The Men With the Golden Cuffs

by Lexi Blake

  “Do you want to see just how convenient you are? Do you think a man would try to kill his friend over a convenient lay? Trust me on this one. Adam damn well deserves this.” Liam reached out and put a hand on her waist, pulling her close, her chest bumping against his.

  “What are you doing?” Serena asked, her wide eyes taking him in.

  “Proving a point. I’m about to make you deeply inconvenient.” He leaned over, and before she could protest, he brushed his lips against hers.

  She had a brief shock of recognition. Liam was intensely hot. He was insanely sexy. He had those deep green eyes and shockingly dark hair, and that accent that melted her female parts. She felt a moment’s curiosity. She hadn’t been kissed very often. She’d had a few boyfriends, but Doyle comprised the majority of her sexual experience.

  It was different to kiss Liam. She viewed the experience from an intellectual standpoint even as Liam molded his lips to hers. He didn’t use his tongue. She might have protested that. There was an almost lackadaisical interest coming from Liam. She felt oddly safe with him.

  And while the man knew how to kiss, she really didn’t want him to kiss her. Because she belonged to someone else. She belonged to Adam and Jake. Adam and Jake were the ones who moved her. She wouldn’t have been thinking if she’d been in their arms. She would have been living that kiss.

  Suddenly, it felt brutally wrong to be in Liam’s arms. She started to push against him, but she didn’t need to. She fell back on her ass as she was shoved out of his arms. Adam didn’t play the gentleman. He didn’t scream or ask what had happened. He didn’t reach out to lend her a hand. His eyes were dark as night as his fist came out.

  “Now, Adam, I was just making a point,” Liam said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture.

  Again, not a word passed Adam’s lips. He struck out, his fist flying and catching Liam directly across the jaw. The Irish Dom cursed.

  “Fuck all, Adam, you know you deserved that. Sean would high-five me.” Liam had a shit-eating grin on his face.

  Adam simply launched his body at the other man and rammed his knee in his gut, causing Liam to grunt in pain.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Jake asked, offering Serena a hand up.

  Serena wasn’t sure how to explain. She was watching two men fight. It was oddly quieter than she had expected it to be. Liam obviously decided he didn’t like the way Adam had nearly kneed him in the groin and had stopped taunting him, obviously preferring to pay him back. He kicked out, trying to catch Adam. They were really fighting. Over her.

  Well, Adam was fighting over her. She rather thought Liam was just fighting.

  “Serena, I asked you a question.” Jake glared at her, forcing her attention back to him.

  “Adam didn’t like something Liam did and so they started fighting.”

  Jake stared down at her. “What the fuck did he do? Tell me now.”

  “He kissed me.” She couldn’t think of a lie, and she was worried what he would do if she did lie. He liked to spank her, after all.

  Jake nodded, and for the briefest of moments, she thought he would be reasonable about it. They didn’t have a commitment. They weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend. Or was that boyfriends and girlfriend? It didn’t matter because Jake’s moment of reason was deeply short lived. He turned and jumped into the fray. He punched Liam right in the eye.

  “Goddamn it.” Ian walked into the lobby, a fierce frown on his face. Alex was beside him. Both men were dressed in leathers and looked like a calm in the storm. Thank god. Someone could break this up.

  Ian waded into the throng and pulled Adam up by his collar. Alex got a hand on Liam.

  “You three need to calm down,” Ian ordered, his deep voice blatantly military. Serena had no problem envisioning him handling a unit of elite soldiers. Or really mad Doms.

  Alex held on to Liam’s neck and then suddenly punched him straight on the nose. Liam shouted out, cursing.

  “What the fuck?” Liam held his bloody nose.

  “That was for Eve,” Alex said, his shoulders set. He turned and walked away.

  Liam held his hands up. He turned and looked at Ian, his eyes wide with apparent shock. “What was that about? I’ve never touched Eve.”

  “He knows you’ve been spending time with Eve. He suspects you’re sleeping with her.” Ian gave Adam a little snarl. “Don’t fucking try anything else. That means you, too, Jake.”

