by Avery Gale
Looking down at Lakyn, he felt like he was fast approaching another huge fork in life’s road. The path he chose would determine where life led, and he was anxious to get started. Finding Lakyn on the side of the road had been a fluke, but her agreement to let them teach her about Dominance and submission was a gift he planned to fully appreciate. For the first time in years, Trac was beginning to rethink his aversion to commitment.
*
“Is she slick?” Juan’s question jolted him back to the moment, and he held up his fingers for his friend to see the shining evidence coating his fingers. “Christ, all that glistening honey is going to push me right over the damned edge of sanity.” Taking a small step back, so he had a clearer view of her, Juan crossed his arms over his broad chest and smiled.
“Make her come. I want to see what she looks like when her mind shatters from pleasure.” Her eyes must have gone wide with fear because Juan quickly shook his head. “Don’t worry about anything but giving yourself over to the pleasure Master Trac is going to bring you, Cariña.”
He wouldn’t tell her he had no intention of letting anyone hear the sweet sounds of her pleasure. It wasn’t that he was a prude, hell he loved public play as much as the next Dom, but this was the Wests’ scene, and he wasn’t about to upstage them. Juan looked on as Lakyn’s eyes closed, and her soft moan was echoed by Trac.
“Princess, you’re so hot and wet. You might as well throw away every pair of panties you own because I want to be able to touch you just like this anytime the urge strikes me. Feeling the soft petals of your pussy lips slipping between my fingers is hotter than hell.”
Juan stepped closer, so he’d be ready to seal his mouth over hers when the orgasm building like a tsunami finally swamped her. Lakyn was vibrating with energy, and the pink flush of arousal spreading over her upper chest let him know she was close to falling over the edge. Juan watched as Lakyn’s mouth opened and quickly closed the space between them, slanting his mouth over hers, capturing her cries of release. She fisted the sides of his shirt in her small hands as if it was a lifeline tethering her to Earth. He ended the kiss when he saw her sag in Trac’s arms.
“You are beautiful when you come, Cariña, and I can’t wait to feel all of that passion when we’re in a much more intimate place.”
“Your pussy is so tight, Princess, we’re going to need to be very careful with you.” Trac’s words sent a deep flush over Lakyn’s cheeks, making Juan wonder how long it had been since she’d been intimate with a man. When his friend withdrew his hand from beneath her dress and sucked a single finger into this mouth to savor the taste of her essence, Juan felt his eyes widen with concern.
One finger? Trac’s comment took on a whole new level of significance when Juan realized his friend had only used a single digit to penetrate her. Hell, they were going to need to be extremely careful because both he and Trac were larger than average, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He’d seen what could happen when an inexperienced sub wasn’t properly prepared for a Dom’s cock, and it wasn’t pretty.
“Holy shit, I can’t believe I just came in the middle of a room filled with strangers.” Lakyn’s breathless confession might have been amusing if it hadn’t contained profanity. Juan watched Trac’s expression turn thunderous. Before he could blink, Lakyn’s eyes went wide and she yelped as Trac’s massive palm smacked her ass.
“Language, Princess. You’ll speak respectfully or not at all.” Juan almost laughed out loud at the easy-to-read expression on Lakyn’s face. Trac wasn’t going to be able to pry a word from her with a crowbar. I do believe my stubborn friend has just met his match. “Do you understand?”
Trac’s question was met with stubborn silence as Lakyn crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. Juan wanted to avoid interrupting the Wests’ scene any more than they already had and gave Trac a quick nod to the nearest exit. They needed to move this discussion outside the small scene area. His friend was clearly frustrated, but Lakyn looked like her head was about to spin around on her shoulders powered by the steam he could practically see coming out of her ears.
Juan wanted to shake his head because this was going to be a battle neither of them would win. Just as he had so many times with his sisters, Juan was going to be forced to act as the referee. Fucking hell, this is not how he’d seen the rest of their evening playing out. Leading the two of them through a back door leading to a secluded terrace sheltered from the thunderstorm raging a few feet away, he opened his mouth to speak, but the little tiger rounded on Trac before he got out a single word of warning.
