The Alchemist's Son - Ch. 3 Ezra (Patreon)

Okay, so the polls winning answers : The don't find Ezra's dad, he both fights with Declan's men and blends, and the patreon exclusive poll question. Fighting or edging. You chose edging. If you're enjoying it so far, let me know. Chapter 3EzraEzra spent more than a few minutes reliving the embarrassment of his reaction to the brief period of darkness. It wasn’t that he thought Declan would exploit that particular weakness. Despite currently being tied to his bed, Ezra still had far more trust in Declan than literally any other man he’d ever met. Even after Declan slapped him. Especially after Declan had slapped him.It had shown Ezra what he’d needed to know. Declan didn’t want to hurt him. Well, not to control him anyway. If he’d wanted to hurt Ezra, he would have backhanded him like his goon—Olivander?—had done. Ezra had been slapped around a lot considering his age. Declan had smacked him open-handed, had wrapped a hand around his throat, had crowded into his space. He’d wanted Ezra to submit to him, but not out of fear or pain, but because it turned him on.Fuck.Declan wanted him. It was so fucking obvious. Ezra hadn’t exactly made a secret of wanting him, too. Especially if it meant submitting. He wasn’t above admitting he had massive Daddy issues. Obviously. He’d call Declan “Daddy” if he’d let him. Hell, he’d earned the title far more than his real father ever had. Able had only ever caused Ezra misery and suffering. Able had seen firsthand the damage his lifestyle had caused and left Ezra vulnerable anyway.He grimaced, pushing thoughts of Able away, choosing instead to focus on Declan. Declan and his kaleidoscope eyes that burned a hole through Ezra every time he studied his face, eyes that raked over him from head to toe like he was picturing him naked. Hopefully, he was. God, what if he was?Ezra swallowed audibly, his whole body flushing hot at the thought of Declan on top of him, hand squeezing his throat, growling in his ear, forcing his way inside Ezra’s body. Would he let Declan fuck him? It would be a first. It was just a line he’d never crossed with other guys. Call it trust issues. They paired nicely with Daddy issues.He adjusted his arms, the ropes tugging on his aching shoulders, finally letting himself think about the state of him. His head still throbbed. He needed a shower. And some Tylenol. Maybe a CT scan to make sure he wasn’t actually in a coma right now and imagining this entire thing.What he really wanted was sleep. When he let his eyes fall shut, they ached and burned, and his brain begged him to just unplug for a bit. He let his thoughts go, focusing on the softness of the bed beneath him and the pillow under his head. Yeah, he just needed a couple of minutes. That was his last thought before his mind went black.***Ezra jumped at a sudden banging noise, stomach lurching as he looked around frantically, trying to figure out where he was or what was happening.Then it all came flooding back to him. Oh, yeah. He’d been kidnapped. By Declan. Because of Able. He tried to blink away the fog of sleep. Or a concussion. At this point, it was hard to say.Declan gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, kid. Didn’t mean to scare you.”“Well, you did,” Ezra muttered grumpily, perking up when he saw the water bottle and pills he carried. “Are you going to untie me or what?”Declan leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his muscled chest. “I suppose that depends on you. Can I trust you to behave?”Ezra glowered at him. “Seriously? I thought you wanted my help.”Declan shrugged. “I’m just saying, you haven’t proven very trustworthy so far.”Ezra rolled his eyes, then sighed. This was going to fucking suck. He hated this type of knot-work. He set his jaw, twisting and turning his wrists to get a feel of the bindings. After a second, he used one hand to wrench on his other, popping his thumb out of place, then folding it against his palm to slip a hand free.Declan’s eyes went wide as Ezra sat up, grimacing then screaming as he yanked his thumb back into place, his vision going white and empty stomach lurching from the pain. Once the shock passed, he gave Declan a dead stare. “How about now?”“You could get out of those ropes the whole time?” Declan asked, sounding impressed but also mildly irritated.Good.