Hot Corner

S

alvation

Three’s Allowed Series Book Three

By Laura Harner

Copyright Salvation is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2011 by Laura Harner All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Hot Corner Press ISBN 978-1-937252-03-8 Warning: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any many without written permission, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away, as it is an infringement on the copyright of this book. Contact the publisher for further information: [email protected]

Dedication

To those who dare to follow love, wherever it leads.

A special thank you to Dan Skinner for the beautiful cover image.

Table of Contents

Copyright ..................................................................................................................................3 Dedication .................................................................................................................................4 Table of Contents......................................................................................................................5 Chapter One ..............................................................................................................................6 Chapter Two ........................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter Three ......................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter Four ........................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter Five ........................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter Six.............................................................................................................................. 40 Chapter Seven......................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter Eight .......................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter Nine .......................................................................................................................... 54 Chapter Ten ............................................................................................................................ 60 Chapter Eleven ....................................................................................................................... 66 Chapter Twelve ...................................................................................................................... 69 Chapter Thirteen .................................................................................................................... 76 Chapter Fourteen ................................................................................................................... 83 Chapter Fifteen ....................................................................................................................... 89 Chapter Sixteen ...................................................................................................................... 95 Chapter Seventeen ............................................................................................................... 102 About the author: ................................................................................................................. 105

Chapter One Marcus walked through Maximilian’s as if he belonged, which of course as part owner, he did. The driving music beat a pulse against him as he strode passed the happy smiles of the rich and privileged, writhing and gyrating on the dance floor under the flashing lights. He didn’t stop, merely nodded his head at the few bartenders, servers, and bouncers who recognized him. He and Max might own equal shares of the business, but Marcus preferred to be the silent partner. Maximilian’s was as exclusive as a club in Phoenix could get. Sports stars, celebrities, and the just-plain-wealthy paid top dollar for the best in music, liquor, and the security of knowing they would be protected from the paparazzi and celebrity hounds. When he reached the back of the main clubroom, he pulled aside the discreet curtain, revealing another, more private doorway. He exchanged brief words with the bouncer on duty, and then stepped into the heart of the club. ‚Busy night, Frank?‛ he asked the armed security guard seated at the desk that restricted the access to the rest of the building. ‚Sure is. We’ve got a full house in the basement,‛ Frank said. ‚Max sure knows how to draw them in.‛ Marcus took a quick glance at the bank of security cameras. ‚How’s the new equipment working? Any problems?‛ ‚Naw. The new digital cameras in the parking areas work a treat. I wish you’d let me put one here at the desk, though, boss. I know we’ve got good shots of the doorways downstairs, but with the masks and hoods most of the After Hours customers wear<‛ he trailed off. They’d long debated when they upgraded the security. How did you protect the privacy of some of the richest, most influential people in the city and keep them safe? ‚Sorry, Frank. The cameras outside are enough to let us monitor who enters and exits the building. Your staff provides great security, which is why Max’s has a great reputation. Our downstairs clients are a completely different matter. They expect total secrecy. It would spell disaster for the club if we had a security breech at After Hours. We only use those cameras to monitor the hallways, and strictly for client safety.

‚Any one special here tonight I should know about?‛ Max asked, bringing the additional camera question to an end. ‚No one new, mostly the regulars. The VIP Hollywood friend of Max’s is here again. I think he wants a membership,‛ Frank said. ‚Terrific. Keep up the great work. Get any good tips tonight?‛ Marcus asked, moving past the desk. Frank grinned. ‚That trip to Hawaii gets closer every day, boss.‛ Marcus returned the smile as he stepped into the private elevator that whisked him below the glittery nightclub and into the very depths of what some people might consider hell. ***** Jolynn Enwright looked at herself in the mirror and smoothed her hands along the curve of her hips, over her ass, and wondered exactly what she thought she was doing. She picked up the black invitation and ran her finger lightly over the embossed lettering. You are cordially invited to attend a special event at Maximilian’s After Hours. That was all. No further information. It prevented any inadvertent entries into the most private club in town. Every weekend, Maximilian’s held an event that very few people knew about. Those who did weren’t talking. Membership in the exclusive BDSM club at Max’s required an exhaustive and somewhat intrusive background check. You had to be an experienced dominant or submissive, and you had to have a personal referral. Unfortunately, those rules meant the invitation probably wasn’t intended for Jolynn. She didn’t know anyone in the BDSM scene, and she sure couldn’t offer a reference, but she wasn’t about to let a little thing like a mistaken delivery keep her from getting a peek at the hottest club in Phoenix. Jolynn figured she was due for some mindless entertainment of the sexual variety. Six months earlier, Carrie had left her to move back to the Midwest, claiming stress over their dual career relationship. At the time, they both had held high-ranking positions at

Enwright Security. Enwright as in Jolynn’s brother, Michael. He’d built his company from the ground up and she served as the vice president of electronic surveillance. The job hadn’t sent Carrie packing; it was the different direction they each wanted to take their relationship. Looking back on things, Jo realized they’d both been trying to introduce an element of excitement to what clearly was a relationship already on the rocks. Jolynn took one last look in the mirror. A short black skirt that barely covered the tops of her thigh-high silk stockings, a white camisole and lace bra that let the dark peaks of her nipples show through if the light was right, and fuck-me heels. She expertly applied her make-up and gave her long black hair a bed-head tousled style. She’d worked enough undercover assignments for Michael to be able to transform herself to fit any situation. Tucking her identification, cash, and condoms along with the glossy postcard, into a tiny envelope of a purse, she was as ready as she’d ever be. Hopefully, there wasn’t a secret word required in addition to the invitation. She was willing to take the chance. ***** Marcus stepped into their shared office, affectionately known as the Alpha room. ‚Hey, baby,‛ Max said in his gravelly voice that grabbed Marcus by the balls. He shook his head and smiled at the meaningless endearment. Too bad Max was straight, Marcus thought for maybe the thousandth time since they’d been friends. Which was a very long time. The M & M’s they’d been called when they were boys. Nearly inseparable until high school graduation when Marcus joined the Navy to become a SEAL and Max had gone to college to learn business management. Six years later, the two friends pooled their money to start Maximilian’s. Two years of hard work and rocking reviews for the nightclub earned them enough money to buy the whole building where the club was located. They reinvested their profits every step of the way, until they could afford to renovate the basement into what they’d affectionately referred to between themselves as the dungeon, but eventually marketed as Max’s After Hours. Neither of them had imagined that the bondage magazines they fantasized and masturbated over as teens would inspire such a profitable business.

‚Max,‛ Marcus said, shaking his head at the memories. ‚Tell me again why I’m here?‛ The running of the club was Max’s gig and he drew a salary for those duties, in addition to his owner’s share of the profits. Marcus spent very little time here during operating hours. He worked under a special contract for Enwright Security. ‚Remember I told you a couple of months ago about the class we’re offering?‛ ‚Right, something about BDSM for Dummies,‛ Marcus joked. ‚Very funny. I realized even though everyone who comes here has already experienced being a Dom or sub, too many players don’t understand the pleasure of the complete control and surrender. They think it’s all about restraints and spankings. No one takes the time to explain, to teach his or her partners about the intimacy. ‚I thought if I offered a class to a small group, they might help mentor others. We’ve met a couple of times but I need a Master to run a scene, with or without bondage, your choice. A skilled Dom, Marcus. No one is better than you.‛ ‚Fuck, Max. I rarely play anymore. I didn’t think you did, either. And I hate the idea of standing in front of a group. Especially if they think Dom/sub means pleasuring the Master at the expense of the submissive.‛ Marcus raked his hand through his hair, blew out a breath, then met Max’s pleading gaze. He hated the puppy dog look. ‚Look, Max, here’s the condensed version. A Dom/sub scene is about stripping away the sub’s defenses, about the total surrender of control. The Dominant feels flush with power, yet true satisfaction comes from taking the sub to the very limit of his control, past even where he thinks he can go, and then watching him come apart with the pleasure.‛ For a long minute, Max’s rapid breathing was the only sound in the room. He wet his lips and blew out a shaky sigh before speaking. ‚Fuck, Marcus. Okay, can you repeat what you said to the class? That’s exactly what I want them to understand.‛

Marcus looked at Max a long time. His friend’s face flushed with desire, his inner submissive streak glowing a mile wide. His words had reached past Max’s consistently hetero preference and had yanked him up by the short hairs. Fuck. A bit breathless himself, Marcus asked, ‚I don’t have a sub any more, Max. Who did you have in mind?‛ ‚I can do it. You know, just this once,‛ Max said, wetting his lips again. ‚You mean show the beginning of a scene? Otherwise we’d need a different sub if you want me to demonstrate further.‛ ‚Not this time, Marcus. Just us, this time.‛ Max’s eyes were gray swirls of desire, his lips were parted, and the front of his jeans bulged. ‚Please, Marcus, I want to.‛ Shit. Max had already assumed the role of the submissive. If he took Max into the class and gave him a scene, made Max his sub, their friendship might suffer. As much as Marcus wanted Max, they were friends first, business partners second. Anything more would be risking the most important relationship Marcus ever had. Marcus blew out a breath. ‚I’ll talk to the group. We can open a scene. Then you and everybody else can go find what you need in the club.‛ Max smiled. ‚Supplies and costumes are in my closet. We start in fifteen. Wear the leather, Marcus. The subs in the group will love you in it. I think I better get us a drink.‛ Alone, Marcus slid the supple, butter-soft pants over his well-muscled thighs. He and Max had always been able to share clothes. Both men were tall with broad chests and muscular frames. He closed his eyes and thought about the picture the two of them would make on the stage. His own naturally dark, olive-skinned complexion, dark brown hair and eyes would contrast nicely against Max’s honey gold tan, blond curls, and smoky gray eyes. Marcus fought against the feelings that threatened to bubble up. He needed to remember this wasn’t a real Dom/sub relationship, only a quick demonstration. He wouldn’t let the emotions get in the way. He bound his hair and crossed the leather straps over his chest. Leather wrist cuffs and a half mask completed the outfit.

***** She’d made it past the security checks, her black invitation all the only identification required. When the big man at the elevator asked if this was her first visit to After Hours, she’d been afraid he would toss her out. He merely offered her a silk mask and politely inquired if her sponsor had explained the rules. Once she’d acknowledged the privacy clause, he’d thanked her and turned back to monitoring his screens. Jolynn gratefully slipped on the mask and had to smother the grin at her sudden transformation into the Lone Ranger. Stepping from the elevator and into a long corridor lined with closed doors, she kept her gaze focused straight ahead, unsure she wouldn’t run screaming at the first sign of torture. Party sounds spilled from the large arched doorway at the end of the hall. That’s where she would start, she decided, and then she might come back to visit the smaller rooms later. It was exactly like a parlor in a private home, Jo thought, interested despite her earlier reservations. The furniture was arranged in small groupings throughout the room. People gathered over drinks, nibbled on hors d'oeuvres, with a lot of quiet laughter and conversation. A typical upscale cocktail party. Unless you noticed the subs. Some wore collars or handcuffs, others knelt naked and fanned their masters. One woman stood secured in leather-lined stockade. People formed a loose line, waiting their turn to use a flogger on her already red ass. Jolynn saw the woman’s slick inner thighs and shivered at the connection between punishment and sexual pleasure. There were a few people getting punished or fucked publicly, but she suspected other subs, without the desire for public humiliation, were waiting for the private rooms. Jolynn leaned in the doorway and watched the room, unexpected moisture pooling between her thighs. Perhaps she should have tried this with Carrie, after all. An attractive couple caught her attention, and Jo realized they moved straight for her. She wondered what they would offer her and whether she would accept. She’d been with both men and women but never at the same time. Now that her brother was fully committed to both a man and a woman, she’d been more than a little curious about polyamorous relationships, herself.

It had been one of the sticking points between her and her former lover. Jolynn wanted to bring in a man. Carrie had wanted to be punished. Jolynn almost smiled at the irony. Tonight she could easily try both, if she was willing. Too bad the idea of being with strangers left her more than a little sad. The woman spoke first. ‚Hi, we noticed you standing here by yourself. Is this your first time here at After Dark? I’m Carol, by the way.‛ The attractive red head took Jolynn’s hand and gave a more of a caress than a shake. Without giving her a chance to respond, Carol continued, ‚This is my husband, Richard. We remember how hard it can be to fit in at first. We’d love to spend some time getting to know you, have a drink together. Unfortunately, we’re running a little behind. We’re going to a lecture tonight, as part of an on-going series about the nature of the Dominant/submissive culture. We’d love it if you attended as our guest and then we can talk afterward.‛ Jolynn blinked in surprise. A lecture about the BDSM lifestyle sounded like exactly what she needed as a buffer while she tried to figure out whether she was willing to try anything. ‚Thank you, I’d enjoy that. My name’s Jolynn, it’s nice to meet you.‛ They found three seats together at the back of the room, and no surprise here, Richard took the middle spot. Jolynn looked around. There were about a dozen people, some couples, some singles, all focused on the front of the room. On the stage, the lights were set to dim, with flickering candles providing a slightly more intimate atmosphere. The blacksheeted platform bed was bigger than a standard king, and dominated the elevated space. A chair equipped with ankle and wrist bindings was pushed to one side, and a low table held other bondage equipment and toys. A blonde Adonis stepped out from behind a side curtain, and she recognized him as the famous Max, himself. Next to him stood a leather-clad man, a picture-book example of a Dom. ‚Good evening. I’m Max, and welcome to my place. I see we have a couple of guests tonight. The rules are simple. Sit quietly in your seat unless you’re invited to speak or participate by the presenter. You may decline any activity and you may leave at any

time. Tonight’s topic is a continuation of our series and we will focus specifically on the art of Domination and the mindset of a true master. ‚Many times people get introduced to the Dom/sub lifestyle by a lover who wants to try a little spanking or to tie his partner to the bedposts. While I assure you, both activities can be very enjoyable,‛ he paused for the laughter, ‚a true Dom orchestrates the entire experience. ‚There is one master I hold in esteem above all others. I have both witnessed and participated in his scenes and his skill and patience are unmatched.‛ The members of the audience sat up straighter, the message clear: If Max thought this master was the best they had better pay attention. ‚As we discussed last week, it’s important to engage in a negotiation between the Dom and sub, to make sure everyone is comfortable at where the limits are set before you begin the play. Although this master and I have many shared experiences, our scenes always included multiple women and I was only one of the subs. ‚My personal boundaries have always been nonnegotiable. No fucking or oral sex with another male. Remember, submission doesn’t mean you do whatever the Dom wants. This means communicating ahead of time so you don’t cross over your partner’s ability to enjoy. ‚Ladies and gentlemen, tonight will be a rare treat. I have asked Master M to both discuss and demonstrate any techniques he chooses in order to help you understand the true flavor of being a Dominant.‛ Max turned then and looked straight at the leather-hooded man. ‚Master M, I am willingly submitting myself to you. Despite our previous rules, tonight, I place no limitations whatsoever on any and all activities, as you see fit.‛ Then Max lowered his head and waited. Jolynn had been watching the master, and she swore Max’s words surprised him. He ran a tongue over his full lower lip and then caught it between his teeth before he spoke. She gave a little gasp at the oh-so-familiar gesture. There was no way Master M could be Marcus. Could he?

Although her quick breath had been quiet, she realized Master M must have heard her, because he took a moment to search the room before his dark gaze collided with hers. Oh, shit.

Chapter Two Marcus waited a moment to let the feelings of pleasure from Max’s offer wash over him. Then the night took another crazy twist when he heard a gasp from the back of the room, and he caught sight of a woman with messy black hair and beautiful blue eyes, widened with emotion. The silk mask did nothing to disguise her from him; he’d know her anywhere. Jolynn. The only two people in the world who could leave him exposed and vulnerable were together in the same room and right when he needed to focus completely on his task. Fate was a wicked bitch, but tonight he would play the hand she dealt him. ‚That was a pretty speech, Max. We’ll get back to negotiations in a minute. Right now, I want you to stand here and think about your decision. You have until I’m finished talking to this group to change your mind.‛ Marcus moved behind Max and slid his hands around his friend’s waist. He pulled Max’s hips sharply back, the hard press of Marcus’ cock against his ass. Max’s breathing was fast and shallow. As Marcus removed Max’s tie, he whispered in his ear, barely loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. ‚Don’t offer everything unless you’re willing for me to take it.‛ He used the necktie for a blindfold and raised his voice as he spoke to the class. ‚Domination is a scary word. It should be, because the power you wield in an intimate situation is extreme. When you’re a top, it means you like to fuck, not be fucked. You like to run the show. However, the most confident and effective Doms understand the real power in the scene comes from the submissive.‛ He paused, letting the whispers ripple through the audience. ‚I see some of you don’t believe me. A Dom and a sub always create a symbiotic relationship, you can’t have one without the other. Not and get off, anyway,‛ he smiled. Again, the audience laughed, but he noticed some heads were starting to nod in agreement with his points. ‚I can be the biggest badass Dom around, but the power isn’t mine until my sub chooses to surrender his control. And never forget, with a snap of his fingers or a whispered safe word, my sub can stop all the action. Your goal is to

take him to the very edge, where pleasure meets pain and send him flying. Not to break him. Never to break him. You must remain in control at all times.‛ He unbuttoned Max’s shirt as he spoke, then slid the material down his arms and used the sleeves to restrain Max’s hands behind his back. ‚The Dom’s job is not only to discover his submissive’s raw needs but to fulfill them. Make no mistake, the sub lives to please the Master, but it is through their gift of surrender that Doms will find their true pleasure.‛ He unfastened Max’s slacks and left them pooled around his friend’s feet. He cupped Max’s impressive erection through the satin of his boxers. Max didn’t flinch at his touch; if anything, he thickened, and a small circle of moisture appeared on the fabric. Marcus lowered his voice again, and spoke directly to Max, yet still loud enough for the others to hear. ‚Do you want to taste my cock, Max?‛ Max licked his lips. ‚Yes,‛ he whispered. ‚Is your ass still virgin, Max?‛ ‚Yes,‛ Max breathed, his voice tighter than the last response. ‚And you want me to fuck your ass,‛ Marcus stated. ‚What makes you think you deserve my cock in your ass?‛ ‚Please, Master M. I dream about it. Please
When she arrived on stage, he pulled her close and said, ‚I’ll keep you safe. Be completely honest in your answers. Have you promised to be with anyone tonight?‛ ‚N-no, Master M.‛ ‚You learn quickly. I like that. Does someone claim you as a slave or pet?‛ ‚No, Master M.‛ ‚Spread your legs.‛ His gaze locked on hers, willing her to obey. When she did, he reached under her skirt and ran a finger underneath the narrow fabric of her thong and brought the cream he found to his mouth. ‚Very nice.‛ He grabbed her wrists and yanked her arms above her head in a vice-like grip and pressed her back against the wall. Then grinding his hips into her, he lowered his mouth and did what he’d wanted to do for months. His was a bruising kiss of teeth and tongues, and she melted into him in a gesture of complete surrender. He captured her lower lip and bit hard as he pulled away from the intoxicating taste of Jolynn. ‚I claim you as mine,‛ he said. ‚Go find a member of the security staff. Tell them Master M and Max ordered you to wait in Alpha Room. Be naked when I arrive. Are my instructions clear?‛ She nodded and he swatted her ass with his free hand. ‚Answer me properly.‛ ‚Yes, Master M.‛ ‚Go now,‛ he said and pushed her toward the steps. He watched until she’d left the room, and the door closed behind her. ***** Jolynn wandered from the classroom on shaky legs. Alpha room. She needed to find the Alpha room. Earlier she’d barely registered the unobtrusive security personnel scattered throughout the basement, but now that she thought about the situation, it made sense there would be people to intervene, if necessary. She started to go toward the cocktail party, when someone called to her from behind. ‚Excuse, me. Can I help you?‛ A whisper-soft voice asked.

