by Shayla Black
She believed Seth, but struggled to pin her finger on why Liam’s friend would be right. They must have cared deeply for Juliet. She frowned.
“Tell me what’s running through your head, princess,” Beck cut in.
“So…how did everything end badly?”
“She didn’t communicate.” A mixture of sadness and contempt crossed his face.
Beck snorted. “That’s an understatement.”
“Um, you know I suck at it.” She tossed her hands in the air.
“You’re doing a great job now. And you can do it with them,” Seth assured. “You’ve got what they need. Juliet was simply the wrong woman for them to share.”
“What makes you think I’m the right one?” Raine held her breath. “I’m not any better than her at communicating, I’ll bet.”
“Well, since she committed suicide without giving either of them a damn clue that she was even unhappy, much less contemplating ending her life, I’m going to disagree.”
Raine backed away in horror, clapping her hand over her gaping mouth. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.” Seth winced. “Shit. I thought you knew. Sorry.”
Which of them had found Juliet’s body? Where had she done it? Where had Hammer and Liam been when she’d taken her last breath? What had they done afterward? The shock and the pain they must have felt—and lived with all these years... Raine’s heart splintered for them. Both would have shouldered so much guilt. But it explained why Hammer had kept his distance for so long. And why Liam had been so determined to fix her.
She blinked at Seth, shocked. “I knew she was dead. I wondered if it was something tragic, like a car accident or an illness. The possiblility that her death had been self-inflicted crossed my mind, but… Oh my god.”
“Anyway, it’s safe to say she didn’t communicate at all.” Seth clenched his jaw, then let his gaze wander out the kitchen window as if he was wrangling his own regrets.
Obviously.
“Can you picture yourself doing that to them?” Beck asked.
“Never. Ever!” she vowed. “I want to be with them without tearing their friendship apart. More than anything, I want to be the right woman for them.”
“Perfect. Now tell me why you’ve come here,” Seth barked.
“To be whole. To be worthy.” That meant she had to learn how not to be like Juliet. She must figure out how to communicate.
Ouch.
“Yes. Everything Hammer and Liam are doing now is to teach you what you need to know. Communication is a part of that, princess,” Beck pointed out.
“A very important part.” Seth agreed.
“Amen, brother.”
“I know,” she said softly.
“Make no mistake, Raine. What Hammer and Liam are doing for you is difficult. You’re the first woman they’ve attempted to share in any way in the decade since Juliet died. Hell, I think you’re the only reason they’re really talking now. So when your demons come to haunt you, and you fear they can’t possibly love you…” Seth growled. “You better remind yourself that their love is what’s motivating them to see this through.”
“Exactly,” Beck chimed in. “Their animosity isn’t just because of you. They shared a woman who killed herself. But they’ve put everything aside to help you. If that’s not love, what the hell is?”
Chapter 15
With her head a tangle, Raine allowed Beck and Seth to usher her upstairs. No idea why they were leading her this way. But unlike the informal chat in the kitchen minutes ago, the Dominant hum rolling off them didn’t exactly invite conversation.
Making their way down the long hall, Beck softly squeezed her elbow as he stopped in front of a closed door.
“This isn’t my room,” she pointed out.
Seth sent her an amused glance. “We know.”
Okay… They had to be bringing her here to begin the work now. Raine glanced at the portal. What awaited her on the other side wasn’t just important. It could change her life. She dragged in a deep breath.
Liam and Hammer had persuaded her to accept them as her Doms, and she understood now what that had cost them. Whether they meant to or not, they would teach her their expectations and wishes. She would learn—and maybe figure out how to be the right woman for them. If she succeeded, maybe she could have her castle-in-the-sky fantasy. And if not…she’d still be in a better place.
Seth opened the door, and with a jerk of his head, he silently instructed her to enter. As she did, a handful of candles illuminated the mostly empty room. Frowning, she squinted to adjust to the scant light.
