Claiming Abby [Club Isola 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Avery Gale

Abby realized she’d been lost in her memories and that both of her Doms were looking at her with a combination of amusement and frustration. “Love, someday we really are going to have you tell us all about your little mental jaunts into oblivion. But right now, we want to talk to you about the significance of a collar and the two options we have tonight. We won’t always give you the opportunity to have input when we’re planning a scene—actually we will rarely give you that chance. But tonight may well be the most important moment in the relationship we plan to build with you and we want you to be completely on-board with the way it plays out.” Kalen had stopped talking, but he continued to softly stroke the sides of her cheeks with his thumbs. His touch was both soothing and bringing her focus back to him with each pass. How do they know? Do they understand how each and every small detail of their care carves itself in my heart? That my love and trust grow with every look and caress?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Kalen watched every movement Abby made, because no matter how small or insignificant they might seem to someone else, each one had meaning. As a former Special Forces soldier who was also a Dom, he considered himself an expert in reading and interpreting the meaning of a person’s body language. Kalen had found it interesting that even the ancient philosophers had made reference to the importance of watching the “windows of the soul” and Abby’s dark eyes spoke as clearly as any he’d ever seen. What was probably the most remarkable thing about the incredible woman standing in front of him was in part, the fact that she considered herself so ordinary.

  Kalen was letting her settle a bit as he swept his thumbs over her cheekbones and he wondered if it wasn’t actually more for his own sake than for hers. It gave him a tremendous amount of satisfaction to know that she was so responsive to both he and Logan’s touch. When he saw her muscles finally lose most of their tension he knew she was where he needed her to be and he smiled at her. He’d been told by more than one sub that his voice was seductive magic and he planned to take full advantage of it now. “Abby, in order to do your collaring in the club we have to meet certain requirements. One of those is Ian’s personal blessing which we have obtained. Another is it must be done during the regular operating hours of the club and we’re within that time, but without a whole lot to spare. The third is that there must be at least one single tail whip strip for each person involved in the relationship, so in our case that is three.” He felt her start to shake and watched as her eyes started chasing around the room as if looking for an escape.

  He firmed his hands along her face refocusing her attention on him. “Abigail, look at me and only at me.” When she did, he smiled at her, “Stay with me, love. Do you trust that Master Logan and I will never hurt you?”

  The fear that had been in her eyes started to abate, but he could see she wasn’t fully cognizant of what he was asking her. He just waited knowing she would work it out in her mind quickly enough. She finally seemed to come back to center and nodded, “Yes, sir. I have entrusted you both with my heart, so it seems perfectly reasonable to give you my body as well.” Her words were perfect and for just a moment he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and take her right back upstairs to bed. “Your trust is our most treasured possession, love. Never forget how much we love you.” He sealed his lips over hers and poured himself into the kiss hoping it would show her the depth of his love even when words had eluded him.

  Turning her into Logan’s arms and walking behind her was one of the hardest things Kalen had ever done. He and Logan had agreed on a slight variation of the position ordinarily used and Ian had been fully in agreement. There was a temporary collar they could have used if she had been too frightened to take the lashes. But it didn’t have the advanced electronics of the one they’d had made for her and it wouldn’t have had the same significance for any of them. Picking up the single tail that he’d always used didn’t give him the same rush tonight. Kalen knew that the feeling of fulfillment that he usually got from showing a sub how the line between pain and pleasure could be blurred would be forever eclipsed by the deep satisfaction he got from seeing Abby give herself so freely to both he and Logan.

  * * * *

  Logan kissed Abby until they were both falling over the edge into need that only had one cure. He was running his hands up and down her bare back lightly scoring the skin with his fingernails so that the blood would come to the surface. Kalen would pull the lashes but they still needed there to be marking in order to satisfy some of the more hardline players that were watching with avid interest. Logan would be willing to bet Abby hadn’t even thought about the fact that she was naked in the club. Her knees had been spread wide and her pretty pink pussy had been on display for any one wandering by to see. He pulled back and licked her lips slowly so that her mind wasn’t tossed starkly in out of the sea of lust he’d worked so hard to create.

