Paid to Be Shared

by Romilly King

  He could still taste Birch’s lips. For the first time in more years than he cared to count, he had kissed someone other than Griffin. Birch’s mouth had held a tingle of pepper and a hint of citrus, and his lips had been soft under Ivo’s. He let the feeling and the anticipation it aroused percolate through him.

  Watching his husband kiss another man had affected Ivo more than he had expected. He had liked it. He had liked that in their first real physical contact with their Venditor, they had been together, and they had both touched him. When he pressed his mouth against lips that Griffin had taken mere moments before, there had been something very primal in that, which was why his own kiss had been sharper than Griffin’s sensuous one. He had been staking a claim over both of them.

  Ivo watched the smoke from his cigar curl up into the night sky; threads entwined, like bodies wrapped around each other.

  They had talked about kissing before they had contacted the agency. Hell, they had talked about everything, hopefully. And they had both been clear, kissing would happen with their Venditor, they were adults and pretending that kissing was a particular intimacy, loves last line of defense, was stupid. But it turned out that kissing was indeed particularly intimate, and not in a bad way.

  Ivo touched his lips and smiled.

  He spared no thought for what his husband and their new Venditor were doing at that moment, other than in the most cursory sense. For some reason, it didn’t matter. He felt that he stood guard over them at this point – may be at every point. They played, and he planned, and at some point, it would all come together as it should.

  He didn’t feel remotely jealous of Griff. Griff was a Dom like him, somehow that negated jealousy. Of Birch, though, that was different, two brief meetings with the boy, one only half an hour ago, and he felt a fierce sense of protectiveness towards him already.

  Griffin had better be the Dom that Birch required. Ivo would oversee and ensure that he was. He settled back in the chair, his head tipped back as he watched the night sky and the few bright stars that were visible through the light pollution. He sucked slowly on his cigar and waited for his husband with peace in his heart.

  Chapter Ten - Birch

  When Birch knocked and entered Cash’s office for their early morning check-in meeting, it was clear his colleague had already been at his desk for several hours.

  His desk was liberally scattered with paperwork, and his tie had been worked loose. “Gosh, is it that late already?” Cash said, looking up in surprise.

  “Yes, it’s the extremely late hour of 9am!” Birch responded, “Do you actually live here?”

  “Well, yes, I live on-site, a few of us do. Delphic is more of a lifestyle than a career to some of us. I have an apartment on the grounds.”

  “Sweet,” said Birch, “Easy commute!”

  Birch liked Cash’s office. It always felt friendly. It was spacious and homely with a well-tended fern garden on the wide windowsill and a multitude of prints of exotic views on the walls. There were multi-colored desert landscapes, views of wild mountain ranges, and some glorious coral atolls in sapphire seas – it made the room seem like a travel junkie’s mood board. Compared to the clinical efficiency of most of the offices at Delphic is was a breath of fresh air.

  Cash stood up and stretched, his shirt pulling loose from his formal pants. He tucked it back in casually. “Let’s go grab a coffee, and we’ll talk outside,” he said, “It’s a nice day, and I want some fresh air.”

  The small commissary attached to the Special Contracts Wing was nearly empty when they got there, just Tay, the Head Instructor at the coffee station. Birch had regularly subbed for Tay during training sessions, and he threw the big man a cheeky wink, “Hey Sir, how are you?”

  “I’m fine rope bunny, how are you?”

  “Awesome,”

  Tay handed Cash a coffee without asking his preferences, “How goes your new contract?” he asked Birch.

  “He’s here for his first check-in,” Cash supplied, “Actually, would you mind joining us, I’d appreciate your perspective on this, particularly as Birch did some prep work with you before he started the contract,”

  “Sure,” Tay fished his phone out of his pocket, “I can give you guys half an hour,”

  They made their way out of the commissary doors to the enclosed garden that granted privacy to the Special Contracts Wing. Cash led them to a table in the shade, and Tay settled into a seat beside him. Birch sat opposite.

