Emma's Education

Viper's Dungeon 1

Emma's Education Emma didn’t even know something was missing until she found it. Terrified by her first taste of BDSM, Emma begins to learn the true meaning of submission when Jace and Logan intervene. Jace has finally reached a point in his life where he’s looking to build a future with that special someone. Emma, with her independent streak and natural submission, seems like the perfect woman for Jace. But Logan seems deeply affected by her, too. Logan is on forced medical leave from the Navy SEALs and he’s not happy about it. That is, until he and Jace rescue a frightened little sub from her obnoxious Dom. Logan can’t seem to walk away, even though it would be the best thing for Emma and Jace. But when they discover that her ex-boyfriend is actually a serial stalker, can they keep Emma safe while they teach her about her own needs? Genre: BDSM, Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre Length: 41,804 words

EMMA’S EDUCATION Viper’s Dungeon 1

Abby Blake

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at [email protected]

A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

EMMA’S EDUCATION Copyright © 2011 by Abby Blake E-book ISBN: 1-61034-759-5 First E-book Publication: August 2011 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2011 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 Emma’s Education 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

EMMA’S EDUCATION Viper’s Dungeon 1 ABBY BLAKE Copyright © 2011

Prologue “Goddamn fucking son of a bitch!” The words were hissed in pain, barely heard over the sound of rapid gunfire, but Logan recognized his swim buddy’s voice easily. He glanced over to Cameron’s location, and what he saw made adrenaline spike in his system again. Pinned down by the enemy’s attack, Logan watched Cameron drag himself further away from the firefight as he tried to stem the bleeding from his leg and find a safer location at the same time. “Sit-rep!” their commanding officer demanded over the two-way communicator. Logan held his ground, firing his modified MP5 at the enemy’s position as he listened to Cameron calmly list his injuries. Goddamn it! A single lucky shot by the enemy could turn a routine mission into a major clusterfuck. He waited for instructions, relieved when his CO asked if he was able to reach Cameron and get him to safety. “Yes, sir,” he said confidently as he ducked low and avoided the enemy’s return fire. The gap between the broken brick walls was only a few feet, and as long as the enemy didn’t land another lucky shot, it was a relatively safe maneuver. He ran quickly, refusing to think beyond getting to his teammate and giving him first aid. Cameron

8

Abby Blake

gave him his trademark cocky grin when he saw Logan scramble into the small space. Fortunately, Cameron already had the bleeding under control, so Logan wrapped the injury tightly and helped his teammate to his feet. “Cam, Logan, head back to the extraction point,” their CO said clearly over their headphones. “We’ll wrap this up and meet you in fifteen.” “Yes, sir,” they both answered. Logan knew that Cameron was still riding an adrenaline high, so the faster they moved, the better chance they had of reaching their destination before Cameron began to feel the pain of his injuries. Fifteen minutes later, Logan and Cameron reached the rendezvous point just as the chopper landed. Logan pushed Cameron into the cabin and climbed on board, expecting the rest of their team to join them at any moment. One minute dragged into two, two to three and then three to four. Every moment meant more danger, more chance that something went wrong. Logan was about to ignore orders and head back to his team when Rocks, Scoop, and Blaze scrambled around the corner. Blaze ran backward, covering their rear with suppressive gunfire. Rocks and Scoop each carried an injured soldier over their shoulders firemanstyle. Logan leapt from the chopper, and ran full pelt toward his team. “Sit-rep,” he called into his communications mic as Blaze loosed a full burst of bullets into the buildings behind them. “The CO’s wounded and captured. Stead and Boots are both gutshot,” Scoop yelled as he continued to run to the chopper, Rocks right behind him. They lifted the injured on board as Logan joined Blaze in laying down more fire. The enemy was advancing on their position, and if they didn’t leave immediately, there was a good chance that they might never.

Emma’s Education

9

Logan and Blaze scrambled onto the chopper just as it lifted off. “Contact the Admiral. We need to evac the wounded and get another team to complete the mission. And we need to extract our CO.” But just as the chopper lifted into the air, an explosion rocked the buildings behind them. Debris flew everywhere, dust obscuring their vision. Logan heard the pilot curse as he fought to control the aircraft as the blast wave hit. The motion threw him sideways, his head connecting with something hard. And then everything went black.

10

Abby Blake

Chapter One Logan watched the scene in front of him. A pleasantly plump, young blonde was tied face first over the spanking bench, her ass already a pretty shade of pink from her Dom’s flogger. She squirmed, probably from a mixture of nervousness and excitement, as the man warmed up his arm by cracking a bullwhip several times. The noise inside the confined space was very loud, and several of the less experienced people in the room—both Dominants and submissives— jumped in reaction to the unnerving sound. The guy to Logan’s right laughed quietly at his own reaction but fortunately didn’t try to engage him in conversation. Logan really wasn’t in the mood for talking. He wasn’t even sure why he was here, but he had three weeks of medical leave and nothing to do. Here seemed as good a place as any to spend the time. A larger crowd gathered around the Dom with the bullwhip. Anticipation swirled in the air, and the buzz of voices suggested they were all eager to watch the demonstration. Logan didn’t know the man personally, but he’d heard he was very skilled. Now that Logan was here, he found himself quite eager to watch. Surprising, considering the mood he’d been in lately. The whip cracked several more times, before the Dom checked his sub, spoke to her quietly, and then stood back. He raised his arm ready to begin. “Count for me, sub,” the man said in a loud, deep voice. One last check to make sure the crowd hadn’t ventured too close, and then he swung the whip at his sub. The noise was nearly deafening, but the sub’s moan was almost as loud. She gasped the number one as her Dom raised his arm, ready to

Emma’s Education

11

continue. Even from more than a dozen feet away, Logan could see the small red welt where the end of the whip had lashed the woman’s ass. Again the Dom raised his arm, again the noise rang out, and again his sub moaned a number. Content to watch the demonstration, Logan couldn’t explain why the brunette kneeling at her Master’s feet on the other side of the room caught his attention. The woman watched the whipping, but unlike every other submissive in the room, this one looked absolutely terrified. She jumped with every crack of the whip and cringed every time the sub moaned. If he had to guess, Logan would say the woman had no idea how pain could be pleasurable. It didn’t bode well for her, considering she was in a BDSM club surrounded by bondage equipment. She wore a thick, studded-leather dog collar around her throat. Logan tried to hide his distaste. He’d never been comfortable with collars and leashes for his submissives. Granted, there were some subs who enjoyed the feel of the collar around their throat. He’d even had one who’d begged him to use a restrictive collar on her. He’d used it as a reward, but the relationship hadn’t lasted more than a few nights. It especially irked him that this woman’s collar was tethered at the back of her neck. It meant that anytime her Master chose to he could literally force her to move by cutting off her ability to breathe. Apart from being extremely dangerous, Logan was fairly certain it was still against club rules. He glanced around looking for one of the dungeon monitors, wondering if anyone he knew still worked here. It was unlikely. He’d joined the SEALs eight years ago and had only dropped into the club a few times since. His last visit had been nearly three years ago. As soon as he saw Jace, he smiled in relief and made his way to the man’s position. Intent on monitoring the crowded dungeon, Jace didn’t see him until Logan practically stood in from of him, but he smiled and held his hand out to shake.

12

Abby Blake

“Look what the cat dragged in,” he said with a huge smile. Logan shook his hand and grinned at his friend. They literally hadn’t seen each other in years, but it would seem that hadn’t altered the comfortable friendship that had developed when they’d both been employed here. “What brings the mighty SEAL back to Viper’s Dungeon? Bored with the vanilla life already?” Logan grinned. His sex life hadn’t really been vanilla. More like nonexistent lately. But as much as he wanted to catch up with Jace, he needed to deal with the sub and her dangerous collar first. It took only a few words and Jace nodded his agreement. Together they headed to speak to the Dom and check on his submissive. **** Emma saw the two men stop next to the man she’d been dating for the past two months. She’d agreed to come here, willing to explore the lifestyle Greg said he enjoyed, but so far all she’d witnessed had done nothing but frighten her—and make her regret not breaking things off with Greg sooner. She’d already been questioning their compatibility when Greg had “confessed” his secret life. The way he’d described it certainly didn’t compare to the reality. And he’d left out the part about wearing a dog collar. A dog collar, for fuck’s sake! He’d put it on her the moment they’d entered the club. She’d tried to refuse, but Greg explained that without a collar she risked being mistaken as available and forcibly claimed by another Dom. One look at all the hard, dangerous-looking, leather-clad men had been enough to convince her to stay by Greg’s side and endure the evening’s “entertainment.” Letting Greg strip her down to her underwear hadn’t been part of the plan either, but somehow here she was kneeling at her “Master’s” feet in her underwear. Thank heavens she’d worn a decent bra and panties set. Although she suspected that she’d be as naked as several

Emma’s Education

13

of the other submissives if Greg hadn’t liked the black thong and matching lace bra. She was so busy reflecting on her many wrong turns for this evening that she almost managed to drown out the sound of the whip and the poor woman’s whimpering. But the annoyed tug on her leash was so unexpected she tried to grab for the leather before she remembered that her hands were wrapped in thick leather cuffs and clipped together behind her back. Emma coughed, her throat aching in protest to Greg’s treatment. She wanted to yell at her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, but he’d warned her that misbehaving subs were punished. She’d already seen what happened to a woman who disobeyed her Master, and she had no wish to experience it firsthand. Emma shifted uncomfortably as memories of how red the woman’s ass had been by the time her Dom finished giving her an open-handed spanking flashed through her mind. The fact that he’d then bent her double and fucked her doggy-style in front of everyone just made staying quiet all that more sensible. Shit. The last thing she’d expected was to see actual sex. Greg had conveniently left out a lot of details, and as soon as she could get out of this place, she was breaking off the relationship and going back to being a workaholic. Working seventeen-hour days seemed far safer for her health. She heard a man’s voice raised in anger, and she tried desperately to curb her curiosity. She’d been told to keep her eyes lowered. No way in hell was she going to look up and see who was arguing. Another violent wrench on the collar pulled her backward, and she gagged as the thick leather dug into her throat. Fear filled her, adrenaline flooding her veins as the pressure finally released and she tried to scramble away. Large hands grabbed for her, and she screamed in terror as someone lifted her off the floor and carried her from the dimly lit room.

14

Abby Blake

**** Logan carried the terrified woman from the main area. She shook so violently in his arms that he even had trouble holding her. He stepped into one of the unoccupied private rooms, carefully lowered her to sit on the edge of the bed, and undid the cuffs holding her hands together. He cursed a blue streak when he saw the raw skin on her wrists, but it was nothing compared to the rage that filled him when he managed to remove the collar. The skin on her throat was red and raw where the leather had bitten into her soft flesh when her idiot Dom had pulled her backward. Fuck. He’d wanted to punch the guy when he’d first seen his sub’s collar. But now? Now he wanted to break the fool’s neck. His angry actions when he’d been approached by the dungeon monitors could’ve seriously hurt the submissive in his care. “I–I’m s–sorry,” the woman blurted out in a rough, rasping voice. “Please,”—she took a deep, shuddering breath—“please, please don’t hurt me. I don’t understand all the rules yet.” Okay, now he was going to fucking kill the man. “I’m not going to hurt you, little one.” He tried to keep the rage from his voice. Right at this moment she needed calm reassurance, not a man hell-bent on beating the living shit out of an idiot pretending to be a Dom. She looked at him in surprise but quickly averted her eyes, shaking even harder as reaction started to set in. He quickly grabbed a soft blanket from the bed, wrapped her cocoon-style, and hauled her onto his lap. He held her close as she began to cry, and he whispered soft words of reassurance as she apologized over and over and over. Jace opened the door quietly, nodded when he saw the woman nestled in Logan’s arms, and then stepped into the room. He sat on the chair beside the bed and waited quietly as the woman eventually stopped shaking and fell into an exhausted sleep. Jace interpreted

Emma’s Education

15

Logan’s mood correctly because he explained exactly what happened to the woman’s Dom after Logan left. Of course escorting the bastard from the premises, banning him for life, and sending his photo to all the fetish clubs in the area was about the sum total that could be done in a legal sense, but it had been made very clear what would happen if he returned. “Unfortunately,” Jace said in a soft, low voice, “he’s also claiming that she is his fiancée and likes the way he treats her.” “I seriously doubt that,” Logan said as he tried not to grind his back teeth to dust. “She apologized over and over as if she believed she’d done something wrong. If they do have a D/s relationship, I doubt it’s making her happy.” Jace nodded in agreement. “I’ll get Adam to take over my shift in the main room, and then we’ll figure out what’s going on when she wakes up.” **** She woke to the low, deep sounds of two men talking. She didn’t remember leaving the television on, but she must’ve. Otherwise, why would there be men talking in her bedroom while she slept? Sudden terror streaked through her as she finally remembered where she was and why. “Greg?” she asked, trying to control the fear making her voice wobbly. “No, little one, my name is Logan.” He helped her to a sitting position, and she finally realized why she felt so warm. She was literally wrapped up in a blanket, but thankfully it meant that she wasn’t alone with a complete stranger while wearing only her underwear. “What’s your name, darlin’?” Startled by the unexpected voice, Emma swung her gaze to the left. Okay, make that alone with two complete strangers.

16

Abby Blake

“I–I’m sorry,” she tried again. She literally had no idea what she was apologizing for, but the last thing she needed was the type of punishment they handed out here. Hell, she’d apologize all the way out the door if they’d just let her go home. “Name, little one,” the man holding her said in a voice that brooked no argument. “Emma.” She almost grinned with relief that she’d finally forced a word past her teeth without stuttering. Geez, this had been one hell of a night. She was heading home and forgetting everything about this experience just as soon as she found Greg and dumped his skeazy ass. “Emma,” man number two said with a smile. “Do you know the man you were with?” Well, that was an unexpected question. Why would she let a stranger wrap a collar around her neck and parade her practically naked in front of a bunch of strangers? Come to think of it—why did she let Greg, the fucking asshole, do it anyway? She nodded carefully, swallowing hard when she realized the muscles in her neck felt tight and sore. “So he’s your fiancé?” “Fiancé? Fuck no,” she said, forgetting for a moment the situation she was in. “I mean, sorry, S–Sir. I mean, yes, I know him, but no, he’s not my fiancé.” She bit her tongue against the rest of the words that wanted to rage from her brain. She still had no idea what these men intended. The man holding her—Logan?—laughed quietly. The one beside them simply grinned. “Why did you come here tonight?” “Greg wanted to come. He said it was why our relationship wasn’t working. He said he had needs that we could explore together.” “Did he explain any of these needs before you arrived here?” She shook her head, sincerely hoping that honesty really was the best policy. Her mother had drummed the mantra into her ever since she’d been old enough to listen. Hopefully, in this predicament, it would finally be true.

Emma’s Education

17

“What did he tell you?” “He told me,” she said, glancing between the two men, “that it was a Dom’s responsibility to take care of his submissive. He said he would protect me and teach me how we could please each other.” She laughed softly. “If he’d mentioned the dog collar, he would never have gotten me to step foot in the door. I didn’t think I would like being told what to do, and after tonight I’m certain of it. I am definitely not a submissive person.” **** Jace watched the woman as she spoke. She may have believed she wasn’t submissive, but her actions certainly belied her words. She still lay contentedly wrapped in a blanket and held tightly in Logan’s arms. Whether she realized it or not, she felt safe here. Far safer than she’d felt in the dungeon with her supposed fiancé. “Well, he got a couple of things right,” Logan said as he pushed an errant curl away from Emma’s eyes. “It is a Dom’s responsibility to take care of his submissive. Unfortunately, Greg had no understanding of what is involved.” Logan touched the marks on her throat, and that’s when Jace finally noticed the trembling in his friend’s hand. Jace had never known Logan to react with anything other than cool resolve and steely determination. Even before training to become a Navy SEAL, Logan had always been the calm in the middle of the storm. Seeing his reaction—even as small a reaction as trembling fingers—somehow served to remind Jace that Logan was only human. “That’s only one thing right. What’s the other?” she asked with a grin. It was obvious that her true personality was beginning to return now that her fear was no longer an issue. Logan grinned at her question but turned to Jace and waited for him to answer. He smiled. It wasn’t often in the BDSM scene that they came across a woman so unaware of her own submissiveness. Most women

18

Abby Blake

sought out the clubs in an attempt to understand what was missing in their lives. Sweet, little Emma had no idea what she needed or how amazing her life could be. “The other thing he got right,” Jace said, pausing to make certain he had her full attention, “is that you, darlin’, are a natural submissive.” “Bullshit,” she said with laughter in her voice. Logan smiled. “Is that a challenge, little one?” “Um, no,” she said anxiously as fear returned to her eyes. “I…um…I–I don’t want to t–try anything I saw out there.” She started to wriggle inside the blanket as if she’d suddenly realized her vulnerability. “Emma. Stop,” Logan said in a deep, commanding voice that Jace had often envied. Emma ceased moving, staring at the man who held her as if she couldn’t quite believe she’d followed his order. “Good girl.” Logan smiled and brushed that errant curl out of her eyes once more. Jace moved closer and touched her cheek gently with his finger. “We can help you,” he said impulsively. Normally he didn’t get involved with untrained submissives, but there was something about this woman that simply appealed to him. “Help me how?” she asked suspiciously. “Help you to learn what it is you’ve been craving.” She rolled her eyes as if she were dealing with two very dense individuals. “I’m not craving anything. What I want to do is go home and forget all about whips and chains and dog collars.” “So you have no curiosity about why you feel safe here? Or why you’re still lying here in my arms even though you claim to want to go home?” She looked startled by Logan’s words and quite ready to argue the point, but at the last moment she laughed self-consciously and snuggled closer to Logan.

Emma’s Education

19

“I don’t understand it at all, but I do feel comfortable with you two.” She almost looked like she was going to fall asleep, but then she stiffened again and blurted, “But I didn’t like anything I saw out there. Please don’t punish me. Hell, I wanted to kick that guy with the whip. What the hell could a woman do to warrant such harsh punishment?” “You thought she was being punished?” Jace asked, unable to keep the incredulity out of his voice. Fuck, her boyfriend really hadn’t explained anything at all. “She wasn’t being punished?” Emma asked in confusion. “She wanted him to do that?” “Yes, little one, if your Dom had explained things better—“ “He’s not my Dom. Not my boyfriend either now.” Logan nodded his approval. “If he’d explained what to expect, you might have noticed that the woman’s moans were not from pain. She was on the verge of orgasm when we left the room.” “Seriously?” she asked, sounding unconvinced. “Seriously,” Logan said with an indulgent grin. “Would you like to explore the club a little more before I drive you home?”

20

Abby Blake

Chapter Two Emma was about to argue that she’d find her own way home when it finally occurred to her that she didn’t have her keys, purse, or even her clothes. There was a reasonable chance that her jeans and shirt were still in the locker Greg had rented at the front of the club, but she’d left her purse and house keys in Greg’s car. Considering that she was in a rather unusual position, maybe it was best just to accept Logan’s offer of help. But then the rest of his proposal sank into her brain, and her natural curiosity piqued at the idea of watching some of the things that had been happening in the main room. Now that she understood the submissives weren’t being punished, that they were actually enjoying what was happening, she found herself wanting to know more, wanting to understand this strange world just a little better. “Do I have to wear the dog collar again?” “No,” the other man said, sounding angry. He must’ve noticed her reaction because he moved closer and touched her face once more. “Sorry, darlin’, but your boyfriend abused your trust with that little stunt, and if I hadn’t already kicked him out of the club, I’d probably hunt him down and kick his ass.” She smiled, ridiculously grateful that someone other than her thought of her ex-boyfriend’s behavior as a betrayal of trust. Granted, she hadn’t exactly been submissive—more like scared to death—but Greg had quickly become angry with her reactions and hadn’t bothered to reassure her that what she thought she was seeing wasn’t actually what was happening.

Emma’s Education

21

“We won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do,” Logan said in a confident voice. “Can I wear clothes?” The two men looked a little stunned by her request, but when Logan nodded, the other man opened a cupboard and rummaged through a number of strange-looking outfits. He made a sound of triumph as he finally found what he’d been looking for. He held up the outfit that resembled something similar to a standard little black dress, but with far less material. She was about to protest when she realized he wasn’t waiting for her opinion. He was waiting for Logan’s approval. Logan nodded and shifted her in his arms so that he could unwrap the blanket from around her. Suddenly horribly embarrassed to be nearly naked in front of these two men—despite having been dressed in only her underwear in the main part of the club earlier—Emma reached for the outfit. The other man pulled it out of her way. “Stand up,” he said in a voice that made it clear it wasn’t a request. She glanced nervously at Logan. He nodded reassuringly and helped her to stand in front of him. He steadied her with a warm hand on each hip as the other man stepped forward. “Lift your arms,” he said as he arranged the material in his hands. Confused and maybe a little turned on, she shook her head and crossed her arms over her breasts. “I don’t even know your name.” It wasn’t exactly an original line, but it was the only one to come through her foggy brain. The man behind her laughed softly and slowly caressed the skin on her hips and thighs. “My name is Jace,” the man in front of her said with a bemused grin. “Now lift your arms.” Unable to think of a reason to protest—they were dressing her after all, not stripping her bare—Emma obeyed. As the scrap of material settled into place, Jace took a step back and appraised her appearance with a critical eye. He shook his head. “The bra needs to go.”

