The Master Of Submission

Part 29

Jack turned his blushing face away, mumbling out weakly. "Can I watch the live stream now"? He felt so ashamed that he had enjoyed Declan's advances for even a second. He was better than this. Declan's hand touched his shoulder so lightly, but even that was enough to make Jack cringe a little. He was having trouble trusting himself now. As Declan's hand slowly caressed his arm, he leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Have I treated you so badly that you're afraid of my touch, Jack"? Jack gritted his teeth, shaking his head and refusing to meet his eyes. Declan's hand moved from his shoulder to stroke his chest hair, causing Jack to shiver. Declan sighed softly to himself, saying casually. "Turn around, pup". Now Jack met Declan's eyes out of worry. Declan removed his hand from Jack's chest, stating calmly. "You can't watch the stream facing me now, can you"? 

Jack's heart leapt and he turned to face the iPad as Declan messed with a small remote. Declan brought up the live stream, setting the remote down by the vodka bottle, asking sweetly. "Does this make you happy"? Jack's focus was on the screen as Mark stood in a kitchen with Tyler and Ethan. Seeing Mark gave him comfort, so he nodded as his only response. Jack eyes never left Mark, until he saw an arm slide over his shoulder. Jack looked down to see Declan's arm wrap around his shoulders like a snake, revealing one of his many tattoos up close. This particular tattoo caught Jack's eyes. It was a brightly colored tattoo of a Russian stacking doll. The girls face was beautiful with haunting sorrow filled eyes. Her hair was flowing out across her face from under a hood made of a starry night sky, while beneath her a rushing sea storm was crashing all around a bright red heart. Over the heart was a white ribbon with Russian writing on it.

Jack reached up to trace his finger across the scar that he could see just under the ribbon. The scar spanned the whole center of the doll, like the seam of a stacking doll. Declan's fingers curled against Jack's shoulder in caution, but Jack asked him curiously. "What does this say"? Declan's voice was low and filled with pain, when he answered close to his ear. "любовь разорвет нас на части. It means... Love will tear us apart". Jack removed his hand from Declan's scar, saying genuinely. "I'm sorry". Declan's voice strengthened, when he answered with a small sigh. "Why are you sorry"? Jack looked up to see Mark talking to the audience and uttered out casually. "I can imagine why you got that. You mentioned earlier that Orson's mother caught you with Melanie... You never said what happened to her".

Declan's arm tightened just a little, before he mumbled out in an undertone. "I sent her across the sea. She promised to meet my sister there in Russia. I told her she would be safe there from Alison's jealous wraith. I found out from my sister a few months later... The ship never made it. A storm sank the boat... There were no survivors". Jack felt his eyes well up. He could feel Declan's pain like it was his own. Declan kissed his shoulder tenderly, whispering against his skin. "That scar was from the knife I took to protect Melanie as she ran away from here. Cut straight to the bone and got me thirty stitches with my added castration. The things we do for love...". Jack swallowed nervously, asking. "Why didn't you run with her"? Declan lifted his hand to stroke the metal collar around Jack's neck, answering dryly. "This room was mine, remember? I couldn't leave this room. Or I would have gladly died with her on that ship".

Jack licked his dry lips, almost afraid to ask as he glanced over his shoulder to look Declan in the eyes. "I don't understand you, Declan. Why stay here? You're a Master now. Why take over the academy? Why take me from Mark? Why do any of this"? Declan flashed him a sad smile, his eyes becoming distant, when he answered honestly. "On that bitches death bed... I told her that I planned to tear down this academy... but I couldn't do it. I met Melanie here. So, I gave it to Orson. I went home to Russia for the first time in... years. Unfortunately, Everyone believed that I killed Alison as revenge for Melanie and to take over the academy anyway. I was free. When Orson convinced me to return... That is when I saw Mark. I got it in my head to be a Master like my Melanie was. Then I got a link a few years later that lead me to you". Jack held his breathe as Declan's eyes stared into his very being, before telling him. "What you went through. That was how I was sold to Alison. I was kidnapped off the streets of Russia at eighteen. I didn't see Russia or my sister again for... ten years".