Ricochet (64 page)

Matt's eager for affection and attention, and that

he's longing for the right dom to submit to

completely, and he's pressing those buttons like

crazy - but all to his own ends. It's all about what

he wants, not about Matt. You might have figured

Matt out too, but all you've ever done is use that

knowledge to help him and be a good friend to

him."

"Matty doesn't need me."

"Doesn't he?" Karl put his hand on Rick's

arm. "I've seen you on set calming him down,

distracting him, and helping him with his OCD. I

don't know what went on between you in private,

but I've never seen him happier than in those

weeks after you started your spank buddy sessions,

and it was you who got him through that sex scene.

He'd got himself into a right state about that, but

you worked some kind of magic on him because he

gave the performance of his life in that scene. You

get him, Rick, in a way nobody else ever could or

will, and I don't believe for a second that you

could ever hurt him." Karl squeezed his arm.

"You're a good dom, Rick, even if you don't

believe it.

"I'm a screw up. Always was, always will

be. No need to drag Matt down with me."

"Fuck that. With the right sub by your side,

you could take on the whole damn world. You only

screw up because nobody believes in you, and you

sure as hell don't believe in yourself. But Matt

would believe in you, if you gave him the chance."

"Aw, that's so inspirational," Rick mocked.

"Don't be a douche, Rick. It's time for you to

stop believing your own lie. You're one of the

good guys, whether you believe it or not, and it's

time for you to dom up and fight back."

"I tried!" Rick snapped. "I told Matty that

Rule was no good for him, but he wouldn't listen.

Matt's made his decision - he wants Rule's

collar, and he's going to take it, whatever I say."

Karl leaned towards him. "You need to ask

yourself if it's really Rule's collar he wants - or

yours."

Rick stared at him, aghast. "I can't collar a

sub!" he protested. "There are stories about me

every day in the press. They seem to dig up another

victim of my crimes on a weekly basis, and every

time I turn on the news there's some new revelation

about me. I'm in no position to take on the

responsibility of collaring a sub, even if Matty

would accept my collar, which is highly doubtful. I

mean - who would you want? The suave

billionaire who takes you to parties with the

president, or the no-hoper ex-con who sleeps

around and whose endless scandals keep hitting

the news?"

"Me?" Karl gave a little shrug and turned to

leave. "I'd want the one I was in love with."

Matt picked up his bag and took a long look

around his house before leaving for his last day of

filming. Rule was taking him straight from work to

his ranch, so he wouldn't be coming back here for

a couple of months. He felt a little pang about

leaving for so long and then berated himself.

"It's only for two months! And you're going to

start a new life with an amazing dom." His

stomach clenched anxiously at that thought. "It's a

big, bold, adventurous move - you know, the kind

you never usually make. It's good for you. You

need to challenge yourself," he told himself

sternly.

He glanced at his watch because Rule had

made it clear that he'd be caned if he was ever late

for him, and Matt had no wish to experience that

again. He had a minute before the limousine

arrived to pick him up; it was time to go and wait

on the front porch.

He had just got outside and locked the door

when the limousine arrived. Rule got out and

walked over to him.

"What's in the bag?" he asked, glancing at it.

"Oh - just a few clothes, and toiletries, and

stuff," Matt said.

"You won't need any clothes. What you do

need, I'll provide. Leave it."

"But -"

"I said, leave it," Rule repeated firmly. "This

is a new start for you, Matt - you don't want any

baggage from the past dragging you down." He

took Matt's keys out of his hand, opened up the

house, and threw the bag inside.

Then he put his arm around Matt's shoulder

and led him to the waiting limousine.

"I usually hate the last day of filming," Matt

said as they drove to the studio. "I know I'm lucky

to be in a job, and I don't like being reminded of

how it felt to be unemployed for months on end

before I landed the role of Ben Harris."

"Well, this time you don't need to hate it

because the minute you're done filming you'll be

coming home with me." Rule put an arm around his

shoulder and pulled him in close. "How many

scenes do you have to film?"

"Just one. Are you sure you want to come and

watch? Filming can be kind of dull if you're not

involved."

"Your last scene on
Collar Crime
? I wouldn't

miss it for the world," Rule said, pressing a kiss to

his forehead.

"Well, not my last scene forever - just for the

season."

"Yes, of course - just for the season." Rule

squeezed his shoulder.

There was always a fun, 'last day at school'

feeling on the final day of filming before the hiatus.

Daniel, Estelle and the twins were finishing their

last scene together when Matt arrived on set, with

Rule's hand clamped firmly around his wrist, as

always.

"Hey - Matty! Are you going to the Suzie

awards next month?" the twins asked excitedly.

"Rick won last year! I wonder if he'll win again

this year?"

"I hope so. We can go, can't we?" Matt asked

Rule. "They're the major industry awards, and… "

He flushed. "There's even a chance I might be

nominated this year."

Rule smiled at him benignly. "Let's see closer

to the time, shall we?"

