“How is Oliver?” Piper asked as she poured out the tea and waited for the servant to step back. “Thank you so much. That will be all for now. We should be finished in an hour or so. Until then, I’d like to be alone with my cousin, please.”
The servant frowned, but nodded and bowed as he left the room.
They were finally alone. It seemed like Alea was never alone these days. “He’s recovering but very slowly. His brothers arrived a couple of days ago. When the doctors say he’s stable, they want to move him back to England.”
She’d met Callum and Rory at the airport and escorted them to their brother’s side. She’d felt a horrible pressing guilt the whole time. Oliver had been a target because of her. She’d apologized, but the brothers had hugged her and assured her they placed no blame on anyone but Yasmin. Callum had mentioned that if Oliver had followed his initial instincts and pursued Alea instead, none of it would have happened.
Yasmin had already been cremated, her urn placed in the family crypt by her grieving mother. Alea had felt so badly for her aunt. Though Yasmin had been horrible, her aunt had loved her only daughter. Her grief was complicated. She’d been horrified by what Yasmin had done.
So much sadness. And there had been so much rage in Oliver’s eyes. Even through the pain of his surgeries, she could see the hatred there that burned for the woman he’d once called his wife.
“I’m glad to hear he’s going to make it,” Piper said, putting her tea down and looking at the door as it closed. Landon was standing outside the door, his silent figure a monument to his protectiveness.
Unfortunately, she wanted his figure to be a monument to sexiness and love, but that hadn’t happened. Despite the fact that she’d tried to talk to them about why she’d refused the marriage in the beginning, they didn’t seem to be listening. Oh, the wedding plans were going through. They were scheduled to be married in the garden next week, but Dane and Landon seemed to be going through the motions with grim determination.
“Are you all right?” Piper asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine. No morning sickness at all. I feel great physically.”
In fact, the doctor had said she was healthy and that sex wouldn’t be a problem at all, even sex with all her fiancés as long as they were careful.
But Cooper and Landon were the only ones who had slept beside her in the four days that had passed since she’d leapt from the balcony and into Landon’s arms. She’d tried to explain, and Dane said he understood, but he’d been remote.
They were circling each other like wary sharks, and she needed to break the stalemate. She wanted her wedding to be a joyous occasion, not something they all went through for the sake of the baby.
“I wasn’t talking about your health physically. How are you emotionally?” Piper asked. “I saw that two of the other women from the brothel called you. How did that go?”
Jennifer and Lisa. She barely remembered them, but they had given her so much strength. She’d been terrified at first, but they had drawn her out, getting her to really talk about what had happened. They had cried, all three of them. They had cried for each other, for themselves, and for the girls who hadn’t made it.
“I’m starting a new foundation. I’m bringing Lisa and Jen into it with me. It’s going to fight international slavery and push the United Nations and other countries to advance women’s rights.”
Tears formed in Piper’s eyes, and she put down her teacup and reached for Alea’s hand. “A long time ago, Dane told me that how we handle the pain we’ve been given is the way we’re measured in life. A strong person can take the horror and pain and use it to make the world a better place. Lea, I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
She was excited about it, and especially excited about the fact that Jen and Lisa were going to get some of the others together for a visit at the palace so they could meet and talk and help each other heal.
Alea was going to reach out to Brittany, too. She was letting go of her anger because it had no place in her life. It solved nothing, but forgiveness and understanding…those could solve everything.
She was done with anger and bitterness. She was ready to move on, but she had no intention of moving on without Dane Mitchell.
There was the sound of a door opening, and Landon walked in. His blue eyes found hers, and she was shocked at how her heart pounded in her chest at the very sight of him. He nodded toward Piper. “Your Highness.”
“It’s Piper, Lan. In a couple of days we’ll be family, and no one in my family calls me Your Highness. Well, except for my sister, but it sounds more like Your High Ass. She’s a classy one, my little sis.”
Lan’s smile made him beam. “I’m excited to meet her. I’m also excited that Coop’s family is going to descend on the palace tomorrow morning. I think it might be the first time that monstrosity Tal calls a plane gets completely filled.”
Alea couldn’t wait to meet Cooper’s family. She just hoped she could remember all their names. There were six brothers and five of them were married with eleven kids between them. But first, she had a job to do. “Are you going to help me?”
Lan put a hand on her hair, smoothing it back. “Always, Lea. You’re sure the doc said it was all right?”
He was killing her, treating her like she was made of glass. “Lan, have you ever heard of pregnancy hormones?”
Piper shook her head. “Oh, honey. I have a load of those.” She also proved she had Alea’s back. “But it’s okay because your men are taking care of you, right?”
She was so glad Piper was on her side. She shook her head. “No. They’re not taking care of me. They’re very gently making love to me, but only once since we got back and only Cooper.”
Lan went a stark red. “Lea, baby, should we be talking about this?”
Piper stood up and wagged a finger at him. “How could you? Pregnant women need sex. Crazy, dirty, nasty sex. So, you liked having sex with her so much that she got pregnant, but now that she’s expecting, you’ve lost interest. Is that the way it is?”
“No. God… N-no, not at all. I’m so horny….” He shut his mouth and started to laugh. “This is one of those times when you two are having fun with me, isn’t it? Well, fine. I can deal. If you’re going to make it a royal decree that I get down and nasty with the love of my life and share her with my best friends, then I have no choice. I have to follow a royal order. Do you have the key to the dungeon, Piper? Cooper is going to get Dane down there in twenty minutes.”
Piper smiled and handed over a key. “You guys have fun. The bed is in the back if you decide to stay down there. There’s also a phone that goes directly to the kitchen. We had that installed a few months back because Kade gets hungry when he’s playing. Y’all have fun. I’ll keep Tal busy elsewhere.”