22

Abby Blake

Emma squeaked in protest. The dress had a neckline that plunged practically to her navel. Without a bra, she’d flash bare breast anytime she leaned forward. She was working herself into a full-fledged panicslash-tantrum when Jace leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. His large hand cupped the side of her face as he slowly, gently explored her lips with his own. His tongue coaxed her mouth open, and he pressed inside as she sighed. A part of her wondered why she wasn’t protesting, but the man certainly knew what he was doing. She’d never, ever, been kissed with such skill before. She sighed again into Jace’s mouth and was barely aware of Logan undoing her bra until Jace stepped back, gave her a beatific smile, and whispered, “Good girl.” Logan pulled the straps down her arms, encouraging her to thread her hands through so that he could remove the undergarment without taking off the dress. Strangely, she was both disappointed and relieved that neither of them seemed inclined to look at her breasts. Relieved that they seemed to be the honorable men she’d somehow decided they were, and disappointed because her breasts were the only advantage to carrying a few extra pounds. With the weight she’d put on over winter, she actually had cleavage. Although, considering how precariously the dress covered her, she was fairly certain they’d get a good view every time she moved. Logan continued to caress her hips and thighs softly through the material as Jace once again stood back and looked her over. The grin he gave her made heat curl in her belly, and for the first time in a very long time, she felt feminine, sensual, and horny as hell. She smiled at Jace shyly, wondering what he saw when he looked at her that way, but then the man stepped forward and pressed another quick kiss to her mouth. “You are very beautiful,” he said as he grazed his knuckles over the hard tips of her breasts. Her breath caught as liquid heat flooded her pussy. Never before had she felt so turned on so fast.

Emma’s Education

23

“Come on, little one. Let’s show you around the club before Jace and I forget why you’re here.” Logan wrapped his hand around hers and led her to the door. It wasn’t until he opened it that she realized the room they’d been in was completely soundproof. Screams and moans again reached her ears, and she cringed at the unsettling noises. Jace stood behind her, threaded his arm around her waist, and whispered into her ear. “Relax. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds.” She did as he told her, unwilling to look too closely at the reason why she would want to please him. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and tried to force herself to relax and concentrate. At first all she heard were screams and grunts of pain, but then slowly her mind filtered the sounds, and she realized that some of the moans were those of people—both men and women—in the throes of orgasm. She opened her eyes slowly as the naked woman strapped to a strange-looking cross moaned and shook as climax burst through her. Even as she practically vibrated with her release, the man with her continued to flay her skin with what looked like a bunch of soft leather strips. She moaned even louder as he sped up, hitting her harder, hitting her faster. The final blow struck her exposed and swollen pussy. She screeched, her entire body convulsing. The man stepped closer to support her weight as the woman’s legs gave out. He held her tight, as another man undid her bonds. She collapsed into the first man’s embrace, her cheeks tear-streaked, and the skin on her breasts, butt, thighs, and naked pussy all marked with red welts. But it was the expression of her face that held Emma’s attention. The woman looked amazingly content. She was obviously exhausted, but she smiled and mouthed the words “thank you” to the first man as the second man wrapped her in a blanket and lifted her into his arms. He also thanked the first man and then carried the woman away. **** Logan could feel Emma’s confusion. “What is it, little one?”

24

Abby Blake

She seemed reluctant to answer, but glanced between Logan and the Saint Andrew’s cross where the woman had been. He wondered if she realized she was caressing Jace’s forearm where it wrapped around her middle. The movement certainly seemed unconscious. “I…um…the guy with the…um…thing.” She made a hand gesture to indicate the man currently wiping down the Saint Andrew’s cross. “The flogger,” he told her with a smile. “The guy with the flogger…he wasn’t her Dom?” “No,” Jace answered. “That’s Derek. It’s not unusual for him to flog another Dom’s sub—when the Dom requests it, of course. He’s considered one of the best and has coaxed many a stubborn submissive into intense orgasm. Would you like to try it?” She hesitated so long that Logan thought she wasn’t going to answer. It wasn’t until he looked more closely at her, that he realized their sweet and lovely Emma was trying to deny her curiosity rather than find a nice way to refuse. He couldn’t help himself. He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers, lingering longer than he intended, but pleased to feel her relax slightly. “M–Maybe later.” The words were quiet, nervous, but at least she wasn’t trying to deny the need she felt. The man who’d brought her here had been a complete fool. He’d been so concentrated on his own gratification he hadn’t noticed the natural submissive he’d had in his care. Well, a fool and his sub were soon parted. Lucky for Logan, she seemed more than willing to explore her submissive nature. Perhaps the next three weeks wouldn’t be so boring after all. Stop. What the hell was he thinking? He might be on three weeks' medical leave, but he’d never spent that length of time with any submissive. He avoided relationships like he avoided enemy fire— vigilantly. As soon as he was cleared for active duty, he would be assigned to another one of the SEAL teams, and then he’d be deployed to anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. He groaned when he realized Jace and Emma were both watching him closely.

Emma’s Education

25

“Logan, is everything all right?” Her voice was so melodious, her concern so genuine that he pulled her from Jace’s arms and held her close for a moment. Jace nodded once slowly—a clear indicator that he expected answers later. Logan nodded back and then released his tight grip on the woman in his arms. She looked at him with a soft smile, clearly aware of his delaying tactic. He distracted her by sliding his hand into the loose material of her dress and cupping her breast gently. She moaned quietly as he rolled her peaked nipple between his finger and thumb. “What else would you like see while you are here tonight?” Tonight. Only tonight. He couldn’t promise her any more than that. She had to swallow twice before she could answer. “I don’t know. I’m still trying to understand how any of this can be pleasurable. I mean, I hate pain, so how could any of this turn me on?” Logan grinned, pleased that she’d handed them the perfect excuse for him and Jace to show her exactly how a little pain could be used to enhance a sub’s orgasm. He squeezed the hard nub of her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, watching her closely, making certain that the small pain morphed into pleasure. She gasped, her eyes seeking his as he squeezed harder. She might even have wriggled away if Jace hadn’t once again pressed against her back and held her around the middle. She panted, her hand involuntarily lifting to stop him a moment before her eyes darkened and she let out a low moan. She looked surprised at her own reaction but didn’t move to stop him when he lifted his other hand and squeezed both nipples simultaneously. Jace’s hand traveled lower, pushed aside the thin material of her skirt, and gently massaged her mound through her underwear. She shook between them, gasping and panting from their—in BDSM terms—almost gentle sensual assault. “Would you like to learn more?” Logan said as he leaned closer, letting go of her nipples at the same time Jace’s hand stopped moving against her pussy.

26

Abby Blake

She nodded breathlessly, unconsciously rocking against Jace’s hand between her thighs. “Good girl,” Jace whispered in her ear. He led them to a scene area in a relatively quiet part of the club. A chain with a horizontal bar on the bottom dangled from the roof. Quickly deciding against bondage for the moment, Logan moved Emma to stand under the bar and adjusted it to suit her height. “Raise your arms.” She glanced around nervously, pulling at the hem of her dress, obviously very uncomfortable and possibly selfconscious about being exposed. Logan touched the side of her face, smiled confidently and whispered, “We won’t do anything you don’t want us to do.” She nodded, her eyes glued to his, her demeanor relaxing in an unconscious display of trust. “Ordinarily we’d give you a safe word, but for now all you have to do, little one, is let go of the bar and we’ll stop.” She glanced above her head, her eyes darting to the rings dangling from either end of the bar. “I won’t be restrained?” “Not this time, darlin’,” Jace said with more than a little promise in his voice. “O–Okay,” she said nervously as she tried to raise her hands to the bar without lifting the hem of her skirt—an impossible task considering the length of the dress. After a moment of indecision, she blew out an annoyed breath and lifted her arms above her head, exposing the creamy skin of her upper thighs and the lace thong she still wore. Logan walked around her, assessing her reactions, appreciating the view, and heightening her awareness as Jace disappeared for a few moments and returned with several soft floggers of various sizes in his hands. Logan nodded in approval. The idea was to teach their beautiful submissive about her own needs, not scare her or damage her in any way. “Keep your hands wrapped around the bar.” He stepped closer and pressed his hands over hers. “If you feel frightened or need a break,

Emma’s Education

27

you just have to say so. If you want us to stop just let go of the bar.” She nodded slowly, still looking aroused and frightened and everything in between. He slid his hand into her dress, cupping her breast as he pressed a soft kiss against her lips. He toyed gently with the nipple, smiling when he felt the peak stiffen even more and a low moan escape her. “We’ll start slowly.”

28

Abby Blake

Chapter Three Emma licked her lips, trying to find moisture in a mouth gone dry. Every nerve ending was buzzing with arousal, and her knees felt so wobbly that she was almost grateful to be able to hold on to the bar. She flinched at the first touch of the soft leather strips, and it took her mind a moment to realize that Jace used the flogger to caress her skin rather than hurt her with it. She glanced at Logan in confusion. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected. The gentle slap of leather against her exposed ass actually felt kind of nice. She smiled as the soft sting morphed into heat. A second and a third touch did the same, and she caught herself a moment before she could thrust her ass out in a demand for more. Logan stood in front of her, watching her closely, his scrutiny not uncomfortable even though she would never be able to explain why. Her ass was exposed and being flogged by another man, yet Logan’s gaze held her captive. She squeaked as a harder slap hit her ass, but then the sting turned to heat and chased through her body. She moaned at the way her clit swelled, pressing against her underwear, making her very conscious of her need to orgasm. Almost from the moment she’d woken in Logan’s embrace, she’d been in a sensual fog—something she couldn’t ever remember experiencing before. Geez, what the hell was she doing? These two men were strangers to her. She was in a private club surrounded by strange people with even stranger desires. She started to breathe harder, her hands flexing against the bar, her brain screaming at her to let go, gather her clothes, and leave this bizarre place.

Emma’s Education

29

“Spread your legs.” She followed the command, yet still her mind screamed at her to leave. The flogger hit harder, her ass stinging all over as heat threaded through her lower half and stole all reason. Again and again the flogger grazed her ass and thighs, her breathing hitching even as she tried to deny her own enjoyment. Logan grabbed her nipples again, this time squeezing harder, much harder. She could barely breathe through the pain, the intense sensation too much for her brain to process. The flogger hit her harder, faster, driving her need higher. She nearly screamed as the sting hit the swollen lips of her pussy. Every muscle was shaking, her nerve endings shivering, convulsing with need. She gasped, panting, trying to understand what was happening to her. “Come,” Logan said and twisted her nipples harder. Heat burst through her, her hips, her thighs, her ass quivering as her pussy pulsed rhythmically. She moaned low in her throat, forgetting everything except these two men and how they made her feel. Liquid heat drenched every vein as her climax went on and on. Finally, she let her head fall forward as she tried to catch her breath. Shaking with exhaustion, she barely registered Logan helping her to unclench her hands from around the bar. Jace wrapped her in a soft blanket, and she once again found herself cocooned and warm in a man’s embrace. **** Jace held her close as she shivered through the reaction to her orgasm. She had the most beautiful ass, rounded and soft just like a woman’s should be. Every caress of his flogger had left thin pink lines on her pale skin, and he’d wanted to drop to his knees and worship her pussy with his mouth. He’d practically been able to taste her on his tongue. He’d only managed to hold back by reminding

30

Abby Blake

himself that she was not only new to the BDSM scene, but that they hadn’t discussed anything more than a gentle flogging. “Jace?” she asked in a small voice. “Why did I enjoy that?” She looked adorably confused, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her for the rest of her life. He’d been looking for the perfect woman and submissive for so long that it almost surprised him to realize he was beginning to wonder if she was the one. After one flogging? Even in BDSM terms that was an awfully short acquaintance. He answered her question with one of his own. “Have you ever felt truly satisfied by any of your lovers?” She looked confused, and for a moment he didn’t think she was going to answer. But then she shook her head and spoke with a frown marring her beautiful face. “If you’d asked me that yesterday, I would’ve said yes.” “But now?” Logan asked from the seat beside them. Jace had almost forgotten Logan was there, and it surprised him how happy he was that the man was still with them. Strange, considering Jace thought of himself as a Dom who preferred to play with his sub alone. “Now,” she said hesitantly, her gaze bouncing between both of them. “Now, I don’t think so. Now, I think maybe there was something missing all along.” “What about the man you came here with? Did he ever satisfy you?” She blushed an adorable shade of pink, and Jace found himself falling even harder. Obviously embarrassed, but at least brave enough to try and answer, Jace watched as she attempted to form the words to explain her last sexual relationship. “I think he went close…maybe. It might explain how I ended up here with a dog collar around my throat. Curiosity maybe? I’m not really sure.” She laughed nervously, like she still couldn’t quite believe that a man she’d trusted had treated her so poorly. “Logan and I can teach you what it is you’re craving.” Jace wasn’t sure why he’d included Logan in that sentence. It was very likely that

Emma’s Education

31

after tonight Logan would disappear from the club for another three years. And besides, Logan had never been looking for a steady relationship. Considering that he was still a Navy SEAL, Jace doubted that had changed. “That’s right, little one,” Logan said as he touched Emma’s face. “Would you like to see more of the club now?” She nodded and tried to sit up. Jace held her still a moment, reluctant to let the woman leave his arms, but then he helped her to stand and unwrapped the blanket from around her. “This needs to go,” he said impulsively as he hooked his fingers into the side of her black thong and dragged the material down her legs. She made a sound of surprise, but didn’t try to stop him. **** Emma rubbed her thighs together and wondered why she wanted to fuck both of these men. She wasn’t that type of woman. Hell, she’d always been the conservative one in any group—never jumping into bed until she knew the man well. The thought of a one-night stand had always filled her with loathing. Sex was part of a relationship, not stress relief. So why then was she panting for both of these men? Both of them, for heaven’s sake! A warm hand caressed her naked bottom through the soft material of a dress that barely passed as clothing, yet she melted into the touch and wanted more, much more. She let them lead her to another corner of the club where a woman lay on some sort of table, her legs pushed wide, her arms secured above her head, her naked pussy open and exposed. A man sat on a stool at the end of the table between her open legs. He caressed her thighs lovingly with one hand as he pressed a strange round metal circle against her pussy. Gently, he pushed her thighs wider, easing the contraption closer to her labia. Slowly, he attached

32

Abby Blake

little clamps to her flesh, pulling her pussy lips apart, gradually exposing every part of her. The woman’s legs quivered as she tried to close them around the metal circle, but its placement held her wide open as she moaned loudly. The last few clips pulled the flesh away from her clit, exposing the swollen shiny nub to her Dom’s clever tongue. He laved her clitoris several times before drilling his fingers deep into her exposed pussy. The sub gasped, shaking all over as the man finger-fucked her harder and faster. She writhed against the table until her Dom growled and slapped her inner thigh. He waited for her to lie still and then started over. Laving her clit with his tongue, he pressed but a single finger into her dripping, exposed pussy. She wriggled again, he slapped her again, she moaned even louder. The Dom stood up, moved to the other end of the table, and asked in a loud, clear voice, “Are you comfortable, sub?” Emma almost laughed at the question. Comfortable? How could anybody be comfortable in that position? But the sub answered, “Yes, Master,” in a nearly breathless voice, and the man moved back to the pussy end of the table. He rummaged through a bag at his feet and pulled out something that resembled a small dildo. One end looked like a cock, but the other had a flared base that appeared to be a sort of handle. Confused as to why the Dom would need to lubricate the small toy when the woman was already wet and aroused, Emma was momentarily distracted by two large, warm hands kneading and caressing her ass. Between them, her men lifted the material up, probably exposing her ass to everyone behind her, but it felt so delicious she couldn’t find the energy to care who watched. But then the scene in front of her caught her attention once more, and the reason for both men to be caressing her ass suddenly became clear. The Dom lifted his sub’s legs up higher and pressed the lubricated toy against her anus. The sub whimpered as he played with

Emma’s Education

33

her, pressing in slightly, then pulling back. She wriggled on the bench again, trying to get closer, trying to pull that pretend cock into her ass. Suddenly, the Dom pushed the full length into her back passage, and Emma felt her own ass clench in response. Logan laughed quietly and leaned over to press a kiss to her neck. “That is something we will definitely be exploring, little one.” Emma moaned even as fear, arousal, and need crowded her brain. She’d never thought about anal play as something she might like to try, but judging by the woman’s enjoyment and her own visceral reaction, maybe it was indeed something she might enjoy. Her breath caught as a thick finger pressed into the crease of her ass and gently touched the pucker of her anus. Emma gasped in surprise at how incredible that soft touch felt. She tried to focus on the scene in front of her, but Jace had moved his hand to her clit while Logan still pressed against her ass, and her focus had begun to turn inward, concentrating on her own body’s needs once more. She was gasping for air, barely aware of anyone else in the room when the woman in front of her screeched as orgasm claimed her. Emma watched, fascinated, as the woman’s exposed pussy pulsed cream onto her labia and the toy in her ass throbbed in counterpoint. Emma felt her knees wobble a moment before Logan pulled her back against his hard body, his solid cock pressed into the crease of her ass. Jace still massaged her clit, and she found herself shaking on the verge of orgasm once more. Heating with embarrassment but unwilling to tell them to stop, Emma screamed as Jace thrust thick fingers into her pussy and demanded that she come. Her legs gave out. Her ass, her pussy, her breasts on fire as liquid heat melted through her. Over and over waves of ecstasy pulsed back and forth as orgasm claimed her. Panting hard, still quivering with climax, she didn’t protest when Logan swung her up into his arms and walked from the main area. She gasped for air, the riot of sensations bouncing over her once more.

34

Abby Blake

Finally, exhaustion swelled through her veins, and she practically melted into Logan’s embrace. She opened her eyes minutes—hours, days?—later to find herself in the same room they’d occupied before. Logan lay her down in the middle of the bed, and she opened her arms for the men to join her. She ruthlessly shoved away that little voice that taunted her, calling her a slut, but she didn’t care. She wanted these men, wanted them with a passion that went beyond explanation. They both joined her on the bed—fully clothed—and settled her between them. “Sleep now, little sub,” Logan said quietly. “But—” “No buts. Get some rest, darlin’,” Jace ordered. “But don’t you want me?” she asked, feeling like she was living a strange, out-of-body experience. Was that really her begging strangers to have sex with her? “You’re not ready, Emma,” Logan said quietly as he encouraged her head onto his shoulder. “We’ll talk more once you’ve had time to process everything that has happened tonight.” She wanted to argue, but in her heart, she knew the truth of his words. So she closed her eyes and let memories of everything she’d seen and felt in the past few hours wash over her as she drifted into unconsciousness. **** “I think she’s asleep.” Logan glanced down at the woman sleeping peacefully in his arms. She felt so perfect lying right there that he’d almost drifted off to sleep himself—despite the raging hard-on pressed painfully against his jeans. Considering how frightened she’d been earlier, he felt ridiculously pleased that she trusted them enough to actually fall asleep.

Emma’s Education

35

Which, of course, raised all sorts of issues and worries in his mind. It was obvious that Emma was a natural submissive when it came to her sexuality. Logan got the impression that she was more than capable of holding her own in the real world, but here, inside the often dangerous world of BDSM, she found that elusive something that had been missing from her life. It wasn’t an unusual story. Many independent, confident women found submission in the bedroom a healthy and satisfying way to relax. The trouble was that more often than not they found the wrong man to fill that need. Instead of the mutual pleasure a Dom-sub relationship could provide, many women found themselves abused physically or emotionally, sometimes both. “We need to protect her.” Jace’s quiet words, so similar to Logan’s train of thought, were a little unnerving, but he nodded in agreement and tried to squash the small kernel of panic that rose in his mind. “How long are you on leave?” “Three weeks,” Logan answered gruffly. If he’d had his way, he wouldn’t be on leave at all, and he wouldn’t have come here tonight, and he wouldn’t have found a vulnerable sub in need of training and protection. Flashes of the memory forced their way to the forefront of his mind, but he shoved them away angrily. He could give her three weeks—just three weeks—and then Jace would either have to take over or she was on her own. Jace watched him with the unnerving skill of a well-trained Dom, and for a moment, Logan squirmed under the man’s scrutiny. “It’s a long story,” he said tiredly. Thankfully, he wasn’t allowed to reveal details of classified missions, so even if he’d wanted to spill his guts to an old friend, he couldn’t. Jace nodded, probably aware of the military’s need for discretion. “What about you? Are you willing to take on an untrained sub?” Jace seemed to consider the question for a long while. He leaned over and brushed Emma’s hair away from her face and watched her

36

Abby Blake

for a moment. “I wasn’t,” he said as he continued to gaze at the woman’s face, “but she’s different to most of the subs that frequent this club. There’s a vulnerability about her.” Logan nodded in agreement, even though he was fairly certain the woman sleeping between them would have their balls on a platter if they suggested she was weak in any way. **** Emma woke pretty much sleeping on top of a stranger. Okay, he wasn’t exactly a stranger. She knew his name was Logan. She knew he was a Dom. And she knew that he and Jace had coaxed from her two of the most intense orgasms she’d ever experienced. And that was despite the fear she’d felt when she’d been here with Greg. Greg. Damn the man. He had her purse and her house keys. Even if Logan or Jace did drive her home, she had no way to get in. “That’s a lot of thinking for so early in the morning, little one.” She startled just a bit at the unexpected voice but lifted her head to look at the man she was using as a pillow. “Um…good morning?” It wasn’t really supposed to be a question, but that was the way it came out of her mouth. Damn, the man was going to think she was an airhead. Hell, maybe she was. She not only came here with Greg, but she’d stayed the night in bed with two men. “Good morning, little one,” Logan said as he placed a large hand on her head and gently eased her back down to cuddle against him once more. Emma knew she really shouldn’t do this. She should grab the scattered remains of her dignity, apologize a time or two, and then get the hell out of here. This wasn’t her. She didn’t do casual. Hell, she barely did relationships. But then Logan’s warm fingers started to massage her skull and every other concern melted away. Maybe she could indulge just this once. She’d always been a good girl. She was twenty-eight already. Wasn’t it time for her to be just a little bit bad?

Emma’s Education

37

She startled again when she heard the door open, but Logan held her tighter, pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and whispered, “It’s only Jace.” The bed dipped behind her as Jace climbed back onto the mattress and pressed a warm kiss to the back of her neck. “Hello, darlin’. Did you sleep well?” She was pressed between two muscular, well-honed, gorgeous men, and they wanted her to answer questions? Hell, she wasn’t even sure she knew her own name. **** Jace watched Emma hesitate, seeming to have no understanding of the words he spoke, but then, as if a light finally switched on, she answered with a small, “Yes.” He made brief eye contact with Logan but was pretty sure the other man hadn’t slept at all. Whatever had put him on three weeks leave seemed to be something more complex than a simple vacation. “What time is it?” Logan asked. “A little past 4:00 a.m. I spoke to Viper and explained the circumstances. He said we could stay here until morning.” He’d also told him not to make a habit of it. The club closed at three, and that meant everybody went home—even employees, ex-employees, and vulnerable, lost, little subs. But Jace hadn’t missed the concern in Viper’s eyes when he mentioned Logan. Being an ex-Navy SEAL himself, it was possible that Viper would be the one person able to help Logan through whatever he was going through. Somehow the conversation ended with Jace promising to make sure Logan was here tonight—with or without Jace and their sub. “So, what happens now?” Emma asked. The woman looked adorably mussed—sleepy, rumpled, and very, very beautiful.

