It took a couple days before Joseph and I eased off on feeding Ashlyn painkillers. Neither of us could bear to see her in pain, and we only woke her for meals and to see to her essential needs before we dosed her again.
She wasn’t hurt. Not really. She had a small cut on her forehead. I knew how freely even benign head wounds could bleed, but the sight of crimson blood trailing down her pale cheek had made panic rip through my system.
If we hadn’t been ensuring her comfort, her entire body would’ve ached from the whiplash. Thank fuck the BMW’s safety features had protected her. The doctor we’d called to the house had promised she’d be fine after a few days of rest.
My car was totaled, but I didn’t give a fuck about that. I’d been more concerned about the structural integrity of the gates. Now that I’d almost lost Ashlyn, I was more fiercely protective than ever. I couldn’t allow our enemies the opportunity to slip into our safe haven. I couldn’t let them get to her.
They’d proven they were watching the estate when Ricky had threatened her at the restaurant. So, I’d paid a small fortune to get the gates repaired on the same day she’d smashed into them. The damage to the sturdy structure had been minimal, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
Our fortress was secure again, and no one would get in.
Or out.
If Ashlyn thought she could leave us, she was mistaken.
“This is our fault, you know,” Joseph told me as I paced back and forth across the bedroom. Ashlyn was taking a shower, her head finally clearing from the drugs. We were waiting for her to come out.
I didn’t understand how Joseph could so calmly sit on the bed. Anxious energy flooded my system. I had to keep moving, or I’d crawl out of my skin.
“She tried to run away,” I growled. “She got herself hurt. She has a severe punishment coming for that.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But we need to talk to her first. We scared her, Marco. We should’ve explained more before we played with her together.”
“That wasn’t play, and you know it,” I snapped. We’d never shared such an intense connection with a woman, and neither of us had even fucked her.
“I know. But she doesn’t understand. She said she’s worried I think she’s a slut.” His lips thinned and his fists clenched, his calm demeanor slipping.
I ground my teeth at the word. My innocent little princess was far from a slut. She might submit to our depraved games, but we worshipped her.
We had to make her understand.
Then, I could punish her. My body practically vibrated with the need to discipline her, to show her that I’d never allow her to put herself in danger again. She was my responsibility, and I’d protect her from anything, even herself.
After what felt like an hour, Ashlyn finally emerged from the bathroom. Her hair was damp, her cheeks pink from the heat of the shower. She’d dressed in her camisole and yoga pants instead of one of the sexy nightgowns Joseph had bought for her.
I didn’t like it, even if I could see her nipples through the thin top. She’d chosen this outfit as a barrier between us, a denial of the sexual chemistry we shared. If I could have my way, she’d be naked right now, crying out at the sting of my discipline while she squirmed over Joseph’s lap.
I took a deep breath. There would be plenty of time for that after we explained everything to her. I couldn’t stand the idea that she thought of herself as a slut. We hadn’t meant to demean her, and judging by her ecstatic reaction to us when we both held her, I hadn’t been prepared for her emotional backlash. She’d allowed us to cuddle her between us after her explosive orgasm, so sweet and trusting as she fell asleep in our arms. I’d assumed she’d wake up smiling in the morning, and we could discuss everything over breakfast.
We never should have left her alone in bed. She’d probably thought we’d abandoned her.
That had been our mistake. I intended to rectify it right now.
“Come sit with me, angel.” Joseph patted the mattress beside him. “We need to talk.”
She hesitated, shooting me a shy glance.
“All of us,” Joseph added more sternly.
She crossed the room slowly, but she sat beside him on the bed. I wanted to join them, to wrap my arm around her and hold her close.
But I couldn’t touch her. Not until I was sure she’d welcome me. If she cringed away from me now, it would tear me apart. I might damage things beyond repair if I pushed too hard. She had to be willing. She might be our captive, but I would never do anything to harm her or cause her distress.
Joseph wasn’t as hesitant as I was. He reached out and took her hand in his. She stiffened, but she didn’t pull away.
She still trusted him. She still cared for him.
Something ached deep in my chest, but I ignored it.
