I don’t know if it will help, but it’s worth a try.
Davey sighs. “Making porn is different than regular sex. It’s… a production. A show. It wouldn’t be what you need.”
Marjorie steps forward with the folder that includes the contract she carefully put together with my help.
“You will present Timber with this contract,” she says. “If he doesn’t agree once he sees what Andrew is willing to pay, then we’ll go from there.”
The money is my only saving grace. I’m offering Timber over a million dollars for less than a week of work.
Davey takes the folder. “Okay. But I have to warn you. Timber would never work as a hired knot. Do you know his background?”
It’s Timber’s background that drew me to him in the first place. He was rescued from a red wolf shifter breeding pit. Red wolf shifter omegas have unique pheromones that make every alpha they meet believe they’ve found their fated mate. The pit breeders sell them for obscene amounts of money to human traffickers.
The omegas in the pits are given hormones that keep them in a perpetual heat until they conceive. Of course, there are alphas there too.
That’s where Timber came from.
He’s talked about his experiences in the breeding pits during his interviews on YouTube. He desperately tried to make things better for the omegas in the pits, but it was never enough. The survival rate was terrible, and they always needed more from him. If anyone could understand my bond ache, it would be Timber. I know it.
“We’re aware. Give him the folder,” Marjorie says.
Davey looks around the library again. I understand. When you’re about to do something that makes you sick to your stomach, it’s helpful to remind yourself why.
“I’ll talk to him,” Davey promises.
Marjorie gives him a cold smile. “You can take a picture if you think it will help.”
Over the last two years she’s become quite protective of me and how people use me for my money. Conversely, she’s never allowed me to give her a raise or even a gift. She’s the one true friend I have.
Davey pauses, then pulls out his phone and snaps a few shots of the library. I suppose it’s for the best. He’ll be able to argue our case better.
“Would you be willing to consider a different alpha?” he asks.
I shake my head. It has to be him. He’s willing to be truly rough with his partners but also manages to be kind. He pushes them to the edge, but he checks in too. He cares.
And he lets his partners call him “Daddy.” I know it’s stupid, but I want that. More than anything.
“Just Timber,” I say.
Davey slides his phone back into his pocket. “Okay. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
2
Timber
“Alright, that’s a wrap,” the director, Stan, says.
Stargazer is still tied down with intricate Shibari knots. I begin prying the knot at the end loose. He can’t say anything because of the ball gag, but the tension on the rope is tight enough, I’m sure he’d rather I take care of it first.
“Makeup can handle that. Davey needs to talk to you,” Stan tells me.
I ignore Stan. He doesn’t understand that if you tie a man up, it’s your responsibility to make sure he’s set free. Stan’s still new to this business. I’m not. I’ve been doing this for over ten years. I’m not about to start disrespecting my scene partners now.
I loosen the tightest section of interlocking rope, then unhook Stargazer’s ball gag.
“How are you doing? Would you like more water?” I ask, lifting a water bottle to his lips.
He takes a sip. “I’m alright. Ready to be done.”
We’ve been filming all day. That’s never easy for any bottom, but Shibari is tough to handle for long periods of time. I continue unraveling the rope until he’s lying on the bed naked with beautiful pink stripes across his tawny skin. He’s a lovely man. Tall and slender with gray eyes and wild brown hair. He looks up at me with a vulnerability that makes me ache.
“Timber, Davey’s waiting,” Stan repeats, his voice laced with anger.
“Davey’s a patient man,” I say and begin massaging Stargazer’s calves. The rope was especially tight on that area of his body. Stargazer’s eyes close, and he lets out a sigh.
Stan steps in front of me. “He doesn’t have all day.”
“He has a few minutes. Stargazer was tied up for a long time.” I massage Stargazer’s thighs next. His body is nice and relaxed.
Stan finally walks off. The camera crew is still cleaning up lights and extension cords, but they’re not paying attention to us.
“Thank you for taking care of me. If… if you ever wanted… I’m not seeing anyone right now.” Stargazer’s voice is soft and timid. I wish I could take him up on the offer, but things aren’t that simple.
“I’d like that, but just so you know, I was muzzled.”
His eyes widen with horror. He shouldn’t be surprised. It’s common knowledge that I was rescued from the red wolf shifter breeding pits. Did he think they put me down there with a full set of teeth? I could have bonded to one of the omegas, and that would have rendered us both useless to them.
Every alpha from the pits has their teeth extracted. After I got out, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping human trafficking victims paid for very nice implants. Most people assume they’re real. But if I tried to give an omega a bond bite, it wouldn’t take.
“I’m sorry,” Stargazer says. He rolls over and hangs his feet over the side of the bed. Like every other omega in the world, he isn’t interested. Nobody wants to date an alpha who can’t bond to them. Especially not an attractive omega like him.
I guess I better go find Davey.
My clothes are in the corner. I pull on a pair of underwear and jeans before heading out the door. I run into Davey on my way to admin. He’s wearing a horrible suit and carrying a thick blue folder.
“Timber! Hey, do you have a few minutes? There’s a project I was hoping I could talk to you about.”
Davey transitioned from performer to admin a few months ago. Some of the boys who start in this business don’t know what they’re signing up for. Davey only lasted a few months before he realized that he’d rather be on the admin end of things.
“Alright. Your office?”
He nods. We walk through the studio’s hallway toward the collection of offices at the end. The studio is in the warehouse district. Most of the rooms are modular, and there’s an entire storage room of props to switch up the setting for each scene. Even Davey’s makeshift office is a cubicle with movable walls. I follow him inside and sit on the stool he rescued from the prop room. He sits at a wooden desk I’m pretty sure I’ve had sex on a few times.
He pushes the folder across the desk. “A Blue Blood omega wants to commission a video, and he insisted that you be the star.” Davey’s voice is too upbeat, like he’s trying to sell me on this. If it’s a straightforward scene, why the sales pitch? Something is off.
I open the folder. Inside is a photo of a shirtless man. The lighting is dramatic and highlights the hard lines of his chest. He doesn’t look at the camera but at the floor. The effect is seductive. This man isn’t smiling for the camera. He doesn’t have to. He’s the kind of man you can’t help but look at even if he’s too shy to look back.