“My Liege,” I whispered against his ear, my heart still thumping hard in my chest. “Don’t ever let me go.”
His arms tightened around me, a silent agreement between us.
EIGHT
IAN
I watched my brother carry Everly out of the pool and directly into the house. He was holding on to her as though he would shatter if he let go.
Oddly, I sort of knew the feeling. I’d felt their connection when they’d been in the water, watched as their bodies came together in a desperate passion they’d ignored for so long. In that moment, I’d wanted to join them, to sink deep inside Everly at the same time as Isaac, to fill her completely, to take her between us, claim her together.
Only, that wasn’t going to happen. I knew better than to think Isaac was on the same page I was. It wasn’t in the stars, wasn’t how we’d always envisioned our lives going. My brother and I had always intended to have two submissives, each having their own, sharing them between us.
Isaac had found his one love, the woman he would spend his nights sleeping beside.
And I was on the periphery, expected to align with my own submissive, to pave my own way so that we could meet in the middle at some point.
Needless to say, things were not going the way we’d planned.
“Sir?”
“Yeah?” I glanced over at Dante.
“May I please turn in for the evening?”
I nodded. “Of course. If you need anything … the house is as much yours as it is mine.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
I watched as he stepped out, his perfect ass ripe for the picking. While I wanted to explore him on a much deeper level, I figured he’d had enough for one day. Tomorrow … that was a different story.
I found myself smiling.
“Uh-oh.” Heaven giggled. “That looks like a mischievous smile. Dirty thoughts about a particular male submissive?”
“Stand up,” I said, keeping my tone cool, relaxed, the smile firmly in place.
“I am standing.” She grinned. So coy, so sweet. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with her yet. But I was glad we had a little time to explore alone. I wouldn’t go so far as to say she was a substitute for Everly, but she was a worthy distraction.
“All the way up. Let me see those beautiful tits.”
Heat swirled in the soft green of her eyes, giving her away. She’d given me the spiel about sowing wild oats, and initially, I’d thought she was placating me. Now, I got the sense she’d been telling the truth.
Which made her all the more appealing. I would never feel for Heaven what I felt for Everly, but I certainly didn’t mind losing myself in her for a bit.
Heaven surprised me, standing tall and dropping her arms to her sides.
I found myself entranced by her in so many ways. Not only in her physical beauty, but that inner light I could see hidden beneath dark shadows.
“I’m thinking that boyfriend of yours didn’t pay nearly enough attention to your tits.” I met her gaze. “Hot or cold?”
“Hot,” she said quickly.
“What did he pay attention to?” I asked, standing tall so that I towered over her. I moved closer.
“Other women,” she said, a snarky bite to the words.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“How long were you with him?”
“Three years. On and off.”
Well, that explained a lot of her insecurities. She’d spent the past three years with a douchebag who didn’t realize the gift he’d been given.
I moved to stand behind her, not touching her. Not yet.
“Do I scare you, Heaven?”
“No.”
“Good. May I touch you?”
“Uh … yes.”
I eliminated the space between us, pressing my chest to her back, then pulled her back against me. “Good girl. Just let yourself go. It’s about pleasure, nothing more.”
“Only pleasure,” she whispered, trembling.
“Let’s move into deeper water. You’re shivering.”
She moved with me, allowing me to take her weight in my arms.
“Put your arms around my neck.”
She did, lifting her arms behind her, then cupping my neck until her fingers touched. Considering the size difference, it wouldn’t have worked if I hadn’t had my knees bent, allowing her sweet little ass to press against me.
I trailed my fingers from her elbows downward until I ran my fingertips over her puckered nipples.
She moaned softly.
“Now tell me, why’d you stay with a man who didn’t appreciate you?”
“I’m an idiot,” she muttered.
I tweaked her nipples, making her squeal. “From this point forward, I don’t want to hear another negative word about yourself. Understood?” I released the pressure.
“Yes.”
I teased her nipples, giving pleasure where I’d just applied pain. She relaxed into me again.
“How’d you meet him?”
“At the bookstore. He came in one day. Started talking.”
I cupped her breasts, squeezed gently, enjoying her soft moans.
“He took you out?”
“In the beginning.”
“When did you know it was going south?”
“Three months in.”
I stilled. “Three months? And you gave him three years?”
