by Kris Cook
Even though my heart was in tatters, I was happy to have my sisters and cousins with me. It didn’t take the pain away, but it did make it more tolerable, at least for the moment. “If I have any, it’s in the cabinet next to the sink.”
Amy pulled out a couple of bottles of wine, one white and one red. Her arm went to the back of the cabinet. “Come to mama.” Her hand came back with a bottle of tequila.
“Are we sure this is what Lea needs right now?” Misty asked in her most motherly tone.
“She’s a big girl, cousin. We all are.” Amy laughed. “You could use a few shots yourself to loosen you up, Misty, if you ask me.”
“I’m not asking you,” she barked back. “And I’ll have you know I’ve drank margaritas before. Several times.”
“Sounds promising. Shot glasses, Lea?”
“Wall cabinet to the left of the stove.”
Amy nodded, pulling out five tiny glasses. “Misty, you game?”
Misty looked directly in my eyes. “If Lea is, I am.”
“I’ll have a shot.” I tried to mask my agony but even I could hear the suffering in my tone. “What can it hurt now?”
With Amy’s encouragement, we all did three shots of the liquid gold. I was beginning to feel fuzzy around the edges. The pain was still there in the background, but the tequila helped me keep it back. Still, I knew if I let myself, I could succumb to another round of tears for the loss I felt. My company talked about several ways to get me out of my funk. They even started planning a trip to the Caribbean. I nodded and smiled, drifting back into my quiet despair. Nothing would ever be the same for me, no matter how much each of them said it would. Reed and Kane had changed me forever. I knew no man could ever open me up the way they had. The vibrancy of the life I’d peaked at with Reed and Kane was gone. The only future I could expect now was dull, gray, and so very cold.
Another knock on the door and the chatter around me stopped.
In a hushed tone, I threatened, “Amy, I swear if you open that door I will never forgive you.”
From the other side of the door, a voice I recognized was a relief.
“Mia, open the door,” Lex stated flatly.
“Ask him if he’s alone,” Misty requested. I hadn’t thought about the possibility that Reed and Kane might be with him, so I was glad that she had.
“Are you by yourself, Lex?” Mia asked.
“Yes.”
Mia swung the door open. “Hi, sweetheart.”
Lex stood in the doorway looking stunningly sexy in jeans and a black sweater. “Did you tell Lea what I have planned?”
“What plan?” I snapped.
He held up his hand but didn’t turn away from Mia.
“No, Sir. I did just what you said and waited for you to come.”
He leaned in and kissed her. “That’s my, baby.”
Ella stood up and extended her hand in her normal corporate flair. “You must be the guy that swept my cousin off her feet.”
“Yes, I am. You’re Ella, right?” He took her hand and shook it.
I could tell Ella was impressed that he knew her name. “The one and only. I’m happy to meet you.”
“That remains to be seen, Ella.” Lex looked at my youngest sister next. “You are?”
“Amy. But I bet you already knew that, too, didn’t you?” She smiled and took his hand.
“So that means you must be Mia’s sister.” Lex offered his hand to Misty.
Misty nodded but didn’t take it.
The corners of Lex’s mouth curled up. “Just like I imagined.”
Then he turned to me. “Hello, Lea.”
I choked out, “Hi, Lex. This is more of a female party. I’m not sure why you’re here.”
He sat down on the travel chest that was doubling as my coffee table. He grabbed both my hands. “You’re about to find out. In fact, all of you are.”
I’m not sure if it was the tequila or the fatigue, but I couldn’t argue with him. I wanted to hear him out.
The others must’ve been in the same frame of mind, as all I could hear was my own breath.
Mia came and sat beside him. He handed my left hand to her to hold while keeping my right hand in his.
Trembling, I said, “Tell me, please.”
Lex nodded. “Okay. First, I know Kane screwed up with you.”
“No. It’s not like that, Lex.”
“Quiet, Lea. Hear me out. Kane came to me and told me what happened. I found it odd that he took things too far with you since he and Reed are the best trainers I have at the club. Sex shouldn’t have been on the table for your second lesson. Not yet. I’d made it clear to both of them what I expected with you.”
