by Sophie Oak
“Her name is Mine, asshole.” Wolf put an arm around her waist, pulling her back toward his body.
“Nice, brother. I thought you were a boy who liked to share your toys,” Leo said, moving to Wolf’s right.
Damn, she was surrounded by hot guys. Even that Logan fellow had a perfectly cut chest and lovely face. He grimaced a little and shrugged toward Wolf. “Sorry, man. I bragged about the summer and you and me and James.”
Wolf’s arm tightened. “No problem, man. I don’t mind a good ménage, but I’m not about to offer up my sub. A ménage is something between friends, and they’re not my friends.”
Dom Number One smiled, an easy curling of his fabulous lips. “We could be friends.”
Dom Number Two seemed to be the surlier of the two. “Probably not. I’m not very friendly. Kitten, up.”
Kitten popped up and immediately smiled at Leo. “Hello, boss.”
Leo nodded. “Good evening, Kitten. Are Ben and Chase treating you well?”
Kitten’s eyes slid away as she replied. “Yes, Sir. But they won’t hurt Kitten. They say Kitten hasn’t been good enough. This big man looks like he could hurt a sub. Kitten would really like to try fire play, Sir. Would you talk to the large, attractive man about burning Kitten?”
Yeah, Kitten had issues.
“Sorry, man, I tried to tell her she wasn’t cleared for that,” Dom Number One said.
“It’s all right, Ben.” Leo leaned forward. “Kitten, until Miss Janine clears you for play, all Julian will allow is two spankings a night. You know the rules. You don’t want to upset Finn, do you?”
Kitten’s head shook. “No. Kitten loves Finn. But you’re all wrong, you know. Kitten is not crazy. Kitten is just more perverted than the rest of you. One day you’ll see.” She turned her eyes up to Wolf. “And Kitten really would like to play with you, Sir. What’s your name?”
“His name is Mine, Kitten.” The words came out before Shelley could think about them. But they felt right. Kitten apparently got really chatty when she chucked her day clothes. Shelley had never heard Kitten able to put so many words together without stammering.
She could practically feel Wolf’s satisfaction. “Sorry, Kitten. I have a sub. And the name is Wolf. Wolf Meyer. Though I do go by Mine where Shelley is concerned.”
She thought she heard Leo say something about vomiting.
Julian Lodge stepped through the crowd, Finn and Dani at his sides.
“I love it when all my boys get along,” Julian said. He nodded Shelley’s way. “You look lovely, dear.”
Finn winked. He was wearing leathers but no shoes. “That top fits you perfectly.”
“By perfectly, he means it makes your boobs fall out,” Dani said. She was wearing a modified version of fet wear that showed off her lovely belly. And her boobs did, indeed, seem to be falling out.
But now that Leo was close, Shelley felt a bit self-conscious again.
“Oh, little one, if I’ve properly judged Master Wolf here, before long she’ll simply be naked,” Julian said with a little smile. Shelley’s whole body flushed at the thought, but Julian continued. “Master Wolf seems to be a man who likes to share the beauty of his sub with those around him.”
Wolf’s hands cupped her shoulders. “I don’t think she’s ready for that, Julian.”
“Oh, but one day she will be. She’ll find that sharing her own beauty is a wonderful thing.”
Dani grinned. “Yes, sharing is good, Master. And from what I’ve heard, Master Wolf is a very ‘sharing’ kind of person.”
Shelley looked up, and Wolf had flushed slightly, his eyes narrowing on Logan.
“Sorry, man. I thought it was fine to talk about it. I mean, have you seen where we are?” Logan asked.
“Dude, discretion,” Wolf shot back. “Have you told everyone?”
Logan shrugged. “I’m surrounded by crazy threesomes, man. It seems normal to me. When Dani there asked about my life in Bliss, I thought she was asking about the kinky stuff.”
“You’re in a threesome?” Shelley asked, her jaw dropping open. And he hadn’t bothered to mention that?
“No. I’ve never had a permanent threesome,” Wolf replied quickly.
“Just a whole bunch of short-term ones,” Logan supplied helpfully.
