by Anne Brooke
While she did that, I replaced the copy picture on the wall in its new frame, with Mark’s help. Then, as the twins strode over toward the approaching sound of voices coming up the corridor, I switched on a couple of the wall lamps, angling them away from the windows so they’d be less likely to be spotted from the outside.
“What are you doing?” My boss practically hissed the words. “Aren’t we supposed to be subtle?”
“I am being subtle,” I whispered back my reply. “We don’t want to look like we’ve anything to hide, do we?”
The twins must have thought the same as, just before our visitor entered the room, I got the tail-end of a brief smile from Johnny and a nod from Mark. Result.
“Mr. Sheridan,” Mark said, his tone of voice a statement rather than a greeting, “we’ve managed to procure the piece you requested.”
Mr. Sheridan? That just had to be an assumed name, surely? Luckily, I managed to turn my laugh into a cough. Once again, now wasn’t the time for jokes. Still, my sudden outbreak of throat clearing unfortunately had the result of bringing Mr. Sheridan’s attention to me, not an outcome I thought I wanted on any level.
“Who’s this?” He fixed me with the kind of look that would have turned a lesser man to jelly, so thank goodness the low light levels weakened the effect.
“This,” said Mark in a tone outclassing Mr. Sheridan’s glances by several streets, “is a close associate of ours. My brother and I trust him implicitly, so I’ll thank you to be civil. Also he works here and is the right-hand man of the gallery owner.”
Mark waved his hand at various points in order to make brief introductions, but I just stared at him. He trusted me. Implicitly. He and Johnny trusted me implicitly, and weren’t afraid to say so, no matter who they were trying to impress or make new business deals with. God, I didn’t think any of my past boyfriends had ever expressed such loyalty so openly, no matter how long I’d known them. Hell only knew what kind of relationship category the Delaneys and I fell into, if we fell into any, but already I knew how damn good it felt. I didn’t want to lose it.
“Understood,” Mr. Sheridan replied. “I’m grateful for the explanation. Now, let’s see the painting. I don’t want to waste any more time.”
“Certainly,” Melissa said. “This is it. The best Lily Cooper I have.”
“I see,” said Mr. Sheridan. “Give me some more light, if you may.”
Mark nodded at me, and I angled the nearest lamp so as much light as possible fell on the painting in question. At the same time, the two henchmen trotted across to the window and lined themselves up against it. The width they were, I didn’t think anyone from outside would be able to notice anything untoward. The twins certainly chose their bodyguards well.
Mr. Sheridan stared at the painting as if he was going to start licking it at any moment, and I glanced across at Melissa. God knows what she’d do if he did. No matter what sort of scam she was willing to take part in for the Delaneys’ sake and no matter that this painting wasn’t even real, there was no way my boss was anything but utterly committed to her artists. If Mr. Sheridan so much as breathed on the picture in the wrong way, I doubted he’d have many more breaths left in his body afterward.
Just as Melissa took a step forward, and I braced myself for the fray, Mr. Sheridan let out a small sigh, but luckily for him it wasn’t in the direction of the painting.
“Yes,” he said. “That’s good. I can recognize her work anywhere. Lily Cooper is going to be big. Very big one day.”
“So she is,” Melissa said, and I could tell she wanted to add more, but Mark interrupted.
“The important question is how much you’re willing to pay to have this picture for your own exclusive enjoyment, Mr. Sheridan,” he said.
“Your reputation doesn’t do you justice, Mr. Delaney,” Mr. Sheridan replied. “I was told you don’t make small talk, and you certainly don’t. That suits me very well indeed.”
That I could only agree with, as I had to say it more than suited me, too. So I kept quiet as Melissa passed the false Lily Cooper over to Mr. Sheridan. And I continued to watch in silence as Mr. Sheridan handed over more money to Mark than I was sure I’d seen in my entire lifetime, and as Mark handed a not insubstantial amount of said cash to Melissa. After giving it a thorough once-through, of course.
