by Julia Sykes
“What’s up with Miller?” Smith James wondered aloud. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so serious.”
My eyes snapped to Katie of their own accord, and I tore them away with difficulty. “He’s just worried about Katie,” I forced out. I had to come up with some explanation that didn’t include bringing up all my baggage. I wanted to move to New York for a fresh start. I certainly didn’t want the team knowing that I was running from Miller.
“She’s still really messed up about the Mentor case,” I said as calmly as I could manage. “He doesn’t like leaving her side for more than a few minutes.” That was the fucking truth. I hadn’t been able to spend any time with my Sparrow since they’d gotten together.
The pure rage that twisted Smith’s features at the mention of the Mentor distracted me from my own anger. For a moment, I’d forgotten that his fiancé had suffered at the hands of the sadistic serial killer. The couple had come to Chicago to help Katie solve the case.
For a moment, I was worried I’d ruined the party by bringing up the dark subject. But seconds later, Smith’s silver eyes found Lydia where she was sitting near Katie. He took a deep breath and visibly calmed. When his gaze turned back on me, he grinned wolfishly.
“Well,” he said, glancing from Clayton and Rose and then back to me, “this has all gotten very blond. I’ll leave you to it.” He clapped Clayton on the shoulder in a knowing gesture. “You’re turning into an excellent pervert. I’m proud of you.”
Apparently, Smith had been informed of our plans for Rose. That, more than anything, drove home the fact that the entire unit really was open about their sexual proclivities. What would have made most people uncomfortable put me at ease.
“What’s he talking about?” Rose’s voice was touched with nervousness as she looked up at her Dom. “Did you tell him you’re planning something? You’re not going to paddle me again, are you? Because I told you I was sorry. I really, really am.”
Clayton touched two fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face to his. The gesture was achingly tender. I averted my eyes.
“I know you are,” he said with the unique balance of firmness and gentleness that told me he was a good Dom. He spoke only to her, as though I wasn’t there at all. “And I know you won’t walk home alone from the library at two AM again. Will you?”
“No, Master,” she whispered.
“No punishments tonight, beautiful,” he murmured, tracing the line of her red leather collar. “It’s Christmas.”
She kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Master.”
He took her slender hand in his. “Come on. I have something for you.”
“It was nice to meet you, Dex,” she said over her shoulder as he led her away toward the private rooms in the back.
She didn’t know it yet, but she’d be getting to know me a lot better in a little while.
I gave them a minute to get into a room before heading after them. I situated myself at the end of the long hall where the private rooms were located. Long minutes passed, and I leaned against the wall as I began to brood. Without a distraction, my mind kept wandering back to Katie. And to what Miller might be doing to her.
No. I shook my head sharply to drive the thoughts away.
It didn’t quite work, but driving into Rose’s tight little ass would do the trick. I could lose myself in the pleasurable high of dominating her.
I shifted impatiently as I waited for Clayton to signal me to join them. Time passed achingly slowly, but eventually he stuck his blond head out the door to their room and waved me over.
“You still good with this?” he asked, keeping his voice low so Rose couldn’t overhear. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise.
The smile that twisted my lips was a touch predatory. I needed this badly, and the prospect of fucking Rose sent a savage kind of relief coursing through me. Clayton’s brow rose, but he didn’t comment on my expression.
“Yeah,” I affirmed. “Thanks for the invite.”
A few beats of silence passed. His eyes roved over me, assessing. I could practically see the doubt stirring behind his eyes. He didn’t know me well, and he was about to trust me to fuck his precious sub. I needed to put him at ease.
“Is she ready for this?” I hoped my question would convey that her wellbeing was my top priority as well. I began to fall into my Dominant headspace, focusing on the needs of the sub who was gifting us with her body and her trust.
A low moan drifted through the open door. Clayton gave me a sharp grin, his mind made up. “More than ready.”