“Wolf, you’ve spent too much time in that town,” Leo said, his mouth firming to a flat line.
“I like Bliss,” Wolf admitted. He looked down at Shelley. “And your brother is in a happy threesome. You probably shouldn’t judge.”
“I wasn’t judging, Sir.” But she was thinking.
“And she did put down ménage on her list of sexual fantasies,” Julian added. “It was one of the reasons I decided Master Wolf would be perfect.”
“Julian, hello, perfect sharing twosome right here,” Dom Number One said.
Julian turned to the twin Doms, bowing slightly. “I apologize, Benjamin. I hadn’t heard you and Chase were looking for a permanent submissive. I will immediately begin looking for the perfect woman.”
Dom Number Two, who she’d figured out was named Chase, turned a little green. “Don’t you dare, Julian. Monogamy. The word makes me a little sick.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be monogamy, would it?” Julian pointed out. “The two of you can’t have a separate thought much less claim a woman on your own. I believe the word you’re looking for is polyandry.”
Ben shook his head. “Nope. Don’t like that one either. They both mean the same thing. One pussy for the rest of my life. I intend to live a very long time.”
Chase was quietly petting Kitten who had gotten back to her knees. Chase held her leash in his hands. “My little kitten doesn’t want commitment, does she?”
Kitten shook her head. “No, Sir. Kitten would like to try as many Masters as Kitten can.”
“Good, Kitten.” Chase stared at Julian like the man had threatened to hang him.
Julian waved it all off. “Come along, my loves. Let’s play until we can’t anymore. I suspect our littlest one is going to curb our playtime when he comes along,” Julian announced with a little grin.
“Julian, it’s a girl. The doctor said she’s a girl,” Dani insisted. “We had a sonogram last week, but Julian hasn’t gotten the message yet.”
Now Julian was the one who looked a little green. “No. This child is going to obey me not some sonogram.” He got down and spoke directly to his wife’s belly. “You will be a boy. Girls scare Papa. Grow a penis and quickly.”
He stood and sighed, seemingly satisfied that the fetus would do his bidding. Then he turned and walked up to the stage.
Finn covered his laugh. “You’ll have to excuse the Master. He’s in denial. The thought of having a daughter has, well, scared the crap out of him.”
“I’m a little worried he’ll try to exchange her,” Dani said.
“No, baby,” Finn replied, taking her hand. “He’ll take one look into her perfect little eyes and fall madly in love, and then the world had better watch out because he’s going to be a scary-as-fuck father. I fear for the teenaged idiot who tries to date our daughter.”
“Finn!” Julian’s bark had the whole room silent.
Finn straightened up quickly. “Come on, baby. He’s going to need a little something, if you know what I mean.”
“Really, Wolf?” Leo asked the minute they were gone. “Didn’t I teach you properly?”
Wolf grinned his brother’s way. “Yes, you told me to share my toys when we were kids.”
“Well, I certainly didn’t mean it that way.” Leo crossed his arms over his chest. He finally looked directly at her though there was a blank look on his face. “Is he treating you well?”
Her heart ached. He was so beautiful and so remote. “Yes. He’s been perfect, Sir.”
Sir. Not Leo. It was easier this way. Yes, Julian had been right. This was the right path.
Leo’s face tightened. “Good. Wolf, you have a key?”
Wolf shook his head. �
��Nah. I’ll find a motel. No problem. In a couple of weeks, I’ll start looking for an apartment. Don’t worry about me.”
Leo wasn’t having it. “You’ll stay at my place, Wolf. Logan already moved his stuff in. I have another bedroom ready for you, unless, of course, you want to share with Logan.”
Shelley stared at Leo just about ready to tell him off, but there was a little smirk on his face.
Wolf shot his brother the bird. “Fuck off, man.”
Leo’s smile grew. “Well, I know you like to share, brother.”
“You’re such a fucker.”
They seemed to be having some sort of brotherly moment. The kind no woman could really understand.
“Come on, Wolf. If Ma finds out you’re not staying with me, she’ll give me hell.”
