Dashiell stayed on the bed for a long time just staring up at the ceiling. It was the first time he’d been with a client without feeling disgusted with himself.

He could still feel the ghostly touch of Barret’s hand on his cock and the thought was making him slightly hard again. Everything had felt so good and he had to admit to himself that he was looking forward to be seeing him again. The prince will force me to kill him! I can’t do that! I can’t look into his eyes and take his life. I’m not a murderer. I will never be able to become one! The thought of having to kill another human being was making his stomach twist. Barret didn’t seem like an evil person. He had actually cared about Dashiell. He’d taken care of him, made it good for him and he hadn’t been scared away after seeing his back. He had even kissed his scars.

“I know what you are.” words like that didn’t usually hurt him. People only saw him as a whore. But this time it had hurt a lot. He knew it was because he’d met some people now who saw him as an actual person, and not just some tight hole to fuck.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when there was a knock on the door. He wrapped the blanket around himself, trying to hide how hard he was getting, and sat up.

“Yes?” He yelled. The door opened and Adelena was standing there, looking at him.

“Was it okay?” She asked

“Yes, it was fine” As if you give a shit!

“Good” She said coldly “He looked satisfied so he’ll be coming again soon. There’s another client waiting for you, if you’re ready for it.” Dashiell’s heart stopped for a second. He wasn’t ready for another client. He didn’t want anyone else to see him like this. The only reason Barret was allowed to look at him, was because Dashiell had no choice.

He couldn’t say no to other clients. It would look suspicious if he didn’t take other than Barret, and he knew that Barret was smart. He had to be to plan those assassinations on the prince. Dashiell feared that he already knew who he was working for. He feared what he would do to him if he ever found out that Dashiell was working with his biggest enemy. Breath your idiot! Dashiell took a deep breath and smiled at Adelena. “Just send him in.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Yes, I’m sure.” She just nodded and left the room.

Dashiell didn’t know if he should get dressed quickly before the next client would walk through the door or just stay naked. He didn’t want anyone else to look at his back, but he also had a weak hope that the sight of it would scare many of them away.

He decided to take of the blanket and let the next client see his naked body sprawled on the bed, ready for them to use. He wanted this day to be over with as fast as possible so he could go back to the castle, take a long bath and then just go to bed. He didn’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone. He just wanted to be left alone.

When he heard another knock on the door, his stomach turned to stone. His heart was beating faster and he had to close his eyes for a second, take a few deep breaths and shut down his thoughts.

“Come in.” He said, trying to sound as flirting as possible. He turned around to his side and rested his head on his hand with a fake smile on his lips. Please, just run away when you see me! Please pick someone else… please. The door opened and Dashiell froze. He grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around himself as fast as he could.

“What are you doing here!” He almost yelled as he got out of bed.

“I wanted to make sure, that you were okay.” Averet said leaning against the door with a little smile on his lips. Dashiell looked him up and down. Averet wasn’t wearing his guards’ uniform, but a pair of black pants and a lose shirt. He looked so different without all that tight cloths on. Dashiell grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room and slammed the door behind him.

“Are you out of your mind? What if someone recognizes you?” Dashiell hissed. He turned around to find his pants. He did not want to be naked with Averet in the room.

“I doubt they will know who I am,” he said, “and if they do they’ll just think I’m here to get laid!” Dashiell pulled his pants on fast and stared at Averet with a bit of panic in his eyes.

“This is insane! You have to go!”

“That’s not going to happen. I’ve paid a lot of money to be here.” he shrugged

“You…” Dashiell looked at him with big eyes “You paid for me?”

“Yes.” he laughed. He took the blanket, that Dashiell had thrown on the floor and laid it out on the bed before sitting down. “So, I guess you’re mine for the rest of the day.”

“For the rest of the day?” Dashiell sat down next to him “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” He smiled as he nudged Dashiell gently in the side before lying a hand on his leg.

“You really are flirting with me, huh?” Dashiell laughed. Averet removed his hand and pushed him gently.

“I’m not flirting with you.” He mumbled

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that, captain” He couldn’t help but smile. He knew how dangerous it was for Averet to be here. Barret would most definitely know who Averet was. He would know most of the guards. He wasn’t stupid. If he were, the crown wouldn’t be so desperate to have him killed. If he saw Averet walk into the brothel he might already know that Dashiell was working for them. He would figure out that he’s disappearance was the prince’s doing. Dashiell hated that he was caught up in the middle of a fight that had nothing to do with him at all. His life had always been unfair, but this was without a doubt the worst. But for the first time in his life he actually had someone he could call a friend, someone who took care of him when he got hurt, someone who shared his deepest secret with him, someone who was willing to risk anything just to make sure that he was doing okay. He hated the job, and he hated working for the sadistic prince, but now he had Averet. He had Erat. They were worth it.

“Are you okay?” Averet asked

“Yes, I’m fine.” Dashiell shrugged, but Averet didn’t believe him. He looked at him skeptically with a raised eyebrow.

“You don’t have to pretend, Dashiell.” He said and took his hand “Not anymore. So, I’ll try again! Are you okay?”

Dashiell took a deep breath and looked down at their locked hands. “No… No, I’m not okay! I don’t like being here again! I don’t like doing this anymore.” His eyes were filled with tears and Averet pulled him close and wrapped his arms around him. Dashiell buried his face in the crook of his neck and tried not to sob. “I’m scared.” He mumbled “I’m scared that Barret will figure it all out and kill me. I’m scared that he pushes me away and then Isandros will have me executed. I’m scared, that if I make a mistake you and Erat might get hurt. I just don’t think that this will end well. Someone will get hurt, and I don’t want it to be you.”

Averet tightened his grip and kissed the top of his head. “Nothing will happen to me, or to Erat! I promise you that. And nothing is going to happen to you either. I won’t let anyone hurt you again. If Barret’s finds out, then I’ll kill him before he can do anything.”

“What if Isandros wants me executed?” Dashiell asked, pulling away from him to look him in the eyes.

“Then I’ll take the fall for you.”