  Jake gave him a mulish stare. “He kissed my sub.”

  “She doesn’t have a collar on,” Ian pointed out. “Get a collar around her throat and we’ll talk. And you,” he turned to Liam, “need to stay away from Alex’s wife.”

  “Ex-wife.” Liam frowned. “And I’m not fucking Eve. Not even close.” He grinned Serena’s way. “Though I will fuck that one.”

  Both Jake and Adam started for him again. Ian hauled Liam behind his own enormous body.

  “Back off,” Ian commanded. “He’s being an asshole.”

  Liam crossed his arms over his chest and looked over at Serena. “There you go, dear. That’s your answer. You’re very inconvenient now. They’re risking their jobs, and their jobs are pretty much all they have. You’re being brutally stubborn. You’re hurting all three of you. Come out of that corner, Serena. You don’t really want to be there anyway.” Liam backed away. “I’m going to clean up. You three better figure something out or it’s going to be over.”

  He walked away. Ian practically had steam coming out of his ears. “What he fucking said. I’m sick of this shit. I have a sub to whip.”

  He stalked off, and she was left with the two men who had completely turned her life upside down.

  Adam seemed to calm a bit. He straightened his clothes, a white dress shirt and his leathers. There was a scratch on his face, but otherwise he seemed to have fared well. “Come on then, Serena.”

  She felt rooted to the ground and deeply unsure. “I think we should probably talk about this.”

  “And I think someone is due a bit of punishment,” Jake said harshly.

  “Punishment?” Why the hell did that word make her pussy clench? Punishment meant they would put their hands on her. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Did you or did you not sign a contract when we first brought you into this club?” Jake asked. His face was set in hard lines. She had the sudden desire to get on her knees in front of him.

  “You know I did.” Ian wouldn’t let her in without signing a contract. It stated that Jake would act as her Dom, and he would be responsible for her behavior. It covered all sorts of things like confidentiality and how she should behave. She felt her face fall. It had also made it plain that according to all rules of this club, she belonged to her Dom. She stared up at Jake. This wasn’t her fault. “He kissed me, not the other way around.”

  “You weren’t fighting him,” Adam said. He seemed calmer now. “You were still in his arms. I know you, Serena. You would have fought him if you hadn’t wanted it.”

  “I didn’t want it, damn it. I was just curious.”

  Jake’s smile held not an ounce of humor. “You know what curiosity did to the kitty cat. I think you’re about to find out what it does to your pussy. Now, Serena. Or we can go back home and go right back to you sitting in front of the computer getting absolutely nothing done.”

  Adam put a hand on her shoulder. “Serena, aren’t you curious about this?”

  She was. Damn it. And it was just punishment. Punishment that might lead to sex. Sex that might lead to something else. No. She wasn’t going to go there. She wasn’t going to start planning a future with them. She was done with that. But she could have another night. Maybe a few more nights.

  She dropped to her knees, trying to find the proper position. She wasn’t going to deny it. She wanted to explore with them. She’d written about this lifestyle, studied it, and dreamed about it. Letting go of this chance because she knew it couldn’t work with Jake and Adam seemed wrong.

  She was nervous
and so confused she couldn’t see straight. She wasn’t in a place to make any kind of decision, but she could have this. Just for a little while.

  Jake’s hand came out, forcing her chin up. “I’m not going easy on you tonight.”

  She didn’t want him to. She wanted this experience. She wanted to ache and burn and to come like she never had before. And she wanted it with them. “Yes, Sir.”

  There was no way to mistake what that one simple word did to Jake’s cock. It strained against his leathers. She remembered just how good that cock felt deep inside her body. She’d never felt so connected as she had when she’d made love to Jake and then again with Adam. For those brief moments, she’d been truly intimate with another human being. She’d felt more alive than ever before.

  Was she making a terrible mistake? Maybe. But she couldn’t just jump in again with her whole heart. Her body was another story.

