Belonging: Book Two in The Everett Gaming Series

by Drew Sera

“Yes. But, I took San Fran, so they need to win by at least four.”

  She smiled and looked over my parlay card in amusement. She caught on how it worked. I think I may have started a little interest in football betting for her. At least she understood how the cards worked and would be able to follow along with mine and Colin’s parlay cards. The football talk had successfully taken her mind off the broken bottle. Matt’s voice broke my attention from her.

  “Anth, Syd, pizza and wings are in the kitchen. Come get some food.”

  Since Matt is Sydney’s doctor, he’s been saying how Sydney needs to gain some weight. She’s too thin and we know it was due to her tight financial situation. Colin and I are on it and we make sure she eats.

  I hadn’t even noticed that the room was empty and people were in the kitchen getting food before kickoff. Mark and Arthur were heading back to the great room as Sydney and I were headed toward the smell of the food. Sydney was eyeing the plates as they walked by.

  “Do you think Colin ordered any plain cheese pizza?” She asked me. It made me laugh because I knew that was the first kind of pizza Colin ordered on account of Sydney.

  And of course, there was a large cheese pizza that Sydney helped herself to with a smile. As we all watched the game, Sydney knelt on the floor by the coffee table along with Gina. My arms ached to hold her again and finally at half time, I pulled her away from Gina to sit beside me. After the bottle incident, I really wanted her to be close and in my arms.

  That evening, the three of us sat in the sitting room of the bedroom we’ve been sleeping in, and Colin picked up her notebook while I held her in my arms. Colin’s been tense since yesterday at the apartment and can’t drop the counting marks that were on the doorframe. I tried telling him earlier today to let it go. He won’t like the response and it’ll make him see red. Just like I had today with the glass incident.

  “Baby, I want to ask you something and I don’t want you to be afraid to answer me honestly.” I felt her body tense up as Colin spoke and I began rubbing on her arms and back to loosen her up some.

  “I’ll always be honest with you. Both of you.”

  “We appreciate that, sunshine. Colin and I will always be honest and open with you.”

  “Baby, what were those marks on the door for?”

  I really wished Colin hadn’t started this again, especially tonight. The bottle breaking sent Sydney off to another place earlier and I was hoping we could just relax without something negative being brought up. I’d talk to Colin about what she said to me while he was cleaning up the glass. He needed to know, but I’d do it away from Sydney. Sydney took a deep breath and turned to face Colin.

  “Um, Howard would mark the door jamb each time he had to punish me.” She had lowered her head and was looking down at her twisting fingers on her lap. “It was for being bad. Or at least, a reminder for how many times I misbehaved.” She let out a small, sarcastic laugh. “Now that you can see for yourself how bad I am, are you sure you still want me?”

  “You’re not bad, Sydney. You’re the exact opposite of a girl needing discipline. Anthony and I have both been in this lifestyle for a long time and we’ve been with many submissives and have been around many submissives. I can tell you that you’re not the bad young woman that Howard made you think that you are. Your heart is huge and is in the right place. Your intentions are good-natured and you try. Howard was a bastard. He took advantage of you, baby. He knew he could control your mind and make you think you were bad and needed discipline so he could justify himself for hurting you. He was a sick fuck and nothing you could have ever done would have made you deserve anything that you’ve endured.”

  She was listening and trying to get over the hurdle that she hadn’t deserved any of it. I thought this might be a good time to fill Colin in on the time frame that Sydney had been under Howard’s thumb. It wasn’t going to take Colin long before he realized, based on the number on that door jamb that Sydney was probably with him for a while.

  “Col, one of the things that came out Tuesday with Chris, was how long she was with Howard. It was longer than you and I, or Matt, thought.” He stared at me waiting for me to continue. “Tell him sunshine, he won’t be mad.”

  “I met him when I was twenty-one at Tails.”

  Colin looked blank and void of any thoughts as if he hadn’t heard her. He shut his eyes for a few moments and then tried to move forward. He looked off to the side and then nodded his head. “Well, we have some lost time to make up for then, baby.”

