Maya's Masters

Viper’s Dungeon 2

Maya’s Masters She didn’t want to ask for their help… Maya fought hard to win her independence. She isn’t about to give it up to anyone—not to the gang who threatens her, the Dom who wants her, or the ex-SEAL who needs her. But her friend Viper has other ideas. Derek has known Maya for a long time, but realizes she has no love for the BDSM lifestyle. Yet when she is threatened by a local street gang, he can’t stay away. Even if she doesn’t want a Dom, he can still be her protector. But when Viper introduces her to Cam, a confident, cocky, naturally dominant ex-SEAL, Derek finds himself fighting old memories and new jealousy. Cam happily supports Maya as she explores her submissive needs and the scary world of BDSM, but will falling for a woman who seems to love another be harder than he expected? Genre: BDSM, Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre Length: 40,060 words

MAYA’S MASTERS Viper’s Dungeon 2

Abby Blake

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

MAYA’S MASTERS Copyright © 2012 by Abby Blake E-book ISBN: 1-61926-377-7 First E-book Publication: February 2012 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Maya’s Masters by Abby Blake from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Abby Blake’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Blake’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

MAYA’S MASTERS Viper’s Dungeon 2 ABBY BLAKE Copyright © 2012

Prologue He leaned over her, pinning her down, holding her trapped as he kissed her over and over and over, deep, dominating, drugging kisses that left her gasping for air. Maya’s heart raced, her nipples pulling tight, her pussy throbbing and moistening, her body betraying her secret. She wanted this. Hell, she wanted so much more, but she couldn’t say it, couldn’t ask for it. But he knew. He moved down her body, his mouth leaving a fiery trail of sucking kisses and tiny bites, his impossibly wide shoulders forcing her legs open further. She went to touch him, wanting to run her hands through his silky hair, only then realizing that her arms were tied down, the soft cuffs holding her still for his taking. She gasped, her body throbbing all over, her need growing exponentially. Her lover knew exactly what she wanted. Maya woke with a start, unsure what had thrown her out of the disturbing dream, but very glad for the distraction. She wasn’t like that. She didn’t want or need a man to dominate her. She might enjoy

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reading the occasional BDSM novel, but she sure as hell didn’t need some man telling her what to do. She lifted her hand to push the hair out of her face, dismayed to realize she was shaking all over from unquenched arousal. She tried to breathe slowly, forcing herself to calm down. But then a noise came from downstairs, and her heart rate leaped into the stratosphere for a whole different reason. Very slowly she slid out of bed, trying to convince herself that the noise had most likely been one of the mousetraps in the kitchen going off, but somehow she didn’t quite believe it. She grabbed her cordless phone, dialed emergency, and, holding her finger over the send button, very quietly headed downstairs. By the time she reached the ground floor, whoever was in her kitchen was no longer even trying to be quiet. She pressed the button, waited the longest second of her entire life for the call to be answered, and then very quietly explained the situation to the operator. She turned and headed back up the stairs, willing to hide just as the voice on the phone advised. After a moment of indecision, she grabbed the broom from the utility closet and held it like a baseball bat, fervently cursing herself for never having actually learned how to play the sport. But as she heard the intruders coming upstairs, laughing as if they weren’t committing a crime, anger burned low in her gut. This was her home, damn it! She might live above the restaurant that was her livelihood, but at the top of her stairs was her sanctuary, her personal space. She glanced at her bedroom. If they found her in there she was cornered. She’d have nowhere to go. She wanted to tell the operator what was going on, but the intruders were so close now that they’d definitely hear her, no matter how softly she spoke. She put the phone down on the carpet, held the broom ready to swing if necessary, and hoped like hell that the men turned left instead of right when they reached the top of the stairs.

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Maya had a moment of relief as they turned left, but then the man at the front swung his gaze to the right, obviously seeing her despite the dark shadows in the hallway. She swung the broom in front of her, showing that she was armed—sort of—and backed up a step. The man laughed and came closer. She swung again and again, squeaking in terror when the man reached out and grabbed the wooden handle mid swing. Terrified, Maya threw her weight behind the broom, forcing the handle through the man’s grip, the tip of the wood slamming into his face. His head snapped back. “You fucking bitch!” he yelled as he tried to wrestle the broom from her grip. She held on tight, knowing that if he got her only weapon it was all over. The high-pitched wail of police sirens finally reached her ears, and she fought harder, determined to stay in one piece until help arrived. She had no doubt the man in front of her intended to hurt her very badly. The verbal threats and filthy cursing left that in no doubt. The man pushed hard against his end of the broom, knocking her backward, and she scrambled to keep herself upright. But then, almost as if he’d never been there, the man was gone. The sound of running footsteps and the violent destruction of whatever they could reach in the kitchen as they ran out the back door the only things to reach Maya’s ears. She fell onto her ass, the broom clutched tightly in her hands. She was still there, shaking all over, when the police found her.

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Chapter One Derek watched the sub closely for any signs of discomfort. She moaned as the soft leather hit her over and over, the smooth, hypnotic rhythm pushing the woman toward hyperspace—a place where the sub was only aware of the touch of the flogger and her own body’s needs. She cried out, the arousal obvious in her husky voice as her Dom slowly increased the pace and the strength of the blows. Completely naked she undulated against her bonds, her eyesight glazing over as her entire concentration turned inward. Derek stood off to one side, supervising the trainee Dom as he learned how best to bring himself and his sub satisfaction. Derek had been flogging subs for many years now, and he’d always gained a huge sense of satisfaction in bringing a woman to a shuddering climax with only the touch of soft leather. He’d lost count of the number of subs who’d been surprised by their own reactions to the stinging bite of pain. But lately his concentration had begun to wander. And that was a very bad thing. A Dom needed to be totally focused and fully aware of the sub and her reactions to ensure she was properly cared for and brought to orgasm without any damage. A lapse in concentration could cause an injury, and despite the fact that he had years of experience, Derek wasn’t willing to risk any sub’s health. Thankfully, Viper had agreed with him when he’d explained the situation. Viper’s Dungeon was a very exclusive, and therefore very expensive, BDSM club. On a cop’s salary, being a member was damn near impossible. Fortunately, Derek had started work here many years ago as a dungeon monitor and had quickly graduated to assisting and

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tutoring Doms and their subs in the art of flogging—quite often demonstrating with subs who had difficulty achieving orgasm in public. Derek smiled as the sub started to shake with her orgasm, her low moans and guttural grunts growing louder as her Dom turned to stroking her hypersensitive skin with the leather strips of the flogger. She screamed loud and long, her climax robbing her of control and leaving her shivering in her bonds. Her Dom smiled and touched her face lovingly. Yet, despite the woman’s obvious enjoyment, and her Dom’s grateful thanks for Derek’s instructions, for Derek something was missing. He’d found himself thinking about Maya more and more often, but, apart from the fact that Derek didn’t want a permanent connection to any sub, it was obvious by her reaction to Derek and Viper that she was aware of the BDSM lifestyle and had absolutely no love for it. In fact, to say that Maya hated the idea of a Dom-sub type of relationship would be a serious understatement. But it hadn’t poured cold water on his physical attraction for her. When he’d heard about the break-in at her restaurant, he’d been very close to bundling her into his arms and locking her in his bedroom for safekeeping. Hell, if she’d been into the lifestyle he damn well would have. But with Maya he was fairly certain that type of reaction would get him arrested, and with him being a police officer that probably wouldn’t go down well with his boss. He was still trying to reconcile his possessive feelings for Maya against the fact that he’d decided years ago against a permanent relationship with anyone, when an old friend walked in the door and headed directly for Jace. The look of determination did nothing to hide the uncertainty in Logan’s demeanor. Derek rubbed the headache growing behind his forehead. At least whatever was going to happen

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would give him something to think about for a while and distract him from his own internal dissatisfaction. **** Cam watched the tense body language between Logan and Jace. He hadn’t seen Jace in years and, other than a brief story about a girl named Emma, Logan hadn’t given Cam any real explanation of what might be going on. He stood back, giving the two men some privacy, but the urge to back up his swim buddy was still overwhelmingly strong. Considering that Cam had been given a medical discharge from the Navy, his SEAL days, and therefore his time as Logan’s swim buddy, were well and truly behind him. His fingers tightened on the handle of his cane as Logan and Jace headed into a private room. Well, at least that answered the question on whether he was needed or not. It seemed that his assistance was not required. He glanced around Viper’s Dungeon. He hadn’t been here often, had never really had the time or any real inclination to fully explore the lifestyle, but he’d met Viper several years back and considered him a friend. He turned to one of the display stations and watched as a man smacked a naked woman tied to a strange-looking bench. She moaned as he hit her over and over with his bare hand. Personally, Cam couldn’t think of anything more uncomfortable. It seemed more like an interrogation technique than the pleasurable experience the woman seemed to think it was. Her high-pitched scream as she climaxed a few moments later confirmed that she knew something Cam didn’t. He glanced over just in time to see Logan and Jace, both wearing smiles, heading in his direction. Thankfully, whatever had caused the tension between them seemed to have been sorted. “I’m going to see a girl,” Logan said with a wide smile. But then his cocky grin faded slightly, and Cam saw his friend’s vulnerability.

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It wasn’t often that either of them had weak moments, but they knew each other well enough to identify them. “I’ll either be back in an hour or I’ll call you in a few days.” Cam nodded, shook his friend’s hand, and sent him on his way. “He won’t be back anytime soon,” Jace said as he stood beside Cam and watched Logan practically run out the door. “Emma loves him. She won’t boot him out.” “Good to know,” Cam said, genuinely pleased for his swim buddy. Logan was a good guy and deserved to be happy. If he’d found a woman strong enough to be the wife of a Navy lifer, he should grab her with both hands and hold on tight. “You still on medical leave?” Jace asked with a quick glance at Cam’s cane. “No,” Cam answered quietly. He’d had months to prepare himself for this. Hell, he’d known the moment he’d been shot six months ago that this was how his life was going to go, but still he couldn’t find it in himself to say the words out loud. He hadn’t even told his parents yet. They’d been so proud of his Navy career that he just couldn’t find the words to tell them over the phone that it was over. It didn’t help his peace of mind that he hadn’t really explored all the possibilities of his post-injury career. He might have been able to fit somewhere else within the Navy, but after six months behind a desk he’d realized that the SEAL teams were the only place he’d truly wanted to be. So with no chance of returning to his squad, he’d taken the medical discharge and walked away. The trouble was he had no idea what to do next. “I’m sorry, Cam,” Jace said with a tight nod. He glanced over his shoulder at Viper. “I’ve got to get back to work, but if you need anything…” He let the words trail off, perhaps realizing that Cam wouldn’t ask. Jace shook his hand, mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “stubborn-ass SEALs,” and headed back to his post as dungeon monitor. Viper joined Cam a moment later. “I was about to take Bianca for coffee. Would you like to join us?”

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Cam nodded. He was probably a little old for hero-worship, but Viper was the one man he knew who would be able to give him a glimpse of life after the SEAL teams. Not only did the man own this BDSM club, but he was quite wealthy and a well-respected businessman in the area. Anyone who could make kinky sex seem almost mainstream had to be doing something right. “Sure, coffee sounds good.” Cam followed Viper over to a small grouping of comfortable chairs. Bianca was sitting in one but didn’t seem to be involved in the lively discussion the barely dressed women were having. When he and Viper got closer, the conversation stopped mid word and all of the women lowered their eyes to the ground. A little disconcerted by the collective reaction, Cam stood back feeling uncomfortable and definitely out of place. Viper stepped over to Bianca, unlocked the chains holding her to the seat, and lifted her into his arms. He carried her into the change rooms, and a few minutes later the pair returned with Bianca wearing much more clothing. Cam glanced at the other women. They all seemed happy—even though they, too, were chained into their seats. His instinct was to be polite and maybe introduce himself, but he didn’t really understand the lifestyle everyone in this club seemed to enjoy. He glanced at the woman walking beside Viper and amended that thought to almost everyone. Despite his friendship with Viper, he’d only met Bianca a few times, and each time she seemed to be just a little more sad than the last. She’d always been a beautiful woman—rounded and curvy with a graceful movement that seemed a natural part of her rather than something she’d learned in the BDSM world—but she wasn’t the contented sex slave he’d met many years ago. Viper wrapped his arm around Bianca’s shoulders as they stepped into the quiet street. They walked several blocks before stopping outside the front of a closed restaurant. Viper rapped his knuckles quietly against the glass window, and after a few moments a woman

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hurried into the area, unlocked the door, and gave Bianca a radiant smile. “About time you two dropped by. It’s been nearly a week.” She grabbed Bianca by the hand and practically dragged her into the empty restaurant. Viper turned, locked the door, and followed the two women. “Maya makes the best coffee in town.” Cam didn’t really know how to respond to that, so he nodded and smiled at the woman. She was dressed casually in jeans, a sweater, and comfortable shoes, but even that couldn’t hide her delicious curves. She was tall and fit looking with generous breasts and, from this angle, what looked to be a heart-shaped ass. Despite being surrounded by near-naked women in the club, this was the woman who made his cock twitch in his pants. Her confident demeanor with Viper also suggested that she wasn’t part of the BDSM lifestyle— something else that, in Cam’s mind, was another tick on the plus side. “Maya, this is a good friend of mine, Elijah Cameron.” “Cam, this is my sister, Maya.” All the blood that had been quickly draining south to his cock suddenly reversed back to his brain, leaving him with a roaring headache. It didn’t matter how beautiful the woman was, friends didn’t think those sorts of things about their friends’ sisters. Maya must’ve seen his reaction because she laughed and leaned over to smack Viper upside the head affectionately. “He’s not my brother,” she said to Cam as he watched the man laugh like a big brother teasing a younger sister. “He’s my sister’s brother-in-law. My sister married his brother. Why she’d want to marry into such a strange family is beyond me.” She grinned, threaded her arm around Cam’s elbow, and whispered conspiratorially, “But apparently love can’t be stopped.” Cam grinned widely, enjoying her simple, platonic touch way more than he probably should. It was true that he hadn’t had a woman

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in his bed for a long time, but it didn’t quite explain his off-the-chart reactions to this one. “How do you have your coffee?” It took a moment for the words to make sense, but he finally found a part of his brain that was still working and answered, “Strong, sweet, and black.” “SEALs,” she said affectionately with a roll of her eyes. She grinned impishly and turned to Viper. “I’ll get you your usual—decaf caramel latte with extra cream.” Viper roared with laughter, but simply settled his big frame into a comfortable-looking sofa and pulled Bianca onto his lap. She curled into his embrace and closed her eyes. Cam watched the woman for a moment and nodded slightly in approval. It seemed that whatever was making Bianca sad, Viper wasn’t the problem. Unsure what to do with himself, Cam lowered into a chair and tried not to wince at the familiar pain pulling at his knee. It was damned frustrating, the ache almost mocking him for the years of peak physical fitness that he’d taken for granted. He ground his teeth together and tried to ignore the fact that he only had himself to blame for tonight’s stiffness. He’d ignored his physiotherapist’s advice once again and overdone things. If he played by the rules, his leg didn’t ache. The trouble was he’d never been much for playing by the rules. **** Maya watched Cam try not to react to the pain in his knee. She’d recognized him as a SEAL the moment she laid eyes on him. Being raised a Navy brat and surrounded by men like him all her life made it easy to spot them. Although, she suspected by the cane that he carried and the slightly lost look in his eyes that he was no longer on the active duty roster.

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She poured two black coffees, sweetened them the way both Cam and Viper liked, and carried them, and two cappuccinos with extra chocolate for her and Bianca, back into the main area of the closed restaurant. She served the coffees and took a seat opposite Cam. It was probably a silly move—she’d vowed never to get entangled with a military man again—but she couldn’t quite keep her distance from this one. There was something intriguing about him. He called to her in ways only one man had done since her divorce. Unfortunately, Viper had a way of reminding her exactly who that man was. “Derek sends his regards.” Viper said the words with a knowing grin, almost as if he could see into her mind and pluck out her most intimate thoughts. Cam’s gaze bounced between her and Viper. It was obvious he wanted to know what was between her and Derek, but Cam was polite enough to mind his own business. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Viper. “I still think you should drop by the club to see him.” “Ah, no,” she said, trying not to shudder. Derek’s specialty at Viper’s Dungeon was to flog naked women with strips of leather until they screamed in orgasm. It might have been one of Maya’s secret fantasies, but that didn’t mean she wanted it to be a reality. She’d never told anyone about her curiosity, but it seemed that both Viper and Derek had noticed something about her that she’d thought she kept well hidden. Viper gave her that assessing look that he did so well, nodded once, and then changed the subject. Fortunately, he turned the conversation to Cam’s recent discharge from the Navy SEAL teams. Maya watched Cam grimace as the inevitable question was asked. “So, what are you going to do now?”

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“I have absolutely no idea,” he said with what seemed to be a casual, but expertly feigned, shrug. “But I guess I’ll figure that out when I get home.” “Where’s home?” Maya asked, feeling a strange sense of loss. She’d only just met the man. It shouldn’t matter to her where he went or what he did now, but somehow she couldn’t rein in her curiosity. “About a thousand miles from here,” he answered with another of those feigned-to-look-careless shrugs. “When are you leaving?” Oh, crap, she did not just ask that question out loud. Did she? “I was thinking of grabbing a hotel tonight and heading out tomorrow.” “Don’t be silly,” Viper said casually. “Maya has a spare room upstairs.” Maya gave her not-quite brother-in-law a look that should’ve fried him on the spot, but the frustrating man just grinned unrepentantly. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly impo—” “Of course you can,” Viper said quietly. “Maya lives upstairs, and Derek and I have been concerned for her safety since the break-in last week.” Maya ground her teeth together and tried not to be angry at Viper. She should have known he had something like this in mind. Derek and a couple of the other Doms from Viper’s Dungeon had dropped by several times in the last few days. She’d understood their concern, and maybe even felt relieved to know someone was looking out for her, but delivering a bodyguard to her doorstep was probably a little over the top. Especially when it seemed that it was the first poor Cam had heard of Viper’s plan also. She glanced at his knee and knew without a shadow of a doubt that it would barely slow him down if an innocent person were threatened. He’d gladly pay later for aggravating his own injury if it meant protecting someone who needed protecting. She’d known enough good men to know that for certain.

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“You don’t hav—” But again, Viper cut off her words. “He can and he does,” Viper said without glancing at the man. When she tried once more to protest, Viper placed Bianca on the sofa and moved to stand in front of Maya. At first she thought he was going to give her some sort of order like she was a submissive at the club, but then he seemed to think better of it and squatted down in front of her so that they were eye to eye. “Derek has barely slept in the last four days. When he’s not on duty at the precinct, or on duty at the club, he’s been parked out front of your restaurant keeping an eye on you.” “He has?” she asked numbly. Derek was a good man, an excellent police officer, and from what she understood, an incredibly intuitive Dom, but nobody could function properly without sleep. “He has,” Viper said solemnly. “Let Cam watch over you, at least for tonight, so that Derek can get a decent night’s sleep.” Faced with an argument like that, Maya could only agree. She glanced at Cam, glad to notice that far from being annoyed at Viper for dragging him into this mess, Cam seemed almost happy. She would like to have believed that Cam was pleased to be staying the night with her—in the guest room of course—but she knew SEALs well enough to know that it was more likely the prospect of facing an enemy that painted the smile onto his face. “Okay, I’ll just go and get linens for the guest bed. Please tell Derek that I am well protected, and for him to get a good night’s sleep.” “Will do,” Viper said, already helping Bianca off the sofa and wrapping her coat around her. “We’ll see you in a few days.” Bianca nodded and leaned over to give Maya a brief hug. “Thank you,” the younger woman whispered quietly. It was obvious by how tired Bianca was that she’d been worried about Maya also. She was horribly embarrassed by the fuss, but sensible enough to know that

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she herself would sleep much better knowing that Cam was across the hallway. Well, with a gorgeous, available, very appealing hunk of manhood in her guest bed, “sleep better” might be stretching the truth, but she would certainly feel safer. **** Cam followed Viper and Bianca to the front door. “Was she here when they broke in?” Viper glanced at Bianca as if he didn’t want to tell him details with his submissive present, but must have noticed the mulish glint in Cam’s eyes. If he was going to protect the woman, he needed to know what he was protecting her from. A random break-in didn’t warrant the sort of protection Viper and Derek seemed to have been supplying. Either there was more to the story, or Viper was playing matchmaker. Judging by the grim expression on his face, Viper wasn’t standing in for Cupid. “Yes, she was here when they broke in,” he said quietly. “Derek said the police report says that there were seven of them, three inside, four in the lane behind the restaurant, when she took a broom handle to one of the guys who came upstairs.” Cam tried not to smile at the image of Maya swinging a broom at invaders in her home. There was no doubt she had it in her. Viper actually grinned with him, as a silent mutual appreciation for the woman’s fighting spirit passed between them. But despite the brief levity, Cam knew there was more to the story. Viper nodded. “Trouble is,” he continued, “she broke the leader’s nose in front of his gang members. If he’s the guy the police think he is, he’ll be coming back to teach her a lesson.”

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Bianca’s sharp inhalation of breath proved that she’d known nothing about that last part. “Does Maya know?” Viper shook his head, pulled Bianca closer, and turned to the door. “I’ve got a couple of friends looking into it. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.” Cam smiled at his old friend. They’d met through Cam’s swim buddy Logan many years ago. As friendships went they’d probably spent less time together than most people would consider necessary for a true friendship, but the SEAL teams attracted a certain type of personality, so it didn’t take much to build a connection each man could rely on. “I’ll keep her safe,” Cam said as he shook Viper’s hand and then locked the door behind him and Bianca. **** Maya stared at the clean bed linens and wondered how the hell she was going to sleep when her hormones were behaving like those of a curious teenager. Physically, Cam was delicious, but it was his eyes that caught her attention over and over. Despite what had obviously been a difficult time for him, Cam had managed to smile through their conversation. Each time he’d flashed that cocky grin, the humor had reached his eyes, and she’d felt a genuine affection for the man. Of course each time she’d gazed into those ocean-blue eyes it had taken far longer than was probably polite for her to look away. Fortunately, whatever the she was feeling, Cam seemed to be feeling it too. It was quite strange to sense a connection so quickly, yet surprisingly she found she didn’t want to deny it. “Can I help you with that?”

