Happy #SlaveMeThursday!! I feel like a week a waaaay too long between posts and I just want the write the rest of the story right NOW! But alas, self-control is something I strive for and I want this to be done right.

Thanks for sticking with me.

COMMENT AND VOTES! MWAH! Xoxo

***

Liam was glowing by the time his session with Cecilia was done. She'd sat back quietly for most of it, jotting down notes in her notebook while Zayn and Liam went on and on about Liam's perfect day. It wasn't until they were standing again and Cecilia spoke up that Liam remembered himself.

"So, I'll just give you a copy of all my notes and you can run them by your Master for approval before I book anything."

"My Master," Liam repeated numbly. "Of course."

Zayn's hand fell from its rightful place on Liam's lower back and fell to his own side. "Thank you for your time Cecilia." He reached a hand out to shake with the planner before leaning in a bit closer and saying. "I trust you to keep this between us."

Cecilia smiled kindly, almost sadly, and assured, "Have I ever betrayed your trust before, Zayn?"

"No, of course, not. Thank you."

They started to walk out together, but Cecilia stopped them. "But, knowing Marcus, I do advise you two to leave separately. And please, be careful."

Zayn nodded in agreement. "Can you give us a moment?" he asked the woman. Cecilia gave him a terse nod and left the room. Zayn turned to find a very nervous looking Liam looking at him for direction. "Oh, baby," he cooed and brought Liam into a hug. "It'll be okay. You'll have your dream day."

"But I want it with you," he whispered into Zayn's shoulder.

"I know, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens."

They stayed wrapped in each other for a while, just feeling the warmth between them and begging the other not to leaving with firm presses of their fingers and silent thoughts of love. Finally Liam asked, "Is Marcus really that bad? Everyone is so scared of him, I am too, but I don't know why."

Zayn leaned back to look Liam in the eye. "That's the way he works. I've never been scared of Marcus particularly, but I suppose that's because I've never done anything to put myself on Marcus' bad side."

"Until me," Liam finished his unspoken words.

"I don't regret it, Liam. I'll cross him again and again, I'll take whatever I have to, do what I have to. I'm so sorry for letting this get too far."

"Take it further, sir."

Zayn smirked and ran a palm down Liam's soft cheek. "To the very end, baby." Zayn stepped back before things got heated again. "You should leave first. They'll be watching you."

"I don't want to go back home to him."

"You're not. Your home is not with him. You're just biding your time until you can come home to me."

Liam smiled sadly. "Where was this Master when I needed him?"

The words were true and the question was one that Zayn had asked himself a million times, but hearing Liam say it sent a cold shiver of pain through his chest. "I'm sorry. I'll never be sorry enough for doing this to you."

"I hate your stupid system. It was wrong." Liam had unshed tears in his eyes and his voice had gone scratchy with the weight of his sadness.

"It's not perfect, I know that. But it matched Niall and Harry so it can't be all bad right."

"I don't care," Liam was being stubborn now. "It messed us up, sir. I don't care how well it works for everyone else. It took me from you."

"But I will get you back," Zayn said each word with finality.

"I want to believe you."

"Then believe me," Zayn begged, coming back to wrap his arm around Liam. "I'll spend every day for the rest of our lives making this up to you."

Liam couldn't help but smile at that. "Okay."

"Now go." Zayn pushed him away playfully. "Be good for me and don't let Marcus know."

"Good for you," Liam breathed like his mantra.

"Always so good for me," Zayn complimented quietly.

Liam wanted to go to him, fall at his feet and beg him to take him home with him. But he needed to trust Zayn, so he turned and walked out of the room. He picked up his copy of their notes at the front desk and went out to his car. The day was bright and the buildings looked shiny with the sun. He looked around, admiring what was actually a very nice place to live, when he noticed it. The same car was at the theatre. It was there when he got there and when he left. Marcus was watching him. The gesture was possessive and powerful and everything he knew a Master to be, but knowing that Marcus was doing it to keep him from Zayn made the effort creepy. He got shivers knowing Marcus knew where he was and who he was with without even being there.

He gave the car one more glance before getting in his own and shutting the door, thanking Marcus for the tinted windows as he got his phone out.

Marcus has a car following me. I hate this.

Liam dropped his phone into the passenger seat and headed over to Marcus' office. He couldn't unsee the car now. It was following about ten feet behind him all the way to the tall office building that he knew Marcus was lording over from the top floor. When he pulled into the parking lot the car kept going and Liam breathed out a sigh of relief. He picked his phone back up to see a text from Zayn.

Don't worry it's not for long. I'm sorry.

Liam hated that Zayn apologized so much. He didn't want sorry anymore; he wanted Zayn. He felt like a child who got his favorite toy taken, but he didn't know how else to react when the one thing he really wanted was out of reach. Marcus felt like a bully who was hording his power of Liam like a trophy.

I'm at his office. Wish me luck...

You don't need it. You're perfect. Liam blushed and shoved the phone in his pocket as he got out.

Marcus was pacing his office, headset in his ear, when Liam was lead in there by an assistant. "I don't want sixty percent! If they can't hold their overhead then they have no choice but to need me. And I don't just hand out favors, David! Get things straight." With that he pressed the end call on his headset and turned to Liam. "Slave, have you come with plenty of good news?"