Lan took her hand and started to lead her down the hall. She threaded her fingers through his, but worry still swamped her. “Are you sure you want to do this with me?”
Lan looked down at her. “Do I want to play bondage games with the most beautiful woman in the world? Uh, yeah.”
“You haven’t seemed to want me lately.” He’d been perfectly polite and he’d said all the right things, but he hadn’t made love to her. “I said some terrible things when we first arrived at the palace. I was reeling and I didn’t mean them. And—”
“Stop. Lea, I love you. The last few days have been rough. You almost died, baby. You’re pregnant. I’m so worried that I’ll do the wrong thing.”
“I’m not fragile, Lan.”
“You sure felt that way when you jumped off the balcony and into my arms. If I had been off, if I’d tripped or stumbled, I would have lost both you and the baby.”
She hugged him close. “Oh, you never would have done that. You wouldn’t have dropped me. Why do you think I just jumped? I realize now that no matter what way I would have gone, someone would have saved me. Cooper came in through the back rooms of the suite so he would have found me in the bedroom. Dane came in through the front. And you were going to climb right up to the balcony. I was protected on all sides. She didn’t have a chance.”
“She had a chance to take a shot at you.”
“Don’t, Lan. I want this afternoon to be perfect. I’m alive. Our baby is alive. The doctor said I can have sex just about any way we want. We only have a few more days to have crazy single sex before we move on to crazy married sex.” She sighed and rested her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heart. “Please, Lan. I need to know if I’ve lost Dane.”
“You haven’t lost any of us, baby. Dane just feels the weight of what happened. And I’m a little worried that he thinks he needs to change. That’s why Coop came up with this insane plan.” He leaned over and kissed her, his lips brushing against hers. “You have to prove to Dane you can handle the whole Dom thing. I know he thinks he can live without it, but there will be a huge hole in his life.”
And in hers as well because she craved the kind of dominance only Dane could give her. “I want him to be happy, Lan. And I want this part of him. I trust you and Dane and Cooper. I love you all so much. I want to try everything. I don’t want any walls between us.”
“All right. Let’s get this ball rolling then. You’re wrong about the single sex though, baby. I haven’t been single since the minute I saw you. I think I married you in my heart a long time ago.”
God, he always said the right things. He thought he was inept, but he always knew how to calm her. She smiled at him, and they started down the hall, to the dungeon, where their lives together were going to begin again.
* * * *
“It’s down here,” Cooper said, practically pulling Dane along.
What was up with that? Dane pulled back.
“Coop, the only thing that way is the dungeon.” And he didn’t want to be there. God, he hated the fact that there was a dungeon right here and he would never step into it with Alea. He would never lovingly bind her and torture her for their mutual pleasure. He would never hear her call him Master.
Husband. He had to be satisfied with being her husband. She couldn’t handle the missionary position, so he definitely couldn’t expect her to climb onto a St. Andrews Cross and count it out for him.
“Yeah, what I need you to see is in the dungeon,” Cooper insisted. “Come on, man. It’s a surprise for Alea. It’s for our wedding night.”
“In the dungeon?”
Cooper shrugged. “It’s the one place I don’t expect her to look. Come on, Dane. Don’t tell me you’re still having doubts.”
About loving Alea? Not a chance. About being the right man for her? Yeah. He was having all kind of doubts about that. He could still remember the minute he’d seen the guard dead in front of her room, his body lying there like a message to Dane. You’ll lose her. You can’t keep her, you fucking pervert. You ruin everything you touch.
He could still hear his ex-wife and his father. He’d lost one family over his needs. Was he ready to lose another one? Did he even deserve another one?
“I love Alea, but the last couple of days have been rough. I had to kill her cousin. I think I should give her some space.”
“Her cousin was a jealous whack job who was trying to kill her. I think she’s going to be fine with you pulling that particular trigger. The al Mussads are wonderful, but I have to say that the extended family leaves something to be desired. First Khalil and then Yasmin. I think we should take a look at the old family tree and prune it proactively of any other cousins who don’t live in the palace. Really, it’ll save us so much time and crap in the future,” Cooper said.
Dane turned to him. They were getting closer to the dungeon, and he really didn’t get Coop’s good mood. Well, he did. Coop had been making love to Alea. Coop had been wrapping himself in her sweetness. Lan was too worried. And Dane just kept his distance. She hadn’t wanted him since their time on the island, and he couldn’t shove his needs on her. Alea was pregnant, and he’d forced her to marry the three of them. Oh, she’d said all the right things lately, but she’d only said them after she’d learned about the baby.
“This isn’t something to joke about,” Dane growled.
Cooper sighed. “Buddy, you have to get out of this mood.”
“She almost died.”
“But she didn’t. She’s alive and needs to know that we still love her. She needs to know that her men will always be here for her.”
Probably. But did she love them? If he could shove his darker desires down, maybe after a while she would.
“I’m not going anywhere, Coop.” He would be right there standing beside them when they married Alea, and then he would prove he could handle being vanilla. He would prove he could find a place in this family. And not entering the dungeon would only prove now that he was a pussy. Tal was a Dom. If Dane was going to live in this palace, he had to get used to being around all the things he couldn’t have.
“I know, but you’re not really here either. You’re just existing, and it shouldn’t be that way. We’re getting married. We’re having a baby. This is the time of our lives, and you’re stuck in the past. It’s time to get you unstuck.” Cooper put a hand on the door.
“Man, you need a key to that.” Tal didn’t just leave the dungeon door open.
“Not today, I don’t.” Cooper turned the knob and pushed open the heavy door.
“Holy shit.” Dane stood there for a moment because the dungeon wasn’t empty. Not at all. Two occupants waited for them, one gloriously naked.
Alea. His beautiful Alea was bare and standing next to Landon, as they looked over a tray of jewelry. Not jewelry. Toys. Clamps and beautiful chains. All lovely things to decorate a submissive with. He felt his cock go stiff and long, pressing against his slacks as though trying to punch its way out.
