La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Arc 2 Chapter 4.3

Gabe wasn't sure how he'd got here. In François' office inside the club. Apparently his fears about setting foot in the space were totally unfounded, though it may have helped that it was the middle of the day and all the lights were on.

They'd entered through a door inside the house, climbing stairs that clearly weren't for public viewing – even more obvious when they entered what Ellis called the 'Lounge' and he could compare. It was nice – a lot nicer than Top Floor. A smaller and more intimate space. The patina in La Maison was of class, not sordidness.

"Are you sure?" François asked. He was sitting behind his desk, and not the towering presence he usually was, but that took absolutely nothing from his aura of control.

Gabe had let Ellis explain – it was his idea, he could deal with the awkward questions. Or not, because that was directed at Gabe, and he was a long way from being certain he wanted this. But he wanted something.

"Sir," he said, remembering what Ellis said about how François was addressed inside the club, "I have needs. I can't deal with them myself. I've been thinking about them more and more." Not mentioning those thoughts were often during nightmares seemed like the smart move, but François still narrowed his eyes.

"Okay."

"Okay?" It couldn't possibly be that easy, surely?

"There are conditions though." There it was, but François continued, "Gray, I'm glad you're here so soon."

Gabe jumped. He hadn't even heard Gray come in, he'd been so focused on François and his coming judgement.

Gray greeted everyone and sat on the couch, away from François' desk. Gabe thought that was clever, because François walked over to the seating area, guiding Ellis and Gabe to follow him and, even though he was still giving off powerful 'Dom' vibes, he instantly felt more approachable.

There was a stutter in the smooth transition when he gestured for Ellis, and Ellis gracefully lowered himself to sit by François' legs. Gabe almost stumbled, but managed to get his butt to meet the cushioned seat of a chair.

"You will have to get used to it. Again," Gray said, and he wondered if the man was a mind reader – not for the first time.

"I know. I think. I don't know if I want to do it though. Not yet."

"That's fair. And you never have to do it if you don't want. That's why I think we need to be careful who trains you and the pace they go. It's why I offered to do it."

"You did? But what about Owen?"

Gray sighed, only small, but Gabe was tuned to it, conscious that Gray was used to Owen, who was a textbook perfect sub – that's what he'd been told by others, though Owen didn't brag. Gabe didn't want to be the cause of conflict.

"You've had a terrible experience, Gabe, but people don't necessarily stop being submissive, or into other aspects of BDSM, because of terrible experiences. It's part of your identity – so we suspected it was only a matter of time before this came up, though I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it so soon. Not that there's anything wrong because it has. We will take this at your pace. And Owen is probably even more certain of that than anyone else."

For all Gabe's uncertainty, the desire was settling into his bones with a level of need he hadn't expected. He didn't feel like Gray's statement was an answer though. What about Owen?

"You don't have to choose me," Gray said with a smile. "You had your autonomy taken from you for a long time, and we aren't here to put you back into a situation like that."