by Cara Carnes
Stryker braced her body between his hands, holding her still at the shoulders.
Chase grazed her cheek with his finger. “Definitely a little spitfire. I enjoy subs with spunk. Is she new around here?”
“She’s a party crasher,” Lance commented.
“Our own little rebel sub,” Chase stated. His hand ran down her neck and across her upper chest. She inhaled deeply and willed the downward path to stop. He cupped her breast, as if testing its weight. His thumb flicked her nipple.
Viviana stifled her moan. She’d gone almost thirty years without a single man who had a touch that could emulsify her spine. Tonight she’d found three—the only three she’d encountered, if she didn’t count the guard—who turned her entire body gelatinous without a thought.
Chase crouched before her and extracted a device from his jean pocket. He smelled of cinnamon when he leaned in and reached around her. A scanner. She remembered the devices from earlier, and the rush of mental thought alleviated the apprehension rising within her.
Or was it desire? Was she afraid, or turned-on?
Hell if she knew.
He thumbed through screens, his eyebrows lifting. He stood and regarded her silently. “She’s a brave sub.”
“Indeed.” Stryker returned his hand to her shoulder. “We played Last Man Standing earlier.”
Chase growled in appreciation. “It’s a shame I couldn’t play too. That’s one of my favorite games. Who won?”
“Stryker. Lucky shit,” Lance commented.
Chase chuckled. “You always are the impatient son of a bitch, dude. I’ve warned you time and again what you’ll miss out on. Guess you’ve learned your lesson. What was the prize?”
Viviana swallowed as silence descended.
“Tell him what the prize was, Jane.”
“Stryker will…”
Chase placed his finger on her lips. “That’s Master Stryker, Jane. Let’s start learning some respect. You’re in The Brigade now and we don’t tolerate disrespect within the walls.”
“Sorry, Sir.”
“Continue.” Chase stood before her. When she cast her gaze downward he cleared his throat. “Eyes on me, Jane.”
“Master Stryker will be the first to use my ass, Sir.”
Chase’s eyes darkened slightly. “You are a lucky son of a bitch.”
“Indeed.”
“Who do we have here?” The new voice was molten sin encased in olive-toned skin. Thick, wavy black hair accentuated the dark aura he projected with ease.
“This is Viviana. Lance and Stryker snagged her outside. She broke into the party.”
“If only all crashers were as lovely.”
“This is Master Lorenzo,” Lance stated. “Say hello, Jane.”
“Hello, Sir.”
“Times like this make me wish I was in security. Perhaps I should consider a transfer.”
Viviana had heard enough scuttlebutt within Brigade Enterprises during her communications with employees to know Lorenzo, along with Kade Berges, were the creative masterminds behind Brigade Enterprises. While Kade handled the business aspects, Lorenzo was the financial brains behind the large corporation.
She shivered at his touch.
“Such a treasure.”
“I take it Kade is tied up with Autumn,” Stryker stated.
Chase chuckled. “You’d hope Autumn was the one tied up, but with that little minx you never know what to expect.”
Viviana swallowed as her mind was flooded with images of Stryker or Lance tied up, at her mercy. She wasn’t a Domme. That much she knew. But she wouldn’t mind having those gorgeous bodies splayed out for her to touch and taste at her leisure. No, she wouldn’t mind that at all.
“We want a temporary asylum pass for Viviana. Her dabble into the scene tonight isn’t going to be enough.” Lance maneuvered to stand at her side.
“With you two it’ll be a miracle if she lasts through tonight.” Chase smiled. “You’re sure a brave little filly to take on these two.”
“There are quite a few subs in here who have been itching for just one of them as a trainer,” Lorenzo commented. “If we grant this, we’ll be inundated with complaints from the members.”
“Sorry, but I’ve gotta agree with him on this one. I’ve got better things to do than hear all the subs whine that you two have gone out of the compound for a playmate.” Chase crossed his arms. “Not that any of the Brigade Masters would fault you for it, but they’d have a lot of extra fallout to deal with.”