“What the hell is this?” Dane croaked hoarsely.
“Baby, you’re on,” Cooper said. He was obviously in on whatever this was. He shrugged out of his shoulder holster and put it within reach, and started to pull off his shirt. “Just like we practiced, Lea. Dane, lock that door. Piper knows we’re in here, but I wouldn’t want the staff to walk in.”
Running on autopilot, Dane shut the door, his whole body on the edge. He locked it because they apparently had something to say, and Coop was right. They didn’t want anyone walking in.
He stared at the dark wood of the door, unwilling to turn around and see her again. “Alea, what is this about?”
“It’s about you, Dane.” Her voice sounded slightly unsteady. “I love you. I want to play with you now and for the rest of our lives. I want to give you what you need. Cooper and Landon want to play, too.”
“I don’t need this, Lea.” He forced himself to swallow down a long breath. “We’re fine the way we are.” He would never force her to do something she didn’t want. “I won’t treat you like your captors.”
The last few days had been about far more than just the fact that Yasmin had tried to kill his woman. He’d read every article that had been written about the crash and all the crap those reporters had dug up. Tal had done a good job of keeping it quiet the first time, but the press had gone insane when Alea’s plane crashed. Every sordid truth had been detailed. From her kidnapping to the nastiness of the brothel, to ways she’d been tortured and the fact that she’d been force-fed heroin.
He couldn’t take her control again.
A soft hand cupped his shoulder. “You don’t ever, ever compare yourself to them. I won’t have it.”
He turned and was surprised at the anger in her dark eyes. Tears shimmered there, too, but her mouth was a flat angry line. “Lea…”
“Not ever, Dane. They were evil, and you’re so good. You’ve spent your life protecting people. You gave up your career to save lives. You are a hero, and I will not allow anyone to make you think less of yourself. I am so sorry I forced you into a terrible position in front of Talib. I really do want to marry you. I want you. Can you forgive me?”
Something deep inside him softened. She was standing here, naked in front of him, her fierce soul finally on display. Yet she was trying to protect his nasty ass. Though he outweighed her by a hundred pounds, she looked ready to take on anything that might be a threat. For him. Cooper had been right. This wasn’t a woman who gave a shit about how much money he had or his social status. She’d been trying to spare him, but he didn’t want to be spared. He only wanted her and he wanted her happy and safe and whole. After years of living the lifestyle, he finally understood. It wasn’t just about putting her needs before his. It was about putting her first always. She was the center of their universe. Alea and their babies were everything to him. They were his future.
“I forgive you. Alea, baby, I love you. I don’t need this. I know I’ve been a little aloof, but you just answered every question I had. We’re okay. Let’s get you dressed and go back to our room, and I’ll make love to you properly.”
With all the gentleness she deserved. He would let her make the pace and only take what she was willing to give. He could handle it.
“Properly?” She frowned his way. “That sounds boring, Dane. I want you, especially that dirty, nasty side you’ve been trying to pretend doesn’t exist.”
Dane sighed. She seemed determined to not make this easy on him. He felt his whole body tighten. “Lea, you don’t understand what you’re asking for.”
She took a step back, and he missed the heat of her body. “Yes, I do. I was on that island. I know what you want. I can handle it, Dane. I can more than handle it. I want it. I crave it.”
She was so fucking gorgeous. Her whole body was a fucking temple, and he worshipped it. From the pitch black of her hair to her round breasts to the sweet curve of her belly and the flare of her hips. He loved her fucking feet. He usually didn’t give a shit about feet, but hers were so sweet. He always had the craziest impulse to rub them and kiss them because they held her up and moved her along beside him.
“Lea, after everything you’ve been through, you don’t need my damage.”
“It’s not damage, Dane. It’s part of you, and I damn well do need it. I wouldn’t be where I am if you hadn’t pushed me.”
Tal had said that Alea needed him most of all, especially his Dom side. Maybe…the sheikh had been right.
“Do you know what I did today?”
His heart was aching because she was everything he wanted in life. “What?”
“I set up an international agency to fight for women’s rights across the globe. I made plans to meet with women who were taken at the same time I was so we can talk and make plans so that what happened to us stops happening to other young women. I became more than a victim. I became a force that those who took me and everyone like them will have to deal with.”
Damn, those tears were starting again. He’d looked at her so long ago and he’d known what she could be. This warrior in front of him was the woman that girl had become. She could change the world if she set her mind to it.
“Lea, baby, sometimes bad shit happens to the right people. It sucks and it’s horrible but those people can fix things for everyone else. You’re that person. You can stand up for everyone else. This is why it happened to you.” He hated that she’d gone through so much pain, but she had an opportunity to make the world better. He’d spent years fighting in wars, but Alea was the one who would truly fight the good fight. And he would be right there, protecting her.
She stared up at him, her eyes so passionate. “And this is why everything that happened in your childhood, with the Navy, and with your wife happened to you. Dane, can’t you see that? These roads we’ve traveled, they were hard and rough and they made us the people we are. They brought us here—together. I couldn’t have become this person without you, Landon, and Cooper. And this damage you’re talking about…you endured and grew because of it. It’s your strength. Damn it, Dane, it’s our strength.”
She took a step back and sank to her knees in a perfectly graceful move down to slave position, her knees splayed wide and her palms up. The black waterfall of her hair reached to her breasts, the ends almost tickling her nipples. She squared her shoulders. The deeply submissive position left her pussy and her breasts on glorious display. Her nipples were erect, pointing his way, as though trying to tempt him to lick them and suck them into his mouth. And her pussy was a jewel, gold and pink, with just a hint of the arousal he wanted to flow from her.