  “Baby, we are going to do this a bit differently than most of these ceremonies. Because Master Kalen is much more experienced with the whip in his hand than I am, he’ll be giving you all three marks. Instead of tying you to the St. Andrew’s cross as is customary, you’ll be leaning against me and I’ll be holding you. What this means is that you must be absolutely still and let me control your position.” When he saw the fear in her eyes and unshed tears fill them his heart nearly melted. “Trust Abby. It’s only the first thing we want from you, but it is the most important.”

  He ran his fingers through her pussy lips and found there was very little moisture there and he wasn’t surprised because her battle with fear was taking all of her concentration. Pulling her against him he whispered, “You are going to hear a couple of practice cracks of the whip because Master Kalen wants his arm warmed up and he’ll be checking the distance to make sure you only feel exactly what he wants you to feel.” Logan swept her long hair over her shoulder baring her back and ass to Kalen. Sending up a silent prayer that they’d made the right decision by not securing her to a cross, Logan encircled both of her wrists and stretched her arms wide and pulled them slightly forward so she was held firmly against his chest.

  When Kalen cracked the leather on first one side of Abby’s small back and then the other Logan felt her stiffen and gasp. He kissed the top of her head and tightened his hold on her wrists. “Those two marks mean you belong to us, baby.” Logan knew the first lash had landed perfectly and Abby’s jump had been more in surprise than pain. “Every beat of your heart is ours to share.” The second lash had brought about the sweetest moan he’d ever heard. Logan wanted to crush her in his arms and let her know just how lovely that small sound signaling her submission and arousal was to his ears.

  It was only when he saw Kalen make eye contact with someone behind him that Logan realized Ian was standing just behind his right arm. He smiled to himself because the fact Ian wasn’t going to leave a single thing to chance when it came to Abby filled him with respect and appreciation for the man. Kalen shifted his position because the last lash mark would cross two she’d already received. Logan was sure the first two marks were perfectly parallel and diagonally placed across her golden tan-colored skin.

  The whistle of the whip moving through the air signaled the last lash a split second before he felt Abby start to arch forward so her back was now closer than Kalen would have calculated it to be. Logan nearly lost his mind in fear because he’d seen the damage a single tail could do to flesh. Even the smallest movement on her part could make the difference between the line of quickly extinguishing fire and a slice that would require immediate medical attention. Logan resisted the urge to inhale sharply, which would have filled his lungs and pushed her that much closer to the whip. Instead his instinct to protect and shelter had him pulling her back from the danger just enough to prevent her from being seriously hurt, but not enough to keep her from feeling the very real bite of a single-tail without the benefit of the sweet build-up of endorphins. Logan knew that her scream would echo through his nightmares for years to come.

  * * * *


  The instant his wrist snapped, Kalen realized Abby had moved ever so slightly. Kalen saw the look of panic that was so clearly written in Logan’s expression and heard Abby’s scream at almost the exact same moment. The whip dropped from his hand and if he never touched it again it would be fine by him. A thousand things they could have done differently raced through his mind and not one of them changed the deep red welt that was already forming over Abby’s delicate skin. Kalen was frozen in place. No matter how much he willed his feet to move they seemed to be nailed to the floor.

  Logan was consoling their sobbing woman and Kalen was standing across the small stage as if he was made of stone. And he didn’t doubt there were people in the room who would interpret his distance and lack of response as being the cold bastard he was often accused of being. Oddly enough it was Callie’s sweet voice and the soft touch of her warm fingers on his arm that jolted him out of his paralysis. “She needs you” was all his sweet friend said, but it was enough and he nodded and rushed to Abby’s side.