  Cash took a sip of his coffee and moaned, “God, I needed that,” he said, and Tay rolled his eyes at Birch. Birch suppressed a smirk.

  “So,” Cash said, “I know we’re only like a few days in, but how is it going?”

  “I think it’s going great,” said Birch enthusiastically, “I’ve only done a real scene with Griffin so far because Ivo is really busy at the hospital, but I have a scene scheduled with him tonight.

  “Griffin was really nice to play with even though he didn’t let me come. We’re starting slowly, he hasn’t fucked me yet, but I don’t think he doesn’t want to or feels weird about it. I get the impression he’s just happy to do the other stuff he couldn’t do before.”

  “Have you seen your Emptores together at all?” Tay asked, and Cash nodded in agreement with the question.

  “I saw them together the first time I got there, they both kissed me, in front of each other, and we talked about the waxing and stuff they had arranged to have done before I started the contract.”

  “And how did they seem together to you?” Cash prompted.

  “Really cool, really both on the same page,” said Birch, “I think it will be good when we play together, I think they are going to enjoy that a lot,”

  Cash glanced at Tay, who shrugged, “I don’t think there will be much if any playing together,” Cash said, “They stressed that wasn’t a priority during early contract negotiations.”

  “I think it would be good for them,” Birch said confidently, “They obviously love each other a lot, you can see it in the way they are always touching each other. Once we find the overlap in their kink areas, then three-way play should be easy.”

  “There is minimal overlap in their kink profile, Birch,” Cash said, and Birch frowned at him, he was sure there was.

  Tay put a hand on Cash’s arm, “If I may,” he said, and Cash shut up.

  Tay looked at Birch seriously, “I know you, rope bunny,” he said, “And I know you think everyone should play together like one big happy team. But it isn’t always like that, and it isn’t up to you to push that – you’re the sub remember. You may end up being the catalyst to something more, but you don’t instigate it.”

  Birch looked mulishly at Tay.

  “Yeah and you can wipe that look off your face,” said Tay without heat, “You are one real scene into a complex, months-long contract, you go where they lead you, and you do your best,”

  “But it would be best if they played together, I can feel it,”

  Cash sighed, “Maybe you can Birch, but Tay is right. You are jumping to conclusions because you think everyone has the same goal in mind here, and they don’t. Please reign yourself in, protect your professionalism, deliver the submission each asks for individually, and we will monitor it going forward.

  “Right now, my issues are around you working with two dominants in very different areas of kink and how that will reflect on you, not on how you can bring their desires together. I want to know how you feel, not how you want them to feel!”

  “Harsh,” muttered Birch, his gaze lowered to his coffee, “Way to kill my good vibes,”

  “Shut up,” said Tay, “You bounce back faster than a rubber ball, that’s why you are in this contract,”

  Birch smirked at him from under his eyelashes, “I guess,” he said, “And I get what you are saying. I’ll keep it simple, stupid,”

  “You do that,” Tay’s voice was gruff but affectionate, “And don’t call me stupid.”

  “Has Ivo mentioned any inten
se scene plans yet?” Cash asked.

  “No,” Birch said thoughtfully, “He seems to be taking it really slowly. I don’t think tonight will be full-on because he hasn’t mentioned it will be, but I would prefer we did one sooner rather than later because the more he doesn’t ask for one, the more nervous I will get.”

  “That makes sense,” Cash said, “I’ll make a note to bring that up when I have my check-in with them.

  “When is your first weekend with them?”

  “It’s supposed to be this weekend coming up,”

  “Okay, I’ll try and speak to them before then.”

  Birch nodded seriously.

  “We don’t mean to be harsh with you, Birch,” Cash said gently, “We know you are the most committed and professional submissive we have. You are obedient, caring, empathic, and I have never known you to be anything other than upbeat and positive about a contract. We will protect all those qualities you have, they are precious, like you.”

  Birch smiled at Cash, and his eyes prickled, “Please don’t make me get soppy,” he said, “You know what praise does to me!”

  Cash grinned, “Not really, but I can guess,”

  Birch laughed, “I get it, honestly, and I am listening to what you say.”

