Malta was Joe giving himself away to Nicky for weeks of voluntary sexual slavery. Nicky was a cruel master, constantly either overstimulating Joe or denying him orgasms, punishing and praising him according to his own ever-changing whims. Joe was completely at Nicky’s mercy but no mercy was shown to him.
Nicky/Joe, Malta was a heavy, prolonged d/s session
(Fully consensual, of course)