by Red Phoenix
Brie kept her smile even though she knew her answer would be hard for the parents to hear. “Kylie did cry out for help. It was as if she could sense something was wrong just before she passed out, but she didn’t suffer.”
Her parents nodded, tears rolling down their cheeks.
“Kylie was well-loved by many, as you can see,” Sir stated in a warm voice. “I hope that brings you some comfort.”
Her father glanced around at the number of people still walking up to the gravesite. “People here have been exceedingly kind to us. So yes, Mr. Davis, it does ease our pain to know she was surrounded by good people.”
Once everyone had gathered, Marquis went back to the limousine to get Faelan.
He stepped out of the vehicle, a look of anguish on his face, and slowly approached the grave. His eyes were locked on it as if he didn’t see anyone or anything else.
Taking his place between both sets of parents, Faelan stood with his hands behind his back and his head bowed. He remained that way for the entire graveside service. He didn’t move or make a sound, although everyone around him sobbed. But Brie could feel his torment and noticed the tears that silently fell to the ground.
When the time came to lower the coffin into the ground, Faelan suddenly stiffened and closed his eyes. He remained where he was while everyone else threw handfuls of dirt onto the coffin in honor of her.
Brie could feel the building tension he was throwing off.
Suddenly, Faelan dropped to his knees and cried out, “Don’t leave me here alone!”
The anguish in his voice sent chills through Brie.
Everyone froze, caught in the intensity of his pain.
Marquis and Faelan’s father quietly helped him to his feet. Together, they attempted to lead him back to the limousine, but he broke from their grip, howling angrily as he stormed away in the opposite direction. People hastily made a path for him through the crowd.
Sir touched Brie’s shoulder. “Go to him.”
Brie glanced up at Sir, tears in her eyes, and nodded. Hurrying after Faelan, she had to force her way through the stunned crowd.
When she finally caught up to him, he growled ominously, “Leave me alone, Brie.”
“Okay,” she answered, but she continued walking three steps behind him.
Finally, he turned on her. “I told you to leave me the fuck alone!”
Brie met his gaze. “I am.”
“No, you’re not! You’re still following me.”
He marched away from her at a faster pace.
She glanced at the crowd and saw they were all watching in concern. She waited several seconds to give him more space before following him again.
“I can still hear you,” he snarled without looking back.
Brie understood what he wanted but felt compelled to continue.
When they were far from the grave, he stopped and turned to face her. The grief on his face had transformed into rage. “I don’t want you here!”
She stood quietly, not daring to move, afraid if she did she might evoke his rage to explode.
“I don’t want this. I don’t want any of it!” he yelled.
“I know…” she whispered desperately.
The raw pain in his ocean blue eye ripped at her heart.
“I would trade places with her without hesitation,” he declared angrily.
Brie nodded, holding back her tears although her heart was breaking for him.
Faelan gestured toward the direction of the gravesite. “I didn’t want a funeral, but Kylie deserved to be honored. It’s the only reason I agreed to come.” His voice faltered. “But now, I regret it…”
“Why?” she whispered, desperate to understand.
His blue eye pierced her soul. “It makes it final. I’m alone now.”
Goosebumps rose on her skin. “You have a beautiful daughter.”
“Just being near her cuts me like a knife,” he snarled.
“But she’s a part of Kylie.”
He glared at Brie. “Exactly. She reminds me of everything I’ve lost.”
Faelan turned from Brie, a low moan escaping his lips. “I’m haunted by the fear in her voice when she cried out for help.”
Brie closed her eyes, ice running through her veins. She couldn’t forget Kylie’s plaintive cry. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to speak. “I remember how she was bursting with love for your daughter. That’s what I hold onto now.”
Faelan shook his head.
He tensed when Brie placed her hand on his back. “I have a secret I have carried with me since Hope’s birth.”
He turned around, looking at her questioningly.
“You know I love Thane as much as you love Kylie.”
He furrowed his brow in pain but nodded.
“Like you, I can’t imagine a future without him. But when Hope’s heart-rate started to drop dangerously low while giving birth, I silently begged for my life to be taken so hers would be spared. I know that Kylie felt the same way about your little girl.”
He shook his head violently, but Brie said firmly, “Faelan, I would have gladly given up my life with Sir, because Hope is more important than either of us.”
“No!”
Brie smiled at him compassionately. “Your little girl was created out of love and is a part of you both.”
“I have a secret of my own, Brie.”
She held her breath, troubled by his somber tone.
Letting out a ragged sigh, he confessed, “I wish the baby had never been born.”
They stood together in silence as the truth filled the space between them.
Although his words sounded heartless, Brie knew it was his love for Kylie that spurred them.
Faelan shook his head angrily. “She knew something terrible was going to happen and I ignored her.”
“No! Dr. Glas said her vitals were good. How many times did he check in on her? And she always said she was fine but nervous. Kylie didn’t know any more than we did.”
“She was terrified, Brie. That’s why she asked you to come.” He groaned. “And now, we know why…”
Brie understood he was condemning himself for what happened. She suspected he was replaying every aspect of the day, questioning every decision he made, wondering what he could have done to prevent her from dying.