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Maya nearly leapt out of her skin. She’d been so focused on her own internal thoughts that she hadn’t even heard Cam come up the stairs. Hell, that did not bode well when she was supposed to be listening for someone breaking into her restaurant again. “Um…sure,” she said even as she shook her head. Oh, fabulous, the man was going to think she was a fruitcake. “I mean…” She trailed off as she tried to figure out what the hell she did mean. She was honest enough with herself to realize that the physical attraction she felt toward Cam was similar to the desire she felt toward Derek. But the difference between the two men, the one thing that truly set them apart, was that Cam wasn’t a Dom. It had been obvious by his reactions to both Maya and Bianca that he was an attentive, caring, wonderful man—same as Derek—but that he wasn’t into the whole BDSM lifestyle. It was the only way she could explain her instant and sizzling desire for a man she’d only just met. “I…um…I…” He stood calmly waiting for her to get to the point. When she shook her head again, she was completely horrified to realize tears clouded her vision. What the fuck was wrong with her? “Maya?” he said in a voice so deep and kind that she wanted to throw herself into his arms and cry like a baby. “It’s okay to be scared. I promise I will protect you.” Shit. His kindness just made her want to cry harder. Fortunately her own emotions were starting to piss her off, and the anger meant she was finally able to find the internal fortitude she usually relied upon. “I’m sorry,” she managed to say with a small hiccupping type of laugh. “I haven’t slept very well the past few nights, and my emotions are all over the place.” He just nodded and waited. Of course that’s precisely when her inherent honesty and emotional lack of control dumped her in the shit, and her mouth started talking before her brain had decided on sharing. “It’s just that I’ve been alone for a long time, and you know, I’d really like a hug about now, but the only guy I

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really know well enough to ask anything from is the one guy I don’t want to encourage because, you know, I’d just hurt him because he’s a Dom and I don’t have a submissive bone in my bo—” Her words cut off when strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a warm embrace. She tried to protest, but he simply shushed her and held her tighter. It was ridiculous really. She didn’t even know him. Obviously Viper trusted him or he wouldn’t have brought Cam here, but it really wasn’t appropriate to fall into the man’s arms and sigh like she’d finally found a safe haven. Good grief. Considering how much pride she took in her ability to stand on her own two feet, it should have been a tad humiliating. But Cam just stood there and hugged her until she finally relaxed in his arms and drew mental strength from the feeling of not being alone. “Good girl,” he whispered as she snuggled into him. She had no idea how long they stood like that, but it finally occurred to Maya that perhaps she wasn’t the only one who’d needed a hug. Cam had lost so much of himself over the past months. Maybe he’d been feeling just as lost and just as lonely as Maya had. “Cam?” “Hmmm,” he said without loosening the embrace. “Would you hold me in bed?” She felt her face heat as embarrassment overtook her. “I mean, just hold me. We don’t know each other well enough for anything else, but I just thought it might be nice to, you know, not be alone together.” And could she possibly shut her mouth before embarrassing herself even more? Apparently not, because she added, “Please.” A deep sigh escaped him before he said, “I’d like that very much.” “No sex,” she added as she felt her face turn scarlet. A deep rumbling laugh went through his broad chest. “No sex,” he said in that deep voice that she was finding way too sexy. “Just two friends holding each other while we sleep.” “Okay,” she agreed in a small, breathless voice.

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**** Cam held her closer and tried to convince himself that crawling into bed with this beautiful woman was just him staying close enough to protect her. He knew he was lying but didn’t really want to examine his real motives, so he ignored that annoying little voice in the back of his head. “Go get ready for bed, sugar. I’ll just do a perimeter check—” “You don’t nee—” Either she interpreted his stubborn look correctly, or she’d been around enough military men to know that he would do a perimeter check with or without her consent. She pressed a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw, whispered, “Thank you,” and headed out of the room. Fifteen minutes later Cam was fairly certain that nobody would get in without making one hell of a racket. Maya had set a tray of precariously stacked glasses against the back door. If someone did manage to pry open the door quietly enough for them not to hear the noise upstairs, the movement would knock the glasses to the floor and warn them early enough to be prepared. Cam copied her idea and set a similar alarm at the front door. He doubted that he would sleep through the slightest noise, but when it came to Maya’s safety, he wasn’t going to take any chances. A thorough check of all of the windows revealed most were for display and not capable of being opened without smashing the glass. Only the ventilation windows in the kitchen were capable of opening, and they were too small to fit even a small child through. Satisfied with the security downstairs, Cam headed back to Maya. He wasn’t sure what to make of her request that he sleep beside her, but he’d dealt with enough civilians to know that they all coped with trauma differently. If he could help her by holding her through the night, then that’s what he’d do.

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He tried to convince himself that was the only reason he’d agreed, yet the rush of blood to his cock called him a first-class liar. But when he saw her lying on her side in her bed, waiting for him to join her, all he could think about was how fragile she looked. It was kind of a silly observation, considering that physically the woman was above average height and beautifully curved, but it was an image that stuck with him. The soft, uncertain smile she offered him tore at his heart. Cam kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed fully clothed. He lay down behind her, wrapped an arm over her waist, and made certain to stay above the covers. “You can…um…” He had a fairly good idea what she was going to say, but considering that his libido was rather forcefully reminding him that he hadn’t been with a woman in a very, very long time, they were probably words best left unspoken. “I’m fine,” he said quietly as he wriggled slightly to get more comfortable. “But won’t you get cold?” He couldn’t help the quiet snort at her question. Cold was jumping from a helicopter into a freezing ocean in the middle of the night, not lying beside a beautiful woman in a soft bed. “Go to sleep, sugar.” He pressed a kiss to her temple before he could tell himself not to, and then settled in for a long night. Somehow, he managed to hold onto Maya without pressing his rockhard cock against her ass. He stifled a sigh. At least one good thing would come from having a raging hard-on—the damn thing would keep him awake. **** Maya woke slowly. She snuggled closer to the warm body behind her, feeling well rested and relaxed. Her first actual thought was entirely pleasant, and rather naughty, and centered on the hard cock pressed against her ass.

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But then reality intruded, and she remembered why Cam was protecting her. “Good morning, sugar,” he whispered in her ear. “What time do you need to get up?” “Oh…um…” She could feel a blush rising up her throat. Good grief, the man was going to think her socially inept if she couldn’t string at least two words together. She glanced at the clock as she desperately tried to find her voice and cursed her off-balance reaction. Just what she needed—an awkward morning after without at least getting the fun of a night before. “Um…not ’til ten,” she finally managed to mumble. “Then go back to sleep. I’ll wake you in three hours.” “Maybe I should get up,” she said, feeling suddenly uncomfortable lying in his arms. The direction of her thoughts was disconcerting, to say the least, but it didn’t squash the urge to press back against the hard cock Cam had been trying to hide from her. “You need to rest. Go back to sleep, Maya.” She opened her mouth to object, but he added with a laugh, “Or I’ll spank your ass.” The shudder that went through her was entirely embarrassing. The worst part was that Cam recognized it for what it was—pure need. Hell, she really had to stop reading those romance novels. Bianca had already told her that the realities of the BDSM lifestyle rarely matched up to the fictitious stories. It was very embarrassing that her curiosity was something she couldn’t quite hide from the man holding her so close. But Cam stilled for a moment as if he wasn’t quite certain what to say. He’d said it as a joke—she’d known that the moment the words had left his mouth—but it still hadn’t quelled her reaction. Finally in a low, very serious voice Cam said, “Maybe you should talk to Viper about visiting his club.” She shook her head as fear coursed through her. Imagining being spanked by a fictitious character in a romance novel would be nothing like the reality. “I–I don’t think that would be a very good idea.”

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“Why?” It was just one little word, and a huge question she really didn’t want to answer. But something in Cam’s voice, something in his demeanor, made her want to explain to him a fear she didn’t completely understand herself. “I…um…I just prefer to be in control.” He was quiet for what seemed to be a very long time, but was probably only a few seconds, before moving slightly and urging her to roll onto her back. Too late she realized that he wanted to watch her face as he asked his next question. Feeling vulnerable and very nervous, Maya couldn’t resist the urge to close her eyes and hide like a frightened child. “Open your eyes, sugar.” It wasn’t a request, and her heartbeat accelerated as she did exactly what he ordered. “Have you ever tried giving up control? Giving it to someone you trust?” Right at that moment she trusted him with everything in her. It may have been Viper’s endorsement, but she felt more comfortable with Cam than she had with anyone else in recent years. She shook her head, unable to answer out loud as scenes from her favorite books played through her mind. Holy heavens, she’d be completely mortified if any of those thoughts showed on her face. “Go back to sleep, sugar.” Cam said it as if the discussion were closed—except that he leaned over, used his much larger bulk to cage her in without actually putting his weight directly onto her, and proceeded to kiss her like the world was coming to an end. His lips were demanding, pressed firmly against her own, caressing her lips as his tongue sought entry to her mouth. She sighed, opening to him, instinctively giving him what he demanded. By the time he pulled away, she was panting hard. Her entire body was enflamed, and she felt ready to orgasm. Shit, it had been a long time for her, but never had a single kiss driven her to such heights of arousal.

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“Go back to sleep, sugar,” Cam said as he rolled her unresisting body back onto her side and cuddled her from behind once more. This time he didn’t try to hide the hard erection. He pressed it against her bottom, and she wanted nothing more than to open her legs and welcome that cock into her body. But when she tried to move, Cam held her still, pressed a soft kiss to the back of her neck, and ordered her to sleep. Finally realizing that she’d barely known this man for twelve hours, Maya tried not to cringe in embarrassment. What the hell was wrong with her? **** Cam watched Maya as she finally relaxed and went back to sleep. The woman was adorable. Despite her self-confidence and independent streak, it seemed obvious that she belonged in Viper’s world. The way she’d responded to being held down and kissed so roughly only confirmed in his mind that Maya secretly longed to be dominated. Logan had once explained a Dom’s role in caring for his submissive, and as interesting as the concept sounded, Cam had never felt an urge to try BDSM. The idea of hurting a woman to give her pleasure had never sat well with him. But then again, his attitude didn’t explain the many women at Viper’s Dungeon last night who’d seemed more than happy to be there. Judging by the many wails of ecstasy, the spankings, whippings, and other forms of “fun” seemed to be exactly what those women had needed. Did Maya need the same? It should have been the deal breaker, the one that made him move on and head back to his hometown to seek a new direction in life, but even that wasn’t quite enough to squash how amazingly good it felt to be here protecting her.

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Interestingly, holding her settled something inside him as well. Even when he’d been working hard to try and get back to peak physical condition, and even when he’d accepted a desk job in the hopes of it being only a temporary transfer, Cam had felt like an important part of him had been torn out. It hadn’t helped that his final mission had been the most disturbing. Even after six months to think about it, still nothing from that day made sense. The intel had been wrong. The enemy soldiers had been in far larger numbers and way better trained than their squad had been advised. It had also seemed like the enemy had been waiting for them. Almost like their squad had been set up. It sounded paranoid and he knew enough about psychology to understand that, on an emotional level at least, he was looking for someone to blame, but he’d never been able to fully rationalize the mission in his head. The official report surmised that his commanding officer had used the explosives he’d carried to complete the mission they’d been set. But under heavy fire he’d been unable to escape before the blast and had essentially blown himself up in the process. It was exactly something their CO would have done—protect his squad and die for his country, putting all personal concerns aside. But even knowing that the report’s conclusion was most likely what happened, it was also the hardest to accept. Without the physical evidence of his CO’s death the mission felt incomplete, unfinished, and with his Navy career over, Cam had even less chance of learning what really happened that day. But as well as the frustration there was something else wrong, something different within him, a change he hadn’t seen coming and really had no way to explain. It felt like part of him was lost, that he’d left something behind on the battlefield that day. It was only now that he was charged with protecting this beautiful woman that the realization of exactly what was missing finally hit him. It was why he’d joined the SEAL teams in the first place. Simply put, he needed to be needed.

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Grimacing at the somewhat embarrassing self-revelation, Cam pulled the woman in his arms just a little closer and wondered if she’d mind if he stuck around for a while. **** Derek parked his car outside the front of Maya’s restaurant, relieved to see that all of the windows and doors seemed to be intact. Viper had told him that Logan’s buddy from the Navy was looking after her, and as welcome as the help was, Derek couldn’t quite tamp down his jealousy. He knew Maya was “vanilla.” He knew he didn’t want a permanent sub. But somehow he couldn’t quite convince himself to stay away. Of course her current situation gave him a good reason to be here. It didn’t matter in the end why he thought of Maya a million times a day. It only mattered that she be protected from those who would try to hurt her. It was nearly eleven, and he could already see movement in the downstairs area—Maya most likely getting the restaurant set up for the lunchtime crowd. He considered going in to see for himself that the woman was okay, but squashed the idea. The last time he’d seen Maya had been only two days ago, but despite her polite demeanor, she’d managed to give him subtle signs that she wouldn’t accept his way of life. Since he wasn’t actually offering, that was fine with him. He was still pondering whether to go home and get some sleep or not when Logan’s buddy came out the front door of Maya’s restaurant and headed straight for him. It was probably ridiculous for him to notice, but Derek felt jealousy tug at him again as Cam flashed perfect, straight, white teeth and offered his hand in greeting. Of course the guy also had the lean, muscular build and imposing height that made both Logan and Viper such intimidating physical examples of Navy SEALs. Derek plastered on a smile and tried not to hate the guy.

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“Maya told me to come drag your ass in so that she can make you breakfast.” Great. Breakfast with Maya sounded exactly like something he wanted. Breakfast with Maya while the big guy sat beside her was not. “Thanks, but I really should get going.” Cam shrugged as if he didn’t care either way, but then flashed that cocky grin and added, “I don’t think it was a request.” Derek tried not to grind his back teeth together too loudly. It was obvious that Cam knew Derek was a Dom and not used to taking orders from the women in his life, but to react to the man’s teasing by leaving him alone with Maya seemed self-defeating. He plastered a false grin onto his own face. “Well in that case,” Derek said as he pulled the keys from the ignition and opened the car door, “I better get my ass in there.” Cam gave him an assessing look, stepped out of the way, and turned back to the restaurant. “Oh,” he said casually over his shoulder, “just so you know, we slept together last night.” Jealousy flashed through every cell in Derek’s body, and he had Cam by the shirtfront and against the car before he could even think about his reaction. Surprised at himself, Derek dragged in a ragged breath. Hell, he was on the verge of assaulting the guy, and he’d technically done nothing wrong. It wasn’t as if Derek was anyone special in Maya’s life. It took a moment to realize that Cam was letting himself be manhandled. Any SEAL, even injured like Cam was, would not only be able to break Derek’s hold but probably wipe the floor with him without raising a sweat. Cop training or not, Derek knew when he was at a disadvantage. Cam grinned again. “I thought so,” he said with a soft chuckle. “So why aren’t you inside already?”

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“Because she doesn’t want me.” He let go of Cam’s shirt, really annoyed at himself for his out-of-control reaction and uncensored words. Hell, lack of sleep was making him sloppy. “Uh-huh,” Cam said in a noncommittal tone. “I’m going to hang around for a week or three. At least until we know she’s safe from the gang that tried to break in.” Derek really wanted to tell the guy to fuck off, but he was sensible enough to realize he needed help to protect Maya. He’d applied for vacation time, but with the precinct short staffed it wasn’t going to happen any time soon. Having Viper and some of the other Doms from the club checking in on her when they could wasn’t the same as having a full-time bodyguard beside her. Derek nodded his thanks to Cam and started walking toward the restaurant. The other man fell in beside him, the limp that he’d sported last night barely noticeable today. “Oh, and just for the record, I slept above the covers.” Derek stopped in the middle of the road and stared at the man beside him for a moment. Did that mean what he thought it did? **** Maya glanced up as the two men entered the restaurant. In many ways they were as different as chalk and cheese. Physically, Cam was built like a Norse god with golden good looks and muscles that went on for miles. He also seemed like a fun guy to be around, quick to laugh, with an easy smile and a relaxed demeanor. Whereas, Derek was dark where Cam was light, his coloring and build more typical of the Greek gods of old. He was also more serious, and in many ways quite intimidating, but it was the men’s similarities that struck her the most. Both men were protective to a fault, willing to risk life and limb in their chosen professions, and quite able to back up their promises. With either one of them she felt safe, protected. She shivered as they came closer. With them both she felt stirrings of a passion she’d

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forgotten long ago. Embarrassed by her unexpected reaction, Maya swallowed hard and tried to ignore the tingling feeling in her breasts and between her thighs. Surreptitiously clearing her throat, she managed to greet Derek with a grin and a raised coffee cup. He nodded, gave her a happy smile she’d long ago realized was for her alone, and then took a seat at his usual table. “How long can you stay?” Derek asked Cam as he sat down at the same table. “As long as it takes,” he answered with another of those devilmay-care grins. “As long as what takes?” Maya asked, uncomfortable with the idea of interfering in Cam’s plans. It was obvious what they were talking about, but she at least wanted to be included in any decisions being made. She wasn’t about to let her independence be taken away by a threat from a gang of thugs. “Come here,” Cam said, beckoning her over with his hand. Without thinking she did exactly as he asked. It wasn’t until she was standing directly in front of him that she realized her mistake. A quick glance at Derek proved she’d messed up—big time. Cam pulled the seat out for her and nodded for her to sit. She considered refusing, but that would probably make her submissive behavior even more obvious. She sat and silently cursed herself. “Derek and I are discussing the best way to keep you safe.” “That’s not ne—” “We had this argument last night, sugar. It is necessary, and it will happen.” Anger gurgled up her throat. She’d spent years trying to rebuild her self-confidence after her failed marriage. She wasn’t going to give in to being bullied, no matter how well intentioned, but then Derek leaned over and pressed his warm hand over hers. “Please let us protect you, Maya.”

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Nothing else he could have said would have deflated her anger so thoroughly. And as much as she hated to admit even knowing they were both dominating men, she felt safer than she had in a long time. She nodded. “Okay, but please don’t cut me out of the decision making.” Cam nodded, but Derek scowled and added a proviso. “As long as you promise to remember that we are trained to protect you. Neither of us would presume that we know better than you when it comes to running a restaurant, so we ask for the same courtesy.” Maya nodded, fighting the urge to lower her gaze. Fuck, what was wrong with her? Memories of the final year of her marriage burned through her, and she tried to hide the fear that threatened to swallow her whole. She’d dealt with this issue years ago. Why was it raising its ugly head now? She knew without the slightest doubt that neither of these men would hurt her. She wasn’t going to get a smack in the mouth for disagreeing with them. Not that she was disagreeing. It was obvious that there was something that she hadn’t been told, but she was smart enough to figure out that it had something to do with the gang member whose nose she’d broken. Dragging her hard-won confidence back into place, Maya turned her gaze on Derek. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked quietly. “I’m not some frightened little sub who needs to be protected from the truth.” “Is that what you think a submissive is?”

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Chapter Two Derek glanced at Cam, noted the smug look on the bastard’s face, and turned his attention back to Maya. She shrugged, perhaps a little unsure of her own belief simply from his question. “What else could they be?” “They could be women with careers and heavy responsibilities who want simply to be able to relax into someone else’s care for a while.” Maya raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but he chose to ignore her skepticism for the moment. “They could be busy housewives happy to please their husbands by submitting to their pleasures and experiencing mind-blowing orgasms in the process. Or, they could be sex slaves who need to build their lives around pleasing their Dom to feel happy themselves.” He was encouraged to see a shadow of uncertainty cross her features, and so he pressed on, hoping at least to open her mind to the possibilities. “My point is that Domination and submission is different for everyone. Some subs submit only in the bedroom, some live the lifestyle twenty-four seven. Some like Emma, Jace, and Logan make up their own rules.” Derek glanced up in time to see the smug look falter on Cam’s face. “So s–submitting can be confined to kinky sex?” The way she asked the question had all his blood traveling south. Judging by Cam’s pained expression, he was experiencing the same thing. “Yes,” Derek managed to force past a tightening throat. He’d been attracted to this woman since the moment they’d met, but this was the

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first time he’d seen anything to confirm the gut feeling he’d had about her. Maya wanted to submit. And Derek wanted to dominate her with every fiber of his being. But for some reason, despite knowing many of the people from Viper’s Dungeon, submitting frightened her. “What was your ex-husband like?” Cam asked quietly. Ex-husband? Derek had never heard anything to suggest Maya had been married before, but it was obvious that Cam’s question hit the right topic when all the blood drained from Maya’s beautiful face. “I…I…don’t want…” Maya stood up from the chair as if she planned to run away, but Cam grasped her wrist and held her in place. “Sit down, sugar,” Cam said in a voice worthy of a true Dom. Derek knew Cam was friends with Logan but was fairly certain Cam wasn’t into the lifestyle. But the look on Maya’s face was beautiful. Being dominated might frighten her, but it was obvious that it was what she wanted. If they could get to the bottom of what had caused her fear, maybe they could work through things. Derek glanced at Cam and finally realized that maybe having him around wasn’t just good for protecting her. If there was one thing he’d learned at the club, it was that sometimes a fresh perspective had a way of pinpointing an issue previously overlooked. Derek had coaxed many a submissive into relaxing enough to orgasm on the St. Andrew’s Cross simply by being able to sense something their own Doms had missed. Despite his internal fight over wanting Maya but not wanting a relationship, Derek cared deeply for the woman and wanted her to be happy. If Cam was the man who could do that… Derek didn’t even want to finish that thought. Somehow the idea of Maya being happy without him left a bitter taste in his mouth. Derek ground his teeth together and tried not to look as confused over his own feelings as he felt. Damn it! This was about protecting Maya from harm.

