by Shaw, Leia
But Malachi liked Reece, and Reece liked him, and that made Scarlet superfluous.
When they got to Reece’s car, Scarlet moved to get into the back.
Malachi caught her arm and led her to the front passenger door. “Where did you think you were going?”
“You two were chatting. And your legs are way longer than mine. You’re going to be all folded up in the back seat. Sit in the front.”
He looked down into her eyes then frowned with concern at what he saw there. “You were too quiet while we were eating. All of your emotions cross your face when they cross your mind. I’m not hanging around to try to replace you, Scarlet. I love hanging out with you two, but if I’m getting in the way of your relationship, you need to tell me.”
His eyes were so warm the tension drained from her. Was he using his Dom superpowers on her? Was that even allowed when a Dom spoke to another Dom?
“Come on.” He opened the passenger side door and urged her in beside Reece. “We’ll go back to your place and I’ll make you dinner, like I planned, then I’ll let you two have some time alone.”
Scarlet slid into the car and he closed the door while she buckled her seatbelt. “We just ate ice cream and you’re already thinking about dinner?” She snorted.
He hopped into the back seat. “You two eat like little birds. Look at me! I’m so skinny now people on the street have been trying to give me their spare change. Yesterday a little old lady force-fed me half of her sandwich. It was embarrassing.” He was lean and all muscle, but no one would ever call him skinny. “Two meals a day doesn’t work for a five-meal-a-day kind of guy.”
Reece pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic. “Poor thing. We’ll have to leave you snacks around the condo so you don’t get all scrawny on us.”
“Finally! Women who understand what I need. A sandwich in one hand and a crop in the other and I’m a happy man.”
“Your ex didn’t understand you?” Reece asked.
The silence in the car dragged out for a minute, making Scarlet wonder if he’d answer. Normally she would have scolded Reece for prying into someone’s personal business, but this was Malachi, and Scarlet was also more than a little curious.
“Well, Ivy is a sweet girl. I loved her. But my domming style and my personality weren’t a good fit for her. Being with me was frustrating. She needed a strict, serious Dom, not someone like me. I’m too distractible. Ivy would test me a lot and I’d often not notice her deliberate misbehavior. I guess I’m just not uber Dom material.” He chuckled to himself. “She might have done well with Cross, but they were never really into each other. That was a good thing though. I don’t know if I could have been that big a man, even though it would’ve been good for them.”
“It’s hard to give someone up if you’re in love with them,” Scarlet murmured.
Malachi sighed. “Yes, it is.”
***
Between the clatter and the mouth-watering smell, it was clear dinner was well underway. He’d shooed them from the kitchen when they’d started questioning him about what was on the menu.
So there they were, curled up on the couch in their own place, with a man cooking dinner for them. A few months ago the idea would have made the Twilight Zone theme pop into Scarlet’s head. Now it felt normal. He was over so much it was almost like he lived there too – although he went home most nights. She thought that was more about giving them space than him wanting alone time.
It was getting to the point where it was weirdly quiet in the evening if he didn’t come by, at least for a while.
Scarlet had never had an easy time making friends. She wasn’t outgoing or gregarious like Reece. Girls usually didn’t like hanging out with her unless they were sexually attracted to her. Once, a well-meaning pseudo friend had told her it was hard to be around her because she didn’t know anything about “girl stuff” and because the girl’s boyfriend had kept trying to talk her into inviting Scarlet over for a threesome – like Scarlet was in the habit of fulfilling men’s sexual fantasies. A lot of her guy friends either wanted the chance to convert her, or have her convert their straight girlfriends. Even staying away from hetero people didn’t work. She wasn’t a real lesbian, so she didn’t really fit in with the lesbian community, either. Most of the bi people she knew were still in the closet on both sides. She’d come out because that closet was damned small, but Reece had only come out because of choosing Scarlet.