  We took her to bed and she snuggled up against me but I couldn’t sleep. Tomorrow was Monday and we had an appointment to meet with Chris at 10:00 a.m. I didn’t like the first meeting and knew Chris barely scratched the surface.

  I woke up about an hour before I knew we had to get up in order to get to the doctor’s office. Glancing over to my right, I saw Sydney was asleep on Colin’s chest. I rolled to my right side to face her back and let my eyes roam up and down her body. She had her hair pulled up and I could see the faint burn marks. Fuck. I know how that felt and was sorry she endured it too.

  My eyes took in the rest of her back. She’s healing slowly and the wounds are starting to close up and scab over. I pressed my body up against her and rubbed my thumb over her shoulder blades. I placed small kisses on her back and let my hand rest on her hipbone.

  She was still too boney. She’s been putting on some weight thankfully, now that she’s out of her prior situation. It pains me to think she’s gone so long without necessities. I was disgusted with myself as I thought about how Colin and I went to nice, expensive, stomach filling lunches every day during the workweek while Sydney had been sitting in the courtyard at work eating half of a sandwich.

  Chapter 25

  Monday, December 2nd

  Colin

  Shortly after three in the morning, Sydney woke up from a nightmare. While Anthony held her I found her notebook and held it open to a blank page. I encouraged her to write once Anthony got her settled some. It was the first time I had seen defiance in her eyes.

  “I don’t want to remember! I don’t want to write it out.”

  “Baby, no one is making you. But Chris thinks it will help for you to begin getting these nightmares out.”

  She shook her head and looked up at me with pleading eyes. Just as she had done the other night, she picked up the pen and began writing. This nightmare had been a memory of her being burned by a cigarette again. Unintentionally, my eyes flew up to Anthony. Cigarettes had burned him too. I had to bite down on the inside of my mouth as the anger hit me. Both of these people that I cared about had suffered from such a barbaric act.

  I felt like I had barely closed my eyes before the alarm clock was going off. I wasn’t going to the office today but Anthony was going in later after the appointment. Mitch knew I was involved with Sydney, and he mentioned that many people in our office now suspected it. He commented to me that everyone thought it was wonderful. No one of course knew of Anthony’s involvement. So to keep up appearances, he was going into the office later.

  The three of us showered and while it was very tempting to touch and play with her in the shower, I would have felt like I was taking advantage of her. That was something I swore to never, ever do.

  Since all of my clothes are upstairs, I helped Anthony dry her off before I headed upstairs to get ready. I quickly went through the motions of shaving, brushing my teeth and putting on some cologne. I wanted to be comfortable so I put on some jeans and a sweater.

  I got to the kitchen before they did and began making a light breakfast. I was nervous about the appointment after what I heard from Matt. Matt told me Anthony seemed worse after the appointment than Sydney did. Of course, he was the one who sat and listened to things that probably made his head spin. And they told me yesterday how long she had been with Howard. Unfucking real. I honestly don’t know how he didn’t kill her and how she managed to survive. Sydney told me if I wanted I could read her notebook that she bro
ught from her apartment. I most certainly would because I felt it might give me a good glimpse on what went on and how she dealt with it. I had a feeling things had been getting worse and worse before the night she nearly died.

  I quickly set place settings at the breakfast bar for the three of us while the oatmeal was microwaving. Oatmeal had a soothing effect for me personally. When I lost my parents, I stopped eating for a while. Gloria and Arthur had tried making something different each morning in hopes I’d eat it. One morning, Gloria made me cinnamon apple oatmeal and I ate it. I hoped the oatmeal would be something that Sydney would eat.

  I turned at the sound of Anthony and Sydney entering the kitchen. Anthony held his hand on her back while she got on the chair at the breakfast bar in the middle. He kissed her forehead and then came over to help me carry over the bowls of oatmeal and toast. We sat on either side of Sydney and we muddled through breakfast. She didn’t eat all of the oatmeal, but ate a decent amount and had a slice of toast. It was something at least.

