Two Loves for Alex (16 page)

“You can come now, slave. Use the pain to heighten the pleasure.” He struck her back, covering it with a rain of knotted leather until she was panting and whimpering.

“Come for me.”

He struck her breasts, his cock straining in his jeans, excitement and lust speeding his heart. She pushed the vibrator in and out of her spread cunt. Her eyes were closed, her head back, the whimpering changed to a sensual moan.

She drew the vibrator up over her clit and began a steady staccato pant that ended in a piercing cry. He watched her coming, her body shuddering, her eyes squeezed tight, her mouth open in an O of sound. He gave her a final savage blow and she fell back against the carpet, the vibrator still at her clit, the fingers of her other hand buried inside her.

He dropped the flogger and pulled open his jeans, blinded for a moment by lust. He was going to fuck her. Why not? She was his and he knew she wanted it. But when he knelt in front of her his mind cleared and Daniel loomed large.

He’d promised himself he wouldn’t fuck her, not without Daniel present.
But Daniel wouldn’t know
, a little voice whispered in his brain.
Alex won’t tell.

He drew himself up sharply, the panting, shuddering girl at his feet for a moment nearly forgotten.

Secrets.

The first death knell in a relationship. He’d just considered keeping a secret from the man who meant more than anything else in the world to him. He’d actually thought about doing something behind Daniel’s back, something he would then hide.

This was worse than what Daniel had done. Daniel had acted on impulse. His only crime, if that’s what it was, was disobedience for which he was punished.

Shaken, Liam took a step back, his cock flagging. He tried to focus on the sweet, spent girl lying on the ground in front of him. She was looking at him. He held out his hand and she took it. Hoisting her upright, he took her into his arms and held her close. He clung to her, thinking how close he’d come to betraying Daniel.

Maybe this whole thing, while an entertaining diversion, was getting out of hand. The tension he’d thought they could work through once Alex moved in on a more permanent basis didn’t seem to be lessening. If anything it was getting worse.

He rubbed his cheek against the top of Alex’s head. Her shampoo smelled good. Poor Alex. Though she didn’t know it, she was caught in the middle. It wasn’t her fault he was so conflicted.

After a moment he let her go and stepped back. “You did good, Alex. I’m very pleased with you. Let’s go make some lunch. Daniel left us some chicken salad. You can wear clothing. Whatever you want to put on.”

“Oh. We’re…we’re done then?” The disappointment was evident in her voice. She’d obviously been expecting more training or perhaps out-and-out sex. Daniel probably spent hours with her. Liam’s cock stirred at the thought of Daniel disciplining Alex but he wasn’t in the mood to pay attention.

“Yes,” he snapped. “We’re done. Didn’t I just say so?” Her wounded look just added to the eggshells of guilt he was already treading on. Sometimes being a Dom was just too much damn work.

Daniel turned off the engine and coasted down the last bit of driveway. Parking his truck off to the side, he climbed out and walked to the front door. The meeting for the landscaping project had gone well and he’d been done earlier than he expected.

Probably earlier than Liam expected too.

They left the front door unlocked during the day. He turned the handle and opened it. The well-oiled hinges didn’t make a sound. Without calling out a greeting, he moved on silent feet up the stairs and walked to the playroom, almost sick from nervous anticipation over what he would find.

He couldn’t stop the tumble of images—Alex, naked and tethered on the cross, her body drenched in sweat or bound spread-eagle to the exam table, Liam’s body draped over hers, his hips rising and falling as he thrust deep into her, calling her name…

The door was ajar and he pushed it open, filled with both excitement and dread.

The room was empty.

He stood staring for a confused moment. Turning, he looked into the master bedroom but this was also empty. He ran down the stairs, calling, “Hey, I’m home.”

“We’re in the kitchen,” Liam called. When Daniel entered he saw the two of them at the table eating sandwiches. Shame washed over him. He’d been ready to catch them making love behind his back and here they were just having lunch.

He sank into a chair and ran his hand over his face. What was happening to him? Liam was his world, his Master, his life. It had been Daniel’s idea to bring someone into their lives. If Liam wanted to enjoy her on his own from time to time, who was Daniel to stand in his way? Why was he attempting to withhold something from the man he’d sworn to honor and obey?