Jolynn turned to face a small, nondescript person wearing a flowing robe with a full facemask. ‚Oh, thanks, but
Chapter Three ‚I hope you recognized that I used two different methods to quickly establish the Dominant role. Two people, with two very different levels of experience, different needs, yet both willingly surrendered their control to me. Neither of them seeks to be a complete slave, but they might make fine pets with the proper training and patience. Perhaps they’ll enter into a long term Dom/sub relationship with a partner. Who’s to say? The point is, there are many different types of subs. Dominants, too for that matter. ‚A scene should always be about trust and control, power and respect. Everything comes back to expectations and the relationship. There are Doms who seek only to be pleased and many subs who wish to do nothing more than meet their Dom’s demands. I make no judgments about those relationships. I can only tell you that I get more pleasure when all the players are invested in each other. ‚You’ve seen how these two very different people reacted to me. I can take as long as I want with either or both of them. They will work tirelessly to ensure my pleasure, push themselves to accept pain or punishment. They will let me do things to them they’ve never imagined, even do things to each other, if I command it. In the end, though, my true satisfaction will come once I strip away those artificial barriers, when I reach the raw desire waiting within, when I watch them each come apart with the pleasure.‛ The atmosphere in the classroom was heavy with expectation, the sexual tension high. They all expected him to punish Max. Or to at least witness Max’s first time with a man. Well, was too fucking bad. He’d given them all the foreplay they were going to get for now, they’d have to get their jollies elsewhere. With a smile and a nod, he said, ‚Thank you for your time.‛ He left Max in his sensory deprivation while he answered a few questions from the participants. He promised to consider a request to serve as master for a large-scale scene for the group and finally, they were gone. He watched the bound man for a long minute, trying to decide what to do. Part of him wanted to take Max at his word and fuck his ass right now. He’d wanted his friend

for so long, but he meant what he’d told the group. For him, the relationship was more important than any Dom/sub scene. What the hell happened to cause such a dramatic shift in Max’s personal boundaries? He would gladly help his friend test his limits, but he needed make this decision on his own, not leave the choice to a master. He stepped close to Max and ran a gentle hand across his bare chest. Muscles quivered beneath his touch and Max jerked his head. He removed the head set. ‚Are you okay?‛ he asked, his voice a whisper. Max nodded, still unable to see, touch, or speak. Marcus removed the ball gag next. He watched as Max worked his jaw loose, then did what he’d been waiting to try. He lowered his mouth and pressed his lips to his friend’s for the first time. The kiss was undemanding, lips softly brushed, easy and nonthreatening. Max jerked his head back as though he’d been slapped and Marcus felt the lead in the pit of his stomach. So, this had been a momentary madness. Thank God he hadn’t gone further with a room full of people to witness his humiliation. Although it would have been another type of lesson in Domination: one on how to stop. Without warning, Max leaned into him, blindly seeking another kiss, his lips slightly open, his face slack with hunger. The air seemed to explode around him, piercing him with white-hot shards of desire. Marcus took Max’s mouth in a punishing kiss, reminiscent of the one he’d given Jolynn earlier. He angled Max’s head between his hands and devoured him. Their mouths met, tongues reaching to slide together, teeth bumping. This was a kiss he’d craved for years and he let it spin out, growing in intensity. He pushed the blindfold from Max’s eyes, then reached behind him to pull the knotted shirt from his hands. Completely free from his restraints, Max wrapped Marcus in his arms and held on, as the connection swept both of them into a deep well of longing. Marcus broke the kiss and was pleased at the small whimper Max made at the loss of contact.

‚Come with me,‛ Marcus said and led the way through the door behind the stage to Max’s office. * In the tiny part of Max’s brain still capable of thought, he wondered what had taken him so long to kiss Marcus. The man knew how to bring you to your knees with his lips. Then he realized class was finished and Marcus was taking him somewhere private. The anticipation over what Master M would do to him was nearly overwhelming as they entered their office. Marcus sat them both on the couch. Max watched, saying nothing, as Marcus removed the leather mask, leaned forward with his elbows propped on his knees, and held his head in his hands. Shit. They were no longer in the scene. ‚Marcus? What’s wrong?‛ Max asked. When Marcus said nothing Max scooted closer and wrapped an arm around his friend’s shoulders. ‚Aw, shit, Marcus. I fucked up, didn’t I? I knew you were serious about someone a while back, but I thought the relationship was over. I broke the first fucking rule: talk with your partner about your expectations. I could only think about this big step I’d decided to take and never gave a single thought to whether or not you still wanted me. I’m sorry, my friend.‛ Marcus looked over at him and quirked the corner of his mouth. ‚Is that what you think? That I don’t want you? God, Max, I want you so bad my dick is about to explode. Hell, my cock probably would explode if I could get out of these fucking leather pants. ‚The thing is, I don’t know if I can do a scene with you and still go back to this,‛ he said, gesturing at the room. ‚And well, aw, shit. Okay, this is going to make me sound like an idiot. I don’t think I want to be with you for only a scene.‛ Max watched as Marcus struggled to make his feelings clear. ‚You know I think the foundation of a good Dom/sub play is the strength of the relationship, right? Our relationship is great exactly the way we are. We’ve been friends

for, what is it, twenty years, now? Business partners for eleven. Everything works great between us. It’s always only been me who wanted more, and I’ve learned to put those feelings aside. ‚Now all of a sudden you want me to do you, to pop your bisexual cherry, so to speak. I don’t think I want that to be me. At least, not under these circumstances.‛ Max’s mouth was dry and thought he might throw up if Marcus said he didn’t want to be around him anymore. ‚What do you mean?‛ he asked quietly, removing his arm from Marcus’ shoulders. ‚I mean I’m not willing to risk what we already have on a whim. When we started this club, we were our own best customers. We were here as players every weekend, yet I don’t think either of us has sought out or participated in any weekend entertainment for the last couple of years. Suddenly, you start this crazy idea for a class and you want me to be your Dom. Why is that, I wonder? Is this about some guy you’ve met and you need a little experience first? Because I can’t do that for you, Max.‛ Max swallowed hard. This should have been so easy. He knew Marcus had wanted him for years, but had never pressed. He should have told Marcus a long time ago that his feelings had started to change but he’d been so afraid of what people would think. In the press, he was simply called Max, proprietor of Maximilian’s. He was photographed with a different beautiful woman at every event and considered a must invite to parties around town. He had season tickets to every sport and was friends with dozens of professional athletes and entertainers. When had he begun to believe his own PR? ‚Marcus, I<‛ he trailed off, searching for the right words. ‚What if the class was my way to get past this block between us? What if I want more, too?‛ Marcus jerked to his feet, and then paced the length of the room three times before he came to a stop in front of Max. He removed his wristbands and tossed them aside. ‚Take off my straps,‛ he ordered. Max stood, fumbled a bit with the stiff fasteners, then forced himself to slow down. Palms against Marcus’s hot skin, he slid his hands slowly up, touching every ridge and

muscle along the way. The straps fell to the floor with a thud, but he left his hands on the other man’s shoulders. ‚Now the pants,‛ Marcus growled. Blowing out a breath, Max worked the top button free. When he tried to lower the zipper, Marcus sucked air in through his teeth. Max took a deep breath and slipped his hand inside as a protective shield between the precious contents and the biting teeth of the zipper. He slid the leather pants over large thighs and downward until he was faced with a very naked and impressively erect Marcus. ‚On your knees,‛ Marcus ordered. Max immediately dropped to the floor, but he didn’t lower his eyes, as a good sub should. He needed to see Marcus. Marcus stared back, expression unfathomable. Finally, he spoke. ‚Taste me.‛ Max licked his lips. This was it. This was what he’d been waiting for, what he’d been afraid to ask for. What he’d been terrified to try. He’d known deep in his heart once he did, there would be no going back. Not with Marcus. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for the thick cock. Marcus shuddered as Max wrapped his fist around the velvet steel, skin against skin, and gave a swift stoke. Then he lowered his mouth for his first taste of another man. For Marcus. Max moaned as he lapped up the glistening drop of pre-cum. He slipped his lips over the bulbous head and slid Marcus into his mouth. Everything was better than he dreamed and he closed his eyes and began to move. Marcus pushed him roughly away. ‚On the couch,‛ he choked out. ‚Take off your boxers.‛ Max hurriedly complied, collapsing onto the cool leather. His own cock throbbed painfully and he wondered if Marcus planned to take his ass. Unsure of how to position himself, he looked up at his old friend.

Marcus dropped to the floor between Max’s knees, his eyes dark with hunger or emotion. ‚Tonight, I think I like the idea of riding my tongue over you, Max.‛ Then lips, teeth, and hands began to explore him and Max could only groan with pleasure. In one slick movement, Marcus deep throated him and Max’s hips came up to meet his friend’s hungry mouth. He thrust again and again, drowning in sensation. He wound his fingers into silky brown hair as it spilled around Marcus’ face. This was like coming home. Why had he hidden from this desire for so long? All his fears washed away in a rush of love and lust. He was lost to the firm lips, the hot slide of tongue, the hard suction. When Marcus took Max deep and swallowed around his cock, his balls draw up tight. He was ready to go up in flames. His heart swelled with love for Marcus. The first spasm of his orgasm lifted his shoulders away from the couch, his legs tightened around his friend. He kept coming, tremors rocking him. Marcus took it all, swallowing around him, keeping the suction just right, until he was spent. Max fell back onto the couch, complete as never before. He leaned over and gave Marcus a long, deep kiss, the taste of his own cum on his lover’s lips intoxicating. He was full of desire to take Marcus in his mouth again, but when he tried to pull him down, Marcus resisted. Instead, his old friend turned his back and walked to the closet. ‚Wait there,‛ Marcus ordered. Trying to bring his breathing back to normal, Max waited for Marcus’ next move. They had a vast supply special toys: masks, restraints, floggers. He closed his eyes and imagined Marcus paddling his ass before fucking him. When Marcus finally stepped back into the room, the sight was beyond anything Max could have imagined. His best friend was fully dressed in his street clothes. ‚Thank you, Max,‛ he said softly, no sign of the master anywhere. ‚I’ve waited a long time for that. He stepped close enough to cup Max’s face in his big hand while the other hand rested lightly at Max’s waist. ‚I don’t want to be with you because I’m a Master and you’re my sub. And I don’t want to lose our friendship. Not ever. I mean it, Max. Tonight came with no strings

attached, but I won’t let it go any farther, not for the sake of curiosity. You need to let what happened sit for a while. Figure out how you feel tomorrow about touching a man, about touching me.‛ Max tried to turn away, embarrassed at his assumptions. ‚Hey,‛ Marcus said, preventing Max from turning away. ‚I’m not going anywhere. I still want you. Nothing will change that. The next move is up to you. No games and nothing to hurt what we already have. I’ll be at the lake house for the next week. Come on out if you<‛ he trailed off. ‚Come out if you want.‛ Max watched as Marcus walked out, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Chapter Four Marcus squinted against the bright light sparkling off the lake and sipped his coffee. He’d needed this time alone. Not that he’d actually come to any decisions, but then again, he wasn’t sure any of the decisions were his to make. Max. He’d been half in love with him since they were thirteen. They’d been skinny little geeks with big dreams. Marcus had recently moved to the neighborhood and Max showed him around, including a visit to the high school they would both attend in the fall. They’d watched from behind the bleachers as the football team completed a late spring workout and Marcus vowed to spend their long break beefing up. He’d bullied Max into going along, and they’d pumped weights and sweated every night after the sun went down. Days were spent swimming laps in the public pool. They thought they’d looked pretty good by the end of the summer. That was also the summer he realized he enjoyed looking at the guys just as much as the girls at the swimming pool. And his favorite guy had always been Max. They’d shared everything, clothes, bikes, even birthdays. Max started calling him baby the day they compared birth certificates and discovered Max was the eldest by six minutes. Baby
Now he had a problem and not only because of the way she’d found out. That was going to be tough enough to explain. But he’d seen more than shock in her eyes last night when she’d realized who was behind the mask. He’d seen desire. Desire for him, desire to submit. Jolynn was one of the most competent field managers he’d ever worked with and when she walked into a meeting, people took notice. Clients and operatives admired her quick mind and decisive manner. In other words, at work, she was most definitely a top dog. Which is why it would be difficult for her to understand that she could also have a submissive streak. He doubted she’d ever before considered that she might enjoy submitting to a master’s will. Marcus understood, he’d seen this before. People who spent all of their time being dominant in their everyday world wanted nothing more than to give up control for a little while. Letting someone else take over, someone who could be counted on to take care of everything, for just a little while, could be very sexy. Last night he’d been surprised when Jolynn wasn’t waiting for them when they’d entered the office after the scene on stage. After a moment’s hesitation, he’d decided she’d thought better of the situation and gone home. Then the overwhelming possibility of finally being with Max took over and short-circuited his brain. How much differently would the night have ended if Jolynn waited in the office as he’d directed? The experienced Dom in him took over his orbiting thoughts. Why hadn’t she followed his order? He would have wagered a large sum he’d rolled Jo last night, brought her to his way of thinking. She hadn’t hesitated, she let him touch her, taste her. Yet she hadn’t been waiting naked, as ordered. Well, thank goodness for small favors because a Dom/sub scene with her and Max together? He wasn’t sure he would have survived. His scheduled vacation at the lake house, away from everything, couldn’t have come at a better time. Not that he could completely avoid talking about what happened, because they needed to find out how Jolynn breached security. But if they spoke by phone, he wouldn’t have to face her. He flashed a self-amused grin. Who’d have thought he’d be nervous about facing Jo?

Heat was rising, typical Arizona in the summertime toasty. The still blue beauty of the early morning lake called to him, but he had things to take care of if he planned to take the boat out later. No time like the present. He stood and stretched, but when he turned to head back to the house to refill his coffee, he noticed a miniature tornado of dirt swirling in the distance. The house was as secluded as possible, located on a small cove on the northwest side of the lake. The approaching dust cloud meant someone was heading this way and in a big hurry. Many years earlier, an old speculator bought a chunk of desert as soon as he’d heard the state planned to divert a bit of the Colorado River to create a reservoir north of Phoenix. The old man’s plans to build a waterfront community fell through when the county commissioners purchased every other acre of newly created shoreline and zoned the whole thing as recreational. Marcus bought the entire parcel for a song, because the old man wanted to piss off the government and he had a soft spot for Maximilian’s lower floor. The house remained the only privately owned structure on the lake. Over time, Marcus quietly added to the existing house, until he had a luxurious lakeside home, out of sight from the main lake and the main road. The only reason someone would be driving in this direction would be to come to his house. He shivered with anticipation despite the heat of the day. There was only one person he could think of who would be on his way out here so early. Max. He watched until he made out the approaching vehicle. A large silver Suburban. Not Max’s truck
and lead the way. Max, I’m going to slide her far enough out so I can get my arms under her. You grab the IV and my medical bag and walk close enough to me that we don’t pull on her line.‛ Marcus propped the door and walked ahead of the trio to one of the guest rooms. He pulled down the covers. ‚Pillow?‛ ‚Yes, a pillow won’t hurt. Bring me the coat rack you have by the back door. It’ll be perfect to hang the IV bag from. Then you two can let me work. Max can fill you in. The situation isn’t as serious as it looks, but she’s going to be sore for a few days.‛ After delivering the coat rack, Marcus met Max in the kitchen. ‚What happened?‛ Marcus asked. Max looked at him for a long moment and Marcus couldn’t decipher the expression on his old friend’s face. Max waited until he poured himself a cup of coffee before he started. ‚I got an early call from the cleaning crew. They always start downstairs, at the back and work their way forward, before they head upstairs. When they got to the Dungeon Room, the door was locked. Frank got in with his master key and found a woman manacled and hooded. He called me, I called Gabe, and here we are. I don’t have a clue who she is or how she got in. ‚I don’t think she’s a regular, but I didn’t get much of look before Gabe got to work. Fuck! Do you think this is a breach of security or do you think one of our members brought her as a guest?‛ Max finished. Alarms started blaring in his head. ‚Wait. You think she was a guest? No ID? No little purse? Black skirt, white top?‛ ‚She wasn’t wearing anything when they found her. Do you know who she is? Did you see her last night?‛ ‚Oh, fuck me. I hope not,‛ Marcus said and hurried to the bedroom. He brushed past Gabe and looked down at the woman on the bed. ‚Jolynn,‛ he whispered, and he reached to brush a loose strand of hair on her forehead.

‚Friend of yours?‛ Gabe asked. ‚Yeah. A very good friend. I need to talk to Max, will she be okay for a while?‛ ‚She should sleep for another couple of hours. Come on, I want to hear this, too.‛ ***** The men gathered in the kitchen. Gabe immediately started rummaging through the fridge. ‚Sorry. Max got me out of bed after only a couple of hours of sleep. You owe me big time and I’m collecting. Must have food.‛ He growled as he unloaded bacon, eggs, and a variety of veggies onto the counter. ‚Marcus, make some more coffee. Max, you dice the onions and peppers, I’m going to fry the bacon. Then we can talk.‛ Marcus laughed. ‚Hey Gabe, make yourself at home,‛ he grinned. ‚I always do.‛ When the men had the food piled on their plates, Marcus explained about seeing Jolynn at the back of the class and ordering her to the office. ‚I don’t know what happened to her after that. She wasn’t waiting when Max and I returned. I assumed she’d gotten cold feet and left. I’m real sure she’s never played a scene before. We obviously have a breach in security somewhere. Let’s hope Jo can tell us more when she wakes up.‛ A scratchy voice from the doorway made them all jump. ‚I’m awake,‛ Jolynn said. Marcus turned and saw Jo wearing a sheet wrapped toga style around her shapely body. He hurried over and tucked her into his arms, ‚Oh, Jo, honey. Are you okay?‛ ‚Hungry,‛ she said. ‚Can you carry my coat rack?‛ she asked with a crooked smile, handing her makeshift IV stand to Marcus as she shuffled to the table. ‚Gabe, Max, this is my friend and my partner, Jolynn Enwright. Jo, these are my two oldest friends. Dr. Richard Gabriel and Max Stephens.‛ ‚Nice to see you up and around. I didn’t think you’d be up for a few hours, yet. And please, call me Gabe. Sit down and let’s have a look,‛ he said.

‚I thought you were a figment of Marcus’ imagination. He talks about you a lot. Good to finally meet you,‛ Max said. ‚Is she allowed to eat? Can I get her plate of food, Gabe?‛ ‚Sure, go ahead. Pour her a big glass of OJ, too. Jolynn, if you feel up to it, you can go ahead and eat, but then I will insist you lie down for a little longer. You need rest today more than anything else.‛ ‚What happened to me?‛ ‚We were hoping you would tell us,‛ Marcus said as he took a seat beside her and lightly rested his hand across the back of her chair. ‚Let me eat, first. Why don’t you start, Marcus? What the hell were you doing there? Is this some undercover operation Michael didn’t tell me about?‛ ‚No, not an op. I should have told you this a long time ago.‛ He glanced briefly at Max, then back to Jo. ‚I’m partners with Max. We own Maximilian’s. He works there and runs the place and I work at Enwright because I’m lousy with customer service.‛ ‚You’ve got that right,‛ Max agreed. ‚All that tall, dark, and broody. He scares the shit out of our regular customers. And he’s a distraction downstairs at After Hours. All the slaves and strays follow him around, drooling everywhere. Makes the floor all slippery.‛ ‚Which keeps me in business, with all the slips and falls, since I’m the club’s doctor,‛ he added helpfully. ‚Fuck you both,‛ Marcus said, but he grinned at the good-natured teasing. ‚So, speaking of ops
Marcus brushed his fingers over her shoulder. ‚It looks as if we’re the ones needing your forgiveness. The questions can wait. Do you want me to call Michael and tell him anything?‛ ‚No, he’s not expecting to hear from me for a few days.‛ She yawned again. ‚Gabe? Can we take out the IV? And maybe someone can tell me what happened?‛ Gabe got to work, speaking in a brisk, business-like tone. ‚You were found unconscious in the Dungeon Room by the cleaning crew. You took a good beating, but there is no sign of sexual trauma,‛ he said matter-of-factly. ‚You’ve got some contusions on your ribs and thighs. You are dehydrated. Possibly a concussion, which is why you’re going to go back to bed, and we’ll watch over you.‛ ‚Dungeon Room?‛ Jo asked. ‚I thought I was in the Alpha Room. That’s the room I asked for. It was what you told me,‛ she looked at Marcus, and some of the panic from the previous night crept back into her voice. ‚Shh, Jolynn. Everything’s going to be okay. I’ll find out what happened. The Alpha Room is our office. All the staff would know.‛ ‚Oh God! I was embarrassed to ask the staff. I asked someone in the corridor wearing a hooded robe type outfit. He led me along the hallway to a closed door. When I saw the room<what was in there, I knew that type of play wasn’t for me. I might be curious, but I’m not interested in torture. I tried to back out, but then he hit me with something. I must’ve blacked out, because when I woke up I was naked and manacled and I had a gag in my mouth. He beat me and I don’t remember any more,‛ she said, her voice shaky. ‚You did good, Jo, baby. You need to rest now,‛ Marcus said, his eyes meeting Max’s across the table. ‚You’re free from your coat rack, milady,‛ Gabe said, keeping things light. ‚Now, no more talking for a while. Doctor’s orders, you need rest. Marcus will be here with you the whole time. No one here will hurt you.‛ He followed as Marcus swept an arm behind her knees and lifted her easily. He carried her to the bed then put a light blanket over her hips against the cool of the air

conditioning. She was asleep in an instant. He pressed a lingering kiss to her hair, before slipping quietly from the room.

