An hour later, I’m curled up between Oliver and Finn, my head resting on Finn’s shoulder. We’ve just finished watching an episode of Sense 8. “Want to watch another?”
When I inhale, I can breathe in Finn’s cologne. Oliver’s muscles flex when he reaches for a beer. Sitting between them, my desire has been on slow burn all evening long. Now, I can either do the sensible thing and leave, or, I can succumb to temptation once again.
Oliver’s stormy blue eyes rest on me. “Or we could do something more interesting.”
He doesn’t need to spell it out. I know exactly what he’s offering. Finn’s fingers are tracing soft circles on my upper arm, and that touch, light and questioning, sets the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“My marriage just ended,” I whisper. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Oliver’s lips twist into a wry smile. “I like you, Miki,” he says. “I’m not looking to get involved with anyone either.”
“What do you want?” I turn my head from Oliver to Finn.
Finn’s response is simple. “You.”
My heart beats faster, but after the debacle of my marriage, I’m no longer swayed by charming words and pretty phrases. I want things clearly spelled out. “Are you seeing anyone else?”
Both men shake their heads at once. “I’d like to sleep with you, Miki. I want to keep our relationship monogamous.” Oliver cocks his head to one side, his eyes on me. “But I need to be honest. You said you weren’t looking for anything serious, and neither am I.”
Finn doesn’t say anything. I give him a searching look. “Does that apply to you as well?”
“Imperium is going public,” he says. “I don’t have time for anything else.”
Sex with two men, no strings attached. They want the same things I want. It’s a perfect arrangement, I tell myself. Say yes.
I take a deep breath and nod my assent. “Are you into BDSM? Is there a secret box of sex toys somewhere? Or a dungeon?”
Oliver laughs. “I gave you the tour Saturday morning,” he says. “No dungeon, no toys. I threw those out when Claudia and I split up.”
“Why do you ask?” Finn says lazily. “Do you secretly want to be tied up and whipped?”
I feel my cheeks heat. “Nothing as intense as whips,” I admit in a rush.
Oliver’s lips curl into a grin. “Come to my bedroom, Miki. I’m sure Finn and I can improvise something.”
Who am I kidding? From the moment I reached for that slice of pizza, I knew I was going to spend the night. And it’s not as if I’m risking my career by sleeping with my bosses. My days at Imperium are numbered anyway.
The three of us make our way to Oliver’s bedroom. Once we’re there, Finn points to a throw rug at the foot of the bed. “Stand there.”
The smoothly dominant tone of his voice startles me. I smile inwardly. Well, well, well, Mr. Sanders. It looks like Oliver’s not the only one who’s done some experimenting.
I obey without speaking. “So you want to get spanked, Miki?” Oliver asks. He moves close to me, his big hands running over the curve of my ass before he gives me a smack.
I jump, more startled than in pain. I’m still fully clothed, and my jeans provide protection. I grin cheekily at Oliver. “Is that the best you can do?”
Oliver’s hand grips my shoulder, and he looks into my eyes. “Is taunting me a smart idea, Miki?”
I shake my head silently, my pussy clenching at Oliver’s hard, clipped tone.
“Probably not,” I admit. “But if I were a sensible person, I wouldn’t be in your bedroom.”
“Touché.”
Finn kicks off his shoes and socks and pulls his belt free from its loops. My eyes widen in alarm, and he chuckles at my reaction. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to use it on your ass,” he says. “That’s too hardcore for me. Take off your clothes.”
“Good idea,” Oliver agrees. He undresses as well, tossing his clothes casually on a leather armchair in the corner. I lick my lips as he pulls his cock out from his briefs. It’s hard. Ready. Delicious.
Finn watches me strip with heated eyes. When I’m done, he beckons me forward with two fingers. “Get on the bed, on your hands and knees.”
I get in position, and Oliver adjusts me to his liking, pushing my shoulders so that they touch the mattress. My cheek is pressed against Oliver’s Egyptian cotton sheets.
