41

Joseph gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles whitening with tension as he sped toward Alice’s house. The faint glow of streetlights smeared against his windshield, their amber light streaking through the wet patches left by an earlier drizzle. He tried to keep his focus on the road, but his mind raced. It wasn’t like Alice to just disappear. When one of Alek’s buddies mentioned seeing her leave with him, his stomach churned with a blend of anger and fear.

"Please be home," Joseph muttered, his voice thick with worry. "I knew I shouldn’t have given you that third drink."

As he parked outside Alice’s place, he barely remembered to kill the engine before launching out of the car. The slap of his shoes on the wet pavement echoed in the quiet night as he half-ran, half-skipped up the stone path to her front door. The shadows danced uneasily, and something caught his eye—a flicker of movement in the bushes by the porch. Frowning, he paused mid-step and peered into the shrubbery, parting the branches with a cautious hand.

“Erm… hello?” Joseph’s voice came out tentative, his pulse quickening.

A pair of wide eyes met his from amidst the leaves. “Hi,” came a meek reply.

Joseph blinked in shock. A naked boy—bare-skinned, shivering—shuffled awkwardly in the bush. He winced as the sparse branches jabbed into his flesh, his posture one of utter vulnerability.

“Why are you, A, naked, and B, in my friend’s greenery?” Joseph asked, his concern momentarily eclipsed by sheer bewilderment. Alice was momentarily forgotten.

The boy hesitated, looking down at the ground. “Jamie said I have to… It’s a punishment.”

At the mention of Jamie, Joseph’s stomach dropped. He recognized the boy now—Ste, the one who’d been pleading with Jamie in the kitchen a few weeks ago. Back then, Joseph had brushed it off as teenage drama, but seeing the boy now, it was clear this ran deeper than he had imagined.

“A punishment for what?” Joseph asked before waving the question off. “Actually, you know what… don’t answer that.”

As Joseph’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, he noticed the marks. Bite wounds, red welts, and faint burns marred the boy’s pale skin, stark against the cold flush of his body. His lips trembled, though whether from fear or cold, Joseph couldn’t tell.

“What’s your name, kiddo?” Joseph asked, trying to soften his tone.

“S—S—Ste,” the boy stammered, his teeth chattering so violently that Joseph winced in sympathy.

“Come with me,” Joseph said firmly, extending a hand.

“No,” Ste cried, crouching lower and covering himself as best as he could. “I can’t go in until he gets me.”

Joseph exhaled slowly, his breath misting in the cold air. It was clear Ste was terrified—conditioned, even. He knew Jamie had a domineering personality, but this? This was something else entirely.

“You can come with me,” Joseph said, his voice low and steady, “or I can call the police. Public nudity’s a crime, kiddo.”

Ste’s eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically. “Please… can you not just pretend you didn’t see me? Please?”

“Nuh-uh.” Joseph shook his head, crossing his arms. “Come on. Chop chop.”

Reluctantly, Ste slumped his shoulders and began to stand. He fumbled to cover himself as he emerged from the bushes, his skinny frame trembling. Joseph couldn’t help but avert his gaze. He didn’t consider himself a prude, but he wanted to respect the boy’s dignity, such as it was.

Taking off his coat, Joseph draped it over Ste’s shoulders. “Here. Let’s get you warmed up.” He guided the boy toward the house, his mind already spinning with questions and anger.

Inside, Joseph called out, “Oh, Jamie! I found something on the porch I believe belongs to you.”

The sound of thunderous footsteps echoed down the stairs, and moments later, Jamie burst into view. His face was flushed, his forehead glistening with sweat. He froze mid-step, his expression shifting from guilt to irritation as he locked eyes with Joseph.

“What’s going on?” Jamie demanded, his tone clipped.

Joseph raised an eyebrow. “That’s what I’m here to figure out. Care to explain why your... friend was freezing his butt off in the bushes?”

Jamie scowled, his lips curling into a sneer. “You should mind your own business, Joseph.”

“Sit down. Both of you.” Joseph’s voice left no room for argument. Jamie hesitated but obeyed, slumping onto the couch with his arms crossed. Ste, still wrapped in Joseph’s coat, perched nervously on the edge of an armchair, his eyes darting between them.

“Listen,” Joseph began, pacing in front of them like a lawyer preparing to address a jury. “I get that you two might be… experimenting. That’s fine. But there’s a line. What you do with each other needs to be safe, consensual, and mutual. Do you know what that means, Jamie?”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Of course he consents. Right, Ste?”

Ste nodded quickly. Too quickly. “Y-yeah. I do.”

Joseph sighed, rubbing his temples. “Consent isn’t just about saying yes. It’s about feeling free to say no without fear of punishment. Can you honestly tell me that’s the case here?”

The room fell silent. Jamie avoided Joseph’s gaze, staring instead at a patch of worn carpet. Ste bit his lip, his face pale.

“Ste,” Joseph said softly, kneeling in front of the boy. “You don’t owe anyone anything. Not your body, not your obedience. Do you understand?”

Ste hesitated, his eyes welling up. He nodded, but Joseph wasn’t convinced. This was a boy who had been broken in ways Joseph couldn’t fix overnight.

“Here,” Joseph said, pulling a pen and notepad from his bag. He scribbled down his number and handed it to Ste. “If you ever need anything—anything at all—call me.”

Ste stared at the slip of paper, his fingers trembling as he took it. “Thank you,” he whispered.