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“It’s okay, sugar,” Cam said rubbing his thumb over the pulse point in Maya’s wrist. “You’re safe here. Nothing you tell us will go any further than the three of us.” Maya stared at Cam for so long that Derek thought she was going to refuse, but then she opened her mouth and began to talk. The details that followed had Derek clenching his fists tight. Her exhusband had been a bully, plain and simple. Any man who would treat a lovely woman like Maya with such contempt deserved a lot more than a quick divorce. But the part that concerned Derek the most was what Maya left out. He’d been a cop long enough to know that if her ex hadn’t actually knocked her around, he would have been the cowardly type to threaten it. “Where is he now?” Derek asked through clenched teeth, wanting nothing more than to track him down. Hell, if she wouldn’t press charges, he’d go rearrange the guy’s face for him anyway. “Parkview Cemetery,” she said with a sad smile. “He was killed in a traffic accident four years ago.” “Damn,” Cam growled in disappointment, obviously thinking along the same lines as Derek. “We’d been divorced for nearly a year when he died,” Maya admitted quietly as tears filled her eyes, “but I still had trouble hiding my relief. I’ve never really mourned him a day since his death. Some days I feel guilty for that. We did have some good times, but they will always be overshadowed by the way he treated me after he was discharged from the Navy.” Cam leaned over and dragged the woman onto his lap. “Don’t ever feel guilty,” Cam said as he pressed Maya’s head against his chest and ran a hand over her hair. “I hope the bastard is rotting in hell.” Derek’s thoughts exactly, but Maya proved why she was such an amazing person by her next words. “I don’t,” she said very clearly. “He wasn’t a bad person. I hope he found peace. He had a difficult childhood, and joining the SEAL

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teams had been the only dream to pull him through. When he failed at that, it colored everything else.” **** Maya dragged in a deep breath, surprised by how freeing admitting her failed marriage out loud made her feel. Even after the divorce, her ex had managed to terrorize her into doing things his way. She’d carried the guilt for so long. Guilt for putting up with his behavior, guilt for not saying anything, guilt for sometimes feeling that she’d deserved what he did, and even guilt for the way it all stopped. But with a few simple words Cam and Derek had managed to give her an outsider’s point of view and let her see it from a different angle. She heard Derek move. He sat in the chair she’d been in and stroked a hand down her back. “Maya, thank you for telling us about your marriage. I can understand now why you would find being told what to do so distasteful. Is that why I always feel that you’re frightened of me?” Frightened? She shook her head, surprised by how Derek had interpreted her reactions to him. Couldn’t he tell how much she was attracted to him? True, she was trying to hide it, and may at times have seemed awkward around him, but she hadn’t meant to give the impression that she was scared of the man. “Maya,” Derek said quietly, the movement of his hand on her back soothing and slightly hypnotic, “a true Dom cares for his sub. He protects her, and he provides for her. He doesn’t blame everyone around him for his own failures.” She knew all of that. She truly did, but knowing the difference didn’t make it any easier to cope with the idea of being at the mercy of someone else. There had been a time when the idea of being tied down created all sorts of delicious warmth in her belly. But after her husband’s intimidating and sometimes violent mood swings, letting

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anyone have that much power over her seemed to go against the independence she’d tried so hard to regain since his death. But cradled in the comfort of Cam’s embrace, Derek’s familiar presence behind her, Maya couldn’t quite remember why she wanted to be so independent. It felt nice to have someone to lean on occasionally, especially while she was under threat from a local gang of young thugs. “Maya,” Derek said as he continued to run his hand up and down her back, “will you do me favor?” Confused by his request, Maya lifted her head away from Cam’s warm chest and focused her gaze on Derek. “Come to the club one night. Just as an observer. Come and see what real Domination and submission is all about.” “Derek and I will keep you safe,” Cam said in what seemed to be a very clear message to Derek that Cam wasn’t going anywhere just yet. “I’ll think about it,” she said quietly as warmth slithered through her belly and pooled lower. “That’s my girl,” Derek said as he touched her face with his fingertips. “We promise never to do anything you don’t want, but if you can find it in yourself to trust us, we can show you a part of yourself you never knew existed.” **** Derek entered the restaurant a few minutes before closing time. It had taken only two days for Maya to agree to visit Viper’s Dungeon, and he was aware enough to realize that Cam had a lot to do with her decision. Even though the ex-SEAL was a naturally dominant personality, he wasn’t a trained Dom, and that seemed to frighten Maya just a little bit less. Hopefully that would give her the courage she required to face her own needs and realize that submitting to her Dom was something she would truly enjoy.

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“Won’t be long,” Maya called as she carried a tray full of condiments into the kitchen. Derek glanced around the empty restaurant and found Cam working on a laptop in the far corner. He glanced up as Derek moved in his direction. “How’s she been?” “Nervous doesn’t begin to describe it,” Cam said with an easy smile. “But it’s obviously something she wants to try.” “What about you?” “Me?” Cam raised an eyebrow as he waited for Derek’s explanation. “Is it something you want to try?” Derek almost laughed at the quick look of horror that crossed Cam’s face, but a moment later he smiled that cocky smile and laughed quietly. “I think it would be best for me to stick with…what do you Doms call it? The vanilla life?” “So you don’t want to come to the club with us tonight?” Derek couldn’t quite believe the guilt that question raised inside him. As much as he cared for Maya, a rational, non-jealous part of him realized that Cam was quickly becoming important to her. Considering that the three of them had spent much of the last two days together, Derek had noticed how important Maya was becoming to Cam also. “You’re not that lucky,” Cam said with a deep laugh. “I plan to stick by the lady’s side. That way I can protect her from all you leather-clad, overconfident, intimidating Doms.” From anyone else that might have sounded offensive, but from Cam it was obviously teasing. The broad smile gave him away. “Good idea,” Derek said, momentarily shocking the ex-SEAL once more. “Knowing that she has someone with her who prefers the vanilla lifestyle will highlight just how much more fun it is to be kinky.” Cam laughed again, until Derek added, “You know you’re a natural Dom, right?”

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Cam looked surprised, and maybe not very pleased, by the observation. “Okay, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Maya called to them as she let the last of the staff out the front door. Cam grinned again, apparently glad for the interruption. Maya was dressed casually in jeans, jacket, and boots, but it didn’t escape Derek’s attention that she was covered from neck to ankle. The top button of her shirt was done up tight so that not even her collarbone showed, let alone a hint of cleavage. Clearly, Maya wasn’t ready for anything to happen tonight. Even though he’d known in his gut that it would be that way, Derek felt a small trickle of disappointment. He squashed it ruthlessly. Maya was important to him, and he’d do whatever it took to keep her safe and make sure she was happy. But, he reminded himself for the millionth time that day, he wasn’t looking for anything permanent. He was simply helping a beautiful woman tap into her sexuality and discover the joy of submitting. It was the same thing he’d done for countless submissives at the club. And since he wasn’t looking for a permanent relationship, it should work out well for all of them. **** Cam watched Derek watch Maya. It was obvious that the guy was completely in love with the woman, and if Cam were a decent human being, he’d back away and let love take its course. The trouble was that he could sense Maya needed him, even if it was just as an anchor to the vanilla life she’d so far lived. And, he acknowledged with an internal grimace, Maya needing him filled a need for him also. “Am I dressed okay?” Maya asked Derek, a look of uncertainty in her eyes.

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“Of course,” Derek replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a quick hug. “The club can be a little intimidating the first few times, but just know that Cam and I will be right beside you. Any questions you have, just ask.” She nodded a little too hard for the reaction to be natural, but she didn’t object when Derek pressed a kiss to her lips. It seemed to be meant as a friendly peck, but Derek groaned and suddenly deepened the contact, encouraging Maya to open her mouth before thrusting his tongue past her lips. Cam wasn’t surprised by the sliver of jealousy that wormed through him—having spent every hour with her for the last three days he was feeling quite territorial—but it was the unexpected arousal at seeing them kiss that hit him hardest. Clearing his throat as much to interrupt them as to tamp down his own desire, Cam stepped closer, snagged Maya’s hand, and led them to the front door. A quick glance at the woman suggested that she was embarrassed by his reaction, or maybe her reaction to kissing Derek, or maybe even by the fact that both men seemed to be vying for her attention. Frustrated with himself for his own confusion, Cam did the one thing most likely guaranteed to make things worse—he kissed her. Maya made a soft squeak of surprise, but opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue just as she’d done for Derek. Cam explored her mouth, groaning as she relaxed against him, and opened wider. By the time Cam pulled away, both of them were panting hard. Derek’s low whistle had them turning to face him. “That was very hot,” he said as he stepped closer and ran a hand down Maya’s cheek. He gave her an affectionate smile. “You are a very beautiful woman, Maya.” Obviously surprised by Derek’s reaction, Maya swung her gaze from one man to the other before biting her lips and saying nothing. “Come on, sugar,” Cam said as he tried to surreptitiously move so that his cock wasn’t pressed quite so hard against the zipper of his jeans. He grabbed one of her hands and noticed Derek almost claim

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the other before changing his mind. There seemed to be a war going on inside Derek. He wanted Maya, but he also didn’t want to want her. That was blazingly obvious to Cam. He looked at Derek with a raised eyebrow, but the man merely shrugged and grabbed Maya’s hand as if he’d intended to all along. Cam smiled at Maya, gripped her hand just a little harder, and said, “Let’s go find out what life is like in Viper’s Dungeon.” **** Maya was fairly certain she hadn’t held hands with two men at the same time in her entire life. It felt kind of strange, kind of silly, and kind of wicked, but mostly it felt safe. Even as she tried to convince herself that it was absurd to feel safe wedged between two men larger and stronger than her late husband, Maya realized the truth. Over the last few days she’d grown to trust both of them. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but for the first time in a long time she was eager to find out. Derek led them the couple blocks to Viper’s Dungeon. The entrance was very ordinary and looked like any other office entry on the street. He used a standard-looking key to enter the first door, and they walked down a long corridor with obvious video surveillance before stepping through a second door and into an elegant foyer. A receptionist greeted them with a professional smile, and Maya would have sworn they were in the wrong place until the woman’s grin widened and she greeted Derek by name. “I didn’t realize you were on tonight.” “I’m not,” Derek said with easy familiarity. “I’m just showing Maya and Cam around. Let them get a feel for what the lifestyle is all about.” The woman turned a brilliant smile on Cam. “I remember you from the other night. You’re a friend of Logan’s, right?”

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“That’s right,” Cam said with a polite, but distant, smile. Maya couldn’t help feeling just a little bit satisfied by his dismissal of the receptionist’s obvious flirtation. Well maybe it wasn’t obvious, or even meant as flirting, but Maya was feeling rather territorial over both her men. Both her men? Shit! When did she start thinking of them as hers? They were protecting her from a gang of thugs, not moving in to play happy families. Maya mentally rolled her eyes. How would that work exactly anyway? Three adults wasn’t a happy family. It was a disaster waiting to happen. And why the hell was she thinking any of this? Both Derek and Cam had warned her that the club could be overwhelming the first time, but considering they hadn’t actually stepped through the door, using it as an excuse for her weird thoughts was probably premature. “Maya?” “Huh?” Concern shadowed both men’s faces. “Oh, sorry, just lost in thought. What did you say?” “Crystal asked if you needed help to fill out the consent and confidentiality forms.” “Oh.” Maya bit her lip to hold back the self-conscious “um.” “No, I should be all right.” The woman’s smile probably looked perfectly friendly to the men, but Maya could sense the undertones. Women could sense when a predator was after her men. Shit! Maya swallowed hard and tried to erase that last thought from her mind. They weren’t her men. She read through the forms carefully, feeling a little overwhelmed by the things she was being asked to consent to. It was made very clear in the paperwork that nothing would happen without her consent even after signing the agreement, yet in the end she ticked the box that listed her as an observer only. It felt kind of cowardly, but Derek had advised her to go slowly and at least this way she had one more reason not to make a hasty decision about anything.

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She smiled when Cam showed her his forms with the same box ticked. Whether he did it for himself or for her was irrelevant. Just knowing that she wasn’t the only one choosing not to participate tonight filled her with a warm glow. The secretary took their forms, grabbed a couple of strangelooking bracelet-type things and handed one to Maya and one to Cam. Cam turned to help Maya fasten hers around her wrist. Looking at the plastic more closely, Maya guessed that the bracelets would probably glow in the dark. “As an observer,” the receptionist said with a small sneer in her tone, “you must keep the bracelet on at all times and cannot participate in any scenes. Break either of these rules and you will be removed from the club.” Maya was still wondering how such an attractive woman could be such a bitch when Crystal turned her attention back to Derek. “How many lockers will you need?” The overly familiar purr in her voice and smile on her face tempted Maya to react. Fortunately, Maya knew from bitter experience that the best way to handle a woman like this was to ignore her. “No need,” Derek said with a polite, friendly grin, “we’ll use mine.” “Okay,” the woman said with a smile that surely even the men realized was faked. “Enjoy your evening.” She’d turned away and the three of them had been heading to the door at the far end of the foyer when the woman called Derek back. It was pretty obvious by the timing that the woman wanted to speak to Derek without Maya overhearing, so she felt rather justified in her jealousy when the woman leaned over the counter exposing a whole lot more cleavage than the conservative blouse should have allowed. Maya almost cheered when Derek shook his head and the woman looked disappointed. But apparently the woman wasn’t used to hearing the word “no” because she pouted, asked another question, and then tried very hard to hide her anger when Derek said no once more. Whatever her request, Derek wasn’t interested.

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For a brief moment Maya entertained the thought that it was work related, but the venomous look that came her way blew that idea way out of the water. Maya tried not to smirk at the woman’s obvious displeasure. Derek led them into a small room off the main corridor, stopped in front of a locker, and undid the combination. The privacy form had been very clear that all recording, listening, and communication devices were to be left in the lockers at the front of the club. Maya handed over her entire handbag and stood back to let Cam hand over his stuff as well. She’d been so annoyed at the receptionist’s predatory behavior that it wasn’t until Derek opened the door at the end of the hallway with an ID card and passcode that Maya started to feel nervous. From the doorway she could hear the heavy, pulsing beat of music, the deep bass seeming to bounce off the walls of the long, dimly lit corridor. As they stepped into a large room, Maya squeezed Derek’s hand tighter, her fear creeping over her more quickly than she’d anticipated. Immediately he turned to look at her. “It’s okay, baby,” he said into her ear. “I promise nothing will ever happen in this club that you don’t want to happen. Safe, sane, and consensual is Viper’s law here. I can guarantee in time you’ll grow to love this place.” She nodded, not really convinced, her confidence from earlier fleeing as she faced the unknown. Cam pressed a kiss to her temple and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, the now-familiar, solid weight of his embrace helping to steady her nerves. Derek smiled at Cam and then turned and led them into the main area of the club. It was quite dark, and it took a while to realize that the only light in the place came from roped-off areas that seemed to be used for some sort of display or demonstration. Cam held her close as they wandered around the large room for a few minutes before stopping at one of the displays.

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A woman wearing only a miniscule triangle of material between her legs was stretched over a wooden X shape. “It’s called a St. Andrew’s Cross,” Derek said close to her ear. She nodded, trying to hide the smile that threatened to break free. He’d probably be happy she knew that, but since she really didn’t have a clue what was based on reality and what was pure fiction in her romance novels, it was probably better to keep her unreliable knowledge to herself. “Watch the sub’s face.” The demonstration seemed to have only just begun. The Dom checked the sub’s restraints once more, asked a question that she answered with a nod, and then turned to a leather-clad man behind him. The leather-clad man looked truly intimidating, and Maya felt a shiver of apprehension slide down her spine. From what she understood from discussions with Bianca, the man was most likely a dungeon monitor, just like Derek when he was on duty. Maya glanced at the man beside her wearing ordinary street clothes and tried to picture him wearing leather and chains. Surprisingly, it was way too easy. Derek would look really hot in his leather Dom’s outfit. She turned her gaze to Cam and realized the same applied to him. Desperately trying to control her reaction to those amazing thoughts, Maya tried to turn her attention back to the scene in front of them. After a few words with the intimidating man, the Dom picked up a leather flogger and, at the dungeon monitor’s urging, slapped it against his own forearm a few times. He nodded in answer to a question Maya couldn’t hear and then headed back to the woman secured to the St. Andrew’s Cross. He trailed the soft leather over her skin, the woman’s soft moan of appreciation seeming to reach Maya’s ears even though she shouldn’t have been able to hear it over the music. Maya jumped at the first slap, a hysterical giggle threatening to rise as she tried to hide her empathetic reaction. Unfortunately, she flinched with every hit. Cam seemed concerned by her reaction, but Derek lifted a hand and

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brushed over the hard bud of her nipple as her traitorous body gave away her secret. Cam must have noticed Derek’s movement, because he used the arm around her waist to pull her closer and lifted his free hand to her other breast. She heard his sigh of relief and felt the tension slowly drain from his body. Ironically, his willingness to protect her when he thought she was upset seemed to increase her desire tenfold. She moaned again as Derek’s hand slid lower, smoothing over her stomach and gliding lightly over her crotch. Even through the thick denim the touch felt wickedly intimate. Maya dragged in a ragged breath and tried to remind herself they were standing in a public area. But a quick glimpse of the people around her proved that they weren’t the only ones touching each other. She didn’t even realize she was caressing Cam’s arm and had her other hand wrapped tightly around Derek’s bicep until the woman on the St. Andrew’s Cross released a low, keening cry and shook with orgasm. Her body undulated against her bonds, but her Dom continued to flog her with the leather strips, the blows coming harder and faster, their placement making the same parts of Maya tingle in response. And then the Dom concentrated the blows between the woman’s legs, the leather strips hitting her again and again. She stiffened, a scream escaping her mouth as a second more violent orgasm rushed through her. Maya trembled in reaction to the woman’s obvious enjoyment. Realizing her visceral response was obvious to anyone who’d cared to look, she ducked her head wishing she could find a hole to crawl into. All this time she’d been denying her fascination with the lifestyle she’d only been lying to herself. Derek and Viper had seen what she’d tried to hide. Hell, even Cam, who probably knew less about BDSM than she did, had seen her true nature. Cam and Derek both stroked her through her clothes, their touches obviously meant as comfort but instead keeping her desire simmering on high. She tried to turn away, surprised and maybe a little ashamed

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by her response. She would have been appalled at the Dom’s behavior under different circumstances. But Cam held her tight, and Derek leaned in closer to press a soft kiss to her lips. “Watch,” he whispered as he pulled away. Unwilling to cause a scene, and maybe a little curious about what would happen next, Maya tried instead to control her own trembling. The Dom put the flogger down and turned his attention to the woman’s bonds. He undid her arms, and they fell forward seemingly boneless. The man lifted them onto his shoulders, pressed a soft kiss to the woman’s lips, and signaled for the dungeon monitor’s assistance. The intimidating man stepped over to the cross and released the rest of the submissive’s bonds. She fell forward into her Dom’s embrace, and he lifted her into his arms. He held her close as he thanked the dungeon monitor and then took a seat in a huge leather armchair toward the back wall. Maya watched as he wrapped a blanket around the woman’s exhausted form and rocked her as he spoke. “He’s telling her how much she’s pleased him and how proud he is of her,” Derek said as Maya tried to imagine being in the same position. In her marriage she’d learned to rely on herself—both because of her husband’s long absences with the Navy and his unpredictable mood swings later on—but she couldn’t help wonder what it would feel like to be that exhausted and be able to trust someone enough to let them take care of her. The thought doused a little cold water over her arousal. Essentially that’s what it all came down to. Could she trust someone enough to give over control completely? She’d trusted her husband in the beginning of their marriage, and it hadn’t taken long for him to prove he hadn’t really been worthy of it. She barely knew Derek—the real Derek—and had only just met Cam. Why was she even thinking about this?

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Chapter Three Derek felt the exact moment they lost her. Maya had been sweet and pliant in their arms one moment, and stiff and unyielding the next. He glanced at Cam, realized he’d noticed the change too, and considered calling the whole thing off. If Maya truly didn’t want to acknowledge her submissive side, who was he to push the point? But it was Cam’s action that surprised him. He turned Maya in his arms, threaded his hand through her hair, and kissed her almost violently. After a moment’s resistance, Maya melted into his embrace, all evidence of her tension gone in mere moments. When she was once again shaking in reaction, Cam released her lips and smiled at her. “What would you like to see next?” Maya turned half-closed eyes to Derek. He’d never seen her look more beautiful than she did at that moment, and he couldn’t help but lean over and take her kiss-swollen lips in a kiss of his own. She moaned into his mouth, obviously turned on, and he found himself hoping things worked out exactly as he’d imagined. Except, he hadn’t really imagined becoming involved with anyone long term. Caroline had burned him long ago, and he’d sworn then that he’d never let another person, another sub, close enough to hurt him like that. He didn’t want to risk his heart. But wasn’t that exactly what he was asking Maya to do? No. No he wasn’t. He was merely helping a natural submissive find her true self under the layers of societal oppression. He was assisting a friend in embracing her hidden desires. He was…trying to swallow his own bullshit, but it didn’t quite work. He’d known all along that Maya was someone special. It was why he was here with her.

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He plastered on what he hoped was a confident smile, annoyed to notice the knowing look in Cam’s eyes before he turned Maya toward another display area. When Derek realized what was being demonstrated, he almost wished he could drag Cam and Maya away without looking like a complete fool. The sub was bent over at the waist as a Dom fucked her from behind. He held her hair in his tight grip, his movements almost violent. But it was the Dom lining up his cock with her mouth that, strangely, Derek didn’t want Cam and Maya to see. He shook his head at his out-of-character reaction. It wasn’t like he hadn’t participated in ménages before. He’d often been invited to help couples enhance their BDSM experience. He’d happily participated, pleased that he could give Doms and their subs what they needed without getting his heart involved. There was nothing quite like the sensation of being deep in a woman’s throat as her Dom fucked her from behind. His cock swelled to uncomfortable proportions as he imagined that woman to be Maya. He could easily see Cam fucking their woman as she sucked Derek to orgasm. She’d be shaking with arousal, moaning at the sensations they forced upon her pliant body. She’d try to scream as she climaxed, the vibration from her throat dragging his orgasm ever closer. And Cam would hold her hair, pushing her harder onto Derek’s cock as her second, more violent orgasm began. She’d lick Derek clean, and he’d pull on her nipple clamps as Cam fucked her harder and harder, forcing her to climax again and again before riding her to his own orgasm. She’d collapse into Derek’s arms, exhausted, sated, and very, very happy. “Derek, are you okay?” The soft words close to his ear snapped him out of his fantasy. Fuck. He spent several nights a week working as a dungeon monitor here. He’d seen and supervised more threesomes, foursomes, and

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moresomes than he could remember, but none of them had affected him like this. He tried to tell himself that it was because he was off duty and could relax, but the simple truth was that it was the woman in his arms creating the problem. “I’m fine,” he lied, grimacing when neither of his companions seemed to believe him. “Is there a quiet place we could go to talk?” Cam asked, his deep voice barely making it across the small space between them. The dungeon was full. The deep, pounding music, the dim lighting, the echoes of orgasm bouncing off the walls, all worked together to create a surreal and sensuous atmosphere. It didn’t, however, lend itself to heart-to-heart talks. Derek nodded, grabbed Maya’s hand, and headed to the private rooms. Dismayed to find the only room empty was the torture room, Derek briefly considered finding somewhere else but dismissed the idea. Not all of BDSM was about Domination and submission. Some of the more hard-core members were into fetishes that even Derek didn’t want to try, but if Maya was going to consider joining his world, she needed to see it all—the good, the bad, and the truly frightening. As soon as they entered the room, he wanted to pull the curtains over the viewing window. They were only going to talk. They didn’t want an audience for that, but closing the curtain would have the dungeon monitors checking in on them. It was one of Viper’s most sacred rules—nobody used this room without adequate supervision. Unfortunately the torture room didn’t really have any seats suitable for actual sitting, so Derek guided Maya and Cam over to the twin torture racks and checked that the cleaning crew had been very thorough. In most clubs it was the members’ responsibility to clean up after themselves, but Viper had long ago employed a discreet cleaning crew to monitor all of the equipment. It was one of the reasons Viper’s Dungeon was so popular. After an intense scene the last thing

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on the participants’ minds was cleaning the area thoroughly. At least with a cleaning crew patrons could be sure of the sanitary conditions. Derek lifted Maya to sit on the edge of one of the torture tables and then leaned against the other. Cam leaned beside him, and it quickly became apparent he was doing it so he could watch Maya’s face. Derek couldn’t hide his smile. Cam was a natural Dom, no doubt about it, so maybe the three of them weren’t only here for Maya. “What is this room?” Maya asked, looking around her without a hint of fear. Whether she realized it or not, she already trusted him and Cam to keep her safe. “This is the torture room. It’s only used by a handful of members.” “Don’t worry, sugar, we won’t be using this room for anything other than talking,” Cam said in a reassuring voice. It was quite possibly also a warning to Derek not to push his luck. Thankfully he was in total agreement on that one. Cam was eyeing a chair with a hole cut in the seat. It was usually used for male subs, and just the thought of the type of pain that could be inflicted to such a vulnerable part of a man’s body made Derek’s eyes water. Judging by Cam’s reaction, he understood enough about torture methods to know what at least some of the equipment was for. He also looked slightly disturbed, confirming in Derek’s mind that they were thinking the same way. Hard-core sadism and masochism weren’t for the faint of heart. Yes, it filled a need for like-minded people, but Derek sure as hell wasn’t one of them. “Tell me about your last sexual experience,” Derek said to Maya. She blinked, perhaps shocked at such an intrusive order, or maybe at his forceful tone. “Real or imagined?” Maya asked with an impish grin. Her attitude threw him off guard for a moment, and he fought to hide his smile. The woman truly was something. “Both,” Cam said before Derek could answer.