  We took my BMW Alpina, and Anthony and I tried to keep her talking or at least contributing to our conversation on the way. She was distracted, rightfully so. Anthony was right there in the distracted department too.

  Chris was ready for us when we arrived and we followed him back to his office. When we sat down, I whispered to Sydney that I loved her and took hold of her hand. Anthony already had her other hand in his. Chris smiled and looked at each of us holding her hands. The way we were touching and interacting with Sydney was clearly more than just friends supporting a friend. Chris picked up on it too.

  “I’m going to be bold and ask if both of you holding her hands means what I think it might?” Chris asked as he gestured between our hands.

  “It does,” I said with a smile that I couldn’t keep from my face if I had even tried. Chris couldn’t help but smile too and nodded.

  “That’s great, congratulations are in order then. Forgive my asking, but is it a triad or V?”

  “V.” Anthony and I both spoke up in unison and shared a quick laugh with Chris.

  “Open or closed?”

  “Closed, very much closed,” Anthony added.

  Like hell were we casually entering this with Sydney. No one else was going to play with her. She was Anthony’s and mine. Ours.

  “That’s excellent to hear. I wish you the best and much deserved happiness. I’m glad to hear it’s a closed V. Stability is key.”

  Chris opened up his portfolio and was jotting some stuff down. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Anthony fidgeting around. I gave Sydney’s hand a small squeeze and she smiled. Good, at least she was still smiling.

  “So last week we just touched on a few things. Sydney is coming out of an abusive D/s relationship with many non-consensual aspects rather than consensual ones. We also went over how long she’s been with Howard and where they met. Did Sydney and Anthony fill you in?”

  “They did, yes.”

  “Sydney, how did you do with your journal writing?” He asked her. Anthony had told me that Chris wanted her to make a list of things Howard used to hurt her with.

  “I finished it.” She picked up her notebook she brought with us and handed it to Chris. He flipped to the page she pointed out to him.

  We were quiet while he read silently over her pages. Sydney was looking downward and when I looked over at Anthony, I could see the anxiety on his face. Neither of us had pushed her to tell us what she wrote about and now I was worried about what was written. Chris finally looked up and at each of us again.

  “Sydney, by the looks on their faces, is it safe to assume you haven’t shared this with them yet?”

  “I haven’t showed them.” She looked downward again and then back up. I was proud of her for catching herself when she looked down. We will get there. “I was worried.”

  “Worried? Why?”

  Sydney seemed to be working through some things in her head. I was hoping we don’t scare her. I didn’t think we did but now there was a reason she hadn’t shared and said she was worried.

  “Um, I just was uneasy about showing them. It was the holiday weekend and I worry that I’m too much of a problem as it is. And they told me…” She paused as if gathering strength or steadying her voice. She let out a sigh. “They told me they wanted us to be a V. I couldn’t believe it and I was so excited. They care about me and I was afraid they’d really think I was a mess and wouldn’t want me anymore. I’m not worth the trouble.”

  Fuck, fuck, fuck! Under no circumstances do I want her worried to ever tell Anthony and I anything because she thinks we can’t handle it or we don’t want to deal with it. Anthony was restless on the other side of her.

  “You know, Sydney, these two look like they have broad, sturdy shoulders. And it’s apparent they will go to great lengths for you.”

  I spoke up. I had to. “Baby, don’t ever be afraid or worried to tell Anthony and I anything. The three of us can work through anything. Don’t ever think that you are being a burden. We want you like we’ve never wanted anyone or anything before. Trust me when I say that Anthony and I want and need to know everything. Do you understand, baby?” I searched her blue eyes and got her to smile.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to mess up the weekend.”

  “Sydney, these two are Dominants. They care deeply for you and your well-being. You’re going to have to open up to them further. What you three have is special and requires honesty and willingness to be open to discuss your tough past. Otherwise, they can’t help. And if you prevent them or block them knowingly from helping you, you’re going to have two upset Doms.”