“What was that?”
“To test you and see if you and your cousin here had similar tastes.” He patted Mia on the leg. “I thought you might be like her the second I met you, Lea. You’re a submissive, all right.”
“This is crazy talk,” Misty snapped. “I can’t believe any of this.”
Lex turned to her but didn’t say a word. Apparently, his stare alone was enough to silence Misty.
After what seemed like minutes, Lex turned his eyes back to me. “Like I was saying, I’d set up your training in a very specific order. Reed followed my instructions for your first lesson, though he told me it was very difficult for him.
“How?” I recalled how amazing it had been to surrender to him and feel his paddle and hand on my ass. “I did what he said that night. Every command.”
Lex snorted. “You’re definitely a sub. Yes, you did. Reed found it difficult to follow my instructions. He wanted to make love to you the moment you two were alone in the training room, but he was able to keep his head. That would’ve been the end of it if he hadn’t fucked up when he came here last night.”
“He told you about our time together?”
“You’re still under my care, Lea. I’m responsible for you.”
The contract I’d signed was for the club. Why would he think he was responsible for me at home? “At The Cell, sure. I get that. But not here, Lex. Not now.”
Lex shook his head. “Yes, here. Yes, now. That hasn’t changed. It won’t until you select a Dom to take my place.”
Misty’s jaw dropped. “You mean to fuck her and my sister?”
Lex grabbed her by the arm. “There’s a nasty slut inside you, Misty, just waiting to be let out, isn’t there?”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” By her tone, I knew she did, which didn’t surprise me much. Misty had shared several of her fantasies with me when we had been teens. They were quite incongruent for the uptight woman she’d become.
“The answer is ‘no,’ Misty. Her being under my care doesn’t have anything to do with sex.” Lex’s tone was so male, so confident, and so powerful. “Understand?”
Misty nodded and then looked down at her hands. Apparently, he’d hit some nerve inside her.
Lex turned back to me. “No more talking except between me and Lea. Do you all understand me?”
They all squeaked the affirmative.
“Good. Interruptions drive me crazy.” He gazed at me for the longest time before speaking. Finally he said, “Do you love them, Lea?”
Tears streamed down my face. “Yes, Lex. I love them. My heart is crushed. They didn’t do anything wrong. I did. I wanted to be with them, to feel beautiful and adored. They gave me that and so much more. Please don’t blame them. It’s all my fault, not theirs.”
Lex sighed. “No wonder they fucked up my lessons with you, Lea. You’re quite a woman. I think you are right, though. You are to blame some in this. So, here’s what you’re going to do. Kane deserves to hear what you told Reed last night.”
I couldn’t go through that again. “I can’t tell him good-bye. It was hard enough with Reed. Kane knows, doesn’t he?”
Lex’s voice was commanding. “You can, Lea. You will, too. Yes, Kane knows, but you have to tell him yourself, in person.”
�
�Please, Lex,” I begged. “Don’t make me do this.”
I saw compassion in Lex’s eyes. “Kiddo, I don’t want to make you suffer any more than you already have, but you must face this. If you don’t, you’ll regret this for the rest of your life.”
I knew he was right. “Okay. Where? When?”
“Tomorrow night. I’ll send a limo. You’ll get through this, Lea. I promise.”
“If she’s going, so am I,” Misty blurted. “I’m not letting her face this alone.”
Lex laughed. “My club, Misty. My rules. You’ll get your chance soon enough.”
Feb 14th
I walked beside Lex in one of the hallways of The Cell. I’d refused to dress in any of Viv’s outfits, preferring my own clothes—jeans, top, and tennis shoes. I knew I looked more appropriate for the grocery store or doing laundry than for this exclusive club, but I didn’t care. What I’d come for wouldn’t take long, or at least I hoped it wouldn’t.
I was exhausted. Lex was taking me to face something that had kept me awake most of the night. Three nights of little sleep was taking its toll on me, but I knew what I had to do no matter how tired I was.
Lex had been right. Kane deserved to hear from me why I wasn’t coming back for his lessons.
