by Rayna Stone
Ryan came trotting outside and helped Alexa to stand and immediately wrapped her up in a comforting embrace. Well, that was nice. James stood as well and turned ferocious eyes on Kelly. Yeah, take that, Xena. She was totally aware of how brave and powerful she felt with two strong men standing in her defense. Nobody had ever come to her defense before, and quite frankly, it wasn’t just nice, it kind of made her want to go a teensy bit overboard for all the bullies and ass-wipes from her youth. She was valiantly trying not to go ninja on Kelly when James’s voice thundered out. It was strange how he could keep a civil tone, and yet it still felt like a thunderclap.
“What the hell were you thinking, Kelly?”
“Well, James, I was thinking that there was a wolf in the area and, not being from PETA, I chose to take it down before it had a chance to do any harm,” Kelly replied sweetly. “If this is, in fact, Alexa’s pet, I’m not sure she should be allowed to keep it. It seems dangerous. Perhaps you could put him down if the thought of him getting shot is too upsetting for her?”
Oh no she didn’t. “That’s it. She’s getting cut.” Alexa was bouncing around behind Ryan’s substantial form, grabbing his upper arms for leverage. “Hear that, psycho? I’m coming over there, and you and I are gonna throw down!” Yeah, she knew how ridiculous she sounded, but she was a ball of fury and energy right now. She didn’t even care that she could feel Ryan’s body jiggle with his laughter.
“Ryan, could you please try to calm our little hellcat down a minute.” Turning back to Kelly, James’s face turned serious again. “Kelly, you know I love you, but I suggest you back down now. This is a perfectly safe animal. You know I wouldn’t allow her to have a dog I thought could harm her. And this kind of talk about killing dogs isn’t you, so why don’t you tell me what you’re playing at. Now. Before I lose my patience.”
Alexa would get back to the “allow” part later. What was he talking about? Was Kelly playing some sort of sick game with her? Why, for God’s sake? Was she still that kid that everyone teased and played mean jokes on? She thought these people actually liked her. All her energy evaporated, and like a balloon popping, she just deflated against Ryan’s back. He immediately turned to hold her again and flashed Kelly a murderous look. Like he knew how devastated Alexa was. He knew this hurt even more than losing her dog. How could he know that? And why am I so relieved that he understands? At that moment, it almost didn’t matter. Nobody had ever held her and comforted her like this, and she was going to soak it up. She’d been starved for affection all her life and right now she really needed it.
Alexa watched as Kelly took in the situation. She was confused by the change in Kelly’s demeanor. She went from aloof to concerned in a matter of seconds. “Oh honey, I wasn’t trying to play a game. I’m a bit protective of these guys, and they haven’t told me a damn thing about you yet. I know you’ve been hanging out with them, and I just wanted to evaluate for myself if you were interested in them or not. I admit I went about it the wrong way.” Kelly started to fidget a bit. “I can be a tiny bit extreme, but I figured if I placed you in a stressful situation that ultimately didn’t cause any harm, I could see how you reacted.” Kelly broke out in a beautiful smile. “And you were amazing. Not only did you threaten to take me out, which I may add, I greatly admire. But you didn’t even think before you called your men in to help you. That tells me all I needed to know.”
Brushing the nonexistent dirt from her hands at a job well done, Kelly straightened up and nodded to each of them. “So, I’ll pick you up at nine tomorrow morning. We need to shop for clothes and then head to lunch and finally the spa. The full works. Welcome to the girl’s club, honey!” And with that parting weirdness, Kelly turned and left.
* * * *
Ryan was praying to God that Kelly hadn’t screwed up all the headway they’d made in getting to know Alexa. She had good intentions, but damn, the woman needed reining in. They’d kept their budding relationship with Alexa quiet because they didn’t want to pressure her. If all their friends knew what was going on, they’d jump to bring her into the fold, and James and Ryan were afraid it might be too much at once. Their angel was a little skittish with people getting in her personal headspace, and their friends were all about diving in and making themselves at home. They should have known Kelly would do something dramatic.