“You shouldn’t have run from us,” Joseph told her, his voice gentle despite the rebuke. “You got yourself hurt. And if you had left the estate, our enemies could’ve gotten their hands on you. We won’t allow that to happen.”
“I can’t stay here,” she whispered, pained. “I just want to go back to school. I…” Her voice hitched. “I don’t want to be here with you.”
I could hear the lie in her strained tone, but I didn’t call her on it. We needed to handle this with finesse, so I’d let Joseph take the lead. He’d always been smoother than I was. I couldn’t help being blunt and saying exactly what I thought. If I opened my mouth, I’d warn her about the dangers she faced without us to guard her. That wasn’t what she needed to hear right now.
“You can’t go back, angel,” Joseph said, soothing. “It’s too dangerous.”
She stared at him, imploring. “I can’t stay here with you. You think… You don’t respect me. I never should’ve agreed to stay away from school. No one respects me anymore. I’m just a…a slut.”
“I never want to hear you say that word again,” I growled, unable to hold back.
She glanced my way, then quickly dropped her eyes.
“Marco’s right,” Joseph said firmly. “Don’t use that word. You are not a slut. I respect you. Marco respects you. We care about you, Ashlyn. We want to be with you. Both of us.”
Her brow furrowed. “But that…that’s wrong. I’m supposed to be with you, Joseph.”
I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough that coppery blood spilled onto my tongue.
“But you want to be with Marco, too,” he told her. “It’s okay. We want it to be this way. This is how it should be. You were made for us, angel. Both of us.”
“I don’t understand,” she murmured, but her cheeks were pink with something other than shame.
“Marco and I like to share. We’ve always been this way.”
I remembered clearly how we’d fallen into this dynamic. Joseph and I had always shared a tight bond. I’d taken on the role of his protector when he was a scrawny kid, and I’d become responsible for him. He meant more to me than a brother, but I thought of him with similar affection I might feel for a younger sibling.
I was five years older, and I’d been with my share of women by the time Joseph was ready to lose his virginity. He’d opened up to me about how nervous he was. He’d asked me for guidance. So, I’d provided it. In person.
Telling him how to touch that woman to get her off had been the hottest experience of my life. It hadn’t taken long for us to start sharing in more extreme ways. Over time, Joseph had developed his tastes in kinky toys, but I’d always been the one who was ultimately in charge.
We might not engage with each other sexually, but Joseph was still mine. Mine to guide and protect. I’d always had his back, and it had killed me when he’d disappeared. During his time hiding out in Cambridge, I’d worried he was dead.
That still stung a little, as did Ashlyn’s distance from me. She thought she was supposed to belong to Joseph because she’d been with him first. Her insistence that she should share a relationship only with him was a mark of her loyalty, not a rejection of me. I admired her for that loyalty. Fuck, I wanted her fierce loyalty for myself. For me and Joseph.
We had to make her understand what we wanted from her. What we needed.
“My feelings about you haven’t changed because you kissed Marco,” Joseph told her. “I’m happy you want to be with him too. Don’t you care for him?”
“I…” She bit her lip against the admission. She still thought it was wrong, a betrayal to Joseph.
“Tell us the truth,” he prompted in a deeper tone that made her shiver.
“Yes,” she breathed.
He trailed his fingers through her hair, and she leaned into his touch.
“Look at Marco, and tell him how you feel.”
Her sapphire eyes met mine. They were still dark with confusion, but she uttered the words that made my heart squeeze.
“I care about you, Marco. I thought I was scared of you, but I’m not. Not really.”
I nodded. “So, you understand? We both need you, Ashlyn. We’ll never get jealous or fight over you. We’re supposed to be together. The three of us.”
“Don’t you want that, angel?” Joseph asked, coaxing.
She nodded, still too shy to give voice to her secret longings.
“I need to hear you say it,” I told her. “Tell us you want us.”
She licked her lips. “I want you,” she whispered. “Both of you.”
I finally allowed myself to close the distance between us. I wrapped my hand around her nape and bent down to crush my lips against hers. She was soft under my mouth, pliant. She shuddered and opened for me, welcoming me. I kissed her until she sagged into Joseph’s waiting arms.