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“Why?” “Quit stalling and answer the question.” “I’m not stalling.” Derek glanced at Cam and realized he wore a wide smile. “I’m predicting,” Cam said with humor in his voice, “that this is one sub who will spend a lot of time with a very sore bottom.” “You could be right,” Derek said, giving up on trying to control his grin. “Perhaps that is something we should see to when we get back to Maya’s place.” Maya’s smile faltered, but it didn’t hide the way her eyes darkened or how her breathing quickened. She might be a little apprehensive about a spanking, but she was also very interested. “When was the last time you had sex, Maya?” She reddened, the blush creeping up her neck and coloring her cheeks. She dipped her head, but Derek leaned over to lift her face with his fingers. “I…um…about two years ago…I…” She blew out a deep breath, seemingly annoyed at herself. When she spoke again, her words seemed more like the woman he knew. “About two years ago I tried the whole one-night stand thing. It didn’t go well.” “You ended up feeling lonelier than you did before.” Cam’s words were quiet, but it was obvious that he saw into the woman’s heart, perhaps even shared her experience in some way. Ironically it also had the added effect of pulling Derek’s own dissatisfaction into sharp focus. Had his faltering concentration flogging subs on the St. Andrew’s Cross been because he wanted a sub of his own? Until this moment, he would have said no, but seeing Maya in his world, feeling the unexpected companionship with Cam, changed his answer. “What about fantasies?” Derek struggled to ask. His own fantasies were starting to spin through his head. Ironically they were based less on sexual experience and more in matters of the heart. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to rein in his thoughts and concentrate on Maya.

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“You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine,” Maya said with a cheeky smile. Yes, this was one sub who would spend a lot of time having her bottom smacked. He could hardly wait. Half expecting Cam to punch him in the head, Derek described the fantasy he’d had earlier in the main room. He was almost too scared to look sideways at the other man. Kinky ménage sex might be fairly common in his world, but he had no idea how the cocky Navy SEAL might interpret that fantasy. Maya was breathing so hard it looked like she was going to hyperventilate, and Derek was already regretting oversharing when Cam’s deep laugh reached his ears. “That was not something I was expecting.” He stepped closer to Maya and placed his big hand against her cheek. “We don’t have to make any decisions today, sugar.” She glanced at Derek, her blush rising once more. “Would it sound bad if I said I thought the same thing while we were watching that threesome?” “Not at all, sugar,” Cam said with a grin. “I think the three of us are probably thinking along the same lines.” The happy smile Maya gave them both damn near took Derek’s breath away. “But I think we should take things slowly,” Cam added. “None of us want to wake up in the morning with regrets, and this place sure has a way of skewing a person’s normal thinking.” Derek nodded. Cam’s observation was very true, and was the reason why Derek had encouraged Maya to tick the “observer only” box of the agreement. Inside the club’s atmosphere many people found the courage to try things they’d always wanted, but it also had the added effect of making out-of-character decisions seem more rational than they really were. New members—especially new subs— were always advised to go slowly. Viper had even considered making the first three visits “observation only” in the membership agreement after an incident with a new sub. She’d willingly participated in an orgy, gone home to later regret her actions, and had called in the

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police claiming rape. Fortunately for all involved, the Dom of one of the participants had secretly filmed that particular orgy. Viper had been furious about the breech in privacy, yet thankfully, once the young woman had seen the footage, she’d withdrawn the complaint. “So back to fantasies,” Derek said, noting that Maya seemed more comfortable with the conversation now that they all seemed to be thinking along the same lines. “Any deep, dark longings we should know about?” Maya smiled, but just shrugged. “Anal sex?” She dipped her gaze to the floor, but nodded very slightly. “Bondage?” “Maybe,” she answered glancing over at Cam. “But only with you two…for now at least.” “So that’s a no to exhibition?” She nodded her head in agreement. “I’ll also add,” Cam said, shifting a little uncomfortably against the bench, “no golden showers, blood play, scat play, and pretty much everything else that goes on in this room.” Maya glanced around the room as if seeing it for the first time. Her eyes finally settled on the chair with a hole in the seat and a metal vice underneath it. When she realized what was likely to be tortured by such equipment, she seemed to pale just a little. Derek leaned over, helped her off the bench, and pressed her between him and Cam. “Does Viper bring Bianca in here?” she asked a little shakily. Derek was almost glad for the question as it gave him a chance to explain where he and his friends drew the line. “No, Viper has never brought Bianca into this room. For Viper, and for me, Domination is about caring for our subs and playing sensual games that are mutually satisfying. No one in our circle of friends enjoys torturing a sub for their own enjoyment.” He glanced at the relief on Cam’s face and felt the need to add, “That’s not to say that some Doms and subs don’t enjoy the more extreme scenes. Many visit this club because Viper offers excellent supervision and as safe an environment as possible. They get to immerse themselves in the moment, knowing that someone will step in if things get out of hand.”

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Maya was biting her lip. He’d known her long enough to recognize that as a sign of her wondering if she should ask the question on her mind or not. “What is it, baby?” “Can we…um…get out of this room? I’m ninety-nine point nine percent certain I’m not into the extremes either.” Derek smiled at her choice to leave a small possibility. Occasionally, once becoming aware of the BDSM lifestyle, some subs and Doms found their needs growing. BDSM was often misunderstood in the wider community, but when people opened themselves to the possibilities and stopped feeling like they were strange compared to others, many found true happiness for the first time. Of course many found tragedy too. Viper’s Dungeon was considered the safest in the entire state, and Viper made it his personal mission to look out for every submissive in and out of the club. But other clubs didn’t have the same safety protocols, and some of the stories a few of the members had shared of their experiences elsewhere were truly frightening. “Okay,” Derek said, stepping back and letting Cam guide her out the door, “what would you like to look at next?” **** Maya was very glad for the support, physically and emotionally, both men provided. Some of the scenes had been very intense and she’d watched, fascinated as the submissives enjoyed every moment. But some other scenes had been confusing, upsetting, stomach turning, and everything in between. And even after all that, she had a feeling that Derek had shielded her and Cam from the stuff he himself found unnerving. She’d felt Derek tense up as they observed one particular scene, and it wasn’t until the dungeon monitor stepped in and spoke to the Dom that she’d understood the reason why. The submissive’s hands

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had been bound too tightly. With a ball gag in her mouth and her fingers not working properly she hadn’t been able to ask her Dom to stop. The Dom had looked annoyed at the dungeon monitor’s interference, but he’d held his sub as she cried and, at least outwardly, seemed to do all of the right things. Maya hadn’t missed the silent communication that seemed to go on between Derek and the other monitor, and wasn’t surprised when Derek maneuvered them over to a sitting area far away from the scenes and asked them to wait for him. She watched him head over to where Viper stood monitoring a scene and hoped they were discussing the Dom who hadn’t seemed very concerned for his sub’s welfare. Cam sat down beside her, his arm over her shoulders in an obvious signal to others that they were together. She was grateful for his instincts. She’d been sized up by one too many scary-looking men and women tonight. Almost all of them wore leather, many with tattoos or piercings, some of which looked truly painful. Maya silently conceded that if they were aiming for intimidating, most had achieved their goal. Thankfully, Cam and Derek’s presence had kept them at a distance, but she could just imagine how overwhelming it would be for a single woman to explore this world on her own— orange observer’s bracelet or not. “It’s like falling down the rabbit hole, isn’t it?” Maya nodded at Cam’s observation. It was exactly like stepping into a foreign world full of colorful characters, stranger sights, and even stranger rules, but it was also intriguing, surprising, and frightening. The scariest part was that she’d learned more about herself in a single night than she’d ever expected. “What about you?” she asked Cam. “Can you see yourself living a life like this?” “Until tonight, I would have confidently said no, but this visit was different. I’ve only been here a few times, but I’d never really understood the appeal until I imagined it being you and me.” He laughed quietly, shook his head and added, “And maybe Derek.”

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She raised an eyebrow knowing exactly how he would take it. “Don’t even go there, sugar. Derek doesn’t swing that way any more than I do. I can guarantee you that anything the three of us do together you will be the one in the middle.” She shivered at the promise in his words. She’d been a little concerned about Cam’s reaction to Derek’s description of his fantasy, but he’d surprised them both by admitting his willingness to participate. “Ready to go home?” Derek asked as he took a seat on the other side of Maya. “Yes,” Cam answered for them both. The walk home was nearly as nerve-racking as the one to the club. But instead of being nervous about what she might see, this time her body buzzed with arousal. Despite the fact that she’d only really gotten to know these men over the past few days, she felt closer to them than she’d felt to anyone else in her entire life. And of course, after everything they’d talked about in the torture room she couldn’t deny that she wanted both men in her bed. Fortunately, they seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Not that it distracted them from their mission to keep her safe. True to recent form, Cam held her in the foyer of her restaurant while Derek checked upstairs and down for signs of intruders. “All clear,” he said as he came into the area with a wide smile. “Pick a safe word.” “A–A safe word?” Hell, she knew what a safe word was, but it was what his request represented that had her thoughts all jumbled. “What’s wrong with ‘stop’ or ‘don’t’ or even ‘no?’” Cam asked. He was probably aware of what a safe word was also, but he seemed very curious as to why it was necessary. “Basically,” Derek said as he leaned against the doorjamb casually, “most people use those words as an automatic response. In a scene a sub can use them reflexively even when she doesn’t really

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mean them. By adding a safe word Maya can send us a very clear signal that she is in pain or feeling overwhelmed.” “What happens if I use my safe word?” “Everything stops,” Derek said. But then he must have realized her reason for the question because he added, “Then we’ll discuss between the three of us what went wrong and decide if we want to continue.” He pointed a finger at her and the tone of his voice changed, becoming much deeper and much more commanding. “Don’t ever hesitate to use your safe word. Subs who refuse to use their safe word risk grievous injury. If you are in serious pain, confused, upset, or just want time out, you say your safe word. Got it?” “Yes,” Maya said, feeling her heartbeat speed up. It was kind of hard to describe, but it was almost like Derek had just grown a foot taller. The authority he exuded was remarkable. “The correct answer is ‘Yes, Sir.’” She swallowed a little nervously, but managed to push the words past her lips. Adrenaline was starting to buzz through her veins, and she squeaked in surprise when Derek marched over to her, lifted her over his shoulder, and headed upstairs. “Good girl,” he said as he caressed her ass through the thick denim. “What is your safe word, sub?” “Red, Sir.” It wasn’t very imaginative, but it was the standard word at Viper’s Dungeon and about the only word to come to mind. “I see you read all of the paperwork. I’m very pleased, sub. If you wish you can also use ‘yellow’ to slow things down.” He placed her on her feet at the end of her own bed. “Red will stop everything and we’ll loosen your bonds immediately. Yellow we will stop and talk. Is that clear, sub?” Bonds? Her heart rate sped up even more as she glanced at her bed and discovered a number of leather items that hadn’t been there before.

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“Is that clear, sub?” Derek asked lifting her face with a strong grip on her jaw. “Y–Yes, Sir.” “Do you want to use your safe word, sugar?” She jumped at Cam’s words, having almost missed the fact that the man was in the room. “No, Sir,” she said with a soft smile. It didn’t matter how intense things got. Both of these men would protect her. Cam stepped closer, threaded his hand through her hair, and tightened his grip. She gasped at the slight sting, and he took the opportunity to press his tongue into her mouth. He explored her ruthlessly, his kiss showing her in no uncertain terms that she was definitely not the one in charge. She panted as he pulled away, and he studied her face for a moment. He must have found what he sought because he smiled, pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and said, “You and I are going to learn how to spank your ass together. You up for it, sugar?” “Yes, Sir.”

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Chapter Four Cam tried to tamp down his incredible arousal. Mere days ago he had no idea what the appeal was, yet now he couldn’t wait to leave his handprint on Maya’s soft flesh. His cock was pressed so hard up against the zipper of his jeans he was starting to rethink his old SEAL habit of going commando. At this rate he’d have a permanent mark for each individual indent. Trying to distract himself, Cam glanced around the room. Derek had brought in one of the old-fashioned wooden chairs from the back room of Maya’s restaurant. It was solid, well built, and in the intimate setting of Maya’s upscale dining area very classy. But in her bedroom it looked exactly what Derek intended for it to be—a place for them to sit when they spanked their sub. Cam tried to control his own moan as he sat down, but the humorous glint in Maya’s eyes had him smiling instead. “Is our sub being a brat, Master Cameron?” “I believe that’s the term I would use,” he said as Derek threaded his fingers through Maya’s hair and held her still. Maya made a small sound, but it was one of surprise—perhaps at her own reaction to the situation—and not of fear. “I suggest that we double the count of her spanking, Master Cameron.” Cam nodded, trying hard not to smile at Maya’s trepidation. He and Derek hadn’t discussed an exact number, so it was kind of hard to double something they hadn’t yet decided upon. Of course, Maya didn’t need to know that.

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“I agree, Master Derek,” Cam said, trying to keep a straight face. He’d heard the Doms speaking to each other that way at the club. It felt a little ridiculous, but the effect it was having on Maya was quite obvious. Her nipples were hard points pressing through the material of both her blouse and her bra. She wriggled slightly in Derek’s hold, but it was more of a sensuous impatience rather than a need to escape. And her eyes had grown darker, much darker, deepening their clear sapphire color to a dark cobalt blue. “Take off your clothes, sub.” Derek’s voice was deep and commanding, and Maya’s eyes widened a bit more. She hesitated, and Cam’s heart leapt into his throat. Surely they hadn’t misread her so badly. She was into this. He was sure of it. “Do as he says, or use your safe word, sugar.” Cam nearly held his breath waiting for Maya’s response. A part of him was terrified that she was about to call this whole thing off. But then she took a deep breath, smiled slightly, and lifted her hands to the buttons of her shirt. “Yes, Sir,” she said clearly, just the slightest hint of nerves in her voice. **** Maya hadn’t really thought this part through. She didn’t feel ashamed of her body, but it wasn’t exactly a perfect shape either. She bit her lip nervously and cursed every gym visit she’d missed in the past year. As she undid the buttons, she tried to brace herself for their disappointment. Tight jeans and a good bra did wonders for hiding a body’s real shape. But as she twisted to drop the shirt from her shoulders and reached behind her to undo her bra, Derek brushed her hands away and did it for her. He moved his fingers from her hair and circled them around her neck to press against her collarbone. His thumb and forefinger lightly massaged the base of her throat. It wasn’t anywhere

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near restrictive, but it somehow made her feel more possessed than anything she’d ever felt before. “You’re very beautiful, sugar. I can’t wait to taste those deliciouslooking tits.” Maya smiled at Cam’s choice of words. Who would ever have guessed that the word “tits” would be a turn-on for her? Cam gave her one of his trademark cocky grins, and her tension drained away. She gazed at his expression as she undid the button and zipper on her jeans and pushed the denim lower. Of course that’s when she realized she should have taken her boots off first. What was it about these men that could make her so addlebrained that she couldn’t even remember how to get undressed properly? “Don’t,” Derek said as she tried to kick her boots off without moving out of his embrace. “Drop the panties to your ankles.” She swallowed hard and did as she was told. “Good girl.” Derek guided her across the room, steadying her as her balance wobbled from having the denim tangled around her feet. “Facedown over Master Cameron’s knees, sub.” Thankfully Derek guided her into the position they wanted and she breathed a little sigh of relief that she hadn’t managed to fall on her face in the process. It wasn’t until Cam’s warm hand started to caress her ass that she realized the picture she must make. **** “Relax, sugar,” Cam ordered when he felt Maya tense up. “We’ll go slowly.” He’d never had a woman lie over his lap like this before, but somehow it felt almost natural. He caressed her bottom, his hands dipping lower to rub over her warm thighs and then skimming higher to draw lines up and down her spine. Incredibly she relaxed against him. The nod of approval he got from Derek let him know that going with his instincts was a good choice.

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“There are several different techniques, but I prefer to stick with stinging slaps rather than muscle deep hits. Many Doms prefer to save the latter for punishment, but I prefer not to leave my subs with pain that can last for several days.” Cam wanted to ask how he would know the difference, but didn’t want to frighten Maya with his inexperience. Yet Derek seemed to understand his trepidation because he described the different styles in fairly solid detail and then pointed out the areas to avoid. Thanks to Cam’s hand-to-hand combat training, he already knew the most vulnerable parts of the human body and agreed wholeheartedly to keep the spanking confined to Maya’s buttocks and upper thighs, avoiding danger areas such as her spine and kidneys. It was obvious that Maya was listening, so he continued to caress her in soothing strokes, both to try and keep her arousal simmering and to help her stay relaxed. “We’ll start with five. Count them for your Masters, sub.” Still, Cam hesitated. He’d seen some pretty harsh spankings at the club and, even though he knew the subs involved enjoyed them, he had no wish to leave Maya in real pain. Derek was obviously used to dealing with new Doms because he stepped closer and demonstrated. **** The first blow almost tickled. Maya had been expecting a loud, stinging slap, but what she got was far less. The second came from a different angle and was even softer, so she figured that Derek was showing Cam the technique. The third was a little harder, a little noisier, and maybe stung just a bit more. The fourth was the same, and she was starting to wonder what all the fuss was about when the fifth one landed sharply. She gasped, but moaned when the heat traveled straight to her clit. “As our sub gets deeper into a scene, the sharper blows will send her into a place we call ‘subspace,’” Derek told Cam. “It’s at that

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point that a Dom needs to be very aware not to do damage. In subspace many experienced subs don’t even register true pain and aren’t aware enough to use their safe word.” He was quiet for a moment as if he and Cam were communicating silently, and then said in that deep commanding voice that her body already reacted to with embarrassing swiftness, “Five more, sub. Count them.” The next blow stung, really stung. She managed to gasp out “six” before the next one landed on the opposite cheek. The seventh, eighth, and ninth had her panting for air, but the tenth made her howl. Okay, maybe she was beginning to understand what all the fuss was about. Cam’s hands traveled all over her skin, sweeping, hypnotic movements that did nothing to settle her this time. When Derek ordered “Five more,” she almost crawled off Cam’s knees. He held her steady, his light grip far stronger than she’d first realized. The blows came hard and fast, and she didn’t even remember to count, but the strange heat flooding her veins felt kind of nice. She barely registered that she was shaking until a thumb pushed into her pussy and thick fingers rubbed her clit. She wasn’t even sure that they were still spanking her. Her entire body felt like she was glowing, her blood pumping viciously through her veins, her breathing ragged and uneven. She screamed as her orgasm broke over her. Shaking, squirming, nearly crying, she mewled as wave after wave of liquid heat crashed through her. But just as the feeling began to ebb into delicious lassitude, a hard hand spanked her sore bottom once more. She gasped as climax burst over her again, shocking her with its intensity, shaking everything she thought she knew. She couldn’t help the quiet sobs that came with her reaction, but her body continued to undulate sensuously against Cam’s hold as he and Derek soothed her with soft touches and words of praise. ****

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Derek smiled at the way Maya was draped over Cam’s legs. She looked like a very thoroughly satisfied sub—which of course she was. He signaled for Cam to lift her into a sitting position on his lap, and then Derek set about untangling her jeans, panties, and boots from her feet. She snuggled into Cam’s embrace beautifully, and Derek felt his small worry melt away. Her reaction reassured him that he hadn’t just been seeing what he wanted to see. Maya truly was a natural submissive. When he finally got her jeans untangled, she was almost asleep. Cam lifted her in his arms, placed her in the middle of the bed, and pulled the covers over her. She looked so peaceful curled up on her side that Derek decided to let her sleep for a while. It was probably the best way to proceed at this point anyway. Despite the fact that the three of them seemed to have been heading in this direction for days, he was willing to give Maya a little more time to be certain this was what she wanted. Derek undid the top button of his jeans, feeling very grateful that he wasn’t wearing his leathers, and then slid onto the bed beside her. Cam took a position on the other side, closed his eyes, and seemed to fall asleep almost instantly. Damn SEALs and their combat naps. Derek closed his eyes, but despite being tired and needing to be at the precinct in a few hours, it took a long time for him to get some rest. **** Maya woke as someone rolled off the bed and quietly got to his feet. Judging by the heavy, and now familiar, arm wrapped around her middle, it wasn’t Cam leaving. “Derek?” “Go back to sleep, baby.” “Are you leaving?” She hated the sound of vulnerability in her voice, but she was just beginning to realize she’d fallen asleep after

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they’d spanked her to orgasm. Hell, she couldn’t think of anything more selfish. “Why didn’t you wake me?” “You needed the rest. Go back to sleep, baby.” She sat up, dislodging Cam’s hold and waking him in the process. “I’m sorry,” she whispered urgently, wishing she could turn the clock back several hours. “Maya,” Derek said in a slightly softer tone, “you have nothing to be sorry about. I very much enjoyed last night.” “But you didn’t…we didn’t…I mean…” Panic was starting to drill through her, and she couldn’t even explain why. Cam pulled her closer, tucking her more tightly against him as Derek sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her face softly. “Maya, as a submissive these choices aren’t up to you. Cam and I will make those decisions. All you need to do is relax and obey.” “Oh.” It seemed to be the only word her brain was capable of forming. With those few words Derek had stilled the anxiety rising inside her, but with nothing to fill the space she found herself floundering. “The correct answer, sub, is ‘Yes, Sir.’” “Yes, Sir,” she whispered. “Good girl. What time does the restaurant close tonight?” “Ten.” “I’ll be back before then. Listen to Cam.” Derek leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips, the contact soft and sensuous, leaving her lips tingling and other parts of her body humming with desire. “Listen to your Dom,” he said, indicating Cam behind her, “and behave yourself, sub.” She smiled at his teasing tone, but vowed to do as he asked. “Yes, Sir.” ****

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Cam sat in the corner of the restaurant and watched Maya go about her hostess duties. It was obvious that many of her clientele were regular customers because they greeted her with friendly familiarity. Maya asked about their families, and their businesses, and their lives in general, and showed genuine interest in their answers. Clearly, even though the food was great, it wasn’t the only thing that kept her customers coming back. “Can I get you anything else, Cam?” the young waitress asked as she came over to the table. He wanted to say no, but Elise was a very happy, bouncy person. Refusing to order dessert felt kind of like kicking a puppy. She must have sensed him weakening because she threw in, “Maya made the most heavenly apple pie earlier. I reckon it’s probably better than even your momma makes.” Cam grinned. His mother was adorable but a terrible cook, so anything edible was probably better than his momma made. He ordered the pie with a small scoop of ice cream, and settled back to watch the woman around whom most of his thoughts currently rotated. Last night had been amazing. He’d never before understood the dynamics of a Dom-sub relationship, but the sudden insight had woken his mind, and his libido, to endless possibilities. Although, he was fairly certain it was only because of Maya that he understood any of it at all. “How’s our girl doing?” Cam smiled at Derek’s question. It seemed strange to hear the word “our” referring to a woman he was quickly falling for, but speaking to Logan on the phone about Emma and Jace earlier today, it somehow didn’t seem quite so unusual. “Kind of jumpy. I don’t think our plans for tonight have been far from her mind all day.” Derek laughed quietly. “That’s exactly what we want.” “Here you go, Cam. One giant slice of Maya’s famous…” The waitress’s words faltered as she noticed the man sitting opposite him.