As friends went, Malachi was different. She figured he wouldn’t turn her down if she propositioned him, but their relationship was more about enjoying each other’s company and a mutual appreciation for Reece. They often stayed up late talking about stupid things and laughing their asses off. He was funny as fuck when he got going. He was actually her friend, not just a guy wanting to use her to kink up his life.
The way girls mooned after him wherever they went, Malachi didn’t need her or Reece for kink. Most women would happily explore their non-vanilla side for a chance to be close to him, she was sure. But when they were out together, all of his focus was on them – talking, making them laugh, making subtle bids to get closer to them physically. He was a touchy-feely guy. The women leering after him on the street might as well have been invisible. It was weird.
“Whatcha thinkin?” Reece broke into her thoughts, looking up at Scarlet from where she lay in her lap. They’d been watching a tattoo reality show that Malachi liked. It occurred to her he wasn’t watching since he was in the kitchen, cooking. Jeez. Even when he wasn’t here, he was still here.
Scarlet sighed. “I was thinking about Mal.” She trailed her fingers through Reece’s silky hair, watching as it looped around her fingers, trying to keep them prisoner.
Her expression turned serious. “What about him?”
“You like him. I watch you two together. He may have been a prick to you in high school, but he’s proven he’s not like that anymore.”
For a few moments Reece played with a crease in the knee of Scarlet’s jeans, flattening it under her finger. “He’s a good friend,” she said nonchalantly, but Scarlet wasn’t fooled.
“You’re attracted to him.”
She shrugged. “So are most girls. Doesn’t mean anything.”
Scarlet scrubbed a hand over her face.
“Are you upset I think he’s hot?” Reece’s eyes were huge, worried.
“No.” She chuckled. “I can’t fault you for that, but in the spirit of honesty, I have to tell you something.”
“What?” Reece started to bite a nail and Scarlet swatted her hand away from her mouth. She’d be angry at herself if she bit her nails down again.
“I love watching him fuck you.”
Reece’s eyes widened. “What? Seriously?”
She traced a line from Reece’s forehead to the end of her pretty, upturned nose. “Yes. You two are good to look at together. It’s like my own personal porn. The two hottest people I know fucking... Mmm.” Her brain took off with that idea and replayed various montages of the two of them together, right where she could touch... Reece. Whoa, now. Just Reece, right?
Reece sat up so quickly they almost bumped heads. “Oh shit! Did you just say Mal is hot?”
Scarlet felt heat creep up her neck and scald her cheeks. “Well, he’s not bad for a guy, I guess. If I even liked guys.”
“Shut. Up! I never thought this day would come. Do you know that I half thought you were lying when you told me that you found some guys attractive? I’ve never seen it happen. You don’t even look at guys.”
“Fuck. You shut up. I wouldn’t even know what to do with one. If you tell him, I’ll... I’ll...”
Reece held up her hands. “Slow down, Killer. No need to get dramatic. You know I won’t tell. But I think you should do something about it. See how it feels. If you like it you can take it a step further. If you don’t like it, stop. No obligation.” At her hesitant expression, she added, “You used him to experience bottoming, might as well for straight sex.”
/> She grimaced. Is that what she was doing? “I’m worried that if I’m not into it, it’ll make things weird between us. You know?”
“I think he values your friendship enough to let you try it and see, with no strings attached.” Her smile was encouraging, but Scarlet knew better. “Plus he thinks you’re hot.”
She snorted. “Don’t fool yourself, Reece. We both know there are already some strings attached. None of us are getting out of this unscathed, at this point. And anyway, he’s almost done with us so the point is moot.” She made sure not to let the hurt show on her face. No need to burden Reece with her sentimental thoughts.
“You care about him, too. I know you do. He’s actually your friend, not some guy that sees you as a challenge. I don’t understand how so many people don’t get you, Scarlet, or just want to use you. You’re one of the nicest people I know.” Reece leaned in and kissed her just as Malachi started walking down the hall toward them, juggling three plates.
“I make supper for us and I come back in to this? A little kissing and everyone’s still dressed?” He tsked as they took their plates from him.
