Read The Copper Horse #2 Pride for Free Online Page B

strong. And you don’t even
find me repulsive.”
    “No, you’re a
sweet boy. You always do your best to take care of me.” There was
one person Reuben did find repulsive, though: a man who couldn’t
face the truth about himself, a man who couldn’t even face being
called by his own name anymore.
     

Chapter
2

    Frey Dal’s
study looked nothing like Erik’s. Located at the heart of a mansion
no less affluent as Bluefinger's, it was protected by a steel door
that was almost as thick as the length of Reuben’s forearm. There
were no windows, and even with all the copper and crystal lamps
lit, the tall, two story room seemed dim at best, bathed in a
yellow glow. In comparison to Erik’s office, this one seemed
gloomy, with its blood red walls and dramatic black furniture.
Their shape reminded Reuben of the decorative ornaments he’d seen
all around London, even of the Parliament with its sharp, vertical
lines and numerous spikes. Around the circular room stood four
life-sized silver statues depicting large-bosomed naked women. From
the words carved on the socles, he understood they depicted the
seasons, and they did in fact hold adequate attributes.
    Behind a
massive desk were the first steps of a narrow staircase that
spiraled around the room, leading to an open gallery above them.
Bookshelves covered its wall, and even the outer side of a
partially open door on the highest level of the room. Erik looked
up at Reuben from where he sat on a fainting couch in front of the
desk. There was a dark red stain on the grey upholstery right next
to him, and Reuben wondered whether it was blood or a splatter of
wine.
    “Don’t you want
to rest, Copper?”
    “May I kneel,
Master?” Reuben asked. He was in his leather outfit, as he’d
brought Erik to the mansion in a rickshaw. After over a week, he
was getting the hang of it and even experimented with how fast he
could go. The horse mask stayed downstairs with the vehicle, but
with Erik’s protection and his body covered, Reuben didn’t feel as
intimidated as he usually was around Frey.
    “By all means,
my dear.” Erik patted his thigh in clear invitation.
    Reuben went to
his knees and put his chin on Erik’s thigh. Today, his hair was
tied into many small ponytails that stood up high on his head. His
master’s hand was gentle on his freshly shaved skin, fingers slowly
teasing his ear. Things were good between them again, and Reuben
found himself craving Erik’s attentions.
    “Master, why is
the door as thick as if this were a dungeon?” he asked and casually
kissed the ghastly fingertips.
    Erik chuckled.
“It’s his own prison. My brother is too scared to sleep, you see.
That’s his bedroom up there.” He nodded at the door high above
them. “He has many enemies, so he had those two rooms made with
steel walls a foot thick and then built the rest of the house
around it. And then had all the men who worked on this vault’s
ventilation killed.” Erik’s tone was carefree, even though Reuben
knew his master had many enemies as well. Maybe Erik was just more
courageous than his brother?
    “So he is the
only one who knows how to get in or out?” Reuben asked. Even after
over a month spent with Erik, he was still terrified by these kinds
of ruthless people.
    Erik’s mouth
curled into a pout. “The only one to know how to lock it, how to
escape, and how to block the airflow and suffocate any man who
locks himself in here.” He smiled. “But he’s not the only one to
know most of those books aren’t real. And if some of them are, they
are full of cunt.”
    “Huh? Books?”
Reuben frowned and rubbed his chin against Erik’s thigh. It was
pleasantly hard, even if slim.
    “The ones above
us. He keeps them for show, but my brother had always preferred
daggers and piano wires to paper.” Erik sighed, leaning down to
press a kiss to Reuben’s sensitive scalp.
    “Oh. Right. He
doesn’t look like a someone who knows letters, but... full of
cunt?”
    Erik