Robert's POV

I woke up filled with absolute glee. I woke up grinning from ear-to-ear. I woke up feeling like there wasn't a thing in this world that could bring me down.

Yesterday, I sat and listened to Jerry McQueen scream over the phone at my adversary. He'd been mean. He'd used cuss words. He'd threatened to get him fired.

It was amazing.

I hummed to myself as I showered and made a coffee. I used my hairbrush as a microphone and belted out some Ed Sheeran. I waved to my neighbors as I grabbed the mail.

I called Aidan and smiled wide when he answered. "You're one of my closest friends," I told him. "Best friend, debatably."

He didn't respond positively. Actually, he gave a defeated sigh. "...Okay, you're still in that mood. Got it. You know, Adam wasn't actually a real threat, right?"

"It felt so good to watch Jerry scream at that scumbag," I sighed. I sat back, closed my eyes, and recalled the scene. "Did you notice how hot he is when he's pissed?"

"No, I didn't. Why are you calling me? I haven't even had caffeine yet."

Why was I calling Aidan? Oh right, there actually was a reason. "Well, I wanted to relive that moment with you. But also, make sure you and your sweet boy come to the club tonight. I have to bounce some ideas off of you."

"Alright, we'll be there."

"Thank you, you're great," I gushed. "Tell Finn I said good morning. No, scratch that— tell him I say great morning."

"...I'm hanging up now."

I left my house humming and sang along to the radio until I reached Home Depot. Usually I felt mild irritation when I entered the store, but today I was all smiles.

I didn't really like my second job, but it was necessary. Not necessary for the money— I had more than enough money, with my father's inheritance and the club. But it was necessary to keep me busy.

If I was bored, I made drastic and terrible financial decisions.

Like redesigning a club that already makes plenty of money?

The world may never know.

Halfway through a shift of smiling so much it was starting to creep people out, my phone started buzzing relentlessly in my pocket. Feeling a little guilty that I'd left it on during work, I ducked into the bathroom to turn it off.

Except that it was Jerry calling.

I answered without even thinking about it. "Jeremy? What's going on? You don't usually call me first."

"Where are you at this exact moment in time?" Jerry asked, and I couldn't help but grin.

He was so needy. Even when he screeched and complained about how I was always breathing down his neck, he'd always reach out if he hadn't heard anything from me in a while.

"Work," I said, trying to kill my goofy grin. If I were ever lucky enough to be a Dom to this boy, I'd have to learn not to smile at the sound of his voice alone.

"The club already?" he asked. "I guess I can get there in—"

"No, the other job. Home Depot," I corrected, making him groan. "Why?"

"I need your help," he whispered. "Wait— let me hide in the bathroom really quickly. Finn is asleep, but part of me is suspicious that he might wake up and hear."

Instantly, I was on high-alert. "Are you okay? You can tell me anything. If you need me, I'll tell my boss and be right there."

"No, chill!" Faintly, a door clicked shut and locked. Jerry whispered, "Here's the cold hard truth. I'm scared of phone calls."

Sometimes talking to Jerry made my brain hurt.

"What? We're talking on the phone right now."

"Right! I get that. But you're somebody I know. I'm scared of phone calls that are important. Like making a doctor's appointment, or making a reservation at a restaurant, or, say, calling to schedule a consultation for nipple piercings..."

"...I see where this is going."

"Please!" he whisper-begged. "I know you're not scared of making phone calls. Old people never are."

"Excuse you."

"But are you though?"

"...No."

"Please schedule it! I texted you all the info. Just tell them that you're my boyfriend or something, 'kay?"

He was such a little shit. He knew exactly how to play me. "Fine, I'll do that," I gave in. "But why did you need to hide from Finn?"

"Because it's embarrassing, duh! Who else is scared of phone calls? C'mon! Okay, I gotta go because I kind of have to poop. Bye!"

Before I fully turned my phone off and got back to work, I sent him a text. Come to the club with me tonight

His response was immediate. K, but only if u buy me dinner. The dining hall is so gross that its giving me scurvy

Me: i dont think thats how scurvy works. But of course i'll buy you dinner. See you after work?

Jerry: i only accept mcdonalds. But yea sounds like a plan

Now that I had seeing Jerry to look forward to, time couldn't pass slower. I checked the clock nearly every second, and growled when the time hadn't gone by already. When my shift was already over, I ran to my car so fast I almost got hit by someone in the parking lot.

I rolled up to the dorm, shot Jerry a text, and the boy appeared almost instantly. He looked adorable in a t-shirt that read "oh no everyone is so hot" in the colors of the pansexual pride flag.

He hopped into my car and changed the radio channel to pop without even greeting me. "Phew! That was rough; I almost aged a decade just from hearing that music."

I ruffled his hair and kicked the car into drive. "That was Bohemian Rhapsody. It's a classic."

"Dude, it's like ten minutes too long. So, McDonalds?" Jerry folded his hands together and placed them under his chin, batting his lashes at me like he was innocent.