“What the hell is wrong with you whacking on me like I’m an errant child? Good grief, didn’t your mother teach you any damned manners? God bless a goose, you can’t go around swatting people just because you don’t like what they have to say. Haven’t you ever heard of the First Amendment? Good fucking Lord, I can’t believe it. My language isn’t that bad, I’m a damned saint compared to most of the people I know. Hell, even my brother doesn’t bitch about my language, and his pucker factor is off the fucking chart about almost everything related to me.”
If he hadn’t been so shocked by her tirade, Juan might have been able to enjoy the fact Trac was utterly speechless. He’d never known his best friend to be completely flummoxed by a sub. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that particular shade of purple on another human’s face before. Lakyn was poking her finger into Trac’s chest, emphasizing her words with short jabs with her French-tipped nails, and he almost lost control of the laughter he’d been valiantly holding back when Trac flinched.
“What? You don’t have anything to say? Boy oh boy, I can’t fucking believe you. All pissy because of a curse word and now the damned cats got your tongue. Well, believe you me, I’m a New Yorker now, and we can dress you down seven ways to Sunday and never break a sweat. You can just suck it up, buster, because big girls know bad words too.” She turned on her heel and started pacing the width of the patio, muttering under her breath about the class Uncle Sam obviously taught military recruits where the newbie soldiers were brainwashed into believing they were the kings of all they surveyed.
When Trac started to reach for her, Juan laid his hand on his friend’s forearm and shook his head.
“Let her wind down. This isn’t really about you. She’s crashing. Whatever she’s running from back east, fatigue, hunger, her car petering out on her, the storm, and a mind shattering orgasm, the swat was the last straw and she’s reeling. Just be ready to catch her.” He’d no sooner uttered the last words when she seemed to trip over thin air and before she could right herself, Juan watched her eyes roll back, and she began free-falling. She’d have face planted if Trac hadn’t been already moving in her direction.
“Jesus, that was close. I swear I was ready to paddle her ass for that outburst. Hell, I’m still going to paddle her, but at least now I know it wasn’t all disrespect.” Juan pulled one of the soft subbie blankets from a nearby cabinet and wrapped it around her as she lay cradled in Trac’s arms.
“I’ll go get one of the golf carts. We need to take her to our place and get her settled. Those dark bruises under her eyes tell me she’ll probably sleep for hours, and I’d rather she slept between us.” Trac simply nodded his head, but as Juan turned to go, his friend finally found his voice.
“Thanks for keeping me from making a big mistake with her. I was so shocked, I forgot she is completely inexperienced. I don’t care about what she’s read or how much Tobi’s told her, it’s completely different when you come face to face with D/s for the first time.” Juan nodded and felt a wave of relief sweep over him knowing Trac had seen the bigger picture. His best friend finally chuckled as he brushed a stray lock of her hair from her cheek.
“I’ll bet she gives Cooper a run for his money, and from what I remember, he was no pushover. Seeing them go toe-to-toe is probably worth the price of admission.”
Yeah, probably a lot like what I what I watched play out a few minutes ago, but her brothe
r probably isn’t stunned into silence.
Chapter Seven
Lakyn tried to surface through the fog of sleep, but she was so hot, all she could think about was escaping the tangle of blankets suffocating her. Before her mind could register where she was, a strong arm encircled her, and she was launched over the edge into a full-blown panic attack. Fighting as if her life depended on it, Lakyn’s mind turned off, and all her brother’s self-defense training kicked in. She heard soft grunts from the man trying unsuccessfully to pin her to the bed, but she wasn’t going to stop fighting just because she thought she’d hurt him.