“Are you wet, Miki?” Oliver’s fingers graze through my folds, and he spreads some of the wetness from my pussy to my tight rosebud. Instinctively, my muscles clench and Oliver swats me. “Relax,” he chides. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want.”
I know. If I didn’t trust Finn and Oliver, I’d have never hinted that I wanted to be spanked. My soul knew theirs, Gabby had said about Carter and Dominic. That sounds a little too Earth-Goddess for me, but there’s no denying how comfortable I am around the two men.
Finn takes my wrists in his big hands. He pulls them behind my back, and loops his belt around them, tying them loosely together. “If you’re nervous,” he says, his palm stroking my shoulder, “you can pull free.”
“Okay,” I whisper. I’m not nervous. I think I’m going to combust out of sheer lust. My entire body shivers in uncontrolled need.
“What a pretty sight you are, Miki.” Oliver’s nails graze lightly over my ass, and then he spanks me. At the same time, he pushes two fingers into my dripping wet pussy. I whimper as his thumb rubs my clitoris, a gentle, teasing touch that’s too light to get me off. “You like that?”
Oliver replaces his fingers with his tongue, and I sigh in pleasure. While he teases my folds, Finn plays with my breasts, squeezing them in his big palms. He twists my nipples between his fingers, and the action sends a jolt of sharp lust through me.
“I’m going to come,” I whimper.
“Not yet.” Oliver pulls his mouth off me, and I groan in frustration. “We have all night, Miki. By the time we’re done, you’re not going to be begging to come. You’re going to be begging us to stop.”
So. Fucking. Hot.
“She needs a distraction.” Finn’s voice is amused. I feel the bed shift as he moves, then his hands are on my shoulders, and he’s turning me so I’m lying on my side, my hands still awkwardly tied behind my back. “You okay?”
I nod, warmed by the concern. “Good,” he says. He removes the remainder of his clothes quickly and efficiently and positions himself so his cock nudges my lips. I part them eagerly, and Finn thrusts into my mouth.
Oliver shifts position as well, moving behind me. “Stroke me,” he orders.
I twist my wrists in my binding and take Oliver’s cock between my palms. I stroke up and down his length, closing my fingers around his thick girth, pumping his shaft as best as I can.
At the same time, Finn fucks my mouth, his fingers gripping my hair. I lick the underside of his cock and swirl my tongue around his engorged head, squeezing my lips around him.
I’m lost in a haze of pleasure, drugged with lust. Oliver spanks me even as I give him a handjob, and between the swats, he finger-fucks my pussy. Each time he pushes his finger deep into my wet core, I’m rocked forward, and Finn’s cock is pushed deeper into my mouth.
Finn grunts. “I’m going to come,” he clenches out. I feel his balls draw up and tighten, and then he explodes in my mouth with a muffled moan.
“Some people,” Oliver says, his voice dry, “have no stamina.”
Finn kisses my lips, flipping Oliver the bird at the same time. “I’d like to see how long you last in her mouth,” he says pointedly. He leans against the headboard and pats his lap. “Come here, Miki,” he orders.
Oliver chuckles. “Let’s put it to the test.” He sits on the bed as well, and I position myself across Finn’s strong thighs, my head resting in Oliver’s lap, in perfect position to suck him off while Finn’s spanking me.
Finn pushes my legs apart, spreading them open, and his fingers swoop unerringly between my legs. “Oliver’s right
Oliver groans as I take him in my mouth. “Okay,” he concedes, his voice hoarse with lust, “I might have spoken too soon.” He throws his head back and clenches his eyes shut. His fingers stroke my cheek, the touch sweet and soft. “Yes, just like that.”
Finn alternates between spanking me and teasing my pussy. His thumb circles my ass, and pushes at the entrance, and my muscles yield to the firm pressure. “Ooh,” I moan into Oliver’s cock. Finn’s finger in my ass feels naughty and wicked, and I like it.
If anal sex feels this good, sign me up.