What surprised me and loosened my tongue was the fact Mark then walked over to me and began counting out some more of the money.
“Mr. Delaney, sir,” I stammered. “Really, there’s no need.”
He stopped counting under his breath and gave me a sharp glance. Next to him, Johnny sighed. “Just take the cash, Liam. We can discuss it later.”
I blinked, several conflicting ideas fighting for supremacy in my head. And as there wasn’t a lot of space there, it didn’t take long. “Yes, sir.”
So I took the money Mark gave me and tried to stuff it into my pockets. Not a great plan when you were wearing jeans. Melissa tutted. “Give it to me. I’ll keep it for you until tomorrow.”
“No, really, thanks, boss. That’s fine,” I replied, shoving the rest of the bloody money down my shirt and hoping I wouldn’t look too shapeless on the walk home.
Five minutes after that, Mr. Sheridan had gone, taking his new and not-quite-what-he-suspected acquisition with him, and I was reinstating the real Lily Cooper back where it belonged in a frame it hadn’t anticipated wearing. Lord, but this wheeler-dealing lifestyle was exhausting. It was astonishing how good it looked on the Delaneys. If it had been me doing this all the time, I’m sure I’d have been a shadow of my former self by now.
“Right,” said Mark when Johnny had given him the nod Mr. Sheridan was properly gone. “That’s done then. Thank you, Melissa and Liam, for your help with this new venture. I hope you enjoy your well-earned profits.”
It sounded like a dismissal, not something I had any notion of accepting, not without a fight anyway. So, as Melissa adjusted her beloved Cooper so it was perfectly aligned with the wall, I made my move.
“Mr. Delaney, sir,” I said. “Mr. Delaney, haven’t you and your brother, the other Mr. Delaney, forgotten something?”
Mark frowned. “What’s that?”
Taking a deep breath, I strolled up to Mark. I didn’t hurry, but I wasn’t dawdling either. I stopped when I was close enough to smell the herbal traces of his aftershave. God, how I liked a bloke who cared about grooming, even while committing a crime. It definitely showed class and I was always a pushover for class, even with danger.
Slowly, I undid the top button of my shirt, then I reached over and kissed him. His tongue filled my mouth at once, and I felt him slide his fingers across my chest, undoing the second and third buttons as well. Even in front of my boss, it felt good, though I did rather hope Mark wouldn’t expect me to go all the way with her in the room.
Luckily, it appeared he didn’t. After a few moments, Mark pushed me away just a little, whilst still keeping his grip on my shirt.
“What are you after, Liam?” he said, his voice rougher than usual.
I smiled. “Isn’t it obvious, sir? I just thought that now you and your brother have done the deal, you might want to indulge in a celebration. If you see what I mean, sir.”
Johnny laughed, and Mark pulled me closer again, but gently.
“Oh yes,” he whispered. “We know exactly what you mean. And we think it’s a very, very good idea.”
Melissa made a noise like an angry bird about to defend its nest, to the death if need be, all henchmen be damned, but Johnny was quick to reassure her.
“You know you’re important to us, Melissa,” he said. “Whatever we do, nothing here in your gallery will be damaged. Trust us. We’ve never let you down.”
I heard her sigh, but I couldn’t see her, as the only object in my vision right then was Mark. But I tried to send all my most reassuring vibes her way. It must have worked as she turned on her heel—I caught the swing of her hair in the corner of my eye—and began tap-tappi
ng toward the door.
“No, that’s true, you never have,” she said. “Liam, you have the key. For God’s sake, lock up when you’re done. And clean up, too.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied and then she was gone. Hell, I’d always admired a woman who made a swift exit. I just hoped the henchmen weren’t going to be far behind her, as, when it came to the Delaneys, I was about done with an audience.
Mark must have caught the direction of my thought and been minded to care about it, too, as he made a dismissive gesture with his head, without even taking his eyes from mine.
“Go and wait in the car,” he said with a growl to his two bodyguards. “Johnny and I will join you when we’re good and ready. Now move it.”