  Ian was already lightly rubbing arnica gel into the angry mark and Abby’s gasp at the cool gel was nearly covered by the quiet sobs that were threatening to break his heart. When she felt his hand on her, she didn’t flinch away as he’d feared she might, but her words nearly brought him to his knees. “I’m sorry, Master Kalen. I know I wasn’t supposed to move. Please don’t be angry.” Angry? With her? Is she fucking serious? Oh he was angry all right, angry at himself and Logan for thinking they could do this in a nonconventional way so she’d feel more comfortable. Their attempt to make things “better” had made it a nightmare for her. And now she thinks this disaster is her fault? Un-fucking-believable.

  “Love, you are the only one I am not angry with.” He took her into his arms and just held her for long moments. “I’m so sorry. Fifty years from now I’ll still hear your scream echo in my mind. Hurting the woman I treasure above everything else felt like someone shoving a dull butter knife into my heart.” He moved his hands to each side of her face and kissed away her tears. He just stood for long moments looking into her eyes—searching for some sign that her love for him hadn’t dimmed. What he saw was pure love that ran soul deep and even though he didn’t feel worthy of it at this moment, he wasn’t about to let it go.

  “Come on love, let’s get you home.” Kalen started to lead her from the stage but she stood still and blinked up at him.

  “You aren’t going to do it now? Because I messed up?” Huge round, glistening tear drops raced down her cheeks again and he swore he could hear her heart shattering. In an instant he knew she’d interpreted his move to get her home so they could comfort and care for her as a rejection. She thinks we aren’t going to collar her because she moved and got hurt. Fuck me!

  Logan turned her so that she faced him, “Baby, we just wanted to take care of you, but if you want to finish the ceremony, we’re not going to turn away from the best thing that has ever happened to either of us.”

  She nodded her head and then remembered that she needed to verbalize her answers, “Yes, I want that more than anything. And I might not be the best submissive around, but I love you more than life itself and I’m loyal to the bone. You already know what a pain in the ass I can be sometimes so I don’t think you are flying into this blind.” Kalen was relieved beyond measure to see the Abby he’d fallen in love with resurfacing so quickly and shining through the tears.

  Kalen smiled at her, “Love, you will probably never be the perfect sub and we wouldn’t change that for the world. You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever known and waiting for you has seemed interminable, but there hasn’t been a single moment that either Logan or I thought it wasn’t worth it. Before we present you with the collar we had made for you, Master Logan and I both want to tell you exactly what it means to us.”

  Logan stroked his fingers down the sides of her face in a touch so slow and sensuous it was almost foreplay and he prayed the throbbing across her back would be long forgotten by the time his words washed through her soul. “There will never be a moment that your safety and happiness are not our priority. And there will be many moments when you vehemently disagree with us about what constitutes safe, but I want you to always remember that our love for you will always be paramount. And in those moments when you want to scream in frustration because you feel one or likely both of us are being unreasonable, keep in your heart that we love you with an intensity that may often make us err on the side of the angels.” He knew Abby would recognize the expression because Logan knew it was one of her mother’s favorites and he wanted her to know he’d always been listening. He wanted her to know that he’d seen the care her fathers had always shown she and her mother, and that he and Kalen would do no less. Logan took a deep breath trying to stay the emotion that was swelling within him and watched as Kalen moved closer. Kalen brought her attention to him by running his hand down her arm and encircling her wrist before slowly turning her to face him. “Love, there is only one thing we won’t do for you. We’ll never let you put yourself in harm’s way unless we are right there beside you. We’ll be your biggest supporters, your knights in shining armor, and your sounding board in the middle of the night when self-doubt or fear hide in the shadows. But we won’t be negligent in our care for you – ever. The fates have entrusted you to us and we’ll protect you with everything we have.”

  True to form, Kalen’s words had been short and sweet. Logan remembered Abby asking once Kalen why he didn’t say much, he’d looked at her with thoughtful sincerity and said, “Truth never requires a lot of words.” Not long ago, Abby told them that she had never forgotten those words and that as she’d grown both personally and professionally she’d seen just how significant his answer had been.

