“Compliments make me uncomfortable, Loïc.”
He cocked his head. “Forgive me, I don’t know how to act like a normal man any more than my brother does. I was raised to flirt, and with you it comes far too naturally.”
She glared at him again, and he held up his hands.
“I’ll try to be less honest if you’d prefer.” If he hadn’t chuckled just then, she might have thought he was sincere. “So, did he ask you to marry him, or did he simply tell you?”
She met his blue gaze, so like Severin’s, and yet so unlike it. The gritty core of anger that held them together was the same, but Loïc wielded charm like Severin wielded violence. If anything, from what she could see, the younger brother was more cynical and bitter. It seemed as though Loïc was more alone and maybe always had been.
“He told me,” she replied, her tone flat. “You know what our relationship is. If I wanted a man who would woo me, I would have made different choices. He’s my choice.”
He snagged a carrot stick off the cutting board, bit into it then chewed thoughtfully.
“As long as you’re happy, I suppose it’s none of my business.” He slid down off the counter and came closer, until Minnow wanted to fall back a step. Leaning his elbow on the counter, he stared at her profile. She kept slicing vegetables, refusing to give him the satisfaction of looking at him. “There’s a whole Stockholm Syndrome air to this place,” he whispered. “You and Rodrigo act like he’s God, and yet at least God gave man free will.” He flicked her collar and she finally recoiled, stepping away from him. The fact that she was holding the paring knife made the whole situation feel weirder.
“I’m here, and with him, because I want to be. I love him. I have no interest in your psychoanalysis of our relationship. As for Rodrigo, their friendship goes back years. He loves your brother too.”
“Yes. I can see they’re...very close,” he said, the words full of innuendo. He winked at her and strolled from the room.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? Maybe he’d caught on they were sharing her?
Being played with by two men was one thing. Having other people know was different. Some of the slut-shaming she’d internalized over the years tried to rear its ugly head, but she pushed it away. The only thing that mattered was what she thought of herself. Besides, no one had ever made her feel important like Severin and Rodrigo did. Other people couldn’t understand that from the outside, looking in.
Besides, Loïc was an ass. What he thought wasn’t important.
*
“Miss Korsgaard, why are you wearing clothes?”
She paused, his breakfast tray steaming the air between them.
“I – was cooking when Loïc left, Mister Leduc. It didn’t even cross my mind.” She set the tray down on the table and arranged his food and coffee in front of him. As he ate, seemingly oblivious to her, she stripped off her dress and stockings, leaving her in nothing but her collar.
When she was naked, she approached him, wondering what he was planning. Sex? Punishment? Some sort of devious torment?
Fuck, now she was horny and he was probably just planning to ignore her.
“You’re such a lusty little bitch, Miss Korsgaard. You were just seen to an hour ago and I’m trying to eat my breakfast.”
Ugh. The man. She hadn’t even asked for anything.
“You don’t have to ask with words. You beg louder with your body than most women do with their mouths.”
Oh, like he’d know? Besides, he couldn’t actually tell what she wanted by the way she held herself, could he?
Not that she wanted anything. Hell, she still had come on her thighs from his last use.
Damn it, and now she was thinking about how rough he’d been, and how sore she was. Every bite of food he put into his mouth was torture for her jealous nipples.
He gestured her closer, then took a set of little silver clamps from his pocket, suspended from a thin chain. They swung, delicate looking in his big hand, twirling together and flashing in the light. Her damned nipples tightened at the mere threat of them, and she couldn’t hold back her whimper. A cruel smile curled his lips and she shuddered.
“Sweet little whore. Quit pretending you don’t want this.” He snagged the tip of one of Minnow’s pierced nipples between thumb and forefinger, twisting hard enough to make her cry out as he used it to tug her closer.
“Mister Leduc! You’re hurting me!”
His evil chuckle made her squeeze her thighs together, apprehensive arousal making her knees wobble. When he got that look in his cold blue eyes, she never knew where his sadism would lead him. Maybe he didn’t either.