When she was trembling and gasping for breath, I finally released her.
“I think it’s time to punish our naughty girl,” I told Joseph.
“Past time,” he agreed.
“What are you—” Before she could finish her question, Joseph had her over his lap.
She tried to kick out, flailing in surprise more than struggling to be free. Joseph caught her wrists and pinned them at the small of her back before settling his other arm around the backs of her knees, effectively ending her struggles.
“What are you doing?” she panted.
I stepped in front of her so she could watch me unbuckle my belt. I took it off slowly, allowing the leather to whisper against my jeans.
Her wide eyes fixed on my movements, and she licked her lips. My cock throbbed, but now wasn’t the time to explore the silky heat of her mouth.
“You shouldn’t have tried to run away, princess,” I told her. “You put yourself in danger. You were hurt. We can’t allow that kind of behavior.”
I doubled the belt over and touched the leather beneath her chin, lifting her face so she had no choice but to stare up into my eyes.
“We’re going to punish you because we care about you. We care enough to correct your rash behavior. You want that, don’t you?”
“I don’t want you to hurt me,” she said, her voice small.
“This is going to sting, babygirl.” I wouldn’t lie to her. “You’ll feel the heat of our discipline. I’m not going to beat you, but I am going to teach you a lesson.”
Joseph peeled her pants down her thighs, exposing her pert ass. He dipped two fingers between her legs, testing her pussy.
“You’re wet, angel,” he told her, his voice husky with his own lust. “You want Marco to punish you while I hold you down.”
“But why?” she asked, her eyes tight with confusion. “I don’t understand why I’m like this. It’s wrong.”
“It’s not wrong,” I countered firmly, increasing the pressure of the belt beneath her chin to keep her attention on me. “There’s nothing wrong about the connection we share. I’m going to give you five lashes for trying to run away from us. I think you’re ready for that. If you’re not, say the word now, and everything will stop.”
She stared up at me, and I watched her emotions flicker over her lovely face: doubt, embarrassment, longing.
She was ready.
“Okay, babygirl. Take a deep breath.”
She obeyed, and I withdrew the belt from her chin. I laid the leather flat on her exposed ass, letting her feel its cool caress. Joseph took a few more seconds to stroke her pussy, making her squirm.
Our eyes met in silent communication, and Joseph nodded his agreement that she was prepared. He moved his hand out of my way and braced his arm behind her knees again. She was trapped, locked safely in place for my discipline. Joseph wouldn’t let her flinch or wiggle away, and I didn’t have to worry about any of my blows landing in the wrong place.
I let the first lick fall, and the pop of the leather against her skin mingled with her sharp cry. A bright red line bloomed across her bottom, contrasting with her creamy flesh.
“That hurt,” she gasped out, her voice catching.
“It’s supposed to hurt, princess. You were a naughty girl, and you have to learn your lesson. Four more.”
I let the second hit land, and she squealed. She jerked in Joseph’s arms, but he held her fast. I lashed her a third time, putting a little more force behind the belt. She didn’t make any sound at all for a second, then a long wail left her chest.
“Just two more,” I told her smoothly, reassuring her. “You can cry if you need to.”
A harsh sob made her small body shudder. The sight of her tears didn’t upset me. She needed this. She needed the correction, the attention, the affection. Because even though I was causing her a little pain, I was taking her in hand to protect her.
I landed the last two lashes in quick succession, spreading out the sting. She shrieked, and her back arched as her muscles tensed for a moment. Then, she went limp against Joseph, her head dropping forward as her tears dripped down onto the sheets.
I let my belt fall from my fingers and held out my arms. Joseph passed her to me, and I cradled her against my chest as I settled down on the edge of the bed. I cuddled her close and kissed the wetness on her cheeks. She didn’t shudder or shy away from me. She tucked her face against my neck, and her fingers curled into my shirt.
Warmth expanded in my chest. I’d been right about her from the very beginning. Ashlyn might have given herself to Joseph a long time ago, but she was meant for me, too. She was mine. Ours.
Our sweet girl.