La Maison 2: Differences (Complete: BDSM mxm)

February 10

A/N: You know, Frankie is pissing me off a bit right now. Dumb ass. 

He'll get there, though.

François

Ellis had a matinee performance this afternoon. I didn't go, because I needed to do some work relating to my parents' business. I've been letting it go too much lately, focusing on the club, and on Ellis, but Connor took him and will bring him home.

My brother and sister do a lot of work for the business; Etienne as Chief Financial Officer and Delphine as Chief Operating Officer. My parents had wanted Lucien to join the firm too, but he had joined the army as a medic instead and now works for Medecins Sans Frontieres. Yes, we're the type of family where a medical degree is considered a step down. I joined the forces too, because college bored me, but I did come back to the business like a good little boy after finishing my degree remotely. I can't be too bitter, because I do love the pressure of my work, but the shadow of something larger, or at least more dangerous, has been tainting it lately.

It started about three months ago, when I had a visit from a certain Andrei Volkushkin, who is the leader of a branch of the Russian mafia. I knew who he was – I keep myself appraised of the news, and he is a man who prides himself on being unafraid of what others, including law enforcement, think of him, despite having spent time in prison. He was upfront about his desire to expand his family's business down a more 'legitimate' route, claiming he could join our business with a large Massachusetts-based property portfolio, and I was equally upfront that he wasn't expanding anything off the back of my family's hard work. He was frustrated but polite, so I was surprised that I began to receive threatening phone calls shortly after, telling me I was going to give up everything.

He hadn't pushed anything further than those strange calls, but, because of them, I wasn't entirely astonished at the pseudo-attack from the young man a few weeks ago. I had been expecting him to level up the threat in some way. Honestly? I'm slightly surprised I walked away from that unscathed as everything I know about the Russians puts them as not messing around. I know Dex was pissed at himself for not seeing it coming or being able to stop the boy from escaping, but I was just happy that Ellis was with Connor and therefore safe.

I've thought about that evening often though, trying to evaluate why something seemed off. The cold steel of the blade was real, alright, the hissing but slightly high-pitched threat felt very real, the shock on Dex's face was a novelty, but it was real. Yet, somehow, it still felt like a school play, being poorly acted. But nothing about it becomes clear through the magic of over-thinking so I'm pleased to give up on it when I hear the door go, and my boy is home.

As always, now, Ellis comes into my study having already stripped to his boxer shorts in the foyer. I take my moment to admire his beautiful toned body as he comes in, his eyes lowered, and stands at attention in front of my desk. He's looking a little paler, which is to be expected because we're just coming into spring after a long, cold winter, but even his face has that pallor caused by lack of sunlight and I guiltily try to remember the last time we went for a run, or even a walk, in the park. I've just been so busy with other things, and so worried about his mental health after those revelations last year, that he's almost been under house arrest. And this issue with the Russians means it's not likely to end any time soon.

He's still stunning though, regardless of pale skin, his chest and abdomen carrying the perfect level of musculature, naturally smooth and mouthwateringly defined. His thighs beg to be massaged and teased, strong and elegant, just like all of him. I can't see his glorious bright eyes right now as they're perfectly cast down, but I can just see a sweet smile, which makes my heart glow, as it seems to have been in hibernation for a few weeks.