Ryan couldn’t help the smile from spreading on his face as he popped the top of angel’s favorite beer. It was genius though. Now not only Kelly knew, but they knew as well. Alexa trusted them. She relied on them already. Just as any natural submissive would, she didn’t even think before instinctually reaching out for her Doms to come and handle a situation that caused her worry.
They hadn’t yet done anything to see if she liked D/s play, but it was the little things that gave Ryan hope that she would take to their lifestyle like a fish finally able to breathe in clear water. She took her cues from them and always tried to see to their comfort. And he knew that she was stunned every time they did something for her, but she liked it. It was impossible to miss how she lit up when one of them would hand-feed her or arrange her on the couch so they could both touch a part of her body.
Ryan walked into the little living room where Alexa was sitting with James. She had her head resting on his thigh, and her legs curled up on the other seat of the couch. She looked so tiny and confused. But she was ferocious just a few minutes ago. And he would not ever forget how unbelievably turned on he became watching her stand up for herself. She may be submissive, but she wasn’t going to let people walk on her like they had in the past. He couldn’t be more proud in that moment.
Chapter Eleven
James sipped his beer as he watched the myriad of emotions passing over Alexa’s face. God, she was so expressive. He really needed to see what she looked like when she came. He bet it was different every time. They were going to have to make her come a lot. He shook off the thoughts of all the ways they would be doing that, and hopefully soon, when she started to speak.
“So, tell me if I have this right. Kelly wasn’t being mean, she was…in her mental-patient way, trying to figure out if I liked you guys?”
They had tried to explain the motive for Kelly’s actions, but even he had to admit, it wasn’t really an easy explanation. And yes, it all boiled down to Kelly wanting to know if Alexa liked them, and if she was a good match for them. Kelly wanted to know if she’d call them in for help, and she had. He was trying not to get all retarded and stand on her front lawn to beat his chest while shouting “She’s mine,” but he could admit it was the first solid indicator that she trusted them to take care of her. And he could admit he owed Kelly for that knowledge. Though he would have to have a talk with her about her methods.
Reaching out to grab her hand and run his thumb over her wrist, he replied, “Basically, yes. She wanted to know if you deserved her seal of approval. She’s like a sister to us, and sometimes, she takes that a bit far. But you passed her little test with flying colors if that helps you forgive her inappropriate behavior. She should not have put you through that.”
Alexa thought about it for a minute. “No, it’s okay. I mean, yes, it’s fucked up, but if she feels that protective of you, I understand that she would want to make sure you weren’t with the wrong person. And I sort of like that I passed her test. As weird as that makes me feel. It was really that important to her that I call you? Why?”
Ryan left his chair to kneel in front of Alexa. “Well, baby, she wanted to make sure that you trusted us to come take care of you. For us, for our group of friends, it’s very important that you trust your partners. That you don’t try to solve all your problems or deal with all your burdens on your own. We believe that’s part of what makes a relationship strong. Knowing you can rely on each other. That you aren’t standing apart and living your life without a need for anything from anyone. If you don’t trust us to help you, or comfort you, then how can we trust you to do that for us? Or how could we trust you to tell us when you nee
d us? It’s fundamental in all relationships, baby. Without trust and honesty, communication breaks down, walls get built, and before you know it, you’re living your life on your own even if you’re in a relationship. And your partner is bound to fail you because they don’t know that they are.”
Wow, Ryan summed that up pretty fucking nicely. James was suitably impressed. Even more so when he saw the understanding and yearning on Alexa’s face. Those expressions of hers. She really wanted what Ryan had just described. She was so strong, had lived and fought her whole life, and he was really starting to believe she was the one he wanted to give all that to. She would treasure their love like no one else could. And they would give her what no one else had. He could actually feel the hope and promise of it swell inside him.
“But you’re the vets? Wouldn’t I have called you anyway?”