“Mmm...spaghetti. Are these homemade meatballs?” Scarlet was impressed.
“Yup. It was the easiest way to get my balls in your mouth.”
Scarlet choked on a laugh just as Reece almost spat out her drink.
“Crude, Malachi.” Reece shook her head. “It’s a good thing you’re a good cook”
“Yup. Scarlet has the domming thing down cold now, so I had to diversify my skills to maintain my position in your home.” He sat in his spot on the couch and started to shovel food into his mouth like he was near starvation.
“Wearing an apron instead of wielding a crop?” Scarlet twirled some pasta onto her fork.
“You might be surprised by what I can do with a spatula.”
Both girls paused with their forks partway to their mouths and glanced at each other.
“See? There are still plenty of things for you to teach me.” Scarlet chuckled.
“Like what?”
“Like what it’s like to kiss a guy.”
He snorted and kept eating.
Mortified, Scarlet went back to eating. Why had she said that? Was he not as interested as she’d thought, or had he thought she was joking?
The spaghetti was really very good – the handy thing about having someone in the house who liked to eat was that he took an interest in preparing food. Scarlet ate mostly junk food, and Reece ate salad so often that Scarlet said she was more like a bunny than a kitten.
When they were done, they brought their dishes to the kitchen and Malachi filled the sink.
“You’re not doing dishes, too. Unless you’re a Dom with a kink for serving, you’d better let us do this,” Reece teased.
“Doms are allowed to do dishes. It says so in our union handbook. If you don’t let me help with the dishes, I’ll file a grievance.” He grabbed the sponge from where it had been left next to the sink.
“Hmm. That wouldn’t do. I’m pretty sure there’s a no picketing clause in our tenancy agreement. If we end up homeless we’d have to move into your place.”
“You two should come to my place sometime. It’s not pretty like this, but I’ve added some...features to make it interesting.”
“You live out in the sticks, you said?” Reece asked. He rarely talked about himself.
He rinsed a glass he’d just washed and handed it to her. “Yup. I own a farm. It’s just all overgrown and ugly right now, but I’ve started doing some small renos on the main house. It was a family farm, so there’s another house at the other end of the property that I rent out. Other than my tenants, there’s no one else for miles.”
Scarlet had a hard time picturing him living on a farm. A pirate ship, maybe, but a farm? “Your tenants aren’t alarmed by all of the screaming that comes from your place when you bring dates home?”
“I haven’t brought a date home since Ivy. Besides, my tenants are a little hard to shock. If anything, I’m the one that gets disturbed. Between the drumming and the screaming, I’ve learned to sleep with the fan on, even though they’re a long ways off.”
“Drumming and screaming?” Reece looked both disturbed and amused.
“They’re in a band and they’re kinksters. It doesn’t get louder than that.”
“A band? Have we heard of them? What are they called?” Scarlet asked.
“I think they’re calling themselves Creepy Little Sex Zombies. They just started playing together more seriously, but they’re damn good.”
“Creepy Little Sex Zombies? So not a bluegrass band then.” Reece laughed then twirled her damp dish towel around a few times, until it wrapped into a rope
“Sex zombie is a joke between Cross and his girls.” Malachi replied, oblivious to the mischievous look in Reece’s eyes. “Maybe Gemma will tell it to you sometime. She tells it best. Anyway, Winter liked the story so much that she told it to Mack, and they made it their band name.”
Scarlet kept her eyes on Reece. “You sure you want to play this game with him?”
Malachi turned his head just in time to see the towel flick out. It snapped, hitting his ass like a whip.
Zero to Dom in point three seconds. Malachi wiped his wet hands on his jeans and walked slowly toward Reece, no longer a sweet, attractive man. In his place was a dangerous, predatory, sex-god. Scarlet’s girlfriend backed away, laughing nervously and twirling the towel again.
“You hit me again, kitten,” he growled, “and you’ll be a very sorry little girl.”