"Maybe. I was thinking maybe we could shop first," I suggested, eyeballing his outfit. "Because clearly you didn't bring clothes to get into my club."

Jerry tossed his head back so fast that he hit the headrest. "UGHHH. I hate shopping. But I guess you're taking the roll of my sugar daddy very seriously."

"Who said I was paying?" I scoffed.

Jerry gave me a look.

"Okay, of course I'll pay," I backpedalled. "But I thought you were joking about me being your sugar daddy."

"I was! I still am. Look—there's a McDonald's. C'mon, please pull in, I will literally pass out if you don't put food in my stomach right now. Dude, it's growling so loud I think I'm going to attract a bear as a mate—oh wait, that's you. Hey—don't drive past it! Oh my God, you're the worst."

I tried not to laugh. "There's a Wendy's right across from the store we're headed to."

"Wait." Jerry turned completely to the side so he could stare directly at me. "You think those are the same? Are you ill?"

He was such a drama queen.

"If I'm buying you food, you'll eat what I give you without complaining," I ordered, fully intending on sounding like a stern Dominant.

"Okay, Mom," Jerry scoffed.

I had a moment of contemplation— was being a stern Dominant the same as acting like a mother?

No, no, that was DD/lb.

I decided, with mature reflection, that I could turn around and buy my boy some McDonald's. In an effort to not remind him of his mother.

"Yay!" Jerry cheered when I turned around.

"You're so spoiled," I grumbled.

"You spoil me, 'cause you wanna tap this ass," Jerry declared, like he'd discovered something revolutionary.

I shrugged. "True. So, what kind of outfit do you want for tonight?"

Jerry shrugged. "I don't care as long as I get a burger in my belly. You can dress me."

This was the best day of my life. I bought Jerry his obscenely large McDonald's order and watched him, slightly intimidated, as he put it all down in less than five minutes. He finished with the loudest burp I'd ever heard.

He patted his belly and leaned back, sighing. "That hit the spot. My scurvy? Gone."

He had a one-track mind.

I made the call for Jerry's consultation on the way to the store, and then we pulled up to get him some better clothes. "Come on in," I coaxed, making Jerry groan and peel himself out of his seat. "It won't be bad. I can buy you sex toys if it makes you feel better."

"I was kidding about that!" he protested, following me with a fabricated sulky attitude.

"Fine, no sex toys."

"I mean, I wasn't saying no..."

"Come in," I ordered. Jerry followed with no more complaints, because he was a submissive at heart. "I know the owner, but I doubt she'll be here now."

Jerry's eyes went wide the moment we stepped into the store. It was a kinkster's heaven; kind of like the back of a Spencer's, but less seedy and cheap. The walls were lined with toys for impact play, restraint, and countless other uses. Jerry stared openly at the row of paddles.

He pointed at it. "Do you think Finn and Aidan have those?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. You could probably just ask them, although that's a personal thing. Come on, boy, let's get you an outfit."

"—This place looks expensive, though. I thought... I expected something tacky and cheap. Like five dollar lingerie or whatever." Jerry reached for a vibrator and his eyes bugged at the cost. "Over two hundred? Robert!"

I left the boy to his exploration and inspected the clothes. Jerry always resorted to wearing black pants, mostly to throw people off. They expected him to be in something slutty and submissive, so he always chose to wear clothes of Dominants.

I wanted him to wear clothes good enough for Jerry. "How about this?" I asked, holding up a simple leather chest harness. "You're always trying so hard to look masculine. This looks it."

He glared. "Trying?"

I blanched. "Uh— well. You're obviously male! I mean, and masculine as well. Of course! So, harness?"

"Why would I ever look like a dog willingly? Let me check these out." Jerry nosed through the clothes, rolling his eyes every time he saw something leather. "This stuff is tacky. I want something fun and fresh, like fishnet tights and booty shorts and a studded collar!"

I snorted. "We can do fishnet tights and booty shorts. Don't bother with the collar unless you want people to ask you when we started playing."

Jerry glared. "Why would they assume you?"

I tucked a piece of hair behind his ear and delighted in his blush. "Well, you're the only boy who's kneeled for me at the club for months. People already assume that we're together."

Jerry huffed. "That's just 'cause I like getting a front row seat to the shows."

He blushed and averted his eyes, so I saw right through him. "I think you like being at my feet," I boasted, ruffling his hair. "But say what you want to."

Jerry grumbled some inaudible words and snatched the clothes he wanted.

I ended up walking through the doors of my club that night with the hottie everyone wanted right at my side, dressed in a fashionably tattered crop top with the words 'brats do it better'. I kept staring at the small leather shorts he had over fishnets. I never realized how great boys could look in tights until Jerry.

Doms drooled over him and he didn't even notice. He walked arm-in-arm with me, waving at some people he knew, and I met the eyes of the men and women who wanted him.

Just so I could let them know, with a slight smirk, that it was never going to happen.