38

Abby Blake

“Now, we sleep,” Jace said as he cuddled up behind her. “Later we’ll drive you home.” “Oh,” she said quietly. He sensed that she wanted to ask more but also noticed the determined clench of her jaw as she held herself in check. “Would you like to come back to the club tomorrow tonight?” She relaxed in his embrace, and he realized that it was probably the answer to the question she’d wanted to ask. “I’d like that.” **** Several hours later, Logan was still staring at the ceiling, but the quiet snick of the door unlocking bought him to full alert. He relaxed a little and almost grinned when he saw his old boss, Viper, but the serious look on the man’s face forestalled any celebration. Logan nodded when Viper tilted his head in a clear indication to follow. Moving carefully, he tried to extricate himself from underneath one very sleepy sub. Emma roused partially, but Jace moved to pull her into his arms, and she settled once more. He glanced back at the bed for a moment, but couldn’t quite explain the feeling of satisfaction that swept through him at the sight of the two people snuggled together on the mattress. He was still fully dressed, so it took very little time to join Viper in the hallway. Careful to make sure the door was closed properly, thereby soundproofing the room once more, Logan turned to his old mentor and offered his hand to shake. Viper took his hand, spared a quick grin, but got straight to business. “We have a problem. Your sub’s ex-boyfriend—Greg Michaels, that’s his real name, not the one he put on the application form—has a history of abusive and stalking-type behavior. And that’s only what Malcolm found on a quick background check. I’m sure that’s not the

Emma’s Education

39

end of it.” He shook his head and ran a hand down his face. “Does your sub live alone?” “Her name is Emma.” Logan wasn’t quite sure why he felt the need to correct the man, but calling Emma his sub was just a little too uncomfortable at the moment. Truly, with his head a mess and his career in jeopardy, he wasn’t fit to be anyone’s Dom. Viper gave him a curious look but said, “Fine. Does Emma live alone?” “I’m not sure.” “Well do me a favor and find out. The last thing I need is an exmember creating problems for one of our subs.” Logan wasn’t surprised at Viper’s protective stance over a woman he didn’t even know. Viper’s Dungeon was well known for taking care to make sure that all members of the club understood how to play safely. The Doms at Viper’s Dungeon were well trained and the subs well protected. That’s why Logan had worked here so many years ago. But no matter how careful Viper was when screening new applicants, occasionally the wrong people made it through. Emma’s ex-boyfriend seemed to be one of them. “How long are you on leave?” Thrown by the abrupt change of topic but aware of where Viper was going with this, Logan nevertheless answered honestly. “Three weeks.” “Great. I’d appreciate your help on this.” Logan nodded. A lump the size of a fist had lodged just under his rib cage, and even though he knew he couldn’t be Emma’s Dom, he also knew he couldn’t walk away and leave her vulnerable.

40

Abby Blake

Chapter Four Emma wasn’t sure exactly how it happened, but she managed to sleep several more hours in the arms of her men. Well, they weren’t her men exactly, but it felt kind of nice to think it. Lying here relaxed and warm, she knew her thought processes were skewed, but she was simply too happy to care. “Good morning, darlin’,” Jace said as she rolled over in his arms. “Good morning, Jace.” Good grief…was that shy, breathy little voice hers? She cleared her throat, trying to inject more of herself into her words. She planned to ask for a lift home, but the question was forgotten when she realized Logan wasn’t in the room. “Where’s Logan?” Great. Not only did she sound shy and unsure, now she sounded needy. Fabulous. Fucking fabulous. “He’ll be back in a few minutes. Do you need to use the bathroom?” Ooookay…that was an unexpected question. Embarrassment heated her cheeks, but the truth was she really did need to use the facilities, so she nodded shyly and cursed herself internally for her out-of-character behavior. It didn’t help her to find her balance when Jace gathered her in his arms, lifted her against his chest, and carried her into a small room with a shower and toilet. For one heart-stopping moment, Emma worried he was going to sit her on the damn toilet, but he placed her on her feet instead. Emma rushed to straighten the rumpled black material, mortified to realize her breasts had practically worked their way out of the neckline. It didn’t help at all that her nipples were hard pebbles or that

Emma’s Education

41

the memories of last night’s activities started to roll through her brain and heat her body. Jace stood close, caressed her hard nipples gently with his knuckles for a moment, and then pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Call me when you’re finished.” Hopelessly aroused from his simple touch, Emma didn’t need a mirror to know she wore a blank look. “Why?” “So that I can carry you back to bed.” “But I can walk,” she said, feeling off balance enough to state the obvious. “True,” Jace said amiably, “but I like carrying you.” She nodded, unsure why she was agreeing, but confused enough to go with the flow. He left the door open, and finally some small amount of sense kicked in and she marched over and closed it firmly. She wasn’t certain, but she thought she heard a quiet chuckle before she turned to make use of the facilities. When she was done, she spent a few minutes trying to tame her wild hair before giving up and just making certain her supposedly waterproof makeup hadn’t melted down her face. Fortunately, the brand had lived up to its claim—mostly—and she hadn’t spent the night looking like the lead creature from a horror movie. As soon as she opened the door, Jace scooped her into his arms and carried her the dozen or so feet to the bed. He placed her in the middle, pressed a kiss to her nose, and then climbed on beside her. Emma glanced around the dimly lit room. In some ways, it resembled an ordinary bedroom. Although she’d never seen a mansized wooden X with handcuffs attached, or a wall display filled with whips, in any bedroom she’d visited before. “What is this room?” “Just one of the private rooms the club has available for its members.”

42

Abby Blake

“Oh.” That didn’t really explain anything but she was embarrassed enough by her own uncharacteristic behavior not to push for more. Fortunately, the door opened a moment later and interrupted what could’ve developed into an uncomfortable silence. “Good morning, little one,” Logan said as he stepped into the room. “Do you have any plans for today?” “No.” Well, Saturday was laundry day, but she wasn’t about to blurt that out. “Excellent. Viper has invited us to his home for lunch.” “Oh, okay,” she said, not even trying to deny the thrill of getting to spend more time with these men. “If somebody could give me a lift home, I’ll…um…meet you at Viper’s place if you can give me an address.” Their expressions grew darker with every word, and the last few from her mouth were practically whispered. “Not going to happen, darlin’,” Jace said as he sat up. She scrambled to do the same, feeling at a distinct disadvantage being the only one lying down. Logan leaned over, lifted her to sit against the headboard, and sat himself on the edge of the bed. His big hand held her ankle in a warm grip, and she somehow felt trapped, possessed, and protected all from one seemingly absentminded touch. “Emma, one thing you need to learn about our lifestyle is that a Dom always escorts his sub to a party.” Logan may have said it with an indulgent smile on his face, but it was obviously one point he would never compromise. “In fact, today we plan to drive you home, choose your clothes for you, and then escort you to the party.” “Choose my clothes?” she blurted, unable to hide her distaste. “I’m a grown woman, not a five-year-old. I think I can choose my own clothes.” “Emma,” Jace said as he caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Wouldn’t you prefer to wear clothes that you know turn us on?”

Emma’s Education

43

She laughed self-consciously. Her wardrobe was rather conservative, and she was fairly certain she didn’t own any clothes that would be to their tastes. She glanced down at the thin black material of the dress she’d worn most of the night and nearly shuddered at the thought of wearing something so revealing in the light of day. “We’ll find something that suits all of us,” Jace said with a wink. For some reason, she found herself smiling in return. The word “okay” slipped from her lips before she had a chance to really think about it. **** Logan didn’t need to figure out which one of the town houses was Emma’s home. In the neat little grouping of modern-looking homes, only one had the word “whore” spray-painted across the front door. He ground his teeth together, wanting to shield Emma from the childish behavior of her ex, but knowing that she needed to understand how dangerous Greg Michaels probably was. If the police reports Viper’s investigator had uncovered had any truth to them, this was just the beginning of Greg’s antisocial behavior. Fortunately, Jace must’ve seen the door as well because he was doing a very good job of distracting Emma in the backseat. No wonder he’d insisted that Logan drive. “Emma,” Logan said quietly as the couple finally came up for air. “How much do you know about your ex?” She sounded breathless as she answered. “We dated for about two months. He seemed nice enough…well, until last night. And you saw how that ended.” “Emma, I really wish I could shield you from this, but Greg Michaels has a long history of harassment and stalking.” “Michaels? No his name is Greg Marsden. You must have him mixed up with someone else. The guy’s a self-centered jerk, but I

44

Abby Blake

doubt he’s a stalker.” Jace gave Logan a look that said he wanted the full story, not just the minimal information he was going to give Emma. “I’m sorry, Emma, but I’m fairly sure we’ve got the right guy.” “What makes you so certain?” Her voice was just a little bit wobbly, but she seemed more angry than frightened. “He’s written something on your front door overnight.” “What!” Emma tried to scramble out of the car, but Jace pulled her back into his arms. “What the hell? On my front door? Oh for fuck’s sake! Just tell me.” “Emma,” Jace said quietly as he ran his hand through her hair in a soothing and hypnotic motion. “It doesn’t matter what he wrote. It’s not true. Logan is going to take you to breakfast while I get the mess cleaned up.” **** Emma really wanted to let them protect her—she really did—but the independent woman inside who had been taking care of herself for many, many years rebelled at the thought of hiding from life. Good, bad, and the ugly all made up life’s experiences, and she was damned if she’d let some coward with a spray can change the way she lived. “Logan, Jace, I really appreciate that you want to protect me, but I need to know. If I cower away, then he wins.” Logan nodded and even managed to grin, but Jace looked disappointed. In the end, they both nodded and helped her out of the car. Thank goodness they’d located her jeans and shirt in the club lockers. Turning up home with two men and wearing that black dress certainly would’ve given her neighbors something to gossip about. Fortunately, it was still early on a Saturday morning, so hopefully none of her neighbors had seen whatever graffiti Greg had written. The word “whore” scrawled in red paint that dribbled down the door like blood was pretty confronting, and Emma sent a small prayer

Emma’s Education

45

of thanks that she wasn’t alone to deal with it. She might refuse to hide, but she wasn’t going to refuse friendly support either. Emma briefly wondered if it was too early to wake Mrs. Peterson to get her spare key when it finally occurred to her that her psychotic ex-boyfriend had the other set. “He has my keys,” she blurted out before she could rein in the fear. “It’s okay, little one. We’ll get the spare set, and I’ll check through the apartment before we do anything else.” “Shouldn’t we call the police?” “Who needs the police,” Jace said with a big grin, “when we have our very own Navy SEAL.” “Really?” Well, that certainly explained the muscles. “Um, okay, I guess.” Logan grinned and gave her a quick squeeze. “Who has your spare keys?” After retrieving her spare house keys from a grumpy Mrs. Peterson, Emma stood on the porch and waited with Jace while Logan made certain Greg wasn’t lurking inside her house. Logan must’ve checked every cupboard, nook, and cranny in the place, but eventually he stepped back onto the porch with a grim expression on his face. “The place is empty,” he said with a growl that belied that as good news. “But he vandalized your bedroom.” Emma felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She’d been in a hurry yesterday, so it was quite possible the unmade bed and pile of unironed clothes would make the room look like it had been vandalized. “Um,” she said, unsure how to confess her poor housekeeping. “No, little one,” Logan said with a sad smile. “I’m talking about the smell. He poured something on the mattress.” “Oh.” She felt her face heat. She was reduced to single syllable answers, and she sure didn’t like it. She shook her head, trying to

46

Abby Blake

imagine what Greg could possibly have poured over her bed to make it smell. Unfortunately, she got a whiff of the bedroom by the time she stepped into the hallway. “Dog shit?” she asked in a voice quivering with anger. Hell, it wasn’t just feces she could smell. There was the rank smell of stale urine as well. “Darlin’, I think we need to report this to the police.” She nodded in agreement. Hell, the police probably wouldn’t be able to do anything, but at least the incident would be recorded. “Could we cover the front door so the neighbors don’t get an eyeful?” “Absolutely,” Jace said as he moved to hold her in his arms. **** Hours later, Jace was on the verge of grinding his teeth to dust. The police had been sympathetic but, without any witnesses to prove Greg Michaels had been there, unable to do more than document the damage. Logan had practically dragged Emma away once the police left. She’d protested, but in the end, she seemed willing to grab some breakfast with Logan. Jace planned to get things organized here and hopefully join them. Although, with the stench from the bedroom firmly stuck in his nostrils, he wasn’t certain he’d ever want to eat again. He’d called in a favor from some of his construction buddies, so they’d at least been able to haul away everything that had been damaged, including the ruined bed and carpet underneath. The room still stank a bit, but the rest appeared to be salvageable. He planned to have Emma stay with him at least for a while, but she struck him as stubborn enough to want to come back here eventually. “Hey, Mitch, do you have a business card for the security company we used last month?” “Sure,” Mitch said and headed out to his truck to retrieve the information. Jace wanted to call and make arrangements to have a

Emma’s Education

47

state-of-the-art alarm and surveillance system installed immediately, but a part of him realized that Emma would want to be the one to make that decision. He just hoped she saw things his way, because there was no way in hell the woman was coming back here without some protection— electronic, human, or otherwise. **** Emma tried to still the shaking in her fingers. Now that the anger was starting to wear off, the fear was setting in. Fortunately, she hated being afraid, so that at least kept the anger simmering. Of course, it helped that Logan had seated her at the far end of the booth, and was currently caressing her thigh with his warm hand. “So…um…you’re a Navy SEAL.” Okay, as a conversation starter, it was pretty lame, but the last twelve hours had been very weird. “For the moment,” Logan said absently. “Oh.” Emma stilled for a moment, wondering if he was going to elaborate. When he didn’t, she fidgeted in the seat for a little while and then asked, “Jace is a construction worker?” “I think Jace is an engineer.” “You think?” Logan looked at her with an apologetic smile on his face. “Sorry, little one, I’m kind of distracted at the moment.” “Anything I can help you with?” She wasn’t sure why she made the offer. She barely knew this man, and considering where they met, helping him might entail something she wasn’t quite ready for, like a blow job or something. Except that, judging by the warmth that simmered low in her belly, maybe she was more ready than she realized. Logan’s hand moved a little higher on her thigh—almost as if he were having the same thoughts—but he shook his head slowly.

48

Abby Blake

“Last night was the first time I’ve seen Jace in about three years. When I knew him, he was still studying.” That was surprising. Considering how well the two men worked together, she would’ve assumed a much closer acquaintance. “What about you? What do you do when you’re not out partying?” She practically snorted at the party-girl image. She was about as far away from a party girl as a person could get. In fact, last night she would’ve been happy to stay home with a grilled cheese sandwich and a good book. But then she never would’ve met Logan or Jace. “I’m a secretary.” She was more than that, but it didn’t really seem important at the moment. “Why would Greg do that?” It had been preying on her mind. If someone had suggested last week that her ex was capable of such things, she would’ve laughed at them. But now, with the smelly evidence of a disturbed mind still fresh in her memory, Emma was feeling more than a little off kilter. “Ironically, I think it’s a territorial thing.” “You’re kidding?” It would’ve made sense, perhaps, if the man had sported four legs and a tail, but it was pretty bizarre behavior for a human. “Did you have sex with him on that bed?” Emma swallowed hard. She wasn’t used to recounting her sexual experiences so casually. Hell, she never was one to kiss and tell. “I can read the answer in your eyes, little one.” Logan leaned over and touched her face with the calloused tips of his fingers. “I suspect that Greg sees that bed as somehow belonging to him—maybe representing something special between you two that he doesn’t want you to share with someone else.” “I suppose,” Emma answered slowly. Hell, it made about as much sense as any other theory. “Hopefully that’ll be the end of it.” Emma sure hoped he was right. It was her first experience with this sort of thing, and she really didn’t like the fear it stirred in her.

Emma’s Education

49

“I don’t understand why he left my bag and wallet on the entry table, but then took time to destroy the bedroom.” Logan had sifted through the entire bag searching for anything that Greg may have added. Logan had been quite professional about it, but Emma had blushed at almost every item that he’d found. She really needed to clean that out. Who knew she could accumulate so much junk in one handbag? But it seemed that once Greg had gotten into her apartment, he’d forgotten all about her purse. Thank goodness for small favors. She didn’t like the idea of having to cancel her credit cards or trying to replace her driver’s license. “I guess that means I need to put ‘buy a new bed’ on my to-do list this week.” “Among other things,” Logan murmured cryptically. She wanted to ask what he meant, but the warm hand resting on her leg slowly moved higher up her thigh, and she was suddenly acutely aware of her lack of underwear. She’d intended to get changed, but considering the state of the bedroom, it hadn’t been an option. She inhaled sharply, trying to calm down. Her breasts tingled, her nipples beading as Logan watched her, his intent gaze never leaving her face. His hand slid higher, massaging the material of her jeans against the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs. Lightly, his hand skimmed over her crotch, the touch barely there, but oh, so exciting. Embarrassment heated her cheeks, and her gaze darted around the crowded diner. “Look at me.” Logan’s tone was deep and authoritative, and she didn’t even consider not obeying his order. “Good girl,” he whispered as he leaned close to her ear. His hand slid higher, gliding over her rapidly swelling clit. Her breathing hitched, her focus suddenly turning inward. The sound of the people dining around them blurred and blended into a distant, indistinct background noise. “Logan,” she whimpered as his soft touch turned her insides to mush. “Shhh, little one, I’ll take care of you.” She nodded her head, so needy she didn’t care where they were. How could this be happening?

50

Abby Blake

Last night at the club had been almost like another world, a place removed from real life. But they were in a crowded diner for fuck’s sake. She’d never been sexually adventurous, had always been horrified by the idea of embarrassing herself in public, so she couldn’t fathom why she was behaving so out of character. But if she didn’t come soon, she was liable to beg him to bend her over the table and fuck her until neither of them could walk. Heat swelled through her midsection, her naughty thoughts conspiring against her. She almost groaned when she heard the waitress deliver their meals. But Logan didn’t stop his gentle caress. She tried to hold herself together. Tried to smile a thank you to the waitress. Tried to hide exactly what was happening under the table, but Logan laughed softly and whispered, “Come.” Unbelievably, heat burst from her womb, rushing outward, every muscle quivering as orgasm rolled up and down her body, scraping over every nerve ending, throbbing through every vein. She struggled to stay quiet, biting her tongue as she tried to control her breathing. Shivering slightly, her entire body finally relaxed into sated exhaustion. Every inch of her still tingled as Logan leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. “You look very beautiful like this, little one.” She laughed a quiet, breathless sound as she glanced around. Relief melted through her when she realized that nobody in the diner seemed to have noticed her climax. Logan pressed another quick kiss to her mouth and then lifted a fork and placed it in her hand. She looked at the utensil in confusion for a moment before the delicious smell of bacon and eggs reached her senses. She attacked the meal, suddenly ravenously hungry. ****

Emma’s Education

51

Logan watched Emma lift a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth and tried to hide his own reaction. It had been a very long time since he’d wanted a woman the way he wanted this one, and it felt perfectly natural to continue to caress her thigh as they ate in companionable silence. The possessiveness streaking through him was a bit surprising. He hadn’t even considered taking on a submissive in recent years. Besides the fact that he really didn’t want to be tied down, his career certainly didn’t make it easy to keep a relationship happy. He could be out of the country for months at a time and quite often had to leave without warning. It wasn’t fair for any woman, submissive or not, to live not knowing where her lover was or when he’d be back. Logan glanced up just as Jace came through the door. He stopped at the counter, ordered his breakfast, and then made his way to their table. By the time his old friend slid into the bench seat opposite him and Emma, Logan realized the answer to his own concerns. Jace. **** Jace smiled when he saw Emma’s pink cheeks. It was obvious—at least to him—that she’d just had an orgasm, and he was relieved that Logan had found a way to distract their lovely sub. The damage to her bedroom had been disturbing, and even if he hadn’t just taken her bed, half her clothes, and all of her shoes to the dump, Jace would be insisting on her staying with him until they could get some sort of alarm system and panic button installed in her home. Now he only had to convince the woman. He hadn’t been prying—well not exactly—but it was very obvious by her home and the clothes in her wardrobe that she was a woman used to making her own decisions. Add that to the refusal to let him

52

Abby Blake

shield her from her ex’s ugly behavior, and it all pointed to one stubborn, independent female. But she was also submissive. She smiled shyly, her cheeks reddening prettily when he gave her a wink. Unable to resist touching her, he reached over the table and threaded her fingers through his own. She was breathing pretty hard for someone sitting still, so he brushed his thumb over her pulse and smiled at her instant reaction. Logan may have been the one who’d just given her an orgasm, but she wasn’t immune to Jace either. His cock lengthened almost painfully as he considered their plans for today. Emma had already agreed to go to Viper’s barbecue, and despite what had happened to her bedroom, he had every intention of making sure she followed through. He planned to have her so satisfied that she wouldn’t have the energy to protest when he placed her in his bed and kept her there all night. Jace glanced over at Logan and realized he wanted him there as well. Surprising. He’d never been the sort of Dom to share his sub— hell, it one of his hard and fast rules—but with Emma it just seemed natural. His breakfast arrived quickly, and he wolfed it down, drained his coffee, and then gave their sub an assessing smile. Her shirt was loose and oversized. The jeans she wore were a relaxed fit and did absolutely nothing to showcase the fabulous body underneath. She was obviously used to covering her assets. It certainly explained her choice of clothes and her self-conscious behavior last night. Apart from a couple of mildly sexy cocktail dresses shoved up the back of her closet, the rest had been sedate business suits. He glanced at his watch. “Viper’s parties always start at twelve. We need to stop by my place. What about you, Logan? Where are you staying?” Logan looked distracted, and again Jace wondered about the real reason for his leave from the SEAL teams. He certainly didn’t look

Emma’s Education

53

like a man taking a vacation. He glanced over at Jace as if he’d only just realized the man was there. “I’m staying at my brother’s place.” Jace nodded. He’d suspected as much. Logan and his brother, Alex, had very little in common, but for some reason had always seemed to get along. “Okay, we’ll stop by your brother’s—he still at the same place?” Logan nodded. “Then we’ll head over to my place and then go from there to Viper’s party.” “Um…” Emma said, looking just a little peeved, “what about me? I don’t have anything to wear.” “Perfect,” Jace said, his grin widening with her look of outrage. “Little one,” Logan said as he did something under the table that made her eyes lose focus. “Subs don’t wear clothes to Viper’s parties.”