"I brought ideas," he said nervously and held up the papers with notes on them. "Cecilia was very helpful."

"Good, she is very...helpful, indeed." Marcus waved him over. "Come, show me." Liam was suddenly so nervous around Marcus. He'd never really felt settled around the imposing man, but he'd never been so...scared before. He laid the papers out on his desk while Marcus sat in his chair. "Kneel." Liam instincts had him on his knees next to Marcus in a heartbeat, waiting for him to look over everything and approve. The Master hummed and pursed his lips while he accessed the plans. Finally Marcus looked down at Liam and said, "Is this a joke?"

Liam wasn't sure what to say to that. "Um, no, sir."

"This isn't a pairing ceremony," he waved at the notes. "It's a backyard barbecue. This isn't proper at all." He picked up one piece of paper and scoffed. "No shoes? Macaroni and cheese?" He rolled his eyes and looked back down at Liam. "You can't be serious? I know Cecilia collected samples based on my taste for you. None of these ideas match."

Liam didn't know what to do. If it wasn't what his Master wanted then he had no ground with which to argue. His opinion meant very little in the relationship, and even less when it came to public opinion. Liam knew, as a slave, he was little more than an ornament. Usually that idea made him weak in the knees with lust, but right now he hated it. This was important to him, important to Zayn, and Marcus had just pissed all over it.

Before Liam could formulate a sentence, Marcus was on the phone. "Cecilia." Liam tensed. Was he going to ask what happened while Liam was there? Would Cecilia tell? "These plans, they're awful." Liam's fingers were digging into the tops of his thighs. "Oh," Marcus huffed, "I see. Thank you, Cecilia." He hung up the phone and completely ignored Liam as he shuffled the papers together and ran them through the paper shredder under his desk. Liam watched in mild horror as it all went down. Marcus continued to ignore Liam, which sent an involuntary shiver of want down Liam's spine, as he went back to working. Liam knew he couldn't say anything, that he'd be speaking out of turn, but he was dying to know what Cecilia had said.

Finally, when the sun was going down and Liam's knees were imprinted with the carpet under Marcus' desk through his jeans, Marcus spoke. "You'll be going back to Cecilia with very strict instructions as to how I want things for our ceremony. Because, apparently, you can't be trusted to choose accordingly."

Liam sighed, not having a choice in things was sometimes actually better for a slave, knowing that whatever was chosen was chosen by the Master, which meant the Master was pleased no matter what. Also, if Cecilia did say anything, Marcus wasn't letting on. So for now, Liam was safe.

He was also glad he didn't have to pretend to care about their pairing ceremony anymore.

***

"It was awful, sir." Liam whispered into his pillow, where his phone was pressed against his ear.

It doesn't sound so bad. Marcus doesn't know. Cecilia wouldn't say anything. I trust her.

'Like you trusted Marcus?"

Fair enough, but Cecilia isn't trying to take my love away from me.

"Your love," Liam breathed with fondness coloring his voice.

My love, Zayn confirmed. He cleared his throat through the phone and continued. All you have to do is stay quiet while Cecilia plans the whole thing. That's her job anyway.

"But it's my day. My only day."

No, Zayn growled. No, that is not your day. There will be no ceremony, Liam. You are pairing with no one but me.

Liam felt his dick twitch in his pants at the authority in Zayn's voice. He rolled onto his stomach and swallowed thickly. "I belong to you?" Liam knew his answer; that, of course, Liam belonged to Zayn with everything he was, but he would love to hear Zayn say it.

You're mine, he demanded, voice steel. You are mine and you belong to me, slave.

Liam was impossibly turned on at the ownership, finally being claimed by the one man he wanted. He rolled his hips into the sheets and heard a tiny moan slip from his lips.

Liam James Payne, are you getting yourself off?

Liam stilled, knowing he'd done wrong. "I'm sorry."

That is very, very bad, slave.

"I'm sorry, sir."

What is my name?

Liam whimpered. "Master. I'm sorry, Master."

Touch yourself.

Liam furrowed his brows in confusion. "What?"

I said touch yourself. Now. Liam's hand moved, if hesitantly, down under his waistband to his half-hard cock. He wrapped his fingers around himself and moaned at the pressure. Feel good, baby?

"Yes, Master. More, please," he begged.

Go ahead, baby. Tug yourself off for me. Liam didn't waste any time after that, pulling on his foreskin and squeezing around his head. He knew he was close when his thighs were twitching and he was mumbling Zayn's title over and over. Take your hand out.

Zayn's voice was back to sharp and had Liam's hand freezing on his cock, despite his desperate need to come. "What?"

I don't like to repeat myself, Liam. Take your hand out. Liam did, with a whine. Good. Now I want you to fall asleep like that. You're not allowed to come. I want you thinking about me all night until it hurts.

Liam whined into the phone again. "Sir, please," he pleaded.

You sound so pretty like that, slave, but I won't change my mind. Goodnight, Liam. Zayn hung up after that, leaving Liam speechless and dizzy. His cock was pink, soon to be red if he didn't release, and pressing his pants obscenely. But he knew he wouldn't disobey. He'd think of Zayn, like he ever thought of anything else, and dribble precome down his shaft until he wrestled his mind to sleep. And he was so happy to do it.