  “Good boy,” said Tay, “Cash is right, Cash is nearly always right.”

  “Go, get out of here and chill for a few hours,” Cash said, “I’d like to see you next Monday after your first weekend with your Emptores.”

  “Okay,” Birch got to his feet.

  “See you, rope bunny,” Cash grinned as he used the nickname.

  “Not if I see you first, Closet Case,” Birch replied cheekily, and Cash’s eyes went wide with surprise – Got ya, thought Birch smugly, don’t tell me I’m wrong in what I see.

  ✽✽✽

  There was no sign of Ivo when Birch arrived at the house. Instead, Griffin was in the living room, still in his business suit, and with a tight look on his face.

  “Ivo can’t make it tonight,” he said, “So you will be with me, is that okay with you?” His voice implied that it had better be.

  “Of course, Sir. Would you like me to go to your room and prepare?”

  “No, just strip and come here,”

  Griffin didn’t move from his seated position, and the tension in the way he held his shoulders told Birch all he needed to know. Here was someone who needed to control. Birch stripped and fell to his knees, he crawled across the wide wooden floorboards, his eyes fixed on the seated Dominant.

  Birch settled on his knees between Griffin’s spread knees and looked up at him. “Don’t speak,” said Griffin, “I need to take tonight, do you understand,”

  Birch nodded.

  “Are you green?”

  Birch nodded again.

  “Good,” Griffin unzipped his pants, pulled his cock out, and began to stroke himself to hardness.

  “I need this tonight,” he said like he wanted to justify what he was doing.

  Griffin reached for Birch’s hair and pulled him forward. He pushed him straight onto his cock, and held him down. Birch pulled in air through his nose and stretched his jaw to accommodate Griffin’s substantial girth. He swallowed hurriedly as the head of Griffin’s cock brushed the back of his throat and fought down his gag reflex.

  “I’d love to have a pretty toy like you for my office.” Griffin said, “You could be my own special stress relief. I’d keep you tied with your ass in the air, your hole stretched open with a plug,” he was panting as he moved Birch back and forth on his cock, “And when my job stresses me out, I can twist the plug in your ass and see how beautifully it twitches when I pull it out so I can fuck you.”

  Birch could see himself like that, on his knees, bent over, with his arms pulled back between his legs and cuffed to his ankles, his cheek pillowed on the carpet at Griffin’s feet. There to relieve the stress that Griffin suffered from his important job.

  Birch would be good, he’d be quiet and patient, so as not to disturb Griffin’s work, but he would have moaned and sobbed when Griffin filled him with a big plug – it would have to be big if he wanted Birch ready to be fucked. The idea turned Birch on, and he groaned around the cock that punched in and out of his mouth.

  “Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you, my little sub, being on display, ready to be played with at any moment.”

  Birch imagined what it would feel like to wait for Griffin’s attention, muscles tightening up, cock and ass throbbing with need but unable to even guess when Griffin would decide to take a break and play with him.

  Griffin was panting, his hips thrust rapidly, and his hand held Birch’s head still. Birch sank deeper into the fantasy of being Griffin’s office toy.

  What if Ivo came to Griffin’s office? What if he wanted to play too? Would Griffin offer him to Ivo, and what if Ivo said yes?

  Griffin’s cock swelled in Birch’s mouth as he groaned and came. His come pumped into Birch’s greedy mouth, and Birch answered him with a moan and fought down his own orgasm that teetered on the brink. He concentrated on sucking Griffin through his spasms of pleasure.

  Griffin’s grip on his hair changed from harsh to gentle, and he stroked his fingers through the strands while Birch relaxed his posture and panted softly, his head laid on Griffin’s thigh.

  “I needed that,” Griffin said, “Thank you, that was perfect,”

  Birch blinked at him.

  Griffin smiled, “You can speak now,” he said.

  Birch dropped a quick kiss on the head of Griffin’s cock and smiled up at him, “I’m glad it helped Sir,” he said.

