Love in Chains Ch. 09

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"Truth."

Nye smiled, his drowsy eyes glowing making Adam's stomach tighten. "Okay... I feel like crap. How did the meeting go?"

"Very well... but I have no intention of discussing business with you now. Jon said you didn't eat so I am here to make sure you do."

Nye glanced at the tray, inhaling the aroma of the soup, and his smile widened. "I'm liking your bedside manners."

"Good. So sit up and take your medicine like a good patient and it might just continue."

Still smiling Nye hauled himself into a sitting position, unable to stifle a moan as he sat up. Adam made him sit still while he mounded the pillows behind him and eased him back against them. The scent of his hair made Adam feel dizzy with desire but it was easy to control himself when he looked into eyes that were, at the same time, adoring and filled with pain and confusion.

When he was settled Adam insisted on feeding him the soup and bread. Although he objected he was very grateful to be able to just lie back against the cool soft pillows and allow himself to be cosseted. He began to regret his misgivings and berated himself for ever having doubted Adam's love. He was so gentle, so thoughtful.

Nye managed to finish most of the soup before his stomach began to rebel. When Adam tried to raise the spoon to his lips he pushed it away and shook his head.

"I've had enough... unless you want to find out what chicken soup looks like when projectile vomited across a room."

"You paint such a lovely picture but I think I will pass on that right now. Do you want some wine?"

"No. I had a brandy at The Club and regretted it afterwards."

"Oh well then... it's your fault and have no one to blame but yourself." He smiled and Nye closed his eyes with a sigh. "Are you okay?"

"I feel... I don't feel very well."

"I'm sure you don't. Why don't you try and get some more sleep. Now that you've eaten you should feel a lot better when you wake up."

"Adam..."

"What?" He was strangely disquieted by the tone of Nye's voice and also felt a stab of annoyance deep within wondering what he was going to stay and thinking it had better not be anything too challenging.

"I'm scared."

Adam was genuinely surprised. "Scared? What are you scared of?"

"I feel so ill. I'm scared that the antidote wasn't effective and I'm still dying."

Adam smiled, stopping himself from laughing aloud. "You're such a drama queen. I've looked up the poison and believe me, if you were going to die you'd be dead by now."

"You looked it up?"

"Of course I did. I trust Lian slightly less than I would trust a viper in my pants. I wasn't taking any chances."

Nye's smile was genuinely warm. "That's not a surprise."

"But the fact that I cared enough to check things out, to make sure you're safe is?"

Nye's smile slipped and he looked anxious. Adam found it charming and so he was prepared to be generous. "I'm sorry Nye. I shouldn't have said that. Of course you are feeling unsettled and scared and it's hardly surprising you doubt me. I was a fool. I should have known better. I allowed your life to be put at risk and I will always regret that. You have to believe me that I would never have allowed Lian anywhere near you if I had known what he was going to do and I will never let anyone hurt you like that again."

"I do believe you Adam." He frowned and raised his eyes to meet Adam's. "Do you love me?"

"What?"

"Do you love me Adam?"

"Do really have to ask that? After everything I have done, everything I just said?"

"Please Adam... just tell me."

Adam was irritated again. Why the hell did Nye have to be so needy all the time? For fuck sake what did he have to do to convince him? Forcing a smile onto his face he leaned forwards and kissed his lover lightly on the lips.

"Yes I love you Nye. Of course I love you. Now close those exquisite eyes and go to sleep."

Nye closed his eyes, smiling and snuggled down in the pillows. Adam tucked the duvet around him and took the tray back into the kitchen. He was unaccountably angry, with Nye for demanding emotion from him which, in his mind he saw as manipulation to which he did NOT take kindly... and with himself for not having followed through with his original plan.

Pouring himself a drink Adam went to stand at the window, looking out over the city beneath. People were on their way home from work and the traffic was gridlocked, so far below they looked like toys. The apartment was a good one; well positioned and comfortably furnished. Adam was surrounded by material comforts but they barely registered on his list of what was important in his life.

Until recently The Club had been his life. It was everything, it was enough. What with the various businesses that were centred there and the pleasure he was able to gain from using the facilities, the power, the status. But lately it had felt... somehow empty. He had tried to fill up the emptiness with his lovers and he had succeeded... for a little while with each... but the pleasure had faded after a while as his interest waned.

With Nye it was different. Nye was different; he was everything Adam could ever have wished for in a man, a lover and a life partner. Undeniably beautiful yet unconscious of its effect, he was sweet natured and eager to please; malleable and easy to control without the need for force or compulsion. He was decorative, easy to be with, useful for impressing clients, and when he was on form he was a fucking great lover.

No, he wasn't tiring of Nye. His interest was, if anything increasing as he got to know the intricacies of his personality, the strengths that lay below the soft exterior. Did he love him? Maybe. Was he prepared to compromise, to let the relationship develop naturally, to work with Nye to make a strong and stable partnership encompassing Nye's personality, accepting his friends and family? Hell no!

Feeling tense and restless he went to the bathroom and took a shower and then sat down at the laptop to work. He was still there, absorbed, hours later when Nye finally emerged from the bedroom looking sleepy but better.

Adam looked up and smiled. "Feeling better?"

"Much. It was the magic soup."

""I'm glad the magic worked." He put aside the laptop and held out his arms to Nye. Willingly he folded himself into the arms, on Adam's lap and wrapped his own arms around his neck. For a while they were both content to cuddle and savour the closeness and the peace.

"If you feel up to it I thought we would order in Chinese."

"Yes, that would be good, shall I get the menu?"

"Don't bother. Why don't you go and take a bath and I'll order?"

"I'm not sure what I want."

"I know what you like."

"But I might not want what you order."

"You will."

Nye pulled back and looked at Adam, a strange look on his face and Adam's irritation returned. "Adam... I don't think the being a slave thing is going to work."

"What? What has that got to do with ordering Chinese?"

"Everything. I don't like being told what to do Adam. I want to please you and I think I do, most of the time. But a relationship is about compromise and I don't want to be in a position where everything is always what you want and what you think. I want an equal partnership, not a master slave relationship. I want to feel that I get a say in what we do... not just the big things but all the little things too. Is that really to much to ask?"

Adam looked down, so that Nye could not see the look in his eyes, the look that spoke of the raw anger that was flaring within. So much work, so much effort and all wiped away in one fell swoop. He hated Lian, blamed this all on him. With a considerable amount of effort he looked up and smiled at Nye, his eyes carefully blank.

"No Nye. It isn't too much to ask... or to give." The smile almost killed him. "I tell you what... go and have your bath and I'll find the menu and when you come out we'll order. How does that sound?"

Nye grinned, glowing and kissed him before he slid off his lap and headed towards the bathroom. Adam watched him go, an inscrutable look on his face, until he disappeared when he allowed his features to show the rage he felt inside.

How dare he? How dare Nye make him feel like this? Well... it stopped here and now. He was going to get this relationship back on track and before the end of the day Nye was going to be completely and utterly under his control... one way or another.