“Just call me Houdini,” Ezra quipped.Declan smirked at him. “What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?”Ezra crawled to the edge of the bed until he was on his hands and knees looking up at Declan, refusing to focus on the fact that he was clearly a mess. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he murmured.Declan did that thing again, where he dragged his gaze over Ezra like he owned him, then sauntered forward, catching his jaw with a finger and applying pressure until Ezra came up on his knees. “You’re just begging for it, aren’t you?” Declan rumbled.Part of Ezra wanted to pretend he’d been kidding. The part that would literally die if he was rejected right now. But the other part of him couldn’t shake the what if. What if Declan wanted him, too? What if Declan wanted to kiss him and fuck him and make him yield? What if? It was that thought that made him bold.“Not yet, but I will if that’s what you want?” Ezra countered, his insides shaking.Declan studied him. “It’s not about what I want. It’s about what I demand.”Ezra’s breath caught, his heart hammering against his ribcage. “And what do you demand?”Declan’s gaze was solid steel. “Obedience.”Ezra’s vision swam. Maybe it was the head wound. Maybe it was the blood rushing from his brain to his dick. That was also hard to say. His tongue flicked out to lick his bottom lip. “I can do that. Inside the bedroom anyway,” he added hastily.Declan hooked one dark brow upwards. “Uh-uh. You don’t get to cherry pick when you follow my orders and when you don’t.”Ezra’s nostrils flared. He’d be damned if he would let some man order him around all day, everyday. But there was something in the way Declan said what he said. A challenge. Like he wanted Ezra to agree, but also like he hoped he was lying. Jesus. Ezra was in over his head but he had never been more turned on in his whole fucking life.“What happens if I don’t? Follow your orders, that is?” Ezra asked, unable to stop himself from swaying closer.Ezra’s heart stopped altogether as Declan gripped his jaw tight, holding him steady as he licked over Ezra’s now spit-slick lower lip. “Good boys get rewarded. Bad ones get punished.”Ezra was almost positive his brain had exploded. His cock throbbed and his nipples hardened, and he was almost positive he was three seconds away from coming in his pants. He’d never wanted anything or anyone so badly.“Do that again?” Ezra whispered. “Please?”“I don’t know if you’ve earned my tongue,” Declan taunted, squeezing harder, his mouth a hair’s breadth away from Ezra’s.“I stayed in my ropes,” Ezra countered, trying to close the distance between them.Declan didn’t kiss him, just leaned forward, rubbing his cheek against Ezra’s, lips skimming his ear. “I suppose that’s true,” he said, like he was considering Ezra’s plea. But then he tsked. “But you did try to escape earlier. You injured two of my men.”Ezra’s insides twisted. “But you already punished me for that,” Ezra reminded him, breathless.Declan bit down on Ezra’s earlobe until he whined. His hand shifted, releasing his chin to grip his throat, not squeezing, just forcing his head to the side to kiss along the tendon there. “It’s not a punishment if you like it.”Ezra’s chest rose and fell in deep gulping breaths. He couldn’t think straight. He just wanted more. Anything. “Please, Da—Declan,” Ezra faltered.“What was that?” Declan asked, moving to dip his tongue into the hollow of Ezra’s throat.His skin was on fire. “Please, kiss me, Declan.”Declan chuckled, licking his chin. “That’s not what you were going to say.”Ezra had never played these games before despite what he’d hinted to Declan earlier about kinks. It was a kink of his, but one he’d never trusted anybody to explore before. Letting Declan dom him was one thing, but if he said what Declan wanted him to say, he was leaving himself completely vulnerable to him in a way he’d never been with another human being. Ever.He swallowed the pound of sand in his throat. “Daddy.”Declan’s other hand joined the first on either side of Ezra’s neck, his rough fingers caressing upwards until he was cupping his face. “I’ve never let a single person call me that,” he said, meeting his gaze.Ezra’s insides shriveled, humiliation curdling in his stomach like milk. To his horror, he felt tears pricking at the backs of his eyes. Christ, if he cried right now, he would find a way to hang himself with the rope he’d left on the bed. It wasn’t his fault he was emotional. His day had been a fucking rollercoaster. He’d just blame that.