At that moment, Rick and Karl appeared on

set, ready to start filming. Rick looked tired, and

Matt felt sorry for him. It'd been a tough couple of

weeks for him, and Matt guessed he had to be

looking forward to the hiatus. They had barely

talked since their altercation outside Petra's office;

their relationship was now so strained that they

found it easier to avoid each other whenever

possible.

Chang was directing this episode with all his

usual irascible brilliance. "C'mon, take your

fucking places!" he called impatiently.

"This won't take long," Matt said, feeling

apologetic about keeping Rule hanging around

when he was such a busy man. "It's a pretty short

scene, although quite intense."

"I'm looking forward to it." Rule stood over

to one side as Matt took up position in front of

Karl.

There was silence for a moment, as they all

got into character and prepared for shooting, then

Chang called "Action!" and the scene began.

"
I have something for you,
" Karl said,

holding out a black leather jewelry box to him.

"
For me?
" Matt reached out his hand, and

Karl slapped it away. "
Wait for it,
" Karl said. He

opened the box to reveal a silver collar nestled

inside. There was a little tag on it that read

Property of Jason Jarvis.
Matt thought the props

department had done a good job with it - it was big

and flashy, and there was a shiny padlock on it; it

was precisely the kind of collar Jason would buy

for Ben.

"
Will you do me the honor of wearing my

collar, Ben?
" Karl asked.

Matt swallowed hard. "
Yes,
" he whispered,

sinking to his knees in front of Karl.

Karl got the collar out of the box and opened

it, dangling it from his fingers, and Matt craned his

head up eagerly to receive it.

At that moment, Rick barged into the room

and stopped on the red tape on the floor that

marked his spot. "
Ben, stop!
" he yelled. "
It's a
trap! Don't do it.
"

Karl turned, snarling at Rick, who delivered a

fake punch that sent Karl reeling. Rick grabbed

Matt's arm and dragged him to his feet.

"
Don't do it, Ben!
"

"
This is none of your business, Alex,
" Matt

told him. "
Damn it - I want to wear his collar.
"

"
No - you want to wear the chief's collar, to

feel like you belong, and that you're part of the

team.
"

"
Well, the chief isn't offering me his collar,
"

Matt said defiantly. "
And Jason is. Jason loves

me.
"

"
No, he doesn't,
" Rick said desperately.

"
He's using you to get back at the chief.
"

"
I don't believe you. Jason doesn't even

know the chief.
"

"
Ignore him,
" Karl said, grabbing his arm

and pulling him back. "
Take my collar, Ben. I

promise I'll make you happy.
" Karl smiled slyly at

the camera while pushing Matt onto his knees

again.

"
Please, Ben! Don't do this!
" Rick yelled.

The camera closed in on Matt's expression for

several long beats as he tried to convey Ben's

uncertainty and confusion.

"And cut!" Chang called. Matt stood up,

rubbing his arms where both Rick and Karl had

grabbed him during the scene. "That wasn't too

terrible," Chang said grudgingly.

Rule came over to Matt. "Very emotional, if a

tad melodramatic," he said. "You did very well,

darling."

"That's going to be the final scene of the

season - the big cliff-hanger," Matt said happily.

"Will Ben take Jason's collar or not? The online

forums are going to light up when that airs!"

"Really? Do people seriously get that

invested in a TV show?" Rule rolled his eyes.

"What extraordinarily empty lives they must lead."

Matt felt a little hurt by that. "We entertain

them. They become invested in the characters," he

said quietly.

"Of course, darling. I understand, and your

little show really is very sweet. So, are we done

now?" Rule glanced at his watch.

"No - we need to go again. I told you, filming

is boring."

"You're right. I have to wonder what the

appeal is for you, Matt, a smart young man like

you. There must be something better you could do

with that big brain of yours."

"I don't want do anything else! I love my job,"

Matt said, more vehemently than he'd intended.

Rule raised an eyebrow, and Matt knew he was

warning him about raising his voice. "Acting is all

I ever wanted to do," he added in a quieter tone.

"I understand. It's so easy for young people to

have their heads turned by the notion of celebrity

these days." Rule put his arm around Matt and gave

him a sympathetic little squeeze, and Matt found

himself absently counting the number of coffee

stains on Rick's script, where it was lying on the

floor nearby.

Rick leaned against the wall, unable to take

his eyes off Matt, where he was standing with

Rule. Rule was dressed in a pale lavender shirt

under his charcoal grey suit, and there was a

matching handkerchief, folded at precise angles,

protruding from his top pocket. There wasn't a hair

out of place on the man, as usual. He kept one hand

always on Matt's shoulder and occasionally

pushed him or pulled him into a slightly different

position, like Matt was some kind of puppet for

him to control.

"Don't they make a pretty couple," Karl said

sarcastically, coming over to stand beside Rick.

"You do realize that this is the last time you'll ever

see him, don't you? After we finish filming Rule is

going to carry him away, and he won't come back."

"You don't know that."

"Haven't you been living in denial for long

enough, Rick? Isn't it time to wake up?"

"I've been worrying about it for weeks! I