Merry Christmas, everyone!

Jack turned his head to one side and closed his eyes at Pitch finished.

"Oh, God." Pitch pulled out and flopped down next to Jack. "You're just as good as I remember, Jack. You never fail to give me what I need."

Jack looked over at him. Pitch looked exactly the way he remembered – lightly muscled, still tanned, and right now his chest was heaving up and down as he panted. He was shirtless but wore a pair of leather trousers. Jack looked away from Pitch's considerable length, still poking through the fly of Pitch's pants, as it wilted.

Jack was completely naked, except for a studded collar around his neck.

"What made you change your mind?" Pitch asked curiously.

Jack hesitated. He probably shouldn't say anything, but he did anyway.

"Aster wasn't as sympathetic as I thought he'd be."

"Aster," Pitch mused. "That's your boyfriend's name?"

Jack shot him a withering glance. "My fiancé, actually. Well, ex-fiancé." He stared at the ceiling.

"You broke up because of this?"

"What do you think?" Jack growled.

"Ah, well, the course of true love never did run smooth." Pitch grinned, and when Jack didn't smile back, he said, "Well, Jack, this profession isn't exactly prestigious. And nobody's going to react very well when they realize you've done this sort of thing. And perhaps it's better this way. At least now you know who he really is."

"You don't get to talk," Jack said through gritted teeth. "You lied to me. You forced me into this. I didn't want this."

"Are you never going to forgive me for that?" Pitch asked sadly. "Ah, it's too bad, I suppose. There's a lot of money I could make with you."

"Are you seriously still talking about the money? Forget it, Pitch. I'm not interested."

"Why not?" Pitch had the audacity, the effrontery, the nerve to sound genuinely curious. Jack closed his eyes and let out a snarl.

"Because I hate you. I don't like anything about you. You're slimy and you're dishonest and you're greedy. I can't get in something like that."

"Actually, you kind of just did. Or at least, I got in you."

"Do me a favour and shut up."

Jack made to get up, but Pitch flung an arm out and pinned him to the bed. "And I know you can't hate me as much as all that. After all, you did come to my hotel room, and we did just have amazing, mind-blowing sex, the likes of which I haven't known for years now. You're so good with positions, Jack, and the sounds you make, the way your face screws up, the way you call out my name as I – "

"That's enough."

"My point is, you don't hate me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come tonight."

Jack couldn't argue with that.

"You're obviously upset from your disrupted love life," Pitch soothed. "There's no need to make hasty decisions. Just know that the offer still stands. If you're interested, and I have a sneaking suspicion you will be, there's a lot of money we could make together. You'd be famous across the nation, across the world. Just think about that. There's a long way I could take you."

Jack remained silent.

"And now, I think I'm ready again," Pitch announced.

Jack groaned. "Seriously? Is that all you think about?"

"Why, yes. It is my job, after all. What do you say?"

Jack remained silent.

"Excellent. Now, here." Pitch produced out of nowhere a pair of nipple clamps. "Would you be amenable to my attaching these to you?"

Jack still didn't say anything, so Pitch went right ahead and attached the clamps to Jack's pink nubs. Jack winced – they were more painful than he remembered.

"On all fours, please," Pitch said softly. Without saying a word, Jack flipped over and went on all fours.

"Ready, doggy?"

Jack closed his eyes as Pitch entered him. As the in-out rhythm started and Pitch started making low noises in his throat, a tear slipped out from under Jack's left eyelid and fell, plopping onto the blanket, making a little wet patch.

What's going to happen next? I have no idea. Until next time, have a very Merry Christmas, all of you!