54

Abby Blake

Chapter Five Whoa. Say what? Okay, now she sounded like an old sitcom character. Thank heavens she hadn’t said that out loud. But both men were grinning at her as if they could read her mind. Hell, considering the way they seemed to be able to bend her to their will, maybe they could. “Um…” she said, trying to think rationally. Viper was the owner of the club—assuming of course that Viper’s Dungeon was named after Viper—so chances were that his parties were along the same theme as last night at the club. But naked? Last night had been an aberration. If she hadn’t been so damned scared at the beginning and then so hopelessly overwhelmed by these two, she probably wouldn’t have stayed more than a few minutes. She certainly wouldn’t have been there almost naked. But of course, if she had run when she’d wanted to, she never would have experienced the mind-numbing pleasure of finally discovering what a real orgasm felt like. Okay. She could do naked. Maybe. “Did you say it was a barbecue? As in outdoors?” Jace grinned. Logan nodded sagely but couldn’t quite hide his amusement. “I’m…um,”—not sure? Nervous? Scared? Seriously questioning my sanity?—“fine with that.” She didn’t know who was more surprised by her answer, her or Logan, but she quickly clarified. “I mean, if it’s…you know…um private and um…”

Emma’s Education

55

Jace leaned over and wrapped his fingers gently around her jaw. He turned her gaze to his. “It’s very private. Our plan is to explore your needs, not humiliate you.” Emma let out the breath she’d been unconsciously holding. She couldn’t stop herself from tilting her head into his caress. How did Jace know exactly what she was thinking? “We’ll get moving as soon as you finish your breakfast.” Logan indicated the half-eaten food in front of her. Emma went to push it away, but Logan stopped her with a stern look. “Eat, little one. You’re going to need your strength.” Coffee and toast may have been her usual limit for breakfast, but the amount of promise Logan managed to put behind that simple statement had Emma reaching for her fork. **** Logan gently caressed Emma’s lower spine as they stepped into the foyer of Jace’s home. She looked around curiously as Jace gave them a quick tour. With his Navy career, Logan hadn’t really given much thought to having a permanent home, but he couldn’t deny an appreciation for the man’s tastes. Nothing was too modern, or too cluttered, or even too sparse. Jace had managed to somehow give this large house the feel of a real home. “You have a beautiful home,” Emma said quietly, echoing Logan’s thoughts. “Thank you, darlin’.” Jace wrapped his hand around her wrist and led them both into what appeared to be the main bathroom. It was probably the biggest bathroom Logan had ever visited, but he was grateful that all three of them fit in there with room to spare. “Razors?” he asked Jace. He could see their sub’s curiosity, but it wasn’t until Jace turned to get the equipment and Logan started to strip her clothes off that she realized the razor was for her.

56

Abby Blake

“I…um.” “Be quiet, little one.” Logan dragged the denim down her legs and urged her to step out of the material before he smoothed his hands upward and pulled her shirt over her head. He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the cold tiled bench. He smiled at her quiet hiss but was very pleased that she’d managed to stay quiet. “Good girl.” Jace handed him the razor and shaving cream but seemed content to stand back and watch. “Are you allergic to anything, Emma?” She shook her head, looking more nervous now than she had last night at the club. “The correct answer is, ‘No, Sir,’” Jace said sternly. Emma looked a little overwhelmed, but it was a good idea for her to start learning the rules of their Dom-sub community right now. With Viper in charge, Emma would get a certain amount of leeway until she was properly trained, but after that she’d be subjected to the same rules as all the other subs at his parties. “No, Sir,” she said nervously, “but I…um.” “Quiet, little one,” Logan said as he squeezed shaving foam onto his hand. “At the party, you’ll only speak when asked a direct question. Is that understood?” Her eyes widened, and he tried not to grin at her apprehension. It was a Dom’s job to keep his submissive off balance, but he also didn’t want to scare her so badly that she backed away. Whether she understood her own need or not, she still needed to be aware that she had choices. “Do you know what a safe word is, little one?” Logan stood in front of her, shaving cream in one hand, razor in the other, waiting for her answer. They’d talked of a safe word in the club last night. “I think so.” She glanced at Jace and then back at Logan. “If I say my safe word, everything stops?” “That’s correct, darlin’. Everything stops.” “Oh.”

Emma’s Education

57

Logan grinned at the disappointment on their sub’s face. She was simply adorable. “Because you’re new to this, we’ll give you two safe words. Red will stop everything, but you can use yellow to slow things down. Yellow will give you a chance to tell us how you’re feeling, and we can discuss any concerns you might have. Do you think you can do that?” “I think so,” she answered with such simple honesty that he wanted to crush her to him and hold on tight, despite the fact that she’d forgotten to add “Sir.” Trying to gain control over his own unusual emotions and the erection that just wouldn’t quit, Logan stepped closer, pushing her knees farther apart in the process. “Remember, we want you to enjoy giving control to us, but it takes time to build trust. Anytime you feel frightened or overwhelmed, just say yellow.” She nodded again, caught his slight frown, and said, “Yes, Sir.” “Good girl.” **** What the hell was it about those two little words? She was a grown woman for heaven’s sake. She’d been taking care of herself more years than she cared to count. Why would two little words from a complete stranger give her more pleasure than all of her past relationships put together? Well, maybe not a complete stranger. She gazed up at Logan’s face. He was probably mid-thirties, well-built, and very handsome in a comfortable, worn sort of way. Small lines beside his eyes attested to his experience outdoors, and the alert and wary way he watched others suggested he spent a lot of time in dangerous situations. Even when he seemed relaxed, she could feel a restless energy running through him. “Did you sleep last night?” Logan frowned at her question, but Jace laughed softly behind him.

58

Abby Blake

“This one is going to need a lot of training,” Jace said as he stepped closer. He wore a smile, but it faded when he touched her face with his calloused fingertips. “Be careful at Viper’s party, darlin’. Insubordinate subs are punished by any of the Doms, not just their own.” A shiver of apprehension slithered up her spine. Maybe this was a really bad idea. Yes, last night had taught her that there was something fundamental missing in her life, but she wasn’t the type of person to give respect easily. She’d worked too hard and too long to prove that she was as good as any man in business. She felt like a coward, but she said it anyway. “Yellow.” Both men immediately changed demeanor. No longer were they Doms training their sub. Now they just seemed like the men she’d had breakfast with. Her face heated at the memory of having an orgasm in the middle of a crowded diner. They seemed to be waiting for her to say something, but with their changed attitudes, she could barely remember what had frightened her in the first place. “What is it, little one?” Logan asked as he pushed her hair behind her ear. “I…um…I…” Shit! She was a confident, experienced woman. Hell, if the owner of the firm she worked for could see her now, he’d wonder why he promoted her. “Emma?” Jace asked, sounding almost as confused as she felt. She blurted out the words, nervous enough not to try and censor her thoughts. “I don’t want anyone else touching me. Just you two.” “Okay,” Logan said as he grinned happily. Without the constant frown line, he looked years younger. She reached up to touch the soft skin on his forehead, her fingers tracing over the now smooth contours. But then his answer finally sank in to her brain. “Okay?”

Emma’s Education

59

“Emma,” Logan said as he took a step back. “We’ll consider that one of your hard limits—at least for the moment. We won’t let anyone else touch you today.” “And since neither of us is willing to share you with anyone else,” Jace said as if to make his point to Logan as well as her, “that should work out for all three of us.” She nodded, relieved to know that she wouldn’t be manhandled by some stranger. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t be punished,” Logan said as he reached over and ran his hand down the upper slope of her breast and grazed the peaked nipple. She sucked in a startled breath. How the hell had she forgotten that she was naked? Sitting on a bench with her legs apart? Cripes. “You’ll be fine, Emma. Logan and I will make sure that you know what is expected. You’ll only be punished for deliberate insubordination, not for misunderstandings.” “Okay, little sub, scoot forward a little so we can get you shaved and ready for the party.” She’d never been shaved down there before. Hell, it had been one of the things she’d wanted to discuss, but they’d both moved back into their Dom personalities, and short of blurting out the word yellow again, she had no way to broach the subject. Logan looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and she suddenly understood the difference between accidental and deliberate insubordination. If she didn’t move her ass right this second, she was liable to learn exactly what punishment Logan had in mind. She scooted forward like a good little sub. The pleasure in Logan’s eyes was well worth the discomfort, and she practically melted into his gentle touch. She tried not to wiggle as he smoothed shaving cream all over her mound, but when he started denuding her with the sharp razor, sensual little tickles of arousal went straight to her clit.

60

Abby Blake

She bit back the moan, deeply embarrassed to be turned on by such an impersonal touch. But then Logan shifted his fingers, gently massaging her labia as he scraped the last few hairs away, and the moan escaped anyway. His lips curved into that amazing smile once more, and he leaned over to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. He stepped away and let Jace use a washcloth to wipe away the remnants of shaving cream. Just when she thought they were finished, Logan squeezed more shaving cream onto his hand and Jace lifted her legs and pushed her knees back toward her chest. Heat shot through her, embarrassment, arousal, and need all conspiring to make her whimper pathetically. She wanted to roll her eyes at her ridiculous behavior, but then Logan smoothed the shaving cream around her anus, and she closed her eyes in wonder. If felt incredibly decadent to be held down by one man while another shaved the few hairs between her pussy and her anus. By the time they were finished, Emma was shivering with arousal, unbelievably on the verge of orgasm. “Don’t come,” Logan said without a trace of humor. He wet another washcloth and very thoroughly made certain that no shaving cream remained. She could feel her pussy pulsing in anticipation but tried to breathe through the sensation. The first touch of Logan’s tongue made her moan. He licked around her clit, his tongue lazily caressing the folds of her labia. She squirmed, but Jace held her tighter, and her arousal kicked into overdrive at the feeling of helplessness. Holy fuck, she never would’ve imagined being so turned on by their dominating behavior, but here she was. “Don’t come,” Logan said again as he sank a thick finger into her pussy. She shook hard as she tried to follow his order. Geez, it had always taken a lot of work for her to orgasm, but right now she couldn’t remember why. She was practically ready to burst into flames at a few gentle touches.

Emma’s Education

61

Logan pushed a second finger into her pussy, slowly, lazily gliding them in and out as her muscles relaxed and softened. She released a deep, slow breath, trying to control her arousal, willing to submit to their desires, wanting to please both of her men. “Good girl,” Logan said as he added a third finger. She squirmed a little at the uncomfortable feeling, but Jace leaned over and touched his lips to her own. His tongue caressed her before pushing past her teeth and sweeping into her mouth. Over and over he thrust his tongue into her mouth, mimicking Logan’s actions in her pussy. “Don’t come,” Logan said again a moment before his lips latched onto her clit and sucked really, really hard. She gasped into Jace’s mouth, groaning as liquid heat pulsed through her lower body. She wrenched away from Jace, gasping for air, trying to still the need to orgasm. “Good girl,” Jace said as he caressed her face and pressed a soft kiss to her sweaty forehead. “Now you can come.” Logan pushed his fingers deeper, curling them inside her body, touching a place that set off fireworks in her brain. She moaned, grinding her teeth as heat pulsed and exploded in her womb. Every muscle shook uncontrollably, her knees jumping and jolting even in Jace’s strong hold. She could feel her pussy pulsing, her cream leaking from her, coating her denuded labia and dripping down her ass. She breathed harshly, trying to regain control of the body that no longer seemed to belong to her. Logan pulled his fingers from her pussy, and she whimpered at the loss, but the feeling of pressure against her anus had her squirming away. “Be still, little sub,” Logan said with a note of disapproval. She stopped squirming immediately, no longer surprised at her willingness to follow their orders. She squeaked a noise of fear as Logan pressed a single finger past the tight ring of muscle and into her back passage. “Have you ever had a man in your ass, little one?”

62

Abby Blake

“N–No, Sir,” she managed to force past her lips even as heat and liquid desire replaced the discomfort. He wiggled his finger slightly, and delicious arousal wound through her once more. She was panting, trying not to rock against his finger when Logan moved away and removed his hand. “Shower time,” he said, and Jace let go of her legs and helped her to her feet. Her legs felt like cooked noodles, and she grabbed for Jace in an effort to stay upright. “Lock your knees, Emma. Concentrate.” Logan sounded annoyed, and she instinctively looked up to meet his gaze. “Eyes down, sub.” She quickly lowered her gaze to the floor. It was the one lesson her ex had actually taught her, but she shivered with apprehension at Logan’s tone. She was unsure what she’d done wrong, but she locked her knees and tried to do as he’d ordered. **** Jace glanced sharply at Logan. Somewhere in between breaching Emma’s ass and announcing it was time for a shower, something had changed. Logan had always been a strict Dom, but if Jace had to guess, he’d say Logan was more annoyed with himself than their still-in-training sub. He tried to make eye contact, but Logan turned toward the shower and got the water running. “Emma,” Logan said in a rough voice. “Jace is going to clean you. I expect you to do everything he asks.” “Y–Yes, Sir,” she said in a small, breathless voice. Jace grabbed Logan’s arm as the man spun around to leave the bathroom, but the fierce look he turned on him suggested that this was neither the time nor the place. Jace felt Emma shiver again and silently cursed Logan for scaring her.

Emma’s Education

63

He wrapped his arms around her naked body and cradled her against him for a few moments. Slowly, the shivering stopped, and she relaxed into his hold. “Did I do something wrong? I mean…um…Sir, I’m sorry.” Unable to explain Logan’s sudden change in attitude, Jace lifted Emma by the waist, turned, and placed her under the water spray. She looked at him with such confusion that his heart did a strange little half beat for a moment before kicking into double time. “Eyes down, sub,” he said in an indulgent voice. She immediately did as he said, and he rewarded her with a gentle tug on her nipple. He quickly stripped off his own clothes and stepped into the shower behind her. She moaned softly as he grabbed the shower gel and smoothed it over her breasts, toying with the taut nipples as he pressed little kisses to the side of her throat. If he could keep her on the knife’s edge of arousal, she’d be more comfortable at the party. It was Jace’s experience that the more time a new sub had to think, the more self-doubt seeped into her brain. Not that he had much experience training new subs, but he did understand the basic psychology. The members of their community had needs that were not the accepted norm in society, and quite often subs found it difficult to reconcile their sexual needs with the rest of their life. He grabbed the shampoo and massaged a generous amount into her hair. It was more than obvious that Emma wasn’t used to taking orders, but it was a great gift that she trusted him and Logan enough to comply. And, judging by the hand creeping toward his erection, she was also rather eager to please. He caught her wrist and pinned it between his thigh and her butt while he lathered the shampoo. “Behave, darlin’, or I’ll call Logan in to spank you while I feed you my cock.” He almost laughed at her eager noise of agreement. Brat. He quickly rinsed the shampoo from her hair, did the same with the conditioner, and then grabbed both her hands. He urged her to thread

64

Abby Blake

her fingers together behind her back and turned her to face him. “On your knees, darlin’.” She lowered carefully to the hard tiles. He could feel her warm breath against his groin as the water sprayed across his spine and shoulders. He stepped back slightly, allowing the water to briefly pepper her face, just enough to force her to close her eyes. He cupped the back of her neck and urged her face closer to his cock. “I want you to keep your eyes closed.” She nodded, and he pressed the head of his hard cock against her wet lips. “Open.” He held her still, allowing her only a brief taste before moving away once more. “Emma, I want you to listen to me.” She tilted her face to his but kept her eyes closed. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip, unable to resist touching her. “I don’t know how much experience you have, so I’m going to start slowly. If you need me to stop, you just have to unlink your fingers and place your hands on my thighs.” “Yes, Sir,” she said with such innocent trust that he wanted to drop to his knees and worship every inch of her body. And then… then take her into his room and watch as Logan fucked her. Shit. For a man who didn’t share, he was sure hooked on the idea of sharing this woman with a man he hadn’t seen for three years—an old friend who also seemed to be carrying a boatload of issues. Emma shuffled slightly on her knees, and he finally realized he’d been ignoring his beautiful sub while his mind wandered into dangerous territory. Logan was only here for three weeks. It would make more sense for Jace to train Emma alone. He shouldn’t be considering anything more than brief assistance from the man. Jace pressed his cock against Emma’s lips, and she opened immediately, suctioning her warm mouth around him, licking the underside, and curling her tongue to caress the sensitive flesh under the flared head. He held back a groan as she let him push deeper. He felt his cock slide over her tongue and press against the back of her throat. “Swallow.” She struggled to comply. He could feel her mouth

Emma’s Education

65

and jaw moving, but it was the fact that she was holding her breath that had him pulling back slightly. “Breathe, darlin’.” Almost as if she hadn’t noticed herself, Emma finally dragged a deep breath in through her nose. “That’s it, Emma. Relax.” She breathed out and took another deep breath, and he felt the tightness in her throat ease as well. “Good girl. I want you to relax and swallow when my cock touches the back of your throat.” She nodded as well as she could, considering she still had his cock in her mouth. This time, when he slid deeper, she managed to swallow around him. He groaned at the exquisite sensation and slid his cock out of her mouth once more. She licked her lips, the darting motion of her pretty pink tongue playing havoc with his control. He cupped the back of her head a little harder. Pressed his cock against her lips and drove in a little faster. He held her captive as he touched the back of her throat and waited for her to swallow. She worked the muscles in her throat, allowing his cock to slide deeper. “Good girl,” he managed to grind out before he withdrew and slid into her again. He slowly picked up the pace until he was thrusting hard and fast into her mouth. His balls drew tight, heat searing his cock as his need to climax gripped him. “I’m going to come, darlin’. I want you to swallow every drop.” She moaned, and he thrust again, harder, faster, deeper. Heat erupted over his skin as his cum burst from his throbbing cock and splashed into her mouth. She swallowed over and over as his orgasm seemed to go on and on. Finally spent, he eased his softening cock from her mouth. “Well done, little one,” Logan said from the doorway. Emma jumped at the sound of his voice. Obviously she hadn’t noticed Logan come back into the room either. Jace glanced at the nearly happy expression on Logan’s face before he helped Emma to her feet and turned her into the spray of warm water. He briefly

66

Abby Blake

massaged her shoulders before handing her into the towel Logan held open for her. Jace turned back to complete his own shower as Logan lovingly dried their sub. **** Logan tried to hide how much this woman affected him. No matter how many ways he’d argued to himself to take a support role in Emma’s education as a submissive, he couldn’t quite convince himself to stay out of the bathroom. Emma seemed embarrassed by his attention, so he grinned and rubbed the towel over her breasts until her breathing quickened and her nipples drew tight. She squirmed when he dried her hair and looked ready to smack him one when he growled at her to open her legs. He smiled at her soft, needy sounds as he dried her pussy. She’d be far more sensitive now that he’d shaved the hair away. He rubbed the towel a little harder and then, when she was panting from the need to come, wrapped the material around her and carried her into Jace’s bedroom. He placed her on her feet and stood back. She gave him a wideeyed look that suggested she wasn’t quite sure why she was letting him do this, but she certainly couldn’t deny the arousal coming off her in waves. “I want you lying on your back in the middle of the bed, fingers laced behind your head and legs open by the time Jace gets into the room. And drop the towel.” She seemed to hesitate for a moment, but glanced at the doorway to the bathroom before dropping the towel to the floor and turning to climb onto the bed. Logan kept a tight rein on his own control as he caught a glimpse of her gorgeous ass as she crawled into the middle of the mattress.

Emma’s Education

67

She had barely enough time to get into the position he wanted before Jace came into the room. He wore only a towel around his narrow hips. He glanced at Emma in her submissive pose and grinned at Logan. “I thought you might like to inspect my work,” Logan said, watching Emma’s reaction to being spoken about as if she weren’t in the room. She huffed slightly but seemed to catch herself before words made it onto her lips. “Thank you, Logan. How does she taste?” “Delicious.” Logan could see Emma’s arousal winding tighter. Her thighs trembled slightly, and he could see her juices already leaking from her pussy. “Emma, stay completely still. I will spank you for every movement, so behave yourself, little one.” She whimpered quietly, but despite the nervous sound, he could see her arousal glistening as it wept out of her pussy. Jace leaned over the end of the bed and placed his nose close to the apex of her thighs. “Hmm, she smells delightful.” He didn’t even touch her, but her leg jolted in reaction to his nearness. “That’s one, Emma,” Logan said sternly, trying to hide how pleased he was that he had an excuse to smack that beautifully rounded bottom. Not that he needed an excuse. As her Dom, he could choose to spank her whenever he wanted, but in the context of her training, it worked in nicely. Both legs moved as Jace touched her lightly with his tongue. “That’s three,” Logan said with a growl. She looked like she was about to argue, but at the last moment, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and stayed quiet. Logan crossed his arms and watched as Jace eased a finger into her slick passage and licked around her rapidly swelling clit. The skin looked so sensitive, so shiny and red and ripe, that Logan began to wonder how Jace could find enough self-control to not take the nub into his mouth. Emma gasped as Jace pushed another finger into her

68

Abby Blake

pussy. This time both of her arms moved, her elbows moving upward as her stomach clenched. “That’s six.” She gave him a look that should’ve melted him into goo. “Seven for the glare,” Logan said as he tried to hide his amusement. She seemed ready to explode—in orgasm or temper, or maybe both. Jace dug his fingers under her ass and lifted her pussy up to his mouth, and then he set about driving their sub wild and making certain that her spanking would leave her bottom a very pretty shade of pink for Viper’s party. She writhed in Jace’s hold, but he didn’t let her orgasm. “Please,” she whimpered as Jace licked her clit one more time before pulling away. “Naughty subs don’t get orgasms,” Jace said as he pulled away. She growled—actually growled—but before the sound could transform into words, Jace slapped her newly denuded pussy hard. The sound was loud, but with her pussy and clit swollen from his attentions, the smack would’ve been a pleasurable type of pain. Emma gasped, sucking air into her lungs as she obviously tried to process the unexpected sensation. Logan gave her a moment to get herself back under control before sitting on the end of the bed with his back to her. “Come here, little sub.” He felt her hesitation, but she sat up and shimmied to the end of the bed. “Lie over my knees, Emma.” Again she seemed to hesitate, but a quick glance at her face showed deep arousal and healthy curiosity. She stood beside him, and for a moment, he thought she might use her safe word. But then she moved closer and did as he asked.