Landon walked up to her left side, and Cooper to her right. They had both shucked their clothes and each one only had eyes for Alea. They were staring down at her, longing plain on their faces. They were ready for some playtime with their fiancée, their woman, the center of their goddamn whole world.
“We all want this,” Lan said.
He hadn’t counted on the fact that he wasn’t the only one who needed this.
“None of us would be here without you, buddy,” Cooper said. “It’s time to claim our sub.”
Their submissive. Such a misnomer. Submissive. Dominant. They were just words to describe a truth. In the end, they were just men in love with a woman. It was just another way to express the fact that he was crazy about her and he’d do anything to show her.
“Do you need this, Alea?” This had to be about her. At some point, his world had shifted and his own needs had taken a backseat.
Her eyes came up, and he saw only truth in them. “I crave this, Dane. I need you. I want to explore what we found on that island. I want to make it real.”
It had always been real. He’d just been afraid to trust in it. Fuck. It was everything he’d ever wanted. More than he deserved, and only a stupid man would turn it down.
Dane Mitchell wasn’t stupid.
“Eyes down, Alea. And spread your knees wider. Spine straight. For tonight, the only safe word you need is ‘no.’ Later we’ll come up with a fun word so we can play all sorts of nasty games, but for now, a simple ‘no’ will suffice.” Relief flowed through his body. He felt like a prisoner who had just been granted parole. Or a man who had received full forgiveness and learned that he’d never really sinned at all.
This was his woman. This was his family.
“Landon, I think we should warm our little sub up. She’s been quite a brat lately. Actually I think she was born a brat, but we can handle that, can’t we?” Dane heard his voice go deep, and it felt so fucking good. He pulled his shoulder holster off. His eyes strayed back, thinking about the door.
“We absolutely can handle her. And relax. We’re perfectly safe here,” Cooper said as though he could read Dane’s thoughts. “The whole palace is in lockdown for the rest of the day. I believe Piper and the al Mussad boys are having a private meeting up in her rooms. Talib doesn’t like to be interrupted. We have nothing to worry about.”
Dane would always worry about her. He would always need to keep her safe, but there was a time to let that worry go and to revel in the love they made. He pulled his shirt off. “I need to order new leathers.”
He wanted to take her to a club. He would take such pride in showing the world the woman he shared with the best men he knew. He imagined how beautiful she would be on a St. Andrews Cross, her trust for her men plain for the world to see.
“I think we all need to order some leathers because the thought of really topping her is doing something for me,” Lan said. “I think the dungeon might be the only place where I can be in charge with her.”
Alea frowned prettily. “Oh, it hasn’t felt that way, Landon. You’re always bossy with me. ‘No, Alea. You can’t have a moment to yourself. No, Alea, you’re not going to the marketplace.’”
Dane stared down at her. “Every word that comes out of your mouth makes the orgasm trail that much longer.”
She grinned, obviously misunderstanding.
Cooper snorted a little. “Honey, he means your orgasm is at the very end of a long trail, not that the trail is littered with orgasms.”
The sweetest pout hit her lips. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
Still, she put her head down again, regaining her submissive pose.
“I think we all agree that in the real world, we’ll let Alea have her say.” Dane fixed his gaze on the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. “But here, we’re the Doms. We’re her princes and she’s our princess.”
She kept her head down, but there was no way to miss her slow smile. “You three are always my princes. And I’m ready to do your bidding.”
Only one thing was holding him back. “Alea, what about our baby?”
He didn’t want to wait nine months to claim his sub, but he would. He would wait forever because there was no other woman for him. He’d gone into his first marriage because it had seemed like it was time to marry. This was something different. This was worth waiting for. He’d made a mistake before because there was only one marriage that counted, and that was the one he fought for, bled for, and lived for. Their Alea. Their family.
“We’ve talked to the doctor, and he understands what is involved with a Bezakistani marriage,” Alea explained. “Piper is farther along than I am, and her activities haven’t been curtailed yet. So we’re in the clear for now. Let’s not waste any time. Love me. I want you all to love me. I need my men to come to me as the Dominants you are.”
His cock twitched, begging him to jump at the offer. She was a smart woman. She knew her mind, and she damn well knew what she wanted. He dishonored her to think she didn’t. She was his and she was ready. “Hands and knees, Alea. Did you think you could refuse to marry us and there wouldn’t be some punishment?”
She moved, but not before he caught her smile. “I should have thought about that, Sir.”
“Master,” he corrected. God, he loved the way that word sounded. He’d never been anyone’s Master. He’d only ever been a Sir. A Master was committed, devoted, forever. “You’re about to marry me. I’m your Master. I won’t ever have another submissive. You are the end-all, be-all of my existence as a Dom, so give me my due.”
She shifted on the floor, moving forward and finding her position on her hands and knees, her hair hanging down around her.
“Yes, my Master,” she breathed, emotion choking her voice. “And I deserve some discipline for the other day. It was never about not loving you all. I love you so much. I ached the whole time we fought. I should have trusted you to be strong enough to stand with me. I should have trusted us.”
“Why? What have you learned?” He wanted to hear it. He wouldn’t believe it until it came from her lips.
“I should have turned to you because families face hard times together. Because my problems are your problems. We share everything. The good and the bad. I promise you, I will never push you away again. I will cling to this relationship because it’s my life.”
A well of peace opened inside Dane’s heart. He’d waited his whole life for those words with these people in this one place where he belonged. He let go of the leash he’d kept himself on forever. “Never again, Lea. You will never place me in that position again because I will do the same thing. I will fight back and I will fight dirty because you belong with us.”
“This is where we all belong,” Cooper said, running his hand across her back, worshipping her skin with his own. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”
“You’re so gorgeous.” Landon touched her hair, skimming it with his fingers. “I love you like this. You’re pretty in those gowns and stuff, but I always think of you naked and kneeling.”