  She nodded that she understood and Chris handed her back her notebook and encouraged her to share. With her shaky hand she opened to the page and left the book open on her lap. Sydney took hold of my hand and then Anthony’s and looked back and forth between us.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t share this with you guys over the weekend.”

  Anthony kissed her on the cheek and we reminded her that we are here for her twenty-four, seven. She’ll get it soon enough. The notion of a consensual relationship is still very new to her.

  I let my eyes wander down the page and I tried to focus on words. I prayed for nothing to be on there that would cause my stomach to turn immediately.

  Her list included things that Anthony and I were pretty much aware of. The TV antenna would have caused alarm had we not discovered it over the weekend. Wire ties were listed. I’m thinking they were probably used as ways to bind her. She wrote an entire paragraph about things to shock or electrocute her. My mind pictured the “bad box,” as she called it, with the Violet Wand and the electro clips. Okay, so nothing we didn’t already know about, somewhat.

  “Sydney, some of those items are pretty common household items. Many of those items might even be in Colin or Anthony’s place. This is a perfect example of why you need to have open, honest communication with these two. They need to know these things so they can prevent something coming up that makes you uncomfortable.”

  The four of us talked about the list some more and Anthony and I communicated that he and I would make sure that we’d take care of any items that would be potential triggers. Chris agreed it was a good idea, set his notebook down and looked up at Sydney.

  “I wanted to talk to you today mostly about your parents.”

  I know that Anthony felt her body stiffen too because he shifted in his seat and turned to face her as I did. Why was she reacting like that? Chris sat back in his chair and watched Sydney. I moved my index and middle finger up her wrist so I could feel her pulse humming right along.

  “Something caught my attention last week Sydney and I wanted to ask you about it today. I know you touched on the fact you were adopted. Not only did you not list your adoptive parents as your parents but also you didn’t list them as emergency contacts either. Neither are deceased. I was just curious as to why you omitted them from your medical and employment forms almost as if they didn’t exist?�
��

  I frowned as I recalled she didn’t have anyone at all listed for emergency contacts for my company or Openin. Matt had asked her when she was in the hospital about her folks, but Sydney shook him off. I honestly thought that perhaps they had died.

  She looked up at me and I noticed how pale she was. I knew Chris picked up on her reaction and it bothered me she was reacting like this. Chris had a reason for asking, which got me wondering why she hadn’t listed her adoptive parents on the forms too if they were alive. If there was an emergency, surly they’d come. The more I thought about it, I realized that while Anthony and I stood by her tortured body in the hospital, she hadn’t mentioned them at all when Matt asked her if there was anyone he should notify.

  “When was the last time you spoke to them?”

  “A long time ago.”

  “Before Howard?” Sydney nodded her response. Chris continued to look at Sydney and rolled his pen between his fingers.

  “Sydney, do you feel since you’re adopted and old enough now that your adoptive parents wouldn’t care about you anymore?” Chris asked as he finished writing in his notebook.

  “No, it’s not that,” she started to explain.

  “You must have a reason for not listing them at all.” Chris continued to press.

  “Yes. I…I didn’t want to see them again. No matter what.”

  Hearing her declare that made my heart rate pick up. Clearly this wasn’t what she felt comfortable talking about, which made me worry and wonder what else lays in her past. Before Chris got the chance to start asking difficult questions, Sydney elaborated.

  “I was just a way for them to make money.”

  “Explain, Sydney.” Chris sat back in his chair and I felt Sydney’s hand continue to try to close inside my hand.

  “Try, sunshine. Go slow,” Anthony whispered to her.

  “Our family ran into financial issues while I was a senior in high school and I got a job after school at a grocery store to help out. I bagged groceries, collected carts and stocked shelves. I actually liked it and felt a sense of pride to be able to help my parents out with money. My dad had a friend he worked with that also lived in our neighborhood. He needed some help out around the house. His wife or girlfriend had left and he needed help with simple housework, light yard work. That sort of thing.”