“Hey, Daniel.” Liam put his hand on Daniel’s arm. He was looking at him with concern. “You okay? Too much sun?”

“What? Oh yeah. I mean no. I don’t know. I’m fine.”

Liam eyed him though he said nothing for a few beats. Then he offered, “How about some lemonade and a sandwich? You haven’t had lunch yet, have you?”

“No. I mean, I haven’t but no thanks. I’m not hungry.” He glanced at Alex. She was watching them, a small frown on her face. He turned back to Liam. “Listen. We need to talk. I need to talk.”

“Me too.”

It felt like someone had reached in and twisted his heart. It actually hurt and he put his hand to his chest. Was this it? Was Liam going to tell him Alex had replaced him in his affections?

Even while this ridiculous thought hurtled through his brain he knew it was nuts. Maybe something was going on but not that. She was a distraction, yeah, but no way could she waltz into their lives and in two weeks destroy what they’d spent over a year building together.

Liam stood. “I’m pretty much done anyway. Alex,” he turned to the girl, “you can clean up in here and then take free time.”

“Yes, Sir.” She spoke softly and Daniel knew her well enough to hear the confusion and hurt behind her words. He would deal with that later. Right now Liam and he needed to reconnect, not only as Dom and sub but as partners.

He followed Liam up the stairs and into their bedroom. Daniel sat on the bed. Liam sat in a chair nearby. It was as if there were already a wall between them. Daniel realized he’d better tear it down before it got too high.

“Liam,” he began. “Something doesn’t feel right between us.” He half hoped Liam would deny it. He would tell Daniel it was all in his head and everything was right as rain. He would explain how they could make it all work. How they could keep Alex around and still maintain their open and loving relationship. How jealousy had no place in a relationship such as theirs.

“Yes. I know.”

The words were like a blow to his solar plexus. He drew in a ragged breath and waited. Liam was watching him in that way he had, as if he could read every thought in Daniel’s head and every secret in his heart.

“Talk to me,” Liam said gently. “Tell me what’s going on for you.”

“It’s Alex.”

Liam nodded. When Daniel didn’t continue, Liam repeated, “Alex?”

Okay, he was just going to plunge in and say it. “Yeah. Alex. She’s coming between us. It’s not her fault, but I find myself having feelings and doubts I never had before we brought in a third person. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved training her. I’ve really enjoyed exploring my dominant side and even my het side. I didn’t realize I could respond so sexually toward a woman but something about her…”

“Yes,” Liam said softly, and again Daniel’s heart contracted. Was Liam falling in love with her? Was he already there?

Daniel’s reason was suddenly overcome by fear. He forgot his place, jealousy making him reckless. “Why do you say it like that? What the fuck’s going on? You arranged today to get her alone. Admit it. Go on. You can tell me. I’m just your
sub
, after all. You can do what you like. It’s not up to me. Go on. Tell me.”

Liam stood and moved quickly toward the bed. He put his arm around Daniel’s shoulder and pulled him toward him. “Stop it. Daniel. Stop and think about what you’re saying. Do you really think I set this up, waiting until you were out of the house so I could fuck her or whatever it is you think we were up to? You’re right. You belong to me. Not the other way around. If I want to fuck Alex, with or without your
permission
, then I’ll do it.”

Liam pulled away and looked down. When he looked up again his eyes were sad. “What happened to the trust all of a sudden? Haven’t I left you every day alone with her? When I found you that time, didn’t you deny anything was going on and didn’t I believe you?”

Daniel felt his face heat and he turned away. Liam was right. It wasn’t just his fear of Liam coveting Alex. It was his own strong feelings as well. He was becoming possessive. He was forgetting his place and his duty to Liam. He was losing his submissive direction and instead of feeling empowered by this, he felt bereft and cast adrift.

“I’m sorry, Liam. I don’t know what’s going on exactly. Maybe this whole thing is a big mistake.”