Chapter Five ‚You sure you want me to leave you here?‛ Gabe asked. Max smiled at the concern in his friend’s voice. ‚Hell no, I’m not sure. No offense, but would you get out of here before I change my mind?‛ Gabe laughed. ‚All right, but call if you need something. I’m golfing this morning, but I’ll be home in the afternoon. Booked solid with appointments all day tomorrow. Still, if you get in a jam or if there’s any medical concern with Jolynn, you call me! And Max, good luck with Marcus. I know how big a step this is for you.‛ ‚Thanks, Gabe. I appreciate it.‛ With a slap across his friend’s shoulders, Max watched as Gabe drove off. He stood in the drive for a minute loving the solitude. Low volcanic mountains surrounded the lake, creating secluded coves like this one. In his opinion, Marcus’ home was the located in the center of the most beautiful place on the planet. People who didn’t know the desert thought it harsh, but Max loved the muted palette of the arid landscape: smoky greens and grays, dark browns and light tans, soft lavender. All showcased against the brilliant blue canvass of the endless sky. As much as he wanted to be here with Marcus, he needed a little time to come to terms with what he’d decided. He looked around for an outside chore to keep him occupied so he could put a little space between him and his best friend. Wearing nothing but his swim trunks and flip flops, Max baked in the sun while he power washed the boat. Last night with Marcus went beyond amazing. Not at all what he’d expected. Marcus pushed away from his role as a Dom to kneel at Max’s feet and suck him off. Remembering, Max got hard all over again. But what if Marcus didn’t want him as his sub? Could Marcus really care for him beyond the D/s role-playing? He said he did, and damn, he’d never known Marcus to lie to him. Was either of them ready for a full relationship? He’d always been aware Marcus found him attractive, but his old friend made a never made a move. Not even during the young and crazy first days of their nightclub,

when they’d explored all manner of scenes together. Marcus had always been clear he found both sexes attractive while Max’s preference ran strictly to women. Somewhere along the way, Max began to watch Marcus during his scenes. When Marcus attended the cocktail parties in the After Hours lounge, you could count on every slave present eventually showing up at his feet, begging to serve Master M. In fact, all the subs were aware of his every move, despite their downcast gazes. Even the other Doms covertly watched Marcus, looking for signs of his approval. Marcus simply remained the most commanding presence in any room. Max passed off his interest in watching Marcus as admiration for his skills as a Dom until a couple of years ago. He and Marcus had been out fishing all day. A couple of old friends, cold beer, and quiet bull shit. It had been a good day, spent together, just like so many other days. Max closed his eyes now and the picture came easily to his mind. Marcus stood at the controls, driving the boat, heading for the lake house. He wore nothing but red board shorts and his deeply tanned, olive skin glistened with coconutscented oil. Marcus sped up and deliberately steered into the wake left by another boat and they’d pounded across water, the hull rising up and slamming down. Marcus threw his head back and roared with laughter. Then with one hand on the wheel, his hair loose and whipped by the wind, Marcus turned back to flash his wide grin at Max. The moment was like a hundred others they’d spent together, and yet a moment like no other, because this time Max experienced a nearly overwhelming urge to go to his friend and hold him. To wrap his arms around his waist and press his chest to that smooth, broad back. To let his hands reach inside those swim trunks. For the first time, he’d had a sexual fantasy of Marcus, and it made him rock hard. He’d never let on, because he hadn’t known what to do with all those feelings. Two years later, and he still wasn’t sure. Last night he’d done a lot of soul searching after Marcus left. Although he’d admitted the class was an excuse, he really hadn’t confessed all. Now, in the brutal honesty of his own mind, Max acknowledged he wanted to submit to Marcus so the responsibility for what happened between them would shift. Marcus would seduce, he would order, he would demand. Max could surrender to his master’s wishes without conceding his own desire to be with Marcus.

His old friend stripped away any possibility of accidentally backing into a relationship. He’d taken an almost submissive role. He’d offered a loving gesture and then left Max to make the next move. Marcus did the one thing Max had never known him to do in all the years they’d been friends. Marcus gave up his control over a situation. Max finished washing the boat, stowed the equipment, and went inside. It was time. ***** Marcus admitted to a bit of compulsiveness when it came to keeping things neat, the habit formed during his time as a Navy SEAL. Exacting attention to detail was drilled into him every day of his service. You didn’t have the luxury of being sloppy when lives were at stake. No wonder he still felt the need to maintain tight control over every aspect of his life. Unfortunately, control was exactly what was missing, right now. Too many things about their relationship shifted since last night. Jolynn would sleep for several hours. Needing to do something productive, he started cleaning as soon as Max and Gabe left for town. He rummaged through the box of supplies his sister kept for her visits until he found the baby monitor. He put one handset in his pocket and left the other in Jo’s room. Once he was satisfied he’d he hear her if she woke, he started his chores. Marcus enjoyed cleaning his house, and while he never let things get cluttered, dust was a constant companion in the desert. He ran a cloth over the flat surfaces and then mopped the tile floor. He ran a sink full of bubbles while he put away the food and washed the counters. Finally, sinking his hands into the soapy water he began to wash the dishes. It was so much more satisfying than loading a dishwasher. Faster, too, since there were rarely enough dirty dishes to fill the machine. While his body was occupied with familiar physical tasks, his mind wandered. His immediate concerns for Jolynn drove thoughts of Max from his mind for the morning. Now, however, he knew Jo would be okay, and the thrill of taking Max in his mouth last night returned. The tugging at his groin whenever he’d looked at Max this morning was especially hard to ignore. It was probably for the best that his friend had returned to town with Gabe.

Turning his attention back to Jo, he felt physically ill at the thought of anyone hurting her, yet someone deliberately lured her to the Dungeon Room with bad intentions. The hooded man had led her to a room, cold cocked her, then shackled and beat her. This didn’t have anything to do with the Dom/sub lifestyle, either. Jolynn hadn’t been punished for the mutual pleasure of consenting partners. She’d been beaten and battered. Any member of the After Hours knew such abusive behavior was cause for immediate suspension, and membership was too difficult to come by to be tossed away on a whim. He needed to see the security tapes as soon as possible, but he was already confident he wasn’t looking for a club member. Gabe had been adamant that Jo needed rest and had given her something for the pain, which knocked her out before Marcus could question her further. Gabe’s report had been disturbing enough. There were a few red streaks along her back, obviously the result of an inexpertly applied whip, but most of her injuries were deep tissue bruising, the result of someone’s sturdy boot. The attack had been vicious and violent, and most definitely personal. He couldn’t imagine who’d want to hurt Jolynn, but he was going to find out. The hair on the back of his neck rose, someone was behind him. Then he felt the telltale movement of air a moment before warm, bare arms slipped around his waist. Sun-heated skin pressed against his back, big hands splayed across his chest, a scrape of whiskers at the nape of his neck. ‚Max,‛ Marcus sighed. * Max buried his face into the curve of Marcus neck, breathing in the tangy scent of man mixed with soap and sunscreen. The broad back pressed against his chest felt oddly right. He brushed his hands lightly over Marcus’ chest, ran his fingers through the soft whorls of hair. He found the flat disk of a nipple and hesitantly gave a pinch, wondering if all men were as sensitive there as he was. Marcus dropped his head back and gave a throaty moan.

Emboldened, Max ran his tongue along Marcus’ exposed neck while his hands played across his chest and stomach. Max might be new to man loving, but he knew what he liked. Positioned behind Marcus, it was almost as if he were touching his own body. He slipped a hand underneath the waistband of the other man’s trunks and drew his hardening cock up. Max slowly stroked the thick cock with one hand, while his other hand pinched and rubbed over Marcus’ chest. He kissed the taught muscles of Marcus’ neck before biting down lightly. Marcus growled, and Max quickly pulled his hands back as his friend spun around to face him. Max lost his breath as he stood toe-to-toe with Marcus. His heart thudded in his chest, as his friend cupped his face in both hands. Never breaking eye contact, Marcus closed the final gap between their bodies. Their mouths met, then closing his eyes, Marcus swept his tongue inside and kissed Max as if he were making love to his mouth. Time spun out as their tongues met in a fierce mating dance, slick, hot, full of promises and dark desire. When Marcus finally drew back, he took a shuddering breath, ‚I thought you left with Gabe a couple of hours ago.‛ ‚No, the club is dark on Monday and Tuesday. I wanted to stay with you, but I needed a little time to think, so I washed the boat,‛ he grinned. Marcus laughed. ‚And I cleaned the house. I think you might have gotten the better deal.‛ Max felt the first stirring of anxiety as Marcus dropped his arms and leaned back against the counter rather than returning for more kisses. ‚Are you okay with me staying here? It’s no trouble to arrange a ride back,‛ he offered. ‚No, no worries,‛ Marcus said and then turned to plunge his hands back into the dishwater. ‚Grab a towel, let’s finish this up.‛ ‚Marcus, baby, that’s a little compulsive, even for you. I just held your dick in my hand. I know how hard you are. Parts of you seem pretty happy to see me, but you’d rather do the dishes?‛

‚Give me a few minutes, okay?‛ Marcus said on a sigh. Placing the last dish into the drying rack, he let the water out of the sink. He glanced over toward the bedroom where Jolynn slept. ‚Do me a favor. Grab us a couple of beers and let’s sit on the patio. I don’t want to wake Jo. I’m going to check on her and I’ll meet you outside. Oh, and Max? I’m always happy to see you.‛

Chapter Six ‚Hey, baby,‛ Max said in his familiar greeting, when Marcus came through the French doors that led to the patio. Marcus thought it might be his favorite spot in the house. Long and low, the covered space ran the length of the southwestern style house, with a view of the lake and the swimming pool. Ceiling fans, an outdoor kitchen, and plenty of comfortable furniture made it perfect year round. Max leaned back on a cushioned lounge chair. Marcus thought about sitting on the foot of the chaise, but decided to pull a chair alongside, instead. Max looked good enough to eat, wearing nothing but his board shorts, his skin gold and glistening from working on the boat all morning. Marcus wanted to lay Max back and ravish him with his mouth, flip him over, cover him with oil, and bury his cock in that sweet ass. Before Jolynn, he might just have tried. Now he didn’t know what he fucking wanted. Last night had been an emotional roller coaster. First, there was the long awaited fantasy of Max, of touching, tasting, and the promise of so much more. Dropped straight into the middle of one fantasy was another<Jolynn. He’d seen something he’d never thought to see in her eyes. Desire. The hell of it was—he believed neither of them was particularly hungry for him
have set them aside if she hadn’t been in the club and seen me last night. Hell, maybe even then, too, except here she is, sleeping in the other room. I got to thinking about how she looked at me, and then that somehow got mixed in with how you looked at me. Both of you hungry, full of desire, ready to submit. God damn it
‚Then I realized I was wrong again. She mostly played for the other team and was already in a relationship. Instead of trying to build something, I became her good friend, just like I am with you. Two for two. I’m a Dom, not a masochist,‛ Marcus flicked a glance at Max. His friend was watching him warily, as if he was afraid of where this was going. ‚It took a while
I’m glad we didn’t take the sex any further last night. I just don’t know how much longer I want to do this.‛ Max didn’t say anything for a long minute. When he did, his low, smooth voice was husky. ‚Marcus, baby, that’s more words about your own feelings than I’ve heard you say in a long time. You should know better than to keep those thoughts all bottled up. They get all fucked up when you keep them in your head. Think about this for a minute. If I only wanted you as my Dom, what would I have done when I came in the kitchen this morning?‛ Max asked. Looking off into the distance, Marcus said, ‚You’d have knelt
‚Of course, don’t worry about a thing. And Marcus? I’ll be waiting for you when you get home. You matter to me.‛

Chapter Seven ‚Max?‛ Jolynn slurred when he opened the door to check on her. ‚Hey kid, how you doing?‛ Max asked, as he walked over to the side of the bed. ‚Mmm, need to get up to pee, feel groggy,‛ she said. ‚You want some help?‛ ‚Yes, please,‛ she said as she fought with the tangled covers. Max unwound the sheet from her long legs, and wrapped an arm around her as she struggled to stand. ‚Holy fuck, those drugs were strong,‛ she said. ‚Come on, beautiful. Lean on me and I’ll get you to the bathroom.‛ He took her to the master bathroom because it was bigger. ‚How about a bath?‛ ‚That would be great. And some clothes. A shirt, anything would be better than this Greek goddess outfit,‛ she said. He started the water before he turned to where she stood holding on to the counter. ‚Will you be okay if I leave you in here alone?‛ ‚How about you give me five minutes and then come back to check, okay? If I start to get dizzy or anything, I’ll give a yell. And, Max? Thanks.‛ ‚No problem, beautiful.‛ He closed the door behind him, and went in search of women’s clothing. Marcus’ sister and kids sometimes stayed over, but she was short. Jolynn was lean and lanky, a stunner with her short black hair and eyes the color of faded denim. No wonder Marcus wanted her. According to Marcus, she’d taken a bullet a few months ago in the line of duty, guarding her brother’s woman. Sexy and tough as shit. After a futile search for women’s clothing, he finally decided on a cotton, longsleeved, button front shirt of Marcus’ because she could roll up the sleeves, and it would probably cover her to mid-thigh. Underwear was a problem, but it was private

here. Maybe Marcus could bring something back from town when he was finished dropping the dog at the vet. He poured her a large glass of ice water, got a clean bath sheet from the closet, and knocked on the bathroom door. ‚Are you all right in there, Jolynn?‛ ‚Yes, much better, thanks. Listen, could I trouble you for a glass of water. I’ve got a serious case of cotton-mouth.‛ ‚I’ve got one in my hand. May I come in if I promise not to look?‛ ‚Please, and at the moment, I don’t give a rat’s ass if you look. I’ve got bruises up and down my sides!‛ Max handed her the glass of water, and then looked at the ugly purple marks on her skin. ‚Jesus! Who would do something like that?‛ ‚I don’t know, but I plan to find out,‛ she said. She drank the glass of water down in one long pull. ‚So, Max, what do you think?‛ ‚Oh, sorry,‛ he flushed, realizing he’d still been staring. ‚I’ll give you your privacy. Unless you need some help washing your hair. You probably shouldn’t lay back in the hot water too long, or you’ll get light-headed.‛ ‚That would be good, if there’s shampoo and conditioner. I’m better, now that I’m up and moving, but I don’t want to drown,‛ she said, and decided her modesty was pretty low on the girl scale, anyway. ‚At your service,‛ he said. He rummaged underneath the sink for the collection of travel-sized bottles, selected what he needed, and moved the towel closer to the tub. ‚Lean back, I’ll make it quick and try not to stare. Too much.‛ * Jo grinned as she leaned back, and let Max take her weight as he used the handheld sprayer to wet her hair. With gentle hands, he washed and rinsed her hair. ‚All right, gorgeous, ready to get out?‛

‚Yes,‛ she said, but when she tried to stand, her legs and arms felt like rubber. She flashed a glance up at Max, who seemed to understand. He offered his hand, wrapping the towel around her with his other hand as he helped her from the tub. Max carried her to the bed, sat her on the edge, and gently began to dry her, avoiding touching the worst of the bruises. ‚I’m sorry if I’m hurting you,‛ he said. ‚You’re not, they don’t hurt as quite as bad as they look. I’m just a little shaky, that’s all. Can we go sit somewhere else? I think I’ve spent enough time in here today.‛ He helped her slip on the shirt, then they went to the living room where he lowered her to the saddle-colored leather couch. He refilled her ice water and got himself another beer. ‚I’m sorry, Marcus had to leave for a while, but he should be back soon.‛ ‚I know. I heard. I wasn’t trying to listen; it’s just that he left that monitor in here. I don’t think he realized it was set on two-way. I was starting to wake up. You know, that time when you’re kind of half-asleep. Anyway, I was so groggy from the medicine, at first I thought I was dreaming. ‚I heard him say your name, and there was a lot of moaning. That was hot. Then I heard what he said outside. So that makes this pretty awkward between us, don’t you think?‛ ‚What do you mean?‛ Max asked, and she noticed he was breathing faster now. ‚I mean, Marcus loves you, Max. He’d only decided to try to move on because he believed you would never be intimate with him. I’m thinking something’s changed there, big fella. She waited for Max to try to deny it, but he just took another swallow of beer, and didn’t say anything. ‚It seems to me you’ve made some decisions about what you want from Marcus. He might not have heard what you said, but I did. You want him for more than your little scene last night. I think you’re ready to be more than the bottom to his top.‛ She pushed forward, not giving him a chance to speak now, even if he’d wanted one.

‚So listen up, Max. I also heard what he said about me. He cares for me a lot and believe me, the feeling is mutual. I’m not going to tell him how I feel, as long as you’re sure you’re ready to give a relationship with him a try.‛ Max stopped with the beer halfway to his lips, and he worked his jaw back and forth before he found the words he wanted to say. ‚God, no wonder Marcus fell for you! We’ve just met, and I’m already half in love with you, myself,‛ Max smiled. ‚Are you always so straight forward?‛ ‚Pretty much. Not everyone enjoys that, though.‛ ‚Yeah, I know. So, since I believe you’ll give me a straight answer, let me ask you a couple of questions.‛ Max drew up his legs and twisted on the couch so he was facing her directly. He blew out a breath when their knees brushed, and she watched as a flush crept up his neck. ‚Did you really think it was hot
limbs had been so heavy with the pain medication, she couldn’t make herself move. She didn’t want to move. She answered him honestly. ‚Max, listening to the two of you was the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. I would’ve liked to watch,‛ she smiled. ‚How about you? I mean we both know Marcus loves you, that’s a given. Does it bother you to know that there’s a part of him that wants to be with me?‛ Max’s voice was a throaty purr. ‚No, exactly the opposite. The thought of the two of you together is sexy as hell.‛ He looked at her a long time. He nodded once, as if he’d come to some decision. ‚We both know he’s feeling torn right now. He wants both of us, but he’s afraid we only want to play roles. He’s already thinking of leaving, of quitting his job and selling his share of the partnership. I’m afraid he’s going to decide to leave because he thinks that will prevent anyone, including himself, from being hurt. He can’t see how much that would hurt all of us.‛ ‚I’m really happy for you Max, Marcus is a great guy. I promise, I won’t get in the way,‛ Jo said softly. Max sighed. ‚I’ve known Marcus since we were thirteen and I’ve never known a finer man. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep him in my life.‛ Max set his beer bottle on the table and took both of her hands in his. ‚But what if it takes more than just me? What if it takes both of us to make him happy? I know you said you’d step back, but I think it is way too late for that
Chapter Eight Marcus pulled into the carport, worried about Jolynn, and thinking about Max. He’d run several errands after leaving the dog at the animal hospital. He’d retrieved the overnight bag Jolynn perpetually left in her trunk, as a hedge against unexpected work assignments. Then he’d riffled the through her bag for a quick inventory and noted her sizes. He’d stopped at a small shopping center of upscale boutiques to add to her supplies. He stopped again for groceries. Relieved to finally be home, he filled his arms with bags, turned, and found Max waiting for him, a smile lighting his face. ‚Hey, baby. Welcome home.‛ A thrill went through him to hear his friend’s words. ‚Max.‛ Suddenly remembering his car-full of supplies and the need to get the ice cream in the freezer before it melted into a complete puddle, he said, ‚How about a hand?‛ Max blinked slowly, his eyelids heavy. With a deep breath and a little shake of his head, he rushed forward to help. ‚Is there a party? Or is this all for us?‛ ‚I might have gotten a little carried away,‛ he admitted. They brought everything into the kitchen and started working together to put away the groceries. ‚How’s Jo? Is she still sleeping?‛ ‚She’s in the shower. She had a bath earlier, but the hot water seems to loosen the sore muscles. If you have some clothes for her in those little pink bags, you might want to run them to her room. She’s been stuck wearing one of your dress shirts all day.‛ ‚Sorry I missed that,‛ Marcus laughed. He broke off abruptly, suddenly unsure if he and Max could still admire a beautiful woman together. This whole situation was awkward. He didn’t know where he stood with either one of them. ‚Why don’t you go ahead and take Jo’s things back. I can finish putting the groceries away and start dinner. Steaks on the grill sound okay to you?‛ Marcus said. ‚Perfect. Pour me a whisky, will you? I’ll be right back,‛ Max said.