“But it feels right,” Declan admitted. Ezra hated the way his heart soared, a thousand butterflies taking flight in his belly when Declan then murmured, “Open up.”Ezra’s lips parted without hesitation, and he whined when Declan’s mouth covered his, tongue plunging inside to explore. Holy fucking hell. This was so much better and so much worse than he’d ever imagined. He’d always known kissing Declan would be hot in an abstract two-dimensional sense. But now he knew. Like, he really knew in a very much 3D way. He knew how the scruff on his chin made Ezra’s lips tingle and burn, how the heat of his skin melted into Ezra’s core, how he tasted of coffee and smelled like some sharply scented soap made just for men.When Declan pulled back, Ezra tried to follow, but he held firm. “Uh-uh. That’s as far as this goes…for now.”Ezra’s face collapsed into a sulk. “You suck,” he muttered under his breath.Declan’s jaw tensed, his gaze hardening into a withering glare. “What was that?” he rasped, sending a bolt of lightning through him.“Nothing,” he said.Once more, Declan’s hands were on his face and he was a breath away. “Nothing, what?”Ezra blinked, then swallowed hard once more. Jesus, he needed that water. “Nothing, Daddy.”“Good boy,” he said, giving him a hard kiss before tipping him over to fall back onto the bed. He took the water and pills, handing them over. “Take these.” Ezra sat up enough to do as he was told. “Drink it. All of it.”Ezra laid there, head spinning. “Declan?”“Yeah, kid?” he asked.“I can trust you, right?” he asked, hating himself for sounding so fucking insecure.Declan frowned. “What?”Ezra’s gaze slid away to stare at the blank wall. “This whole seduction thing is real, right?” He stumbled to find the words. “I’m not expecting a relationship or a marriage proposal, but…you’re not just using it to keep me in line, right?”Declan studied him in that way he did. “Are you asking me if I’m trying to fuck you into doing what I want?”He flushed. “Kinda?”Declan gave a slight shake of his head. “No, kid. I don’t need sex to make you behave. Honestly, if I fuck you, it’s only going to make you mouthier and more brazen and we both know it.”If? Ezra didn’t push the issue. “Can I take a shower? I feel really gross.”Declan nodded. “Yeah, but then I want what you promised me.” Ezra’s mouth fell open, but Declan laughed. “The names. You said you knew how to find your father. You need to make good on your promise.”“Okay, but we need to go to my apartment.”Declan’s brows knitted together. “What?”“What what?” Ezra said with a shrug. “I need to get the list from the notebook in my apartment.”Declan scoffed. “Who keeps valuable information in a notebook in this day and age?”Ezra gave him a baleful look. “Someone who knows how easy it is to hack into people’s electronics.”“I can’t let you show your face at your apartment complex after I just kidnapped you, kid. That’s not happening. I’ll send Salem and Coven.”“No way. Besides, it’s biometric. I have to be there. I keep it in a safe in my closet.”“Christ. Go shower. I’m going to try to figure out how to break you into your own apartment.”Ezra shrugged. “Okay, but if I just show up to my apartment and say I wasn’t actually kidnapped, seems like it would be a lot easier.”“Easier? Does twenty-four hours in an interrogation room lying to the cops sound easier to you?”Ezra flushed. No, not really.“That’s what I thought. Go shower.”###Ezra wasn’t sure how wearing baggy jeans and a hoodie with the hood up wasn’t more conspicuous than just walking up to the front door, but he went with it. Salem, who Ezra was rapidly realizing was definitely Declan’s second-in-command, came with them as well as one of his earlier henchmen, Olivander. The one still fuming at him.Declan had forced them to stay in the car and keep watch to make sure no cops were snooping around. Declan stayed glued to Ezra’s heels, so much so that when Ezra stopped outside his apartment, Declan ran into him. Ezra turned and gave him a look, but Declan refused to apologize, handing over the keys he’d clearly swiped from Ezra when he’d snatched him off the street.There was crime scene tape over his door, which meant the cops had been there at some point and obviously intended to return. Declan just plowed through it, leaving Ezra to follow through the remnants of yellow plastic now blowing in the breeze.Once inside the apartment, Ezra fumbled for the