Defying Dominance (MxM) (18+)

32

CW: Mentions of Abuse

Chapter 32: Daniel

"I'm gonna throw up."

I half step into my bathroom, where Jace is hunched over the sink. "Do you need me to give you some medicine?"

"Mhmm. Please. Medicine would be lovely."

I lean past him to open the medicine cabinet, fishing out some nausea medicine. "Here. Bubblegum flavored."

"...thank you. Do you know how to tie a tie?"

"I do. You don't?"

"Cameron did it for me, because I could never do it right and Dad would always fuss about me not being able to," He takes the pill with a cup full of water, then straightens up and turns to face me so I can tie his tie. "Do I look...presentable?"

I nod, then frown when Jace turns back to the mirror to fuss over his hair, trying to slick it back. "That makes you look like a car salesman. Your normal hairstyle is fine. You look exhausted, though."

"I guess...I just...What if they don't take me seriously because I look too...Effeminate? Submissive? I don't know. And I am exhausted. You know how many times I woke up last night. I know we've been waiting for today for a month, but...it felt like it went too fast. It's here. It's today, today."

I nod. I had noticed he'd gotten in and out of bed nearly a dozen times last night. "Why would that make them take you less seriously? And I know it feels like a lot, but you'll feel better after it's over with. No more worrying about it."

"Dad said..."

"Your dad's an asshole. They'll take you seriously. Besides, you have lawyers. And Cameron. Max and Jacque too. And me. I'll be there as well."

"I know. I just worry something will go wrong. He's gotten out of stuff before. What if he gets out of this?"

"If Cameron really has all the dirt he claims to have, I don't think he can get out of it. Especially not if Cameron has direct proof. From what little I managed to find, what your father has gotten out of before was a lot of circumstantial stuff. They couldn't prove your dad did it, but they couldn't prove he didn't. Cameron seems confident that he can prove it."

"I don't know how Cameron's going to prove fraud. I don't know how he'll prove anything. But I trust him. And Jacque...What if he's going on Dad's behalf? He's certainly not going for me."

"I think he's going for himself. I don't know. But I think the stunt your dad pulled flipped something in Jacque. I think...Something happened we aren't aware of, so I doubt he'll be siding with your father. Even he drew the line there. Maybe Jacque's going to give your dad hell for being a cunt."

"Daniel. I don't think I've ever heard you use that word...I guess. We should get going soon. So Cameron can tell me anything he needs to. And so I can meet the lawyers. I haven't met them yet. Spoken to two of them on the phone, but...nothing in person. Cameron's been handling everything. He just says I need to tell them all the things Dad has told me or made me do. You know, the ones like everything with Kyren. And...Caesar. And about my test."

"If talking about Caesar makes you panic-"

"It...shouldn't. I hope it doesn't. I don't want to panic like that. In public. On camera. It would haunt me forever."

"You'd have every right to panic. Over any of this."

"...True...Um...When we get there...Before it starts...You can't hold my hand. Just in case. I don't want to drag you that far into the bullshit. Just for today. Let's be...friends."