Marcus let out a big sigh. Maybe it would be a normal evening, like a thousand others he’d spent hanging out with Max. They needed to get back to their regular lives; they were too good as friends to let a little bit of sex fuck it up. A very little bit of sex, he thought and slid his hand over his aching cock. After he poured the drinks, Marcus seasoned the steaks and started the grill. He was just starting to make a salad when Max returned, took a quick sip of his whisky, then came into the kitchen to help. The two old friends stood hip-to-hip, chopping vegetables, and talking about their respective days. The domesticity of the scene was not lost on Marcus. ‚I’ll need to go back to town tomorrow to check on Lucky,‛ Marcus said. ‚Lucky?‛ ‚The dog. They needed a name at the vet, so I gave her one,‛ he shrugged. ‚She’s going to be okay. There was no tag or microchip. No reports of a lost dog. The doctor figured someone decided he didn’t want her anymore and left her at the highway exit. She likely wandered into the area looking for shelter and water. Her pads are burnt and cut, her fluids were dangerously low...‛ Marcus trailed off when he realized Max had stopped chopping and was looking at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation on his face. ‚What?‛ he asked, feeling defensive. ‚You’re keeping her, aren’t you? You just up and adopted that dog,‛ Max asked, laughter spilling out. ‚It seemed as though she adopted me. You should have seen those big brown eyes when I told her I had to go. Jesus, listen to me, all sentimental over a dog.‛ He joined in the laughter. Max put a hand on Marcus’ hip and turned him so they were facing each other. Their gazes locked. It would be so easy to get lost in those stormy-gray eyes. He wished he knew what Max was thinking. ‚Marcus, baby, your secret is safe with me. I’ll never let anyone know that one of the biggest, baddest Doms around is really a soft touch when it comes to lost dogs and damsels in distress,‛ Max said in his smoky deep voice.

Max took a step closer, and their chests brushed. Marcus took a quick breath, but didn’t say anything. He’d said enough already
gone anywhere. In fact, he’d moved closer, and was now resting a hand on Marcus’ lower back. The Dom in him came to life. He drew back from Jolynn, captured her lower lip between his teeth, and bit. He gave her lip a tug before he let her go. Her eyes were heavy with desire. He hid his smile, knowing she had a lot to learn about being submissive. Not that he believed she would be much of a submissive. No, he thought, she would enjoy occasionally being dominated when it came to bed play, but not in her everyday life. Neither would Max. They both were decisive and absolutely in charge of every part of their work lives. But something about having him take control of bed-play yanked their chains. Enough with the relationship worry. Max knew the cost for going forward. The two of them had obviously talked, so he would assume Jolynn decided to play. At least for tonight. The first lesson for both of them was easy: he was in charge. No more plotting sexcapades behind his back. The second? Delayed gratification. The subs would please the Master before they found release.

Chapter Nine ‚Max,‛ he let his voice whip out, making his annoyance clear. ‚Did you fuck Jolynn while I was gone?‛ Max’s head jerked back and his eyes went wide with surprise. Apparently, they thought he’d fall to their planned seduction without question. They didn’t need to know that he had, but that his surrender would be on his terms. ‚N-n-no, sir,‛ he said. Marcus threaded his fingers into Jolynn’s thick, black hair and pulled her head backwards. He used just enough pressure to let her know it could hurt, if he wanted it to. ‚Did he touch you in any way?‛ ‚No! Wait, I mean yes. He helped me get to the bathroom and he helped me get into the bath. Don’t be ma—‛ ‚Quiet, pet. Only answer what I ask, only speak when I give you permission. Do you understand?‛ ‚Yes,‛ Jolynn said. Her voice was uncharacteristically breathy and she shot a look at Max. ‚Yes, what?‛ he asked, coolly. Flicking a glance at Max, he caught the quick movement of averted eyes. Interesting. These two got off on watching each other. He could use that. ‚Yes, sir,‛ Jolynn answered, and cast her eyes downward as a good submissive should. ‚Jolynn, take off your robe. If you have anything else on underneath, take it off. Go sit at the dining room table and wait for me.‛ A flush crept up her neck, but she bit back whatever she’d been about to say and moved to the table. She draped her robe over the chair, sat, and crossed her legs and arms. He bit back a grin at her discomfort, knowing he’d only just begun to push at her. He stepped behind Max, held loosely onto his waist, and pressed his cock against the other man’s ass. Grinding slowly, he bit Max’s neck hard enough to leave a mark.

The knife fell from Max’s suddenly limp fingers and he arched his neck, providing greater access. Marcus made his voice an intimate whisper against Max’s ear. ‚Listen carefully, my friend. You know how I feel and you know what I want. I gave you every chance to think about what you were doing, I warned you. Now I’m claiming you as mine. Heart and soul, you belong to me. Everything else is negotiable, but you are mine. Do you understand me, Max?‛ He waited. Without asking permission, Max turned, and their gazes locked for long moment. The gesture let Marcus know he wasn’t answering as a sub, but as his equal, his partner. He whispered his answer, ‚I understand, Marcus. You should know
‚Have you picked your safe word?‛ Marcus asked. ‚Y-y-yes,‛ she said hesitantly. ‚Liver. I hate liver.‛ Marcus laughed. ‚All right, sweetness. Liver it is. Any time you feel threatened or scared beyond what’s comfortable for you, all you have to say is liver and everything stops. No matter what we’re doing, it stops. Do you trust that I’ll keep you safe?‛ ‚Yes, sir. But<what’s Max’s safe word?‛ ‚Don’t be impertinent or I will punish you. What happens to Max isn’t your concern, unless I tell you it is. This is my house, my scene, and you and Max are my pets. You have only one job tonight and that’s to please your master. You’ll work to meet my every desire, follow my every order. You touch only what I tell you to touch, only come when I tell you to come.‛ He closed the space between them and stroked the black silk of her hair. ‚Your satisfaction is my business, Jo. I might decide to reward you if you behave yourself and follow my orders, but the true reward for a sub is making sure the master’s satisfaction is complete. Any questions?‛ Jo lowered her eyes, but not before he caught the hunger in her denim-blue gaze. She moistened her lips, ‚No, sir. No questions.‛ ‚Undress me.‛ Jolynn tugged his shirt up, and he pulled it over his head. She unzipped his shorts and pushed them down over his thighs until they pooled on the floor. Max came to kneel beside them, hands behind his back, head down. He thought quickly over how best to dominate without causing emotional or physical pain for Jolynn. She needed an introductory lesson before he took them to his bed. With a smile, he led the way to the patio. ‚I’m taking a swim. I want you to sit together on the edge of the pool by the spa cove. Keep your knees wide apart, and no touching unless I give permission.‛ Without waiting for them to get into position, Marcus dove in and began his nightly ritual of swimming laps. *

Jo was so wet she thought she might come just from watching Marcus swim. He was broad and dark as he sliced through the water, executing perfect turns, arms smooth, kicks controlled. She made a little whimpering noise, then smiled when Max moaned softly beside her. How could watching someone swim naked be such a turn on? It must be something about giving up control completely and just trusting him to take care of her. After about twenty laps, Marcus stood up and she watched the droplets of water bead on his skin as he stalked toward them. His flat nipples were deep brown discs peeking out of the dark hair that covered his pecs. She followed the trail of hair down his chest to his well-defined six-pack abs, and lower, to tease where it disappeared beneath the water. He caught her looking and shook his head. ‚Eyes down, pet. Spread your legs farther apart.‛ She heard a swift intake of breath as Marcus took Max’s hard cock in his wet hand. ‚What is it you want, Max?‛ he asked softly. ‚Please, sir. I want you to suck my cock.‛ ‚Max, Max, Max. I’m disappointed in you. Who is your master?‛ ‚You are, sir.‛ ‚Yes, I am. Have I experienced the least bit of pleasure yet? Do you think it’s right for a master to pleasure a pet first?‛ ‚No, sir. I’m sorry, sir.‛ ‚You left me high and dry last night, Max. I had to come home and take care of myself. I think it’s your turn to take care of me. Don’t you?‛ ‚Yes sir, please let me taste you.‛ ‚ Hmm...have you ever sucked a cock before, Max? ‚No sir, but I’m a fast learner.‛ Marcus laughed. ‚Jolynn, do you know how to suck a cock?‛ She licked her lips at the thought of tasting Marcus. ‚Yes, sir.‛

‚Let’s see if we can’t start a little study group here. Jolynn, what do you want?‛ ‚I want to make my master happy.‛ ‚Very nice. You see, Max. She wants to make me happy. Jolynn, I want you to teach Max how to suck a cock. This is show<not tell, so I want you to use his dick, but don’t go too far. Max, pay attention to what she does, to what feels the best. When I’m finished swimming I expect you to show me what you’ve learned. You do not have my permission to come. Either of you.‛ Without another word, Marcus turned, kicked off the wall, and resumed his swimming. ‚Well this is awkward,‛ she murmured. Then she looked at Max and saw the hunger in his eyes as he watched Marcus swim away. She followed his gaze and realized they both wanted the same thing: to make Marcus happy, and this was a start. Sliding into the pool, Jo stood between Max’s legs. She took his long, thick cock in her hand and licked at the pearlescent drop of fluid shimmering in the small slit. She swirled her tongue over and around the broad cap, licking as if he were her own personal lollipop. She added light suction, still focused on the tip. Gently, she scraped her teeth along the ultra-sensitive underside. She pushed his legs even farther apart so she could slip a hand underneath his balls, and her mouth began to glide. She curled the fingers of her other hand around his cock and slowly stroked in time with her mouth. When his balls drew up tight to his body, Jo slid him deep into her throat and breathing through her nose, inhaled his musky scent. When he bumped the back of her throat she swallowed around his cock, and his moan was so loud she thought he would come. Max pushed her hand away and squeezed the base of his cock. ‚Shit, Jolynn. Wait! Let me breathe.‛ His eyes closed and he rocked gently, yanking his balls, trying to step back from the edge. ‚Okay, I’m okay. Not so much, you can’t bring me or it’ll piss him off. Goddamn, you’re really good at that.‛ ‚Enough!‛ Marcus said from much closer behind her than she realized. When had he stopped swimming?

‚Let’s go, I want to see what Max learned.‛ ***** Max washed quickly, in pure agony, knowing Jolynn was already in bed with Marcus. What the fuck had been wrong with his brain when Marcus asked what he wanted? He’d responded like some Goddamn submissive virgin. I want you to suck my dick. All day he’d been thinking about the quick taste of Marcus’ cock he’d gotten the night before. He craved to have him back in his mouth, to touch him everywhere, to make him come. Shit. He barely took time to dry before he rushed into the candle-lit bedroom. He knew this would be a gentle scene. Jolynn might not realize how traumatized she was as a victim of a violent crime, but Marcus understood. The look they’d exchanged earlier said it all. They would go slow and be ready to stop if necessary. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw Jolynn lying on the bed, her eyes wide, and her breath coming too quickly. Marcus stretched beside her, trailing his fingers over her arm, speaking softly. ‚Shh<Jo. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe. Max is here, too. No more, baby, it’s okay.‛ Once again, their gazes met, and Max recognized the moment for what it was: Jolynn was in trouble. The memories had obviously come back. Marcus waved him over to lie on the other side of Jolynn, and together, the two men held her until her tears stopped and she dropped into an exhausted sleep.

Chapter Ten Jolynn woke, momentarily confused. It had been a long time since the press of a hard dick at her back had awakened her. And she had never awakened with such a broad expanse of masculinity on all sides. It was a bit intimidating, really. What was a woman to do surrounded by so much testosterone? Actually, she had a pretty good idea. She smiled secretly in the dark. Something must have signaled that she was awake, because strong arms tightened around her, and Marcus whispered in her ear, ‚Feeling better, beautiful?‛ Her face grew hot at the memory of tears and she tried to pull away. ‚Oh, no you don’t,‛ he said, and tugged at her shoulder until she rolled onto her back to look up at him. With his head propped on his hand, his long dark hair spilled around his shoulders. She rarely saw him with his hair unbound; it gave him an extra kick of untamable and gave her a jolt low in her belly. ‚We don’t have to take this any farther than we’ve already gone. You can get up in the morning, go home to your place, and I’ll never mention any of this again. But tonight, Jolynn, you’re going to stay right here. I’m not letting you out of my arms and I’m getting one more taste of your sweet kisses. Then you can tell me to stop if you want. If I remember correctly,‛ he whispered, as he slowly lowered his face to hers, ‚you have your safe word.‛ His mouth met hers with a gentle request. He lightly ran his tongue over her lips, and when she parted in surprise at the tender touch, he slipped inside. It was an easy, casual kiss that made her burn with hunger for more. Threading fingers into his silky strands, she closed her hands on fistfuls of hair and pulled him tight against her. She wanted this, wanted to forget the fear, and succumb to the passion that had been stirring her pulse ever since she realized it had been Marcus up on the stage. He met her demand with a hunger of his own. Their tongues glided, teeth bumped, lips pressed. Their kiss was deep and long, and she felt the moisture pool between her legs. Then she felt something else. Apparently, Max wasn’t sound asleep anymore. His mouth latched on to one nipple, while his fingers pinched and rolled the other.

‚Oh God,‛ was all she could manage to gasp between Marcus’ kiss and Max’s ministrations. She arched her back as Marcus’ kisses moved to her neck. He nibbled, bit, and kissed his way down. Max held her breast as an offering to Marcus, who stopped to bite and tease one nipple while Max sucked hard on the other. Her breasts felt tight, swollen from the attention, her nipples were hard peaks begging for more. It was almost too much, this sensation of two mouths, four pairs of hands, all focused on her pleasure. She closed her eyes and let the heat of their mouths, their hands wash over her. Fingers trailed over her stomach, and her legs fell open, inviting the touch. Again the men moved together, one opening her, the other dipping a finger into her moisture. She opened her eyes to see Marcus paint Max’s slightly parted lips with the cream from her pussy. A moan escaped her when he leaned across and licked Max’s lips, just before claiming his mouth in a demanding kiss. From her position underneath them, she watched as their open mouths met, tongues tangled, and Marcus ate at Max’s mouth like a starving man. ‚So hot,‛ she murmured. They turned their kiss in her direction, one hungry mouth after the other. The threeway kiss spun out, long, breath stealing, and delicious as the flavors of each of them melded. Hands continued to rake her body and Jolynn managed to squirm her arms from where they’d been pinned so that she could grab a hard cock in each hand. The men groaned in unison as she squeezed and stroked. She found drops of precum as she massaged her thumb over both the broad tips. Before she could scoot further down between them, Marcus pulled back. ‚No. Not yet,‛ he said and got up to stand at the foot of the lake-sized bed. ‚Did Jo teach you how to suck cock, Max?‛ ‚Yes, sir.‛ ‚Show me. Jolynn, you supervise. You’ll both pay if he gets this wrong.‛ His words were stern, but she noticed he kept his tone light. She watched the expression on Max’s face at the order. He couldn’t have looked happier. She had a feeling Marcus was about to get more than he bargained for from this first timer. *

Max crawled to the end of the bed, until he was facing a very large and fully erect cock, his mouth watering at the thought of finally having Marcus. It was a long-awaited fantasy come true. ‚Max, you may not come until I give you permission,‛ Marcus ordered. ‚Yes, sir,‛ Max said, with a happy sigh. He gripped Marcus in his hand and started with a long, slick lick, inhaling deeply of the masculine scent, so foreign, yet familiar. He swirled his tongue around the crown, then used firm strokes to swipe the sensitive underside. Max began a detailed exploration of Marcus’ cock, wanting to taste every part, to know him intimately. He lapped a slow, damp line down to Marcus’ scrotum, then back up. He slipped the tip between his lips and slid his mouth down, taking as much as he could. Giving up total control, he moved his hands to Marcus’s hips, trusting his friend not to go too far, too fast. When Marcus began to pump into his mouth he worked at relaxing his throat, wanting as much as he could take. ‚You’re doing great, Max,‛ Jolynn whispered in his ear, while she stroked his back. ‚Take him deeper now, you can do it.‛ He opened and fought against his gag reflex as Marcus nudged the back of his throat. ‚There you go, baby,‛ she said. ‚Breath through your nose. Touch his balls, he’s so fucking close.‛ Jolynn continued to encourage him, to stroke him, even as he filled his senses with Marcus. He swallowed when he had the big cock in as far as he could take him. His lover moaned deep in his chest and the sound went straight to his own balls. Christ, why had he resisted this for so long? ‚Again,‛ Marcus ordered as he thrust his cock deep. Max swallowed and then liquid heat spurted into the back of this throat. He continued to suck, milking every drop of cum, rejoicing in the jerky moans as Marcus shuddered above him.