light switch, but Declan snagged his wrist. “Uh-uh. No lights.”Ezra started to shake. He couldn’t help it. It was a completely involuntary response, just like the words pouring from his lips. “I need the light. I need it. I need the light, Declan. Please, Declan,” he whispered frantically.Declan gripped his wrist tighter. “Easy. Easy. Just breathe.” A light sprang to life pointed towards the floor. The flashlight on Declan’s phone. “Keep it pointed downwards. Okay?”Ezra’s blood roared in his ears, face in flames again. He couldn’t seem to stop embarrassing himself in front of the older man. “Yeah, okay,” Ezra agreed faintly.Ezra felt a little untethered when Declan released his wrist, but then his hand was suddenly at the small of his back, and he swore he could feel the heat of his skin through the thick sweatshirt material.Ezra guided him down the short hallway into his bedroom, not really needing the light for anything but comfort. He went into the master bedroom, then into the large walk-in closet, pushing aside clothes to kneel on the floor and pull back the carpet. The safe was sunken into the floor. There was a reason he’d wanted an apartment on the first floor. Well, that and being able to flee from his kidnappers out a window without breaking an ankle.He pressed his hand to the sensor, watching the lights dance beneath his fingertips before the lock gave way with an audible click. He yanked open the handle and reached inside for the leather-bound book inside. It wasn’t a notebook, more a journal of sorts. Okay, it was a diary. One he had no interest in letting Declan read. Especially the numerous passages about him.“Got it. Let’s get out of here,” he said, shoving the journal into the waistband of his pants before covering it with the oversized hoodie. “Wait, can I grab some of my clothes?”Declan seemed to think about it, then gave a single nod. “Yeah, but not too many. I don’t know how closely these cops are looking at things just yet or if they’ve taken any kind of inventory of your apartment.”Ezra doubted any fucking beat cop had taken note of how many pairs of jeans he had hanging in his closet, but he wasn’t about to argue. He snatched a tote bag from the top shelf, one he’d gotten for participating in a pub crawl off campus a year ago. He hastily shoved jeans, a few t-shirts, socks, and underwear into the bag before saying, “We can go now.”The walk back to the car was surprisingly uneventful. The same couldn’t be said for the ride back to the hotel. Despite the passenger seat being wide open, Declan forced Ezra to ride squished between Olivander and Salem. Declan had demanded he be nice to them or else. Ezra had shivered in anticipation at the “or else” part.Once the car was in motion, Olivander blew out a breath. “Did you get it?”“Yeah, we got it,” Declan said with a definitive nod.“Let me see it,” Olivander demanded, making like he was going to frisk Ezra until he got the journal.“Yeah, that’s so not happening, grabby hands. And if you don’t stop touching me, you’re going to lose your nose. For real, this time.”Salem snorted, but Olivander snarled. “I don’t get why you trust this kid, man.”“This kid is right here,” Ezra said. “And he trusts me because he doesn’t have a choice. My father isn’t coming back for me, so if you guys want to get paid in something other than Cheetos and some much-needed deodorant, you should probably trust me, too.”“Ezra,” Declan rumbled, his name a warning. “What did I say?”Ezra rolled his eyes. “Ugh, fine.” He looked at Olivander, who anybody with eyes could see was drop dead gorgeous. He sighed. “I’m sorry I brought up your unibrow.” When Olivander’s shoulders sagged, Ezra added, “But in my defense, I thought you knew.”Salem snickered.“I’m going to chuck him out of this moving car,” Olivander roared. “Fucking try me.”Ezra grinned. “On the bright side, it detracts from the bump in your nose and your slightly crooked jaw.”“I’m starting to like this fucking kid, man,” Salem crowed.“Man, fuck both of y’all,” Olivander said, sulking.Ezra took the time to study the man. He was in his early thirties, had close-cropped hair, a jawline for days, and pretty blue eyes. Ezra was certain when his nose wasn’t swollen and covered with teeth marks, it matched his face just fine. Whatever. He’d make nice with him later. It was just so fun making him mad. He had a very quick temper.When he glanced up at the rearview mirror, he found Declan watching him. Ezra bit his lower lip, letting his teeth slide over it in a gesture that had the car veering wildly, Olivander’s head whacking into the glass as Declan over-corrected.