There was no trace of luxurious furnishings, like inside the master suite, not even a lamp or chair, just two stark items: a mattress covered in a simple white sheet and a dark wooden St. Andrew’s Cross in the corner shaped in a giant X with several eye bolts attached to the sides at both top and bottom. Absently, she noticed a carved wooden box that nearly blended in with the carpet next to the cross. It looked benign enough, but knowing the two Doms she dealt with, it could contain almost anything.
The significance of her austere surroundings didn’t escape her. They didn’t want her distracted by anything. They could please or punish her at will. And they probably wanted her to rely on them for everything—food, comfort, companionship.
This room put her on notice. They meant business.
Turning slowly, she pinned Beck with a questioning gaze. Raine didn’t want to second-guess herself, but…could she really do this?
“They’re giving you what you asked for, princess,” Beck pointed out. “It’s yours for the taking. So are they, if you do this right.”
“I’m scared,” she whispered. “What if I fuck this up?”
“Language.” Seth scowled.
“Sorry, Sir.” She had to watch her tongue. “But you know what I mean.”
“Yep.” Beck pulled her closer and cupped her shoulders. “Princess, you can do this. You know what you want. You know the stakes. You have the strength.”
“We’ll be here after…if you need us,” Seth promised.
“Got it.” Raine nodded resolutely, trying to ignore the way her stomach flipped. “Thanks.”
“Good. Wait here. Don’t leave this room,” Beck commanded.
“Yes, Sir.”
He shut the door, leaving her very much alone. The temperature was as cold as the décor. The air blowing from the ceiling fan overhead caused the shadows cast by the candles to dance on the walls. She turned in a slow circle, studying the room. She saw no closet, no bathroom, no window, just a strangling quiet that poked at her anxiety.
Raine paced. The urge to run and hide swamped her. The insecurity pumping through her veins was uncomfortable but deeply familiar. And she was growing weary of being off-kilter, but she knew that wasn’t going away anytime soon. Above all, she had to stop fearing that she would never be what they wanted and start learning how she could be everything they needed.
As she nibbled on a ragged nail, the snick of the doorknob stopped her in her tracks. Spinning toward the sound, she held her breath. Her heart stuttered.
Hammer and Liam prowled into the room.
Let the games begin…
They eased the door closed in a whisper and stepped toward her, inches away. Almost in unison, they clasped their hands behind their backs and widened their stances as they squared their broad shoulders. Identical solemn expressions filled their stern faces. An absolute sense of their command rolled through the room, sliding over her body. Her breath caught. She shivered.
Her Doms—at least for now—were united.
“I’m glad—” Their lips tightened in displeasure, and she stopped in mid-sentence. Right… On your knees.
Raine swallowed tightly, then lowered herself to the carpet. Resting her backside on her heels, she drank in one last glimpse of the men she loved, then cast her gaze to the floor. Cool air swirled around Raine’s shoulders as the tips of four Italian loafers came into view. She waited, her entire bod
y tense. Vulnerability and yearning washed over her. What did they see? What did they think? Why didn’t they say or do something? Despite all the worry and uncertainty, a joy she’d only ever experienced once, here at the lodge with Liam, resurfaced. The sense of rightness that seemed so familiar with them settled over her.
“Such a lovely sight,” Liam praised, trailing his fingers through her hair. “Thank you for remembering our instructions. You make us proud.”
“Very pretty, precious.” Hammer cupped her shoulder.
She drew in a relieved breath and smiled to herself. “Thank you, Sirs.”
Then Raine bit her lip. Was she supposed to speak? They’d never told her that she couldn’t, thank goodness. She wanted no part of Hammer’s ball gag.
“Welcome to your first task.” She heard the challenge in Hammer’s tone. “Lie on the mattress for us.”
Task? Her mind whirled with possibilities as she rose and padded to the bed, sliding onto her back and looking up at them. What would they expect her to do?
With a curious stare, she watched Liam ease down onto the mattress on her left, Hammer on her right. Both men watched her intently.