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“Ah…famous apple pie,” she finished nervously. She turned her eyes to Derek. “Hello, Officer Chambers. The…ah…k–kitchen is closed, but I could…ah…get you a dessert if you want.” “No thanks, Elise. I just came to talk to Maya.” “Oh…ah…okay.” The young woman seemed to look everywhere but at Derek. She nodded stiffly to Cam and made a hasty retreat. Surprised at the waitress’s less than friendly behavior, Cam raised an eyebrow at Derek and waited for an explanation. “I’ve arrested her younger brother a couple of times.” “Younger? Elise can’t be more than eighteen. How young is her younger brother?” “He was twelve last time. Elise was doing her best, but between Elise coping with an absent father and an alcoholic mother, and working two jobs to keep food on the table, her brother spent a lot of time unsupervised.” Derek looked up at the door through which the young woman had fled. “I tried to get a better outcome for the family, but the last offense was pretty serious, and the judge ordered the kid into custody. I don’t think it’s going to help though. He was an angry young man when he went in. Three years in juvenile hall filled with other angry kids isn’t an ideal rehabilitation.” Cam tried to reconcile the happy young waitress he’d met with a young woman who coped with so much at such a young age, but was having trouble. She seemed very intelligent, so he’d just assumed that this was a part-time job and she spent her days at school. “Her brother is a member of the gang we suspect broke in here.” “Do you think Elise had something to do with it?” Derek shook his head. “Elise might blame me for failing her brother, but she would never do anything to hurt Maya.” “How did you fail her brother?” “I’d been trying to get him into foster care for a while, but with a mother who always managed to seem sober enough to cope at each welfare visit, his situation was listed as ‘to be monitored,’ but not

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critical. There’s no guarantee that foster care would have changed the outcome, but it should have been a step in a better direction.” Cam smiled. He felt a deep respect for anyone who was dedicated to their job, but Derek truly cared about the people he worked to protect. It was pretty obvious that he needed someone like Maya to come home to each day. The only question was why Derek hadn’t realized that himself. It also gave a little insight into why Derek was such a good Dom. In a job where so many variables meant that little was in his control, coming home to someone willing to do as he asked would truly appeal. A few minutes later, Cam’s apple pie was eaten, although he couldn’t attest to having actually tasted it, and most of the staff were finished for the night. Cam was pleased to see Elise sticking close to the male chef and a couple of busboys as they left the building. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about her getting home alone this late at night. It did make him wonder though, how many other teenagers faced the same sort of problems. Maya brought them coffee, promised to be finished soon, and disappeared back into the kitchen. “Is there any help for kids like Elise and her brother?” “Not really,” Derek said. “Well not anymore. There was a youth center a few years ago, but a gang member who didn’t appreciate being asked not to sell drugs inside the building knifed the guy who ran it. The guy survived but, from what I heard, decided to pursue a safer vocation.” Derek gave him a look Cam couldn’t quite interpret before adding, “Apparently the funding is still available. The committee just hasn’t been able to find someone to replace him.” A few minutes later Derek stood up, escorted the rest of the staff out the front door, and then locked it behind them. Cam went about what was becoming a routine of checking doors and windows and pulling the shades down before joining Derek and Maya in the main room once more. “Is everybody gone?”

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“Yes,” Maya answered Derek with a mischievous smile. “Good.” Derek glanced at Cam, gave a small nod, and then turned into the dominating man he’d revealed himself to be last night. “Take off your dress and kneel at my feet, sub.”

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Chapter Five Maya’s heart leapt into her throat, but it was the tingling in her nether regions that demanded the most attention. She glanced nervously around the area, realized that the windows were covered and they wouldn’t be seen by any passersby, and did as she was told. Despite the fact that they’d both seen her naked last night, she felt ridiculously nervous about being half naked in an area of her restaurant. The department of health might even have rules against that sort of thing. “Stop thinking, sub. Rest your bottom on your heels.” The words were practically growled from Derek’s throat, and she closed her eyes and breathed out, trying to do what he wanted. Kneeling at his feet in panties, bra, and thigh-high stockings made her feel breathlessly naughty, and she could feel the small patch of material on her Gstring becoming slippery with her arousal. She’d worn the impractical piece of lingerie under her otherwise sensible clothes this evening in the hopes that it would remind her not to fall asleep tonight. It had also had the added bonus of keeping her aroused the whole time. Her staff had all given her strange looks this evening, obviously noticing her distracted state. She just hoped they didn’t have any idea why she was so distracted. “Open your knees, sub.” Derek leaned over and pulled her legs apart so that the damp piece of material covering her pussy was exposed to his sight. “Very nice,” he said, running his fingers through her hair in a soothing motion. “Place your hands on your knees, palms down.” She followed his instructions even though it seemed to be the opposite of all the books she’d read. Weren’t subs supposed to have

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their palms facing up? “Good girl. Curl your fingers over your knees.” She did as he said and finally realized that this position gave her better balance. It brought to mind all sorts of wicked things they could do that would require her to keep her balance. “This is the position Cam and I will expect you to take unless instructed otherwise.” It wasn’t a question, so she wasn’t sure he was expecting some sort of response, but then he kept talking and she felt her anxiety ebb just a little. “The moment we go upstairs you are our submissive. You will stay quiet, and you will do as you are instructed. The only words permitted to come out of your mouth are your safe words. Is that clear?” She swallowed nervously. Last night had been intense, but she had a feeling she was about to learn exactly how intense life as Derek’s sub could get. She looked up to Cam’s face and was relieved to see he wore a confident smile. “Is that clear, Maya?” Derek repeated. This was it. Now or never. Was she brave enough to explore a scary new world? She glanced at both men and thought of everything they’d done to protect her and suddenly realized she had nothing to fear. “Yes, Sir.” **** Cam released the breath he’d been holding. For one heartstopping moment he’d thought Maya was going to back away from them both, but then a serene smile formed on her face and she’d said the two words that together seemed to be his new turn-on—“Yes” and “Sir.” “Master Cameron is going to take you upstairs and fuck you now. Do you have any objections to that, sub?” Cameron’s cock swelled almost instantly as Maya’s breath caught and her hungry gaze met his.

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“Eyes down, sub.” Maya quickly did as she was told, but she trembled all over, hopefully from a mix of arousal and excitement. Derek seemed to be determined to stay very formal tonight, but a moment before Cam could repeat Derek’s earlier question, Derek stroked Maya’s hair and said in his normal, more reassuring voice, “It’s okay to say no, Maya. We can wait if you’re not ready.” Maya trembled even harder, and Cam thought she might even be trying not to cry. She kept her head down, but tilted her face slightly closer to Derek’s hand. “I’m ready, Sir.” Derek looked over at Cam, silently confirming Cam’s willingness to proceed and then nodded his head in approval. “I’m very pleased, sub.” He continued to stroke Maya’s hair soothingly. “I want you and Cam to have one last vanilla experience before you fully embrace my lifestyle.” “Yes, Sir,” she said quietly. Derek nodded, and Cam stepped forward to lift Maya into his arms. It wasn’t until he was halfway up the stairs that he realized how much he needed this little slice of normal. He’d been very worried that by embracing everything about the Dom-sub lifestyle that his inexperience would ruin his and Maya’s first time together. This way he got to make love to Maya without the worry of sticking to an etiquette he was only just learning. He glanced back to see Derek following them up the stairs. It seemed that as a trained Dom, Derek wasn’t just good at reading the needs of his submissives. As they stepped into Maya’s bedroom, memories of last night filled Cam’s head. He’d loved seeing Maya come apart under his hand, but he suspected that it was Maya herself that made the experience what it was. She was the reason he’d enjoyed spanking her. With a flash of insight Cam realized it wasn’t the lifestyle, but the woman in his arms that was the greatest appeal. He wanted Maya.

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Maya was submissive, therefore, he wanted to dominate. Any other submissive wouldn’t do for him. It was Maya or no one. The self-revelation caught him by surprise. Was it possible to fall in love in less than a week? Did he even have it in him to fall in love when the rest of his life was still in limbo? But then Maya lifted her face to his and pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw, and all thinking was gone. He lowered her feet to the floor, holding her tight against him as he took her lips with his. She kissed him back with all the pent-up passion he felt himself. She grabbed at his T-shirt, dragging the material over his head and returning to kiss him almost feverishly. He groaned, deepening the contact, taking charge, dominating her even though this was supposed to be their last chance at vanilla. He wrapped his arms around her back, dragged the clasp of her bra open, and dropped the material to the floor. Unable to help himself, he lowered to his knees and feasted on her breasts. She moaned at the first touch of his mouth, the beaded nipple pulling even tighter as he worshipped the taut bud. He switched to the other breast, his hands on her ass, kneading the soft flesh, holding her in place, one hand moving higher up her spine when she tried to squirm away from the intense sensation. She moaned that deep sound that he already knew meant she was on the verge of orgasm. He ran his fingers down the string of her panties, lifting the material away from her body and dragging the scrap of lace to the floor. She stepped out of her underwear, the thighhigh stockings and sexy heels somehow sexier now that she was naked. He pressed a kiss to her belly, sighing when her arms came around him and hugged his head to her soft flesh. They held each other that way for endless moments, the comfort and acceptance overwhelming in the midst of such arousal. Cam stood, lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist, and then took the three steps to the bed. He lowered her to the

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mattress, following her down and pressing kisses to every inch of flesh he could reach. She opened her legs for him, and he pushed them wider, wedging his shoulders in between her thighs as he explored her feminine flesh with his eyes. Her pussy was swollen, the pink lips puffy with her arousal and coated in her shiny juices. She gasped as he pried open the soft flesh with his fingers, exposing her clit. It was hard and slippery, and he gently rubbed over it with his thumb, smiling as she lifted into his touch, her sensuous writhing and soft moans sending his own arousal soaring higher. Pushing her legs even wider, he dipped his head to her pussy, lapping at her flesh, tasting the sweet tang, and then diving in for more. He flicked his tongue over the tumescent little bud of her clitoris, grinning as he felt her shaking increase. She scrabbled for a grip, running her hands through his hair, seeming unsure if she wanted to drag him closer or hold him away. But then he pushed her legs higher, thrust his tongue into her creamy pussy, and forced her into orgasm. She moaned, shaking all over as he suckled her flesh, licking at the cream she’d made just for him, as her body continued to vibrate in his grasp. She grabbed at him, the hands in his hair now insistent and demanding. He moved up the bed, covering her with his body, kissing her mouth, coating her lips with her own shiny juices. She sucked on his tongue, holding him close, her need for him obvious as she tried to undo his dress pants with one hand. He rolled off her, the movement taking him to his feet to stand beside the bed. Quickly he undid the restrictive material, shucking his pants quickly, kicking off his shoes impatiently. Cam saw Derek press a condom into Maya’s hand and finally realized the man was still in the room. He laughed quietly, wondering if Derek’s idea of vanilla was different to his own. It was only the second time in his life that he’d shared a sexual experience with a

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woman while another man watched, but somehow it felt natural. It felt as if Derek belonged there in that room with them. Finally naked, Cam moved closer to the bed as Maya rolled onto her knees and tore the wrapper off the condom. She wound a hand around his aching cock and almost brought him undone with her unpracticed movements. He was grinding his teeth, silently yelling at himself not to blow as she finally got the condom over his hard flesh. And then she lay back against the pillows and held her arms open in welcome. Unable to decline her sweet invitation, Cam climbed onto the bed and covered her once more. She wrapped her legs around his hips, her warm pussy lips gliding against his cock, the contact making them both sigh. He ground his teeth together, trying to go slowly, trying to let her adjust to his size as he eased into her warm pussy. But Maya had other ideas. She lifted up, meeting him halfway, taking him deep into her body. He groaned as she moved away, only to lift up again, engulfing his shaft, possessing him more thoroughly than any woman he’d ever known. Cam followed her down, pushing her hard against the mattress before pulling partway out and thrusting back in. He drew away again, his instinct to take her hard and fast, to make her his, to claim her in this most primitive of ways, threatening to destroy his selfcontrol. But then she squeezed him with her flesh, the soft walls of her pussy holding him trapped, caressing his hard cock as instinct took over and she lifted up to meet his movements. He lost it, thrusting hard and deep over and over, fucking her faster than he wanted, but unable to stop their race to climax. He felt her shaking, her soft whimpers music to his ears, as he slammed into her willing body again and again and again. She moaned as her climax took her, the heavenly feeling of her pussy grasping and releasing his cock damn near unbelievable. He groaned as his own orgasm raced through his body, the cum bursting

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from his cock as he continued to pound into her. He slammed home, his cock pulsing and throbbing as he filled the condom, cursing the barrier even as he understood its need. He collapsed onto her, rolling them both to the side as they caught their breath. Unwilling to risk the condom spilling, Cam pressed a kiss to Maya’s forehead and then moved away. His legs shook as he lifted to his feet, but it was the instruction that Derek gave to Maya that had Cam’s heartbeat racing once more. **** “Roll over, sub. Head and shoulders on the mattress, knees underneath you, ass in the air.” Maya quickly followed Derek’s instructions, her exhaustion forgotten under the onslaught of renewed arousal. “Good girl.” He caressed her ass, his warm hands roaming over the soft flesh, inflaming her need, driving her desire to please him even higher. “Fifteen for coming so beautifully in Cam’s arms.” The first whack stung like the devil, and she shuffled on her knees in an instinctive reaction to crawl away. But her need to obey her master overrode her instinct, and she stalled the movement before it really began. “Good girl,” Derek said as he caressed her stinging skin. She felt a brief moment of panic when she realized she hadn’t counted and blurted out the word, “One.” The second hit followed almost immediately, this time on her other butt cheek, the heat radiating outward as her clit swelled once more with need. “Two.” She felt him bend over and press a kiss to each sore spot before moving away and delivering a third smack to her upper thigh. She grunted with the pain, the strange sting unlike her spanking last night. “Three.” She was fairly certain he wasn’t using his hand, but the stinging slap against her flesh didn’t hurt anywhere near as badly as she imagined the paddles at the club would feel.

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She tensed up waiting for the fourth blow, but Derek caressed her bottom and thighs, his clever fingers gliding over the supersensitized flesh of her pussy, dipping inside her before rubbing over her clit briefly. She was on the verge of orgasm by the time he delivered the rest of the blows. She managed to count them, but she couldn’t even be sure the words left her mouth as an incredible tingle covered her entire body. She gasped, her body alight with intense sensation as Derek lifted her ass higher and tongue-fucked her to orgasm. She screamed as the dam broke, liquid heat drenching every cell in her body as she went into meltdown. She shook all over, wave after wave of incredible sensation drowning her in ecstasy as her climax went on and on and on. She barely had a moment to catch her breath before Derek slammed his cock into her pussy, thrusting to the hilt before holding her hard against him and caressing a hand over her sore bottom. “You are absolutely perfect, sub. And your hairbrush makes quite a good substitute for a paddle.” Her hairbrush? She’d never even considered using it for anything other than brushing her hair, but she doubted she’d ever be able to look at it the same way after this. “Come again,” Derek demanded. He didn’t even need to touch her clit, just his growled order and the hard smack on her thigh was enough to push her over the edge once more. She felt him throbbing inside her, his cock caressing her insides even as her muscles clamped down on him. Gasping for breath, unable to move, Maya smiled at Cam as she realized he’d been watching the whole time. Her body was still quivering when Derek rolled them onto their sides and slid his hand over her belly and up to her breasts. He toyed with the hard buds, pinching them as he whispered how pretty they would be with nipple clamps. But just like Cam, Derek pulled away too soon, his hand brushing against her stinging flesh as he secured the base of the condom and

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pulled out of her body. But before he rolled away he ordered, “Hands and knees, sub.” **** Derek nodded to Cam as he caressed Maya’s spine and told her how beautiful she looked. She may not have been a trained submissive, but her responses were natural and honest, and he couldn’t remember enjoying watching a sub more than he did with Maya. He knew his feelings ran deeper for the woman than he’d intended. Even as he felt a mild panic that he was getting too close to her, he found the peace that he craved. Maya was nothing like Caroline, and it was about time he stopped judging other subs by one woman’s callous actions. He disposed of the condom, cleaned himself up, and headed back into the bedroom. He smiled when he realized Maya was exactly where he left her. Cam stood by the edge of the bed caressing her spine, her shoulders, her arms, the strokes gentle, reassuring, loving. And unbelievably, in that moment, Derek knew that the three of them were meant to be together. Somehow, it just made sense. Cam loved Maya—that much was obvious—and Derek had loved Maya for a long time, even if he’d only just admitted it to himself. “You look beautiful, sub.” Derek caressed Maya’s face, smoothing away the single tear that escaped her eyes as she smiled up at him. Her lips were kiss swollen, and he couldn’t imagine anything more amazing than having them wrapped around his cock. “Open,” he said as he pressed his surprisingly renewed erection against her lips. She responded immediately, her soft moan inflaming his senses, the hard suction making him groan in return. He threaded his hands through her hair, holding her trapped, testing her reactions, making sure she trusted him enough not to panic. She ran her tongue

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over the underside of his cock, shocking him, testing his own selfcontrol. He pushed deeper, holding her still, reading her reactions. “Swallow,” he instructed as he touched the back of her throat. She struggled, her breathing coming in short bursts as she worked to overcome her gag reflex and swallow around the head of his cock. Finally she managed it, nearly lifting him to his toes with the incredible sensation. Derek pulled away, smiling at her moue of protest. He pressed a thumb to her lips, rubbing over the swollen flesh as he waited for her to relax. She must have realized why he was delaying, because she closed her eyes, released a soft breath, and once again wore that serene smile. He helped her from the bed, turned her around to face Cam, and then wrapped his arms around her. “Master Cameron and I are going to fuck you the way we saw at the club.” Derek lifted his hands to her chest, squeezing her breasts and treating the nipples roughly, pleased when her legs wobbled and Cam smiled at her response. “But first, I have some decorations for these beautiful breasts. Master Cameron, please get the black box on the dresser.” Cam grabbed the right box and turned back to face them. “Open it and show our sub her new favorite toys.” As soon as he’d seen them Derek had known they were perfect for Maya. The nipple clamps were G-shaped clasps that could be screwed on tight or left slightly looser if so desired. They came with a collection of swinging decorations that could be clipped one at a time onto the base of the clamp so that they slowly increased the weight. They were perfect for beginners, but this set in particular had caught his eye. The jewels were bright blue, the same sapphire color as Maya’s eyes. The set also came with four ornamental butterflies on differing lengths of chain. If all six weights were attached to the Gclamps the butterflies would dangle, pulling against her nipples, increasing her arousal exponentially, as they seemed to flutter below her breasts.

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Maya reached out to touch the pretty jewels, but Derek pulled her arms behind her, trapping both hands in one of his own. “Master Cameron is going to decorate these beautiful breasts. Stay still and don’t come until we give you permission.” Cam looked a little nervous, but he grabbed the tiny clamp in his big fingers, checked how the mechanism worked, and stepped in front of Maya. Already Maya’s heart rate had increased, her knees wobbling as she waited. Derek pinched her left nipple, pulling at the tiny bud until Maya gasped quietly from the pain. “That’s how tight we want them,” Derek said by way of instruction. Despite his big hands and thick fingers Cam deftly fastened the tiny clamp to Maya’s nipple. He twisted the screw until Maya gasped. “Breathe, sub,” Cam told her, proving his instincts very accurate as Maya obeyed and dragged in a shuddering breath. He leaned down to take her other nipple in his mouth, sucking hard against her whole breast and then obviously using his teeth because Maya cried out as if in reaction to a sharp sting. Cam had the second clamp fastened just as quickly, watching Maya closely as he twisted the G-clamp closed. “Good girl,” Derek whispered as she panted through the momentary pain once more. “I think the blue jewels would look very pretty against our sub’s skin, Master Cameron.” Cam nodded, grabbed the jewels and attached them to the clamps. “These are fairly lightweight, sub. As you get used to having your nipples clamped, we’ll add more weights on longer chains.” He dragged his hand down her stomach, dipping his fingers between her legs, smiling when he realized her thighs were completely covered with slick evidence of her arousal. “We might even consider piercing.” Maya shuddered in his arms. As soon as the words left his mouth he realized how perfect they sounded. It was like the sun had finally come out from behind the clouds, and the idea of making a permanent commitment to each other sounded perfect. Of course, piercing such a sensitive part of Maya’s body would probably hurt, but he and Cam

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would be there, distracting her, forcing her body into exhaustion with orgasm after orgasm so that she would barely feel the pain. He glanced up to see a slight frown cross Cam’s features, but it was gone so quickly Derek couldn’t be sure he’d even seen what he thought he saw. Deciding to discuss Maya’s possible nipple piercing with Cam later, Derek turned the woman in his arms to face him. “You look perfect like this, sub,” he said, pulling gently at the pretty dangling jewels. Maya gasped, her eyes darkening as her desire grew stronger. “Master Cameron and I are going to fuck you at the same time, one in your pussy, the other down your throat. Since you won’t be able to talk with your mouth stuffed full of my cock, I’m going to give you a safe signal. Close your fist and leave just the little finger up. Show me your safe signal, Maya.” She immediately held up her hand and did exactly as he instructed. “Good girl. Use this safe signal the moment you feel distressed or uncomfortable.” She nodded, obviously remembering his instructions for her not to talk. “Good girl. One more thing before we start. You know that I don’t like to cause lasting pain for my submissives, but I do have one exception.” The look of trepidation in her eyes was quite satisfying. She still trusted him, but it was obvious that she wasn’t into real pain either. It was just one more thing that made her perfect for him. “The only severe punishment I have is for subs who don’t use their safe word when they should. Some of the stuff we will do together can be dangerous, and refusing to use you safe word, or safe signal, when you need to can lead to serious injury. If I ever feel that you should have used your safe word but didn’t, I will take a cane to your ass and thighs until I’m certain you won’t sit comfortably for a week. Is that clear sub?” Maya’s eyes had widened at his words, but she nodded and breathed out slowly, obviously comfortable with his warning. He knew then that he could trust her to use her safe word wisely.

