Two for Alex

Liam stood. “I’m pretty much done anyway. Alex,” he turned to the girl, “you can clean up in here and then take free time.”

“Yes, Sir.” She spoke softly and Daniel knew her well enough to hear the confusion and hurt behind her words. He would deal with that later. Right now Liam and he needed to reconnect, not only as Dom and sub but as partners.

He followed Liam up the stairs and into their bedroom. Daniel sat on the bed. Liam sat in a chair nearby. It was as if there were already a wall between them. Daniel realized he’d better tear it down before it got too high.

“Liam,” he began. “Something doesn’t feel right between us.” He half hoped Liam would deny it. He would tell Daniel it was all in his head and everything was right as rain. He would explain how they could make it all work. How they could keep Alex around and still maintain their open and loving relationship. How jealousy had no place in a relationship such as theirs.

“Yes. I know.”

The words were like a blow to his solar plexus. He drew in a ragged breath and waited. Liam was watching him in that way he had, as if he could read every thought in Daniel’s head and every secret in his heart.

“Talk to me,” Liam said gently. “Tell me what’s going on for you.”

“It’s Alex.”

Liam nodded. When Daniel didn’t continue, Liam repeated, “Alex?”

Okay, he was just going to plunge in and say it. “Yeah. Alex. She’s coming between us. It’s not her fault, but I find myself having feelings and doubts I never had before we brought in a third person. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved training her. I’ve really enjoyed exploring my dominant side and even my het side. I didn’t realize I could respond so sexually toward a woman but something about her…”

“Yes,” Liam said softly, and again Daniel’s heart contracted. Was Liam falling in love with her? Was he already there?

Daniel’s reason was suddenly overcome by fear. He forgot his place, jealousy making him reckless. “Why do you say it like that? What the fuck’s going on? You arranged today to get her alone. Admit it. Go on. You can tell me. I’m just your sub, after all. You can do what you like. It’s not up to me. Go on. Tell me.”

Liam stood and moved quickly toward the bed. He put his arm around Daniel’s shoulder and pulled him toward him. “Stop it. Daniel. Stop and think about what you’re saying. Do you really think I set this up, waiting until you were out of the house so I could fuck her or whatever it is you think we were up to? You’re right. You belong to me. Not the other way around. If I want to fuck Alex, with or without your permission, then I’ll do it.”

Liam pulled away and looked down. When he looked up again his eyes were sad. “What happened to the trust all of a sudden? Haven’t I left you every day alone with her? When I found you that time, didn’t you deny anything was going on and didn’t I believe you?”

Daniel felt his face heat and he turned away. Liam was right. It wasn’t just his fear of Liam coveting Alex. It was his own strong feelings as well. He was becoming possessive. He was forgetting his place and his duty to Liam. He was losing his submissive direction and instead of feeling empowered by this, he felt bereft and cast adrift.

“I’m sorry, Liam. I don’t know what’s going on exactly. Maybe this whole thing is a big mistake.”

“No. No, listen. I need to be honest too. Today, while you were gone. I—I had Alex in the playroom. I was teaching her about orgasm through pain, about incorporating the pain as part of the pleasure. When she—when she came and I saw her lying there, so vulnerable and open, I wanted to…”

He trailed away and Daniel bit his lip to keep from howling aloud with pain. Liam continued. “I wanted to fuck her. And listen to me, Daniel. Listen well. That is my right as her Dom and Master and as yours. She gave us that right, both of us. She is submissive to you and to me. And you are submissive to me. That means I don’t need your permission to fuck Alex. I want that understood. Do you understand it, slave boy?”

Daniel looked into Liam’s handsome face. Though his tone was firm, his eyes were kind, even pleading. Daniel nodded. “Yes, I understand, Sir.”

“Good. But that’s not what troubled me. I didn’t fuck her. You know why?”

“No, Sir.”

“Because I realized I wanted to keep it a secret from you. Because I didn’t want to hurt you or make you think I desired her more than I desire you. I wanted to keep a secret. Do you see? A lie by omission. I’ve never done that, Daniel. Not with you. I realized right then if I did fuck her, I would be betraying you. Not because I don’t have the right to use her as I wish but because I wasn’t including you.