He tugged and twisted at her nipples. The tiles were cold against her bare feet, even with the painful way she scrunched her toes while trying not to scream as he was a complete bastard about putting on the clamps. By the time they were on, sweat had sheened her skin. He tightened the clamps past the point of pleasure/pain, to where everything was painted white hot and she couldn’t hear past the ringing in her ears.
When she could see again, he snapped on her leash and looped the handle around his wrist. He gestured for her to kneel on the floor. The tile was unforgiving beneath her knees, and she willed its coolness to travel up through her body to ease the lick of flame in her nipples.
One of the dogs turned his gaze to her for a millisecond before rejoining his brothers in guarding the floor from possible stray toast crumbs – or, in some dream world, a strip of bacon. It hadn’t taken long for the pups to be trained to leave her alone with a simple hand command, which was a damn good thing considering how often her master kept her naked.
Master ate, feeding her bits from his plate, making her lick the butter from his thumb. Her submission became laser focused, acutely aware of every nuance of his expression, every visible shift of muscle under his clothes. She fetched him more coffee, a glass of juice. He thanked her with the stroke of a fingertip along her jaw, a kiss on the forehead.
Distantly she was aware of the ache in her breasts, in her knees, but it was nothing compared to the joy of being allowed to serve him. Deep, almost painful love buzzed through her body. Tears pricked her eyes. He had no idea how much he meant to her – he couldn’t possibly know. Her sun rose and set on this man, on his every whim, on his every look and gesture.
There was the scuff of a shoe, and Rodrigo entered. She could feel him in the room. A muscle flexed in her master’s jaw, and his big body tightened with tension.
What was going on with them lately? She hated this awkward, growly undercurrent between them. It hadn’t been this bad since the day they’d pierced her nipples. If they couldn’t work out whatever was bothering them and Rodrigo – broke up with them? – she’d miss him. A lot. A pang of worry edged into the simple pleasure of the morning.
“Are you around tonight?” Mister Leduc asked Ro, easing back in his chair. He was trying to look relaxed, but she could tell he was acting.
“Loïc asked if I’d go for drinks with him. He’s going stir crazy out here.”
Minnow caught the sound of her master momentarily grinding his teeth.
“We’ll go with you.”
Rodrigo’s eyes widened.
“Or will we be in the way?” his voice was casual, but there was a lethal edge underlying it that she didn’t understand.
“I assumed you wouldn’t want to come.” Rodrigo shifted uneasily. “Of course you’re welcome to join us.”
“Should we go for dinner first?”
Now both she and Ro were staring at him. Something was really bothering him if he was willing to go out for dinner. They never, ever went out for dinner. Trying to prove he was a better friend than Loïc? That he wasn’t as antisocial as they thought?
“Sure,” Rodrigo said, smiling unkindly. “That’ll be a blast.” He switched his gaze to Minnow and gave her an exasperated grimace. “Would you mind making dinner plans for the four of us, Min, and texting me the details? I need to get to a meeting.”
/>
She glanced at her master, who inclined his head.
Rodrigo walked away without saying goodbye. The front door slammed.
Master smiled at her with a feral anger that raised the hair on the back of her neck. He took hold of the chain between her breasts, and yanked off the nipple clamps with one swift jerk. She yelped, and sobbed a few times before she got herself under control. Her nipples burned and throbbed as if they had their own heartbeats. Her clit was whining for attention, and her thighs were slick.
“Miss Korsgaard,” Mr Leduc said, his voice devoid of inflection. “Braid my hair, please. I have work to do.”
Frustration burned low in her belly, but her own desires meant nothing. She lived only to serve him.
Her fingers flew through her assigned task. Between wishing he’d use her again and her concerns about Rodrigo, she almost forgot to enjoy the slide of his long, beautiful hair through her fingers.