“Do you like your new room, precious?” Hammer asked.
He was joking, right? But since there wasn’t a hint of playful in his tone, she knew better.
“It’s… um, different from the bedroom you put me in after lunch, Sir.”
“I didn’t ask for a comparison,” Hammer pointed out. “I asked if you liked it.”
“Not really.” Raine saw the subtle shift of their expressions and hastily added, “Sir.”
Liam leaned closer. “Tell us why, love.”
She stared between them. Now that they loomed closer, their dominance pressed in, thick and overpowering. Raine could almost taste it. Her pussy fluttered. She sucked in an uneven breath.
“There’s almost nothing here, Sir,” she replied, shivering. “It’s bare.” And freezing.
“That it is.” Liam caressed her cheek.
“Are you moving me in here?” she asked.
Hammer shrugged. “That’s up to you.”
“This isn’t really a bedroom.” She frowned.
Liam nodded. “I converted and expanded a closet into a playroom for the two of us since we were last here. I intended to surprise you for Thanksgiving.”
Right on cue, guilt pelted her. And she’d screwed it all up by not communicating about dinner or asking his plans or… Raine winced. “I’m still sorry about that.”
“Not the point now.” Liam propped an arm over his bent knee. “We’ve moved most of the equipment out of the room for this exercise.”
Which explained why it was bare. “I understand, Sir.”
“You don’t yet, but you will,” Hammer vowed. “So it’s bare. Is that the only reason you don’t like it?”
“It’s chilly in here, too, Sir.”
It was December, after all. And unless she missed her guess, it would probably snow overnight. The room itself felt subarctic. Liam and Hammer wore suit coats, long-sleeved shirts, trousers, and shoes. They had her dancing around in a transparent nightie and a thong, damn it.
“Oh, so you’re cold?” Hammer’s tone both patronized and confused her. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“A shame.” Liam added with an arch of his brow.
That’s all they have to say? Raine frowned, looking from one to the other. They stared back expectantly. What the hell were they waiting for?
Hammer gave her a superior smile, then a sudden gust of even colder air blasted her from above. Somehow, the ceiling fan began to spin faster. What in the world…? She glared at Macen. How had he done that?
Raine wrapped her arms around herself. “Can we turn the fan down, Sir? Or off?”
“Of course.” From his pocket, Hammer withdrew a remote and pointed it at the fan. It clicked off, then the blades wound down slowly until they stilled. Liam rose and made his way to the thermostat on the wall near the door. The moment he adjusted it, Raine felt warm air begin to seep from the vents. “Better, precious?”
“Getting there, Sir. Thank you.” Butthead.
“You’re welcome.” A roguish grin curled Hammer’s lips. Liam wore the same expression.
They were setting some sort of trap, waiting for her to open her mouth and put her foot in it. This cat-and-mouse game confused the hell out of her, but Raine was determined to figure it out and beat them.
“So what do you need me to do for this task, Sirs?” she asked, wishing they’d let her sit up. Looking at them hovered above her only made her feel at a disadvantage. Then again, that was by design, no doubt.
“We’ll get to that, love,” Liam assured. “So you’re comfortable now?”
Damn it, they knew the heater would take a few minutes to warm the room. Their little smirks told her that. Why didn’t they offer her a blanket to help warm her? Was she supposed to learn something from discomfort? She was more likely to focus if she wasn’t shivering, and this was too important to mess up.
“Actually, could I have a blanket and some socks, please?”
Proud smiles stretched across their faces at once.
“Absolutely,” Hammer praised. “I’ll be right back.”
As Macen left the room, Liam edged closer. “All you had to do was ask.”
But if they knew she was cold, why didn’t they just give her a way to fix it? Unless… Hell, they wanted her to say it. They wanted her to communicate.
And she could just guess what they’d “work” on for the rest of the evening.
Oh, shit. She was doomed.