Shaking violently, I continued trekking beside Mia’s man. I wasn’t sure what to say, but I hoped it would come to me when I saw Kane.
“We’re here,” The Cell’s owner announced when we came to the last door on the left of the hallway. It was slightly ajar. I trembled, knowing who was waiting for me inside.
“Thank you, Lex. I’m sorry about all of this. Please don’t blame Reed and Kane.”
He pulled me in tight and gave me a brotherly hug. “Just get inside, Lea. Everything is ready for you. And Mia is waiting for me in the Egyptian room.” He rubbed his hands together. “Time for me to enjoy a night with my sweetheart.”
Lex turned and headed back down the hallway from which we’d come. I opened the door wider and entered the room.
It was spectacular. Unlike the training room where I’d spent time with Reed and Kane, this space was tricked out for the members to enjoy their scene in a fantastic setting. The illusion sent me back to a regal time.
This could’ve been the bedroom of the daughter of a very powerful and rich king. Marble floors, beautiful tapestries, and dark mahogany furnishings transported me to the Renaissance of Europe. I looked even more out of place here than I had in the hallway.
There was no sign of Kane, so I sat down on the big comfy bed with its massive posts and accompanying canopy. I wondered why Lex had chosen this room for our meeting. Perhaps it was the only one free. The Cell was a very busy place.
Where was Kane? Even as nervous as I was, my fatigue took hold of me, and I yawned.
That first exhale of weary air was followed by several more, one after the other. My eyelids were heavy. I stretched out on the bed...
****
“Lea,” Kane’s voice wafted through my dreamy state.
I smiled, recalling how wonderful he’d been to me. Everything about him made me vibrate with desire. He was powerful, impatient, and so wonderful. All I wanted to do was to please him.
“Wake up, Lea,” Reed’s voice drifted in my head.
I sighed, seeing an image of the sexy man appear in front of me. Tender but firm, demanding but generous, Reed’s mix called to me on so many levels.
The dream was wonderful. They both gazed down at me, making me believe in fairy tales. In my dreams, I didn’t have to choose. In here, they were mine, both of them, and I was theirs.
I reached up to touch their faces and suddenly realized that I wasn’t asleep. This was real.
“What is this?” I gasped.
“Hush, baby.” Reed leaned down and kissed me, his long hair tickling my cheeks. “Just listen.”
“No. I’m here to tell Kane something. I have to tell him, Reed. He deserves to hear it from me.”
Reed smiled and sat up. “She’s all yours, bro.”
I gazed into Kane’s eyes. He wasn’t smiling. “Me first, sub. Then, Reed. Then, you. Understand?”
I thought about objecting, but couldn’t. If only for a few more minutes, I was willing to surrender to his control.
“Good. I never expected someone like you to come into my life, Lea.” Kane stroked the side of my face with his fingertips. “I thought I’d always be a resident Dom, either here or at some other club. Something permanent and exclusive never entered into the realm of what was even possible for me—until you. I’ve always believed in lust at first sight but not love. That only happens in the movies. Or so I thought. Did you wonder why I volunteered so quickly to teach that class to the new members your first night at The Cell?”
I’d figured he couldn’t possibly be interested in someone like me, but I decided not to mention that. “No.”
“The minute I met you, Lea, all I could think of was how I was going to get you into my bed, not for one night, or two, but for always. I’d never felt anything like it before. Later, I rationalized that it had been some crazy, fiery lust that had taken ahold of me. Made sense. You’re curvy in just the spots I enjoy. But when I came to train you, that feeling hadn’t gone away at all. The more I learned about you that night and what made you tick, the more crazed I was to possess you for myself.”
I put my hands up to my face, wiping tears from my eyes. “It’s hopeless. I care for you, too. But I also care for Reed, and he’s told me he feels the same. There’s no way through this without someone getting hurt.”
Kane grabbed my wrists and gently pulled them down. “Sure there is, sweetheart.”
“How? One of you backs down after I make an impossible choice? I won’t do it. I won’t. I won’t.” I closed my eyes tight. My lips were trembling from the gravity of what I was confessing, but I wasn’t about to mislead them any more.