“No member gets to pick their Doms.” Stryker edged closer, his voice razor sharp, but low. “That’s a bullshit excuse.”
“Afraid it’s the truth, man. The subs lap you two up like freaking cream.”
Lance sighed. “All right, you manipulative bastard. What’ll it take?”
Chase chuckled. “Hey now. I’m in charge of making sure the subs at the resort get the best training possible. For some demented reason I can’t fathom, they all want some quality time with you two fucks.”
Viviana remained silent. Her gut twisted. They weren’t going to allow her more time. That was okay. Maybe she could have another scene with them tonight. That’d be enough.
It had to be.
“We could always turn her training over to someone else, I suppose,” Lorenzo stated.
“Like hell,” Stryker commented.
Lorenzo raised an eyebrow.
“Last Man Standing competition,” Chase added. “He won. Trust me, you don’t want to know what the prize was. My cock’s hard just thinking about it.”
The confession increased Viviana’s arousal.
“Tell you what. You two do one demonstration class each while Viviana’s here and I’ll sign off on her membership—with the understanding that you two can’t treat her any different than other submissives.” Chase chuckled. “Fair is fair, after all.”
What did that mean? She shifted restlessly as she reran the statement in her mind several times.
“Did you have a question, Jane?” Lorenzo asked.
“What did Master Chase mean by me not being treated any differently?”
“Your training and education would be priority. We will not be the only ones to play with you,” Lance stated.
“I don’t understand. You know everything, right?”
Chase laughed. “Don’t swell their egos, sweetheart.”
Somehow she doubted that could happen. She took a deep breath and realized the thought of other men touching her, teaching her, wasn’t appalling. Had she taken a slut pill this morning and forgotten?
Shame spread within her, a virus she’d never purged. Harsh statements from the past ricocheted in her mind.
You’re a fucking slut.
I bet you’d do anyone with a cock.
I don’t know why the hell I fuck you. You’re a worthless slut.
“Come back to us, Jane.” Lance’s voice fell in her ear. “Now, Jane.”
She blinked and looked around. He’d crouched beside her. Master Chase and Master Lorenzo glowered, all amusement obliterated from their expressions.
“Head down, Jane. Spread those legs wider for us. I love seeing your pussy and how wet it is. Don’t deny us what we enjoy, little one.” Stryker pressed her head down.
Viviana took a deep breath and focused on casting her gaze downward. She closed her eyes and willed the tears pooling in her vision to go away. For fuck’s sake, she didn’t want to lose this chance. Not when she’d tasted nirvana.
All she needed was one more time. Just one more scene. Maybe two. Was it too much to ask?
She’d beg if she had to. God, she hated begging. But she’d gotten good at it over the years. That was so long ago. She’d sworn never to beg for anything ever again after him. But this was different.
So, so different.
In all the right ways.
She’d vowed before coming here to strike the past and forge her own future. Living in shame and fear hadn’t gotten her anywhere. It was t
ime to embrace her desires.
“I’ll trust you two to adhere to Brigade protocol as much as possible,” Chase stated. “But you two aren’t getting out of those classes.”
“Agreed.” Lance stood. “Anything else?”
“Two weeks.”
“Fair enough,” Stryker stated.
“I’d prefer limited visibility for some of it.” Chase motioned toward the room behind them. “I don’t have the patience for whining this week.”
“We’ll use my quarters,” Stryker added.
“When’s the next shutdown?” Lance asked.
“Wednesday.” Lorenzo pulled out his smartphone. “Should we add you?”
“Yes, please.”
What was a shutdown? Viviana suspected she’d created enough havoc with her earlier questions. She’d learn soon enough.
“That’s only a few days away. Are you sure she’ll be ready?” Chase asked.
“You doubt us?” Stryker replied.
Chase shook his head. “I give up.”