Raine turned on her side, curling into the fetal position, and faced Liam. No. Somehow, she had to get over this hurdle. In order for them to take another step with her, they must believe she could give them more than Juliet. They had to trust they weren’t headed for tragedy again. She had to open her head or give up the desire to be with them both.
What’s it going to be? she asked herself.
No contest.
“You want me to communicate, don’t you?” she whispered, looking up at him.
Liam sent her a wry glance. “I’ve been wanting that for weeks now, Raine. But I think I’ve made that plain.”
He had. She just hadn’t wanted to understand the importance of spilling her guts. But knowing about Juliet now… Lack of communication could tear them apart, and Raine knew she was the only one who could prevent it.
“I know, Sir. I’m sorry.”
Before he could reply, Hammer returned with a soft cotton blanket draped over his arm and a pair of fuzzy black socks in his hand. He bent and drew the blanket over her before kneeling at the foot of the bed. Liam joined him, and together they slid the warm socks over her icy feet.
“Is there anything else you need?” Hammer asked, his warm hand lingering on the back of her calf for several long seconds.
“No, thank you, Sir.”
Liam trailed his wide palm along her thigh. She warmed at first, then melted a little.
Then he turned to Hammer. “She’s figured it out, mate.”
“Good.” Hammer looked incredibly pleased. “I knew it wouldn’t take long. Are you warmer now?”
“I am. Thank you.”
“Glad to hear it. Let’s begin.”
They hadn’t yet? From the anticipation on their faces, she guessed not. Her tummy knotted. “I’m ready, Sirs.”
“Stand up, love,” Liam instructed.
Raine did, biting her lip as she watched them walk toward the tall wooden cross.
“Strip and come to us, precious,” Hammer ordered. “You can leave the socks on if you’d like.”
Questions swirled through her brain. They’d centered this task around communication, so she would have to talk. That probably meant she would have to give them some painful truths before they rewarded her with their touch.
Shoving down her tinges of disquiet, Raine dropped the blanket and pulled at the silky ribbon tying the baby-doll
together just under her breasts. The sheer fabric parted. She shrugged it off her shoulders, letting it caress her arms before it pooled on the floor. Cool air brushed her nipples. A quiver of anticipation sailed up her spine. Her thong turned damp, and she peeled it off, tossing it aside. She’d warmed enough to ditch the socks. Not an inch of her remained hidden. Raw and hungry, Liam’s and Hammer’s hot stares scraped over her flesh.
The sense of her utter nudity filled her, making her aware of every breath, every heartbeat, every step as she crossed the room.
Neither said a word as Liam clutched her shoulders and pressed her back against the cool, glossy cross. It towered over her. The wooden slabs intersected beneath her shoulder blades.
She trembled as Hammer bent to the box on the floor and pulled four fleece-lined cuffs free. He tossed two of them to Liam. In silence, they bound her wrists and ankles, surrounding them in softness. Then they worked in tandem, attaching long, slender carbiner clips to her cuffs before aligning her with the cross and securing her to the lowest eyebolts. She had to stretch her legs a bit wide to reach.
Liam smiled. “You’re such a wee thing.”
Raine frowned up at him. “Hey, I’m over five feet tall, thank you.”
Hammer trailed his fingers down the sensitive flesh under her arm. “By a whole quarter of an inch.”
She huffed. “Half inch—and it’s an important half inch.”
“That it is.” Liam brushed a kiss over her lips. “I hope to have the chance to feel every inch of you again.”
“So do I.” Hammer nipped at her ear.
Her breath caught. If she’d been wearing panties, they would have melted. Though they’d just affixed her to the cross, Raine wondered how much more sensual torture she could endure before she screamed. She’d almost rather talk.
“Now that you’re strung up nice and pretty, we’re going to ask you some questions,” Liam instructed. “You’ll answer every damn one of them, too.”
That made her nervous; Hammer was usually the more demanding of the two.
“We’ll give you a choice. We can do this the easy way…” He looked in Liam’s direction.