James laughed. “Think, honey. Three weeks ago, what would you have done?”
He could see the wheels turning when her face suddenly cleared. “I would have stayed in my car and just called the police first. You’re right. Even if I knew you better, I would still have just called the police first.”
Her tiny voice, barely above a whisper, called his attention back. “I’m in a club.” She turned those amazing blue eyes his way and he could almost feel the excitement bloom within her. “I’ve never been part of a group before.” She bounced off the couch and swiped her beer with triumph, like being an acknowledged friend of Kelly and the girls was the best thing to happen to her. At that moment, he could forgive Kelly and kiss her for making Alexa so happy with such a simple gesture. “Yup, I’m in a club with a psycho and I think I like it. I may make a spreadsheet for Kelly though. I have a great program that can document if she’s being nice, bitchy, or flat-out crazy and try to correspond those personalities with a time of the month. Maybe she has a natural cycle, like a circadian rhythm. It could be useful to know which Kelly you’re going to get. I’ve only seen the three so far, I wonder how many more there are.”
And there she went. Off into her head somewhere psychoanalyzing Kelly and imaging spreadsheets while downing her beer. Their angel was so damn cute. He really liked this woman. She may be right about Kelly, but he’d never tell her that she just became Alexa’s pet research project.
Ryan was laughing softly in the recliner and looked happier than James had seen him in a long time. She was such a perfect fit for them. And in just a few short weeks, they’d already become so relaxed in one another’s presence. He couldn’t wait to take her to the club tomorrow night and see how she reacted. Truth was, he was starting to wonder if it even mattered. If she couldn’t deal with what they were used to, and if they couldn’t find a way to readjust their normal routines, could he let her go? God he hoped she liked something, because BDSM was a part of who he was, and he just didn’t think he could cut it out like it didn’t matter, but cutting her out of their life now would be just as painful.
Ryan got up to get another beer and turn on the television for the movie they had planned to watch tonight when the doorbell rang. Before they could move toward it, Alexa came bounding out and opened the door. A short and stalky man, older and soft around the middle, stood in the doorway looking at their girl like she set the moon just for him. Who the fuck was this?
“Alexa.” That’s it. Just this guy saying her name pissed James off. And he was getting a creepy vibe, too. The alertness of Ryan’s posture told him that Ryan didn’t like him either. Reality check. Am I being a Neanderthal and just don’t want another man coming to our woman’s door and practically breathing her name on her perfect breasts, or is there something off about him? Probably Neanderthal. I’m an idiot.
As the seconds ticked away, James realized that Alexa wasn’t responding. He shifted his focus to her and immediately jumped from the couch when he saw how confused her face was. Ryan was right beside him. In one coordinated move, Ryan had moved her away from the door with his arm around her waist, and James stood in front of the older man. “What can we do for you?”
The sweet look of adoration on the stranger’s face was gone in an instant. His smile turned into a sneer as he looked up at James. “I was hoping to have a conversation with my niece. Who the hell are you?” Oh. James did not like the dismissive tone this jack-off was using. Before he could tell him exactly who he was, Alexa jumped in like a tornado waiting to unleash hell. It took him aback for a moment to see the intense change in her. He swore if this were a sci-fi movie he would be able to see the waves of hate pounding at this asshole from her entire body. What the hell was going on?
“Uncle? You’re the uncle? Look, I don’t know how you found this address, and I’m sure you understand the terms of the trust from your mother’s lawyers, but I’ll reiterate it for you. Real slow-like, so you understand. You are not to get a cent from that trust. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t give you anything. So I would appreciate it if you left me alone. I don’t want any more phone calls or letters to me or the legal team about your business ideas, and I definitely don’t want any more pleas for help. I do not know you. You do not exist for me, so please, just move on. I don’t want to cause you any trouble, but I’ve been informed that if you don’t stop harassing me for money, I can and I will get a restraining order against you. Last warning, Uncle Pete.” With that, Alexa slammed the door and stood looking at it and panting like she’d run a marathon.