*
Waves of surly energy rolled off Severin as it had since they’d left the house, even though this outing had been his idea. After dinner out, where wine had flowed freely and Loïc and Rodrigo had gone back and forth exchanging amusing stories, they’d decided to move down the street to some sort of classy businessman’s lounge. Loïc and Ro were chumming around at the bar as they waited for the shots they’d ordered, and Minnow could almost feel the headache Severin was getting from gritting his teeth.
“This doesn’t mean he likes Rodrigo more,” she murmured in his ear, “or that Ro likes him more.”
“I don’t own him,” he responded a bit too loudly, then took a swig out of the bottle of whisky he’d ordered. Minnow slid the still unused, old-fashioned glass toward him, but he ignored it.
Although she’d helped him dress appropriately for the outing, the clothes didn’t come with matching manners.
“He’s not going to steal your brother.”
“Like I give a fuck about that little prick,” he snapped. “I barely know him. He comes barging into my life, and for what? To hand me more cash I don’t want or need, then launch a campaign to steal the people I care about? I’m about two minutes away from busting his pretty fucking face.”
She swallowed, not sure what to make of his wrath. “Rodrigo is loyal to you. He’s trying to help show Loïc a good time.”
“If he fucks my brother, he’s never touching you again.”
His words and his rage left her gaping at him.
If Rodrigo fucks Loïc? She’d been around Ro a hell of a lot, and she’d never gotten the impression he was even remotely bisexual.
Evidently, Severin thought he was.
With new eyes, she watched the two of them interacting, then remembered the statement Loïc had made about Rodrigo loving Severin. She’d blown it off at the time, deciding he’d just been trying to bait her.
“I’m...sure it’s not like that,” she said, thoughts racing. Was it possible?
He grunted, still glaring at the two of them standing together. Loïc put his hand on Rodrigo’s shoulder then dropped it again, and Minnow could feel every muscle in Severin’s body humming with rage. Shit. Severin’s reactions to things were often over the top and sometimes inexplicable, but this had him on edge like the old days.
What if Loïc had noticed something she hadn’t?
Had she been so dazed by orgasms that she’d missed something that obvious? Hell, she was bisexual – how would she have missed her lovers not only being bisexual, but interested in each other?
She would have noticed heated looks being exchanged, right? Maybe there had been some, but she’d thought they were about her. But they were naked together all the time! Something would have happened between them while she was there, if they were interested in each other.
But then, Severin’s reactions to Rodrigo and Loïc being chummy felt a lot like an insecure lover’s jealousy.
Feeling dizzy, she laid her hands flat on the table. What if it was true and they did like each other that way?
Well...so what? It was hot. She’d fantasized about watching them together often enough.
But what if she was just a beard for their relationship? Panic set her stomach roiling. They were her entire fucking life. What if...
Rodrigo grinned at Loïc, the two of them looking every bit like wealthy businessmen in the middle of a friendly deal. Maybe a bit too friendly. They were both drunk. Severin was drunk. She’d opted to stay sober, considering how insistent Loïc was getting with his flirtations. It had been a relief when Loïc had focused his attention on Rodrigo tonight, until she’d realized it might mean the end of her and Severin’s relationship with Ro.
A relationship.
That’s what it was, wasn’t it? Even though no one had said the words. She kind of took him for granted, but Rodrigo was often there for her when no one else was. He was there for both of them, but didn’t get any say in their relationship even though he was more or less living with them now. He had all of the responsibility of a relationship but none of the advantages, other than the sex. Maybe it wasn’t fair.
Severin had more or less moved him in after his blackout, and there was no talk about him leaving again. He was a hell of a lot more than stunt cock in their relationship now, but she wasn’t sure they’d ever told him that. What if he decided a real relationship with Loïc was better than being a third wheel with her and Severin? A feeling of loss swept over her.
“Mister Leduc, if you don’t want him to mess around with Loïc, maybe you should tell him that.”
“I shouldn’t have to tell him that.”
“Does he know how you feel about him?” she chanced.