“Cariña. Stop now!” Something in the man’s deep voice stilled the raging in her soul, and Lakyn froze. Sucking in deep breaths, she tried to search the darkness for a clue to where she was. Damn it, she couldn’t see anything, she’d never had good night vision… it was one of the reasons she’d always slept with a small lamp on. Her breathing was starting to accelerate again as panic began edging back over her when she felt the bed shift, and with a nearly silent click, the room was illuminated in a soft glow.
Finally, able to get her bearings, it all came flooding back. Texas. Prairie Winds. Juan and Trac. She was safe. The man who’d tried to break into her apartment one night hadn’t finally figured out a way past the security system Cooper had insisted she install. Pulling in huge gulps of air, Lakyn realized she was shaking as strong arms wrapped around her.
“Cariña, are you alright?”
Beside them, Trac groaned, “I’m the one you should be worried about. Fuck me, Princess, whoever taught you those moves should be damned proud. But I’m warning you right now, if I end up with a shiner and am subjected to a bunch of trash talk from my teammates, I’m paddling your ass.” Trac’s tone was petulant rather than threatening. Lakyn felt a giggle bubble to the surface and didn’t even try to hold it back.
“So, it’s okay for you to curse, but not me? How is that fair?” Her challenge might have carried more weight if she hadn’t been snickering, but she doubted it.
“Princess, we have never made any claim about being fair. As Doms, we promise to give you what you need, and trust me—fair will never be a part of that equation.” The wicked gleam in his eyes as he rubbed his abused nose sent a shiver up her spine.
“Tell us what happened to send you into such a panic, Cariña.” Without releasing her, Juan pulled her on to his lap, sucking in a quick breath when her bare hip pressed against his equally bare erection. She was getting ready to wiggle against him, but he must have sensed her intent because he growled against her ear, “Don’t. Tempting me when we are both naked and already in bed would end this discussion before it ever started, and I want you to answer my question.”
Lakyn nodded and took a deep breath while she decided how much to share.
“I know that look, Princess, and I assure you, editing your response is lying by omission. I would imagine that came up a time or two during your chats with Tobi because I know she’s been over the spanking bench at the club more than once for the same offense.”
Trac was right, Tobi had mentioned the definition of lying was what she’d called ‘broader than a damned barn’ whatever that meant. Lakyn had assumed it meant there was more to lying than simply repeating facts inaccurately. It hadn’t occurred to her keeping some of the uglier aspects of her fears to herself would be considered deception. Fucking hell. I’m screwed. Might as well get this over with. Nodding her understanding, she watched as Trac’s brows drew together in a frown.
“Words, Lakyn. Use your damned words to answer questions. As my granny always said, ‘I can’t hear your head rattle, you know.’” She giggled at his attempt to imitate his grandmother’s voice and wondered if the elderly woman knew her grandson quoted her.
“Yes, Sir, I understand, but I want you to know the whole story is pretty long, so I’m going to give you the abbreviated version now. We can revisit this discussion in the morning. Now that I’ve cooled off, I’m starting to get sleepy again. That was what woke me up, I was hot. I’m not used to sleeping with anyone and… well, you two are hot… in more ways than one.”
The grins both men flashed her made them look more like the carefree young men she used to meet at public relations events when she’d first started modeling rather than the experienced Dominants she knew they were. Shaking her head to clear the errant thoughts, Lakyn shrugged her shoulders.
“I’ve been dealing with a stalker. Well, I guess you’d call him a stalker. Hell, I probably shouldn’t assume it’s a man. That’s probably against some PC edict or something.” Shaking her head again at her own distraction, Lakyn took a deep breath, trying to re-focus her attention on the topic. “It started out innocent enough, but then they always do.”
“You mean this has happened before?” Trac’s question didn’t surprise her, but the anger in his tone made her flinch even though she was sure his frustration wasn’t directed at her.
“In my business, it happens all the time. Ordinarily, it’s a minor inconvenience for a few weeks, then the ‘admirer’ finds a new, more worthy recipient of their affections. I’ve even had them send me fuck off letters, letting me know they were moving on because I’d failed to respond or in some other way I hadn’t lived up to their expectations.”