James looked out the side window to see the bastard slowly walking backward to his car. He was just about to turn back to Alexa and ask her what was going on when he heard Uncle Pete roar, “You’re a bitch just like your mother was. A heartless, cold cunt!” Fuck that, Uncle Pete’s going down.
Before he could open the door, Ryan latched onto his sleeve and tugged him over to his side. Alexa had gone so still and stiff he could have tipped her over with a push of his finger. Her eyes were wide and vacant. He really wanted to educate that asshole on how to treat his woman, but she needed them more now. He nodded to Ryan and let him pick her up so he could follow them over to the couch. Alexa was going to have to trust them some more today. He needed to know what was going on so he could protect her. It was obvious she had been dealing with that guy for some time now, and she was going to stop doing it alone.
Chapter Twelve
Fuck. Fuckity crap fuck. Uncle Pete’s in town. The moment Alexa saw his face she knew who he was. She’d seen pictures of him from when he was younger, but up close and in person, it was like looking at her mother all over again. She didn’t know how long she’d stared at him, her mind locked back in that closet, before Ryan yanked her back to the here and now, but she was grateful he was there. She knew it was only a matter of time before this day came, but she was unprepared for how angry she’d be. How dare he? How dare he come to her home and bring back all those memories? How dare he expect that she owed him, a man she had never met before, anything? Where the fuck was he when she needed a goddamn uncle? Prison. Or off doing drugs and hurting people. Or just not giving a rat’s ass that he had a niece who needed a family. Well, fuck him. She wasn’t the one to disown him first, but as far as she was concerned, he was nobody to her now and she owed him nothing.
Looking around her little living room, Alexa felt a shiver race down her spine. This beautiful little home with its natural stone and all the candles she’d bought for it. The lovely leather couches and hand-carved coffee table. Even the antique dining table she simply could not pass up, really, nobody made furniture with such attention to detail like that anymore, it was all tainted now. It was hers. The first she had ever bought, in the first home she had ever owned, in the first place she had chosen to lay roots. And now the past was coating it like a greasy layer of filth she’d never be able to wipe away.
But her men had been here. She could feel them now, James rubbing her feet and Ryan cuddling her close. She could sense their worried eyes on her. James ran to protect her just like he had with Kelly, and Ryan was there to hold her again. Her defender and her comfort. She
’d thought about how similar they were since she’d met them. She just assumed that once you were with someone for so long, your personality differences weren’t all that great anymore. And they were very similar. Both easygoing and fun. They liked a lot of the same things and they both made her laugh. But now she could pick out subtle differences as well. James was more aggressive, naturally taking the lead, or like today, protecting her from the drama. Ryan was more subtle. He was the security, keeping her safe and seeing to all her needs. Even getting her a drink was something he just did without her even asking. What did they need her for though? She couldn’t give them anything, and she couldn’t catch up to them, they’d been together so long. How could she ever really be anything but a fun add-on to this relationship? And how long before all her shit made them realize she wasn’t so fun anymore?
Slowly coming out of her thoughts, she heard James say, “There she is,” before she gave him a tremulous smile. He didn’t put her foot down, just kept up the rhythmic massage. God, his hands were so big and warm. Her foot looked a bit ridiculous in them, but she didn’t want to pull away. She was starting to worry that she would never want to pull away.
Grabbing her favorite quilt from the back of the couch, Alexa tucked them all in and prepared to give them another piece of her past. She couldn’t tell them all of it yet, maybe never would, but if she really wanted to see where this could go with them she had to be brave enough to try harder.
She composed her face to look as unaffected as possible and began, “I never knew my grandmother. From some of the people I’ve met who did, she was a real nice lady. She was also a little on the wealthy side. And, well, a bit demanding when it came to her kids.
“When my mom took off with my dad, she cut her off. No money, no contact, nothing. But she really wanted to see me and my mom tried to use that, I guess. She kept me away from my grandma. Even went to court to prevent visitation.