He stepped aside so I could join them in the kinky playroom. Rose was strapped down to a spanking bench, a small purple butterfly vibe teasing her clit. Her pale green eyes widened at the sight of me. She shuddered and let out a soft cry as an orgasm rolled through her. Just the prospect of taking both of us brought on her climax.
A cocky smirk tilted my mouth. “Yeah, you’re right,” I rumbled with deep satisfaction. “I think she’s ready for us.”
Clayton prowled toward her, and I shut the door, trapping her with us. A cute little whimper slipped past her lips.
Clayton tenderly traced the line of her jaw. This time, I didn’t look away when he lifted her face to his. Her back arched as he trapped her in his intense blue gaze, her ass lifting in invitation. It took effort to restrain myself from going to her and sinking into her tight heat.
Not yet. Her Dom would determine our pace. Even though I would be dominating her body as well, he called the shots in this scenario.
“I’ve always wanted to watch your expressions when I fuck your ass,” he informed her. “Dex agreed to help me with that.”
“Master…” she whined and wriggled against the bench, torn between erotic trepidation and longing.
He bent and brushed a kiss over her full lips. “Merry Christmas, gorgeous,” he murmured. “Do you like your present? Or should I take it back?”
“No!” she gasped out, jerking at her restraints.
I let out a low, arrogant laugh. Her eagerness was undeniably amusing. The high of our control over her body was getting to me, and the tension that had coiled at my core began to ease.
She blushed beautifully. Clayton trailed his fingers over her heated cheek.
“Don’t worry,” he told her. “You’re definitely on my ‘nice’ list. You’ve been very good for me this year. Are you going to be good for Dex, too?”
She nodded weakly, her lust-drunk eyes finding mine.
Fuck. I couldn’t wait any longer. Her pussy glistened with desire; she was wet and wanting, and her Dom had ensured her consent to this scene.
I freed my cock from my leathers and grabbed a condom from the bowl on the chest of drawers. Clayton glanced back at me as I sheathed myself. There was a hint of a question in his eyes in response to my haste, so I held his gaze until he gave me a nearly imperceptible nod of approval.
Rose’s tongue darted out to wet her lips as she watched me grab a bottle of lube. Without hesitation, I approached her and applied the slick liquid directly to her asshole. She cried out, squirming at the sudden cold against her most sensitive area. I chuckled as the sound went straight to my cock, making me impossibly harder.
I exchanged a last savage grin with Clayton, and lined two fingers up with her tight opening. I penetrated her slowly, opening her up for my use. She pushed back against me with a moan, a wordless plea for more.
“That’s right,” Clayton encouraged roughly. “Invite him in.”
Her eyes locked on her Dom, and her entire body softened as she surrendered for us. Satisfied that she was prepared, I pressed my cockhead against her asshole. She sucked in a sharp breath, but she remained relaxed for me.
Clayton’s fingers tangled in her hair as I began to slide into her ass. He watched her intently, his eyes devouring her. She stared up at him, and although I couldn’t see her face, I knew he was reveling in watching her erotic expressions as I claimed her in the most primal way.
My cockh
ead slipped past her tight ring of muscles. She gripped me hard, and I hissed out a breath. I eased into her in a slow slide that was torturous for both of us, the intensity of sensation keeping us hovering somewhere between pleasure and erotic discomfort. A raw, strangled cry was torn from her throat when my balls bumped up against her pussy. She rippled around me, and I groaned out my own tormented pleasure.
“That feels good, doesn’t it?” Clayton prompted her.
She nodded mutely, but he wasn’t satisfied.
“Say ‘thank you,’” he ordered. “Thank Dex for fucking your ass.”
“Thank you, Dex.” Her voice was little more than a ragged whisper.
His fingers tightened in her hair. “Louder. And address him properly.”
She clearly needed me to convey that I was in control of her body, even if her Dom was ultimately in charge. But he wasn’t the only one Topping her, and I was more than happy to take the pretty little sub in hand.