When he’d licked Marcus clean, Max sat back on his haunches, lowered his head, and tried to hide his smile. Oh, yes! That was the power of being a sub. Of bringing so much pleasure to your top that, he very nearly lost control! It was just about enough to bring him, despite the order not to come. **** Marcus shivered and couldn’t hold back the moan as Max took every drop of his cum. That might have not been the most skillful blowjob of his life, but it was certainly the best and that was because of the emotional connection they shared. He knew how long he’d wanted Max, but maybe the feelings had been mutual a lot longer than he’d realized. When Max sat back and took the submissive position, it pulled everything loose inside him. ‚Come here,‛ he said and pulled his lover to his feet. Marcus cupped Max’s face, tilted his head back, until their gazes met. ‚Max,‛ he said softly, then lowered his mouth. A soft rub of lips, a slick of tongue, a gentle nip on a swollen bottom lip. It was an intimate kiss, full of hope and promise. ‚Are you okay?‛ he asked, holding his breath, hoping he knew the answer. Max almost looked shy, which was ridiculous. He’d never been shy, had always been the showman of the two of them. It was why Maximilian’s was his stage and Marcus stayed behind the scenes. But now, looking at his friend, he saw the gentle flush crawl up his cheeks, and his heart swelled. ‚Thank you, Marcus,‛ Max said, in a voice thick with emotion. ‚I love you,‛ Marcus said with a shrug. ‚You don’t ever need to thank me for that.‛ He took a big breath and turned his attention to Jolynn who was sitting quietly on the bed watching them. With dismay, he saw that tears filled her eyes. He gave Max’s shoulder a little squeeze then knelt down beside her. ‚I’m sorry, Jo. What’s the matter? Did I scare you?‛ ‚No,‛ she smiled despite her tears. ‚You big goof. How was I supposed to know you were so romantic?‛

The men laughed, then Marcus said, ‚I think we need to finish what we started, Max. Lie back, Jo, let us make love to you.‛ When she complied, he said, ‚That’s it. Now hold on to the headboard and don’t let go. Max moved to lie beside her and his mouth tugged and bit at her tight breasts. Pushing her thighs apart, Marcus ran a finger up and down her pussy, teasing and tormenting, spreading her natural lubrication over the soft folds. He slipped a finger inside her hot channel, and when she moaned with pleasure, he added another. He lowered his head between her splayed thighs and kissed her clit. A long, slow swipe of his tongue along her silky folds had her hips rising off the bed. He began to glide his fingers in and out of her dripping wet pussy. ‚Oh, yes,‛ she gasped, then gave a scream and bucked as Max bit down hard on one of her breasts. Quickly, Max covered her mouth with kisses as Marcus continued to lap up her juices. He spread her creaminess to circle the tiny rosebud of her anus. Her hands tightened on the headboard and he heard the sharp inhalation of breath, before she started pumping her hips against his hand. He slipped one finger inside the rosy ring, spreading the moisture, working slowly. His tongue flicked once at the hard nub of her clit, and she bucked again. Marcus met Max’s gaze, slid a second finger inside her anus, ‚Let’s take her over the edge together.‛ * Jolynn thought she would go mad. Her ass felt stretched and her pussy hungry. ‚Yes! Please, Marcus, let me come,‛ she begged. Without warning, he slapped sharply against her clit. Her shocked gasp turned into a moan as the little organ tingled. Twice more he delivered stinging taps and she thought she might burst if he didn’t let her come soon. Max slipped two fingers inside her cunt, and lowered his mouth to suck on her engorged clit, while Marcus pumped steadily at her ass. Their fingers slid in and out, brushing against each other through the thin membrane of tissue. Then their mouths joined at her clit, their tongues flicking together, neither giving her quite enough pressure to bring the relief she so desperately needed.

‚Please, M-Marcus. I need—‛ she broke off, unable to articulate all the feelings churning inside. ‚Put on a condom, Max,‛ Marcus ordered. Both men withdrew from her and she whimpered at the loss of contact. Marcus laughed darkly, and flipped her over on to her knees, as if she were a rag doll. Max moved swiftly into place behind her, grabbed her hips, and rammed his cock home in one smooth stroke. Sweet Jesus, let me come. When Marcus moved behind Max, Jo wondered if he would fuck his ass, and the thought alone was nearly enough to make her come. Max pushed her chest down against the bed and her knees wider apart. She moaned when she felt liquid spread over her ass. She lifted her head, and she saw both men watching Max’s cock as it slid in and out where they joined. Max’s fingers rubbed her clit, as his cock plunged. Marcus shifted slightly, then his fingers returned to her ass, pain and pleasure, counter-stroking against Max’s cock. They glided and filled, hard, hot, and she knew she was lost to them. ‚I
Chapter Eleven If he could sell this dream, he’d make a fortune, Marcus thought sleepily. A very wet and extremely sexy Jolynn straddled his cock, the silk of her sheath sliding over his impressive morning erection. Her hands rested on his shoulders as her hips lowered, until he was balls deep. Then his mind refused to ignore reality any longer. He slowly opened his eyes to see Jo, biting her lip in concentration as she took him. ‚Mmmm,‛ Jolynn said, as she moved her hips in a small circle, taking him even deeper into her heat. ‚Good morning, lover,‛ she smiled. ‚I hope you don’t mind that I started without you?‛ Moving hands to her hips, he held on and thrust upward. ‚I feel so cheap and used,‛ he teased. ‚Maybe I should just let you do all the work?‛ He smiled up to her lovely face, then raked his gaze over her body. Then true reality hit and his hands clamped down hard on her hips to stop her movement. ‚Fuck, Jolynn! I need a condom!‛ ‚Relax! I’m on the pill. We both get tested regularly at work. I’m clean. I know you are too, because you made a smart-ass comment last week about needing to have sex in order to catch anything between blood tests. So quit fucking around, so to speak, and fuck me.‛ Her eyes were full of laughter and she struggled to move against his grip. ‚Oh you think that’s funny, do you? Wake the sleeping man, give him a heart attack, then use him shamelessly. I think you forgot just who’s in charge here. It’s time for a little reminder.‛ He heard her swift intake of breath, as he flipped her over onto her back, his hard cock still buried deep inside. He captured her ankles, pulled them over his shoulders, then cupped her ass in his big hands, pulling her tight against him. Pistoning his hips, he drove deep, his balls already going tight with the need for release. Jolynn made him crazy with her wild unpredictability mixed with a hint of vulnerability. How many hours had they sat together in a car, an office, a hotel room, watching over someone rich or famous? Every one of those hours was an exercise in discipline as he’d forced his mind from thinking about having Jolynn on her back, her knees, any way he could get her.

‚So good, baby,‛ he breathed, mesmerized by the feel of his cock gliding in and out of her perfect heat. Jo raked her nails over his chest, pinched at his nipples. With one hand pinning her ankle against his shoulder, he traced the other lightly across her belly, and lower through her nestle of curls. Dipping his fingers into their combined wetness, he slid his hand between them to circle, flick, and pinch her clit. Reacting to each moan, to each sigh, Marcus brought her to a shuddering climax before he allowed himself to do something he’d never done in his life. Spill unprotected inside a lover. * Max watched from the door, his own cock painfully hard. He’d thought about joining them, but there was something so intimate about watching the two of them that it made his throat tight. He wondered for a minute if he’d waited too long to let Marcus know about his feelings. Then he remembered Marcus’ declaration when he’d held him last night. Shaking off his uncertainties, he watched his friend make love with Jolynn. When Marcus threw his head back and howled with the strength of his orgasm, Max smiled and imagined a time very soon when he would have that big cock deep inside his ass. Who would be howling then? Probably both of them. He left them to their cuddling and went back to the kitchen to finish making breakfast. He’d just finished spooning the potatoes into a serving bowl when strong arms reached around his waist and a hard chest pressed to his back. Max turned off the stove, then turned in Marcus’ arms for a kiss. ‚Mmm, you taste like coffee,‛ Marcus said. ‚You taste like Jolynn,‛ Max smiled. ‚Maybe I should have watched a while longer.‛ ‚It was a nice way to wake up. You could have joined us, you know,‛ he said, his face creased with concern. ‚I know. It was just so damn beautiful watching the two of you. I’m okay with it. Although, we should probably sit down and talk about all of this sometime soon.‛

Marcus stiffened. ‚I already warned you, Max,‛ he said, his voice dropping low and sounding suddenly dangerous. ‚Don’t you fucking think about going anywhere. You’re mine, now.‛ ‚God, Marcus! You’re such a beast sometimes. You look like you’re going to eat Max alive,‛ Jolynn said from somewhere near the kitchen doorway, as she entered the room. ‚Good morning, Max,‛ she said, pushing between the two men to give Max a warm morning kiss. His pulse pounded wildly between the thrill of Marcus’ possessive words and the press of Jolynn’s naked flesh. Reluctantly, he pulled back from the kiss to find Marcus watching him through narrowed eyes. ‚Marcus, baby. Keep looking at me like that and I’m going to come right here, right now. I’m not going anywhere. And Jolynn, unless you’re ready for me to eat you for breakfast, you might want to have a seat at the table. Breakfast is ready.‛ ‚Go sit, Max. I’ll bring the food to the table,‛ Marcus said, unexpectedly. Max sat, facing the kitchen and watched as Marcus carried the platter of bacon and bowls of potatoes and eggs to the table. In an unspoken agreement of some sort, Jolynn poured coffee and brought the biscuits to the table. He was left to admire the beauty and animal grace of his two lovers. Once Marcus had all the food on the table, he came and stood looking down at Max with an unfathomable expression on his face. Then he simply reached down, grabbed Max by the front of his shirt, and pulled him into a mind-numbing kiss. ‚Mine,‛ Marcus said, his voice guttural with a hunger that had nothing to do with breakfast. As Max collapsed weakly back into his chair, Jolynn laughed. ‚God, Marcus, you are such a barbarian,‛ she said, and started scooping eggs onto her plate.

Chapter Twelve Marcus was surprised to discover he was the first to return to the house. They’d all ridden to town together that morning, with the agreement they’d meet later for dinner and a night of loving. Admittedly, he’d been operating on autopilot all day, knowing what he had planned for Max tonight. He wouldn’t forget about the supplies for tomorrow night either. But first, he needed to have Max. Lucky looked at him with her trusting brown eyes as he carried her into the house and placed her on her new pillow, next to her new doggie dishes and toys. Max was right; he was a softie. He carried in the rest of the supplies, and kept up a running commentary to Lucky as he moved around the house, putting things away and straightening up. Her eyes followed him adoringly and her tail thumped enthusiastically whenever he came near her. ‚Remember, I saw him first, girl,‛ Max said from the doorway, a smile in his voice. ‚Marcus, baby,‛ he said in a voice as smooth as the thirty-year old Macallan whisky in his hand. He was slipping; he hadn’t even heard Max pull up. Marcus cocked an eyebrow at the sexy blond, in blue jeans and a tight gray polo shirt that matched his eyes. ‚Are we celebrating?‛ he asked, as he moved toward Max, hungry to taste his kisses. After a long, breath-stealing kiss, he took the single malt into the kitchen to pour them each a glass. Max followed and sat on a bar stool at the counter. ‚I’m sorry I couldn’t go to the club with you today. What’d you find out?‛ he asked Max. ‚Jolynn and I watched the security tapes several times. The guy was covered from head to foot. He turned his face whenever there was a camera, so only the hood showed on the tape. Jolynn said it was deliberate. She took the invitation and the tape over to Enwright to get the lab to run it. I brought a copy of the tape, in case you want to look at it later. She said she might be late, and not to hold dinner,‛ Max said. ‚Why? I thought she was on vacation, same as me. She said Michael wouldn’t be expecting her until the end of the week.‛

‚I’m not sure. I got the feeling she wanted to get the lab results in person. That was pretty damn terrorizing, Marcus. Watching the tapes was hard for her. Not that the beating was on tape, but it shook her to watch the bastard lead her away from our office. ‚Shit, Marcus. She started shaking when she watched him lead her to the dungeon room. I held her, but God damn him! It was a fucking sadistic thing to do. He wanted to hurt her.‛ ‚Do you think I should call her?‛ he asked, setting down the glasses and taking a stool beside Max at the bar. Blowing out a sigh, Max slowly shook his head. ‚It’s only six. Let’s give her a little time. She said she’d be here later. She probably wants a little space to deal with her emotions. She said she’d only go to Enwright’s or her house, and they’re both as secure as it gets.‛ He nodded his agreement and then smiled into his glass. Maybe it was a nice time to have a little private celebration. Max seemed to read his mind, and turned to face him. They tapped the rims of their glasses and Marcus took a reverent sip. The single malt was smooth on his tongue and warm all the way down. He placed a hand on Max’s thigh. ‚This is nice. Coming home to you, sharing a drink, talking over the day. A man could used to this, you know,‛ he said. ‚I know. Hell, we used to spend so many evenings together. I was just too stup—‛ ‚Shh, Max. Don’t go there. I don’t think either of us was ready then. I don’t want to jinx anything here, but this feels special. Let’s enjoy it now. I’m sorry I went all bat shit possessive on you this morning. I’m glad it didn’t scare you off.‛ ‚Are you kidding? That was sexy as hell. I’ve been walking around with my dick hard all day. Why do you think I brought your favorite drink? I plan to get you drunk and take shameless advantage of you,‛ he teased. Marcus felt the slow smile build. ‚Just what did you have in mind?‛ ‚I want you, Marcus. I want you in my ass.‛

Marcus leaned in for another kiss. He cupped Max’s face, his thumbs gently caressing the evening stubble. He angled his head and deepened the kiss. He thrust his tongue, sliding into Max’s mouth, slick and hot, then pulled slowly back. Sexual tension rolled off the other man. ‚Max. Let me take care of everything. Let me make love to you.‛ Max nodded his head once, but said nothing. ‚No worries, my friend. Now let me refill your drink and let’s go to the bedroom. Unless you want dinner first?‛ Max shook his head and smiled. ‚I think that can wait.‛ ***** Staring into Max’s wide eyes, Marcus knew this was the most important moment of their relationship. All the years they’d been friends, their business, the clubs, everything paled in comparison. He wasn’t sure which of them was more nervous. He pushed aside his own feelings and concentrated on Max. A good Dom always knew what his sub needed, and right now, Max needed Marcus to make love to him with tenderness tempered with a firm hand. They stood at the foot of the bed, fully dressed, suddenly both feeling a little shy. Marcus cupped the side of Max’s neck. Max leaned into his touch, and closed his eyes, as if savoring the moment. Marcus slowly moved forward, until their mouths were a scant inch apart. Max placed his hand on Marcus’ hip, then stepped closer, closing the final inches between them. When their bodies were flush against each other from chest to hip, Marcus claimed his mouth. Max groaned, and wrapped his arms around Marcus, fingers splayed over his back. Marcus pressed Max down to the bed and then rubbed their straining cocks together through the layers of denim. The heat and hard length pressed against him stoked the fire even hotter. Still cradling Max’s face, he lowered his head to nip at the strong column of his neck, to brush lips over the evening whiskers. Max’s breath was coming in ragged gasps as he hung on, his hips thrusting.

‚More,‛ Max whispered. Marcus pulled away long enough to jerk his T-shirt over his head, unfasten his jeans, and drop them on the floor. Max matched his moves, so that when they pressed back together there was nothing separating the two men. ‚You’re gorgeous, Max,‛ he said, admiring the lithe runner’s body. He was long and lean, with well-defined pectorals and a hard washboard stomach. Max logged a hundred miles or more, most weeks and his body didn’t have an ounce of fat. He trailed his hand along Max’s chest, his fingers playing with the soft curls of hair between his pecs. He bent and licked a flat disk of a nipple, then teased it with his teeth. Max groaned at the contact, his fingers digging sharply into Marcus’ shoulder. He dropped his head back with a moan when Marcus stroked his cock. All the signs were still right. Max wanted this, he was ready for it, and Marcus was going to take them both to heaven and back again. He rolled onto his back and pulled Max with him so they lay chest to chest, their hard, hot cocks pressed together. He reached around Max, grabbed the firm globes of his ass cheeks, and squeezed. Max groaned and began to grind his hips against Marcus. Holding Max firmly in place with one big hand across his ass, Marcus reached for the lube and condom on the nightstand. He would take his time, work at easing the stretch, and at turning the momentary pain into incredible pleasure for them both. Although Max most often subbed, he’d occasionally play the Dom in a scene at the club. Marcus wouldn’t ever sub for anyone, but tonight, he could give up a little of his need to control; he would let Max stay on top. * Marcus was silent for a long time while he ran his hands over Max’s bare flesh, slipping between their bodies, sliding over his back, his touch feather-like, and raising gooseflesh. Max felt suddenly desperate to know what Marcus was thinking. Before he could ask, Marcus said, ‚Put the condom on me.‛ Max scooted back between Marcus’ open legs. Before he covered the hard, thick cock, he slid his lips over the tip, licking the drops of pre-cum from the velvety cap. Then he rolled the condom down and waited to see what Marcus wanted next.

‚Come here,‛ Marcus directed and his hand came up and his fingers threaded tightly in Max’s hair. A little thrill of pain shot through him and he fought the urge to close his eyes and lean into the sting. Tonight, he didn’t want to miss a thing. Marcus pulled him against his body, his mouth hard and demanding. Max groaned and pumped his hips. He’d never been so turned on. He felt as if he’d been waiting for this moment his whole life. How had it taken him so long to realize that Marcus was who he wanted—who he needed? He realized he would give Marcus anything he wanted. He reveled in the newfound knowledge that he was finally where he belonged. With their bodies pressed chest to chest, cock to cock, knowing he was about to share himself in the most intimate way possible between two men, filled a desire in him he’d denied for years. Marcus’ shadow beard rasped along his neck and his hands were rough and arousing as he lightly rubbed them over Max’s back and buttocks. ‚Come up here,‛ Marcus said in a low, sexy voice, that had him shivering with anticipation. Max scooted forward and placed his hands on either side of Marcus’ head. ‚That’s it, Max. Now lean down.‛ He pulled him closer, reached around with the lube in one hand, while the other cupped the back of Max’s head. He shuddered in anticipation when he felt the cool liquid of the lubricant pour between the cheeks of his ass. Then Marcus took his mouth in a slow mating of lips and tongue. Max groaned. When Marcus’ fingers skimmed over his asshole, he twitched. Marcus held him tight, moved his mouth to Max’s neck, and murmured encouraging words. A finger pressed at the tight ring of muscles, and he forced himself to relax. When the first finger entered his ass, his body clenched and his cock jumped. Marcus worked the lube in, then slowly withdrew his finger. Then he pressed two fingers in and Max’s hips flexed, pumping his cock against Marcus’ chest. ‚That’s it, Max. Feel good?‛ Max nodded, then he moaned as Marcus began to move his fingers in and out.

‚Okay, baby, you’re ready,‛ Marcus finally said as he withdrew. ‚You stay on top, that way you control how fast and how deep. Squirt some lube in my hand and rise up a bit on your knees.‛ Marcus worked the lube over his own cock, then held still while he helped Max position himself. He used his other hand to stroke Max’s cock. Max was so turned on he wasn’t sure he’d last a minute. ‚Come down slowly, you can stop at any time. You control this, Max.‛ Oh, baby, Max thought as he felt the broad tip of Marcus’ cock press against his sphincter, stretching him. There was a flash of pain as he tentatively pushed down. ‚Breathe, Max. Take your time.‛ He pressed harder, then suddenly the broad tip slipped through. The pain was sharp and he froze, his breath harsh and rapid. Marcus never moved, just let him get used to the feeling. Then, as the pain shifted into an incredible feeling of fullness, Max began to move. He pushed down a bit more, resisting the urge to take all of Marcus in one hard, deep thrust. ‚That’s it. Goddamn you’re tight. You feel so good.‛ Max slowly and carefully worked his hips up and down, until he finally sank down completely, and took the entire cock. Only then, did Marcus still Max’s hips and start to move in him. He wanted to tell Marcus how good it felt, that he was going to come any second, but the only sound he seemed capable of making was a small grunt and groan with each upward thrust of his lover’s hard cock. The strokes were long and sure and then Marcus shifted beneath him and the next thrust nailed his sweet spot. Stars exploded behind his eyes as his balls tried to climb inside his body. Marcus pounded his ass, hitting his gland with each stroke, a tight fist keeping a slick rhythm on his cock. With an inarticulate shout at the overwhelming pleasure, he threw his head back and slammed down, taking his friend as deep as he could.