Emma’s Education

69

Chapter Six Emma shook with desire as she awkwardly lowered herself stomach first over Logan’s lap. Her knees were half bent, and she wasn’t quite sure where to put her arms, but her problems were quickly solved when Jace stepped closer, lifted her like she weighed nothing, and arranged her over Logan’s lap. Her ass in the air, her hands on the ground, her legs dangling on the other side, Emma felt completely and utterly helpless. Heat streaked through her, and she could feel her juices coating her thighs as her pussy pulsed in anticipation. The first blow was surprisingly hard, but it was the hand at the back of her neck pushing her down that shook her to the core. She felt helpless. She’d always hated feeling helpless, but somehow this was different, freeing. The only thing she had to do was what they told her, and that somehow turned her on even more. The second blow was just as hard. Her bottom already felt hot and sore, and if Logan was to be believed, she had at least seven coming. But as her buttocks heated, the sting morphed into something else. Emma could feel her pussy pulsing, clenching against nothing as her arousal grew. She hadn’t had time lately to truly take care of herself. She’d been so busy at work that her needs had always come last. She nearly yelped as the next blow caught the flesh just below her buttocks. The next hit the other side, and she bit her tongue to avoid crying out. Three more followed in quick succession. They stung, but the delicious heat was missing. She could feel tears gathering behind her

70

Abby Blake

eyelids, and she breathed a sigh of relief that she’d taken the seven he’d promised. The eighth caught her by surprise, and she yelped out loud as the sting spread from Logan’s handprint, making her bottom and thighs feel like they were on fire. She sobbed as the ninth and tenth blows caught her thighs. Logan stopped suddenly and lifted her into a sitting position on his lap. She was shaking all over and crying like a baby, and she kept her eyes closed in an attempt to hide from both men. Holy fuck, if this was BDSM, maybe she really was in the wrong place. Logan cradled her against his chest and ran a soothing hand through her hair as she sobbed. The last twenty-four hours had been very strange, but considering the stress she’d been dealing with over the last few months at work, the feeling of not being alone, of knowing she could trust these men, seemed strangely fulfilling—and completely weird considering they’d just spanked her until she cried. The confusion made her cry harder. As strange as it sounded in her own head, the fact that Logan held her close and let her cry seemed far more real than the not-quite friendships she had at work. It truly had been a very distressing couple of months. And that was all before her boyfriend turned out to be a disturbed stalker. She tried to control the tears, but Logan ran a hand down her spine and whispered, “It’s okay, little one. Cry as much as you need to.” He rocked slightly as he held her securely against his chest. Eventually, she cried herself out, and Logan helped her into a better sitting position but kept her on his lap. Jace held out a box of tissues, and she took a handful gratefully. Hell, she must look like a complete mess. She blew her nose and did her best to wipe her eyes. Her face felt hot and raw, and she smiled as Jace used a cool washcloth to wipe her down. “What was that about, darlin’?”

Emma’s Education

71

“Huh?” Jace frowned at her answer, but tried again. “Explain why you were crying.” “Because…” she began, feeling totally confused, “Logan just spanked me?” She didn’t really mean to say it as a question, but it seemed obvious to her that they would’ve known that—they’d both been there after all. “Emma,” Logan said as he shifted so that he could see her face. “You were on the verge of orgasm. A spanking like that should’ve been pleasurable in your aroused state.” She shrugged. She wasn’t sure what it was they wanted to hear. The slaps on her bottom had hurt. She closed her eyes as memories of the first few slaps and the heat they’d generated pulsed through her mind. Even the smack on her pussy, which had been much harder, had been arousing. She had been enjoying the spanking at the beginning. She’d certainly been turned on by the first few smacks. Confusion twisted through her brain, and she tried to recall exactly what she’d been thinking as Logan spanked her. “I…um…it’s been a stressful few months at work.” “Stressful, how?” Logan said in a tone that demanded a reply. “You’re a secretary, right?” Jace asked. “Sort of,” she said, wondering how to explain what it is she did. “Technically, I was a secretary. I suppose my recent promotion sort of makes me a lawyer’s assistant, personal assistant, and secretary all rolled into one.” She couldn’t keep the pride from her voice. She enjoyed her job, and she was good at it. “I work for the senior partner in the firm, but there were several others who believed they deserved the promotion instead of me.” She shook her head. It wasn’t like her to complain out loud. She usually just got on with her job. “Anyway, it’s really just petty office politics, but they’ve managed to alienate most of my friends, and the nasty rumors and innuendo have been a little hard to take.”

72

Abby Blake

Ha! If they could see her now—naked in the arms of two men— this would sure add fodder to the rumor mill. **** Jace watched Emma carefully. She seemed determined to dismiss her colleagues’ actions as trivial, but it was obvious to him, and judging by his expression to Logan as well, that her response had been far deeper. Emma had already shown that she was a strong woman, and her reaction during the spanking and then her explanation seemed disproportionate. “What sort of cases does your boss work on?” Logan asked just as the same thought occurred to Jace. All color drained from Emma’s face. “I can’t talk about individual cases.” “That’s not what I asked, little one.” Emma seemed to swallow with difficulty. She dropped her gaze to the floor and practically mumbled, “He’s a criminal defense lawyer. Most of his cases are pretty trivial offenses, but…” She hesitated, and Jace could practically see the thought processes in her head. This was what was really bothering her, but considering her job, it was most likely something she couldn’t talk about outside of the firm. Add that to all of the backstabbing and desertion by people she’d believed to be friends in her workplace, and there was no doubt in Jace’s mind that had been the cause of Emma’s crying jag. “But?” Logan asked softly, his care for the woman in his arms quite obvious. “But well there is one case that I hope he doesn’t win.” Jace and Logan both nodded. They could only assume that whatever the person was on trial for that there was overwhelming evidence for a guilty verdict. Emma didn’t seem the type to condemn a person without absolute proof that her conclusion was correct.

Emma’s Education

73

Tears gathered in Emma’s eyes, but she blinked them away. “I’m sorry,” she said with a self-deprecating laugh. “I didn’t mean to mess up your…um…training.” “Little one,” Logan said, his voice low and stern. “Part of your training is learning to be honest about your needs and emotions. This was obviously something you needed.” She seemed surprised by that at first, but then slowly nodded in agreement. “I do feel better. I probably look like something the cat dragged in, but I do feel better.” Logan moved, placed Emma on her feet and then said, “On the bed, little one.” She looked confused at the abrupt change of subject, but she nevertheless complied with Logan’s order. She crawled into the middle of the bed and then rolled onto her back and placed her hands behind her head. Jace watched as she hesitated to open her legs. She obviously realized this was the position that Logan expected, but it seemed that her sense of modesty was getting in the way. Jace walked to the side of the bed, leaned over, and very slowly, very deliberately pulled her left leg to the edge of the mattress. She squeaked an embarrassed noise but thankfully had the presence of mind not to close her legs, even though that seemed to be her first instinct. “Good girl,” Jace said with a smile. She smiled back, her body relaxing slightly. He ran his finger over her leg, the touch light. “We need to talk about hard limits.” She looked adorably confused. “We already know that you don’t want to be touched by strangers,” Logan said as he caressed her other leg. “We’ll discuss pushing your boundaries later, but for now we’ll consider that a hard limit.” Emma nodded, looking wary, but at least she seemed to understand. A point that was proven a moment later when she haltingly described a scene at the club last night that had clearly disturbed her.

74

Abby Blake

“Logan and I aren’t into sadism either,” Jace said, hoping that was still true for his friend. Three years was a long time, but he couldn’t imagine someone changing so much that they would move so far away from earlier choices. Logan nodded his agreement. He glanced at Jace. “We also avoid branding and cutting, blood play, breath play, and several other extremes that I’d rather not describe. We will, however, take great pleasure in testing your limits and discovering what works for you.” He leaned over and touched her face affectionately. “But we need to know where to draw the line today.” Emma had gone a little pale when Logan described some of the more intense forms of BDSM but she hesitated as she tried to give them an answer. “What is it, darlin’?” “I…um…I don’t…” She frowned as she seemed to search for the words. “Last night I could never have imagined that I would enjoy a flogging, but well, you two proved to me that I do. So I really…um…don’t…” “Emma,” Logan said as he ran his hand down her shoulder and over her breast. She gasped but kept her eyes on his face. “Domination and submission don’t have to be about sex.” The disappointment on her face was quite heartening. “But we both find ourselves fascinated by our little sub and will happily oblige.” She smiled shyly, and Jace was once more reminded of all the reasons he usually avoided untrained subs. Why Emma was different, he still didn’t understand. “Roll over,” Jace said with a glance at his watch. Viper didn’t appreciate tardiness, so if they were going to make it to the barbecue on time, they needed to get moving. Emma looked startled—she obviously wasn’t used to such abrupt changes in topic—but did as he asked without any fuss. Her bottom was still quite an appealing shade of pink. Jace traced over a couple of small raised spots and watched her reaction closely.

Emma’s Education

75

She didn’t seem to be in any pain, so he patted her bottom and told her to roll over once more. “Time to get dressed for the party,” he said as he helped her to her feet. She looked adorably confused once more, and he couldn’t resist pressing a hard kiss to her mouth. His hands wandered to her breasts, capturing the nipples between finger and thumb as he deepened the kiss and pressed his tongue into her mouth. She was panting by the time he pulled away. His cock protested, throbbing insistently against the towel he wore, but he stepped back and handed her over to Logan. “Logan is going to hold you while I find you something to wear.” **** Logan smiled at his friend’s perceptiveness. Despite the fact that they’d identified Emma’s reason for crying, he still felt annoyed with himself that he hadn’t caught her reaction sooner. Yes, the moment he’d noticed something was wrong, he’d changed the style of spanking, but he’d delivered two or three hard slaps that she hadn’t enjoyed. He’d once been involved with a sub who could only deal with her emotions after a really hard spanking. Logan hadn’t enjoyed it at all. He didn’t like inflicting real pain. He preferred his spankings to be an erotic lead-up to hot sex, not hitting a woman with the intention of hurting her. He’d eventually found a Dom who could deliver the type of spankings the woman had needed. But Emma’s reaction had been unexpected, and he’d once again found himself wondering if he should take a step back from her training. If that was the type of spanking she would need on a regular basis, he probably didn’t want to be involved. He’d spent the last three years living a vanilla life. Hell, maybe he was better suited to it. But then he looked at the soft expression on Emma’s face and lost all self-doubt. Being a Dominant was part of him. It was who he was, and not something he could turn on and off like a tap.

76

Abby Blake

“I thought subs were naked at Viper’s parties.” He laughed and pulled her onto his lap. “We’d rather not get arrested for indecent exposure on the way there.” “Oh, good point.” Emma blushed beautifully and buried her face in his chest. She took a deep breath and then stilled before she spoke. “I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to disappoint you.” “Emma,” he said, moving her so that he could see her face. “The only thing that disappointed me is that you hid your reaction. Submission is about trusting your Doms and reacting honestly. If you’d reacted like you were in pain, I would’ve stopped sooner.” “Okay.” He cradled her against him once more. “Oh,” she said suddenly like she’d just remembered something important. “Hard limits.” He nodded, waiting for her to continue. “I’ve never been attracted to women, so that would be a definite no.” She searched his face, perhaps looking for a disappointment she wouldn’t find. He meant it when he said he didn’t want to share her with anybody but Jace. “And only safe sex. I have an IUD, but I always use condoms.” “Good girl,” Logan said, running his hand over her ass and thighs. She moaned quietly as he tilted her backward and captured a nipple with his mouth. He laved the hard peak with his tongue and then bit down gently. He splayed a hand between her shoulder blades, lifting her to his mouth to pay homage to the other. She was writhing in his arms by the time he finished. He pulled back and admired his work. Her breasts looked plump and swollen, the nipples red and tight, and her breathing was hard and uneven. “That is a pretty sight,” Jace said as he came through the doorway. Logan held her immobile as Jace ran his hands over her breasts and stomach. “You look very beautiful, Emma.” She snorted in disbelief, obviously unaware of her own appeal. He smacked her outer thigh, the sound loud but the sting fairly mild. “The correct answer when one of your Doms gives you a compliment is ‘Thank you, Sir.’” She gave him an impish grin and dutifully repeated the words.

Emma’s Education

77

“We’ll work on your obedience later,” Jace said as he lifted a deceptively modest-looking sundress over her head. The material framed her cleavage, the neckline dipping to the top of her breasts but covering her completely. Jace helped her to stand, and the skirt fell into place, stopping just below her knee. The color complimented her skin perfectly. Emma smiled, perhaps surprised to be so completely covered, until Jace deliberately stretched the material of the bodice down and tucked it underneath her breasts. He bent to take a nipple in his mouth, wrapping a firm arm around her waist when her balance wobbled. Her hands lifted, but before she could move to push Jace away, Logan grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. She sighed and practically melted in their hold. It was very obvious by her reaction to being immobilized that she was in the right place. She was practically begging with her body, on the verge of orgasm, by the time Jace lifted his head. “We’re going to be late.” Emma moaned in frustration. “Later,” Logan promised as he released her arms and took her hand in his. She grumbled something that he didn’t quite hear, so he stepped in front of her, wrapped his arm around her hip, and caressed the material over her bottom. “Not another sound, little sub, or you may find later is a very long time away.” Her eyes widened, but she sucked her bottom lip into her teeth and nodded warily. He used his thumb to pry the soft flesh from captivity, gave her a stern look, and then grabbed the brush. He sat on the bed, waiting for Jace to give her the instruction to kneel at his feet. She looked surprised but finally did what she was told. Logan ran the brush through her slightly damp hair, untangling the knots that had been created when she’d been writhing on the bed. She seemed very embarrassed by his attentions and tried to reach for the brush. “Don’t, little sub. Be still while I brush your hair, or I’ll turn you over my knee and use it on your bottom.” The low moan that escaped

78

Abby Blake

her had his cock pressing so hard against the zipper of his jeans he would swear he could feel each tiny, individual indent. He finished her hair just as Jace finished dressing. Jace helped her to her feet, then captured her hand and turned to lead her to the car. **** Emma glanced at her exposed breasts. She tried to pull the material back into place, but a soft growl from Jace had her hesitating. The thought of stepping out of the house with her breasts exposed was both terrifying and titillating. Her heart rate accelerated as they neared the front door, and she realized with a certain amount of surprise that if her Doms wanted her to walk to the car dressed like this, she would allow it. What the hell was happening to her? She never left the house without a bra on, yet less than twenty-four hours after meeting these two she was not only willing to go without underwear, but to step out the door only half dressed. Anticipation curled through her belly, warring with fear and her surprising attitude. But as they reached the front foyer, they both stood in front of her and adjusted the bodice so that she was decently covered once more. She breathed a deep sigh of relief. Yes, she would’ve done it if they’d asked, but she was very grateful they hadn’t. “Too many camera phones these days,” Logan grumbled as he adjusted her hair so that it didn’t fall over her eyes. She actually felt all the blood drain from her face. She hadn’t been thinking past somebody maybe seeing her. But the idea of a stranger taking a photo and…oh Lord…posting it on the internet was terrifying. “Breathe, Emma,” Jace said in a reassuring tone. “We wouldn’t let that happen.” She nodded. They’d already protected her from her ex-boyfriend’s behavior. She already knew she could trust them. But then, almost

Emma’s Education

79

like a movie reel playing in her head, all of the horrible things that had led up to her being here in Jace and Logan’s care flooded back into her brain. “Stop thinking, Emma,” Logan said in a harsh tone. She turned and gazed at him, not even trying to hide her irritation at his assumption that he could control what she thought. He moved so quickly she barely noticed her own feet leave the ground until she was pressed up against the solid entry door with a hard male chest crushing her breasts and a tongue very thoroughly exploring the inside of her mouth. She gasped as he rocked his hips against her mound, the unexpected pressure against her clit turning her thoughts to mush. She caressed his tongue with her own and tried to wrap her legs around him to force him closer. God, she wanted him inside her more than she wanted her next breath. She whimpered as he palmed her ass and pressed her harder against his solid cock. A third hand caressed her scalp and neck gently as Jace said, “Sorry, darlin’, but we don’t want to be late for the party.” She groaned her disappointment as Logan slid her down his body, making sure that nearly every inch of her front touched every inch of his before he placed her on her feet. With a warm smile, he grabbed her hand, opened the door, and led her to the car. He slid into the backseat beside her, secured her seatbelt before she could protest, and then sat watching her as Jace drove them to Viper’s party. It wasn’t until they arrived at Viper’s barbecue that it occurred to her that she’d done exactly what he’d ordered. She’d stopped thinking, but she felt too distracted to mind. She felt relaxed, happy, and cared for. How unexpected. ****

80

Abby Blake

“She’s beautiful, Logan,” Viper said as he handed him a beer. It was imported, expensive, and the only one he’d get. Viper had very strict sobriety rules for his parties. It was a Dom’s responsibility to look after his sub. Alcohol had a tendency to mess with clear thinking, and since clear thinking was a definite requirement for some of the games that were played at these parties, Logan and all the other Doms here were in agreement with Viper. Viper stood beside him as he watched his submissive. Emma was kneeling at Jace’s feet, looking relaxed and happy as Jace spoke to one of the other dungeon monitors from the club. At first, she hadn’t been comfortable walking into the room naked, but her nervousness had eased slightly when she’d seen the other women. Sitting at Jace’s feet now, she seemed better trained than some of the other, more experienced submissives in the outdoor room. Logan counted five subs and seven Doms in the area, suggesting that either one of the Doms was alone or that he and Jace weren’t the only ones sharing a submissive. “Do you want to talk about it?” Viper asked casually. Logan knew Viper wasn’t talking about Emma. He was referring to what had put Logan on medical leave. He really wanted to be annoyed, but Viper had been part of the SEAL teams for many years before injury had forced him out. He was probably the one person in Logan’s life fully able to appreciate what was bothering him. “I lost a couple of squadmates.” He couldn’t really say anything more than that, but it was enough for Viper to understand. The whole mission had been a clusterfuck. The intelligence had been wrong. The small pod of enemy soldiers had been a far larger group than they’d been expecting, and the fact that the enemy had been waiting for them had—in Logan’s mind at least—been the reason his commanding officer had died. Losing Boots to an infection caused by his injuries a few days later had hit Logan far harder than he’d expected. “You thinking of quitting?”

Emma’s Education

81

He was. His squad was all but gone. Rocks and Scoop had both been shot as they carried their injured teammates to safety. The wounds hadn’t been life threatening, and they’d probably both make it back to the teams, but they had a long road to recovery. Stead’s injuries had left him with serious damage to several internal organs, and it was unlikely he’d ever recover enough to return to peak fitness. Blaze and Logan were the only ones to come back uninjured. Although, considering the fact that Logan was still getting headaches, hadn’t yet managed a decent night’s sleep since they’d returned, and was currently on forced medical leave, uninjured didn’t seem to mean unaffected. So, yes, he was considering quitting, but he really didn’t want to go out like that. After all the training and life-threatening situations he’d endured over his years as a SEAL, quitting just felt wrong. He was due to re-up in less than six months, but he was seriously considering a change. With Cam’s leg so badly injured, it was unlikely he would return to the SEAL teams and might even end up forced into a medical discharge. Logan couldn’t imagine going into enemy territory without his swim buddy. He and Cam had worked side by side ever since their first day of BUD/S training, and after eight years of seamless teamwork, he didn’t like the idea of trying to build that rapport with someone new. His teammates were all capable and experienced but they just weren’t Cam. Viper simply stood beside him while Logan worked it out in his head. He couldn’t give details—and didn’t want to—but Viper showed he knew exactly what was going on in Logan’s head. “You were one of the best dungeon monitors I’ve ever had. Whenever you want your old job back, just let me know.” Logan smiled. At most clubs, the dungeon monitor was a volunteer position, but with the hefty membership fees Viper charged, he could more than afford to pay competent staff. It was a good business deal all

82

Abby Blake

round. It meant that the clientele was made up of serious players, not weekend wannabes, and they were supported by experienced, welltrained dungeon monitors. Logan and Viper stood side by side for a little longer just watching the interaction between the others in the room. Emma looked completely relaxed and willing to simply sit at Jace’s feet like she’d been doing it for years. It certainly proved that she was a natural submissive, and Logan had the unexpected vision of placing a collar around her throat. Nothing like the ugly dog collar her ex had put on her, but rather something more symbolic, a sign of his ownership and love. Fucking hell. Love? Where the hell had that thought come from? Even if he did believe in love at first sight—and he mostly certainly did not—there was no way he was going there. He was career Navy. He’d planned to be a SEAL until he could no longer physically keep up, and that meant there was no room in his life for a wife or family. He nearly groaned out loud. Wife? Fuck, maybe he’d hit his head far harder than he realized. But he couldn’t deny the erection pressing hard against his jeans. Viper was right—she was beautiful. In fact, she was perfect for him and Jace. She had an easy smile and an appealing sense of humor. She was beautifully submissive yet capable of independence, and she was most certainly curvy in all the right places. “Excuse me, Viper, but there’s a sub who needs my attention.” Viper merely smiled.