  “You’re not going to give me an inch, are you?” Jake asked, his face losing its harshness. A cloud of sadness descended over him. “Adam is right. You’re never going to forgive us.”

  “I forgive you.” They were easy words to say. She didn’t really have to mean them.

  “I told you,” Adam said, his voice deep.

  Jake turned to Adam, and they had one of those silent moments she always envied. They seemed to be able to speak to each other without saying a word, as though some event long ago had connected them in ways few others could understand.

  Jake finally looked back down at her. “This is all you’ll give us?”

  “It’s all I have to give.” She was still aching on the inside. She’d handed them her heart and gotten back a mottled mess. She just couldn’t get past that moment when they’d rejected her. It would happen again. Potentially over and over again. Doyle had asked for a divorce three times before he’d finally gone through with it. Each time she’d allowed him to talk his way out of it. He was sorry. He’d said it in the heat of the moment. He hadn’t really meant it.

  But he had. Even if they hadn’t meant it this time, they would in the future. She couldn’t risk it. Not again.

  “I’ll take it.” Jake took her elbow and helped her up. “All you want out of this is a D/s relationship. Do I understand you correctly?”

  Serena latched onto that thought. A D/s relationship wasn’t a love affair. It didn’t have to involve anything except an exchange of power. Some D/s relationships didn’t even involve sex. She sure as hell didn’t want that, but a D/s relationship didn’t necessarily have to end when the case was over.

  Jake was a Dom. Adam was invested in the lifestyle. What if she could become their sub? They could come together for play. She could keep them in some small way.

  “Yes, Sir. It’s what I always wanted. I went looking for a Dom, if you remember.” Serena kept her voice carefully controlled. “My life has been out of control for some time. I think I need this. I know I would like to try it.”

  “And if I say no? If I won’t top you?” Jake practically growled the question.

  If he wouldn’t, she would probably just shut down that part of herself or keep it where she should have all along—deep in her books. Words couldn’t hurt her. She simply shrugged. “Then there’s no point in me being here, Sir. You should take me home.”

  Adam laughed, a bitter little sound. “Well, I can see I’m not needed here. I thought she was interested in ménage, but she seems to only want a Dom.”

  Why did he have to be so fucking sensitive? Most guys would follow her around and wait for a chance to shove his dick in, but no, Adam had to make a scene. Of course, most guys wouldn’t wake up every morning, make her coffee and make sure her schedule was perfectly detailed and ready. He’d actually laid out the right clothes for her activities the last few days. She didn’t have to think about the little things with Adam around. But she did have to deal with his ego.

  “I would prefer two Doms.”

  “I’m not a Dom, Serena.”

  “Really? Because you seem to have control of my day. You control my schedule, my clothes, what I eat and when I eat it.” He’d taken over just about everything, and her life was so much better for it. He’d even started feeding her dog. “I would prefer if you stayed, Sir. I am interested in ménage. From an intellectual viewpoint.”

  Adam’s boots came into view. And then she hissed a little as he tugged on her hair, forcing her to face up to him. “Intellectual? You’re full of shit, sweetheart, and if I thought for a second that you weren’t lying to yourself and to both of us, I would walk away. But I happen to have a ton of frustration, and it would help me enormously to take it out on your sweet ass. I might not have Dom rights in this club, but don’t you fucking think for a second that I can’t top you. Now get on your feet.”

  Serena rose, Adam’s hand on her arm, supporting her. That was what he’d become, her support, while Jacob was the bulwark against all the bad things that could come her way.

  Except for just a minute, he’d been the bad thing.

  Fuck all. She was so damn torn. Still, she couldn’t help herself. They called and she followed.

  “Take off your shirt.” Jake crossed his arms over his chest.

  She felt the world tilt just a little. “What?”

  His eyes narrowed. “I said take off your shirt. I’m your Dom. I want to see your breasts. I want to show them off because in this club, those tits belong to me. I think they’re beautiful, and I want to see them. So take off your shirt or use your safeword and we’ll go home.”