‚Ahh<Marcus, baby
Chapter Thirteen Son of a bitch. Actually, just make that bitch! I sure didn’t see this coming, Jo thought as she stared sightlessly at the evidence in front of her. Her stomach nearly rebelled at the insult when she swallowed four ibuprofen tablets with her cold coffee. The bitter taste was nowhere close to the bitterness of the betrayal. There’d been no food since breakfast and the way she was feeling she might never eat again. What she’d seen
hooded figure that lured her into the dungeon room was none other than the ‚I-can’tbear-to-see-you-hurt-again,‛ Carrie. Jolynn opened the backup files on her office computer and scrolled backward until she came to the file dated just weeks before Carrie left. There it is, she thought with some satisfaction when she located the credit cards and bank account numbers. With a few simple keystrokes, Jolynn accessed Carrie’s records and found the location of her last credit card transaction. It only took a few minutes to touch her databases and contacts. With a snort, she made note of the address where Carrie was staying. One of the casinos on the far south side of Phoenix. A quick glance at her watch, told Jo just how late it was. She thought briefly about calling Marcus and Max. With a smile, she decided they deserved this night together. Besides, she wanted to kick Carrie’s ass all by herself. Which meant she wasn’t going to be calling brother Michael, either. All the men in her life would be pissed, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do, she thought with a smirk. It would take a good thirty minutes to get out to the reservation and maybe fifteen more minutes to track down Carrie’s room. With any luck at all, she could be back at the lake early in the morning. Then she would wake up her guys and demand a rematch, she thought with a smile. First, she needed to put this whole ugly incident behind her. ***** Jolynn might be a techno security geek, but she never thought Carrie was as smart. Never thought Carrie was tough enough. Never thought Carrie was good enough. Stupid bitch, Carrie thought as she scrolled through Jolynn’s email. The remote access had been easy. All she’d needed was her laptop and the nifty little bot she’d planted in Jolynn’s computer when they’d still lived together. Now Jo’s computer was a zombie. Carrie could open any file or execute any function and never be discovered. Since Jo’s personal and work computers were networked, Carrie had found all the information she’d needed. She could spend Jolynn’s money, check her appointment book, and most importantly, access all of her passwords and security codes. Opening the security gate for the Enwright private compound had only required patience and a little luck. Once Jo’s brother and his lovers left for work, Carrie had used

the combination to let herself in and walked straight into Jolynn’s house. She’d had all day to look around. Belonged. The word echoed in her brain. She should have belonged here. When she and Jolynn lived together, they’d stayed in Carrie’s crappy little apartment. Jolynn certainly had moved up in the world after Carrie left. Now her former lover lived in a three-bedroom bungalow on a Phoenix mountainside. Just a small little guest house was how Michael Enwright referred to the place. Of course, he lived in the main house, with his lovers Graeme and Elizabeth. Carrie traced her fingers over the granite counters in the kitchen and thought about how her lover would look stretched out on the cool, smooth surface. With a small smile curving her lips, she remembered how beautiful Jo had looked stretched by the manacles. She hadn’t intended for it to go quite so far. Hadn’t intended to hurt Jolynn. She loved the woman! Why couldn’t Jolynn have just trusted her all those months ago? A soft tone drew her attention back to her laptop. Finally. Carrie rubbed her fingers over the mouse pad, waking the monitor up. It was time. Stripping quickly, Carrie made herself comfortable on Jo’s bed. Their bed. **** Marcus went from satisfied sleepy to awake and worried in less than a second. A quick glance at the clock showed it was well past nine. Jolynn should have been there by now. Max was sprawled on his stomach, his beautiful ass begging for attention. Marcus rubbed his hand over one smooth cheek. ‚Hey, lover, wake up.‛ ‚Marcus, baby,‛ Max murmured before sitting up quickly and looking around. ‚What is it? What’s wrong? Where’s Jolynn?‛ he rattled off questions rapid fire. ‚That’s a damned good question. Come on,‛ Marcus said. He threw the covers from the bed, and grabbed some underwear from the drawer. ‚Do you need something to wear? We’re nearly the same size. Give or take fifty pounds,‛ he added with a quick flash of a smile. ‚No, I brought a bag. Meet you in the kitchen in a couple minutes,‛ Max said, walking quickly from the room.

Marcus was dressed and already working the phone by the time Max emerged. Concern etched his lover’s face. ‚No answer?‛ Max asked. It went straight to voicemail. I hope she didn’t forget to charge her phone or turned the damned thing off. She’s usually pretty good about staying in contact—shit, I forgot.‛ ‚What is it?‛ ‚This is her goddamn work number. She and I are always working, we just use our Enwright cell phones with each other. Hell, I don’t even own a personal cell, anymore. I combined both accounts ages ago. I don’t actually have any idea if Jo has separate personal line. We need to head back to town, go to the office.‛ Unease gnawed at his gut. A sense of urgency pulsed in time with the beat of his heart. Where the fuck was Jolynn? An uncomfortable thought hit him. He groaned aloud. He knew his partner better than anyone. Jolynn probably figured out who was disguised under the hood and decided to go after the bastard herself. God damn it! ‚Tell me again about watching the tapes with her, and don’t leave anything out. Especially how she reacted to what was on the screen. I have a sneaking suspicion<‛ Marcus trailed off, already running for his jeep. **** Jo punched the number on the keypad and the gates slide open with a mechanized whirr. Even though she needed to take care of this business with Carrie, there were other details to attend to first. When she’d left home two nights ago, she’d been dressed for clubbing. And although there was no faulting the generosity of Marcus or his excellent taste in selecting her new wardrobe, there were just some things in life that demanded comfortable, well-worn blue jeans and a sturdy pair of boots. An ass kicking was one of them. Not that she was anticipating a lot of trouble, but it wouldn’t hurt to have the comfort of her Beretta, either. The landline phone was ringing as Jo let herself into the house. It startled her, since she typically used her cell for everything. With a mental slap to her forehead, she

realized her cell phone’s battery was probably dead. She could plug it in until she was ready to leave for Carrie’s hotel. ‚Hello?‛ ‚Jo? Is everything all right? You sound out of breath.‛ said Michael, in a warm familiar voice that always made her smile. ‚Michael! I just walked in the door and I had to run for the phone. Where are you?‛ she asked. ‚Aloha, little sis, from Honolulu. Actually, we’re about to get on a plane. Graeme and Lizzie are with me.‛ ‚Oh, that’s right, you’re on your way back from Japan, right?‛ she asked. ‚Yep. We arrive at Sky Harbor at six in the morning, asses dragging, thank you very much. Lizzie seems to think cheapest is always best, although why any reasonable person would want to take the red-eye is beyond me. Ah, well. Maybe I can finally become a member of that exclusive mile high club. I have two shots at membership, now.‛ She could hear Graeme’s deep rumble in the background, no doubt protesting Michael’s plan for midair sex. Jo poured herself a glass of orange juice, listening to the background bickering. ‚As much as I love you, Michael, was there a reason you called? Besides to share too much information? Because I want to drink my OJ and take a long, hot shower sometime in my very near future.‛ She drank most of the juice, and then tucked the phone between her shoulder and chin so she could put the carton back in the refrigerator ‚Nope, I just wanted to hear the dulcet tone of your charming voice. How’s your vacation, going?‛ In response, Jolynn burped in his ear, the way only an exceedingly annoying younger sister could. ‚Everything’s fine, Michael. Listen, I might miss you in the morning. I’m thinking of driving up north for a couple of days. I’ll text you, once I know for sure, okay?‛ She was

suddenly anxious to get off the phone. There were times their connection seemed like twins than siblings separated by a couple of years. She didn’t want to tell Michael about the incident at After Hours, and she certainly didn’t want to talk about Max and Marcus. With a seemingly uncanny ability to read her thoughts, Michael asked, ‚How’s Marcus? Are you only heading up as far as Lake Pleasant? Or closer to Flagstaff? ‚God, Michael. Don’t be such a jerk,‛ but she was laughing. ‚I knew it,‛ he crowed. ‚You are seeing him, aren’t you?‛ ‚I don’t know, maybe. It’s too soon to tell.‛ ‚Aw, honey. You take care of your heart. Marcus is a great guy. The absolute best— but there are things about him you don’t know,‛ Michael cautioned. ‚Meanwhile, get your damned cell phone charged. I don’t want you going anywhere without a way to contact you. You know that’s both personal and professional, Jo.‛ ‚I know. I will,‛ she said, suddenly dead on her feet. She felt like shit. She needed to get off the phone now or she might just throw up. She realized the stress, the injuries, and probably even the painkillers were all catching up. She needed a shower and a little bit of sleep before she went to Carrie’s hotel room to put an end to whatever her former lover thought she was doing. ‚M’kay, Mikey
lethargy that was washing over her, weighing her down. When she fell against the back of the shower stall, she finally realized something might seriously be wrong with her. Did people get symptoms of concussions days later? Jolynn pushed her way through the fog blanketing her mind enough to climb back out of the shower. She reached for the towel, over-balanced, then landed with a hard thump against the glass shower door. As she slumped sideways, sliding naked to lie flat on the cold tile floor, she thought she saw her lover. It was a great relief to look up and realize that Carrie was here to take care of her.

Chapter Fourteen Marcus tore the envelope and pulled the list of the executive staff’s computer passwords. He had to hand it to the boss. For all Michael’s self-proclaimed geek factor, he still had a handle on good old-fashioned backups. He settled behind Jo’s desk and quickly keyed in her password. He ran a quick scan on her recent files in one window, while checking her web browsing history in the other. Even as his mind sorted through the compilation of records, he admired Jo’s skill as an investigator. He opened the photo-editing program and saw exactly where her suspicions lay. She had pasted the hooded figure into a photo taken at the company Christmas party last year. A smiling, happy Jolynn, captured forever with head tossed back, eyes laughing, and toasting the petite woman by her side. The figure of the woman was partially obscured by the pasted-in image of the gray-cloaked figure from After Hours. The evidence might not hold up in court, but it was enough for him. It would have been enough for Jo. The woman in the Christmas photo was Carrie. So was the person under the hood. Marcus sorted through the rest of her evidence and realized she’d been meticulous in her work. It was all there. Credit card records showed airline tickets, a rental car, and a room in one of the casinos. Even this evening’s meal had been charged. It didn’t look as if Carrie had tried to cover her tracks. ‚This is fucked up,‛ Max said, close behind him. ‚Carrie didn’t try to cover her movements. She used to work for Enwright, she would know how to<‛ he trailed off, took control of the mouse and keyboard. ‚No, here it is, Marcus. She made some effort to hide, just not very much. See? This credit card is one she’s had for a long time, but never used. The name is listed as CJ Daniels. It’s easy to use initials on one card, and get away without having a second ID.‛ ‚Okay. So Carrie comes to Phoenix without telling anyone, stays on the other side of the city, and just happens to be at the club wearing a hooded cloak on the one night Jolynn decides to visit,‛ Marcus said harshly. ‚Easy, Marcus, baby. I’m on your side. Of course, this wasn’t a coincidence. Somehow, Carrie orchestrated this whole bit. And she left just enough clues—‛

‚Fuck!‛ Marcus exploded. ‚She left enough clues so Jolynn could track her down without becoming too suspicious at an obvious trail. I’m going to try to call Jo again,‛ he said tightly to Max. ‚Then we’ll head for that damned casino.‛ The phone it rang just as Max reached for it, startling both of them. His gaze dropped to the caller ID just before answered. Shit. Michael. ‚Michael, where are you?‛ he asked without preamble. ‚Our plane just landed in Maui for a short layover. We’re on our way back to Phoenix. What’s happening with Jo?‛ Michael countered. ‚Have you spoken with her? Where is she?‛ Marcus asked. Max moved to wrap an arm around his lover’s waist, offering comfort and seeking the same. ‚God damn it, Marcus, what the fuck is going on?‛ Michael demanded. ‚I’ll tell you everything, I promise, but right now, I need to find Jo. Carrie is stalking her and she’s in real danger. I don’t have time to explain. Trust me, Michael. Please, trust me.‛ ‚Trust is never in question with you, Marcus. You know that. Fuck, they want us to turn off the cell phones for takeoff. She’s at the compound, at her casita. Marcus, hurry, I think she might be drugged—‛ the connection was severed. **** ‚Come on, honey, I got you,‛ Carrie said, helping Jolynn stand. ‚You’re just a wee bit unsteady, now, aren’t you? Let’s get you to bed.‛ She wrapped the towel around Jolynn’s shivering body and led her to the king sized mattress. ‚I’ve missed you so much, baby. Come on, now, I’ve got you.‛ ‚Carrie?‛ Jo slurred. ‚Wha’ happened? Where
She hummed softly as she arranged Jolynn across the sheet. ‚Really, Jolynn, it was just a little roofie in your OJ. No need to act like a rag doll.‛ She grunted a little as she shifted Jo’s deadweight. ‚Carrie,‛ Jolynn whispered. ‚That’s right, Jo, I’m here. I’m going to make you feel so good, honey. Here you go,‛ she said, and slipped the silk scarf around Jo’s wrist. It was a shame, really. She’d always liked that scarf. It had been a gift for their one-month anniversary. She moved to the leather belt she’d bought for their two-month anniversary and fastened it around Jo’s ankle. Moving quickly now, she finished securing her lover to the bed using more of the gifts she given Jo over the year they’d been together. Joylnn made a sound halfway between a sob and a moan. ‚Shush, now JoJo, I’m here. Carrie’s back and she’s gonna take care of her little sugar now. Did you miss me? I know you did, or you wouldn’t have gone to that club without me.‛ Carrie reached for the bag she’d placed at the foot of the bed and removed the bottle of lotion and placed it near the pillow. ‚I’m gonna make you fly now, lover,‛ she said, just before she brought her face down and captured Jo’s mouth, reveling in the taste of her lover’s kisses, probing with her tongue before finally pulling away with a little nip on the lower lip. Abruptly switching tracks, Carrie stood up and snapped on a pair of rubber gloves. ‚I bet you’re really surprised to find me here, aren’t you? Poor JoJo, you always did underestimate me. I told you I was enough for you. I could always give you everything you needed. But no
Carrie stepped to the corner of the room and inspected the video camera once more to make sure the angle was just right. As she stared through the viewer, Jolynn’s head rolled to the side, her eyes closed. She smiled and shook her head at her poor, tired lover. Ah well, there was a little time left. She hadn’t finished preparing the rest of the house yet. Moving quickly, Carrie went to the storage shed and found two five-gallon containers filled with gasoline. There had been no doubt the large red cans would be there, Jo was always prepared for one catastrophe or another. Tonight, Carrie thought, Jolynn Enwright would celebrate her own special disaster. She tipped the first can over in the kitchen, thankful she’d remember the gloves. Not that she was worried about fingerprints, because the fire wouldn’t leave any behind. No, she just really didn’t care for the smell of gas on her skin. She dragged the canister backward through the front of the house, letting the liquid pour from the opening to avoid any contact. She repeated the process with the second canister in the back of the house, stopping short of pouring the gas directly in Jo’s room. Leaving the can at the bedroom door, Carrie shed her gloves and walked to the bedside. Staring down at her unconscious former lover, she tried to recapture the warmth of their love, but it just wasn’t there. Maybe if Jo had been awake, if she’d struggled< ‚Ah, JoJo, I’m sorry. I’m just not in the mood anymore,‛ she said as she tweaked a nipple, and stroked her hand over Jolynn’s stomach. With one last look at the camera, Carrie said, ‚Ladies and gentlemen, that’s a wrap. It’s time to get the celebration started.‛ **** Marcus and Max left the jeep by the security gate and continued on foot, running in a crouch, with weapons drawn. ‚Max, stay back, I don’t want to worry about you, too— ‚Fuck, Marcus, look,‛ Max said, pointing toward the large window, now glowing with red and orange at the front of the house. ‚We’ve got to get in there,‛ Max yelled, even as he pulled out his phone to call in the emergency.

Marcus didn’t hesitate, but ran straight toward the opposite end of the house, praying that if Jo was inside, she was away from the fire. The flame swept through the entire first floor with a speed that indicated an accelerant. Through the windows, he could see there was only one room that wasn’t already engulfed in the flames. He was pretty sure it was Jolynn’s room. Which meant Carrie wanted Jo to suffer, to know the fire was coming for her. Marcus used a large rock to knock the glass from the window and threw himself inside. The roar of the fire filled his ears, acrid smoke filled the air, making it hard to see. Blindly, he shuffled toward the center of the room, keeping as low as possible, until he bumped against the bed. ‚Help me,‛ Jolynn whispered up at him, barely audible above the howling of the fire. ‚I got you, baby, hang on,‛ he said. He met resistance when he tried to lift her, and realized she was bound to the bed. He used his knife to cut the leather binding her ankle, and felt around the bed, until he’d cut her free. Flames licked at the edge of the mattress as Marcus swept Jolynn into his arms and stumbled toward the window. The room was so hot, it felt as if his back was blistering under his cotton shirt. Marcus pushed himself through the window with Jo clutched against him, just as the bed burst into flames. He landed on his back and rolled with Jolynn in his arms until he was sure neither of them was burning and they were a safe distance from the house. The sharp retort of a nine millimeter had him crouched protectively in front of Jolynn, looking for the next danger. The wail of sirens and flashing lights in the distance promised help, but he needed to find the source of the gunfire. God, Max was out here somewhere, too. He’d failed to protect either of his lovers. ‚We’re clear, we’re clear, Marcus. I’ve got Carrie. Did you find her? Do you have Jolynn?‛ Max shouted, his voice distorted with smoke and emotion. ‚Yeah, Max, I’ve got her,‛ he returned. Relief washed over him at both the sound of Max’s voice and the knowledge that Carrie wasn’t going anywhere. He rocked a barely conscious Jo against his chest as the roof of her house collapsed. Sparks swirled into the desert night and he prayed Michael’s house was safe from the burning embers.

‚I’ve got you,‛ he repeated into her hair. ‚I’ve always got you.‛ Marcus held her as he watched her world burn.

Chapter Fifteen One week later… ‚Jolynn, are you okay?‛ Marcus asked. ‚Yes, b-but, I don’t think—‛ she started. ‚No, you don’t think. That’s my job, tonight. Remember the rules,‛ he said patiently. ‚You have agreed that for this night, this scene, I am the Master. That means it is my job to think. If I want you to think, I’ll tell you. You will not speak, you will not move, you won’t come unless I tell you to. You are here to please me.‛ Her eyes flicked to where Max stood near the edge of the bed. ‚Marcus
she’d lost a bit of her confidence in the week since the fire. He didn’t blame her, everything about that night was seared into his brain, and it had been far more terrifying for her than him. He’d thought she’d want to talk about what happened, that she would need some time to deal with the aftermath. Reality proved to be different, as Jo had consistently denied any lingering effects of either attack. She’d returned to work the day after the fire and proceeded to clamp down on every operation in progress. There was now a completely new level of interference associated with the term micromanagement. Enwright Security’s operatives, secretaries, even her brother Michael, had tried to be patient, but being a victim only earned you so much slack. Marcus had managed to secure her grudging cooperation in tonight’s scene by staging a wager with Michael. “I don’t think she can go five minutes without telling me what to do,” he’d grumbled. “I swear, Michael, I want a new partner if she doesn’t stop.” Michael lobbed back the perfect line, “Come on, Marcus. It’s harder for a woman to recover from an attack. Especially a woman like Jo. Cut her some slack, she can’t help herself.” “You two are full of shit. Fine, Marcus. You think you know everything; I won’t tell you what to do for the rest of the day,” she’d huffed. He’d quickly secured the bet, and won handily a scant ten minutes later. Now she was here, and he knew what she needed. Knew what Max needed, too. They’d both been so busy controlling the fallout from their respective ordeals that neither of them had taken the time to mourn their loss of innocence, to heal their psychic wounds. He knew what PTSD looked like first hand, and he knew they both needed more than time to restore their equilibrium. With one long last look, Marcus gave an order. ‚Hands on your thighs, Jo. No more talking unless I give you permission. Behave and follow orders and you will be rewarded. When this is finished, Max will fuck you while my cock is buried balls deep in your ass.‛ The sound she made was a cross between a shocked gasp and a shuddering moan. He deliberately turned his back to her, his attention needed elsewhere.