Wolf turned away, his eyes going back to the stage. “Fine. I’ll stay with you until I find my own place.”
“Good.” Leo nodded her way and turned back to Logan as Julian strapped his partner to the St. Andrew’s Cross.
The crowd hushed, and the show began. Shelley forced her eyes to the stage, forgetting about the fact that she might be able to give up Leo, but it didn’t look like he would be out of her life anytime soon.
Chapter Seven
She watched as Julian Lodge’s perfectly formed body wielded the whip. There was a crack through the air and a snap back, and then a thin, red line welled on the white flesh of Finn’s back.
Shelley took an unconscious step away from the stage and right into Wolf’s chest.
“Shhh, it’s all right, sweetheart,” Wolf whispered against her ear. “Finn loves this. From what I understand, Finn has been Julian’s submissive for years. They know what they’re doing and just what it takes for Finn to find his subspace.”
She gasped as the whip cracked again, the sound violent, like a snake striking from nowhere. She kept her voice low. “I don’t see how Finn isn’t screaming.”
“It sounds worse than it is.”
She looked over and Leo was standing right beside them. She thought he’d walked away, felt more comfortable with him walking away. But he was standing right there beside his brother, dressed almost identically. Two amazingly gorgeous men.
Yeah, if she hadn’t had ménage fantasies before, she sure as hell had them now. Why had she ever put that down on the questionnaire?
Because there was a part of her that wanted what Trev had found. Because there was a part of her that wanted the balance of two men just in case one of them turned out to be a criminally minded douchebag. Because she didn’t trust herself anymore.
And because the whole month she’d spent talking to Wolf, she’d had fantasies about Leo suddenly turning around and both men wanting her. But that was all it was, a fantasy.
“Don’t be afraid, sweetheart,” Wolf said, his arms encircling her. He was so protective, but could she really trust him?
“She isn’t afraid. She’s worried. That’s her worried face. Her brow wrinkles, and she gets this deep line right in the middle.”
Trust Leo to have noticed that.
“Sweetheart, we don’t have to play with the whip if you don’t want it,” Wolf assured her. “But you should know that what you hear, that cracking sound is something Julian controls with the flick of his wrist. Really look at Finn’s back. Julian is in complete control. That whip can be horrible if he handles it wrong. Or it can whisper across Finn’s back. It can bite with just the right side of pain. It can be what Finn needs it to be. Do you see any blood?”
She didn’t. There were several pink lines on Finn’s flesh, and now she could see the way he’d relaxed, his shoulders slumping and head lolling back. Finn seemed to be getting what he needed.
“He feels like you did when I spanked you.” Wolf’s voice was a deep rumble over her skin.
“You spanked her?” Leo sounded like Wolf had said he’d beaten the crap out of her.
Julian turned and stared back because Leo’s voice had carried through the dungeon.
“Sorry,” Leo said, holding a hand up.
Shelley felt Wolf move behind her as Julian turned back to his task. That crack split the air again, but she saw it differently now. The spanking Wolf had given her had been so different. It had changed her world.
Wolf leaned over behind her speaking to Leo. “She ignored certain key parts of our contract. She was assaulted, and she didn’t call me. I went to her place, and she was there with some fucking former SEAL mercenary shit.”
“Holder?” Leo asked the one-word question with a sort of hushed awe.
“Yeah, how did you know?” Wolf asked. “Wait. He called you, right?”
“Yes,” Leo replied. “Did you say she was assaulted? Get back here. We can’t talk up here.”
Shelley was pulled back, two arms on either of hers. She almost stumbled, but Wolf held her up. He finally cursed and shoved a bulky arm under her knees, hauling her against his chest. He followed his brother as Leo made his way through to the back of the crowd. Shelley could hear the whip crack again and again, Finn’s soft moans filling the air, making her believe he was enjoying the experience.
What would it be like to trust someone the way Finn trusted Julian?
“Explain.” One word, but Leo made it sound like a long Shakespearian speech.
“She had her laptop stolen on the train,” Wolf replied before she could get the words out. She was rapidly figuring out her response was not required.