The two men walked away, commenting about military brainwashing and testosterone overload. Although Viviana suspected a few people had been watching—and probably still were—she felt alone with Lance and Stryker once again. Her breathing eased.
“Your drinks, Sirs.” The soft voice ruptured Viviana’s quiet space.
“Thank you, Sarah, dear.” Lance took one of the bottled waters and the drink. “Time to drink up, Jane.”
* * * * *
Their latest Jane was a lightweight. Lance would have to remember that the next time they ordered her a drink. She drifted along behind them, her stride now casual, as if she were on a Sunday stroll. She kept her hands crossed in front of her most of the time, though they’d forgone any restraints for now. Her gaze remained downward for the most part, though he noted a hungered wistfulness in her eyes now and then.
Lance wasn’t about to call her on a look like that, and he suspected Stryker wouldn’t either. The trek to Stryker’s secluded bungalow was a quarter of a mile. They’d draped a blanket around Viviana’s shoulders even though the Texas breeze remained semi-tolerable.
They’d have to discuss her past with her at some point. They both knew it. But that wouldn’t be tonight. Probably not their next session either. She needed time to develop more of a bond with them. Trust was a key foundation with a submissive, and it would take time.
Sending her home had been discussed, but she needed time to come down from the rum and Coke, and Lance suspected Stryker needed another scene with her just as badly as he did.
Few people had been welcomed into Stryker’s private space before. Lance felt privileged to be one of the trusted few frequenters—if you could consider about ten times frequent. For Stryker, that was.
It was for Lance too.
Hell, Lance hadn’t even told anyone but Stryker and the founders where he lived.
She’d shucked her heels off about halfway. The temptation to spread her legs and fuck her hard, right there in the grass kept Lance’s cock hard. Stryker hadn’t said much, so he suspected he was having the same problem.
The little sub needed a good, hard fuck. No bondage. No commands. Just a sweet sub sandwich.
But her ass was off-limits for tonight. That made at least half of what Lance wanted to do impossible for now. Conditioning a vanilla sub for anal play was a responsibility they both took seriously.
“You okay back there, Jane?”
“Are you sure you know where we’re going?”
Stryker chuckled. “He’s gotten lost before.”
“Let’s just stay right here. The grass feels soft enough.” The wistfulness in her voice made Lance halt. His cock twitched in memory of his previous need.
Stryker groaned beside him. “She has no fucking clue how tempting she is right now.”
“No.”
“Any condoms on you?”
“No. You?”
“Crap no.”
“All righty then. Forward we go.” Lance made note to carry condoms from now on. “Condom dispensers would be a good idea out here.”
“Indeed.”
A soft amber glow lit the area before them. “We’re almost there.”
“Good.”
Stryker chuckled. “I don’t think high protocol is on the menu for tonight.”
“No.”
Stryker paused as they hit the sidewalk. Viviana looked at them and then down at the grass. She sighed and fell to her knees.
Lance suppressed a laugh. “Good girl, though we didn’t expect you to kneel here.”
“Then why did you stop?” She glowered at them.
“I didn’t want the sidewalk to hurt your feet,” Stryker stated.
“Oh.” She chewed on her lip as he stepped toward her and leaned down to lift her up. “I’m too heavy for you to carry.”
“No you aren’t, little one.” Stryker placed a kiss to her forehead. “Put your arm around me.”
She complied quickly and relaxed against him. Her eyes drifted shut. “She’s emotionally gone.”
“Yeah.”
Lance fumbled with the keys Stryker tossed his direction and shoved the door open. Soft lighting splayed through the room. Motion sensors were marvelous things at times like this.
Stryker stepped into the room with his precious cargo and Lance kicked the door shut. The lock clicked into place on its own.
Lance tossed the keys on the table beside the door and looked around. “Feels odd as shit to be here with you, man.”
“Can’t say I’m giddy about it myself.”
Lance chuckled. Stryker walked through the living room and down the hallway. He paused at a stairwell leading downward and glanced at Viviana. “She’s out.”
