The Flesh Cartel #6: Brotherhood

different breed of procurer. Bounty hunters, smart enough to outthink any slave. You’re valuable, you understand: The hours I put into you. The money your owner paid for you. The information you have, as worthless as it is in the grand scheme of things. These men are trained. Smart. If you escape, they will find you, and you won’t like how you’re treated when you’re brought back to the fold.”
Mathias balled up his sweat-damp towel and threw it at Nikolai. “I don’t like how I’m treated now.” Then he turned and took two steps toward the bathroom, clearly intending to snub Nikolai by way of getting himself a drink.
But Nikolai had other plans. He sprung forward, clotheslining Mathias’s throat with the towel and yanking him back. Mathias fought for half a second before he forced himself still, hands balling into trembling fists at his sides when Nikolai twisted the towel tightly enough to warn, but not to choke.
“On your knees, boy,” Nikolai snapped, “and don’t you ever throw things at your betters again.” He wrenched on the towel, pulling down until Mathias crashed to his knees, hands now clutching the material at his throat. “Are you no better than a child, then, to throw a tantrum when things don’t go your way? Should I punish you like one? Perhaps I didn’t hit you hard enough yesterday. Shall we revisit the matter?”
“Fuck you, prick,” Mathias rasped. Nikolai had expected rebound, backlash after the large concession yesterday— Mathias had built up too much disgust, self-hatred, and impotent fury for the moment of breaking to stick—but this was stronger than he’d anticipated, even for a fighter like Mathias. Perhaps such drastic reactions called for the same in turn.
Nikolai released the towel and slapped him. “I asked you a question, boy. I expect an answer. A proper one.”
Mathias bared his teeth like the dangerous animal he was. “Go ahead, beat my ass. But if you wanna fuck it, you’ll have to force me. I’m not falling for your bullshit mindfucks again.”
“No, you’re not going to fall for one. You’re going to help me create one.”
“What? No, I’m fucking not. Fuck you.”
“Yes, you are. Now, stay. Can you do that? Or do I need to restrain you? Answer me honestly.”
Something in his tone must have broken through Mathias’s shield of fury, because he actually went silent for a moment, eyes angling up, clearly considering the question. “You gonna hurt me?” he finally asked. No fear in that question. Plenty of belligerence, though.
“Do you need me to hurt you today, Mathias? Is that what this is about?”
“Fuck you. Go do what you have to do. I won’t move. Don’t need to tie me down. Fucker.”
Well. This was a substantial backslide. Nikolai would have to react swiftly and decisively to nip this in the bud. He knew just the thing.
“You must be thirsty after your run,” he said, opening a cupboard door and finding what he was looking for immediately.
“Yeah. I was trying to get a drink before you tried to strangle me to death with my own fucking towel.”
“Oh, my boy,” Nikolai chuckled, picking up a wicked spider gag, “you’re much too expensive to kill. I’m afraid that’s just one more method of escape you can chalk up to the impossible.”
“We’ll see about that, you smug fuck.”
“Hmm. Interesting choice of word, ‘smug.’ An excessive amount of pride in one’s achievements, isn’t it? Well, my pride is certainly not excessive. I am a master of men, after all.” He crouched, and true to his word, Mathias didn’t move, not even when Nikolai stretched his mouth open, wedged the prongs of the gag past his teeth, and buckled the strap behind his head. “You, on the other hand, are awfully self-important for someone who can just as easily be a human toilet as a prize fighter, you understand?”
Realization dawned in Mathias’s blue eyes, which widened almost as much as his brother’s were naturally. Fear. Yes, much better. He scrabbled for the gag, fingers finding the buckle, trying to undo it, so distracted he didn’t notice Nikolai’s heel driving toward his groin until it was too late.
Mathias cried out and crumpled to the floor.
Nikolai crouched beside him and grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head until they were face to face, even though Mathias was in too much pain to make eye contact. “What part of hold still do you not understand? Did I say you could touch the gag? Do you think I put it on just so