“She was robbed?” Leo asked like he gave a damn. Logan had followed him, staying behind Leo like a properly trained lackey.
“Yes, I was,” Shelley managed, keeping her voice down because even she knew not to disrupt a scene. “Though the thief was an idiot because I bought that laptop bag at Target, and he had full access to a handmade Versace. I know which one I would have stolen.”
Wolf turned her toward him. “Are you sure about that? He could see it? He had access to something that was more valuable?”
Shelley nodded. “Yes, he stared at it. There’s no way he could mistake my bag as the more expensive one. That Versace was beautiful. Mine was beaten up. I shoved it on the floor. The leather is warped. It got wet. I was stupid and set it down in the rain when I was trying to unlock my car. I can’t replace it so it looks like hell.”
“So the only thing valuable was the laptop and it was visible?” Leo asked.
“No,” Shelley said quietly, well aware she was still in the middle of a scene. This couldn’t wait until later? “My laptop bag was big enough that I could close it.”
Wolf and Leo shared a long look.
“I’ll check into it,” Wolf said, his words sounding like a promise.
“Have you read her file?” Leo asked.
“I have a file?” Shelley wasn’t aware of it. Crap. She should have been. Julian Lodge looked like the kind of man who kept a lot of files.
“Of course,” Wolf replied. He turned back to Leo. “You think this is about her ex?”
Shelley’s skin went cold. What about her ex?
“No idea,” Leo answered. “But if someone is coming after her, I want to know what it’s about.”
“I’ll look into it,” Wolf promised.
“We’ll meet tomorrow at noon. Chase is one of the best hackers in the world. If someone has said anything about her on the net, Chase can find it. If some asshole wrote an e-mail about her, Chase can give it to you.”
“We’ll be there,” Wolf promised.
“I will?” Shelley asked.
“You will.” Wolf and Leo said the words at the same time with the same deep inflection.
“Fine.” She couldn’t fight both of them.
There was a long pause. She stared at the scene in front of her. She thought they were being overly protective, but then she hadn’t had anyone who was protective of her besides her brother in years. Maybe never since her father died. Bryce had married her for very specific reasons, and when those dried up, he’d ignored her.
“Did h
e hurt you?” Leo asked, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her around.
“No.” She looked into his face, stark and lovely. God, he was a beautiful man. “He didn’t touch me. He just took my bag.”
The whip cracked again. She turned her face back, but now she was a little flustered. Her heart was racing. Why had that man taken her bag when there was something much more valuable in his grasp?
Had it been random? Why wouldn’t it be random? What could she have that someone really wanted? She was living hand to mouth. She’d lost all of the property she’d owned with Bryce.
“Hey, calm down,” Wolf ordered, his voice commanding her. “We’re going to handle it.”
Leo watched her for a moment. “She sometimes has anxiety attacks, nothing serious, but she can get herself very worked up. If you don’t talk her down, she’ll be anxious for hours. Shelley, why don’t we all go up to my office and we can talk about what’s making you nervous?”
Now Leo was making her nervous. God, the last thing she wanted was to become one of Leo’s patients.
“I think I can handle this, brother,” Wolf said, taking her hands in his.
Leo’s eyes narrowed. “And I think I’m the one with the degree in psychology.”
“She’s my sub, Leo. Now let me handle her in the way I see fit.”
Leo stood, his arms across his chest, and Shelley worried for a moment that he was going to argue with Wolf.
“I want to stay with Wolf.” She looked up at Leo. This was the longest conversation they’d had in fourteen months, and instead of being her friend, he wanted to be her shrink. She didn’t want that. She wanted what Wolf could give her.
Leo took a step back, his disengagement clear. “Of course. Come along, Logan. We still have work to do.”
The two men walked away, losing themselves in the crowd.
“Come on,” Wolf said, pulling her back toward a corner of the room. She could still see the stage, but it was slightly darker away from the lights. Wolf settled his big body on a chair that had been shoved into the corner. “Sit down. We’re going to talk for a minute. What’s your safe word?”
She needed a safe word to talk? “Gucci. I have to find a chair. Hold on.”