  He was pushing her, and she wasn’t going to take it. Well, not that way. She wasn’t going to let him shove her away. She remained mulishly silent, but she pulled at the bottom of her tank top. It was just some skin. Every woman in the place had breasts. It wasn’t anything that hadn’t been seen a million times before.

  With shaking hands, she passed Jake her shirt. Her breasts were exposed, the nipples tightening in the cool air of the club.

  “Better.” Jake turned her to Adam. “Should we start her punishment now?”

  It hadn’t already started? Ian walked by, his eyes trailing toward her. He was looking at her breasts. He was a magnificent specimen of a man who could likely get any woman he wanted, and he was looking right at her breasts. The barest hint of a smile turned those gorgeously sculpted lips up and then he winked at her as he strode by.

  Holy crap. She was half naked and it actually felt sexy. An ache started, low in her gut.

  Yes, this was a little bit of torture, but she felt more alive than she had in days.

  Adam stared down at her, ignoring everything else around him. His hands went to his pockets. He came out with something she knew well, but not from actual experience. Nipple clamps. Two tweezer clamps connected by a little chain. Adam dropped to his knees, handing Jake the clamps. He leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth.

  Serena gasped. She started to stumble, but Jake was behind her, his strong arms holding her up.

  “You let him get you ready. Don’t fight him. Don’t you fucking fight your Dom.” Jake’s breath was hot on her ear.

  And Adam’s tongue tortured her nipple. He sucked and bit and laved it with affection, the sensation going straight to her pussy. She fought to stay still. It was so hard, but she loved this. She was surrounded by them, their heat sinking into her skin.

  Adam didn’t let up. He ravished her nipples, one after another. People walked by, and Serena didn’t care. Adam’s arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close while Jake balanced her. She could feel Jake’s erection nestled against the cheeks of her ass. She let her head fall back against his chest as Adam switched nipples. He teased one with his tongue while rolling the other with his thumb and forefinger.

  And then he pulled back, looking at his handiwork. Her nipples strained toward him, standing straight up at attention. He held his hand out, and Jake passed him the clamps.

  She whimpered a little as Adam attached them, carefully turning the screw.

  �
��They’re barely tight enough to stay on.” Adam touched the chain that hung between her breasts. “You’ll be wearing these for a while, so I can’t get them too tight. Yet. But I’ll work you up to a real burn. Jake, we’re going to need a plug and a little privacy. I’m not done decorating this sub.”

  “I have just what we need.” Jake kissed the nape of her neck. “I ordered a privacy room and had it stocked.”

  She was utterly out of breath. “I thought we were going to watch Ian.”

  Jake growled a little. “I think we’ve seen enough from our team tonight. You can become acquainted with the whip at a later date. Tonight, you’re going to get the crop.”

  She had to force herself to breath. The idea of Jacob’s crop hitting the flesh of her ass made her heart pound.

  “You’re being punished for more than just kissing Liam.” Adam’s hands were on the chain that ran between her nipples. The pressure was very light, barely there. She wondered when they would turn the screw again. When Adam turned the screws on her clamps, would her nipples pool with blood and become deeply sensitive?

  She’d written the scene so many times, but now it was real. Now it was visceral. They owned her body. It was a deep exchange that went beyond sex. It was about far more than a mere orgasm. It was about bonding. It was about being able to trust and depend on another.

  She wanted that so badly. She couldn’t have it in the real world, couldn’t trust it, but she could pretend it was real here. Maybe, if she was lucky, she could keep the relationship where it should have been all along. A D/s relationship. A mentorship of sorts. No promises beyond the ones they made in a contract.

  Jake pulled a collar out of his pocket. He must have had it on his person or kept it in his locker. It was a leather collar, thin and feminine, with a delicate silver ring on the front. He held it out, showing it off before he nodded to Adam.

  Adam crowded her from behind, his thick erection rubbing against her backside. She shivered a little as he gathered her hair and held it up. With a solemn formality, he clasped the collar around her neck.

  “It’s just a training collar. You can relax. It’s not a commitment. You don’t seem to want that.”