I withdrew from her almost all the way and drove back in harshly. The thrust caused her to rock against the spanking bench, pressing the still-buzzing butterfly vibe against her clit.
“Thank you, Sir!” she cried out.
My cock pulsed at the honorific. Her surrender consumed all my thoughts. I was fully in the moment, riveted by the dark pleasure we shared. I groaned in relief at the merciful release.
Keeping one hand threaded through her hair, Clayton unzipped his suit slacks and pressed his hard cock to her lips. He was easily as big as me, and the prospect of her taking both of us only increased my high. This was perverse, hedonistic. And she reveled in every dirty deed.
“I love the sounds you make when I fuck your ass,” he told her roughly. “I want to feel you whimper around my cock while he fucks you.”
He slid into her willing mouth, and I gave her another punishing thrust. She cried out around his dick, and he groaned in pleasure, never taking his eyes from hers.
“Fuck!” he ground out as he pushed all the way in. She took him completely, her mouth submitting to her Master’s will. She hummed, and he hissed another curse.
His fingers speared into her hair, holding her in place so he could fuck her mouth. I began to match his rhythm, taking her ass with equal intensity. I gritted my teeth against the pleasure of her tight channel gripping me. I couldn’t come. Not yet.
The self-control I exercised in holding back only further centered me, helping me find the blissful calm at my core even as pleasure sang through my veins.
The harsh sound of her ecstasy was muffled against her Master’s cock, and she began to shudder as her body was wracked by a powerful orgasm. The feel of her contracting around me sent me over the edge, just as Clayton responded to her vibrations around his dick. He pressed all the way into her as he came down her throat at the same time as I found orgasm in her tight ass. She shivered and whimpered in helpless abandon as we both claimed her completely.
We kept her pinned between us for a few long seconds as we both rode out the last of our pleasure. He withdrew from her mouth first, stroking her hair as he eased her head down to rest against the bench. She sighed and closed her eyes, her body going limp with exhaustion.
I pulled out of her ass carefully, and she sighed again, a happy little sound. She was in that sweet state of subspace, her mind floating in the bliss she found in ultimate surrender.
I found Clayton’s eyes and gave him a wink, staying silent so I wouldn’t disturb her. He nodded his gratitude, and I quickly cleaned up so I could leave them alone.
Aftercare was his job; he shared a bond with his beloved sub that I’d never known.
The thought deflated my high. I shut the door behind me, closing off my emotional connection.
I felt starkly alone. Swallowing down my sudden, sharp grief, I headed back toward the bar.
The club was filling up for the evening, and strangers gyrated on the dance floor. That suited me just fine. They provided a distraction from my pain.
The short redhead was pretty. Her hair was more auburn than copper, but her eyes were green. It was a softer green than what I wanted, but if I let my mind wander just enough, I could pretend the woman pressed up against my body was my Sparrow.
Fuck!
I stopped grinding my hips against my dance partner and took a step back. Those soft green eyes blinked up at me in confusion.
“Did I do something wrong, Sir?”
“No,” I snapped, and the little sub shrank back a step. I took a deep breath and reined in my temper. It wasn’t like me to be so unstable. The reminder of my powerlessness against the agony of losing Katie made my gut twist.
“It’s nothing,” I said more calmly. “I just need a drink.”
She placed a reverent hand on my bare chest, trailing her fingers downward in a seductive motion. “May I come with you, Sir?” she asked breathily.
I stared down at the girl. Damn it. Under other circumstances, I would have happily said yes. To be honest, part of me—well, a certain part of my anatomy—was still considering it. My cock definitely liked the idea. She did resemble Katie…
I gave a sharp shake of my head and grimaced. The girl’s face fell.
Shit. Now I was being an ass.
I knew I still had a small window of opportunity to salvage this. We could discuss a scene and I could find some sense of satisfaction in dominating her body. She might want to have sex as part of our arrangement. Fucking was a good way to forget about my problems.