Their lover stretched long and lean before them, in total isolation. The sight of Max, arms suspended from a hook in the ceiling and bound tightly with black silk ropes crisscrossing his body was the most erotic thing Marcus had ever seen. He sucked in a sharp breath when Max’s head suddenly lifted and he tried to shift from side-to-to side, before he slumped against his bonds once again. A confirmed workaholic, his friend was in motion twenty hours a day, managing the club, making the rounds for publicity, socializing with the local and visiting celebrities. It was hard for him to slow down enough to enjoy much more than a quick fuck. Max needed help to block out the rest of the world. Gagged, bound, blindfolded, and wearing noise-cancelling headphones, at this moment, Max was completely dependent on Marcus. Absolute trust was an aphrodisiac that worked both ways. As the largest organ, he knew skin was a powerful interface between the mind, the body, and the rest of the world. Max’s skin had been deprived of touch, of the sensation of movement from clothes, from anything other than the ambient air for nearly an hour. It was time. He started with a small suede flogger, gentle caresses, and long slow strokes that followed the major muscles groups. He kept the touch light, never returning to the same spot twice. He added swipes with his tongue, blowing on the trails of saliva and raising goose bumps. Max twitched, and continuously attempted to turn in anticipation of the next touch. After a few minutes of the delicious torture, Marcus soothed a hand along his bare flank. His lover leaned into the touch as much as his bonds allowed. With a quick flick of his wrist, he snapped the soft leather against thigh, buttocks, back. The quick series of blows left a lovely pattern against the golden flesh that showed between the silk bonds. Max threw his head back and his hips pushed forward into the empty space in front of him, seeking release. He cock dripped pre-cum, but the black leather cock ring would ensure that his lover would wait until Marcus was ready to permit his orgasm. He paused and once again soothed his hands over the exposed skin, feeling the warmth where the strips of the flogger landed. The next series of flicks licked at the insides of Marcus’ thighs and on his nipples, and a muffled moan spilled out from behind the gag. Max spread his legs apart and

Marcus took the hint. With a blistering quick but lightly applied round, he treated his lover’s balls and cock to a light caress of leather, followed by the stinging bite of the suede. Max arched his back, straining against his bonds, his breath a series of sharp inhalations through his nose. Marcus craved a taste of those sweet lips, so he removed the ball gag and immediately replaced it with his tongue. Desire hot enough to light a fire flared between them. Then Marcus stepped back once again leaving Max without touch. His lover’s blond head dropped forward, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he regained his breath. Marcus risked a look at Jo, fully aware she might have an adverse reaction to the flogger and bonds. For Jolynn’s sake, he and Max had discussed things ahead of time and agreed to keep this part of their scene short. But Max had needs, too. He’d not walked away from that night unscathed. In his own way, he’d been just as traumatized from shooting Carrie, as Jo had been by the attempted murder. Intellectually, Max understood he’d had no choice except to shoot the woman before she fired on him, but that hadn’t the reality any easier to handle. Although Carrie would eventually heal from her wounds, she’d be spending her time in prison with a limp. And like Jo, he’d jumped right back into work without allowing himself time to slow down to deal with the trauma. As the Dom in their relationship, Marcus owed Max the peace that would come with surrendering total control to his Master. He would help his friend heal. His quick glance at Jo revealed she wasn’t in a panic at the light flogging he’d administered to Max. Her lids had dropped to half-mast, giving her a deliciously sleepy-sexy look. Her lips were wet from the flick of her tongue, her rose-shaded nipples were tight pebbles, and the insides of her thighs were slick. One hand was languidly tracing a trail down her stomach toward that dark triangle of hair at the apex of her thighs. ‚Jolynn!

Her head whipped up, eyes wide, a soft pant escaping between deliciously parted lips. With a soft whimper of desire, Jo wrapped her hands around the gnarled mesquite bedframe. ‚You disobeyed me. I told you to leave your hands on your thighs. Now, put your hands on the bedpost, and wait for me,‛ he snarled. Jo moved quickly to follow his order and now that he’d seen her reaction anticipation curled low in his belly. Reining in his thought, he turned back to Max. As he untwisted the black silk that bound his lover, Marcus gently rubbed at the alternating diamond-patterned creases and the red splotches from the flogger. Each mark created a hot spot on Max’s skin, tender, beyond sensitive. Max twitched and moaned with each touch, still unable touch, see, or hear. Removing the headphones, Marcus whispered to Max, ‚I’ve got you. I’ll take care of you.‛ Max nodded his head once. ‚Yes.‛ Leaving the blindfold in place for the moment, he unhooked Max and helped him to the bed. ‚Come rub his arms and shoulders with me,‛ he told Jolynn, as he pressed his hands against their lover’s flesh and muscles in a firm massage. Max sucked in air through clenched teeth as the neurotransmitters between his arms and his brain came to life with the return of normal blood flow. ‚Jo? Did you stay?‛ Max whispered. His head turned to the side of the bed where Jolynn kneeled. Eyes filled with tears, she looked to Marcus for permission to speak. ‚I’m here Max,‛ she said, when she received a go-ahead nod. ‚Mmm<‛ he moaned and arched like a cat into their touches. ‚Taste him, Jo. Tongue only. No lips, no hands,‛ he ordered. He stroked his own dick while he watched Jolynn give Max a tongue bath. Walking on his knees, he moved between the other man’s thighs and joined Jo. At the touch of the second mouth, Max

pressed his shoulders into the mattress and thrust upward with his hips. Again nodding his permission to Jo, they took turns pulling Max deep into sucking, sliding, hot, wet mouths. ‚God
Chapter Sixteen Jo felt perilously close to tears. Love was evident in Max’s voice and on Marcus’ face. A love born of years of friendship, of mutual memories, and common goals. Their love had finally grown into a true partnership in every sense of the word. Holding Max, with Marcus’ arm draped across the two of them, she felt lonelier than she’d ever felt in her life. Marcus soothed a hand over Max, then rose from the bed. He returned with a damp towel and a bottle of water for everyone. Jo hid her smile at the Master caring for his subs. That was his true strength
Jo reached to guide Marcus, to make him hurry. ‚Hold her hands, Max,‛ Marcus said and slipped two fingers between her plump lips, spreading her open. Then his head dipped, and she felt the first rough stroke of his tongue along her folds and over her clit. Jolynn gasped and tilted her hips, silently begging for more. Max pinned her arms to her sides but caught her nipples between his fingers, twisting, and pulling at the hard tips. She dropped her head back at the sudden onslaught of sensation. His breath was hot and damp on her neck, and she felt his cock twitch with renewed interest. ‚Watch him, beautiful,‛ Max whispered, then his tongue traced curve of her ear before he bit down on her lobe. Marcus shifted his hands, opening her further and he caught her clit between his teeth and nibbled. The sensation was almost too much and she tried to twist and turn, to relieve some of the pressure building inside. He flicked with his tongue and plunged two fingers into her pussy. An inarticulate cry that sounded like ‚Ahh
pressed against her belly, the other against her back, and she knew she wanted them. Wanted to join with them. Not just for now, in this kiss or in this bed. She longed to be a part of the love they shared. When their kiss broke, Marcus brushed his lips across hers and Max kissed the top of her head. ‚Max, come out from behind her. Jo, spread your legs and arms toward the corners of the bed.‛ She moved to arrange herself and realized that Marcus held a length of the silk rope in his hand. The rope was attached to the bedframe and ended in a loop. He slipped the loop over her wrist, then made some adjustment so the rope was tighter, but not inflexible. A momentary panic swept through her at the thought of being restrained, even by these two men who she trusted with her life. A week ago, they’d saved her life, but she didn’t think she could ever voluntarily let someone tie her down. ‚Settle, Jo. You know I won’t let anything happen to you.‛ Marcus grasped her hand and put their joined hands through the loop, then demonstrated how to slip free from the rope. ‚You will be able to free this hand on your own at any time. Max and I will tighten the other hand and your ankles a bit more securely, but you will still be able to get loose on your own. Plus, you still have your safe word.‛ He nodded at Max, who slipped a rope around her ankle. ‚I know you, Jolynn Enwright. I saw you watching Max when he was restrained, I know how turned on you were, despite the fear. We’re just going to give you a taste of what it feels like to have someone you trust take control for a little while.‛ Afraid to speak, unsure her mind wouldn’t overrule her body, she gave a brief nod, and Marcus slipped the lose circle of rope around her wrist once again. When Max finished securing the other ties, the panic crept back and she felt as if she wouldn’t be able to get free. Marcus grabbed her wrist. ‚Test it,‛ he ordered. She twisted her hand and her wrist slipped out easily. With another quick nod, she pushed her hand back though the loose knot, still not trusting herself to speak.

‚Close your eyes, for me, sweetheart,‛ Marcus said. ‚I’m putting a blindfold on you.‛ With a gasp, she jerked her head back, and saw Marcus’ eyes flare with heat. ‚That’s enough, already,‛ he said sternly as she started to protest. ‚This is my scene and you will obey me. I have given you two outs. You want to safe word? Fine, do it now, and I’ll take you to the living room, so Max and I can continue on our own. Otherwise, calm the fuck down and trust me. Close. Your. Eyes.‛ There was no room for negotiation in his expression. She closed her eyes and tried to keep her breathing under control. Soft material covered her lids before a band was slipped behind her head. Jo cautiously opened her eyes and realized he’d put a small sleep-style mask over her eyes. She could still see the candle light of the room around the edges of the loose fitting mask. In that moment, she realized Marcus really was taking care of her. He was giving her the experience she needed, without making her feel helpless. He’d made it safe for her to surrender control for a little while and just feel. Behind the mask, she closed her eyes tightly and then she twisted the rope around her hand, increasing the sensation of submission. Without her sight to guide her, Jo strained to tell where the two men were. She heard a whispered conversation near the door, then felt the air stir, as if someone passed close by. Then everything was quiet. Too quiet. She listened harder, straining for any indication the men hadn’t left her. She forced herself to count to one hundred before she would free her hand to lift the mask and look around. Just as her anxiety started to turn toward anger at being left, a hand reached to brush across her forehead. She hadn’t realized until that moment one of them had stayed with her. He had probably watched until her agitation had become too much, then offered her a soothing hand. Jo settled once again, drew inside her mind, lost herself for a while in the thought that someone cared enough to take the time to discover and meet her needs. Everything felt so peaceful, so safe, she let her mind drift. She was startled from her reveries when silky heat poured over her chest. How much time had passed? Had she slept?

The there was more heat, dripping over her nipples, across her stomach, down her sides. The scent of warm coconut permeated the air and she recognized oil hot enough to feel good, but not hot enough to burn was drizzling over her body. Fingers followed the trail of oil, slid and massaged, drew lines on her skin. Then there were more fingers, more hands, and her skin absorbed the heat of the oil. Hands massaged the oil into her thighs, her calves. Someone lifted her foot and pressed a thumb into the arch and rubbed, before moving to her ankles. Someone else worked her shoulders and arms, and finally, every one of her fingers. She felt liquid in their hands. ‚Turn over,‛ Marcus said, his voice a low throaty growl from near her feet. So Max was the one at her breasts. Before she could think how to make the necessary muscles work, firm hands had removed the bonds and she was flipped onto her stomach. The massage began again, and by the time Marcus reached the cheeks of her ass, Jo was sure she’d lost voluntary muscle control. Marcus was still in charge, and he raised her onto her knees and held her in place with firm hands on her hips. ‚I want you under her, Max.‛ The men worked in tandem until she was chest to chest with Max. He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, her nose, and chin, before her pressed his mouth gently to hers. He didn’t demand, didn’t take, just gently brushed his mouth against hers. ‚Jolynn,‛ he whispered. The tender moment passed when she jerked slightly as Marcus pressed his thumb against her rim. He played along the seam between her anus and her pussy, the pressure light, leaving an almost-there feeling. He circled her hole once again, a teasing light pressure that made her want more. Jo pressed back her hips in a silent plea, and Max used the motion to slide his cock into her. She was so slick with desire that he was deep with the first thrust. When Max tilted his hips back and thrust again, Marcus slipped his thumb past her tight ring and into her ass.

‚Oh God,‛ she cried. Max didn’t stop moving, and neither did Marcus, who pushed his thumb in and out of her canal. Cool liquid added to the already slick hole, and Marcus slid in two fingers. ‚That’s it, baby, feels good, doesn’t it?‛ Max whispered against her throat. ‚I can feel his fingers inside you, feel him press against my cock. He’s going to fill you, sweetheart. Marcus is going to claim you, Jolynn, just like he claimed me.‛ He pulled his face from her throat and smiled his wonderful crooked smile, and the part of her heart that hadn’t already melted, puddled into a gooey mess. With a quirk of an eyebrow, Max said, ‚You should have run while you had the chance, because after this
while Max’s hips thrust hard from below. They were sucked into a vortex of pleasure, the eye of the storm narrowing until it was only them, only their joining that mattered. ‚Now,‛ Marcus said, and it was as if his words pressed some magic button deep within and released them all. Suddenly, she was yelling, while her muscles clamped down and squeezed the men who filled her. Marcus, buried balls deep, came with short, deep thrusts, and indistinguishable words murmured against her neck. Max gave a final few strokes, prolonging everyone’s pleasure, and then he couldn’t hold back anymore. His back arched and he pressed his head into the pillow and roared his pleasure into the night.

Chapter Seventeen ‚You might get to fuck my ass and tell me what to do in the bedroom, but no God damn way am I going to sit down and shut up about this, Marcus!‛ ‚Will you quiet down? You’re going to wake her up.‛ ‚She should be awake. This is the most fucked up<‛ Max trailed off and dragged his hand through his hair, unable to think of anything bad enough with which to compare the situation. ‚Marcus, baby,‛ he tried again. ‚You have to tell her. We both have to tell her.‛ ‚Tell me what?‛ Jo asked, sliding open the glass door. She was wearing one of Marcus’ shirts, sleeves rolled back to reveal her tanned forearms. Long legs stretched from the tail of the shirt. Her hair was a tangled mess around her shoulders. Max thought she looked thoroughly decadent, the personification of a wicked night of sex. His cock came instantly to life, despite his anger at his other lover’s idiocy. Max walked over to Jo and swept her into his arms and buried his face against her hair. ‚Good morning, sunshine. How are you feeling? A little sore?‛ ‚Max, honey, I’m not so sore that I don’t recognize a major fight brewing between the two of you. What’s going on?‛ Max and Marcus locked gazes, apparently neither one willing to give an inch. Finally, Jo cut through the tension. ‚Okay, boys. You’re going to have to play your reindeer games without me. I need hot coffee and a shower, in that order. Then I suppose I’ll head back to town. I need to figure out what to do about finding another place. Michael and his family are great, but I can only take so much of their goo, before I get a little nauseous.‛ The two old friends stood on the patio and stared at each other long after Jo left to get her coffee. With a long and heartfelt sigh, Max moved closer to Marcus. ‚Marcus, baby. Are you going to push me away, too?‛ ‚Max, you can’t think
‚What is this about? Let me see if I know you as well as I think I do. You’ve decided that Jo and I don’t really love you, not the real you. We crave to be dominated by the top Master in the city. And although you are an outstanding Dom
They were talking about something much more important than an afternoon of physical pleasure. This was about a lifetime. He stepped back so he could watch their faces. ‚Max, I’ve known you and loved you all my life. I never allowed myself to dream that someday, you might feel the same way. Jolynn, I might not have loved you as long as I’ve loved Max, but that doesn’t make my love for you any less important, any less real. ‚I love both of you. I love what we do, how we are, I love everything about us together. Jo, I don’t want you to go look for a place to live, I want you right here with me. And Max, it’s time for you to come home. Our home. Will you both take a chance on me? On us?‛ He held his breath, waiting, hoping. Jo and Max exchanged a long look. Lucky’s tail thumped against the tile, a rapid staccato in time with his own jerky heartbeat. As one, his lovers turned to him, smiles blinding. Then he was in their arms, and there was laughter and hugs, tears and kisses, all punctuated by happy barking. They’d all found a place to call home.

~The End~

About the author: Laura likes it hot, which helps explain why she ended up Arizona after living in such diverse places as Japan, New Orleans, Maine, and Florida. She once enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and travel. Now the characters in her head compel her to tell their stories to her readers, so she writes. She shares her home with her husband and youngest son, two dogs and a cat. Laura also writes under the name L.E. Harner, and her books can be found at All Romance eBooks and Amazon.

Coming soon from Laura Harner: Highland Shift Book One in the Highland Destiny Series Elena MacFarland wonders what everyone else knows about her new farm that she doesn’t, and whether she’ll live long enough to find out. Betrayed by her fiancé and the powerful Worthington family, Elena fights back and negotiates a comfortable settlement with one small caveat: she must live in Scotland for two years. One kidnapping and two attempts on her life later, the darkly arrogant Scot, Faolan MacGailtry declares himself her new protector and moves into her farmhouse. The only problem? He was present at all three incidents. Elena decides to follow the adage to keep her friends close and enemies closer—but which is he? One by one, Elena uncovers Faolan’s darkest secrets: his Druid heritage, his connection to her past, and finally, the deadly curse that is powerful enough to destroy them both.

Prologue ‚Scatter,‛ said the Queen, imperiously, and then she’d thought no more about the powerfully magickal Druids. The Queen of the immortal race of the Tuatha Dé Danann, or Fae, was annoyed at her Royal Court for the games they were playing with the humans. With a gentle twitch of her finger and a word whispered on the wind, she’d banished the Druids to the four corners of the world and destroyed their libraries. She believed that once they were unable to pass on their magick, their power would die within a few generations. The ancient members of the Druid Council that were wise in the ways of both gods and humans survived and cast wards around an island known only to them. There they continued to practice their arts despite their banishment, maintaining the veil between worlds, keeping humankind safe from otherworldly harm. It was from this island that the Druid leaders cast powerful spells to direct certain futures. If one was inclined to believe in fairy tales, then you might believe this island sank into the sea thousands of years ago, taking the last of the ancient Druids and their magick with it. You might also believe that such ancient spells would have no place in today’s world. You would be wrong on both counts.

Chapter One Elena MacFarland stood motionless at the airline counter, temporarily lost in the earthy, spicy scent of the man behind her. Tired from the long flight and ready to get on with her fresh start, she resented the musky mixture that had her wanting to bury her face in his chest. Briefly closing her eyes, she sought her inner strength, only to experience a vision of naked arms and legs tangled beneath satin sheets, instead. With one last shaky breath of the intoxicating aroma, Elena retrieved her passport and ticket from the attendant and turned toward the seating area. ‚Excuse me,‛ the man said to the harried attendant, his Scottish burr deep and sexy, ‚can you tell me if there are any more seats available on that flight? ‘Tis a matter of life and death.‛

Shaking off the additional brain fog his voice induced, Elena pushed her feet forward to the boarding area and sat with her backpack by her feet. With a deep breath, she reluctantly raised her eyes just enough to see what had smelled and sounded so enticing. No doubt about it, there had been a god behind her in line, Elena realized. Her mouth went dry at the expanse of golden skin and light dusting of hair on display between the top of his sturdy hiking boots and the bottom of his navy and green tartan. A thick cream-colored sweater clung to his broad shoulders, giving him a look of old world style meets modern rustic. He was six and half feet of barely suppressed power, and her fingers itched to remove the leather thong that restrained his long mahogany hair. Blushing at her thoughts, Elena wondered if anything restrained him underneath his kilt. She thought he looked as though he stepped off the cover of a romance novel, and she barely resisted the urge to fan herself. She hadn’t thought men still wore kilts, but she definitely liked the look. The perky attendant’s nametag identified her as Shelly, and she looked ready to cry as she shook her head. There were no remaining seats available. The man continued to speak softly, and it was plain that he was using his considerable charm to find a way onto the flight. Whatever he said caused Shelly to look directly at Elena, whisper and nod. He followed Shelly’s gaze and raised a sardonic brow when he caught Elena watching him. His eyes slowly raked Elena’s body before he finally raised his gaze to meet her flashing green eyes. Her spine stiffened and her nipples rose to pert attention in a confused and involuntary response to him. She felt as though she had a primal knowledge of his rock hard body, steely arms, and crushing lips. He stirred an ancient hunger deep in her belly, and lower still. Twenty feet apart and total strangers, yet Elena felt scorched by the heat that radiated between them. Elena extinguished the fire quickly, as her mind filled with memories of another egotistical jerk that oozed such an overload of self-confidence. Over the past few months, Elena MacFarland graduated from law school, become engaged, passed the Bar Exam, and landed her dream job. She’d also been dumped on her ass, fired, served with a restraining order, and evicted by Martin J. Worthington, III, who was both her former boss and ex-future-father-in-law. Arrogance did not impress her.

