Read The Flesh Cartel #5: Wins and Losses for Free Online

ammunition like that? He said nothing. Let the man find the paper if he wanted to. At least then he’d have to let go of Mat’s arm.
Nikolai smoothed his free hand over Mat’s ass. Not a warm touch. Assessing, maybe. Mat shuddered beneath it. “You’re very muscular here, compared to your brother. But then, I’m keeping him soft.”
Provoking you. He’s trying to provoke you. Don’t speak. Don’t move. Don’t let him win.
The stroking hand grew firmer, slipped between his cheeks, spread him apart.
“Good,” Mat said. “Rape me and get it over with.” Better him than Dougie. Always better.
“I’m not a rapist,” and holy shit, was that a chink in Nikolai’s armor? Had Mat upset the fucker? “You’ll come to me of your own accord. I’ve no need to force.”
Mat snorted again. “Yeah, which is why you’ve got me bent over the bed in an arm lock with your hand wedged in my ass crack.”
Mat could imagine no response to that jab that wouldn’t end in violence, but Nikolai surprised him by . . . laughing? “I see you’re back to your old self again,” Nikolai said. “How delightful.” And weirdly, he sounded like he meant that. The hand in his ass crack left, scraped over Mat’s bloody knuckles. Mat hissed. “And in answer to your accusation, no. I have you bent over the bed in an arm lock because I intend to whip you. Do you remember what I said about damaging my property?”
“Wh—”
“Do keep up. You are my property. Your body is my property. I gave you the things in this room to help you stay fit and strong and healthy. Not to damage yourself out of some pathetic teenage boy’s rebellion. If you’re determined to be in pain, then I’ll give you pain, but on my terms. No lasting damage. Absolutely no scarring. But pain. Did you break your hands?”
“I don’t want to be in pain.”
Nikolai wrenched Mat’s hand up so high between his shoulders he cried out.
“Did. You. Break. Your. Hands?”
“No! No, they’re fine, just cut, God, let go or you’re gonna break my arm!”
The pressure eased a tiny bit. Enough, though, for Mat not to worry about his body doing something stupid without his brain’s permission. He sucked in a shuddering breath, tried to relax his muscles.
“If I let go, will you be a good little pet and hold still?”
“I’m holding still now, aren’t I?” Mat snapped. They both knew what he meant, too, he was sure of that.
Nikolai let go.
Mat’s arm flopped painfully to his side, but he left it where it lay. He held still.
“Now stay. Disobey me and you won’t like the consequences.”
Consequences. That fucking word again. If he ever—no, when he got out of this hellhole, it wouldn’t be enough to just save Dougie, or even to tear down this whole sick operation in his wake. No. He’d kill Nikolai. That thought gave him the strength to stay in place as Nikolai crossed the room, over to the table where Mat had left his list.
“Hmm,” Nikolai said, but all Mat could focus on was the unmistakable clink of a belt being unbuckled and then the whisper of leather pulled across fine woolen fabric.
He’s going to belt me. Like a bad child.
“Oh, this is interesting.” The swiffing sound of a piece of paper sliding across a smooth surface. Mat couldn’t decide if it was better or worse than the sound of Nikolai’s belt sliding from its loops. No doubt they’d both hurt him. He just wasn’t sure how yet.
“Winning, Mathias? Really? How very sad and confrontational to live a life whose meaning inherently hinges on someone else losing.” Footsteps. Nikolai drawing closer. Right next to him, now, though Mat kept his eyes forward, didn’t look. “Yet another thing outside yourself. Like Douglas—whom I see from all the boxes and underlines you’re still quite fervent about,” he added dryly. “So tell me, Mathias . . .” Fingertips brushed over his ass again, there and gone, and then a loud crack and a stripe of fire followed in their wake. Mat jerked,