Dane walked around to her back, enjoying every inch of the view. Her spine was straight, her knees splayed wide so he could just start to see her pussy. It pouted between her legs, glistening with a light coating of her juice. That peach would be even riper and more ready after he was finished. “Gentlemen, let’s get started. We all need to know how to spank this ass. Landon, you start us out. For now, it’s a count of twenty.”
Landon didn’t hesitate. He moved to her backside, getting on his knees and bringing his hand back. He proved he’d been listening on the island. He used the flat of his hand on the fleshiest part of her ass. A loud smack reverberated through the room. He loved that sound and the way Alea gasped, her whole body flushing beautifully. She held herself still. Her hair moved, and he could see the way her shoulders shook as the erotic torture continued. Lan smacked her ass again and again. Dane walked over so he could watch. He loved the way her flesh moved under Lan’s hand, the color turning a pretty pink.
“Hold your hand on her ass. Let the heat sink in.” He needed to teach his partners so they would always know how to discipline their sweet sub. “Let me show you.”
Lan immediately stepped back, allowing Dane to move into place. They moved almost fluidly, and it sent a wave of calm through Dane. They could do this. The Dom in him was possessive, but it was easy now, because Alea needed Cooper and Lan. And he needed them, too. This life he was embracing would be extraordinary because he got to share it with his friends.
“Make it a quick smack, then a slow burn.” After five quick smacks to that round ass, he let his hand grip her, feeling the shudder go through her. And he could smell what getting naked and kneeling before her Masters had done to her. The musky spice of Alea’s arousal tightened his cock and made him crazy. He wanted to mount her and shove his cock deep, taking her over and over until he’d imprinted himself on her, but that wouldn’t serve his purpose. Patience was required. Patience would make the pleasure so much more stronger, would bond them all together. “Are you all right, baby?”
“I’m getting my ass smacked, Dane. All right is a weak description.”
He loved her bratty mouth because it just made it all the easier to discipline her. “That’s another ten.”
“Dane,” she pleaded, her head turning back. “Dane, I’m already dying here.”
It was time to really begin her training. She needed to learn patience as well. “You keep your eyes to the front unless I tell you otherwise.”
Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
He held his hand tight to her flesh. She was turning a glorious shade of pink, and he could feel the heat radiating from her flesh.
Cooper got to his knees on the other side of Alea. “Let me help.”
And Landon could start getting things ready. It seemed to have been his role in this plot. Dane couldn’t be angry about it. It had been a huge gift his partners and their woman had given him.
“Landon, find a proper pair of clamps. I think we should dress our little sex toy before putting her to good use.”
Alea’s little moan let him know she was okay. There were still so many things that could trigger bad memories for her, but they wouldn’t know how far they could go without pushing her boundaries. He nodded at Cooper, and they took turns smacking her ass, finding a rhythm. Alea swayed slightly and the throaty sounds that came from her mouth went straight to his dick.
When he finally counted thirty, her head had dropped, shoulders relaxed, and she simply swayed with every slap to her ass. She wasn’t fighting or struggling. She was floating on pure sensation. She was right where he wanted her.
“Such a good sub,” Dane muttered, allowing his hand to stroke her hip. He leaned over and placed a kiss on the small of her back. He wondered how pregnancy would change her. She would be so beautiful, all round and soft and filled with their child. He would coddle her and spend his days rubbing her feet and her belly. Yeah, he was looking forward to that. “I think a good submissive should get a treat.”
His fingers trailed down and found the soft flesh of her pussy. It was engorged with blood, a flower in bloom. His fingers slid easily around her labia and around her clit.
“Dane, Dane. It feels so good. I’m so aware. I can feel everything,” she said on a moan.
That was the whole purpose of the spanking. He’d forced her out of her own head and left her no choice but to be in the moment with them. A woman as smart as Alea could sometimes get lost in her thoughts and worries and be unable to connect with the intimacy of sex. Especially given what she’d been through, Dane wanted her wholly in the moment. In this dungeon, there was no room for anything but them. There was only pleasure and erotic pain and the deep connection between lovers.
She whimpered a little as he brushed against her core.
“Do you want a cock up this pussy?” He loved dirty talk, but he’d hesitated until now, worried it would send her back to a bad place.
Not this time. She thrust her backside toward him, trying to lure his fingers deeper. He immediately pulled back and smacked her ass again.
“Dane, please.”
He loved hearing her plead. It showed him just how far they would come that she felt safe enough to play this way. It gave him so much peace and made him feel powerful. “No, Alea. You’re not in control here. I believe I mentioned there would be a point when I took the power back. Well, tonight is the night, my love. You’re going to be sweet and obedient. Only then will you have pleasure like you’ve never known. But not until we’ve had our fun. Now, on your knees. I believe Landon has found some pretty clamps to decorate your nipples.”
Landon walked up carrying two pretty ruby clamps. He approved of the choice. He could control just how tight they got, making them bite into her nipples but not so tightly she would be in danger of real damage. Lan turned them over and he held them up as Cooper helped Alea get to her knees, her lovely body flushed with frustrated arousal. That was just how he wanted her. He moved to the front and showed her the dangling clamps.
“They look like earrings, but I know what they’re for,” she said with a soft smile. “Do you want me to hold my breasts up for you, Master?”
God, she knew what she was doing. He dropped down beside her. “I think I’ll deal with that in a moment. First, I forgot to do something. I want to set up a few rituals and traditions. Rituals are very important in BDSM, but each relationship can have different ones. I want to talk about how you greet your Master, even when we’re in the vanilla world.”
She ran her tongue along her lower lip. “I’m listening.”
“You always kiss me. When I walk in a room, you are to find me and greet me with a kiss.”
“I can do that, Master.” She tilted her head up, offering her lips.
