, and Matt howled at

the unexpected depth of the pain. He'd never been

caned before, and he'd had no idea how much it

would hurt. Now six strokes seemed like an ordeal

that he'd never survive.

"If you apologize and agree to drop this

ridiculous mission of mercy, then one stroke will

suffice to punish your rudeness," Rule said.

Matt closed his eyes. "No," he said firmly.

"I'll take them all." He was the only one Rick had

told about his past, and he'd need to see a friendly

face that wasn't judging him right now. They might

not be on the best of terms at the moment, but Matt

had no intention of abandoning his friend in his

time of need, no matter what the cost.

"Very well." Rule rested the cane on his ass

again, and Matt held on tight and waited for the

next biting blow to fall. He couldn't help

screaming when it did, no matter how much he

braced himself.

Rule painted on each stripe with ruthless

efficiency, and Matt could feel the sweat trickling

down his face as he endured each one. Then it

was over. It had probably only taken a couple of

minutes, but it felt like a lifetime. His ass was

radiating heat like a volcano, and he never wanted

to sit down ever again.

Matt got up, retrieved his clothes, and

gingerly pulled them on. "Now can we go?" he

asked sullenly as Rule replaced the cane on its

hook.

"Of course. The car should be ready now. I'll

come with you."

"There's no need," Matt said stiffly, unable to

bring himself to look at Rule.

"Nonsense - I insist."

Matt ran out to the driveway, every step

hurting like crazy, and got into the car. He perched

rather than sat, waiting as Rule followed on behind

at a more sedate pace. Rule got in beside him, and

Matt yelled at the driver to take them to the studio.

The journey seemed to take forever, and he

began counting everything in sight, trying to block

out both the pain in his ass and his gnawing anxiety

about Rick. He glanced at his watch - filming

would be starting soon, and Rick's career had to be

on the line. Petra might have already fired him.

He tried phoning Rick but it went straight to

voicemail. He tried Petra's number too, but the

same thing happened.

"I hope you aren't feeling resentful about

being punished," Rule said, breaking into his

thoughts.

Matt shrugged. He couldn't think about that

right now; he was too worried about Rick.

"I understand why you were so upset, darling,

but there is never any excuse for that kind of

behavior."

Matt suspected his mom would say the same

thing; he had lost his temper back there and been

pretty rude. He twisted his fingers in his hair,

feeling anxious about just about everything.

Rule took hold of his other hand, drew it to

his lips, and kissed it gently. "However, I do

appreciate that you were only trying to help a

friend, and it's really very sweet of you. You're

such a good, loyal boy."

"And yet you caned my ass for it."

"That wasn't for being a good friend, but for

your conduct towards me. I love you very much,

sweetheart, but I couldn't let such disrespect pass.

You do understand that, don't you?"

Matt turned to look at Rule in surprise. "You

love me?"

"Yes, of course. I thought I'd made that clear.

I'm intending to collar you, after all." He pulled

Matt's chin up and kissed him sweetly on the lips.

"It's because I love you so much that I take the time

to correct you, my darling," he said, stroking Matt's

hair lovingly.

Matt gazed at him, feeling lost. "You love

me?" he repeated blankly.

"So, so much." Rule smiled at him fondly.

Nobody had ever said those words to him

before except his mom. None of his doms had ever

been in love with him; they'd all dumped him

without ever saying the words, and yet this dom

was saying it; this handsome, authoritative, famous

billionaire dom was saying that he loved him.

Matt stared at him, stunned, but he didn't have

time to process Rule's words because they'd

reached the studio. He leaped out of the car and

ran full-pelt for Petra's office, leaving Rule in the

limousine.

Matt barged through her office door and saw

her sitting at her desk, talking to Rick, who was

standing in front of it, head down, looking

devastated. He looked up in surprise as Matt

crashed into the office.

"Petra - you can't fire, Rick!" Matt blurted. "If

you do, then I'll resign, and I'll bet my bottom

dollar that the rest of the cast will all resign too. If

he goes, we all go!"

Petra looked as startled as Rick was by the

sudden intrusion. Matt was wild-eyed, and his hair

looked like he'd been running his hands through it

repeatedly.

"Matt - calm down. It's fine. I wasn't going to

fire Rick," Petra told him.

Matt was pulled up short. "You weren't?"

"No, she wasn't." Rick smiled at him. "But

thanks, Matty; I appreciate it."

"I was just telling Rick that he has our full

support," Petra said firmly. "I wish you'd told us

about your criminal record." She glared at him.

"But this all happened a long time ago. Rick took

his punishment and has been a reformed character

ever since; and I, too, believe in second chances."

She shot Rick a little smile.

"Thank you," Rick told her quietly. "I

appreciate it, Petra."