“What the fuck, dude. Watch where you’re going,” he snapped in Declan’s direction.“Pothole,” Declan muttered, glaring at Ezra in the mirror.Ezra grinned, then leaned back and closed his eyes.It wasn’t until they were back in Declan’s room that Ezra learned Declan didn’t make idle threats. As soon as the door was shut, he shoved Ezra up against the door. “What was that?”Ezra’s knees were wobbly as Declan stepped between them, his thigh pressed dangerously close to Ezra’s now thickening cock. “What was what?” he asked, feigning innocence.“That little lip bite thing you did in the car?” Declan asked, rubbing his thumb over Ezra’s lower lip.Ezra met his gaze, then did the gesture again, this time scraping his top teeth along Declan’s thumb before sucking it into his mouth. Declan watched him intently, then began to rub the pad of his thumb over his tongue. It shouldn’t have felt good. The salty tang of his skin shouldn’t have been enough to make Ezra shiver, but it did.“You’re such a little fucking tease,” Declan murmured. “You like getting me turned on in front of other people? Hm? You think that’s cute?”Ezra couldn’t answer. He was too busy focusing on Declan’s thumb fucking deeper with each push. Then it was gone and the sting of a slap landed on his cheek, forcing a moan from his lips.“I asked you a question.”“No, Daddy,” Ezra said. “I’m sorry.”“Are you?” Declan asked. “I don’t believe you. I don’t think you’re sorry at all.”“So, what are you going to do about that?” Ezra asked.Declan’s mouth slanted over his in a kiss that had him sagging against him, his hard length pressed against Declan’s thigh. Then he was pulling away. “Nothing. I’m not going to do anything. You’re going to go to bed and I’m going to take that book of yours and copy down all those names. Just in case.”Ezra felt like someone had thrown ice water in his face. “What? No. You can’t be serious.”“Oh, I’m very serious.”“You can’t take my journal. It’s…private.”Declan frowned. “I thought it was just a notebook?”“It’s both. Something can be more than one thing, you know,” Ezra said, sounding desperate, even to his own ears.“I’m taking it. But I’ll let you point me to the list.”“It doesn’t work like that,” Ezra said, hands flailing. “It’s all mixed together.”“Listen, the notebook comes with me. You are staying here. I’ll make sure I don’t linger on anything unrelated to your father. Tomorrow, you can explain what you know to me in detail. But for now, you need to rest. I don’t want your brain too scrambled to help.”“So, you’re just going to leave me here…like this?” Ezra asked, gesturing to his obvious hard-on, not even caring if he seemed desperate.Declan leaned in and kissed him once more, this time slower, deeper, and so much more thoroughly than before. Then he pulled back. “Yeah, I am. But don’t worry. Good things come to those who wait.”Ezra deflated against the wall, tone huffy. “I hate waiting.”Declan pointed to the mattress. “Bed. Now. You better be asleep when I get back.”Ezra was tempted to say, “Or what?” but knew Declan wasn’t going to give him what he wanted until he wanted to.“Oh, and kid?”Ezra glared at him, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah?”“Don’t even think about getting yourself off without me. You hear me?”Ezra’s mouth opened and closed a few times. He hadn’t been thinking about it but now he was. Now, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. What a fucking asshole. “Yeah, I hear you.”“Good boy.”Then he was gone. Ezra gave the middle finger to the closed door, then stripped to his underwear, falling back onto the bed. Would Declan post guards outside his room again? Did it matter? Ezra wasn’t going anywhere and they both fucking knew it.He turned onto his side, fluffing the pillow, staring at the bright light beside the bed, before getting up and walking to the bathroom, flicking on the light in there and closing the door until it was only slightly ajar. Crawling back into bed—Declan’s bed—he flipped off the lamp, focusing on the light pooled on the floor for a moment before rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. He inhaled deeply, groaning when it smelled like Declan.Fuck. He clutched the pillow tighter, then finally let himself drift off to sleep.