She looked scared but she snapped her arm out again and the dishtowel cracked against his thigh.
“Game over.” He lunged at her and she bolted from the room then ran down the hall into the bedroom.
Scarlet couldn’t believe the girl’s nerve. When she caught up with them in the bedroom, Malachi was working on crowding her into a corner, but she kept slipping past him.
“The longer you run the worse this is going to be for you, brat. Stop now and beg for mercy, or you won’t like the consequences.”
Reece was laughing, though she looked both frightened and turned on. “You talk big for a guy that can’t even catch me.”
His smile was truly terrifying. “There are only so many places you can run. Let me give you some extra incentive. Scarlet, could you help me out and get the spatula out of the kitchen? Bring me the butt plug too, and some lube.”
“Nooo,” Reece’s voice was more of a whine than a challenge now. She got past him somehow and brushed past Scarlet as she ran for the living room.
Scarlet strolled to the kitchen and grabbed the sturdiest spatula in the drawer, then walked back into the bedroom to retrieve the plug, the lube, and a vibe from the toy box in the closet. She was trying to stay calm, but her heart was pounding in her ears…or maybe it was the throbbing in her groin she heard. Being this excited wasn’t very nice, considering Reece was about to suffer and be embarrassed, but damn it was hot.
In the living room, Malachi had her cornered under the potted plant that hung from the hook in the ceiling. He darted left just as she did and he grabbed her around the waist then hauled her kicking and squealing to the couch.
“No! No, no, no! It’s not fair. You didn’t tell me what would happen ahead of time, so you can’t!”
“Oh, I can, little girl. You fuck with your Doms, and you get whatever comes to our minds. You have a safeword to use if you need it, but I think this is more about being embarrassed than hurt, right? I thought you were braver than that.” He maneuvered her into a face down position on the coffee table and she whimpered.
“My bravery got away, even though you caught the rest of me.”
“Yes, I did, didn’t I?” He ran his hands over her. “Now I can think of about a million nasty things I want to do to your pretty body.”
Scarlet thumped down the items he’d requested, then helpfully drew up Reece’s skirt and showed him that their girl was wearing powder blue boy sh
orts that were cut in a way that was mockingly modest.
“Nice,” Malachi said, drawing the word out. “These dimples right here drive me crazy.” He slid his finger along the two divots on her lower back.
“Me too,” Scarlet agreed, sitting next to him on the couch. The two of them ran their hands over her lower back and the back of her thighs. “Aren’t we supposed to be punishing her for whipping you with a dish towel?”
That seemed to break him out of a trance. “Hmm? Yeah. Is it just me, or is her ass always this distracting?”
“It’s not just you.”
“You do realize that having a jeweled butt plug in there is just going to make it more distracting.”
“That would be terrible. You could just forget that part and smack me with the spatula a few times, Sir?” Reece suggested hopefully.
“Nice try. Hang on to the edge of the table and don’t let go, understood? It’s a crime that no one has fucked this sexy ass. A plug is a step in the right direction, at least.”
Reece whimpered and the sound went straight to Scarlet’s groin, which was starting to feel neglected. Did Malachi find Reece’s noises as sexy as she did?
He hooked his fingers into the waistband of Reece’s panties and slid them down so slowly that Scarlet was drooling by the time they were at her thighs. Reece was breathing hard and fast, and Scarlet started to wonder if she was hyperventilating.
“Shhh,” Scarlet soothed. “He knows what he’s doing. Don’t be scared.” She stroked from the back of Reece’s knee, upward to her pink folds. “Why are you so wet, kitten? Do you like this? Have you secretly been wishing I’d do this, or is this about him?”
“I’m not horny, I’m embarrassed,” she whispered. “You’re both looking at me.”
“You’re not horny?” Malachi asked, amused. He circumvented Scarlet’s teasing fingers and plunged one of his own deep into Reece’s sex. She cried out and he coaxed another one in and finger fucked her while Scarlet focused on torturing her clit.