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“Widen your stance, lean forward, and present your pussy to Master Cameron.” She hesitated just a moment—she didn’t really seem to be an exhibitionist so he was probably pushing a few of her personal boundaries—but she leaned over and did as she was told. He walked over to the dresser, tossed a condom to Cam, and smiled as the ex-SEAL sheathed his cock and then held Maya’s hips as he pushed slowly into her pussy. Derek watched them together, smiling when Cam easily controlled the pace despite Maya’s bratty attempts to make him go faster. Cam leaned over her, pushing her further forward and threading his hand in her hair, just like the Dom they’d seen last night had done. Derek moved to stand in front of Maya. Cam immediately pushed her head lower, his grip ensuring that Maya had no control. She was their sub, hers to do with as they pleased, and it pleased them to take her this way. Judging by Maya’s moan, it pleased her too. “Don’t come until we give you permission, sub.” She sighed and then opened her mouth to engulf his cock. Derek stifled the groan, trying to stay in control, trying not to let Maya realize how much power she had over him. He took a deep breath, fortifying his resolve before signaling for Cam to push her head lower. **** Maya concentrated on Derek’s cock, unable to acknowledge Cam’s cock slowly plowing her pussy or the fingers pressed against her clit or the jewels swinging from her aching breasts and conspiring to send her into a flat spin. She was already on the verge of orgasm, but she refused to disappoint her masters by coming before she had permission. So she concentrated on the cock in her mouth and tried to ignore the tingling heat threatening to overtake all reason. She braced her hands against Derek’s hard thighs but didn’t even try to work against either of her men. In some ways she sensed that this was a test to make certain that she was willing to live this

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lifestyle. Considering how many mind-shattering orgasms they’d already given her, the answer to that unasked question was “hell, yeah!” Swallowing around the thick length of Derek’s cock, Maya realized he hadn’t specifically told her not to touch him. Tentatively she moved a hand to his balls, gently rolling them inside the wrinkled sack before squeezing slightly. Derek groaned but didn’t stop her, seeming to enjoy her attentions. And then as if by mutual agreement, both men started thrusting into her harder. Cam released her hair as Derek gripped the sides of her head and took over, holding her still as he pumped into her mouth. Her jaw ached, her lips felt swollen, and she was almost dribbling, but she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else right at that moment. The jewels swung harder, bouncing against her breasts as they pulled at her nipples. Cam pushed his fingers more firmly against her, trapping her clit between two fingers, the unyielding grip making her tremble even more violently. “Come for us, sub,” Derek ordered. She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief that she finally had permission, that she’d accomplished what Derek had ordered, but climax shot through her, and she gasped for air, shivering, shaking, her entire world narrowing to only these two men. They continued to pump faster, thrusting into her body, using her, taking their own pleasure just as a second, more explosive climax burst and her entire body went into sensual meltdown. She felt her knees give out as Derek’s cum coated her tongue. Grateful that her men held her safe, she swallowed, savoring Derek’s salty flavor, laving his cock clean as he pulled away. Derek held her up as Cam pulled away and headed into the bathroom. “I love you,” she whispered to them both, too tired and too overwhelmed to fully realize it was probably too soon. ****

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Cam’s steps faltered as he heard her whispered declaration to Derek. Cam was pretty sure she hadn’t meant for him to overhear her words, but it should have occurred to him that Maya would love Derek. They’d known each other for a long time, even if now was their first time together. He continued into the bathroom and closed the door, needing a few moments alone with his thoughts. He’d known Maya less than a week. She’d been the first person who’d needed him since his injury six months ago, and somehow Cam had confused that with love. It seemed almost ridiculous that he could confuse sex for something deeper, but that was exactly what he’d done. It was quite possible that he might even have been the catalyst for getting Maya and Derek to finally see the light and realize they were perfect for each other, but that didn’t change the fact that he was the third wheel. He didn’t even have a job. Granted, he had enough money saved to support himself for several years, but bumming around while Maya and Derek fell deeper in love didn’t seem like the right thing to do. Cam splashed cold water on his face, closing his eyes against the reflection he saw in the mirror. While he’d been a Navy SEAL, he had always refused to make a permanent connection with any woman. It wasn’t fair to ask a woman to love him when he was liable to have to up and leave at a moment’s notice, unable to tell her where he was going or when he’d be back or even if he’d be back. Maybe his feelings for Maya were just a reaction to finally being free to make that connection with a clear conscience. Cam ran a hand down his face, nearly growling at his own sappy emotions. He hadn’t known the woman long enough to fall in love. And now that she’d confessed her feelings to Derek, Cam shouldn’t hang around longer than necessary. As soon as the threat from the street gang was dealt with, he’d go back to his original plan and head home.

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And, somehow, he’d ignore the ache in his chest that came at just the thought of leaving Maya behind.

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Chapter Six Maya somehow made it through the whole day without thinking about last night every other minute. Thanks to the demands of a busy restaurant and the million and one little things that seemed to go wrong today, Maya had almost been able to control her out-of-control libido, but as soon as Derek walked in the front door, all bets were off. The tingling started as he moved toward her, grew to earthquake proportions as he kissed her, and threatened to explode as he escorted the last of the staff out the front door. She waited for his instructions, wanting to throw off her clothes, cast aside Maya “the sensible business woman” and simply be Derek and Cam’s submissive, but the order didn’t come. Derek took a seat at the table in the corner where Cam had set up his observational post. From where Cam sat he could see both the front door, the entry to the kitchen, and, through the window in the swinging kitchen door, the rear exit. She had no doubt that he would be able to reach the back door before anyone could open it and step inside. For the past week he’d spent the whole lunch and dinner shifts sitting there making her feel safer than she had in her entire life. But right now she felt miffed. The restaurant was closed, the shutters were down, and the staff had all gone home. From everything they’d discussed last night, now was the time that their Dom-sub roles were to become formal. Uncertain what to do, Maya stood by the counter and watched the two men talk. She wasn’t even close enough to hear what they were saying.

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“Maya,” Derek called without even looking over at her, “have you decided to use your safe word?” “N–No…I mean, No, Sir.” “Why then are you still dressed?” “Oh…I…um.” “Come here, sub.” Maya swallowed hard, her trepidation increasing when Derek instructed her to lean over the table. He pushed her lower, flattening her breasts to the hard surface, and then lifted her skirt up over her hips. She’d worn another G-string, and he smoothed his hand over her bare skin. Derek had wanted her to go without underwear, but he’d made the compromise in deference to her work in the restaurant. The first smack was hard, very hard, and she bit her lips to stop from protesting. The second, in the same place, didn’t feel at all pleasant, but it was the third that made her cry. Ironically, she was fairly certain that they’d spanked her much harder two nights ago, but it seemed there was a very big difference between being spanked while aroused and being spanked as punishment. Derek helped her into a standing position, brushed the tears off her wet cheeks, and then pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “The moment it is just the three of us, you are to strip to your underwear and kneel at our feet unless otherwise instructed by me or Master Cameron. Is that clear, sub?” She nodded and finally managed to push out the words “Yes, Sir” without stuttering. “Good girl. Now I want you to go upstairs, have a shower, and kneel beside the bed until we get there.” She considered arguing, or at least asking how long she would have to wait, but the stinging on her bottom was a rather throbbing reminder to follow his instructions precisely as he’d given them. As she headed up the stairs she finally realized her error. She’d been waiting for Derek’s instructions even though they’d discussed in detail last night what both Derek and Cam expected from her.

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She rubbed her sore bottom. No way in hell would she make that mistake again. **** “Why did she cry?” Cam had been surprised by Maya’s reaction. He’d spanked her much harder two nights ago and she’d climaxed, not cried. “Arousal has a way of turning pain into pleasure. Maya was waiting to be told what to do—even though she knew exactly what we expected—but she wasn’t actually aroused, so the pain didn’t morph, and it was all she felt.” A grin formed on Derek’s face, and then he added, “I believe at least some of the tears were her feeling sorry for herself. I suspect she’s going to be a bratty sub, trying to top from the bottom, for quite some time to come.” “Top from the bottom?” Cam had heard Logan use that term before, but previously he hadn’t really been interested enough to want to know what it meant. “It’s a term we use to describe a sub trying to manipulate the actions of her Dom. Even the best-trained subs occasionally try to get their own way. I suppose it’s probably human nature. That’s why it’s important to correct her behavior straightaway. When a sub knows exactly what is expected of her, and what the punishment will be if she fails, she can truly relax and enjoy submitting.” “Oh,” Cam managed to say without making a comment either way. He’d spent all day wondering what he should do now. Even as they’d been discussing last night what they expected from Maya, Cam hadn’t been certain what they expected of him. Derek talked as if they were going to be a permanent threesome, but surely he could see how strange it must be for Maya to love only one man but to continue to have sex with both. But then again, things were different in the world of BDSM. Maybe Derek and Maya saw nothing unusual about their situation.

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“Would you mind if I went out for a couple of hours?” Derek looked curious, so Cam gave him only part of the explanation. “I just want to drop by Logan’s place, say hi, maybe meet Emma and Jace.” “Sure,” Derek said with a more relaxed smile. “It should have occurred to me that you wouldn’t leave Maya’s side unless you knew she was protected.” Derek pulled his car keys from his pocket. “Take my car. The keys to the restaurant are the two silver ones, but do me a favor and call my cell before you use them. We’ve had very little gang activity in the past few days, and it’s starting to worry me. I wouldn’t want to shoot you accidentally.” Cam laughed, the strange feeling of camaraderie with this man throwing him farther off balance. In the SEAL teams he’d made friendships that he’d known would last a lifetime, even if they only saw each other every couple years. He’d never expected to find something similar in the world outside the teams. It was just one more problem to ponder. He nodded his thanks, grabbed the keys, and headed for the door. **** Derek smiled as he stepped into the bedroom. Maya kept her eyes down, but it was obvious that she noticed Cam’s absence. Derek considered not explaining, but decided that the anxiety over not knowing would likely be counterproductive to his plans for tonight. There were situations where it was good to keep his sub guessing, but this wasn’t one of them. “Master Cameron has gone to visit his friend Master Logan. He’ll be back in a few hours.” Maya seemed to sigh with relief but didn’t say a word or lift her gaze—exactly as she’d been told to do when upstairs. It wasn’t easy for a woman as independent as Maya to give up control to another, so Derek decided that such good behavior deserved a reward. “Stand up and bend over the bed. Head and shoulders flat to the mattress. Ass in the air. ”

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He saw her tense up, probably wondering if she was going to get another spanking, but quickly did as he asked. He caressed her bottom, glad to see that the swats he’d given her earlier hadn’t left any marks. Even in his early training as a Dom he’d always believed that punishment should be swift and fitting but never leave lasting pain. Of course, his only exception to that rule was the one about safe words, and thankfully he’d only been forced to follow through on that once. One of the subs he’d been training at Viper’s Dungeon had often seemed to endure more than she’d been able to handle. He’d worried for her safety and between him and Viper had basically set a trap to force her into using her safe word. But despite the fact that he, with Viper’s discreet supervision, deliberately tightened the cuffs on her hands to the point of danger she’d failed to use her safe word. Derek had called a halt to the scene, loosened the cuffs, and then tied her to the whipping post in the middle of the room. All of the Doms had gathered with their subs, and everyone in Viper’s Dungeon had learned what happens to a sub who refused to use her safe word when it was needed. It was not an experience that Derek ever wanted to repeat, no matter how necessary it had been to ensure the woman’s safety. He rubbed his hands over Maya’s ass, enjoying just touching the woman he loved. He’d been tempted to say it back to her last night— “I love you”—but had realized that Cam wasn’t quite ready to admit it to her also. It was understandable that it would take time for the exSEAL to feel confident in his feelings, especially with the recent upheavals in his life, so Derek had stayed silent and simply crawled into bed beside the woman he loved and talked and held her through the rest of the night. Cam had slid onto the other side of the bed while they talked, but once Maya had fallen asleep had seemed restless. At first, Derek had been worried Cam regretted what the three of them had done—the BDSM lifestyle simply wasn’t for everyone—but it may have been related to the fact that he’d basically been on guard

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duty since he’d met Maya. He hoped that visiting Logan would help Cam sort out whatever was going on in his head. But right now Derek had a beautiful sub to reward. “Widen your stance, and then use your hands to open your cheeks. I want to see your pretty asshole.” Maya gasped, shuffling awkwardly as she decided whether to follow his instructions or not. He waited, watching her closely for signs of distress. He knew she’d never had a man in her ass before, and he fully intended to be her first, but he wasn’t going to push this issue tonight if she truly wasn’t ready. He had a ridiculous urge to pump his fist in the air when Maya placed her on hands on either butt cheek and pulled them apart. Her back hole pulsed a couple of times, her arousal obviously increasing as he moved closer. He could smell the clean scent of her shower gel still clinging to her skin as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to each ass cheek. She shivered under his touch, the sight so erotic that he had to swallow down the urge to slam into her pussy hard and fast and fuck her until she was writhing in ecstasy. He slid his hand underneath her, unerringly finding her swollen clit. “Don’t come, sub.” Her pearl was hard and slippery with her arousal, and she shuddered as he slid a finger either side, rubbing and squeezing until he felt every muscle in her body pull taut. She whimpered as he pulled away, panting as she tried to come down from the precipice of orgasm. When he was sure she had herself back under control he did it again, caressing the swollen nub until she got so close to orgasm he wondered if she might decide to dive over and take her punishment later. But she pleased him greatly when she panted, gasping for air, but managed to hold on to her control. He placed a hand between her shoulder blades and pushed her forward slightly, lifting her knees onto the bed so that she wouldn’t collapse. He knelt at the edge of the bed, and then pressed his mouth to her pussy. Instinctively she pushed back, and he slapped her thigh hard, much harder than the three swats

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he’d given her earlier. She moaned with her arousal this time, but stopped pushing back and relaxed once more. He thrust his tongue into her pussy, holding her trapped against him as he sipped her nectar and then lovingly suckled her slippery flesh. He nibbled her labia with his lips, scraping his teeth gently over her swollen flesh. Replacing his tongue with his fingers, Derek moved his mouth higher, licking a path up her separated cheeks until he was flicking lightly against her puckered hole. She jolted, shaking all over, and he knew this time she wouldn’t be able to hold on. He had every intention of having at least two fingers buried in her ass as she climaxed this time. He licked over the supersensitive skin once more, possessive emotions wrapping around his heart as he removed his fingers from her pussy and pushed the slippery digits against her asshole. She squirmed, moaning, whimpering as he used his other hand to grab hold of her clit once more. “Come for me, sub.” Maya screamed, her orgasm breaking over her the moment the words left his mouth. Her pussy and ass pulsed in counterpoint, the latter opening for him, hugging his fingers tight as he pressed them into her back passage. She shook all over, a small keening cry escaping her lips as her orgasm went on and on and on. Finally she settled, her body seeming almost boneless as she relaxed against the mattress and tried to catch her breath. But then she jolted, almost as if she just noticed the fingers in her ass. Derek lifted a hand to her lower back, pressing down firmly, holding her in place. “Be still, sub.” Maya stopped moving, but her ass clamped down on his fingers, and she couldn’t quite mask the whimper of fear. “Are you using your safe word, Maya?” “Y–Yellow,” she said quietly.

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“Good girl, Maya. Why are you frightened?” He left his fingers in her ass, but stopped moving them. If she’d said “red” he would have reacted more decisively, but with her “yellow” safe word he waited for an explanation. “I–I don’t…I don’t like serious pain.” “I know, Maya. The only time I would ever deliver such a punishment is if you didn’t use your safe word. You just proved to me that you are willing to use it when you are feeling overwhelmed, so I don’t think you’ll ever attract that sort of punishment.” “But…” She hesitated and clenched her ass muscles, and he realized what she was referring to. “You think anal sex is going to hurt?” **** “It doesn’t?” “No, sweet Maya, it doesn’t hurt if you’re properly prepared.” He scissored his fingers in her ass, and she couldn’t help the low groan that escaped her. She saw him reach for the lube on the bedside table, heard the cap flip open, and jolted as the cool gel drizzled onto her skin. She shivered with increasing arousal as he worked the lube into her back passage. “Push out, sub. Push against my fingers.” She did as he asked, surprised to realize she’d been instinctively sucking the muscles in despite her wish to force his fingers out of her ass. How very strange. But as soon as she found the right muscles and pushed out, his fingers slid deeper into her ass, stretching her tight hole and setting alive nerve endings she hadn’t been aware she owned. She felt him add a third finger, the slight pain quickly overridden by the amazing arousal coursing through her. Never had she imagined such excitement coming from something she’d believed to be painful. “That’s it, sub. Relax and let me show you how enjoyable anal sex can be when it’s done right.” It took her a moment to realize that she

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was actually rocking on her knees, pushing back onto his fingers, greedily taking the unexpected pleasure. She whimpered when he pulled his fingers out, her ass spasming as the muscles tried to close tight once more. “Roll onto your back, sub. Wrap your arms around your knees and hold them up.” She forced herself to move, the lethargy of her previous orgasm fighting with the energy of her renewed arousal. As she did as he asked, he moved to the cabinet, grabbed a condom, and sheathed his cock. He poured more lube onto his hand, coating his erection in a generous amount as he moved into position. “Don’t move, sub,” he said as he pressed the head of his cock against her back hole. She held her breath as the flared head pushed past the tight ring of muscle much easier than she’d expected. She felt every inch of his cock drag over the puckered skin, the touch strange but not unpleasant. Carefully he worked himself all the way into her ass, finally coming to rest with his thighs pressed against her bottom. She felt full, her pussy clenching, protesting its emptiness, as heat radiated outward. And then he started to move, slowly at first, giving her time to adjust, giving her time to enjoy the new sensation, giving her time to reach the peak of arousal, before he slammed into her, the hard jolt pushing her across the bed slightly. He grabbed her hips, holding her trapped more effectively than any bonds she could imagine. He stared into her eyes as he fucked her, his pleasure glittering in his gaze as he leaned over her and pressed a kiss to her mouth. “You please me very much, little sub.” The praise melted through her, heat swirling into her belly even as she tried to control her race to orgasm. He must have sensed her dilemma because he kissed her hard and thrust his cock deep. His palm pressed hard against her mons, trapping her clit, and he growled, “Come.”

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She was a good sub and did exactly what she was told. Wave after wave after wave of climax crashed over her, her eyesight blurring as Derek thrust into her grasping, pulsing hole again and again. He seemed to be grinding his teeth, his own orgasm imminent, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, dug her heels into his ass, and held him tight. He pushed deep, his cock seeming to swell a moment before it twitched inside her ass and he groaned loudly. He fell forward onto her, his weight holding her down, the sensation a little uncomfortable and maybe just a touch frightening, but he pulled away a moment later, eased his cock from her ass, and headed into the bathroom. “Stay where you are, sub.” Surprised at his firm tone, Maya stayed still and wondered what she’d done wrong. He sounded displeased, and she tried to understand his swift change of mood. He came back into the room a few moments later with a wet washcloth and cleaned her thoroughly. Embarrassment heated her cheeks, but she didn’t dare move. He left the room for a few more moments, but returned with what looked like an overnight bag in his hands. “Kneel, sub.” Maya scrambled off the bed, her exhaustion forgotten as she tried to understand what was going on. She took the position he’d taught her, kneeling on the floor beside the bed, her legs open wide, ass resting on her heels, and her hands palms down on her knees. She bowed her head, hoping at least to get this part right. A warm hand tangled in her hair and, even as she told herself not to, she leaned into his touch. “Do you understand the error you made?’ She shook her head, trying not to cry. Her first experience with anal sex had been purely wonderful, but somehow she’d ruined everything. “Give me your left hand.”

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She lifted her hand up into the air. He grasped her wrist firmly and then buckled a leather cuff around it. He tested the fit, running his finger under the fur lining, making certain it wasn’t too tight, before dropping it back into her lap and asking for her other hand. When he had both cuffs secured, he pulled her arms behind her and clipped them together. A small swell of panic zipped through her chest, but it was quickly gone when he tangled his hand in her hair once more. “In this room you are not in control, Maya. You do as you’re told, and you don’t wrap your legs around me unless I, or Master Cameron, instruct you to do so. Is that clear?” She nodded, swallowing hard as she realized she’d done exactly what he’d accused. She’d taken control of his orgasm and may have even shortened the pleasure he’d planned for both of them. She wanted to apologize, but didn’t want to compound her gaff with another by talking when she knew she wasn’t allowed. “I’m going to completely immobilize you as punishment.” It sounded really scary. She’d never been completely trapped or unable to move before. What if there was a fire? What if the gang that was after her decided now was a good time to burst in and make her pay for breaking their leader’s nose? What if someone’s car broke down out front and they needed assistance? Okay that was overreaching, but what if any number of emergency situations became apparent while she was tied down and unable to defend herself? “Breathe, Maya,” Derek ordered firmly. She dragged in a shuddering breath and tried to still her overactive imagination. She trusted Derek to keep her safe. She knew she would be his first priority in any situation, emergency or not. She sucked in another deep breath, letting it out slowly as her Master caressed his fingers through her hair. “If this truly frightens you, Maya, it’s okay to use your safe word. I realize you’re still very new to this, but I have found that correcting bad behavior early on saves a sub plenty of sore bottoms later.”