He took her head in his hands and kissed her. He didn’t waste time with nibbling and playing. He devoured her like the starving man he was. Days had gone by without a single taste of her, and he couldn’t do it again. He needed her. He would kiss her and love her every day. Even on days when they couldn’t make love, he would get a taste of her like this so she was always on his tongue, a reminder of why it was so good to be alive. He forced her mouth open and slid his tongue against hers in a silky dance. Over and over, he thrust in and dragged out in a perfect imitation of what he wanted to do to her.
When he was breathless and aching, he brought his head up and broke the kiss. He stared down into the brown eyes that kicked him in the gut every time he saw them. “That’s what I want from you.”
Her eyes were warm as she looked up at him. “I want it, too, Dane. I want it from all my men.”
“Then you’ll have it.” He got up and allowed Cooper to take his place.
Cooper kissed her, pulling her against his body and rubbing himself all over her. The minute he moved, Landon was all over her. None of them wanted to wait. They all wanted their kisses. And they were about to get a whole lot more.
“Landon, I know how much you love our sub’s breasts. Why don’t you get them ready for her clamps?” Dane asked.
“Absolutely,” Landon agreed. He wrapped her in his arms and forced her chest up so his mouth was level with her breasts. He sucked a nipple into his mouth, pulling hard on it.
Alea’s breath hitched, her whole body wrapping around Landon as he began to suckle her breasts. Landon lavished them with affection, biting and sucking and rubbing his face against her. He made sure her nipples were hard little nubs, ready for the kiss of the clamp.
Landon pulled back, and Cooper had already moved into position. They were already a well-oiled machine. Cooper got behind her, his big hands cupping the breasts Lan had made ready. He held them up like the ripest of fruit, offering them to Dane.
Dane held the clamps up, allowing them to dangle so she could see them. “The rubies will look beautiful against your skin. Well, this pretty red glass will.”
Alea shook her head. “You’re kidding, right? Tal doesn’t do anything halfway. Those are two carats apiece, and I assure you they’re natural and not lab created. Welcome to your new world, gentlemen.”
Fuck. He was about to clamp his sub with a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of jewels. Before it would have made him nervous, but now he was happy they were real. She deserved real. Alea didn’t need money from him. She had millions in her trust funds. But he did have something she needed, something only he could give her. He had his love, and she’d made him realize that his love was worth something. “I assume the actual clamp is real gold. All the better to bite you with, my dear.”
He took the left peak in one hand and twisted it with a nasty little nip before sliding the clamp on and tightening it. She would definitely feel that. He gave the right nipple the same attention before he clamped it and sat back to look at his handiwork.
Her breasts were gorgeous, the nipples a dark red. He’d been right. The rubies shone against the gold of her skin, making her look like a work of art. They would bounce with her breasts when they finally fucked her.
Dane got to his feet and made quick work of his boots and slacks, tossing them aside and setting his cock free. He was harder than he could imagine. The damn thing was nearly pulsing in his palm.
“Lea, it’s time to serve your Masters.” He stepped in front of her, placing his hand on her hair. “I love you, you know that, right? You can stop this at any time, and we’ll take it slower. We can take all night.” His dick protested, but his dick wasn’t as important as she was.
She smiled up at him. “I’m fine, Dane. This is nothing like what happened to me. This is warm and loving. I’m not going to let what happened then hold me back now. Yes, I’m ready to serve my Masters because they serve me so well. I want to return the favor.”
A savage joy raced through him. She was fine. And it was time to push some boundaries. “Gentlemen, why don’t you join me? It’s time to see just how sweet our submissive’s mouth is.”
Dane held his cock out and everything in him tightened as he gripped her hair and let his Dominant nature flow.
* * * *
Alea looked at the cock in front of her and felt her eyes widen because Dane’s big, beautiful cock wasn’t alone for long. Cooper came to his left side and Landon to his right. Both had their cocks in hand, looking down at her with hot eyes.
Her whole body felt like it was on fire. Dane was a damn fine erotic torturer. She’d hoped that they would just fall on her and start the evening right, but no. That wasn’t Dom Dane’s way. Her Master wanted to make her crazy for him, Lan, and Coop before he was going to give her what she needed so badly.
But it didn’t matter. All that counted was that all three of her men were here and there were no more problems between them. The shadows of the past had been exposed to the light, and she didn’t need to cling to them anymore. She could be with these men and figure out who she was becoming. She couldn’t go back to the girl she’d been, but she could move forward and be a woman they would all be proud of. A woman who was strong enough to survive. A woman who could love the way she needed to love, without apologies and with a heart full of passion.
If Dane Mitchell thought this was torture, well, two could play that game.
She leaned forward and licked at the head of the thick purple cock in front of her. Dane didn’t say a word, but she could see how every muscle of his body tightened, and he was forced to change his stance so he wasn’t off balance. A little pearl of silky fluid pulsed from the slit of his dick. Yeah, he wasn’t as calm as he wanted her to believe. He was right here with her, desperate to connect in the way they only could through play.
Alea moaned a little as she swept the salty fluid up with her tongue and sucked the head of Dane’s cock into her mouth. She lightly scraped him with her teeth, then rolled her tongue around the head. She’d thought she wouldn’t love this, serving her lover in this way, but she’d been wrong. She loved sucking their cocks and feeling them in her mouth. So much power and so much trust between them.
She sucked Dane in long passes, forcing her jaw open a little more each time.
“God, baby, you give the best head. Do you have any idea what your mouth does to me?” Dane growled the words.
Alea let her eyes drift up to see Dane was watching his cock disappear between her lips. His face was a hard mask of desire. His hands tightened in her hair, pulling her hard onto his cock.
“Take more. Let me feel the back of your throat.”
He was huge, but she worked at getting him all the way in her mouth, until he filled every inch and she couldn’t move her tongue, could only move her mouth over and over his cock.