They did, but with not a tenth of the elegance Melissa could call on. Then, thank God, as my cock was seriously dying for attention right then, the Delaneys and I were alone.
I didn’t mess about, but took hold of Mark’s hand as I wound my arm round Johnny’s waist.
“Do you want to come and see my office?” I asked them in what I hoped were my best seductive tones. “I think you’ll like it there.”
Then, without waiting for a response, I tugged them gently in the direction I wanted to go. Yes, I knew they were in charge, come what may, but, hell, what relationship didn’t benefit from stirring up the power balance now and again? I did think for a heart-stopping moment that Mark might object, but Johnny stepped eagerly alongside me, the both of us pulling his more reluctant brother after us.
I liked to think I could guarantee he wouldn’t be quite so reluctant for long, though.
Luckily, I knew the gallery layout even in the dark and it didn’t take long to reach my office, such as it was. Once inside, I made sure the blinds were secure, switched on the light, swept several piles of paperwork off my desk—some things were definitely more important than keeping the records up to date—and laid down on it with what I hoped was a fluid and elegant motion, but which, if I were being honest, was probably more of a frantic scrabble.
“Alright,” I said, still using my would-be seductive voice, “now you’ve tied up the art deal, do you think you can manage to tie me up, too?”
Okay, not the greatest pun in the world, but it was the middle of the night and I was doing my best. Johnny leant over and kissed me.
“What with?” he murmured against my lips.
I didn’t need to reply as his twin had already found the supply of packaging ribbon under the desk. I just hoped Melissa would forgive me the use of it, just this once.
Mark dangled the ribbon so both of us could see it. He smiled. “Take off Liam’s clothes, Johnny. Slowly so he knows we’re going to have a lot of fun with him tonight. After business comes pleasure, after all.”
Johnny nodded and began to undo the rest of my shirt buttons. His hand on my skin was warm and soothing, something I was coming to expect from him. I groaned, and Mark grabbed my hair so my groan turned to a startled gasp. He leant in.
“No noise, Liam,” he said. “Whatever happens, you’ve got to be silent. Understood?”
Yes, sir, I mouthed at him, unable to nod and uncertain when exactly he expected his ruling to begin. He seemed satisfied with my response and let me go. My heart was beating fast and I couldn’t take my eyes from him, all the time feeling Johnny’s fingers stroking my chest and stomach as he unpeeled my shirt from me. The money spilled out across the floor, but, by that stage, nobody cared. The combination of Mark’s gaze and Johnny’s touch was electric.
For Johnny to remove my shirt entirely, I had to half sit up. As I did so, Mark’s lips met mine and his tongue filled my mouth again. I was desperate to groan my pleasure out, but forced it down and contented myself with touching whatever part of his body I could find whilst my arms were still free. He hadn’t said I couldn’t touch, so I was going to make the most of that allowance.
As Johnny’s ministrations moved to my jeans and pants, I had to bite my lip and think of Melissa’s tax returns to avoid any verbal embarrassment. I swore he took several hours to release my cock from its prison and it sprang out like a greyhound let loose on the track after he’d finally got my zipper down.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered. “Mark and I are so lucky.”
Then he licked my cock from base to tip, slowly and luxuriantly, and I had to stuff my fingers in my mouth to swallow down any sound.
Mark didn’t allow that for long. He took the ribbon and tied it round one wrist and then another, before stretching out my arms and securing them to the table legs. The grain of the wood pressed into my back, which wasn’t uncomfortable, but it limited my movement and made me aware of how vulnerable I was. That feeling wasn’t unpleasant either and as long as I kept looking at him, the anticipation outweighed the uncertainty.
“You’re doing very well, Liam,” he said, with an unexpected caress across my cheek and chin. “I’m very proud of you. We both are.”
His words brought a ridiculous grin to my face, which I couldn’t seem to suppress. God, I must have looked stupid, grinning like an idiot whilst flat-out and butt-naked across a desk, but neither of the twins seemed to mind. Mark pinched my nipples, bringing both of them instantly to a hard nub, and played with my chest and stomach for a while, as Johnny continued to give my cock his full and delicious attention.