"You're welcome. I might be tough on you,

Rick, but that's only because I know how damn

good you are. I'm not an idiot - I know this show

wouldn't be the success it is without your hard

work."

"That's what I keep telling him," Matt said.

Rick shot him a grateful smile. "Thanks, but

it's a team effort."

"Yes it is, but you're the show's breakout star,

and we all know it." Petra stood up. "Let the media

run with this for a while until it burns itself out -

which it will. The hiatus is coming up, and I expect

they'll have forgotten all about it by the time we

start filming next season."

"I sure as hell hope so," Rick said fervently.

"They will. In a few days they'll have

something new to gossip about. This is, by any

standards, very old news - it all happened years

ago. Now get out, Rick." Petra smiled at him. "And

take Matt with you."

"Willingly."

"And Rick?"

Rick turned on his way out.

"Don't get into any more trouble. Please.

You're like some kind of chaos magnet, and it's

turning my hair white." She gave a little laugh and

patted her jet black curls.

"Your hair looks fine to me, Petra, but I'll

try."

They left her office, and Rick shot Matt a

glance.

"Matt - I meant it," he said as they walked to

the parking lot. "Thank you. That was kind of you."

Matt gave him a tentative little smile in

return. "I'm so sorry this happened, Rick. How the

hell did they find out?"

"That journalist who was sniffing around - it

turns out my father decided to take both his money

and mine." Rick shrugged.

"Ouch." Matt put a hand on his arm. "Rick,

that has to hurt."

"I guess I'm used to him hurting me." Rick

shrugged. "Because it doesn't. Not really. I don't

feel anything."

They paused outside the building, and Rick

saw Sebastian Rule sitting in his limousine in the

parking lot with the window wound down,

watching them intently. "Uh-oh, Dom-Daddy's

waiting for you; you'd better go," he said.

"No… wait." Matt pulled him back. "I want

to be sure you're okay, Rick."

"I'm fine." Rick scuffed his boot on the

ground. "Are you, Matty? Are you fine?" he asked

searchingly. "Is he good to you?" He nodded in

Rule's direction.

"Yes. It's good. He says he loves me!" Matt

looked astounded by that. "And uh, he's going to

collar me. During the hiatus."

"What? You barely know the guy!"

A dark flush suffused Matt's pale skin, and he

lifted his chin defiantly. "I know him well enough

to know that we're very compatible, and it's going

to be very romantic. He's taking me away to his

ranch. He's traditional - old fashioned. He wants to

do a public collaring, hold a party, and… he's

going to display me afterwards - you know, naked,

while I'm in deep submission."

"He does know you need help getting into

deep submission, doesn't he?" Rick asked quietly.

"Only, I can't see you managing it butt naked with a

room full of people gawping at you."

"I'll be fine," Matt said, with a stubborn tilt of

his head.

"Oh shit. You haven't even slept with him,

have you?" Rick gave an incredulous bark of

laughter.

"Like I said, he's traditional. He won't sleep

with me until he's collared me. It's romantic," Matt

insisted defensively.

Rick sighed. "Well, maybe it is romantic,

Matty, but it doesn't sound like something you'd

actually enjoy. How do you know if your dynamics

are compatible if you haven't slept with him?"

Matt glared at him. "I knew you wouldn't

understand. You sleep with every sub you can

sweet-talk into bed, so I knew you wouldn't get

how special and romantic it is to wait until after a

proper collaring before jumping into bed with

someone."

"No, I don't," Rick said bluntly. "Look, Matty

- you only recently experienced your sub-space for

the first time, and if you're not in sub-space when

he collars you - or when he fucks you come to that

- then I don't think it'll be anything except an ordeal

for you."

"You don't know that!" Matt flared.

"I know you!" Rick flung back. "Come on,

Matty! I'm not saying it's not a hot fantasy - it could

be, if done right. A lot of subs would enjoy it, but

you're not one of them. Not yet anyway. In time,

you could be, but you need some more experience

first."

Rick was aware of Rule still watching them

from the car, his gaze never leaving them. "Have

you talked to him about this, Matt?" he asked.

"Does he know? Maybe he thinks he's giving you

what all subs secretly want - you know, the big,

old fashioned collaring, complete with nudity and

deep submission - the way they used to do it in the

old days."

Matt stood there, his fists clenching by his

side, and Rick could see the anxiety in his eyes.

But Matt was proud, and Rick had hurt him, so

there was no way he was going to admit that he

was unsure about the collaring ceremony - not to

Rick anyway.

"Why should I take collaring advice from a

dom who is so shy of commitment he won't even

do reruns?" Matt snapped at him. "When the hell

have you ever put anything other than a play collar

around a sub's neck, Rick?"

"This isn't about me - it's about you!"

"Damn it, I can't believe I even came here to

help you. You have no idea what price I had to pay

to…" He broke off and looked away.