In my mouth, Oliver pumps faster. From the sounds of his groans, he’s not far away from his climax. I suck in my cheeks and lick the underside of his shaft, and his hands grip my hair as he erupts.
Finn’s fingers speed up over my clitoris. I’m painfully aroused. The men have teased my pussy over and over again, and I’m primed to explode.
Then Finn increases the pace and the pressure ever so slightly, and I can’t hold back any longer. My muscles clench and tighten. My entire body seems to hang at the point of release, and then the dam bursts and my climax shudders through me.
One of them frees my wrists and massages my skin. The other pulls me into his lap and puts an arm around me.
It might be casual, and it might not involve commitment, but at this moment, I feel more cared for and cherished than I did during a year of marriage.
I don’t let myself dwell on that thought. I think I’m starting to develop feelings for Oliver and Finn, and it terrifies me.
18
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Confucius
Finn:
This time, she doesn’t spend the night. At two in the morning, she gets dressed, ignoring our protests. “My bosses,” she quips, “will take an exceedingly dim view if I’m late to work.”
“Your bosses are assholes,” Oliver says with a grin. He tries to tug Miki back to bed, but she dances out of reach. “Fine,” he grumbles. “Give me a second. I’ll give you a ride home.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she replies. “It’s late. I’ll just catch a cab.”
“Not alone.” I get to my feet and drag my jeans on. “I’ll come with you.”
“You guys,” she says, rolling her eyes. “You don’t have to be all alpha and protective, okay? It’s New York. I will be fine by myself.”
“Call it what you want,” I reply. “If you think I’m letting you catch a cab by yourself at this time of the night, you can think again. If my grandmother found out about it, she’d kick my ass.”
Oliver muffles a laugh. “She weighs a hundred pounds soaking wet,” he tells Miki. “And Finn’s terrified of her. Don’t argue, baby. You don’t want him to get in trouble, do you?”
Her lips curl into a smile. “I guess not.” She gives Oliver a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “See you in the morning, boss.”
We hail a cab. Miki gives the driver the address to her apartment, and she leans back against the seat. “I’m probably out of your way,” she says. “Where do you live?”
“Around the block. Oliver and I bought our apartments at the same time, right before we founded Imperium.”
My grandmother’s voice sounds in my ear. Tell her the truth. She deserves it.
But I hesitate. This is a really bad time to tell her. It’s late, she’s exhausted, and we’ve just had sex. We had good reasons for assuming our online identities, but if I spring the news on her now, she’s not going to understand. She’s just going to see our betrayal.
Earlier tonight, Oliver had told her that he wasn’t looking for anything serious, and Miki had turned to me and asked if the same thing applied to me.
I’d put her off with some kind of vague answer about Imperium going public.
I’d been lying. I don’t care about the IPO. The more we get closer to it, the more we clash with the board, the more I realize it’s not worth it. I’ve chased success all my life, but the time I’ve spent with Miki—both online and in-person—has brought far more happiness.
She’s not ready for a real relationship, but I am. I want a future with Miki.
But before that, there’s something I need to do. Miki’s told us—no, she’s told Merlin and Lancelot—that she wants to quit her job. I have to stop her from doing that. There’s a part of me that hopes that if she spends time with us—the real Oliver and Finn, not just her online buddies—that she’ll realize that we didn’t mean to break her trust.
Things are spiraling out of control, and I don’t know how to fix this mess.
Miki:
Even though it’s late, the first thing I do when I get back home is reach for my laptop. Unsurprisingly, Lancelot and Merlin are both online.
Any news on User0989?
I cross my fingers as I wait for their reply. I could ask Mary MacDonald about the circumstances around my hiring, but the more time I’ve spent thinking about my plan, the less confident I am in it. Mary might tell me something useful, but it’s a long shot.
Lancelot types out a reply. We were able to figure out his identity.
My heartbeat quickens. Who is it?
Imperium’s CFO. Lawrence Kent.
No. My first reaction is denial, followed swiftly by shock. Why would Kent hire me to hack into their systems? He has full access to it already.
Maybe he’s covering his ass?