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She bit her lips to stop the soft giggle threatening to escape. Considering how much she’d disliked her swats downstairs earlier, she was all for avoiding discipline in the future. He waited a few more moments, caressed the top of her head, and then tilted her chin up with a firm grip on her jaw. He searched her eyes, perhaps making certain she wasn’t too frightened to speak, before pressing a kiss to her mouth. He fisted his hand in her hair, controlling her as he deepened the contact, pushing her off balance until she would have used her hands to stop her fall if she’d been able. She concentrated on the kiss, trusting him to keep her safe. “Good girl,” he said as he lifted away. “Stand up.” He helped her to stand, holding her upper arm as she wobbled slightly on her feet. When she was steady, he unclipped the cuffs and left her standing there as he went back into the bathroom. He came back with one of her big fluffy towels, folded it to his liking, and arranged it over the end of the bed. “Sit down, sub.” She followed his instructions, not resisting when he pulled her hands behind her back and clipped them together so that she was held trapped once more. He went back to his bag, grabbed what seemed to be a type of soft rope, unwrapped it from its packaging, and headed back to the bed. He grabbed her hips with his hands, pulling her forward so that her pussy was tilted up slightly, before pushing her legs as wide as they would go. Then he threaded the rope around her left knee and left elbow, securing them only inches apart, pulling her legs open wider as he threaded the rope behind her and did the same on her other side. Her shoulders and elbows were beginning to ache, but it wasn’t quite bad enough to use her safe word, yet. She was contemplating the consequences of not using her safe word properly, when Derek grabbed another length of rope and secured it around her shoulders, over her chest and around her breasts. The second rope managed to take the strain off her arms and elbows, and effectively left her without an inch of movement.

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“This type of rope is used for a style of Japanese rope tying called shibari. It’s not really my specialty, but for the moment this will do.” He fastened a third rope around her feet, completely immobilizing her, just as he’d told her he would. It looked like he was about to say something, but his cell phone rang, and he moved to answer it instead. He said only two words—“Perfect timing”—before hanging up and smiling at her as if he had a secret. Hell, he was her Dom. It was apparently his job to keep secrets. Her heart rate quickened when she heard the front door of the restaurant open and close, but Derek only smiled wider, and she relaxed when she realized he’d been expecting it. A moment later, Cam came into the room. Her ex-SEAL seemed distracted, and maybe even a little disappointed that they were both still awake, but then he noticed the way Derek had tied her, and his eyes widened. His grin also grew as he stepped closer and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “What did she do?” Cam asked Derek with a note of humor in his voice. “She forgot that she’s not the one in charge.” Cam smiled and ran his fingers through her hair affectionately. “Bearing in mind that I’m still getting used to the rules of this lifestyle, I take it that is very bad behavior for a submissive.” “That would be correct, Master Cameron.” “So this is her punishment? To be tied up for a period of time?” “Again correct. However,” Derek said with a quick glance at Maya and a wide smile for Cam, “our sub might learn her lesson more thoroughly if you were to fuck her while she is forcibly unable to take control.”

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Chapter Seven Cam’s cock had risen to attention almost the moment he walked in the bedroom door. Despite his self-imposed rules and decision that he needed to get out of Derek and Maya’s way, all thoughts fled when he saw Maya’s soft smile. It was obvious that she’d submitted to her punishment willingly, and he was fairly certain that she wanted him to fuck her as much as he did. He glanced at Derek as the man handed him a condom. Cam nodded his thanks and dragged his clothes off in record time. Hell, even if he was the third wheel, both Maya and Derek seemed to want him here, and at least until the threat to Maya was dealt with, he was going to spend as much time buried balls deep in her body as he could. He leaned over the bed, pressing a kiss to Maya’s smiling lips before dipping his head lower and flicking his tongue over her beaded nipple. She moaned as he dragged her bottom to the edge of the mattress. He moved back slightly, admiring the beautiful rope work that held her in place. Her clit was already swollen and shiny, her pussy lips pulled wide apart by her position, and he couldn’t help but move lower and suck the exposed nub into his mouth. She gasped, her pussy gushing more of her cream onto his chin as he tormented his beautiful sub. He lifted away and watched her face as he slid two fingers into her dripping channel. Her pussy gripped him, her orgasm close. He considered letting her climax, but then remembered this was supposed to be punishment. “Don’t come,” he instructed firmly.

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Derek smiled, moved onto the bed behind her, dragged her up the mattress several feet, and then tilted her backward so that she was supported on his knees instead of pressing against her bound hands. Maya snuggled her head against Derek’s abdomen and smiled at Cam as he slid the condom onto his cock. He knelt on the bed, barely noticing the stiffness of his damaged knee as he tucked his arms under her buttocks and lifted her pussy to his cock. He plunged into her in one hard thrust, burying himself balls deep in her heavenly heat. Maya panted, her orgasm so incredibly close he could feel her pussy walls twitching around him. “Don’t come,” he repeated as he pulled out completely. She whimpered, but stopped the noise before it could be considered a protest. Derek smiled at him and tilted his head in the direction of the lube. Cam nodded, pushed his cock back into Maya’s pussy, and groaned as the muscles fluttered around him once more. He pulled away, straining to hold on to his own control. He grabbed the lube, squirted a generous amount on his cock, and then coated her ass. He quickly worked the slippery fluid into her anus, groaning as she shook even more with arousal. The woman was simply incredible. Grinding his teeth, Cam pressed his cock against Maya’s hole and pushed forward, gasping as her tight ring of muscle opened for him and he slid into her hot depths. Maya gave him a frantic look, her entire body shaking. Cam glanced down to realize Derek was also tormenting her breasts, pinching and pulling at her stiff nipples. “Come for us, sub,” Cam said a moment before he slammed into her ass, dragged out, and slammed in again. Maya screamed, her body shaking violently between them, as Cam raced toward his own orgasm. Unable to resist her siren call, Cam let himself go, pounding into her ass over and over, stiffening as cum burst from his cock, pumping into the condom buried deep in her body. He leaned over her, pressing a desperate kiss to her mouth as an emotion he refused to acknowledge as anything other than deep

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caring rolled through him. But as she closed her eyes, the smile on her face so hauntingly beautiful, Cam couldn’t lie to himself any longer. It didn’t matter that he’d only known her a week. It didn’t matter that he had no real idea where his future lay, and it didn’t matter than she was in love with another man. Cam loved her with all of his heart. He just hoped he loved her enough to walk away when the time came. **** Maya glanced around the crowded restaurant and wondered how they were going to get through the busy night with two waitresses missing. Elise hadn’t even called in to explain. It wasn’t like her to not call, and Maya found herself watching the door and worrying more with each passing minute. When the phone rang, she rushed to grab it, almost forgetting to use the formal greeting she herself insisted staff use when dealing with customers over the phone. “Maya?” a soft voice asked. Relief flooded through her, but it lasted a mere moment as the young woman took a faltering breath and Maya’s worry suddenly tripled. “Elise, are you okay?” “I–I’m sorry, Maya. I need your h–help.” “Anything, Elise. Whatever you need,” Maya assured the young woman. “Good to know,” a mocking male voice said. Maya heard Elise’s sob, but it was obvious that someone had taken the phone from her. “Me and me boys are planning a party with you as the guest of honor, Mizz Reynolds. But you’re a hard lady to get alone.” Maya’s heart was racing a million miles an hour, her fear for Elise threatening to overwhelm all common sense. If they knew she’d had Cam or Derek with her every minute for the last week, they were probably watching her, maybe even right now.

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“Of course, Elise can always fill in. She’s a sweet thing, and I’m bettin’ untouched, so ya know we’ll be sure ’n’ ’ave fun with her. Of course,” the man said, sounding eminently reasonable, “you’re welcome to take her place. Ya know, you being the one with the kinky experience ’n’ all.” Maya wasn’t silly enough to believe they’d simply let Elise go. Cam and Derek had kept a lot of information from her over the past week, but her regular customers had been more than happy to fill her in on the rumors they’d heard. This gang had some of the local businesses and residents so nervous that most were too frightened to report their behavior. The few who had contacted the police had been terrorized into withdrawing their complaints. “Where are you?” Maya asked, trying to sound like she was playing along as she avoided looking over at Cam. If there was someone inside her restaurant reporting back to this man, she didn’t want them seeing her communicating with Cam. “Don’t go gettin’ smart, bitch. You really thinkin’ I’m stupid enough to give you an address so you can send them bodyguards after us?” “No, no, I just…I’ll come. Please, just don’t hurt Elise.” The man laughed, the noise grating on Maya’s overwrought nerves. “Me boys’ll be at the end of the alley in five minutes to pick you up. Be there alone. They see any hint of you being followed and poor little Elise is gonna learn about group sex real fast.” “Okay, okay,” Maya said. Making sure that the movement couldn’t be seen by anyone who might be watching, she carefully dug her cell phone out of her pocket, then held it under the bench, and frantically punched in a text message to Bianca. They’d always joked that they texted each other so much that they’d be able to do it with their eyes closed. Maya hoped to hell it was true because she didn’t dare lift the phone up, or look down to see it, in case whoever was watching her saw what she was doing. “I’ll be at the end of the alley, alone. In five minutes.”

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“Just you remember who’s in charge and little Elise is gonna be fine.” Maya wanted to call him a liar. Elise hadn’t been fine from the moment they’d taken her, and Maya walking alone into the proverbial lion’s den wasn’t going to save either of them. She prayed that her text made sense, pressed send, and dropped the phone into the garbage bin. It fell below some screwed up papers, and Maya truly hoped it was enough to hide it in case whoever was watching her searched under the reception desk. She didn’t even glance at Cam as she headed into the kitchen, fearful that he might notice something was wrong and try to stop her. If Bianca got her text, and the message made sense, she’d hopefully be making phone calls right now. Maya crossed her fingers and hoped to hell it worked. **** Cam watched the front and back doors from his position in the corner. For the past week he’d been trying to stay out of the way, yet still be able to protect Maya. He’d much rather lock her away somewhere safe until the danger was over, but he knew such actions weren’t practical. He saw Maya step into the kitchen just as his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and smiled when he saw his swim buddy’s name. “Hey, Logan. What’s up?” “Keep smiling as if we’re just catching up. You’re being watched.” “You don’t say?” he said with what he hoped was a genuinelooking smile on his face. “Maya just texted Bianca. Her message reads, ‘Elise taken, gang watching, wants me alone, back alley five minutes.’” Cam’s heart leapt into his throat, and he nearly went with his first instinct to run into the kitchen and grab Maya, but he swallowed the panic, smiled,

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and pretended everything was fine. “Bianca is fairly certain Maya will go along with their demands. She’s very protective of that kid. She’ll try to help her, but Maya won’t make contact with you directly. My guess is that she’ll step out the back door very soon.” Cam saw the back door open just as Logan said the words. “That sounds correct.” “She just left?” “Yep.” And didn’t he want to beat her ass for that? Even though he knew she was handling things probably the way he would have if the situation were reversed, it didn’t mean he wanted the woman he loved in danger. There were a few moments of silence on the line, and again Cam had to fight his instinct to go after the woman. “Okay. We have a visual. A blue old-model Pontiac just pulled up. Viper and I are going to follow at a discreet distance.” “Thanks,” Cam managed to force out of lips that felt numbed with fear. “Viper is on the phone to Derek. He’s calling in some favors from a few friends. We have no idea who is part of this gang or how far their influence goes, so until we know for certain, we’re keeping the mission quiet.” “Okay,” Cam said out loud, hoping that the grinding of his teeth wasn’t noticeable to whoever was watching. “In about five minutes, pretend to go looking for Maya. Act as if you don’t know she’s left the building, and then make some serious noise. Maybe you’ll be able to identify the watcher by his or her reaction to your supposed panic.” Supposed panic? Now that was one acting part that wasn’t going to be hard to fill. Cam glanced at his watch, forcing himself to calm down, reminding himself over and over that in this situation he was part of a team. Each team member had a function. It didn’t matter how much he needed to storm into an enemy stronghold and rescue Maya. He had a job to do, and any deviation would risk blowing whatever advantage they had right now.

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“No worries. Thanks for calling,” he said, feigning the casualness he sure as hell didn’t feel. “Stay in touch, buddy.” “I’ll call you when it’s done.” **** Derek’s blood was running hot and cold. Heated panic fought with the icy chill of fear as adrenaline pumped into his system and his body prepared to fight. The trouble was that until Viper could tell them an address, they were effectively sitting on their hands waiting. He cursed the fact that he was driving a marked police car. He would have been able to team up with Viper and Logan in any other car, but the distinctive coloring and flashing lights would only put Maya in more danger. He had no idea what those bastards were doing to her in the car, but he vowed swift retribution against anyone who hurt the woman he loved. “We’ll get her back,” his partner said grimly. They’d only been assigned to work together recently, but Derek had known Brick Darnell for many years. He was a good cop and, unless Derek had misread the man completely, was glad to have an opportunity to disrupt the activities of this particular gang. Like Cam, he’d interviewed too many victims recently who’d refused to name their attackers for fear of reprisal. “Arrogant sons of bitches,” Viper said over the phone. “They’ve driven into an industrial workshop on Vine Street. It looks quiet from where we’re sitting.” “Can you see Maya?” Derek asked worriedly, his heartbeat pounding in his throat as he moved the squad car into traffic and headed toward their location. “Not at the moment.” Viper was quiet for a while, and Derek knew him well enough to know that meant he was choosing his words carefully.

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“Spit it out, Viper,” he said irritably. He didn’t want sugarcoating. He wanted information, and he wanted to get Maya and Elise the hell out of there. “You need to hang back for a while. Stay out of sight. Logan and I are both trained to infiltrate an enemy base and extract hostages, so give us ten minutes to get into position and then call in as many squad cars as you can. Make sure they come in with sirens blazing. We might need the diversion.” “Okay,” Derek said, glancing at Brick briefly before turning his attention back to Viper. “Are you armed?” There was a part of him that really didn’t want to know the answer to that—this gang had caused more grief to more people than any other he’d known—but the responsible police officer in him knew that it would only make the overall situation worse if Logan and Viper’s actions were seen as those of vigilantes. “Relax, Officer Chambers. Logan and I will only be there to protect Maya and Elise. We don’t plan on killing anyone. Too much paperwork.” Derek smiled at Viper’s answer even as he silently acknowledged that neither Viper nor Logan would need a weapon to actually kill anyone. He also knew that both men would do what they had to do to keep Maya and Elise safe despite the consequences they may face later on. He just hoped that it didn’t become necessary. **** Cam counted off the seconds in his mind. With thirty seconds to go he levered out of the chair and headed into the kitchen. “Where’s Maya?” he asked the occupants of the room. The waitress and busboy both shook their heads, but looked concerned. The head chef shrugged and suggested, “Did you check upstairs?”

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It would have been a perfectly reasonable question if Cam hadn’t known for a fact that the man had seen Maya leave via the back door. The worst part was that the man seemed perfectly calm. He didn’t seem nervous in any way, which suggested to Cam that the chef wasn’t being threatened or coerced by anyone. It left Cam with only one thought—that the man was working with the gang who’d taken Maya. Cam turned to the two other occupants in the room intending to get them to leave so that he could interrogate the man quietly, but the chef must have sensed what Cam was thinking. The knife would have hit Cam in the chest if he hadn’t seen it coming. He turned pushing both of Maya’s employees out of the way as the knife sailed past them. It hit the wall and dropped to the floor with a soft clang. Despite being a fairly accurate throw, judging by the end over end tumble of the blade, it would most likely have hit him hilt first. Cam was across the kitchen almost before the man could grab a second weapon. The man smiled maliciously as he held the chef’s knife in front of him in a threatening manner. But it was obvious to Cam that the chef was more used to using knives for chopping than as weapons. He easily disarmed the man and then glanced over to find the waitress already on her cell phone to police. She smiled, gave Cam a thumbs-up signal, and continued to answer the emergency operator’s questions. Both she and the busboy followed Cam into the main area of the restaurant as he frog-marched the chef over to a chair in the corner. He pushed him into the seat, growled a warning for him not to move, and then took the phone the waitress handed to him and spoke to the emergency operator. **** Maya tried to breathe calmly, refusing to let the panic in. She’d dealt with bullies before and, as much as she wanted to react otherwise, knew at the moment it was best if she stayed quiet and

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compliant. She prayed that help was coming. She knew Cam would have seen the back door open, and the fact that he hadn’t immediately come after her gave her some hope that Bianca had gotten the text, understood what it meant, and had sent out the alarm. Help should be here any moment. Any moment. But right now she just needed to get to Elise. At least if she were in the same room, Maya had a chance of protecting the girl. The greasy-haired, pimple-faced teenager who’d sat in the backseat of the car with her tilted his head in a “follow me” type of order and then turned his back on her. She followed meekly even though they seemed to be giving her ample time to run. If they were waiting for her to show fear and give them an excuse to chase her down, they were going to be waiting a long time. She glanced around the area, surprised to realize they’d driven inside an actual working factory. This area was probably bustling with people during the day but, like most of the factories and storage facilities in this area, was locked up tight by dinnertime. It was probably a good place to headquarter a gang’s illegal activities, especially if they had the co-operation of the owners and the area’s security service. Several men stood over in one corner packaging something. She tried to keep her eyes on the man she was supposed to follow— pretending to be catatonic with fear wasn’t exactly hard at the moment—and hoped like hell that the little pills they were packing into tiny ziplock baggies weren’t what they seemed. But the realization that she was inside what appeared to be a drug distribution headquarters brought home one very solid fact. Whatever they had planned, she and Elise weren’t getting out of here alive.

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Chapter Eight Cam ducked out the back door as soon as the police arrived. He’d make a statement later, but right now his priority was getting to Maya. He dug his cell out of his pocket and dialed Derek’s phone. “The chef was involved,” Cam said the moment Derek answered his phone. “Where are you?” “We’re parked in the street on the east side of Viper’s.” Cam started running. Viper’s Dungeon wasn’t far from the restaurant, so that meant that wherever the gang had taken Maya wasn’t very far away. Cam held the phone close to his ear as Derek filled him in on the plan. “Unofficially, we’re giving Logan and Viper ten minutes to get in and find Maya and Elise before mobilizing.” “How many is ‘we?’” Cam asked as he ran faster and ignored the pain in his knee. “Seven squad cars and a special response team. Turns out this address has been under surveillance for some time now. The commander wouldn’t go into details, but they suspect that half the drugs on the local streets are processed through here.” Cam turned the corner and reached the side of Derek’s squad car as the information sunk in. How the fuck did this become about drugs? “I thought you said she broke the leader’s nose during a break-in. Why would drug dealers stoop to petty theft? It doesn’t make any sense.” ****

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Derek shook his head as Cam climbed into the backseat of the squad car. He really didn’t want to explain what he’d learned in the past five minutes. But Cam loved Maya—even if he hadn’t said it yet, it was obvious in everything he said and everything he did—and deserved to know what was happening. “The drug squad thinks the street gang is just an offshoot of the real crime gang in this town. From the names they gave me, the kid we thought was the leader is probably the son or maybe kid brother of the top man.” For a moment Cam looked angry enough to demolish an entire building with his bare hands, but somehow he pulled the emotion under control and asked for more details. “When did Logan and Viper go in?” “Two and a half minutes ago.” “Has there been any noise or commotion? Shouting? People moving or loading vehicles quickly?” “Not yet,” Derek answered, hoping the two police officers watching the building were doing their jobs. They couldn’t see anything from here, and moving the vehicle closer risked tipping off the men inside the building. “Okay, I’m going to circle around the back of the building,” Cam said as he quietly left the vehicle. “Don’t be in there when the police arrive.” Cam nodded, and despite his huge size and injured knee, somehow managed to disappear into the night. **** Maya couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. Elise, eyes red from crying but seemingly unhurt, sat in a large chair in an overly decorated, ostentatious office, surrounded by a half-dozen boys pretending to be men.

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She didn’t recognize the young man whose nose she’d broken—it had been too dark to see properly that night, and it was why he’d never been charged with breaking and entering—but figured he was the one with the fading bruises from two black eyes. He stepped over to her and tried to intimidate her with his height. Since he was barely two inches taller than her, and nowhere near the imposing height and muscular physique as either of her men, Maya actually found it hard not to laugh. A hysterical reaction perhaps, but one that earned her a solid slap across the face. “On your knees, bitch.” “As soon as you let Elise go, I’ll do whatever you want.” The kid started laughing, the sound mocking and cruel. “Nah, we decided the sweet thing can stay. Wouldn’t want her to miss the party.” He turned to his friends, smiling and encouraging them to laugh with him. Maya took the opportunity to place herself between them and Elise. “Oh, look at that. She’s gone all momma bear on us. You think you can take us all on, whore? Think you gonna win?” The door opened behind the youth taunting her, but the man who stepped through scared the hell out of her. This wasn’t some kid. He looked hard and dangerous and completely pissed off. “Junior, what the fuck is all this?” “Just…ah…teaching a couple of bitches their place, Dad.” The older man cuffed his son hard across the back of his head. “Stupid fucking kid!” He walked over to stare at Maya a moment and then turned back to his son. “This the one from the restaurant?” When his son nodded, the guy belted the kid across the head again. “I told you to leave that alone. Fuck. You’re as stupid as your whore of a mother.” Maya felt a twinge of sympathy for the kid—despite the threat he’d posed moments ago. He seemed barely seventeen and, if

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his father’s behavior tonight was anything to go by, couldn’t have had a very happy life. “Get out. Take your loser friends with you.” The group of young men who’d posed such a dangerous threat a few moments ago now seemed no more than chastised children. The man’s son left the room last, slamming the door angrily. But then the older man turned back to Maya, finally seemed to notice Elise curled in a ball in the chair behind her, and then gave them both a friendly smile. “I apologize for my son’s reckless actions. He had no cause to bring you here. I’m very sorry.” Surprised by his words, Maya felt a very small amount of relief drip through her. But it evaporated instantly when the man lifted a handgun off the table and aimed it at her head. **** Cam crept around the outside of the building. So far he’d located at least four “security” guards. They wore standard-looking uniforms, but the fact that they carried automatic weapons and stayed in the shadows suggested they weren’t at all what they seemed. Fortunately, they weren’t very well trained either. Or at least Cam assumed that was the case since they were all currently sleeping and their weapons emptied of ammunition. Cam smiled. He’d recognize Logan’s handiwork anywhere. He caught up to Viper and Logan a few moments later. Despite the fact that Cam hadn’t been on active duty in over six months and Viper had been a civilian for many years, the three of them quickly fell into a workable team. They managed to enter the back door using a set of keys they’d lifted from one of the security guards and quietly crept into the building. Drawn by the sound of an angry male voice, Cam, Viper, and Logan headed in that direction.