  “So much,” said Griffin, “Ivo wanted to be here, but he had an emergency procedure to do, and it doesn’t look good, and it stresses me when I know he is going to have a hard time. So thank you, you make me feel a lot better,”

  Griffin’s words stoked the warm glow in Birch’s heart.

  “Come on,” Griffin said, “Let’s go and take a shower together,” he looked down at Birch’s obvious erection, “And let’s take care of that for you, you deserve it,”

  Birch grinned happily.

  Chapter Eleven - Ivo

  Ivo’s steps dragged by the time he reached home. Despite showering at the hospital, he still smelled blood and iodine and the sweat they were all drenched in by the time a lengthy procedure was over. The stutter of dejection he felt after someone died on his table harried him. He had trained himself not to let it drag him down deep, but he knows the tendency would always be with him. Thankfully, he supposed, it meant he stayed human, not all surgeons did.

  He turned his key in the lock and pushed open the door with his shoulder. The hallway was dimly lit, just a glow coming through from the side lamps in the living room. His eyes met Birch’s. Birch squatted on the wide floorboards of the vestibule tying his bootlaces, his shadowed face was beautiful in the soft light. His lips were swollen, and Ivo knew why.

  He fumbled with his briefcase, and Birch slid forward and caught it before it hit the floor. Ivo looked down at Birch on his knees in front of him, his head tilted up as he watched Ivo.

  “Can I help you, Sir?” Birch’s voice was quiet, pitched low.

  Ivo reached out slowly and placed his hand on Birch’s head, “I don’t know if you can, were you heading home?”

  “Yes, but I can stay for a while,”

  Birch carefully placed the briefcase to one side, and bending further started to unlace Ivo’s shoes. Ivo stood and breathed and closed his eyes, and lifted his feet when encouraged to by Birch’s firm hands.

  Ivo slipped his heavy coat from his shoulders and dropped it over the chair beside the console table in the vestibule. He looked down again at Birch. The boy was dressed in soft sweatpants and a t-shirt, the collar was loose on him, and Ivo could see the shadow of the muscles in his shoulders and the elegant length of the back of his neck below his short hair.

  Birch bent lower and rested his forehead against Ivo’s socked feet.

  The tension
began to uncurl inside Ivo. “Follow me, Birch,” he said quietly, and on socked feet walked into the living room. When he glanced back, he saw Birch crawling after him, and a warm glow stirred in his belly. Such a good boy.

  Ivo poured himself a small glass of bourbon and made his way to his favorite armchair in the turret bay. The chair was old, leather, creased, and comfortable. His father had given it to him when he started med-school because he knew he would need something that would mold to his body and comfort him during the long years of study. He sank into it and reached up and switched on the standard lamp that stood behind it. The armchair hugged him, and Birch settled at his knee, his head resting on Ivo’s thigh. Ivo reached down and petted his head gently. Just the two of them in the golden circle, it felt good.

  Birch was like the chair, molding himself to Ivo’s need. He didn’t begrudge Griffin his additional scene with the boy tonight, these things were bound to happen in his line of work, but this little extra service just for him, it made the sting of being denied the boy so much easier to bear.

  “Where is Griffin?” Ivo asked.

  “He was taking a shower, Sir. I said I would let myself out. He was going to wait up for you,”

  Ivo sipped his bourbon and savored the smoke burn of the liquor. He rarely drank, but this seemed to fit the scene - The boy at his feet, the late hour, the long, hard work, and the eventual balm of homecoming.

  He gently turned Birch’s face towards him and ran a finger over the boy’s swollen lips, “Did Griffin use your mouth tonight?” he asked. He didn’t know why, but it seemed appropriate to ask somehow, ignoring it was pointless.

  “Yes, Sir,” Birch’s voice was slurred, his eyes hooded, and Ivo slipped a single finger into the boy’s mouth. Birch suckled on the fingertip and hugged Ivo’s leg. God, the boy was so beautiful, he was slipping under already, just from the right kind of interaction. Ivo’s long shuttered Dominant stretched luxuriously inside him and hummed in pleasure.