That seems logical, in a sick and twisted kind of way. For some unknown reason, Kent wants the IPO to fail, but if the client list goes public, he has to make sure that the leak can’t be traced back to him.
I’m the scapegoat.
There’s a sick feeling in my stomach. I have to go to Oliver and Finn, and I have to tell them what I know.
And then I’ll never see them again.
There’s more, Merlin types. User0989 sent Lancelot and me a message earlier today. He offered us a job. Hack into Imperium. We turned him down, but Mouse, if he’s getting desperate, he’ll up the offer until he finds a taker.
I was afraid this might happen. What should I do?
You can’t quit your job just yet, Mouse.
They’re right. But the longer I go without telling Oliver and Finn the truth, the more betrayed they’re going to feel when they learn everything.
19
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
Sun Tzu
Oliver:
The next morning, Gabriella Alves shows up unannounced at Imperium. Janine puts her in a conference room and knocks on my door. “Do you want to see her?”
“Yes.” It’s a quarter to nine, and Miki’s not in yet. My eyes feel like sandpaper, and I’ve downed my usual three cups of coffee, but the caffeine hasn’t yet kicked in. Refilling my mug yet again, I make my way down the corridor.
Gabriella gets to her feet when she sees me. “I wanted to apologize for my attitude yesterday,” she says without preamble. “My boss hadn’t told me who I was meeting, and when I came in and saw you—” She grimaces wryly. “I jumped to conclusions.”
I sit across from her. “You wanted to protect your friend.”
She nods. “Miki’s marriage just ended. She’s in a fragile place.”
Last night, Miki had been intrigued by the idea of being tied. She’d wriggled in our laps as we spanked her. Her eyes had turned hazy with lust when we’d fingered her ass. After her ex-husband cheated on her, she’s cautious with her heart. But she’s certainly not fragile.
“She’s stronger than you give her credit for.”
Miki matters to me. Last night, Finn and I had told her who User0989 really was, because we realize we need to show her we trust her.
Of course, right after that, we’d lied to her again, and told her User0989 had asked us to hack into Imperium, when he’d done no such thing.
We shouldn’t have done that. But like Finn, I’m not ready to lose Miki.
Miki:
I didn’t see Leah on Sunday. She’d had a migraine and had canceled at the last minute, leaving my mother and me to eat our traditional Sunday tea in silence. Tuesday morning, before I leave for work, I call her.
She sounds surprised to hear from me. “It’s before nine,” she teases. “I didn’t think you’d be awake.”
“I have a job.” My cheeks heat. A job for which I’m running horribly late. Hopefully, Finn and Oliver know I’ll make up the time because I don’t want them to think I’m taking advantage of them. “I’m forced to get up before noon. Listen, I wanted to chat with you about Saturday.”
“What about it?”
I take a deep breath. “I watched Ben and you at dinner,” I tell her, unsure how my sister’s going to react to my interference. “I saw two people that care about each other, but that aren’t talking to each other. When was the last time the two of you had fun together, Leah?”
“I can’t remember,” she says flatly. “I’m doing everything I can to be a good wife, okay? I host dinner parties. I cook beautiful meals. I keep the house decorated. I make sparkling conversation with mind-numbing bores like Jon Sherman.”
“Sweetie,” I say gently. “You seem trapped. Ben seems trapped. Have you two considered counseling?”
“I can’t,” she says at once. “Ben works really hard. I don’t want him to think I’m unhappy.”
“You might not have another choice.” I sit on the edge of the bed and stare into Wendy’s closet, stuffed to the brim with her clothing from her old job. “I tried to hack into Ben’s data, but it’s really well-protected. I’m not going to be able to access it.” I cross my fingers and hope I’m right about what I’m going to say next. “Ben doesn’t look happy, and neither do you, but I don’t think he’s cheating on you, sweetie. Talk to him.”
“I’m terrified,” she whispers. “I’m crazy about Ben. I don’t think I’m ready to face a world in which he’s fallen out of love with me.”
-->