  * * * *

  “Kneel, Abigail.” Kalen’s words had sounded gruff, but Abby could see that he was as affected by the moment as she was. She knelt in front of them and felt the cool metal slide over her skin as it circled the base of her throat but then it was gone. Kalen was holding the beautiful choker in his open hands in front of her. She could see the diamonds and rubies sparking in the dim lights from the club’s wall sconces. If it sparkles like that in this light, it’s going to blind people when the sunlight hits it.

  When she looked back up at their faces she saw that they were smiling. Logan’s voice was just this side of teasing, “Do you like it, baby? We worked with a very special team to design it just for you.”

  “Yes, Sir, it’s stunning. But…umm, what do you mean by a team?”

  Kalen answered and his words surprised her. “There are a number of special features to this collar, Abigail. First of all, because of the metals used and the tamper-proof lock, no one is ever going to take it from you. Master Logan and I will have the only keys on our persons at all times. It also features the latest technology from Masters Ian and Mitch. Their wives will be getting their own, but not until after this is gracing your lovely neck.”

  “Baby, before we snap this collar into place we need to know if you understand and agree to everything we’ve said to you. Safe, sane and consensual are more than just politically correct gibberish, they really are the guiding tenants of every scene we’ll ever do with you. And Abby, this is only the first step of the lifelong commitment we’re asking you to make.”

  Suddenly Abby realized that her heart was beating like some drug-crazed squirrel had gotten a hold of the controls. She started seeing dots in front of her eyes before she heard Kalen’s sharp command. “Abigail, breathe.” When she focused, they were both kneeling in front of her so they were all face to face. She took several deep breaths and looked into their eyes and knew from their worried expressions they had both misinterpreted her panic. “You want to marry me? Is that what you are saying?”

  Kalen’s usually serene expression turned to fire in an instant. “Abigail, be very careful how you proceed with this line of questioning, because it sounds suspiciously like you find that hard to believe.”

  “Well, yea
h. I’m actually kind of stunned to tell you the truth.”

  “Baby, you better explain that comment – quickly.” Oh brother, now she’d riled up both of her Doms and she could see Ian standing off to the side with his brow raised in question. Real bright there Miss Genius IQ. Hell, you’re three for three. Why can’t you keep your mouth shut? Good grief Gertie, I’m a dip sometimes. Holy shit, did they just growl at me?

  “Okay, okay, hang on to your hats cowboys, don’t get your chaps up your ass, geez.” The instant the words left her mouth Abby knew she’d messed up. Hell the scowls they’d given her could have peeled paint off a battleship, but even at that, she would have likely underestimated their response. Oh mercy.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Logan wasn’t shocked by what Abby had said, hell, he’d visited the Garretts’ ranch in Texas often enough have heard most of their colloquial slang. But the fact that she had said it – in this setting, shocked the hell out of him and also told him just how rattled she’d been by their backhanded proposal. And that’s when it hit him, they hadn’t actually proposed to her, they had just assumed she would know what they expected. Oh we’re a couple of real romantic bastards. Jesus, Joseph and Mary, it’s a wonder she didn’t tell us both just where to jump.

  But it didn’t matter at this point that she might have a legitimate complaint with their lack of finesse, it was the fact that she’d dared to be flip while they were clearly in a scene, in the club, on a stage in front of the owner—how it could have been worse, Logan didn’t even want to consider. Kalen had already led Abby over to a nearby armless chair and sat in it so the only way he had of slowing this down was to speak up—quickly.

  Walking up to them, Logan turned her to face him. “Abby, I understand that we didn’t handle that well. Okay, that may be an understatement, but you are so incredibly bright that it is easy to assume you ‘already know’ something when that clearly was not the case here. But that being said, your response was way over the line.” He kissed her on the forehead and turned her back to Kalen before speaking over her shoulder. “Take your punishment with the grace and dignity you bring to everything else you do and then we’ll continue.”