“Cariña, I’m not even sure what to say about this. It always baffles me how cruel people can be to those they claim to love or even those they previously cared about.”
She smiled at Juan and tried to imagine what it would be like to have a line of defense between herself and the world. Cooper did all he could, but more often than not, he was on the other side of the world when things went wrong. She took another cleansing breath, wanting to get back on task before the rest of the night slipped between her fingers, and she was left feeling exhausted again tomorrow.
“This time, it felt different. I can’t really explain why… maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to get in touch with Cooper.” She shrugged but didn’t think they’d been fooled by the nonchalant gesture.
“Probably instinct and that’s not something you should ever ignore, Cariña.”
Juan’s hand slipped over hers, unfolding the fingers she’d unconsciously clenched as the stress of the past few months returned. Damn, sitting naked between two equally bare hunks had definitely distracted her from the reality of why she’d fled in New York.
Will they believe me or accuse me of having an over-active imagination like everyone back east?
*
“I know, but it was hard to remember when everyone around me kept insisting I was over-reacting. One detective actually insinuated I was making everything up for publicity which was absurd since I was the one who insisted everything be kept out of the press.”
Trac felt a surge of anger move through him but thankfully, before he could respond, she shook her head and muttered, “I’m sure Tobi was right, the asshat probably has a little dick.” Trac didn’t even try to hold back his laughter. God love Tobi, she’d broken the tension in the room without even being present.
“Princess, I don’t even want to think about the size of another man’s junk, but I’ll look forward to chatting with him about how to show proper respect to my woman.” Her eyes widened when he referred to her as his, but he didn’t care. Juan’s knowing smirk made Trac want to roll his eyes, but he held his immature responses in check. Fucker is going to gloat about this forever.
Juan smoothed the back of his hand down the side of Lakyn’s face, and Trac watched Lakyn’s reaction to the affectionate gesture. He’d always admired Juan’s ability to soothe women with simple touches.
“I know you’re tired but give us a quick overview of the problems you were having. We’ll have Micah pull all the police reports, but from the sound of it, I’m not betting they’ll provide much detail.” Lakyn looked oddly relieved, and it didn’t take long to figure out why.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that you believe me. My manager has an apartment in the sam
e building where I live, and he insisted no one could get by the front desk security officer, but I know that’s not true. Hell, I’ve walked in many times while the older man at the desk was busy without him seeing me slip past.”
“Did they check the security cameras?” Trac couldn’t imagine it being something the detective would forget, but if he didn’t believe Lakyn was telling the truth, he might not have bothered.
“I asked them, but I’m not sure they did. Of course, by the time I settled down enough to ask the security staff about it myself, the tapes had looped and erased everything from the date of the first attempted break-in.”
“First attempt? How many times did this happen?” Trac struggled to keep his anger in check. If they hadn’t already put out a call to her brother, he’d damned well be doing it now.
“I’m not sure how many times they tried, but someone got in on three occasions, and yes, I’m certain about that number. I always secured strings and transparent tape over the door. I also had the locks changed regularly, and no, I never used the same locksmith twice.” Trac had to admit, he was impressed. It was obvious from Juan’s expression he also admired her moxie.
“Did your intruder take anything, Cariña?”
“He took clothing… things I’d worn. It’s very creepy having someone in your space when you aren’t there, but it’s even worse when they steal panties out of your dirty clothes hamper.” Having your personal space invaded would make anyone feel vulnerable, but having your intimate clothing stolen would add a whole other dimension to the feeling of violation. A shudder moved through her before she took a deep breath and attempted to smile.
“I guess I should be glad he didn’t take the clean stuff.” Her attempt at humor didn’t come close to covering up her discomfort, but Trac wasn’t going to call her out on it. It was obvious she needed to feel some measure of control in this situation. “Someone also tried to access the safe in my bedroom closet, but they weren’t able to open it.