She knew from experience that what-ifs served no purpose.
“Faelan, I remember something Captain told me after the plane crash. It seemed coldhearted when he said it back then, but it has carried me through some difficult moments since.”
“What?” Faelan asked, his voice gruff with emotion.
“It is never wise to concern ourselves with what-ifs.”
He growled, not appreciating Captain’s simple but profound advice.
Brie continued, “Your daughter is depending on you, Faelan. You have to concentrate on recovering from this unexpected loss. She needs her father to be well.”
He frowned, shaking his head as he stared at the ground. “I am a man of extremes, Brie. When I love, I’m all in.” He glanced up at her. “I was that way with you and Mary. But Kylie was different because she loved me back with the same intensity I loved her.”
Tears pricked Brie’s eyes as she nodded.
“Kylie was everything to me, my best parts. I’m nothing without her.”
Brie reached out to him. “That’s not true.”
He looked her dead in the eye. “You want the real truth?”
She nodded, holding her breath.
“Now that she’s gone, my only thought—my only desire—is to join her.”
Goosebumps rose on Brie’s skin at the finality of those words. “Kylie would never want that!”
Faelan snarled. “You can’t speak for her.”
“I can speak as a mother. I know to the depths of my soul that Kylie would never want you to abandon your baby.”
“I wasn’t supposed to do this on my own!”
“I know,” Brie said with compassi
on. “None of this was supposed to happen…but you can’t give up on the one thing Kylie loved even more than you.”
Fire flashed in Faelan’s eyes, and he said in a cold voice, “Go away.”
“Faelan, I—”
“Not another word, Brie,” he warned. “Leave me the fuck alone and tell Asher to do the same.”
When she didn’t move, he pointed his finger. “Go now!”
Brie knew she’d hit a nerve, but she desperately hoped he would consider what she’d said. Turning away she headed back to the gravesite, her heart heavier than before.
Instead of going to Marquis Gray’s house that night, Brie returned home feeling bereft.
She sat on the couch hugging her pillow for hours, completely unaware of her surroundings—lost in her sadness.
Sir finally broke through the haze, holding his hand out to her. “Come. Let your men love you.”
Brie looked up to see Rytsar standing beside him.
Taking Sir’s hand, Brie was pulled into his arms and the two men walked her to the bedroom.
They undressed her with gentle hands. Once naked, Sir picked her up and carried her to the bed. Both Sir and Rytsar quietly shed their clothes and joined her.
Brie felt dangerously empty—as if she were a black hole of sorrow that could consume them if they got too close.
But neither man hesitated, requiring nothing of her as they caressed her body and left trails of kisses over her skin. They were so tender in their lovemaking that it brought tears to her eyes.
“Let it out, radost moya,” Rytsar murmured, kissing her on the lips.
Brie resisted, unwilling to submit herself to the pain, but Rytsar would not let it consume her. He slowly pressed his cock into her, filling the void in her soul.
His strokes were slow and measured—his touch tender and sweet—but she looked up at him, too numb to respond.
Never breaking eye contact with her, Rytsar rolled with Brie so they were lying on their side. Sir spooned against her, pressing his lubricated shaft into her tight resistance as he whispered. “I love you.”
Brie closed her eyes, the tears squeezing through her eyelids despite her best efforts to keep them back.
The men were persistent in their love, drawing her in with their need to connect with her. There finally came a point when she could no longer resist them, and everything she’d held back came bubbling out.
“Da,” Rytsar growled in encouragement when the tears began to fall freely.
Soon, Brie began sobbing as she gave in to their lovemaking, needing the emotional connection that taking both men at the same time created.
It sustained her as she gave in to the uncertainty and pain caused by Kylie’s death. They rode out her sorrow with her, unified as one so she could bear the devastating weight of it.
The torment of her grief was matched by the strength of their love. In that way, she withstood the tidal wave that engulfed her.
Afterward, she lay in their arms, their spent cocks still buried deep inside her. She was emotionally exhausted, but her heart was less heavy. She turned her head and gazed up at the ceiling in silence, indebted to them both for their intervention.
Brie eventually broke the silence, needing to voice her thoughts to them. “Faelan is facing my greatest fear…” She turned to look at Sir, her brows furrowed in pain. “I will never forget how terrified I was when I thought I was losing you.”
Sir stared at her, his eyes full of compassion. “But you stayed strong.”
Feeling profound guilt, she confessed, “I was no different than Faelan, Sir. I ignored everything, including our child…”
“It’s a natural response when faced with loss,” he replied. “Which is why we support Wallace now.”
Rytsar spoke up. “Radost moya, I promise he will get through this. I am well acquainted with his hell.”
She turned her head, looking at him sadly. She knew he was talking about Tatianna.
“I live with tragic loss every day. It never leaves the heart.”
“I’m so sorry, Rytsar.” The immensity of his loss hit her like it never had before and she started to cry again.
“Do not weep, radost moya. I know Tatianna waits for me. One day, I will see her again and we will be reunited.”