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**** Maya held the young woman as she screamed. It had all happened so fast, she wasn’t even sure exactly what had happened. One moment the guy was pointing a gun at her head. The next, her ears were ringing from the loud sound of the gun being shot, but unless she was mistaken the bullet had somehow missed her. The guy had crumpled to the floor unconscious a moment later, and then Cam was standing in front of her. She blinked, wondering if maybe she was hallucinating and seeing what she wanted to see rather than what was right in front of her, but no matter how many times she closed and opened her eyes, Cam still stood there with that cocky grin. Viper nodded, winked, and disappeared out the door. Elise’s screams finally stopped, but the absence of sound just magnified the ringing in Maya’s ears. Never again did she want to be that close to a discharging weapon. “Maya,” Cam whispered quickly, “the drug squad is about to raid the building. Derek will be with them. Stay in here. Stay calm, and keep your head down. We were never here.” He turned to leave, but then turned back, grabbed her quickly and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’m glad you’re safe.” “Thanks to you,” Maya said as the realization of how close she’d actually come to dying zipped through her. “Actually,” Cam said with that oh-so-familiar, cocky grin that made her ache to hold him, “it’s thanks to you. If you hadn’t gotten that text to Bianca, we might never have found you.” “That was pretty clever,” Viper said as he ducked his head back into the room and signaled for Cam to hurry up. But of course, Viper being Viper, he added in his big-brother-style teasing tone, “Bianca always said you two would be able to text blindfolded. I’m glad to find out she was right.”

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Cam grabbed his cell phone, dialed Derek, and explained where they were inside the building, and then he and Viper left as quietly as they’d arrived. They were gone for less than ten seconds when Derek came into the room. He spared a smile for Maya and then stood protecting her and Elise as the drug squad officers raided the building and did their job. **** Two weeks later Cam watched from the doorway as Maya slept in Derek’s arms. It had literally taken days to get through the official police process of making a statement, but the good news was that the overwhelming amount of evidence most likely negated Maya and Elise’s need to testify in court. The gang had been under police surveillance for quite some time. The drug charges were enough to send the man and his son and at least a dozen others to jail for a very long time. Throw in the myriad of other crimes the police had been able to trace back to the street gang, and it was going to be many, many years before any of them would see freedom. It didn’t stop Cam from worrying about Maya’s safety though. He’d vowed to stay close until the threat against her was neutralized, but was it possible that she was in even more danger than before? Maybe he should start making plans to stay here permanently. He shook his head, leaned against the doorjamb, and tried to view the situation objectively. The lead officer on the drug raid had been adamant that Maya and Elise were no longer in any danger. They were very literally a very small part of a massive investigation. Even without the women’s testimonies the DA expected the same outcome. So testifying, or staying quiet, didn’t affect Maya’s safety one way or the other. Being a police officer, Derek was in the best position to monitor the situation, and if anything did change, he had

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an entire network of police officers, ex-SEALs, and Doms he could call on for help. Cam had no doubt that Derek would call him back into bodyguard duty if the situation required it. But unfortunately that left Cam with the uncomfortable realization that he was now staying because he wanted to. It didn’t seem fair to Maya or Derek that he was still hanging around. The sex was still amazing, seriously kinky, and teaching him a side of himself he’d never before guessed was inside. Yet, despite the fact that Maya and Derek both made him feel like he belonged, it didn’t change the fact that Maya loved Derek. The last two weeks had been a bittersweet torture of watching them both fall deeper in love. “Cam?” Maya said sleepily as she tried to sit up in bed. “Go back to sleep, Maya. I didn’t mean to wake you.” “Why are you awake?” she asked, clearly ignoring his instructions. A part of him considered spanking her ass for talking in the one room that, as their sub, she’d promised not to, but he didn’t want to wake Derek. Unfortunately, Maya’s words did that for him. He glanced at the other man and realized the cop was watching him with eyes that saw way more than most people. Cam plastered on his trademark cocky grin hoping that it would convince Derek that all was well. But Derek slid out of Maya’s embrace, dragged on his jeans, tilted his head toward the door, and a moment later they stepped into the hallway. “What is it?” he asked without preamble. Only Logan had been able to see through him the way Derek did, yet he’d known the other man for years, not a handful of weeks like he’d known Derek. “I think I should head home.” They weren’t exactly the words that he’d meant to say, but a quick glance at Derek’s concerned expression convinced him that they were probably the most sensible. He couldn’t hang around this loving couple for the rest of his life hoping that Maya would one day learn to love him. It wasn’t fair on any of them.

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Derek gave him a curious look, but simply nodded his acknowledgement. For some reason that just pissed Cam off. “I…ah…have to get a job, find a place to live, maybe figure out some plans for the future,” he hastened to explain, which pissed him off even more. He was the third wheel in this relationship. He didn’t need to justify his actions to anyone, but for some reason he felt compelled to explain his reasons to Derek. Derek just nodded again, and when Cam opened his mouth to say something else, Derek gave him another of those concerned expressions. “Maya will be disappointed.” Cam acknowledged the man’s words with a curt nod. It wasn’t his intention to disappoint Maya, but now that she was safe he couldn’t really justify hanging around any longer. A small part of him admitted that he was also worried that the longer he remained the harder it would be for him to walk away. But as much as he wanted to stay, he knew that eventually he would want more from Maya, and he refused to hurt the woman by demanding more from her than she was able to give. He turned to leave, but the cop’s next words stopped him in his tracks. “Didn’t pick you for a coward.” Cam turned back to angrily face the accusation, but couldn’t find words to deny what was in some ways true. His silence damned him, and Derek dropped all pretense of being calm and became very serious. “If you can’t give her your heart, then she’s better off without you.” “My heart?” Cam asked, bewildered. “She has my heart. She’s always had my heart. For fuck’s sake, Derek, can’t you see that me staying will only mess things up for you and Maya in the long run?” Cam hadn’t meant to confess so much, and his need to escape the revealing conversation nearly had him running for the door, but again he was stopped in his tracks, this time by Maya’s quiet voice.

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“You love me?” she asked in a strangely hopeful tone. “I’m sorry, Maya. I know you love Derek.” Horrified to realize the blurriness of his vision was due to tears, he slammed his eyes closed and tried to regain his emotional balance. When Maya moved into his arms, he couldn’t help but hold on tight. He stood there in the hallway, clinging to the woman he loved, trying to find the courage to walk away and do what was right. He sensed Derek leave them alone, but still he couldn’t find the strength to walk away. He loved Maya. For the first time in his life he was truly, utterly, head over heels in love with a woman. Yet she belonged to someone else. Silently he cursed the fates who’d brought him into her life, but knew he’d never stop loving the woman, no matter the time or distance apart. But then her quiet words, spoken over and over, finally reached his brain, and he wondered if he’d heard her right. “You love me?” he asked, echoing her earlier question. “Of course I love you,” she said with a watery smile. “What do you think this relationship has been all about?” “But what about Derek?” Maya gave Cam a worried look. “I love him, too,” she confessed quietly. Cam nodded in acknowledgement and just hugged the woman harder. He could live with that. In fact it seemed rather fitting. The three of them together made a cohesive whole, and now that he knew that Maya loved him as much as he loved her, he realized something he’d known all along—this was where he belonged. “Well then,” he said, trying to find solid footing on mushy, emotional ground, “I guess it’s about time I got myself a job.” “Guess so,” Maya said and then proved that she knew him better than he knew himself. “I hear they still have a vacancy over at the youth center. There are plenty of kids like Elise who could really benefit from knowing someone was there if they needed help. And,

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you know, being able to disarm the occasional knife-wielding drug dealer would look good on your résumé.” Cam laughed quietly and glanced over Maya’s shoulder to see Derek standing there watching them with a wide grin. “Now that we have that sorted out,” he said, holding up a ball gag for them both to see, “how do you suggest we punish our naughty sub for talking when she didn’t have permission?” Maya shivered in his embrace, but he knew his woman well enough to know that was a shiver of excitement. She pulled from his arms, grinned wickedly, and then turned and ran into the bedroom. Cam was right behind her.

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Epilogue Three months later… Maya tried to drag in a deep breath, but it didn’t really help still the butterflies beating frantic wings inside her belly. She attempted to turn her thoughts to something else, hoping that going over tomorrow night’s menu, or remembering the wonderful compliments her customers had given her new chef, would help settle her nerves. She even replayed the news she’d gotten this morning about how her old chef was now doing solid jail time thanks to his links with organized crime and his pathetic attempt to scare her into selling the restaurant at well below market value. But none of it worked. In fact the butterflies seemed to have turned into bats and were twisting her stomach into knots. She wasn’t an exhibitionist. She’d never had any sort of inclination to strip in front of a crowd of people and let one of her Doms beat her to orgasm, but somehow here she was. She shivered when she caught sight of Derek’s collection of leather floggers. She usually enjoyed this at home, but sure as hell didn’t like the idea of having an audience. Cam had already fastened the cuffs around her wrists and ankles and moved her into position against the St. Andrew’s Cross. He slowly and methodically checked and rechecked her bonds as he clipped her cuffs to the rings on the wood. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips as he cinched the lumbar support around her waist. “Relax, sub. Pretend it’s just the three of us.”

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She had at least a dozen smart-ass comebacks for that order, but just like in her bedroom, she was forbidden to talk in Viper’s Dungeon, so she held her lips shut and frowned instead. Cam laughed quietly, threaded his hand through her hair, and forced her to accept his tongue in her mouth. She moaned around the invasion, and despite her nerves felt a gush of liquid pulse from her pussy. She shifted slightly, now doubly embarrassed to be aroused and on display. Cam and Derek had consented to let her wear a skintight bodysuit, rather than be naked, but it didn’t change the fact that they fully intended to make her come in the middle of a room full of people. Despite how well they knew her body, Maya worried that she was going to disappoint them. She could barely hear Derek’s voice over her pounding heartbeat as he explained to other Doms the best approach for bringing a reluctant sub to orgasm in public. She knew Derek was considered an expert in this field of BDSM, but still she had to wonder if he’d finally met his match. Not that she wanted to embarrass him. That was the last thing she wanted. Hell, just the thought of disappointing him in this way sent her gasping for air. “As you can see by Maya’s increased breathing rate, my sub is very worried that she is about to disappoint me. At this point it is very important to reassure your sub. Orgasm is unlikely to be reached if your sub is expending all of her energy on a panic attack.” Maya wanted to poke her tongue out at him. She was nervous, but she was not about to panic. Cam moved in front of her, grabbed her nipples between finger and thumb with both hands and squeezed really, really tight. Fuck, she was gasping for air still, but now for a whole different reason. “I’ve found it most effective to distract a nervous sub before panic sets in,” Derek said with an obvious smile in his voice. Cam deftly attached the G-clamps to her sore nipples and screwed them both just a little tighter than usual. Even through the thin spandex material her breasts throbbed with her heartbeat, sending

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pulses of warmth straight to her clit. She could feel the little bud swelling and pressing hard against the material of her skintight suit. Her anus clenched in reaction, the squeezing around the plug Derek had put there earlier setting alight all sorts of delicious sensations. Maya closed her eyes, trying to slow down her heart rate and ignore the fact that she was turned on in front of a room full of people. To be completely honest she hadn’t expected to feel even this much arousal, and she felt a tiny trickle of relief that she just might be able to do this. But then she glanced up from under her eyelashes and saw Viper and Bianca watching and wanted to crawl into a hole. Her friendship with them outside the club was so normal that it felt weird to be exposed this way in front of them. She might not have been naked, but the bodysuit did nothing to hide her shape. It very literally hugged every curve, pulling tight between her pussy lips and up the crack of her ass. “Maya, look at me,” Cam said in that tone of voice that she always instinctively obeyed. He smiled when she looked up. “Derek and I both believe you’re ready for this, but it’s okay to use your safe word if you need to. Neither of us is going to be upset.” He reached over and cupped her face with his large hand, caressing her cheek as he watched her closely. “We both love you, sugar. You don’t need to do this if you truly don’t want to.” She closed her eyes, soaking in the warmth of his caring. Maya gave him a small smile, shook her head, and refused to use her safe word. Just knowing that they wouldn’t be upset if she failed, made the trying just that slight bit easier to cope with. “Good girl,” Cam said as he pressed a kiss to her slightly sweaty forehead. “Come for me.” The unexpected vibration against her clit had her jolting away, but Cam merely wrapped a big hand around her hip and held her in place. A moment later a second vibration came from the plug in her ass.

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She moaned, the incredible sensations overriding every thought in her head. She shook all over, the rings on the cross clanking against the clips on her cuffs as she shook with wild abandon. Heated waves of ecstasy flowed over her, around her, through her, the insistent buzzing in her most sensitive areas sending her into overload. Gasping, panting, jolting, Maya tried to catch her breath as the orgasm finally loosened its grip and let her come down. But then Cam dragged on the chain attached to her nipple clamps and she screamed and climaxed once more. Over and over and over pleasure bounced through her system, her mind a complete blank, the only elements of her world the delicious sensations swirling inside her. “Good girl,” Cam whispered as he finally removed the vibrator from her clit. Even after the pulsating slowed and then eventually stopped in her ass, Maya continued to tremble as complete exhaustion took over. She wanted to growl at them for their sneaky tactics— they’d let her think Derek was going to use the floggers to bring her to orgasm—so Cam’s use of a vibrator had not only caught her by surprise, but had also circumvented the nerves that had grown every time Derek had touched the leather floggers. Cam held her close as Derek helped him to undo her bonds. She barely registered that Derek continued talking to the gathered crowd, and the only words to make any sense were, “Thank you, sub.” Cam lifted her into his arms and carried her from the main room and into one of the private playrooms. He laid her on her back in the middle of the bed, kissed her softly, and then moved to undo the nipple clamps. She sighed with relief, groaning quietly as the blood started to flow once more, and then moaned in appreciation as Cam ran his tongue over the aching buds. Now that they were no longer being watched by a crowd, she wanted to be naked. She wanted to be with her men. Cam must have had the same thought because he tucked his fingers into the neckline of the outfit and stretched outward until he could ease it over her

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shoulders and drag it down her body. A part of her was embarrassed by how wet the crotch was in the material, but the emotion was quickly replaced by warm lassitude as Cam lowered his head and licked the wet lips of her pussy. His tongue probed her swollen labia, his lips nibbling and suckling on the slippery flesh until she was writhing against the mattress, her exhaustion replaced with renewed arousal. Maya’s breathing faltered when she heard the door to the room open and then close, but her momentary fear was quickly forgotten when she realized that Derek had joined them. He leaned over the bed, pressed a kiss to her lips, and then gave her a warm smile. “I’m very proud of you, sub. Everyone was very impressed.” Maya could feel her cheeks heating once more with embarrassment as she remembered that amazing orgasm. Maybe she hadn’t been paying proper attention in the past few months, but she hadn’t even known butt plugs came in a vibrating variety. Cam flicked her clit with his tongue one more time before he crawled up the bed and pressed his wet lips against her own. “We have a surprise for you, Maya.” She wanted to ask what her surprise was, but the Dom-sub etiquette applied to the whole of the club, even the private rooms. There were no rules about frowning her annoyance though. Derek swatted her thigh, and she quickly changed her expression. Okay, there was the whole spanking part if they even thought she was being naughty, but she’d learned over the past months that sometimes a little pain was worth getting her own way now and then. Although it didn’t hurt that even just the thought of being spanked by one of her Doms was enough to heighten her arousal now, so the few punishments she’d received over the past month or two hadn’t exactly hurt. Of course, since she was unable to speak, she couldn’t tell her Doms that.

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“You look like the cat who ate the cream, Maya,” Cam whispered in her ear. “I suggest whatever you’re thinking you try to think of something else.” The swat on her thigh proved that Derek heard every word Cam had whispered, but she tried to rearrange her expression anyway. “Roll over, sub. Head down, ass up.” She did as ordered, quite familiar with the submissive pose that Derek seemed to love. He grabbed hold of the butt plug, wiggling it enough to make her moan. “Push out,” he said as he eased the plastic toy from her ass. Her muscles spasmed trying to adjust to the empty feeling, but the sound of lube being squeezed from the bottle had her heart rate jumping once more. Thick fingers worked more lube into her ass, her clit already swelling once more. She whimpered as Derek lined up the head of his cock with her anus and pushed deep into her body with one smooth thrust. Her ass quickly adjusted, arousal burning through her as he lowered himself over her, caging her completely. She couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to. Fortunately, she never wanted to. Derek and Cam were the men of her dreams, the true loves of her heart, and hopefully, one day, would be the fathers of her children. She couldn’t imagine a future without them both by her side, and she vowed to make them as happy as they made her. But then Derek rolled sideways, not stopping until she was on top of him, her back to his chest, his cock still firmly wedged in her ass. He kissed her neck as he ran his hands down her stomach, and then lower to ease her thighs wide apart. “We’re going to take you together, sugar,” Cam said as he climbed onto the bed between hers and Derek’s thighs. They’d talked about this, but it had always been something they would consider in the future. As much as Maya had wanted to try taking both of her men at the same time, she hadn’t pushed the issue. Cam and Derek were friends, only friends, and she hadn’t wanted to make them uncomfortable by asking them to get so close in a physical sense.

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But whatever had held them back seemed to have been overcome, and Maya smiled as Cam leaned over her and pressed his cock against her pussy. They groaned in unison as Cam pushed slowly into her body. Derek stayed still in her ass, but she could feel his breathing increase exponentially as her pussy and ass muscles gripped them both much tighter. “Holy shit,” Derek said, gulping for air as Cam finally sat balls deep in her pussy. Cam echoed the exclamation a moment later when Derek held her tight as he slowly slid his cock almost all of the way out of her ass. When he slid back in, all three of them groaned. “I never imagined,” Maya whispered, forgetting that she wasn’t allowed to speak. The spiritual connection she felt to both men at that moment was incredible, and most unexpected. Somehow, she’d thought that this would just be another form of kinky sex, but it was so much more. Tears blurred her vision, but Cam lowered his head to press his lips to her eyelids. “I love you, Maya,” he whispered between kisses. He eased out of her pussy, his eyes darkening with his own arousal. She groaned as Derek lifted her higher, thrusting into her harder. “I love you, too, baby,” Derek said as he pulled out and thrust in again. “We’ll punish you later for talking without permission.” He punctuated the threat with a sharp nip on her earlobe. “But right now we both need to hear you say it.” “Say what?” she teased, knowing exactly what they wanted. Both men stilled, waiting for her answer, refusing to let her move. She smiled at their dominating tactics. “Say that you love us, you need us, and you’ll never let us go,” Cam said with a soft smile. In the past few months she’d watched Cam settle into a life he was eminently suited for. The kids at the youth center needed strong male role models, and Cam proved every day that he was the perfect man for the job. He understood training and discipline, hard work and respect, and the kids responded to that in kind. Cam had even gotten Derek and her involved, so in some

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ways the kids who visited the youth center had become a type of extended family. And it just made her love her men all the more. “I love you both, I need you both, and I’m never, ever letting you go.” Both men held her tighter, their movements starting again, the slide and glide into her body starting to build to a more frantic pace. And then all hell broke loose. Unexpected orgasm slammed her, every cell in her body vibrating with a release that just went on and on and on. Cam groaned, his hips snapping forward to slam his cock deep into her pussy. Derek started rocking into her ass so hard and fast that the combined movements threw her into a second, more intense climax, her body heating, her breath jamming, her love overflowing as her orgasm swept through her, bouncing back to scorch her over and over again. Both men stilled, pressed to the hilt in her body as their orgasms took them. “I love you,” Cam said many moments later as he leaned forward, kissed her hard, and then eased out of her still-throbbing pussy. Derek whispered the same as he rolled her onto her stomach again. Both Cam and Derek helped her to move to a comfortable position, their gentle care bringing tears to her eyes. They truly were wonderful men. Derek cleaned her up—something she’d realized long ago was, to him, a very necessary part of being her Dom—and then climbed onto the bed beside her. Both men lifted onto their elbows, one man on either side, and stared down at her as she lay on her back between them. “We have a question for you, sub, and the only acceptable answer is ‘yes,’” Derek said with a stern voice. He merely grinned at Cam’s frown of disapproval. “That’s not exactly fair,” Cam said with a slightly worried expression on his face. Nervous energy tightened Maya’s muscles, and her gaze bounced from one man to the other.

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“The Dom-sub relationship isn’t supposed to be fair,” Derek said sternly, but it was obvious from his expression that he was teasing Cam rather than stating a fact. “All right, I’ll rephrase.” He winked at Maya and then started over. “We have a question for you, sub. The only words you are allowed to say in this room are ‘yes, Sir.’” He smiled at Cam before adding, “If the answer is ‘no’ I expect you to roll over and submit to a spanking until the answer is ‘yes, Sir.’ Is that clear, sub?” Maya nodded. Cam looked a little upset, and she finally realized her men were communicating with body language and hand gestures. She smiled at their behavior. It was probably a strange reaction to their disagreement, but she felt closer to these two men than she’d ever felt to anyone in her life. Cam gave Derek one more exasperated look, and then leaned over to help her to sit up. “Maya,” Cam said as Derek sat up as well, and they each reached for a hand, “will you marry us?” “What?” Oops, another unauthorized word. “Marry both of you?” She was so getting a spanking for this little outburst, but this conversation was too important to stay silent. “In a manner of speaking,” Cam said with a smile. “Derek will officially be your husband, but we were planning a joining ceremony right here in the club.” “Why him?” Oh, she was going to have trouble sitting for days. Cam shrugged. “We flipped a coin.” “You did what?” It probably wasn’t fair to be annoyed, considering she had no real preference over which man’s name was on the paperwork. If polygamy were legal in this state she’d marry them both in a heartbeat. Cam leaned over and touched her face with the back of his knuckles. “Please say yes.” Maya smiled at them both. Permanently join her life to these two incredible, funny, exciting, demanding, amazing men who made her the center of their universe? Hell, yeah. She scrambled into their

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arms. Kissing them both frantically, tears filling her eyes as she imagined all the wonderful years they would hopefully spend together. Eventually Derek held her away, staring straight into her eyes, his need for a verbal answer very obvious. Loving him even more for the small hint of vulnerability, Maya gave him the answer he’d been looking for. “Yes, Sir.”

THE END WWW.ABBYBLAKE.BLOGSPOT.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Abby Blake prefers to read or write romance over just about everything else—except maybe chocolate. Most days she can be found hurrying to do what needs to be done so that she can curl up with her laptop and her latest bunch of heroes.

Also by Abby Blake Ménage Everlasting: Viper’s Dungeon 1: Emma’s Education Ménage Everlasting: Suddenly Wolf Ménage Everlasting: Suddenly Wolf, Too Ménage Everlasting: Suddenly Bear Ménage Everlasting: Suddenly Bear, Too

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/abby-blake

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com