She pulled away finally, turning slightly toward Cooper. She had more than one Master. A long sexy huff came from Cooper’s chest as he pulled her toward him.
“Take my dick, baby,” Cooper said, his voice a harsh grind of words. “I want to feel you.”
“You suck their cocks, Lea,” Dane commanded. “You don’t stop until I tell you to.”
He moved away, and she got the feeling that he was going to play some more. He liked to challenge her, and he had a pervertedly devious mind.
She sucked on Cooper’s cock as she heard Dane moving around in the background, opening doors and pulling out drawers. What was he planning?
It didn’t matter because she was caught in the moment. She loved the way Cooper tasted. Of all three of her almost-husbands, he was the one who loved to talk during sex.
“I love how hot your mouth is. It’s so fucking tight, Lea. Cup my balls.” The hand in her hair became demanding, pulling and pushing her.
She reached a hand up and cupped his testicles. Landon hovered close, his hand on her shoulder as he watched her suck his best friend’s cock. She loved the way he didn’t blink, just stared. There was no jealousy between them, just lust and love. She reached up and gripped Landon’s cock, running her hand across the velvety flesh.
“Tighter, harder,” he commanded. “Be rough with me, Lea. I can handle it.”
She moved between the two of them, sucking each and running her tongue from tip to balls where she drew them into her mouth and reveled in the way her men shook.
She felt Dane move in behind her. “Keep it up, Lea. You’re handling them beautifully.”
And then she gasped because Dane spread the cheeks of her ass and chilly lube dribbled between them.
So much sensation. She felt alive from her scalp to her nipples, to her pussy and ass now clenching in anticipation.
“Don’t stop sucking, Lea, or we’ll have to start all over again. Right from the beginning.” She could hear the sadistic chuckle in Dane’s words.
He was going to kill her. She couldn’t go back. She was dying now. She sucked Landon’s cock in her mouth while she stroked Cooper’s.
Dane’s fingers, warm and insistent, played at the ring of her ass, pressing in and circling. She shivered, but she didn’t stop running her tongue over Lan. She wasn’t going to let Dane win. This was play, but she was going to win.
She switched to Cooper as Dane breached her ass, his finger rimming her before going deep.
“You can’t keep me out,” Dane murmured. “In a minute, you’re going to wonder why you ever wanted to. Let me show you a little trick. Keep pleasing Cooper and Lan, and I’ll give you a treat.”
She really wanted a treat. She wanted her men’s cocks but Dane seemed determined to make this last hours.
A second finger joined the first, but not in her ass. This clever finger found her pussy and drove deep.
It wasn’t nearly enough, but it felt so good. She pressed back.
Cooper groaned. “Whatever you’re doing, man, keep it up. Every time she moans, I feel it on my cock. I don’t know how long I’ll last.”
Dane was moving again, both fingers fucking into her. His free hand was around her waist, holding her still. “Don’t you come. Tonight we come together inside her. But she deserves to come more than once. After all, she has three men. She deserves all the orgasms we can wring out of her.”
Cooper pulled away. She looked to Lan, but he shook his head. “I’m close too, baby. That mouth of yours feels so damn good. Go on and get on your hands and knees. If Dane is doing what I think he’s doing, it’s going to be easier for you.”
He helped her ease to the floor, and she felt Dane’s thumb slip over her clit.
Oh, holy hell. Her whole body felt like it was going to light up. He had fingers in her pussy and her ass and he was rubbing her clit. Lan slipped a hand under her and played with the clamps, making her breasts flare. The sensation went straight to her pussy. She’d thought she was wet before, but now she felt her arousal peak, making her warm and wet. She felt Cooper’s hands on her, stroking down her back.
“Give it to us, darlin’. I want to watch you come,” he said. “Do you like having something hard and warm in your pussy and your ass?”
She nodded. Dane had found a rhythm, his fingers fucking into her before he finished with a long slow glide over her clit, only to start the whole process over again.
A loud smack cracked through the air, and Alea yelped.
“I asked you a question, Lea,” Cooper said, his hand touching where he’d just smacked. He seemed to be finding his inner Dom.
“Yes, Master,” she replied.
“Yes, what?”
He wasn’t going to let her get away with anything. Dane’s fingers were moving faster, making her blood pump and taking her breath away, but if she didn’t give Cooper what he wanted, Dane might stop. “Yes, I like his fingers in my pussy and my ass.”
“That’s my sub,” Cooper said.
Lan twisted the right clamp, and Alea gasped. Dane found some magic place, and suddenly she went off like a rocket, the orgasm detonating deep in her body.
As she came down from the high, Dane pulled his hand free. “That was beautiful, Lea. I’m going to clean up while Lan and Cooper get you on the bed. I don’t want to wait another second to get inside you.”
She sagged in Lan’s arms. He moved her so he could get an arm under her legs. He picked her up as he stood, his strong body never showing a bit of strain. She loved it when they carried her around. It made her feel delicate and feminine and so beloved.
Lan looked down at her, a smile tilting up the corner of his lips. His blue eyes were shining. “I love you, Lea.”
Her Landon. He was so sweet under that badass exterior. He was her protector, the silent one who had always been there, waiting to step in front of whatever came her way. “I love you, too. So much.”
He took her to the big bed in the back of the room. Cooper was already there, lying on his back, his arms open. His muscular body was spread out for her pleasure. Her Cooper. He was the one who always made her laugh, who kept the peace between them all when her stubborn nature surfaced.
“Come here, baby. I want you to ride my cock.”
Lan set her on the bed, helping her to mount Cooper. Her body was already coming to life again.
“I need to get the clamps off first,” Dane said, joining them on the bed. “I can’t leave them on too long.”
Her Dane. He was the one who held them together, the immovable object who wouldn’t allow them to drift apart. He’d been willing to fight everyone, even her, to make a place in her life. They were here because of him.
