She looked down now at the silver slave cuffs on her wrists—the same cuffs Daniel wore on his. Once snapped into place, they couldn’t be removed save by a special key.
Though she was ready to try to make a life with the two men, the thought of giving up her apartment was unsettling. On the other hand, she hadn’t been writing much since she’d entered their household. There was still a month left on her lease, but paying rent for a place she wasn’t in didn’t make much sense.
It was Liam who came up with a suggestion that would give her more time to make sure this move was the correct one for her. “It’s probably a good idea to keep your place for the next month. That’ll give us all a chance to make sure the arrangement is working out.”
He had insisted on paying the last month. Somehow, he managed to make it seem as if she were the one doing him a favor by taking the check. “Please, Alex. I want you to be able to focus on your training without stressing over money issues. Let me do this small thing.”
She went to sleep that Saturday night with a T-shirt of Daniel’s she borrowed from their laundry hamper on a sudden whim. She held it close, inhaling his scent. She pretended she was in his arms with Liam spooned behind her, instead of curled alone with only her dreams for company.
Sunday morning, she was jerked from sleep by a persistent ringing sound. Still half-asleep, she fumbled for the alarm clock, worried she’d overslept and wouldn’t be showered and groomed in time for Liam’s inspection.
When she realized it was her cell phone, she grabbed it from beside the bed. She focused blearily on the small screen. It was Cheryl Carson, her best friend and the one person who actually knew what she’d been doing this past week.
“Hey, Cheryl,” Alex said, yawning.
“Were you sleeping?”
“Yeah. What time is it?”
“It’s after ten. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“That’s okay. I was going to call you.”
“You came home yesterday?”
“Yeah. Just to pack. I’m going back. They want me to move in with them.”
“No way! Oh my god!” Cheryl’s voice rose at least an octave.
“What are you freaking out about?”
“Oh gee, I don’t know. Let’s see. Maybe the fact you’re moving in with two gay guys you barely know to live as a sex slave in their S&M dungeon. Uh, no biggie. I don’t know what my problem is.”
“It’s nothing like that. First of all, they aren’t gay, they’re bi. Second of all, they don’t have a dungeon—just some really hot equipment in their playroom. For your information, I have my own bedroom with a four-poster bed and a beautiful view of the grounds. My submission to them is totally consensual. I want it. I’m not being forced or anything like that. You know this is something I’ve always wanted to explore.”
“Explore is one thing. Moving in after a week is another. I mean, come on, what the hell are you letting yourself in for? What kind of fantasyland are you living in to think this can possibly work out in the long term?”
“You don’t understand. Liam and Daniel are two of the most exciting, sexy men I’ve ever met. They offer something I’ve dreamed about and yearned for ever since I knew I was a sexual being.” Alex sighed. She’d tried to explain the sensual nuance of erotic submission to her friend before, but Cheryl persisted in thinking it was all just kinky play—black leather, whips and chains.
She tried again. “When I’m with them, I feel this kind of serenity. A calmness. At the same time, I feel more alive than I ever have before. I feel vitalized. Like the world was in two dimensions before and now it’s in three. Or like those movies where it’s in black and white and suddenly switches to color.
“When they asked me to stay, I knew it was the right move for me. Maybe not for a lifetime, but for as long as they’ll have me. It’s what I want, Cheryl. It’s what I need.”
Cheryl was quiet a moment. Finally she said, “So what about the small detail that they’re in love with each other and not you?”
Damn Cheryl with her uncanny ability to cut straight to the chase. Alex tried to keep her voice light and even managed to force a laugh. “What’s love got to do with it?”
Chapter 2
Daniel found himself looking at the clock every three minutes or so. It was going on eight and still no sign of the girl. Liam had left the hour before for the train station, calmly kissing Daniel goodbye. Neither of them had mentioned her name that morning, though they might as well have screamed it, so much was she on their minds—at least she was on Daniel’s mind.