“No,” he commands, so much dominance and power in his voice that Daniel wants to drop to the floor, press his face to the ground at his Dominant’s feet.

Liam won’t chase him down. It’s the ultimate test for prey, how Daniel is meant to be claimed and taken, and his Daddy is telling him no. Daniel has never wanted to cry or scream more. His lower lip wobbles and he can’t even meet Liam’s gaze. His voice is weak. “Is it my nest or not, Daddy?”

“That is yours, Daniel. I swear. Only yours. And…” He exhales slowly. “Your nest will be here for as long as you want it. You have a place and a retreat and a Dominant whenever you want. I have never brought another submissive here. I’ve never wanted to.”

“What good does that do me if I’m here for a few days and then gone forever?” Daniel yells. “And you’re going to go be with some other submissive in need! Don’t lie to me. Don’t pretend like you’re mine, like you’re giving me a home and a nest when you’re not!” He gasps in misery. “You won’t even chase me.”

Liam flinches. His hand clenches on Daniel’s and then relaxes. “I’m sorry,” he says.

Which is worse. This is almost over. He will never have this man again. Is this really how Daniel wants this to go?

“I don’t mean it. I want it. I want you. I want all of it until the moment my asshole father sends someone to come get me. I’m sorry I asked you to—I’m sorry,” Daniel says, finding it too painful to even say the word “chase” again. Not when he can’t have it. When Liam has told him no.

He shivers, suddenly cold. Wanting. “Fuck. I’m dropping,” he says. His chin juts up. Rejection is burning through him like acid. Daniel calls upon all of his hard-learned stamina and stands his ground for as long as he can.

“I want you, Daniel. I swear I do. I can give you something else. I want—” Liam cuts himself off, closing his eyes. “Yes, you’re dropping. I can feel it. You need… let’s go to bed.”

“Tell me what you’d do to me, then. What you’re resisting. Give me something,” Daniel begs.

He can see the struggle in his Dominant’s eyes, the indecision. “Alright. I want your cock in a cage.”

His knees weaken and he locks them so he doesn’t fall. “How am I supposed to react to that?” he asks, because he isn’t sure.

“You tell me.”

Daniel swallows hard. His heart is pounding. “Do you have one for me?”

“You didn’t find it in the chest of drawers?”

“I… no, Daddy.”