But I’d already had sex once tonight, and even I wasn’t enough of a man whore to go a second round with a different stranger. It would just make me feel that much shittier. If that was even possible.
“I’m sorry,” I said, as gently as I could manage. “I think you should find someone else to dance with. Excuse me.”
I stalked off toward the bar before she could convince me to change my mind. It wouldn’t take much. The knowledge that Reed Miller was in this very club fucking my Sparrow—dominating her body in ways I had only ever dreamed of—was driving me to the edge of sanity.
It wouldn’t be fair or safe for me to play with the redheaded sub under these conditions. Fuck, I didn’t even remember her name. I’d been too busy comparing her to Katie.
Being with Rose and Clayton had given me a brief respite from my angst, but the high faded quickly. The only reason I was still in the club at all was to prove to myself that I wasn’t such a fucking mess that jealousy would drive me out of here.
I waved down the bartender and ordered a rum and coke. I wouldn’t be allowed to get drunk at Decadence, but I was ready to try. There would be no more kinky fun for me tonight, anyway. I couldn’t stomach it.
I knocked back the drink in one go. It might be time to get changed and find a seedy bar where I could get hammered in peace.
“I thought you were more responsible than that, Dexter.”
I winced at the sound of my full name.
“I prefer Dex.” I half-turned to find Kennedy Carver eyeing my empty glass with open disapproval. “And I’m done for the night anyway. I was about to leave.”
“I’m glad I caught you, then.” He extricated his arm from the waist of the blonde sub he’d spent the evening with. “Could you give us a few minutes, sweetie?”
She gave him a deferential nod and a small smile before leaving us. Kennedy watched her walk away, an appreciative light in his hazel eyes. The man was a bachelor and a pure hedonist, even if his particular brand of hedonism was rather well-ordered and unbending.
“What can I do for you?” I prompted. “I still haven’t made up my mind about the transfer, if that’s what this is about.”
Kennedy’s gaze sharpened when it returned to me. “I won’t play games, Dexter. I want you on my team. If you leave the Chicago field office for New York, I don’t think you’ll regret it. What I am worried about is your reasons for transferring.”
I shrugged as casually as I could manage. “I’m just ready to move, especially after everything that ha
ppened with the Mentor. I want to work with people I can trust, and your team seems like a good fit for me.”
“Bullshit,” he said evenly. “You’re running from something. You’re unstable. I like you, but I can’t have that in my unit.”
“All right, then,” I said tightly. “I’ll consider my transfer request denied. Thank you for your consideration.”
“I didn’t say your request was denied,” he corrected me. “I said I was worried about your reasons. I need to know I can depend on you to put the needs of the team first. I need to know you’re not so wrapped up in your own drama that you can’t think straight.”
My fists threatened to curl at my sides with my mounting frustration. What did the man want me to say? That every time I saw Miller in the office it took every ounce of my restraint to keep from ripping him apart? That every time Katie came to see him at work my heart ached in my chest?
“I’m perfectly competent,” I said after a moment. “My personal issues won’t affect my work.”
“Good,” Kennedy declared. “Then I have a small favor to ask you first.”
“What do you need?” The man obviously wanted me to pass some sort of test.
“A friend of mine, Clara Peterson, has managed to get herself into a shitload of trouble. She seems to think she can take on the Russian Mafia by herself. She’s gone to London to hunt down one of the ringleaders, Dimitri Abramovich. I need you to drag her ass home.”
“What?”
“Well, I’d rather not make an international incident of it. I could inform MI5 to look out for her, but that would make things messy. She won’t recognize you, so she won’t know to run when you come for her.”
Understanding settled over me. “And if I don’t do this, I won’t get the job?”
“Think of it as your first off-the-books assignment.”
“Are there many of those in your field office?”
The bastard ginned at me. “Of course not,” he lied.
Just then, my eyes were drawn to Sparrow as though by a magnet. She had stepped back into the public space after having disappeared into one of the private rooms with Miller. The asshole was gripping her hand as though he would never let go.