When I was beginning to think it couldn’t get any better, whilst at the same time wanting more, much more, Mark’s fingers left me, and I almost groaned at the terrible lack of contact. Then I heard the sound of a zipper being undone. I turned my head and saw Mark easing down his trousers. He glanced at Johnny, still busy with my cock.
“Did you remember the condom and lube like I said?” he asked.
Johnny paused just long enough to answer. “Of course.”
“Good,” said Mark. “Then put them on and fuck him. I want to watch you do it.”
Hell, that sounded fantastic. They’d better hurry up, though, as right then I was absolutely dying to come. There was no way I could make this game last for much longer. I wondered if Mark was only going to watch, but I didn’t have to wait to find out.
“Keep your head turned toward me, Liam,” he commanded, and I felt my heart pounding so hard in my chest that surely he must have heard it, must have known the effect they were having on me.
Without any more ado, Mark took hold of my head and pushed his cock right into my mouth and as far down my throat as he could get himself. The sudden shock of it made me want to gag, but I hung on, made myself accept it, took him in willingly and gratefully. With my hands tied, he had complete control over me, and how fast or how slowly he fucked my mouth. I gave him that control, yielding my throat to him or indeed any other part of my body he might want to have.
At the same time, Johnny undid his zipper and slicked himself up with the condom. Then he lifted my legs, placed himself against my arse, and pushed himself inside, too. I wanted to moan, cry out, scream even, until the pain gave way to pleasure, but I had to remember to obey Mark, and in any case I couldn’t make any sound as he was filling me up totally. I just had to lie there and take it. God, it was bliss. The best way to end a day at the office I’d ever experienced, that was for certain. I didn’t think Melissa would agree to let me be fucked like this on her premises every night so I was determined to make the most of it.
“Focus, Liam, focus,” Mark said with a growl as both he and his brother continued to thrust their ways into me. “I want you to give it to us, to Johnny and me. I want you to come for us, but remember: no sound. Come for us, Liam. Come for us quietly. You can do it.”
In all honesty, I didn’t know if I could or not. I’d never come quietly for anyone. When I shot my load, it had always been an automatic reaction to yell or groan, but I wanted to obey him. I wanted to bring him pleasure any way I could, more than anything. So, my pulse way off the scale by now, I gazed up at him, taking the confidence that I could do anything he wanted me to by the look in his eye, and then Johnn
y hit my sweet spot and I was coming.
I used Mark’s cock in my mouth to hold back my shouts and moans, swallowing them down with his cum as my own hot spunk shot out of me over and over again, splattering my load over the desk and the floor and the shelf and Johnny, until the intense joy of it all overtook me. I felt as if I was flying through sunlight into the best and richest orgasm I’d ever had.
I might even have fainted—I don’t know—though that would have been stupid for a bloke. But when next I was fully aware of anything outside my own body’s happiness, I was lying on the desk with Mark’s spunk sticky and warm over my face and chest, and with the feel of Johnny’s cock slowly withdrawing from inside my arse.
I desperately wanted to talk, to tell them what that had meant to me, but I didn’t know how long the requirement to be silent would last. When I looked at Mark, he was nodding.
“Well done, Liam,” he said, his voice more than shaky, but still with that unmistakable note of command in it that I was coming to rely on. “Well done. You should be proud of yourself for that. You can talk now, if you wish.”
“Thank you, thank you, sirs,” I said, the words spilling out from my mouth almost as quickly as cum had exploded from my cock a few moments before. And nearly as out of control, too, as what I said next surprised even myself, but, God, I couldn’t help but say it.
“I love you,” I said, not fully able to judge the consequences of what was coming right out of my guts then, but realizing, astonishingly, how fitting it felt. “I love you. I love both of you, sirs.”
And then, while I was still panting and trying to bring my blissful trembling under control, both the brothers became very, very still. Which was around about when I realized just how crazy I was being.