“Open your eyes,” he commanded.
I complied with more tears brimming.
“Look at our little sub, Reed. Isn’t she something else?” Kane asked, smiling.
Reed nodded, “She sure is, bro. Enough talk. Let’s show her.”
“Agreed.” Kane squeezed onto the bed next to me.
“Show me what?” I asked.
Kane kissed me into silence, his tongue sweeping inside my mouth like a conquering hero. My heart thudded in my chest, and my toes curled. As he continued to kiss me, I felt Reed’s hands slide up my thighs, warming up my lower half.
I turned my head, freeing myself from Kane’s kiss. “Stop. Please. I can’t do this. We can’t do this.”
“Why, Lea? Don’t you understand? Reed and I want to be with you. You don’t have to choose.”
How I wanted to believe him, but I knew it was impossible. “So you two have talked it over? You think this will work? No jealousy? For how long? I’m not trying to be difficult, but this isn’t a Sophie Oak romance novel where one woman gets to enjoy the love of several men for the rest of her life. This is real. I’m flesh and blood and so are you. Sure, we might be able to fool ourselves and play house for a while, but what happens in a month, a year, or more? What guarantee can you give me that we have any chance at forever?”
Reed shook his head. “She sure does love to talk, Kane. We’re going to have be on our toes dealing with her, don’t you think?”
“Yes, that’s for sure.” Kane cradled my chin. “Listen to me. There’s no guarantee, Lea. Not for us. Not for anyone. It’s day by day. We’re going to have really wonderful times together and we’re going to have tough times, too. That’s a promise. Will I get jealous of you and Reed sometimes? Likely. This isn’t what any of us planned, but we’re in it. I love you. Reed loves you. You love us. Reed is more than just my brother, my twin. He’s my best friend. There isn’t anyone else I could do this with other than him. Before you, he was my only family. Now, the three of us have the chance to become a family. I know it’s fast and you have a million more questions, right?”
I had at least that many questions and more. “Yes, I do. If we take this to the next level and move in together—”
“That’s happening this weekend, pet,” Reed interrupted. “Kane and I have already discussed this.”
They were really serious. “Oh my God. You two have figured this all out.”
Kane smiled down at me. “Not everything. We’ll do that together, Lea.”
I was losing ground fast. Every argument I had would be flicked away by them easily. “What about kids?”
“We want a house full, sweetheart.” Kane kissed me on the cheek. “Your mind is spinning. I think it’s time to quiet that pretty little head of yours.”
“Bro, there’s only one way to convince her that this can work, and it’s not talking to her until we’re all blue in the face, if you get me.”
Standing, Kane nodded. “Oh, I get you, bro.”
“Let’s show her. On your feet, sub,” Reed commanded, leaving the bed and me behind.
My eyes popped wide. They meant to really show me. What if they were right that this could actually work?
Kane stared at me in a way that made me shiver. “Get out of your head, Lea.”
“Did you not hear me, sub?” Reed’s tone was more threatening than I’d ever heard it before.
It seemed to me that he and Kane had somehow traded their Dom demeanors. Reed was the tough, no frills one, and Kane was the more patient and tender one.
Reed leaned over me and pinched my nipples, causing them to sting and throb. “On. Your. Feet.”
I snapped to attention, nearly leaping from the bed.
“Nice, Reed. Very nice.” The pride and awe in Kane’s voice was evident.
“We’re going to use our tongues to make you suffer, sub.” Reed shed his clothes, tossing them to the floor in a heap. Though I’d seen him naked before, I still couldn’t get over how perfect his body was with its ripped muscles.
Kane undressed in front of me, too. He was well-built, one-hundred-percent male as well. “Pleasure can be its own type of punishment, Lea. You’ll learn that tonight.”
Their massive cocks were hard. My eyes popped wide. I’d been with each of them separately. What would it mean to move to the horizontal with both of them? I wasn’t a virgin, but I also wasn’t the most skilled person in the bedroom. What did they plan to do to me? My anxiety shook me. Would my fantasy become a complete disaster before it even got started?