Severin cut her a murderous look. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Loïc leaned closer to Rodrigo, saying something that made Ro laugh.
Okay, that was looking undoubtedly flirtatious, at least on Loïc’s part, but Rodrigo wasn’t putting any distance between them and he didn’t seem uncomfortable about the attention.
Loïc cast a look their way and raised his glass to Severin as though thanking him for sharing Rodrigo, his usual mocking smile seeming much different under the circumstances.
Severin pushed to his feet and stalked toward them, his big hands balled into fists.
Shit.
Minnow scrambled after him. “What are you going to do?”
Rodrigo’s head came up as though he could feel Severin cutting a swathe through the crowd. He stepped between Severin and Loïc, stopping Sev in his tracks.
“Out,” Rodrigo barked in Severin’s face, surprising the hell out of Minnow. Loïc looked completely bewildered, as though he hadn’t sensed the danger he was in.
Severin turned and strode out the door, forcing people to move quickly out of his way. Bull in a fucking china shop. Rodrigo strode in his wake, body language aggressive. This was going to come to blows.
Minnow followed them out, but gestured for Loïc to go back to their table.
Rather than stopping right outside, Severin took off down the street and turned into an alleyway. It was dark, deserted, maybe dangerous, and Minnow would never have gone into the alley if the two biggest men she knew hadn’t preceded her.
Severin stopped and turned to face Rodrigo. They stood toe to toe, the air between them thick with tension. Minnow hugged her middle, feeling helpless.
“What the fuck was that?” Severin snarled, shoving Rodrigo’s shoulder and forcing him a step back.
“I’m being polite to your brother, you ugly fuck.”
Severin opened his mouth then shut it again. He pushed forward, trying to menace Rodrigo backward, but he stood his ground even though Severin was making a deep growling noise.
“What the fuck is your problem, Leduc?” Rodrigo shouted. Wow, he was furious too.
Minnow wasn’t sure what to do. She came to Rodrigo’s shoulder, and didn’t quite reach Severin’s, so it wasn’t as though she could break up a fight. What on earth was going on?
“You know what my fucking p
roblem is!”
“Other than the fact that you’re an arrogant prick?”
It all felt surreal, watching them yell in each other’s faces. They never fought. They never even argued. Watching this was making her queasy.
“I’ve always been an arrogant prick! You’ve never complained about it before. I guess now that my brother’s here, you can replace me, and you won’t need to deal with my shit.”
“Oh, please.” Rodrigo backed a step and turned away, running a hand through his short hair.
“Don’t you turn your fucking back on me. Be a man and say it to my face.”
Ro whirled on him so fast Minnow flinched, sure a fist was coming, but he only glared.
“Say what to your face, you fucking jackass? I know what I said the other day, but do you seriously think I’d walk away from what you have given me?”
Given him? Was he talking about losing Severin’s business, or...maybe her? And with the emphasis on ‘have’ like that, it would imply he hadn’t given him something else?
Severin bristled, then the anger slowly melted off him, loosening his body until he was back to his normal arrogance. Rodrigo, however, still seemed pissed.
“I know it’s not what you wanted.” Severin scrubbed a hand over his face.
“It’s not, but it’s more than I’d ever hoped for. I love her, Severin, like you do.”
Her – like...Minnow, her? He loved her? Like Severin did? She wasn’t sure what to do with that information. She loved him too, but he wasn’t Severin. Considering how jealous Severin usually was, he didn’t look surprised, or even angry.
“So don’t give her up.”
Me? I thought this was about Loïc.
“I don’t understand why you care!” Rodrigo was in his face again. “You like sharing her that much?”
“You know it’s not just about her. We’ve discussed this.”
Discussed what?
“No, actually. We haven’t discussed this past pretending your last piercing never happened.”
They stared at each other, saying nothing. An angry, silent conversation seemed to be taking place. Minnow was trying to do a puzzle but had only been given half of the pieces.
Tragic King (The Dominant Bastard Duology Book 2) Page 3