He gently wiped away her tears. “Kylie died at the happiest point in her life. Not many are as fortunate.” Rytsar frowned slightly. “However, I know Tatianna is at peace and waits patiently for me. It is the same for the Wolf Pup.”
Taking Brie’s hand, he placed it over his heart. “There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who live their life to the fullest because they realize they can die at any moment, and those who live their life in fear, trying to protect it. What those who live in fear fail to realize is that they are already dead.”
Her bottom lip trembled.
“Surviving Tatianna’s loss freed me from the fear of death because it will be welcomed when it comes.”
She whimpered at the thought.
Rytsar grazed her bottom lip, smiling. “I’m in no hurry to die.”
He glanced at Sir. “I made that vow a long time ago.”
“Yes, you did,” Sir affirmed.
Looking back at Brie, Rytsar continued, “Live your life fearlessly, radost moya.”
She nodded.
“Do not concern yourself with the Wolf Pup.” He smiled confidently. “I will guide him to the other side of hell, whatever it takes.”
Sir caressed her cheek tenderly. “I promise you, babygirl. Wallace has a band of people who will not let him down.”
Remembering the lengths her friends went to supporting her after Sir’s plane crash, Brie knew he was right and a feeling of profound relief washed over her.
“Now sleep and let your heart heal,” Sir commanded gently.
Kindness
Brie got up to take her morning walk, wanting to speed the healing process by moving about her days as she had always done. She hoped it would bring her a sense of peace.
Although the beauty of nature surrounded her, Brie’s heart still felt heavy. When she saw the old woman, she lowered her head and kept walking.
It went on like that for days, and she was sorely tempted to quit her walks and sleep in instead. But she persevered each morning, trotting along with her head down, hoodie pulled over her head.
“Hey!”
Brie barely registered that someone had spoken and kept walking.
“Hey, girl!” the person called out louder.
She stopped and turned to see the old woman. “Look. I got something for you.”
Brie noticed she was clutching something. “What?”
The woman thrust out her hand. “Just take it.”
As Brie walked over to her, the little dog whined but wagged its tail enthusiastically. The old woman clasped her hand and pressed her gift into it.
Brie looked down to see a used pair of socks with daisies on them. It was the first pair she had given to her.
“No matter how bad it gets you can always look at your feet.”
Brie looked up at her questioningly.
The old woman pointed to her own feet. She was wearing the latest socks Brie had given her, a vibrant blue pair with cupcakes on them.
“Come, Chester,” she barked, grabbing her bag of plastic bottles.
Chester looked up at Brie, wagged his tail, and yipped twice before joining the old woman.
Brie stared down at the socks in shock, certain the old woman had no idea that she was the one who had given her the socks in the first place.
This was a random act of kindness…
Tears filled her eyes as she continued to walk, deeply touched by the woman’s generosity.
When she returned home, she showed the socks to Sir.
He chuckled. “So, you’ve finally been caught?”
Brie shook her head, looking at the used socks. “I think she wanted me to have one of her most prized possession, Sir.” She looked up at hi
m in wonder. “Just because she wanted to make me smile.”
Sir took the socks from her, studying them thoughtfully. “You managed to soften a cold heart once again.” He gazed into her eyes, adding, “Well done, babygirl.”
Brie stood on tiptoes to kiss him. “Thank you for helping me understand what she needed.”
Sir handed the socks back to her. “So, what are you going to do with them?”
“I plan to wear them tomorrow on my walk, then I’m putting them in a place of honor for safekeeping.” Looking down at the tattered socks, Brie was overcome with gratefulness, treasuring the old woman’s gift.
The kindness of a stranger truly had untold power.
Lea and Mary insisted on dragging Brie out for some much-needed girl time.
“Sorry, but I’m not in the mood,” she apologized when they showed up at her door.
“Which is why you have no choice,” Lea stated, taking her hand and escorting her outside.
Brie looked back to see Sir standing in the doorway with Hope in his arms, and realized she’d been set up.
Once the three of them were in Mary’s car, Brie asked them, “Now that I’ve been kidnapped, where are you taking me?”
“Our old bar near the Submissive Training Center, where else?” Mary answered.
“Did you forget Brie is pregnant?” Lea chided.
Mary huffed, looking in the rearview mirror at Brie. “You are pretty useless as a friend when you’re pregnant.”
Brie laughed. “Excuse me for being such a burden.”
“You’re no such thing. Mary’s just a twat.”
“I may be a twat, but at least I’m funny.”
It was Lea’s turn to huff. “You wish.”
Brie enjoyed listening to their familiar banter. There was a normalcy to it that helped lighten her spirits.
“Since we’re not allowed to hang out at the bar, where would you like to go, Stinks?”
Brie thought about it for a moment before she suddenly realized what she needed. “It’s a bit far.”
“Don’t care.”
Brie got teary, touched by what an incredible friend she was, and choked out, “Thanks, Mary.”
She immediately chastised Brie. “Don’t get all emotional on my account. Now give me the directions, woman.”