Emma’s Education

83

Chapter Seven It felt really strange that she was sitting naked at a man’s feet and actually feeling comfortable. Hell, if anyone had suggested as recently as yesterday that she would find contentment in this way, she would have laughed herself silly. Jace moved slightly, and his hand tangled in her hair. The caress felt very caring, as if she were precious to him, and she had to resist the urge to lift her face into his palm. She glanced over at Penny, Adam’s submissive, and noticed the other woman rested her face on her Dom’s thigh. She looked as happy as Emma felt. How strange. “How long have you been in training?” Penny asked quietly. They’d been introduced and told by the men that they were allowed to converse. Emma’s instinctive reaction had been to tell Jace to take a flying leap—preferably off something tall—but then she’d witnessed Penny’s reaction and followed suit. The smile on Jace’s handsome face had made the small sacrifice seem incredibly worth it. “I’m only new, so I’m not really in training,” Emma said. “I only met Jace and Logan last night.” “Seriously?” the young woman asked with what sounded like a major dose of incredulity. Emma nodded warily, uncertain why the woman would be surprised. Penny must’ve noticed because she quickly explained. “You must be a complete natural. My first day of training, I got spanked so many times I couldn’t sit properly for a week.”

84

Abby Blake

Emma smiled, glanced up at Jace to make sure he wasn’t listening, and whispered conspiratorially, “I’ve come close to telling them both to go to hell more than once today.” A warm hand fisted in her hair, and she squeaked with embarrassment. “Is that so, darlin’?” Jace asked with a great deal of amusement. “Perhaps we should teach our sub what happens when she thinks things she shouldn’t be thinking.” “Hey,” she said in irritation, completely forgetting where they were. “I didn’t say it. I only thought it.” “Exactly,” Jace said as he tilted her head so that she could see his eyes. “Being a good sub is about attitude.” “Oh,” she said, finally realizing that she was in some seriously deep shit. “I’m…um…sorry, S–Sir?” Okay, she probably shouldn’t have phrased it as a question, but Jace’s grip on her hair was doing funny things to her insides, and her brain seemed to have shortcircuited. “Problems, Jace?” Logan asked in a deceptively mild tone as he stepped closer. “Yes. It would appear that our sub isn’t nearly as well behaved as she pretends.” “Well, that is something we cannot tolerate. What punishment did you have in mind?” Emma felt nervous energy surge through every muscle. She wasn’t frightened—well, not like she was frightened last night—but she did have the rather sensible urge to run. Ironically, it was the forceful, but not painful, grip in her hair that held her still and, unexpectedly, somewhat calm. She’d certainly learned plenty about herself in the last twenty-four hours. Logan lifted her off the floor and over his shoulder in one smooth motion. She mourned the loss of Jace’s grip but nearly protested when Logan put her on her feet in front of a big wooden X. The most

Emma’s Education

85

embarrassing part was that it was located at the end of the large entertainment area where everyone on the veranda had a good view. Just the thought of being humiliated for the amusement of others had all the blood draining from her head. “Look at me,” Jace said as he stepped in front of her and blocked her view of the other people. “Do you remember your safe word?” Safe what? Oh yeah, the word that would stop everything. Geez, how the hell could she forget an important detail like that? She glanced at the intensity on Jace and Logan’s faces and realized she already knew the answer to that dumb-ass question. “Emma,” Logan said with a firm grip on her jaw. “What is you safe word?” “R–Red,” she finally managed to push through her teeth. “Good girl,” Jace said, stroking her hair like he’d done earlier. “Would you like to use your safe word, Emma?” “No,” she said, suddenly feeling much calmer. “I mean. No, Sirs.” Logan held out his hand, and she gave him her wrist without a moment’s hesitation. Just being reminded that she had a way to stop this—even if she was being punished—made all the difference. Logan wrapped a leather cuff around her wrist, but unlike the ones her ex had forced onto her last night, these had a soft fur lining and felt snug yet comfortable. Jace knelt at her feet as he placed similar cuffs around her ankles, and then they lifted her between them, stepped back to the cross, and then attached her cuffs to the wood. Liquid warmth and pure fear swam through her veins in equal doses, and she panted heavily as every sensation conspired to make her even more aroused. Her hands secured over her head, Logan pushed her legs apart and attached the cuffs to either side of the cross. She moved slightly, only to realize that with her legs so wide, she actually needed her arms secured or she’d likely fall on her face. Logan grinned as he checked her bonds and then grinned even wider when Jace grabbed what looked like a Velcro lumbar support belt. Jace stepped closer to the

86

Abby Blake

cross, wrapped the belt around behind her, and fastened it so that she was actually anchored to the wood. Her stomach clenched at not only the helpless arousal that coursed through her, but also their obvious care to be certain that she didn’t get hurt. Somehow she relaxed even further, despite the fact that she was naked, spread-eagled on a cross, and about to be punished. Oh yeah, and she was in an area full of people probably all eager to watch. She darted a worried glance at Jace, but panic seized her as he pulled a black blindfold from the gym bag he’d carried into the party. She’d wondered at the time what the bag could hold. It seemed she was about to find out. Logan stepped closer, smoothing his hands over the tight peaks of her nipples. He captured one between thumb and forefinger, squeezing gently while the other hand dipped lower. She could barely breathe as his featherlight touch caressed the suddenly, amazingly sensitive skin of her newly shaved mound. “Good girl,” he whispered as she opened her eyes to darkness. She hadn’t even felt Jace place the blindfold over her eyes, but she didn’t have time to panic because a soft, tickly sensation from the type of flogger they’d used last night caressed her skin, gliding over the flesh of her thighs and belly. A gentle flick landed the soft leather strips on the upper slope of her breast, and she moaned at the delicious sensation. He alternated between hard and soft, caressing and stinging, heat and pleasure. Within minutes, she was gasping for air, rocking her hips, practically begging for his touch. The leather strips ran over her bare pussy, the tickly caress heating her lower half even more. A whispery, breathless “please” escaped her lips before she could call it back. “Please what?” a soft but firm voice said close to her ear. “Please, Sir.”

Emma’s Education

87

“Good girl.” The flogger hit her pussy lips with a snap, the unexpected pain morphing into molten heat as her body seemed to liquefy. She moaned, desperate for something, anything to fill the emptiness her arousal created. The thin strips hit her inner thigh over and over, the ends wrapping around to leave tiny licks of fire on her skin that made everything feel swollen and throbbing. She gasped as something touched her clit. She squirmed away from the firm pressure, the feeling too intense, too overwhelming on her sensitized flesh. She almost screamed when the thing started to buzz, vibrating against her clit, stealing the last of her control. “You can come, little sub.” Orgasm slammed her. Heat rushed back and forth, her hips rocking against the toy, her pussy pulsing cream down her thighs. Every muscle shook, quivering and aching as sensation skittered all over her. “Please, Sir,” she begged, uncertain what she was begging for. Did she really want to be fucked in front of a group of people? Hell, yeah. But only by Logan or Jace. Except that with the blindfold, how could she be certain? She had but a moment to fret when strong hands undid the fastenings on her arms. She cried out as the muscles protested, but firm hands massaged her shoulders, the pain receding almost immediately. Jace whispered reassurances in her ear while Logan undid the bindings on her legs. When he undid the Velcro band around her waist, her legs crumpled despite her best efforts to lock her knees. Fortunately, Logan lifted her into his arms, carrying her from the room much the same way he’d done last night at the club. Hell, it was still less than twenty-four hours since she’d met these men. How could she feel closer to them than any other person in her life? Obvious answer—she couldn’t.

88

Abby Blake

Tears threatened as she realized she was a naïve fool for reading too much into their behavior. These men were experienced Dominants. They played with subs like this all the time. “Drink.” A cold bottle was pressed into her hands, and she lifted it to her mouth, not really surprised to discover it was water. She’d noticed the very small amount of alcohol at the party, and it had been one more thing to make her feel safe with these men. Too many of her boyfriends, including the last one, had seen drinking to excess as a necessary part of having fun. “How do you feel, little one?” “Horny,” she said honestly, a little surprised at her lack of control. Two deep chuckles filled the room, and that was finally when she realized they were no longer outside. Her hand automatically went to remove the blindfold, but about halfway there she stopped and dropped her hand back into her lap. “Good girl,” Logan said as he ran his hand over her shoulder, down between the valley of her breasts, and lower to graze the soft skin of her mons. “Are you ready for more?” “More?” she managed to squeak. Again two deep chuckles filled the room. “Yes, Emma, more.” The blindfold was swept away, and she blinked in the dully lit room. Her eyes widened when she realized she was in a dungeon, smaller but very similar to the one at the club. Hell, Viper’s house might look ordinary from the outside, but, oh wow. Logan moved her so that she straddled his knees with her back to his chest, her pussy wide open and vulnerable. Jace leaned in and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth, gently biting and laving the tiny nub until it strained toward him. He attached something that looked a little bit like an alligator clamp, teeth and all. She gasped in shock as it pinched her nipple and sent waves of heat over her upper body. Jace caressed her breast gently as he took the other nipple in his mouth and sucked until it went hard. Her back arched, the pain and

Emma’s Education

89

the heat upping her arousal and wetting her thighs with more of her juices. The second clamp stung even more, her determination to be ready perhaps backfiring on her. She ground her teeth, trying to control the pain, to breathe through it, and finally the sting settled into a strangely manageable ache. Jace captured her lips with his own, his tongue plunging into her mouth over and over. He swallowed her gasp as he tugged on the chain connecting the clamps and pain bit into her nipples once more. “Good girl,” he whispered a moment before claiming her lips with his own again. He plundered her mouth, his tongue thrusting hard and deep, mimicking the act she so desperately wanted. “What’s your safe word, little sub?” Jace released her mouth, and she glanced over her shoulder at Logan’s face. His hands caressed her thighs, and she could feel his hard cock pressed against her ass. Hell, they’d given her orgasm after orgasm, but Logan had held back the whole time. Even Jace had asked very little of her. It was yet another thing to set these men far above others she’d known. Her last few lovers had all been content to roll over once they’d found their own gratification, often leaving her feeling frustrated and certainly unloved. “My safe word is red, Sir.” “We’re going to fuck you now, little sub. Do you want to use your safe word?” Hell, no. “No, Sir,” she said, trying to sound as calm as he seemed. “Good girl.” Jace lifted her from Logan’s arms, and placed her on a bench about hip height. He glanced at Logan, fiddled with some control underneath, and adjusted it slightly so that when Logan finally stepped between her legs, it was the perfect height for him to enter her.

90

Abby Blake

Logan rolled a condom onto his erection, smiling at her wide-eyed appraisal. The guy was huge. His cock was long and thick, and she started to wonder if she’d be able to take him. He stepped to the table, wrapped his arms under her knees, and pulled her ass closer to the edge. Jace moved to the other end, grabbed her wrists, and pulled them over her head. She heard the cuffs clip together and instinctively tried to move. When she couldn’t, her brief moment of panic was quickly overwhelmed with arousal. Held in Logan’s firm grip with her arms secured was somehow very freeing. She didn’t have to do anything. She didn’t have to think. She just had to accept her Doms’ attentions. More cream leaked from her pussy at the thought. Instinctively, she tried to shy away from the cock pressing hard against her entrance, but Logan controlled her, easily making liquid heat spread through her womb as she again realized her helplessness. He pushed into her slowly, his wide cock stretching her as her body struggled to adjust and accept his invasion. Jace caressed her face, smoothing the worry lines as Logan finally pushed all the way into her body. She was panting, sweating, the tender flesh on her ass and thighs heating her lower half and raising her arousal even higher. But Logan held still, letting her adjust, giving her a moment before he slid out just as slowly. Then he slid back in. She moaned softly as the stretching, stinging sensation morphed into a slow burn. She tried to rock her hips, demanding more, demanding that he move faster, but a hard slap to her thigh stilled the movement as she gazed into her lover’s eyes once more. He smiled as he pulled away and then thrust in much harder, much faster, much deeper than before. She gasped in surprise, her muscles tightening, her nerve endings buzzing as she spun toward orgasm once more. He lifted her legs onto his shoulders, pressed his thumb against her clit, rubbing against the little bud as he slammed into her again and again and again.

Emma’s Education

91

“Come for me, little sub.” She practically screamed when her body did just that. Every muscle shook, her entire body vibrating as he pushed her mind and body into overload. Liquid lava sped through her veins as he pounded her pussy. He pulled on the chain between her breasts, the incredible pain mixing with the pleasure and stealing her breath. Over and over waves of ecstasy washed through her. She felt his cock pulse, her muscles caressing him as he pumped his cum into the condom. He leaned over her and said, “Open your eyes, little sub.” She managed to pry her eyes open despite her exhaustion, and what she saw melted her heart. The look of satisfaction on his face, the easy smile, and soft kiss that followed all conspired to make her want more from him than she knew was possible. She mourned the loss as he pulled away. But the table moved slightly higher, and then Jace was there. He smiled at her as he slid his long cock all the way into her body with one hard stroke. He held still, leaning over her, pressing soft kisses to her mouth and nose and throat. **** Jace couldn’t quite process the feelings coursing through him. He watched people having sex all the time. As dungeon monitor at the club, he needed to keep a certain amount of detachment to make sure that everyone stayed safe, but watching Logan make love to Emma— and that’s what it was no matter what the guy might say—satisfied him deep down in ways he’d never expected. He leaned over and touched Emma’s face. She turned into his hand, pressing her cheek against his palm as she gave them both the precious gift of her trust. He glanced at Logan, pleased to see that the man had moved to Emma’s side and caressed her hip and stomach as if he couldn’t not touch her.

92

Abby Blake

Jace pumped into her several times, enjoying the exquisite feel of her pussy walls caressing his cock. But he suddenly wanted more. He wanted Logan fully involved. Somehow, almost in a spiritual sense, the three of them were connected, and Jace wanted that physically as well. “Undo her arms,” he said to Logan. Logan looked a little surprised by the order but moved to comply. As soon as she was free, Jace lifted her against him, wrapped her legs around his waist, and took the handful of steps to the low bench in the middle of the room. She squeaked in surprise when he flipped her onto her hands and knees, but both Emma and Logan realized what he wanted. “Get him hard again, darlin’,” he said to Emma as he thrust his aching cock back into her pussy. The soft walls convulsed around him as she took Logan’s cock in her mouth. She moaned as Jace caressed her ass, softly lifting and separating the cheeks to expose her anus. He caressed her puckered hole with his thumb as he fucked her pussy slowly, and grinned as he watched her take Logan’s rapidly recovering erection into her mouth. Emma moaned, her legs quivering, as he pressed harder against her anus. Memories of her admission last night that she’d never had anal sex spun through his head as he started to slam harder into her pussy. Logan had wrapped his hands in her hair, controlling her movements, holding her steady for Jace’s pounding. Jace leaned over and grabbed the bottle of lube, hurriedly squirted a generous amount onto his fingers, and pressed them against her anus. “Relax,” Logan ordered as Emma tensed up between them. Jace worked his finger into her ass, breaching the tight muscle as he fucked her slowly. Emma began to relax once more, so Jace pressed a second finger into her tight hole. She moaned around Logan’s cock as Jace scissored his fingers, stretching and relaxing her muscles in preparation for him to take her there. “Push back, darlin’,” Jace said as he ran a soothing hand over her ass and spine. “Push out with the muscles. Let me in, sweet Emma.”

Emma’s Education

93

She made a soft, low moaning sound as he said the words, but did exactly what he asked. He added a third finger just as Logan started fucking her mouth a little faster. He held her hair, controlling her movements, but also watching her closely for any signs of discomfort. He nodded at Jace to continue. Easing out of her pussy, Jace spread lube over his cock and then pressed the head against her rear passage. **** Emma tensed up, struggling to control her nervousness, but Logan stopped thrusting into her mouth and caressed her face until she relaxed. As she calmed down she got the impression that he nodded for Jace to continue. She could feel pressure against her anus, and she moaned at the strange feeling as he slowly pressed into her ass. Finally, the head of his cock popped through the strong ring of muscle, and Jace slid deeper into her back passage. The muscles pulsed around the invasion, her legs shaking, her muscles quivering. Damn, the feeling was amazing. Incredibly, instead of being frightened or tense, she was on the verge of coming. How the hell did that happen? Logan caressed her face again. “Not yet, little one.” Jace groaned as he slowly withdrew, and Emma squirmed as the burning, stretching feeling added to her need. Jace pulled part way out and then slammed back into her ass. Logan groaned as his cock slid deeper into her throat, the sound affecting her all the way to the soles of her feet. He pulled out almost fully but thrust hard nearly immediately, seemingly unable to bear the separation. Over and over he drove into her ass, his hands gripping her hips hard. Sweat trickled between her breasts as she desperately withheld her orgasm. “Come,” he ordered at the same time that he sped the pace. Logan grabbed the chain between her breasts, yanking hard as her body went

94

Abby Blake

into meltdown. She cried out, gasping for air as Logan pulled his cock from her mouth. Her ass grabbed Jace, squeezing rhythmically as orgasm swept through her. Over and over heat rippled over her skin, her body gripping Jace tighter, caressing his cock as he fucked her faster. **** Jace rode her hard, his own climax insistent and demanding. Heat boiled in his balls, the desire and need throwing him over the edge and into ecstasy. He grunted as his cum spurted into the condom, his orgasm going on and on. He held her for a moment, but pulled out quickly, worried that the condom might spill. Breathless, he looked to Logan to give their girl the words he needed to say. Logan knew exactly what he wanted. “Well done, little sub,” he said a moment before he thrust his cock back into her mouth. Released from Jace’s hold, she scrambled forward, bobbing her head enthusiastically on Logan’s hard erection. Logan’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head as she did something that sent him over the edge. He gasped, holding her still as he came in her mouth, groaning as she licked him clean. She mewled contentedly when he stroked her face. Still a little wobbly from his incredible orgasm, Jace leaned over and pressed a kiss to the back of Emma’s neck. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s get cleaned up and back to the party.” She grumbled halfheartedly but let Logan lift her up as Jace wiped her down and spread a soothing cream over the tiny marks left by the flogger. She was practically asleep as Jace pulled his clothes back on. He took her from Logan, and Logan turned and cleaned the equipment down and then dragged on his own clothes. By the time they made it back to the party, Logan seemed content to watch as Emma slept in Jace’s arms. After a short while of holding her close, Jace realized that Logan was once again trying to pull away

Emma’s Education

95

from their unusual arrangement. To hell with that. Even if Logan was only here for a short while, they owed it to all three of them to explore where this relationship was going. He lifted their beautiful, sleeping sub in his arms, carried her over to Logan, and handed her to him. He looked uncomfortable, but Jace didn’t miss the way his expression softened when he looked at the contentment on Emma’s face.

96

Abby Blake

Chapter Eight Logan woke in a strange bed. As a SEAL, he was used to sleeping in unusual places, but waking beside Jace wasn’t one he’d been expecting. He shuffled closer to the edge as memories of everything the three of them had gotten up to last night filtered through his mind. It took maybe another two seconds of groggy thinking to realize that Emma wasn’t in the room. Fear spiked through him. Her ex-boyfriend was dangerous. She couldn’t go home alone, and both he and Jace had conspired to keep her so exhausted that she didn’t want to. Except that now she wasn’t in the bed and she wasn’t in the room. He leaped off the bed so quickly that Jace came awake almost instantly. The word “Emma” left his lips before he even seemed fully cognizant of the fact that she was missing. They both began to move at the same time, but the flushing of the toilet thankfully brought them both back down from panic. How she’d managed to wiggle her way out of the blankets without waking either man was quite a mystery, and Logan folded his arms in annoyance. The misplaced adrenaline made him grumpy, and Logan vowed that she wouldn’t leave the bed again without his permission. He didn’t like waking not knowing where she was, and he’d tan her hide if she tried it again. Fuck. What the hell was wrong with him? He had a job to get back to. Emma was just a pleasant diversion, not his permanent submissive. He shook his head sharply, hoping to clear it. Emma crept back into the room. Her eyes widened when she found both men awake and waiting for her. She hesitated, probably

Emma’s Education

97

sensing Logan’s anger at himself. Way to go, dickhead, he thought derisively. Just scare the poor woman for no good reason. “I’m going to buy some breakfast. Any requests?” he asked without actually looking at Emma or Jace. He rushed, not willing to take excess time pulling on his clothes and unreasonably irritated by every small delay that kept him in the room. He finally glanced over to find Emma looking at him, yet not with the fear he’d been expecting, but rather a concerned frown. He wanted to explain, to apologize, but since he had no idea what was going on in his head, he doubted he could clarify it to anyone else. Unable to stop himself, he opened his arms for her, and she quickly moved into his embrace. He held her tight against him, just breathing in her unique scent and enjoying having her close. “I’ll be back soon,” he said as he finally lifted her back onto the bed and turned to go. “Car keys are on the kitchen bench,” Jace called as Logan left the room. Damn. Logan shook his head as he headed to the kitchen. He hadn’t even given a thought to how he would go and buy breakfast. Jace had though. In fact Jace had noticed way too much about Logan in the past couple days. It was quite likely the man understood Logan better than he understood himself at the moment. Hell, just what he needed—to share a sub with a Dom whose perception extended to him as well. **** Jace smiled at Emma as Logan stomped down the hallway. She practically held her breath until they heard the front door close and then the car start. She bit her lips, but the small laugh escaped anyway. “I’m sorry…um…Sir, but for a moment there I thought he was going to spank me for using the bathroom.”

