Don't You like Little Dogs? Now that I'm Taking Liberties, You're Suddenly Reluctant? - Chapter 57

Returning from the Golden Den casino, the chill of the penthouse completely isolated the bloodshed and noise of the outside world. The sensor lights in the foyer flickered on, casting a warm glow.

Pei Ye placed the car keys on the entry tray, expertly taking the coat Jiang Si shed and hanging it up. The air in the room was filled with a familiar, peaceful atmosphere belonging to a home, faintly mixed with the lingering scent of cedar.

“Master, would you like something to drink?” Pei Ye looked at Jiang Si, his voice still carrying a low tremor that had not fully settled after the mission.

Jiang Si loosened his collar. A trace of undetectable fatigue flashed across his face, but deep in his eyes burned something else: a restless, secret flame that often surfaced after a slaughter.

He shook his head and walked straight toward the bedroom. “No need. I smell like everything out there. I am showering first.”

Pei Ye followed obediently, his gaze soft as he watched Jiang Si’s back.

Jiang Si walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The warm water began to spray with a rushing sound. Steam gradually filled the room. He stood before the sink but did not hurry to undress. Instead, he looked at Pei Ye standing in the doorway through the blurring mirror.

“You, join me,” Jiang Si’s voice was muffled by the water, yet it carried an undeniable command.

Pei Ye’s heart leaped.

“Yes,” he responded lowly. He walked quickly into the bathroom and pulled the door shut behind him.

Jiang Si turned around, leaning his back against the edge of the sink and supporting himself with both hands on the counter. He looked at Pei Ye and smiled. “You are in a hurry.”

“Yes.”

Pei Ye’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. He did not move immediately but instead reached out, bracing his hands on the counter on either side of Jiang Si’s body, covering the other man’s hands. He pinned his Master between himself and the cold marble. It was an ambiguous posture, full of aggression and possession.

“Very obedient.”

Jiang Si did not resist. He even leaned back slightly against the sink, looking up at Pei Ye who was inches away. The steam made his eyelashes look damp, and the secret flame in his eyes burned brighter, carrying a hint of provocation and indulgence. He raised a hand, his fingertips grazing Pei Ye’s jawline. His voice was low. “I told you, I like obedient dogs.”

Pei Ye’s breathing deepened instantly. He lowered his head until his forehead almost touched Jiang Si’s. He locked his gaze onto the other man, his throat tightening. Then, clearly and with the weight of a declaration, he let out a single sound:

“Woof.”

That single syllable ignited the final fuse. Jiang Si laughed with pure delight. His hand moved to the back of Pei Ye’s head, stroking it with a soothing touch.

“Good boy.”

Everything that followed became blurred within the rising steam. There was only suppressed panting, water sliding over porcelain, and the ambiguous sounds of intimate contact. The coldness of the sink contrasted sharply with the heat of their bodies. The mirror was completely covered in mist, reflecting no clear images.

When the water stopped, Pei Ye carefully wrapped Jiang Si in a large, soft bath towel, dried the droplets of water, and then carried him bridal-style back to the bedroom. His movements were incredibly gentle, as if the person in his arms were a long-lost treasure.

Pei Ye placed Jiang Si tenderly into the bed and then climbed in himself. He instinctively reached out, pulling the Master, who was facing away from him, tightly into his arms, circling his waist.

“Master,” he whispered, his voice raspy. He held Jiang Si closely, making their backs and chests fit together without a gap. He buried his face in the damp hair at the nape of Jiang Si’s neck, taking a deep breath. The scent of clean body wash and Jiang Si’s unique aura washed over him. “Are you tired?” Pei Ye asked softly, his lips accidentally brushing against the curve of Jiang Si’s ear.

Jiang Si closed his eyes and gave a soft “Mhm,” his voice carrying the laziness and hoarseness that followed their intimacy. He adjusted himself to a more comfortable position in Pei Ye’s arms, seemingly accepting this tight entanglement.

After embracing in silence for a while, Jiang Si spoke. His tone carried a hint of playfulness, as if he were teasing his most beloved pet. “Little dog, have you considered changing how you address me?”

Pei Ye’s arms tightened slightly. “Master?”

“Not normally.”

Jiang Si’s voice held a faint smile. He turned his head, and in the dim light, he could only see the sharp lines of Pei Ye’s jaw. “I mean during times like just now. Do you still want to call me Master?”

Watching the little dog he raised himself suddenly push back, only for the other to always look as if he were on the verge of crying with red eyes, all while calling him Master during such moments, Jiang Si felt his strange sense of shame magnified infinitely.

Hearing Jiang Si’s words, Pei Ye’s body stiffened visibly before he realized what his Master meant. A mixture of excitement and disbelief surged in his heart. He asked cautiously, “Then, should I not call you Master?”

He was referring to when they were moved by passion.

“Only at those times,” Jiang Si emphasized, though his tone was soft and lacked any real threat.

Pei Ye’s heart beat rapidly. He tested the waters, his voice low and husky. “Then, what should I call you?” He paused as if weighing his options, then slowly spoke a few words, observing every reaction from the man in his arms. “Husband? Darling?”

With every word, he felt Jiang Si’s body stiffen a bit more. When he heard “Darling,” he could even feel the heat rising in Jiang Si’s ears.

Master is shy.

Pei Ye grew bolder. He remembered the nicknames people in the organization used in private jests. He delivered the final word as a whisper right against Jiang Si’s earlobe:

“Or, Brother?”

The moment that title left his lips, Jiang Si’s body trembled noticeably, and he even held his breath for a moment. In the darkness, Pei Ye could almost imagine the flush spreading across his Master’s face. The address was too transgressive, too intimate, carrying a thrill of forbidden excitement, especially coming from the youth he had raised, who could now completely control him in bed.

Pei Ye accurately captured Jiang Si’s strong reaction. A sense of immense satisfaction and the joy of a successful prank filled his heart. He laughed low, the vibrations of his chest transferring to Jiang Si’s back. He deliberately used that pleading yet seductive raspy voice to call out several times, “Brother?”

“Shut up. Go to sleep,” Jiang Si finally snapped, his voice carrying a hint of embarrassed anger. He nudged Pei Ye’s abdomen with his elbow, but the force was so light it felt like a tickle. He buried himself deeper into the covers and into Pei Ye’s embrace, leaving only the tip of a reddened ear exposed.

So cute.

Pei Ye fell silent, satisfied, but he pulled the embrace even tighter. He knew Master was not truly angry, just experiencing a rare moment of shyness. He buried his face in the crook of Jiang Si’s shoulder and smiled silently.

“Goodnight, Brother,” he said one last time in a whisper that was almost inaudible.

“You are so annoying.”

Though Jiang Si said this, he gradually relaxed his body and closed his eyes amidst the silence and their shared warmth. As Pei Ye listened to the other man’s breathing become steady and long, he felt the fullness in his arms. The shadow named insecurity was finally completely dispelled by the surging love and sense of belonging.

He also closed his eyes. His only connection to the world was the person in his arms, the one who had given him everything.

Pei Ye. Accompanying the night. Accompanying Jiang through the night.