Chapter 128: Terms of Access

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Terms of Access

"I want to know how large your cock is."

Nero stopped moving.

For several seconds, Sebastian had the extraordinary privilege of watching the Crown Prince of Saha lose every available response.

The tablet remained balanced against Nero’s thigh, violet eyes fixed on Sebastian’s face while the late-afternoon light from the tall windows caught the loose strands of white-blond hair around his cheek. Even exhaustion disappeared beneath the sheer surprise.

Sebastian picked up his water again.

Nero recovered. Fast. His mouth curved.

"Measure it yourself."

Sebastian’s expression flattened.

There he was.

"I wanted information, not an evening activity."

"That sounds unnecessarily restrictive."

Nero set the tablet beside him and leaned forward, forearms resting over his cream-clad thighs. The blue silk shirt he had worn through the day had softened and creased around his waist, several buttons open at the throat after hours of meetings, but the sudden interest in his face made him look far less tired than when he’d entered.

Sebastian watched that transformation with suspicion.

"You are going to turn this into sex."

"I could."

"You intend to."

Nero considered him with the thoughtful air he usually reserved for international trade negotiations.

"There are alternatives."

That was worse.

Sebastian lowered his glass.

"What do you want?"

Nero’s gaze dropped to his throat.

Sebastian understood immediately.

"Oh, absolutely not."

A laugh escaped Nero.

"You haven’t heard the proposal."

"I don’t need to."

The collars had arrived months earlier at Villa Petrana along with half a jeweler’s private inventory.

Sebastian still remembered walking into one of the villa’s receiving rooms to discover that Nero had somehow transformed it into a temporary showroom.

Sebastian had vetoed anything oversized, anything bearing a royal crest across the front, several designs covered in gemstones, and one piece so elaborate he had asked whether Nero intended to marry him or exhibit him.

They had eventually chosen several.

A restrained deep-green one with silver hardware.

A narrow silver collar designed almost like formal jewelry.

A darker green piece suitable for private events.

Two others Sebastian had accepted only after Nero promised the inscriptions would remain discreet and hidden against the inside.

Nero had bought all of them.

Sebastian had worn none... Yet.

Nero had apparently been suffering heroically ever since.

"You already own more collars for me than any reasonable person requires," Sebastian said.

"Which makes your refusal to wear them increasingly inefficient."

"That is not what inefficient means."

"It feels inefficient."

Sebastian laughed despite himself.

Nero rose from the low table and crossed the small distance between them, the soft cream of his trousers and pale blue shirt making him look almost harmless until Sebastian caught the direction of his attention again.

Straight to his bare neck.

"Sex," Nero said, counting off the first possibility against one long finger. "Or you finally wear one of the collars."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

"That is your price for answering a question?"

"My price for providing privileged information."

"You are unbelievable."

"I am also giving you options."

Sebastian studied him.

Nero was trying to look casual.

He failed.

Sex would make him happy, obviously. Sebastian had learned very quickly that Nero considered almost any hour of the day an acceptable opportunity.

But the collar was what he actually wanted.

The difference showed in the way his gaze lingered at Sebastian’s throat and then moved away before it became too obvious.

Sebastian knew why.

Nero had purchased them, but he had never treated that purchase as permission.

The agreement remained exactly what Sebastian had demanded from the beginning: no collar unless Sebastian chose it.

So this was less about the jewelry than the decision behind it.

Sebastian leaned back in the chair.

"I’ll wear the collars."

Nero went still.

Sebastian smiled, green eyes glinting.

"Under conditions."

That brought Nero closer.

"What conditions?"

"You answer anything I ask."

Nero’s eyes narrowed with interest.

"About the measurement?"

"About anything."

That changed the calculation.

Sebastian could see it.

He continued before Nero could turn the offer into something narrower.

"No convenient omissions. No selective interpretation because you think I asked the wrong question. If I want to know something about you, I get the answer."

"And in exchange?"

"I wear the collars we already chose."

Nero’s gaze returned to his neck.

Sebastian almost laughed at how quickly the internal debate ended.

"Agreed."

"You should think longer."

"I have."

"You absolutely have not."

Nero stepped between Sebastian’s knees.

"I spent months waiting for you to wear one. I can tolerate questions."

Sebastian tipped his head back to look at him.

"What if I ask something you don’t want to tell me?"

"I’ll tell you anyway."

Something in Nero’s voice removed the humor from the bargain for a moment.

Sebastian searched his face.

There was no visible hesitation.

That was the dangerous thing about Nero. Once he decided something belonged to Sebastian, generosity became almost as excessive as his possessiveness.

Information. Access. Time. Whatever Sebastian asked for.

Apparently even things Nero would rather keep.

"You really want the collars that badly."

Nero’s hand settled lightly against the side of Sebastian’s neck.

"I want you to choose to wear them."

The distinction landed exactly where Nero intended.

Sebastian sighed.

"You manipulate beautifully."

"I learned from excellent people."

"Your father?"

"Mostly."

That earned a reluctant smile.

Nero’s thumb moved slowly beneath Sebastian’s jaw, following the place where the green collar would sit.

"Which one first?"

"The dark green."

Nero’s expression changed.

Sebastian caught a flash of pure satisfaction before Nero bent.

His mouth touched Sebastian’s throat.

Not a bite this time. Nothing that would leave another collection of evidence for Lucas to discover.

Just a lingering kiss against the pulse beneath Sebastian’s jaw, followed by another lower down.

Sebastian’s fingers caught the loose silk at Nero’s shoulder.

"You are already celebrating."

"I am having a taste."

"That sentence should concern me."

Nero smiled against his skin.

Sebastian could feel it.

Another kiss followed along the line where the collar would eventually rest, warm and slow enough to make Sebastian’s earlier irritation difficult to maintain.

Nero finally lifted his head.

"You can ask for anything."

Sebastian looked at him.

"Dangerous promise."

"I know."

"And you still intend to keep it."

Nero brushed his thumb across Sebastian’s throat once more.

"There is very little you could ask from me that I wouldn’t give you."

Sebastian held his gaze for a second.

Then his mouth curved.

"Excellent."

Nero recognized the danger too late.

Sebastian caught the front of his blue shirt and pulled him slightly closer.

"Now tell me the measurement."