98

Abby Blake

“I think he contemplated it.” “What?” Emma asked, sounding just a little bit horrified. “I mean, what, Sir?” “Let’s drop the ‘Sir’ part for now,” he said, pulling her into his arms and settling them both back on the mattress. “I’ve never been a full-time Dom, and something tells me you won’t be comfortable as a full-time sex slave.” He felt her muscles tense. He’d used the word slave deliberately, wanting to be certain that she knew the difference. “No, I wouldn’t like that at all.” They lay together quietly for a few moments, but he could practically hear the thoughts churning in her brain. “What’s the difference between a submissive and a sex slave?” “It varies from person to person, but in my experience, couples who live as slave and Master live that way every moment of every day. The Master always makes the decisions, and the slave does as he or she is told or they get punished.” “I don’t think I’d like that.” She didn’t quite manage to suppress the shudder that coursed through her. “It works well for some people,” he said as he ran his fingers through her hair. “Viper and Bianca seem happy.” “Bianca is a slave?” “Yes.” “I suppose she seemed happy enough,” Emma said judiciously, “but it is definitely not something I would enjoy.” “Same here,” he said honestly. “I wouldn’t want to be responsible for every decision that needed to be made. That’s why being a Dom suits me.” “So you can be bossy when it suits you?” she asked with mischief in her voice. “That’s right,” he said, rolling her underneath him. “Like now, when I spank your ass for being a brat.”

Emma’s Education

99

She giggled, and he was charmed all over again by the amazing woman in his arms. She was everything he’d ever envisioned for a partner—submissive but independent, confident but willing to trust him, caring, funny, beautiful, and of course, curved in all the right places. “Jace?” she asked, sounding less confident than he’d credited her for a moment ago. “Is it always like this with your submissives?” He sat up and pulled her to a cross-legged sitting position in front of him. She dropped her gaze, as if preparing herself for bad news. He reached over and lifted her chin. “No, Emma. I’ve never had this instant connection with anyone else.” She looked so relieved he wanted to spank her ass for doubting his feelings, but then he realized she had no comparison. Many submissives held a special place in their heart for their first Dom, but like any relationship, it took time to find the right person. He hoped Emma was the right one for him. She looked happy for a moment, but then the sound of a car pulling into the driveway put the frown back on her face. She was easy to read this time. “Logan is hurting. I’m not sure what happened, but he needs you.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I think the three of us could build something special together. I’m just hoping that Logan can see that, too.” She nodded, but tears filled her eyes as she rolled over and placed her warm hand against his face. “You’re a special man, Jace. I think it might be very easy to fall in love with you.” **** Logan made it all the way to the fast-food joint before his stomach rebelled and insisted that he eat a decent meal, so he’d driven to the supermarket and bought the ingredients for omelets. He should’ve spent the last few days training and making certain that when he

100

Abby Blake

returned to the SEAL teams that he was in peak physical condition, but just the thought of spending the next three weeks with Emma had all his blood flowing south and his priorities shifting. And now three weeks didn’t sound long enough. When he’d first been forced onto medical leave, three weeks had felt like an eternity. The first two days had crawled by, each minute taking at least five, but then he’d met Emma, and time had grown wings. Juggling the groceries, he managed to unlock the front door to Jace’s home without dropping the eggs. He hesitated at the hallway, wanting something he shouldn’t want, so he forced himself to walk past the bedroom and into the kitchen. He barely had everything unpacked when Jace and Emma joined him. Emma wore her jeans but seemed to be wearing one of Jace’s T-shirts. For an irrational moment, Logan felt jealousy wind through him. He wanted the shirt she wore to be one of his. Berating himself silently, he turned toward the fridge and almost knocked Emma ass over teakettle. He grabbed for her, managing to pull her into his embrace before she fell or hit anything hard. “Hell, little one. I’m sorry.” “I’m not,” she said with an impish grin. “I ended up exactly where I wanted to be.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest. It bothered him a little that she was dressed, but he figured it was her way of signaling an end to their D/s play. He just hoped it was only temporary. He breathed her scent, holding her crushed against him even as he mentally argued with himself to hand her back to Jace. Eventually, though, he lifted her onto a stool on the other side of the bench, gave her a pointed look and a growled order to sit still, and then moved back into the kitchen to get their breakfast made. “So…you’re a SEAL,” she said, trying to sound casual. He gave her a knowing smile—they’d already had this conversation—and

Emma’s Education

101

answered with an affirmative grunt. She frowned and tried a more direct question. “What’s it like?” “To be a SEAL?” he asked just to annoy her. She was so cute when she was annoyed. She growled and flipped her hand as if to say continue, but he grinned and waited for her to answer his question. She stuck her tongue out at him in mock irritation and finally rolled her eyes and asked, “Yes, what’s it like to be a US Navy SEAL?” “Good,” he answered and turned back to the stovetop. “Logan, for heaven’s sake, give me something here. Good how?” He stopped mixing the egg mixture and turned to see Jace watching them both closely. “I’m not sure what to tell you,” Logan said honestly. “The training is hard, the work is sometimes dangerous, but there’s nothing quite like the high of completing a successful mission.” And nothing quite like the low of a failed one. But he didn’t say it out loud. “And most of what I do is classified, so I’m not allowed to talk about it.” He’d always wanted to be a SEAL, had worked his ass off to make it happen and served his country well, but he didn’t need to brag about it. He knew what he’d accomplished, and he didn’t need the accolades of others to validate him. “So…um…you’re on vacation at the moment?” He grunted another affirmative answer, not willing to go into the whole medical leave thing at the moment. Even if he wanted to share, he didn’t want to burden Emma—or Jace—with his problems. He’d slept pretty well last night, so maybe his reason for medical leave was no longer an issue anyway. And besides, it had been a long time since he’d taken a vacation, so it didn’t hurt to think of it as such. “I’m due back in a little over two weeks.” “How often do you get time off?” “Not often.” The truth was that he didn’t often take leave simply because he had nowhere to go. He glanced at the two people watching

102

Abby Blake

him closely and realized that was no longer true. He knew exactly where he would go for vacation. The problem was he shouldn’t be thinking like that. Emma and Jace were already close. They probably had a shot at some sort of permanent happiness together, and he was a selfish asshole for not stepping away right now. Desperate to deflect the conversation away from him, Logan turned the questions on to Jace. “How’s the engineering business, Jace?” “Good,” he answered and then gave Logan a smile that said I know what you’re up to. But he let him off the proverbial hook and described some of the projects he was currently coordinating. Emma kept asking questions and answered a few of her own before Jace asked her if she had any vacation time coming. “Not really,” she answered, looking a little disappointed. “With my recent promotion, I need to make sure everything is working smoothly before I ask someone to fill in for me.” In other words, no. From what she’d told them yesterday, taking time off now would likely give the rumor mill more fuel and threaten her position in the firm. If she was unpopular for getting the job, things would be ten times worse if she took an unplanned vacation. “Okay, we’ll just have to work around it. Lucky for you, we have an experienced Navy SEAL who can be your bodyguard for the next two weeks.” “What?” She asked, sounding very surprised. “Surely you don’t think Greg would try anything else.” But even as she said it, all the color drained from her face. “We don’t know anything for sure,” Jace said evenly. “But we’d rather know you were safe than take an unnecessary risk.” **** Emma felt faint. She’d managed to forget all about what had happened with her ex, so somehow the idea of Logan acting as a

Emma’s Education

103

bodyguard was way more shocking than it should’ve been. A part of her wanted to refuse their assistance, but she’d read enough newspapers to know that the world wasn’t the safe place she tried to believe. If Greg wasn’t finished after destroying her bedroom, then she welcomed all the help she could get. But at the same time, she didn’t want to ruin Logan’s vacation. The man got very little time off. He should be doing something more fun than following her to work. “No,” Logan said even before she opened her mouth. She frowned, but went to speak again. It wasn’t like he could read her mind. “No,” he said again, completely dissolving the words she’d planned to say. He flipped the delicious-smelling omelet in the pan and then pointed the spatula at her. “I plan to protect you whether you want it or not. So you can either bitch and moan and be unhappy, or accept that I’ll be close no matter what you want and enjoy our time together.” “Oh.” She glanced at Jace, hoping for a more reasonable opinion, but the man was grinning widely. Annoyed that they seemed to be teaming up on her—despite the silent admission that she really wanted their protection—Emma tried to list her more practical concerns. “I need to go home sometime. I can’t go to the office dressed like this.” “Already organized,” Jace said casually. “I took most of your clothes to the dry cleaner’s yesterday morning.” “Yeah, well…um…what about shoes and…and…underwear.” “Unfortunately, darlin’, you don’t want to know what he did to your shoes, but suffice it to say, none of them were salvageable. We’ll take you shopping after you eat your breakfast.” “Shopping?” she asked, feeling a little overwhelmed. She’d already been worrying how to pay for a new bed, but having to replace all of her shoes wasn’t an expense she’d been expecting.

104

Abby Blake

“As for underwear,” Logan said with a big grin, “we decided against it.” “You decided?” she asked with a stubborn tilt of her chin. “Well, I decided that I am not going anywhere commando, and there is no way in hell I’m going to work without a bra and panties.” “Stubborn little sub,” Logan said as he came around the bench and pulled her into his arms. “How about a compromise?” “Okay,” she said warily. Logan had spent the last two days and nights giving her orders. She wasn’t sure he even knew what a compromise was. “You can go without underwear, and I won’t have to spank you.” She snorted. “That is not a compromise.” “How about this for a compromise?” Jace said, stepping into the conversation. It seemed obvious that he was trying not to laugh. “Emma wears a thong to work, and Logan gets to spank her for it. Would that make you both happy?” Emma bit her lips to stop from laughing. She could manage a thong, and the spanking would be fun. As compromises went, it was a good one. She grinned up at Logan, and he swatted her backside. She rubbed the sting and managed an exaggerated pout. He sighed. “Okay, little sub, but I get to choose the thong.” “Um…okay.” “Excellent,” Jace said as Logan moved back into the kitchen and served the omelets onto plates. “Eat up. We have some shopping to do.” **** “I’m sorry, ma’am, but your card has been declined.” Declined? Emma shook her head. “There must be some mistake.” That card was nowhere near its limit. She’d actually been planning to put her new bed on it. “Can you try it again, please?” The sales clerk looked annoyed but went back to the register and tried again. She

Emma’s Education

105

shook her head, and Emma colored with embarrassment. At least the store wasn’t full of people. She hurriedly grabbed her other credit card. It didn’t have a heap of credit available, but it would cover the two pairs of shoes she’d picked out. When that one declined as well, Logan was there handing over his card. The sales girl gave him a beatific smile and ignored Emma’s protest as she went to process Logan’s credit card. “It’s okay, little one,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her middle. It felt wrong to let him pay for them, but until she could contact the bank and find out what was going on, she had very little choice. She needed shoes so she could go to work tomorrow, but unfortunately, even that thought didn’t make her feel any better. But Logan showed his uncanny skill for seeing into her head, pressed a kiss to her ear, and whispered, “When we get your bank problem sorted out, you can pay me back.” She practically melted into his embrace. Logan had said the only thing that could make this situation better. If he’d insisted she keep the shoes as a gift, or even worse suggested she could repay him in other ways, she would’ve felt completely and utterly humiliated. At least this way she had a measure of control. She had absolutely no intention of making the word that Greg had scrawled on her front door become appropriate. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “You’re very welcome." **** Jace smiled as he watched the interaction between Emma and Logan. Both Jace and Logan had hesitated when her card had been declined, and Jace breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Logan’s reassurance to Emma. Obviously, his friend had realized the same thing that had occurred to Jace—that Emma would never be

106

Abby Blake

comfortable accepting gifts, especially at the beginning of their relationship. She was used to making her own way, and as much as he wanted to spoil her, he wouldn’t rob her of that independence. “I need to contact the bank,” Emma said as anger suddenly filled her features. “Greg didn’t steal my cards, just the damn details. Heaven knows what he’s charging to my accounts.” “Believe it or not, that’s probably a good thing,” Logan said with a grin. “It means he’s breaking the law, and we should be able to get him arrested.” “Good,” Emma said as she grabbed the bags with her shoes and stormed out of the shop. “I need a phone.” She glanced around the area as if she were looking for a public telephone booth. Jace pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. She shook her head. Damn stubborn woman. “Emma,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her middle to hold her in place. “Use my phone. He could still be using your cards. He could spend hundreds more while you search for a public phone that actually works.” She seemed annoyed as hell but nodded as she took his phone and dialed her bank’s emergency line. Twenty-five minutes and three phone calls later, Emma looked angry, very angry. During the first call, he’d led her over to a bench seat and sat beside her. But as she started to shake during the second call, he’d pulled her onto his lap. He didn’t give a damn who was watching. His sub needed a cuddle. “What is it?” He’d heard enough of the conversation to know she’d canceled some sort of order but not enough to know what. He glanced at Logan, hoping for some enlightenment, but the man looked as confused as Jace felt. Emma finally found her voice. “Somebody charged seven thousand dollars worth of sex toys to my credit card. They were ordered for a rush delivery and would’ve been delivered tomorrow.

Emma’s Education

107

But as far as the bank is concerned, it isn’t fraudulent activity since the order was made in my name and organized for delivery to my address.” She ran a hand through her hair and growled her irritation. “He left enough credit on both cards to get me through the weekend. If I hadn’t tried to buy two pairs of shoes today, I may not have known until it was too late.” Jace cuddled her closer as she worked herself into a self-righteous temper. No wonder she’d cried yesterday when Logan had spanked her—the woman was way too good at holding her emotions inside. It seemed rather ironic that Logan and Emma had so much in common. Life with these two would never be dull. “So what do you want to do now?” Logan asked them both. “I still need to buy underwear and pick up my dry cleaning.” Emma rubbed her forehead like a headache had settled above her eyes. “Except that, the asshole used all my credit, and until the reversal is processed, I have no fucking money.” “Enough, Emma,” Logan said with a deep growl in his voice. “Everything will go on my credit card until you have things sorted out with the bank.” She went to argue with him, but it seemed Logan was out of patience. “Quiet, little sub, or I’ll take you over my knee and spank you right here.” “You wouldn’t!” “Try me.”

108

Abby Blake

Chapter Nine Jace watched Emma closely. She seemed stunned by Logan’s stance, but she must’ve realized the man was very serious because she lowered her eyes and whispered, “Yes, Sir.” “Good girl,” he said as he helped her off Jace’s lap and onto her feet. “Now I believe you wanted to visit the lingerie store.” She nodded shyly, and Logan pressed a soft kiss to her lips before gripping her hand and leading the three of them to the nearest lingerie seller. She tried to buy only one set of bra and panties but ended up with several after Jace whispered that Logan was liable to rip them off before spanking her for wearing them. Her eyes had darkened, her breathing had quickened, and she’d nodded then purchased more. Logan seemed quite pleased, especially when he convinced her to buy a lace-up bustier and matching panties in a soft pink color. They looked like the style of lingerie a bride might wear under her wedding dress, but on Emma, they matched her coloring perfectly and would look anything but virginal. Jace couldn’t wait to dress her for the club tonight. He had a three-hour shift, but in the time before and afterward, he planned for the three of them to be very wicked. He felt his cock thicken and tried to ignore the fact that he had an erection in a lingerie store. Talk about horny teenage behavior. By the time they got back to his home, he was hot enough to take her against the door. Fortunately, he had a bit more control than that and made it all the way to the bedroom before dragging her clothes off and urging her to knees.

Emma’s Education

109

She looked amazingly content as he pressed his cock against her lips. She easily accepted his invasion, moaning as he stroked in and out of her mouth. Now that he was here, his urgency eased slightly, and he glanced over to see Logan lounging against the doorway watching them. “That’s a beautiful sight, Emma.” She absorbed his praise, her body seeming to soften as she sucked harder against Jace’s cock. “But one thing is missing.” He disappeared for a few moments and then came back into the room with a pale pink butt plug. Jace smiled. The lingerie store must’ve had toys for sale, but Jace had been too distracted by thoughts of what he’d do with their sub that he’d completely overlooked it. But Logan hadn’t. He nodded for Jace to step back a moment. She mewled in protest, but a hard slap against her ass halted the sound. “Behave, little sub.” Logan knelt behind her, urged her onto her hands and knees, and nodded to Jace to kneel in front of her so that his cock bobbed near her face. “Later tonight, Jace and I are going to take you at the same time. This will help prepare you.” She looked up to Jace, seeking reassurance. She didn’t say yellow, but he could see the questions in her eyes. “Relax,” Jace said in a tone that made certain she understood that it was an order from her Dom. She closed her eyes, released a deep breath, and made an effort to do as he’d said. She seemed more nervous about the plug than she had yesterday when he’d fucked her ass. Of course, that may have had something to do with the endorphins that had surged through her system after the flogging and then from the very thorough fucking from Logan. Logan must’ve realized the same thing because he grabbed a condom, sheathed his hard cock, and slowly pushed it into her pussy. She gasped, and Jace took the opportunity to fill her mouth.

110

Abby Blake

Logan moved into her carefully, and then gradually increased his speed. Jace followed his example, both of them thrusting into her body in unison. Jace dropped his hands to her breasts. They swung slightly as Logan and Jace fucked her, and he grabbed the nipples, squeezing hard. She mewled around his cock, squirming between them, not even stopping when Logan smacked her thigh. He slapped her again and again as they both thrust hard and deep into opposite ends of her body. Logan lifted her off her knees, his hands wrapping underneath. She screamed around Jace’s cock as Logan squeezed her clit and demanded that she come. She trembled between them, her arms shaking as she struggled to hold herself up. Jace thrust his cock to the back of her throat as his own orgasm burst from him. Emma swallowed, the exquisite sensation of her throat caressing his flesh dragging even more cum from him. He shivered as she finally released his cock and lowered her shoulders to the floor. “Now that, little sub, is a perfect position.” Logan eased out of her pussy, his cock still hard. With her shoulders on the floor, Emma’s rounded bottom was pointed at Logan, her puckered hole exposed. Logan pressed the narrow end of the plug against her back passage. Emma wriggled slightly, but her movement was sluggish, halfhearted, and Logan easily controlled it with his hand on her hip. Carefully, he pushed the pink plug into her ass, slowing down to fuck her with it when it reached the widest point. Emma groaned, pushing back against him as her body reawakened to the erotic sensation. Finally, Logan pushed they toy all the way in, twisting it slightly so that the flared end sat snuggly against her flesh. Then he eased his cock back into her pussy. **** Too big! Too tight!

Emma’s Education

111

Emma somehow found the energy to try and crawl away from the overfull sensation. But Jace was there, kneeling in front of her, stroking her face, calming her down, and finally, her muscles began to relax as she accepted the double invasion. Holy fuck. Every muscle squeezed and released, another orgasm spiraling toward her as Logan slid his big cock all the way into her pussy and then held still. He must’ve felt her reaction because he caressed her ass and thighs, tormenting her with small, shallow thrusts as every inch of her body demanded more. “So tight,” Logan said in a strained voice as he slid back in and rested his groin against her ass. The plug moved slightly, and she jolted as heat coursed through every vein. “Please,” she begged and then added, “Sir,” for good measure. “So beautiful,” Jace said as he tilted her face up and caressed her lips with his thumb. “Hold on, darlin’, Logan is about to make you come.” She didn’t have time to react. Logan pulled out and thrust back into her, hard, very hard. She grunted from the impact but pushed back, demanding more, demanding release. He slapped her thigh. The erotic sting just made her hotter, needier. “Please,” she whimpered, uncaring how pathetic she might sound. She needed to come, but Logan somehow controlled her now. She couldn’t tip over the edge into bliss. Not without his permission. Fuck, when had that happened? He held her hips, slamming into her pussy over and over as she begged with her mouth and body. “Come, little sub,” he finally demanded, and she joyously complied. Every muscle vibrated as her ass pulsed around the plug and her pussy caressed his cock. Heat curled through her veins as a kaleidoscope of colors burst behind her eyelids like fireworks. He groaned as she wriggled, pushing back against him, dragging his orgasm from him also.