“Figured as much.” Lance looked around and glanced at his watch. “Want me to head out?”
“Nah. There are guest rooms. We’ll get her settled and start fresh tomorrow morning.”
“Think we should wake her up, in case she’s got something or someone waiting for her?”
“Hell if I know.”
Stryker headed into a room at the end of the hall and settled her onto the king-sized bed. The masculine décor of black and dark wood, not to mention the four-poster bed clued Lance in that this was Stryker’s room.
“I’m not exactly the type to let a girl stay over. Know what I mean?” Stryker asked.
“Yeah. Same here.”
Stryker jostled Viviana softly. “Hey there, little one. Do you want to wake up?”
“Shouldn’t that be a command?”
“Bite me.”
“I’ll leave that to her.”
“Good idea.” Stryker grimaced. “I’d have to shoot you.”
“I’d shoot myself.”
Viviana grumbled and turned into Stryker’s hand, cocooning his arm against her.
“Guess she’s a snuggler.”
“Ever met a woman who wasn’t?”
“Can’t say I have. You?”
“Nah. Not particularly.” Stryker sat on the bed. “Viviana.”
The voice was firm. He shook her. “You need to wake up.”
“What?” Her eyes fluttered open. “Go away.”
Lance chuckled. “So much for commanding.”
“Little one, do you need to call someone? Can you stay here?”
She sighed. “I don’t scoop the poop until tomorrow night.”
That’s TMI. Lance chuckled. “Glad we rate above the poop.”
“Hey, man, my sister’s got a cat. No man stands between a woman and her cat. Just saying.”
“I hear ya.”
Silence descended. Stryker placed the blanket over Viviana. They both watched her sleep for a few moments.
“This is creepy.”
“Yeah.”
“Cards?”
“What the hell. Let’s go.” Stryker stood and made his way toward the hall, flicking the light off as he went past it.
Tomorrow was soon enough to make their little
submissive fly again.
Stryker paused in the hallway and turned. “You tell anyone you stayed here tonight and I’ll kill you.”
“Same to you.” Lance looked around. “Which room you want?”
“You take the left and I’ll take the right. Bathroom’s next to yours. Towels are in the cabinet. Extra toothbrushes and other shit are in there too.”
“What the fuck are you doing with that shit?”
“Chase’s OCD ass struck.” Stryker shook his head as he wound down the hall. “Gotta get that guy on some meds before he alphabetizes us.”
“I hear ya.”
Chapter Five
She’d fallen asleep. No, she’d passed out. Viviana cringed. A large, four-poster bed engulfed the room. A matching chest of drawers in a rich mahogany sat across the room. A locked footlocker clad in leather peeked out at the end of the bed.
Viviana swallowed. If this was Stryker’s place, there was no telling what was in there. A note was perched on the small nightstand.
Shower.
Supplies inside bathroom.
Breakfast waiting.
Obviously a man of few words. She made her way into the bathroom, trying hard not to contemplate what the hell all of this meant. She’d never, ever, ever fallen asleep at someone’s place. Would he be irate?
She’d passed out before they’d had another scene. The growing concern drew her focus away from the lush bathroom. A shower big enough for a football team took up a corner. An equally large spa-style tub sat in the other corner. She didn’t know much about countertops and accessories. She’d been surrounded by too many men growing up. But she did recognize expensive when she saw it.
Two towels sat beside the end basin. An unopened toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and a bath scrunchie were on top—along with an assortment of hairbrushes, combs, hairsprays and gels. She picked up the t-shirt draped over the basin and shook her head. Her brothers would have her ass for wearing a Cowboys’ jersey, but it was clearly what they’d wanted her to wear.
No underwear. Stryker and Lance seemed to have an aversion to it. Then again, they probably didn’t stock panties in assorted sizes. She glanced down at the unopened packages waiting for her and winced. Yeah, they probably did. They’d had everything else.