Her men. Her loves.
Cooper moved between her legs and she felt the head of his cock probing. He rolled his hips up and filled her with one hard thrust. “That’s where I’ve wanted to be all day. Now hold still and let them do what they need to do.”
It was hard to do when she could feel Cooper so deep inside her. All she wanted to do was ride that cock, but his hands were tight on her hips, holding her in place.
“This is going to hurt, but only for a second.” Dane was to her right, his hand moving for her breast.
“I’ll make the pain go away,” Lan promised.
They moved almost as one, both men removing the clamps from her nipples, while Cooper held her, his hips moving just a little, keeping them connected.
The blood rushed back into her nipples and she screamed, but her men were ready. Dane and Lan lowered their heads, each taking a tortured nipple into his mouth and soothing it with their tongues.
The pain that had flooded her sent a jolt of adrenaline through her system, rousing her from the drugged feeling the last orgasm had left her with. She came back to vibrant life as they suckled her nipples and Cooper filled her pussy.
Dane came off her nipple and kissed her roughly. His cock was straining and there was a tube of lubricant in his hand. “I love you, Lea. Are you ready?”
Was she ready to have all three of her men at the same time? Hell yes. She wasn’t afraid of being held down by them. Dane would cover her body with his, but she wouldn’t be caged. She was never more free than when she was with her men. “Yes.”
Dane kissed her again and disappeared from the bed. Lan got up on his knees, offering her his cock. She couldn’t help but admire those perfect abs and his cut chest. He was beautiful from his sandy hair to his strong legs to his thick cock.
“Suck me, Lea. I want to come in your mouth.”
She felt the bed dip as Dane moved in behind her. Cooper in her pussy, Lan in her mouth, and Dane taking her ass. With a smile, she leaned over and licked at Lan’s cock.
“Take a deep breath, then let it out, baby. You’re ready for this.” Dane rubbed more lube on her empty, clenching hole before lining up his cock. She could feel him, his hands gripping her waist as his cock probed.
He was so much bigger than the plug, and Cooper was enormous in her pussy.
“It’s all right, baby.” Lan smoothed her hair back. “He’ll fit. It’s just going to feel like he’s splitting you in two for a minute. Then you’ll stretch, and it’ll feel so good.”
“Done this much, Lan?” Alea was panting. The pressure was making her crazy.
“Don’t make me spank you, Lea,” Dane warned.
Lan winked down at her. “Yeah, baby, don’t make us stop and spank you.”
She had to watch her mouth. “You don’t have to spank me. I’ll be good.”
Maybe it was best that he just shoved something in her mouth so she couldn’t say anything sarcastic. A light joy overtook her. She wasn’t worried about anything now. She was fully here with them. The past could never go away, but now she could see that it had brought her to this glorious future.
She sucked Landon into her mouth as Dane breached her ass. God, she was full, so full. They took up all the space inside her, clear to her heart, and Dane was ruthless. He wouldn’t stop, gave her no moment to pause, simply fed his never-ending cock into her in one slow thrust. Dane and Cooper held on, forcing her to be still as they invaded, heating her from the inside out. She was full to bursting and they held themselves inside her.
“You ready, Cooper?” Dane asked, his voice a low rasp.
“She’s so fucking tight. I won’t last long.” Cooper’s hands were restless on her skin.
“I know I won’t last long either.” Lan winked down at her as he thrust into her mouth, filling her with his clean, masculine taste.
Her core was already humming, her skin sizzling with anticipation. She worked Lan’s cock, trying to concentrate. She ran her tongue over him and sucked hard, trying to draw him out. His pleasure was her goal.
“None of us is going to last, but the good news is we’ve got about fifty or sixty years to perfect it. I’ll take that. Let’s give this a shot.” Dane started to pull out of her ass, and she couldn’t help the gasp that erupted from her. Every nerve ending in her backside screamed with pleasure.
Dane pulled out while Cooper thrust up, his pelvis grinding at her clit.
Pure sensation wracked her. She sucked at Landon, trying to stave off the moment when she exploded. It felt so good, so sweet as she was rocked between them. She never wanted it to end. She was completely surrounded, utterly taken by them.
They found a pounding rhythm. In and out. Out and in. Someone was always deep inside her, filling her and bringing her closer and closer to the edge.
All the while she sucked at Landon. He fucked her mouth hard, thrusting until his cock hit the back of her throat. She swallowed hard and felt him pulse as warm come coated her tongue.
“That’s right, baby. That’s what I need.” Landon moaned, falling back as he popped out of her mouth.
As though they had been waiting, Dane and Cooper tightened, holding her close as they picked up the pace. She felt a hand slip between her and Cooper. Lan was on his knees beside her, helping his partners out.
“Give it to us, baby,” Landon said.
Alea rocked between them, her whole body on the edge, every sense engaged with them. They were her whole world, her sight and smell and feel. Her future.
Dane thrust in, his cock going deep, lighting her up. She rode the wave, rolling her hips, riding them as hard as they were riding her. She belonged here, with her men around her, worshipping her and allowing her to love them back.
Lan’s fingers pinched her clit and the orgasm was on her, more powerful than anything she’d felt before. She screamed with the pleasure, her whole body going nuclear. She felt Dane come, his big body shuddering as he spilled hot jets inside her.
And then Cooper thrust up, his cock surging and spilling, heating her.
She collapsed onto Cooper, Dane at her back. There wasn’t any room for fear now. She laid her head on Cooper’s chest as Dane rolled off, sliding to her side and wrapping an arm around her. Lan smiled down at her.
Dane’s hand found her belly, his palm resting over the spot where their baby lay. “Get used to this. No more sleeping alone for you.”
Tears filled her eyes even as her body still pulsed with the love they’d made.
She wouldn’t be alone again. Not ever.