Realizing she’d been used and unwilling to quit when she was so far behind, Elena had cleverly negotiated a very comfortable settlement with the elder Worthington in exchange for her silence. The only real drawback was that she needed to live in Scotland for two years. Considering all she’d been through, that didn’t seem such a bad bargain. With a little sniff, Elena turned away from the drama. She thought about the circumstances that had brought her halfway around the world, ready to start a new life on the outskirts of Inverness. Impatiently, Elena pushed the memories aside and once more observed the ruckus on the other side of the airport lounge. Shelly had taken the arrogant Scotsman to speak with an older woman traveling by herself. The woman was listening attentively to Shelly, while never taking her eyes off the man’s face. He took up the tale, presented his case, and then waited for her decision. Elena pitied her, and expected it was a done deal; the man would get the woman’s seat. It would be hard to resist his smoldering gaze. **** The flight attendant’s pampering made Elena glad that she had splurged on a first class ticket. Sipping her complimentary beverage, Elena watched the other travelers trudge past on their way to economy. The flight attendant gave directions for buckling seatbelts once the stream of passengers stopped. Elena noticed the cabin door was still open and the seat next to her was still empty. Uh oh< The senior flight attendant came through the door at the last possible minute, fawning over the gorgeous man from the terminal. He was completely oblivious to her attentions and quickly scanned the cabin, his gaze settling on Elena. He folded and squeezed himself into the remaining seat and brushed the flight attendant’s hands away as she tried to help him fasten his seatbelt. Elena leaned closer to the window and feigned an interest in the hustle and bustle of London’s Heathrow Airport. She hadn’t been nearly this close to him in the terminal and his scent alone had practically given her an orgasm. Her heart pounded uncomfortably fast in her chest as she concentrated on making herself as small as possible. Elena didn’t understand her reaction to this manipulative man. She chalked it up to the strain of moving, and tried to push her errant thoughts away.

As the plane began to taxi, he surprised her by introducing himself. ‚Hello, lass,‛ he said seriously, ‚my name is Faolan.‛ He pronounced it as FULL-an; the words rolling out of his mouth in a low and devastatingly sexy brogue. Elena longed to wrap her tongue around his name, unsure of her ability to do it justice. She knew he was waiting for her to offer her name in return, but she had apparently gone mute as she stared at his face up close. His eyes were stunning. The golden amber irises were edged with a dark ring and his lashes were long enough to make a woman weep with envy. They were eyes Elena could stare into for hours and never be bored. His nose was strong and straight, with slightly flared nostrils. His lips parted in a half-mocking smile that showed straight, white teeth. She was just thinking she would like to nibble that full lower lip when he caught his teeth on it in a small bite. Fortunately, the flight attendant provided a timely distraction by asking Faolan what he would like to drink, giving Elena a chance to check herself for drool. Taking a quick mental inventory, she knew her emerald green eyes would look tired, and her long black curls were tangled into a clip on the back of her head. At least her blue v-necked sweater still clung flatteringly. Taking comfort from that small positive, Elena was slightly more composed when Faolan looked back, so she gave introducing herself a whirl, ‚I’m Elena MacFarland, nice to meet you.‛ Oh God, that sounded so lame! For the next hour, Elena was going to be stuck next to Faolan in a strangely intimate public place. She reminded herself that she wasn’t trying to make an impression, just trying to keep from touching the man. Even in the extra roomy seats of the first class cabin, Faolan’s knee managed to bump against hers and Elena gasped. It was as though a bolt of electricity shot straight up her leg! She thought she heard him laugh softly. Elena stared out the window, more disturbed by her reactions than she cared to admit. Faolan was one powerfully sexual man. Everything about him set her hormones on fire. Her body and mind had disengaged from each other, and her body wanted to touch him, pet him, taste him. Elena had learned that lesson the hard way and it wasn’t going to happen again. Good looking, arrogant men like Faolan were never interested in the real Elena, there would always be a catch. Her body would just have to back the hell down; her head was in control now.

Determined to prove just how in control she was, Elena decided to risk some small talk. She took a deep breath to relieve the tension, turned toward Faolan, and found him staring intently at her. Elena had always wondered why people needed to gather their wits about them, but now she knew. Wits could indeed be scattered. She spent a moment gathering hers. In her hesitation, Faolan made the first conversational strike, ‚What brings you to Scotland, lass? Where are you headed?‛ ‚Uhm.‛ That was clever. Try again. She cleared her throat, ‚I’m moving here. I just purchased a home, north of Inverness, and I’m on my way there.‛ She was relieved to notice that she sounded better, more like the confident woman she knew herself to be. Faolan seemed politely interested, ‚How did you decide on Inverness, lass? Do you have family here? Or is your man from here?‛ Elena sighed. ‚It’s a long story, but no, I have no family or a man, as you put it. I haven’t seen the house yet. It’s supposed to be a small farmhouse on the outskirts of a tiny village north of Inverness. It was part of a legal settlement.‛ ‚A legal settlement?‛ he fished. Elena ignored the opportunity to explain; she wasn’t reliving that story with this man. Searching for a safer topic, she belatedly remembered his comments to the attendant. He’d said, ‚It was a matter of life or death.‛ Maybe it hadn’t all been arrogance; he could have a loved one seriously hurt somewhere. She wondered if he wanted to talk about it. ‚I don’t mean to pry, but I heard you at the counter. You seemed adamant about getting on this flight. I hope everything is all right with your family?‛ Elena probed. His jaw tightened and he turned his head away. He looked livid for a minute and Elena was glad that she wasn’t the focus of his anger. Then as suddenly as the fury appeared, it left him with a sigh. ‚Nay, lass, nothing will ever be right again, I have no family,‛ he said with a voice full of sadness. ‚I’m sorry,‛ Elena offered, not sure of how else to respond. She returned to looking out the window in order to give him some privacy.

After a moment, Faolan changed the subject. ‚How will you get to the Highlands, lass?‛ Elena jumped at the chance to ease away from topics that were more personal in nature. ‚I leased a Land Rover.‛ Elena continued, trying to keep the subject light, ‚I made a reservation at the Hilton in Inverness for tonight, tomorrow I’ll drive to Fairth.

They continued to chat about inconsequential things and discovered they had very little in common. She told him she was an attorney, he said he dabbled in investments, she liked sports, he didn’t, this was her first trip abroad, he was well-traveled. Soon the flight attendant returned to tell them to prepare for landing. Although Elena had enjoyed their brief conversation, she would be relieved to get away from him. Everything about him was too intense. It had only been a few short months since her break up with Marty, and Faolan was exactly the type of man she had sworn off for life: great looking, seriously confident, with a tangible air of entitlement. Definitely not my cup of tea. ‚I’m a little curious,‛ said Elena, as they stood in the aisle waiting to exit the plane, ‚How did you manage to get on the flight? I thought it was full.‛ Elena looked up and stifled a gasp. Although he towered over her, his face was much closer than she expected because of the cabin’s low ceiling. His look was positively dangerous and his tawny eyes turned dark as he scowled. Their gazes locked for a minute, the air doing that strange burning thing around them again. He bared his teeth in a tight, wolfish imitation of a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ‚I always get what I want. Eventually.‛

Also available from L.E. Harner: Rescued: Three’s Allowed Chapter One

Graeme fumbled for the phone in the dark. He hated middle-of-the-night calls. He’d thought he’d escaped that when he’d traded his Phoenix detective shield for the smalltown sheriff’s badge, but a quick glance at his clock showed it was two thirty-one in the morning, which meant someone was probably dead. ‚Kennedy,‛ he said, already turning on the light, ready to write down the location of the scene. ‚Sheriff, it’s Sally. Sorry to disturb your<sleep,‛ she said. He noticed the pause, knew she was fishing. She’d been trying to dig into his personal life ever since he’d arrived and had made it known she was available, if he was interested. He wasn’t. ‚What is it, Sally?‛ he asked, keeping his tone neutral. ‚Got a strange report of a domestic at the rest area. Tim is just south of Flag, tied up with a motor vehicle accident. He’ll be there at least another hour. There’s a fatality involved. You said to give you a call before I called in Department of Public Safety. Do you want to check it out? It’s probably just some kids. The caller hung up and didn’t leave many details.‛ ‚I’ve got it. Send the details to my unit. I’ll be on the road in five.‛

*****

Oh god. How could this be happening? Elizabeth wiped the blood from her eye and examined the car, trying to figure out the safest way to help. The driver had saved her life, and now he was unconscious. The front tires of his SUV were barely hanging on the edge of the precipice, and it was a clear drop of a hundred feet to the red rocks below. She needed to make the vehicle stable and then get out of there before anyone found her. If she could prevent it from rolling forward until he regained consciousness or until help arrived, the stranger could get out. He would be okay. He had to be. She limped forward, carrying the biggest rock she could lift, and pushed it in front of the rear tire. She returned again and again until both rear tires were wedged tight. Her head whipped around at the sharp snap of twig behind her. Then a soft, purely evil laugh sliced through the cold night air. ‚Looks like you’re fresh out of Prince Charmings again, Elizabeth. Funny how they all seem to disappear on you. I wonder why that is? I think it’s fate. You’re mine, and no one else is allowed to have you. Not ever. Come on now, Elizabeth. It’s time to go home. We can kiss and make up.‛ There was nowhere to run. He would catch her, and this time he would kill her. She was sure of it. Movement from inside the SUV caught her attention. She glanced down in time to see a strong hand raise a gun through the broken window. In one smooth motion, the man aimed toward the brush and fired. The SUV slid forward. Ears ringing from the gunshot, she didn’t hesitate. She yanked the car door opened, then pulled the man’s arm with every bit of strength she possessed. He came free from the crushed metal and tangle of seat belt just as his car lost the war with gravity.

Michael tumbled out of his SUV and bowled the woman over. Rolling fast, he covered her with his body, gun pointing into the brush, eyes searching for the source of that disembodied voice. He could hear nothing after the retort of the gun except the sick crunch of his custom hybrid Tahoe as it died a humiliating death at the bottom of the canyon. Shit. He’d just bought that car! The trip had started so beautifully, his new beginning. No more working all night, no more losing track of the days, no more heart attack waiting to happen. Thirty wasn’t old; he was just overworked in an obsessive-compulsive kind of way. Enwright Security had grown to be the top high-tech security business in the country and had nearly eaten him alive in the process. Not that he hadn’t loved every bit of starting his own company. He had. But when one of his top technicians died at his workbench after another fourteen-hour shift, Michael knew it was time to make a change. A little over two hours ago, he’d loaded a suitcase, laptop, and a few other gadgets into his Tahoe and headed north from Phoenix with no particular destination in mind. He’d stopped at the Sunset Point rest area, resisted the temptation to call the office and check on the production statistics, and just stood gazing into the gathering darkness. No destination meant no reservations, no plans. He felt lost. With a sigh, he’d gotten back into the car. He’d noticed the woman first. She’d burst from the backside of the restrooms, running toward the brush with quick looks over her shoulders. A moment later, a man dressed all in black gave chase. Her face had been a mask of terror, and Michael hadn’t hesitated. He’d pushed the four-wheel drive into action and barreled over the curb and into the brush surrounding the rest area, following the path of the man. He’d figured it was a domestic dispute and reasoned if he could get to the man, he could calm the situation. If not, he’d knock the asshole out. Either way, he couldn’t sit by and watch a man chase a woman into the wilderness. The gunshots came as a complete surprise. Four bullets right to the windshield. The bullet-resistant glass did its job, but the stars splintering across the front effectively blocked his view. The Tahoe pitched over a boulder, and Michael had a terrifying

glimpse of the edge of the world before his head slammed into the door frame and the lights went out. All that had led to his current predicament. He was lying on top of a beautiful woman, his gun in his hand, looking into the night for a rat bastard he now planned to kill. ‚Police. Drop the gun, and lock your hands behind your head, motherfucker,‛ the voice a low growl behind his ear. Michael turned his head slightly only to find the barrel of a gun pressed against his temple. He dropped the gun. The woman beneath him whimpered. Graeme’s heart rate was nicely elevated. He cuffed the suspect where he lay, needing to secure him before he risked a look at the woman. Jerking the man’s arms, he dropped him unceremoniously and was rewarded with a muffled thud as his face hit the ground. ‚Ma’am, are you okay? I need you to stand up slowly with your hands to the side where I can see them.‛ He wasn’t taking any chances. They could both be assholes, and he was out here without backup. The woman got to her knees and pushed herself up from the ground, careful to keep her hands in view. ‚Turn around,‛ he directed. She turned slowly, her long sweep of auburn hair hiding her face. It didn’t matter. There was only one head of hair like that. Elizabeth Ashford. Fuck. He reached her in two strides, brushed the hair back from her face, and saw the bruises and blood. ‚Elizabeth, honey, are you okay? Where’d you come from?‛ He walked her over to sit far enough away from the suspect and lowered her to the ground. Kneeling beside her, he said, ‚I’m sorry, Elizabeth. He’s not going to hurt you anymore. Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ve got you now. Can you talk? Can you tell me what happened?‛ ‚Beat me,‛ she gasped and then she pulled away from his arms and ran a few steps into the woods and vomited.

He figured she’d want a few minutes to recover, so he sauntered over to the bastard that beat the most beautiful woman he knew and the only one he’d ever loved. He grabbed a fistful of hair as dark as his own and pulled the man’s head back to take a look. One eye was swollen shut while the other showed a slice of steely blue peaking out between swollen lids. Red sand and pebbles clung to the blood that covered the unfamiliar face. So it wasn’t her bastard husband after all. He dropped the head and was again gratified by the sound of flesh on ground and a small moan at the rough contact. He checked the man for more weapons, removed his wallet and his cell phone. ‚What’s your name, asshole?‛ he asked as he gave a rough kick, his boot connecting with the suspect’s hip in order to turn him over. The man made a harsh sound that could have been a laugh, spit blood and dirt from his mouth, and said through swollen lips, ‚Fuck you!‛ Graeme smiled. He would enjoy questioning this prick. He flipped open the man’s wallet, just as Elizabeth came back to the small clearing. ‚Elizabeth, do you know this here—‛ he glanced down at the man’s driver’s license ‚—Michael Enwright?‛ The name was familiar, but he wasn’t sure where he’d heard it before. ‚No, wait, Graeme, you’ve got it all wrong, and don’t call me that,‛ she said running over to the downed man, even as he tried to stop her. ‚It was Barry that beat me. This man saved my life. Barry very nearly killed him, too. He shot at him and caused the accident. Help me,‛ she pleaded as she tried to help Enwright sit up. This was all such a mess. What was she going to do? She probably needed a doctor. She knew her ribs were bruised where Barry had kicked her. He usually confined the blows to her stomach and thighs, places that wouldn’t leave a mark. He’d been especially violent tonight. She’d recognized the signs, known it was coming. Yet she hadn’t been able to divert him, and the rage came on fast and furious. He’d worked himself up as he enumerated her failings, ending on the tragically familiar accusations that she didn’t love him and she was having an affair.

It was hard to argue with the first. She didn’t love Barry. An affair was out of the question. The only man she’d ever wanted was standing in front of her wearing a badge, and he was a big part of the reason she’d stayed married to Barry for as long as she had.

*****

Fuckin’ cunt! She had no business running. Sneaking out the goddamn backdoor of the bathroom. She’d planned to run away all along. It was why she’d whined for the last thirty minutes about having to go pee at the next rest stop. He wouldn’t have hurt her, not really. Sure he’d given her a tap, but she’d had it coming. He’d planned to take her to the cabin where he could really teach her a lesson before they made up. Now she’d gone and caused all this trouble. It was her fault he’d had to shoot that prick in the fancy SUV. He knew who it was, though. He finally knew who her fucking boyfriend was. The fancy Enwright prick. Rich bastard. Asshole had practically fucked her on the ground with her husband standing there watching. Goddamn it! He would make them pay. Elizabeth was his. Nobody took what was his. Nobody! He’d learned things in Afghanistan that would make her pretty little red head spin. He would make her watch. He would skin Enwright alive, cut off his dick, and feed it to her. Then she would learn. Elizabeth would learn. He pressed his knuckles against his temples. Have to calm down, have to think. Once Enwright was dead, she would settle down, but now they couldn’t go home. They could still go to the cabin. No one knew where that was. Not even Elizabeth. Need money. Enwright has money. Just need to get some of Enwright’s money before I kill him. Need a plan. Need a plan. Need a plan.

*****

‚You’re sure Lizzie?‛ Graeme asked, using her preferred name and deliberately blocking her view of Enwright, who sat in the dirt rubbing his wrists. ‚I can keep you safe, no matter what’s going on,‛ he added. ‚For Christ’s sake, she said she was sure. We are both victims here, Sheriff. I’ve never met the woman before in my life. I saw a man chasing her, I followed. He shot at my car, I wrecked. I shot at where I thought he might be hiding, and my Tahoe started to slide off the edge. The lady helped pull me from the SUV, and I was covering her body while I looked for the gunman. You know the rest.‛ The radio at his side squawked. ‚Sheriff Kennedy, come in. We have an emergency near your location. Possible kidnapping. State police and FBI are on their way. Repeat, we have an emergency—‛ ‚Sally, will you please remember to use alternate channels and proper protocol under unusual circumstances. I’ll call you on my private line, standby.‛ He stepped away to get some privacy, uneasy about leaving Elizabeth so close to the Enwright fellow. ‚What is it, Sally?‛ he demanded as soon as the call connected. He listened, grunted directions, and disconnected. ‚Do you know what that call was all about, Enwright?‛ he asked. ‚I have a pretty good idea,‛ Michael answered, a slight smile on his face. ‚It seems your fucking Tahoe is equipped with a satellite tracker and called the police automatically when the crash was recorded and you didn’t answer.‛ Enwright didn’t respond, just waited. ‚Why didn’t you tell me who you are?‛ Graeme gritted out through clenched teeth. ‚You didn’t ask. You were too busy dropping me face-first into the dirt and kicking me. God forbid you worry about who I am or what might have happened to me. If you’d like to return my phone, I imagine I can at least keep the FBI from showing up here,‛ Michael said, holding his hand out for his phone.

He hit the speed dial. ‚Shit, Michael, are you okay? It’s a royal cluster fuck here. The FBI are all over the place. They said it was likely a kidnapping. What the hell’s going on? First you need a break, like some Mr. Goddamn Sensitive, now you trash the Tahoe.‛ ‚I’m all right, Jolynn. It was a freak accident. Call off the dogs. Tell the FBI to go home. I suppose I’ll stay around here a day or two to supervise the extraction of the Tahoe. Have Watkins ferry up the spare Tahoe, and he can take this one back. I’m afraid we’ll have to salvage it for parts. Call and order another one and have Watkins use the same specs for customizing,‛ he said. ‚Send me all new technology. You know what I need. Send it care of the local sheriff’s office.‛ He ended the call. He paused, thinking of what else he needed to do. In the momentary silence, he heard the sheriff asking the woman—asking Elizabeth, he amended—where she would stay. Her tearful reply that she had nowhere to go tugged at his heart. Michael interrupted. ‚Elizabeth, I’m sorry, I know we’re meeting under unusual circumstances, to say the least. My name is Michael Enwright, and my company specializes in security. Considering what we’ve been through together tonight, I want to offer you all of the resources available to Enwright Security. We’ll stop your husband. My company will put you up in a secure location while we track his movements. Believe me, we’ll find him. It’s the least I can do for your saving my life,‛ he finished sincerely.

‚Like hell you will. Lizzie will be staying with me. We’re old friends. I can keep her safe, and I have plenty of room. Besides, this is a matter for the local officials,‛ the sheriff said stiffly. ‚If that’s the case, Sheriff, you know the Phoenix Police Department will be taking over, and you’ll be shut out. Now that you know who I am, I imagine you know what I can do, what strings I can pull. I suggest we work together. I’ll have access to far more resources than you will, but I’ll be willing to share. I won’t even press charges against you. On one condition.‛ ‚What’s that?‛ Graeme asked suspiciously.

‚I’ll be staying with you, as well. Her husband got a good look at me. He’ll know who I am by tomorrow, if he watches the news. He’ll likely come looking for both of us, and together, you and I can keep her far safer than one of us alone.

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