“No. No, listen. I need to be honest too. Today, while you were gone. I—I had Alex in the playroom. I was teaching her about orgasm through pain, about incorporating the pain as part of the pleasure. When she—when she came and I saw her lying there, so vulnerable and open, I wanted to…”

He trailed away and Daniel bit his lip to keep from howling aloud with pain. Liam continued. “I wanted to fuck her. And listen to me, Daniel. Listen well. That is my right as her Dom and Master and as yours. She gave us that right, both of us. She is submissive to you and to me. And you are submissive to me. That means I don’t need your permission to fuck Alex. I want that understood. Do you understand it, slave boy?”

Daniel looked into Liam’s handsome face. Though his tone was firm, his eyes were kind, even pleading. Daniel nodded. “Yes, I understand, Sir.”

“Good. But that’s not what troubled me. I didn’t fuck her. You know why?”

“No, Sir.”

“Because I realized I wanted to keep it a secret from you. Because I didn’t want to hurt you or make you think I desired her more than I desire you. I wanted to keep a secret. Do you see? A lie by omission. I’ve never done that, Daniel. Not with you. I realized right then if I did fuck her, I would be betraying you. Not because I don’t have the right to use her as I wish but because I wasn’t including you.

“When we decided to bring Alex into our lives, we talked about it as an extension of our lovemaking. If it’s becoming something outside of that, something that breaks us apart instead of bringing us closer together, then I say we need to seriously consider what the hell it is we’re doing. After all she isn’t a toy. She’s a real person. A strong, sexy, smart woman who deserves better than to be cast as the element that comes between us. We owe her and ourselves more than that.”

“Are you saying you want Alex to leave?” Having Liam lay things out so starkly forced Daniel to really take stock of what he wanted. Having Alex leave, he knew with sudden fierce certainty was not the answer.

“I’m not saying that,” Liam replied. “I’m saying we need to step back and assess what’s really going on. We need to figure out if we can make Alex a meaningful part of our lives without sacrificing what’s so special between
us
. I love you, Daniel. That’s first and foremost. It’s more important than your submission or your dominance with her or anything else in my world. I want that love to stay pure. I want the trust between us to remain unsullied. If Alex’s presence compromises that, then, I don’t know, maybe she should leave.”

A small gasping cry startled them both. Daniel looked toward the open door but saw nothing. He jumped from the bed and strode to the door. He saw Alex, blonde hair flying, disappearing into her bedroom.

~*~

Alex fell onto the bed in a daze. She was trying to think, to figure things out, to process what she’d heard, but her brain seemed to have short-circuited. She couldn’t manage to form a single coherent thought.

She lay still for some minutes until her mind began to function again, but the pain that accompanied it made her wish for the dazed confusion to return.

She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. She’d quickly tidied the kitchen, wondering what was going on between the two men, pretty certain she had something to do with it.

It had been strange but exciting to spend the day with Liam without Daniel’s presence. She thought of herself as belonging primarily to Daniel. Liam was a third party, someone higher up who would swoop down at night and use the two of them for his pleasure. She had created a fiction, she realized, in which she and Daniel had some kind of special relationship Liam couldn’t interfere with or control.

It had been disconcerting to watch the two of them at the table, both clearly upset and needing to talk. But not with her. She was excluded because she wasn’t a part of their relationship. If it hadn’t been clear to her before, it was brought into sharp relief at that moment.

She had come upstairs to fetch her laptop. To try to work on her novel and put whatever the hell was going on between the guys from her head, at least for a while.

When she’d passed their room the sound of her name stopped her.
Are you saying you want Alex to leave?
Liam had rambled on about love and trust, all very well, but what she’d homed in on was his last remark—
Alex should leave
.

That was it then. Two weeks of heaven and it was over. What the fuck did she expect? She had hooked up with two gay guys, for crying out loud. Yeah, yeah, they could mouth all the crap they wanted about being bisexual, but bottom line their emotional connection was to each other, not to her. Not to a woman.

Alex sighed and let the tears that had been waiting begin to flow. If only life were like a romance novel. In her novels the woman always got her man, though admittedly the path toward the happily ever after ending was never a smooth one. That’s what her readers wanted—to see the struggle and growth in a relationship, to feel the pain and the triumph along with the heroine.