112

Abby Blake

Finally, sated and exhausted, Logan rolled to the side, taking her with him so that they lay spooned together on the floor. His hand lay protectively over her middle, his arm tightening possessively as Jace sat crossed-legged on the floor in front of them. “I’ll go run a bath so that you can clean up and get ready for the club.” She nodded tiredly. “I think I need a nap, too.” She was joking, but considering everything that had happened to her over the last few days, it was probably a very good idea. “Okay, bath first then I’ll tuck you into bed.” She gave him a frown. She was about to argue, but he pressed a finger to her lips. “If you promise to behave, I’ll let Logan cuddle you while you rest.” She smiled at him, as she realized he was trying to get Logan to rest nearly as much as he was bossing her around. “Okay, Sir,” she said obediently. Logan chuckled behind her, his arm tightening momentarily. “I don’t believe misbehaving will be a problem,” he said as he leaned over to nibble on her ear. “I don’t think my legs work anymore.” It was probably silly to read more into that statement than the joke that it was intended as, but Emma found the strangest pride in being able to induce exhaustion in someone as strong as Logan. She had no doubt that he would leap to his feet ready to defend her from attack if the need arose, but she was very eager to get him into the bed and hopefully get him to sleep for a while. **** Jace helped his beautiful submissive to her feet. She wobbled slightly, so he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. He pressed a kiss to her lips and then placed her facedown over the vanity bench. She squirmed and made an embarrassed sound, but she stilled when she realized his intention. “Push out,” he ordered as he gripped

Emma’s Education

113

the base of the plug and pulled it from her ass. She gasped, panting hard, obviously going close to orgasm once more. He caressed her thigh where it was still pink from Logan’s hand and then turned her around and helped her into the tub. She seemed confused when he grabbed a washcloth and, kneeling at the edge of the tub, started cleaning away the evidence of their lovemaking. “I can do that.” “I know,” he said with a smile, but he kept washing her down. She frowned, and he leaned over to press a kiss to her nose. “Get used to it, darlin’. This is how a Dom treats his sub when she’s been good.” She smiled, her mouth tipping unevenly as she tried to hold back whatever protest she considered voicing. He heard Logan step into the shower and was pleased to see her concern for the man showed clearly on her face. He touched her softly, unable to resist his own need to be close to this woman. “No arguments, darlin’. Logan will hold you while you sleep. I want you refreshed and ready for the club tonight.” She gave him a wide grin, thankfully realizing his intention of getting Logan to rest as well. “Yes, Sir.” She lifted up and pressed a kiss to his ear and whispered, “Thank you.” He kissed her then, pouring all of his hope for the future into one passionate kiss. He hoped she’d meant what she said about being able to fall in love with him, because somehow he was already there. He loved her with everything in him. In less than forty-eight hours Emma—and even Logan—had become very important to him, and he truly hoped the three of them could build a future together. **** Logan knew exactly what Jace was doing, and even though his instinct was to deny his need for sleep and push through the tiredness,

114

Abby Blake

he was also grateful that the man cared enough to include Logan in his concerns. It was obvious that Jace had fallen for their beautiful sub, but rather than push Logan away, Jace was pulling him closer, making certain he felt welcome and included. Logan had never expected to find in the outside world the type of teamwork and camaraderie he’d enjoyed as a SEAL. In combat, you had to trust your squadmates to do their job to the best of their ability, and life and death situations had a way of heightening that necessity. But here, with Emma and Jace, Logan found the same type of friendship and trust. It was an unexpected gift, and he silently prayed he would not to waste it. Even if he did go back to the SEAL teams, it would be nice to know that both Jace and Emma would welcome him home with open arms every time. “Come on, little sub,” he said as Jace finished drying her off. “Let’s get some rest.” He held out a hand for her to take. She pressed a quick kiss to Jace’s lips and then placed her soft hand inside Logan’s and let him lead her to bed. He settled behind her and scooped her into the cradle of his body. She snuggled into him as Jace came around to the other side of the bed. He smiled at Logan, pressed a kiss to their sub’s lips, and quietly left the room. Logan didn’t register going to sleep until he woke hours later with Emma still sleeping peacefully in his arms. He stroked a hand down her shoulder as he realized this sweet woman was the reason he’d been able to sleep well. He pressed a kiss to her temple before he noticed the folded note on the pillow beside her. Curious, he reached for it. **** Jace found his concentration wandering and berated himself again. The position of Dungeon Monitor was an important one in the world

Emma’s Education

115

of BDSM. He needed to stay focused so that the people in his care were safe. He usually only took one shift a week these days. His engineering career was quite demanding, but he still found great satisfaction in assisting like-minded people play out their fantasies and kinks. General society could be very cruel to those who were seen as different, so in some ways, he saw the members of Viper’s Dungeon as extended family. But of course, this week had to be the week he’d agreed to cover for Adam. If he’d known he would meet Emma before then, he would’ve given Adam a big, fat no. He glanced at the entrance again. Surely Logan would’ve read the note he’d left them by now and knew Jace was expecting Logan and Emma to meet him here. Jace forced his attention back to the scene being played out in front of him. The sub strapped to the spanking bench let out a loud wail as her Dom smacked her soundly with a wooden paddle. Jace squinted to see her hands in the dim light. She was wearing nail polish on her fingernails, so it was hard to tell if the circulation in her arms was being compromised. The Dom, who was fairly new to the club, was concentrating so hard on landing the paddle correctly that he hadn’t checked her bonds since he’d strapped his sub down. The way the woman pulled against them probably wasn’t helping the situation either. Jace pulled his flashlight from his belt and waved the beam of light on the floor where he would catch the man’s attention. The Dom immediately stopped what he was doing and glanced over to Jace. He moved the flashlight beam onto the woman’s hands, and the Dom nodded his thanks and moved to check that her bindings weren’t too tight. As he touched her fingers, he immediately undid the wrist cuff and hurriedly moved to undo the other. Jace stepped closer, ready to give assistance if the Dom required. The woman blinked myopically as her Dom lifted her away from the bench and into his arms. She’d obviously been deep into the scene

116

Abby Blake

and probably hadn’t noticed the poor circulation, but a moment later, her agonized cry suggested that the blood had returned rapidly and painfully. Jace handed her Dom a soft blanket and helped him wrap it around the woman as she burrowed into the man’s embrace. “I’m sorry, baby,” the man said as he comforted his submissive. Her face was streaked in tears, but she didn’t seem overly distressed, so Jace turned his attention to the couple in the next scene area and unobtrusively checked that everything seemed in control. Once he was satisfied, he stood back, ready to assist once more. Of course, the lull in action gave him a moment to glance at the doorway, again hoping to see Logan and Emma. He ground his teeth together and forced himself to concentrate. **** Emma was surprised how well the pale pink bustier suited her skin coloring. She grabbed the emergency makeup that she usually carried in her handbag and headed back to the mirror. Logan tracked her movements from his position on the bed, seeming quite content just to watch her preparations for their night out. But when she found her lipstick that had somehow escaped into the lining of her makeup bag, he leaned over and took it away from her. “What?” she asked, suddenly more irritated than the situation warranted. She was about to parade around a crowded club partially dressed and probably embarrassingly turned on. She needed all the confidence boost she could get. The color of the bustier might suit her, but she could still see the big butt and fat thighs. “No lipstick,” he said very seriously. She dropped a hand to her hip and gave him a look that probably earned her a spanking. He frowned but slid the tube into his pocket. “No lipstick.”

Emma’s Education

117

A little bit taken aback by his attitude and nervous enough to turn it into an argument, she stood hands on hips and demanded that he hand her lipstick over. “Are you using your safe word, Emma?” he asked in a voice deep enough to send arousal skittering up her spine. What the hell? “No, I just want my lipstick back.” “Emma, when we are dressed like this,” he said in a quiet, serious voice and indicated her lingerie and his leather pants, “I am your Dom and you are mine and Jace’s submissive, and you will follow the rules we set. Is that clear?” Anger surged through her. “There is a difference between being submissive and being treated like an idiot. I want to know why I can’t wear lipstick.” “Last warning, little sub.” His voice and manner were quite serious, but he wore an indulgent smile. Emma smiled back. Whatever punishment he was planning suddenly seemed interesting enough for her to want to find out. She straightened her spine, placed her hands on her hips, and said in a very disrespectful tone, “Or what?” He moved so quickly she didn’t have time to react. He flipped her over his shoulder, slammed his hand on her butt, and carried her to another room in Jace’s home. The room had looked quite ordinary from the quick glance she’d had yesterday, but she squeaked in surprise when she saw the narrow bench she hadn’t noticed before. Logan laid her facedown over the bench, her head and shoulders hanging low on one side, her feet dangling off the other. He had her secured in the cuffs quickly and easily, and she breathed harder as both arousal and tension gripped her. “This is what happens to little subs who sass their Dom.” Logan took a step back, stood where she could see him, and deliberately removed his belt from the loops of his pants. She gasped, her ass muscles clenching as he wrapped the buckle end around his hand a few times, leaving a thick strip of leather available to smack her.

118

Abby Blake

Arousal, fear, adrenaline all combined, and she quivered as he stepped behind her. His warm hand caressed her ass for a moment before he wrenched her thong panties down and left them tangled around the knees. “I think four stripes will work to remind you who is in charge around here.” She swallowed, quite difficult to do in her upside-down position, and nodded warily. His hand went back to caressing her ass. “It’s okay to use your safe word, Emma.” “No, Sir,” she answered breathlessly. Hell, if he didn’t follow through, she might have to kick him. She could feel her arousal dripping down her thighs, and judging by the movement of his hand, Logan had noticed. “Okay, little sub. Four stripes for being a brat. Count them.” The loud slap bounced off the room walls and brought tears to her eyes. “One,” she managed to say. The second was a bit higher on her thighs but just as hard, just as painful. The third one landed where her ass cheeks joined the top of her thighs, and she howled at the stinging pain. She squirmed, anticipating the fourth, clenching her buttocks as she waited, and waited and waited. “Relax, Emma, or this one will really hurt.” He caressed her sore skin, the warm touch against her heated flesh doing funny things to her insides. She felt something hard and slim get pushed into her pussy but it was the vibrations that changed everything. She started rocking, trying to move back against the too-small toy, but her bonds held her fast, and she whimpered with need. The fourth slap of his belt landed across both cheeks, but this time she barely felt the pain. Only heat. “Please,” she begged, barely registering the word coming out of her mouth over and over. The vibrator was switched off and removed, and she lay in her bonds, tingling, horny, and so goddamned frustrated that she wanted to scream. “Only good subs get orgasms, little one. Perhaps next time you decide to sass me you’ll remember that.”

Emma’s Education

119

He leaned over and undid the cuffs holding her wrists. He helped her to stand and massaged the stiffness from her shoulders. She pressed her aching clit against the bench, rolling slightly in the hope of giving herself just a mini orgasm, something to take the edge off. Logan laughed, opened a drawer in a bureau behind them, grabbed something, and then pressed her facedown over the bench once more. He gripped the back of her neck with his big hand as she felt something covered in cold lube press against her anus. She clenched instinctively, but he kept up a steady pressure until she relaxed the muscles and let him push the plug in. She gasped as she realized this one was bigger, much bigger than the one they’d used earlier. By the time he pushed the damn thing all the way in she was shaking and sweating and so ready to orgasm she could barely think straight. He grabbed a towel, cleaned away the excess lube, and then pulled her thong panties back into place. Just the gentle pressure from the material against the plug had her squirming again. Logan undid the bindings on her legs and helped her to stand. Every movement was exquisite torture, and she moved gingerly as the plug settled into place. Logan grabbed a handheld mirror and led her over to the larger mirror on the wall. “Look,” he said as he turned her back to the mirror and held up the smaller one so she could see the reflection of her back. Four evenly spaced red stripes covered her ass and thighs. Her legs quivered as memories of how they’d come to be on her ass melted through her brain. “Good girl. That’s the expression I want to see on my sub’s face.” Horny as hell, gasping for breath, and somehow biting her tongue against her demand to finish what he started, Emma gave him a small smile. “Just one question, Sir,” she said, the epitome of well-behaved submissive. “Why can’t I wear lipstick?” ****

120

Abby Blake

Jace glanced at his watch, relieved to see that his shift was nearly over. Emma and Logan hadn’t arrived yet, and about a dozen wild scenarios had started to build in his head—everything from a serious car accident to the two of them running off and leaving him behind. The unexpected feeling of vulnerability had him grinding his teeth in frustration. But when the pair finally entered the room, every thought, except how beautiful his sub looked, flew from his head. Logan smiled indulgently but encouraged Emma into Jace’s arms. Jace gathered her into his embrace and looked around for his replacement. Malcolm nodded in acknowledgement and quickly took over. It was only a few minutes early, but he owed the guy big-time. He couldn’t wait another moment to play with his sub. He placed his hands on her ass and pulled her closer to his rapidly inflating cock, but her small hiss of pain caught him by surprise. He glanced sharply at Logan, but the man just smiled and said, “Turn around, little sub.” “Do I have to?” Jace almost laughed at her sulky reply, but this was no place for his sub to forget protocol. “Now, Emma.” She gave him a frustrated look but turned around. As soon as he saw the pink stripe on her ass, he placed his hand between her shoulder blades and pushed her upper body forward until she was bent more than ninety degrees. He traced his fingers over the evenly placed stripes, caressing the pink flesh softly until he also noticed the material of her thong pressed against a butt plug in her ass. “Stand up,” he said as he curled a hand around her upper arm and helped her move. “Logan does nice work.” She gave him a smug look, and again he had trouble not laughing at his sassy sub. Obviously, whatever had gone on had been something she’d willingly submitted to. “So are you going to confess your sins, or should I ask Logan and then punish you more for not being honest with me?”

Emma’s Education

121

Her eyes widened, but she gave him a full and thorough account. She ended with, “And he still won’t tell me why I can’t wear lipstick, Sir.” Jace laughed at her sulky addition to the story. Emma gave him a look filled with annoyance that made him laugh even harder. Finally, he took a deep breath. It wasn’t like him to tease his subs like this, but he was still feeling the effects of self-doubt and misplaced fear from earlier. “Logan, should we tell our naughty sub why we prefer her without lipstick?” “I don’t know,” he said with a grin. “She seems rather determined to find out. Perhaps we should use this as a lesson in patience.” She dropped her head forward, and for a moment, Jace worried that she’d begun to cry. Even her shoulders started to shake, and he was about to gather her in his arms once more when a quiet laugh escaped her. “I suppose it would be a good way to learn what punishments you had in mind…Sir.” She said the word punishment with such enthusiasm he almost wanted to bend her over and start spanking her ass right there and then. But judging by the stripes, she’d probably had about as much as she could take for now. “Behave, little sub,” Logan said as he stepped up behind her, “or you might find it a very long time before your next orgasm.” She pursed her lips and seemed to think about that for a moment. She almost managed to hide the impish grin. “I apologize, Sir. Please let me come.” Logan nipped her ear with his teeth, but he was smiling almost as widely as Jace. There was just something about Emma that disarmed them both. “Shall we play for a while?” Logan asked. Emma glanced at Jace and waited for him to answer. “I think I need to be inside our lovely sub.” Emma nodded enthusiastically, and Jace felt his cock harden painfully against his leather pants. He glanced around the area. The night was already winding down, and many of the earlier players had either left or

122

Abby Blake

moved into private rooms. “We’re both going to fuck you at the same time, darlin’.” He appreciated her dreamy expression but still felt the need to offer her a chance to decline. “It’s all right to use your safe word, Emma.” Emma gave him a shy smile and shook her head. He leaned over and whispered all the things he planned to do when they got somewhere more private. She blushed prettily, and he couldn’t help but kiss her. It was meant to be a fleeting touch of lips, but she sighed so sweetly he deepened the kiss, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and dragging her closer. She squirmed to get nearer, and for a moment, he considered driving all the way home but didn’t want to wait any longer to be buried in Emma’s ass at the same time that Logan took her pussy. Yet he didn’t want their first time to be in the main room of the club. As difficult as it would be to explain to another Dom, Jace didn’t want to share the experience with anyone else. Not this time. He glanced over to Logan, who, despite his concerned look, couldn’t hide the fact that he was interested, very interested. “Come on, darlin’,” Jace said as he urged her into Logan’s embrace and turned them toward the private rooms. **** Emma felt overheated. Every nerve ending, every muscle, every thought was focused on what would happen once they reached the room. Her thighs felt slippery, her arousal coating her skin as anticipation swelled through every inch of her body. She was nervous, but somehow that just heightened her desire. Logan fondled her breasts, rolling the nipples between his fingers and thumbs as they walked to the room. She was gasping for breath, barely able to stand up by the time he pushed her face-first over a padded, waist-high bench. He pressed his hand between her shoulder

Emma’s Education

123

blades, holding her down as he ripped her panties away and wiggled the plug in her ass. She cried out, unable to stand the anticipation, begging with her voice and her body. She heard a condom wrapper rip open, and a moment later, Jace slid into her pussy with one firm thrust. It was so tight. She squirmed against their combined embrace—Jace’s hands holding her hips tight, Logan’s still holding her face down—as Jace started to move into her body. “Relax, little sub,” Logan said as he shifted to where she could see him, but without releasing the pressure holding her down. “We need to prepare you properly so that we don’t hurt you.” She nodded, still nervous but anxious for both of them to fill her. Emma moaned as Jace increased the pace. He was still moving carefully, but each time he thrust in, he pulled the plug partially from her ass, then thrust it back in as he pulled out his cock. She was on the verge of orgasm when he pulled the plug from her completely and slid deep into her ass. He fucked her harder, pulling her back against him as he plowed into her back passage over and over. She was on the verge of demanding they let her orgasm, when he pulled away all together. She growled her frustration, but a slap high on her ass cheeks distracted her long enough for Jace to lift her up as Logan lay down on the bench and pulled her into his arms. She practically crawled over him, trying to take his cock into her pussy, but he held her pressed against him, teasing her by pressing her clit against his hard erection. Her whole body convulsed as he slowly slid into her pussy, but again her held her down, pressing her ass with his big hand. Hell, even the mild sting from the stripes on her ass added to the eroticism of the moment. She whimpered as she felt Jace press the head of his cock against her anus. Logan held her still, whispering words of comfort, as Jace slid slowly into her back passage. Pressed between them, both men

124

Abby Blake

joined with her in the most intimate way, Emma swallowed hard as emotion swelled through her chest. This was where she belonged. It didn’t matter that she’d only known them a short while. Right here, right now was the first time in her life that she truly felt like she belonged. But then they started to move, and every thought was lost in the incredible sensation of being taken by them both at the same time. She whimpered her need, desperate to come, quivering all over as climax drew closer. They started to move faster, giving her more, giving her everything. She groaned as Jace slammed harder into her ass at the same time Logan ground her down on his cock. Every nerve ending caught fire, the heat, the emotion, the incredible sensations combining to nearly tip her into orgasm. But it held out of reach, her body damn near imploding as she waited for something, waited for more, waited for them. She felt Jace’s cock throb in her ass, the action copied by Logan a moment later. “Come for us, darlin’.” Like a coil overwound, Emma’s climax finally snapped. Passion burned through her as every muscle went into meltdown. Both men groaned as her ass and pussy pulsed around them, drawing them deeper, holding them tighter. Her orgasm went on and on, the incredible feeling bouncing, twisting, dancing low in her belly as the rest of her body shook. Eventually her body stilled, exhaustion stealing through her and leaving her muscles pliant and relaxed. “I love you,” she whispered to them both as sleep claimed her.

Emma’s Education

125

Chapter Ten She barely remembered Logan putting her coat on and doing up the buttons. Hell, if it had been left up to her, she might’ve left the club naked. As they stepped into the cool late-evening air, a voice called her name, and she turned instinctively. But it was the two men who thrust her behind them that almost knocked her on her ass. Thank heavens Logan had his hand fisted at the side of her coat, or she would probably be on the ground right now. “What do you want?” Logan growled at the person who approached them. “I want to speak to Emma.” “Michaels, come one step closer, and you’ll learn firsthand what I think of stalkers.” “Stalker? What? What the hell are you talking about?” her exboyfriend asked in a bewildered-sounding voice. Emma couldn’t see him, thanks to finding herself somehow back to back with Logan and unable to move thanks to the death grip on her coat. “Emma, what is he talking about?” She tried to answer, but Logan’s grip tightened, and he answered for her. “We’re talking about the vandalism on her home and the fraudulent use of her credit cards.” “Vandalism? Emma, baby, what happened? Are you accusing me of vandalism? Baby, you know me. I wouldn’t do anything like that.” Greg sounded really upset, and Emma found herself wondering if maybe he wasn’t involved. “What have these men been telling you?”

126

Abby Blake

“We haven’t been telling her anything. The evidence speaks for itself.” “What evidence? I haven’t been anywhere near her home. Emma, after this asshole kicked me out of the club, they wouldn’t even let me see you to give you your purse and keys. I had to leave them with the guy at the front door.” Greg sounded genuinely distressed. “I’ve been really worried about you. I’ve been calling all weekend, but you haven’t answered the phone.” He’d left her purse with the club? Was it possible Greg hadn’t been involved in the vandalism? It wouldn’t have taken a genius to read her driver’s license and know what the keys were for. And there was no actual evidence that Greg had been involved. “Emma, you’re being scammed. These guys must’ve set the whole thing up. They want to scare you into trusting them so they can play their sick games.” Emma felt Logan’s grip on her coat tighten even more, but neither Logan nor Jace said a word to defend themselves. Doubt began to sliver through her mind. She trusted Logan and Jace—she really did—but what if they’d made an error? What if Greg was a victim of mistaken identity? She knew him as Greg Marsden. It was possible he wasn’t Greg Michaels like they’d believed. And anybody could’ve claimed her keys and purse from the front desk. BDSM was often misunderstood in the wider community, so it was possible that the attack was based on hate rather than knowledge of her personally. “Logan,” she said quietly, trying to get his attention. If this was just a misunderstanding, she should at least try to sort it out like a reasonable human being. “Quiet, Emma.” Logan’s growled order was so unexpected she opened and closed her mouth several times before she could think of a retort. But Jace spoke first. “She’s not going anywhere with you, Michaels, so why don’t you do yourself a favor and put the gun away before someone gets hurt.” Gun?

Emma’s Education

127

Dread slithered down her spine. No wonder Logan had such an intense grip on her. “I only want to protect her from you,” Greg said, sounding exasperated. “Emma, baby, just come with me, and I’ll help you clean up your house. Tomorrow we can go shopping for a new bed, and we can forget about all the sick stuff these two men did to you.” “Bed?” Logan asked with a cynical laugh. “If you’re so innocent, how do you know she needs a new bed?” Everything seemed to hang suspended for a moment, almost as if they were frozen in that one point of time, but then all hell broke loose. Logan released her, pushing her away from him as he launched forward. She stuck her hands out to catch her fall, but Jace wrapped his entire body around her before she hit the ground. The gunshot was so loud Emma’s ears screamed in protest, the high-pitched whistling noise adding to her fear and confusion. She wriggled in Jace’s hold, terrified that Logan might be hurt but needing to know. She didn’t even realize she was shaking violently until Jace pressed her head against his chest. “Shhh, darlin’, it’s all right. Everything’s going to be all right.” “Is L–Logan o–okay?” “He’s going to be fine.” “Going to be?” She struggled against Jace’s hold, finally managing to wrench from his embrace and turn to where she expected Logan to be. But there was no one there. There were a few dark drops that could’ve been blood on the pavement and not much else. She looked around bewildered. “Logan dragged him back into the club. I expect that the security guards are taking care of the rest. Hopefully, it won’t take long for the police to get here.” She nodded numbly, not really sure what to do now. It seemed like an eternity before she heard the sirens, but two police vehicles finally arrived. Fifteen minutes later, they placed a handcuffed Greg into the backseat. As the officers passed Emma and

128

Abby Blake

Jace, Greg protested his innocence once more, pleading with her to explain why he’d needed to kill the men who’d defiled her. Good heavens. Considering that Greg was the one who’d brought her to Viper’s Dungeon in the first place, his claim he needed to protect her now was hard to take seriously. The officer closed the door and shook his head as he moved toward where she leaned against Jace’s solid warmth. “What part of ‘anything you say can and will be used against you’ did he not understand?” The officer gave her a friendly smile, glanced at the possessive way Jace was holding her, and turned just a little more serious. “Are you Emma?” “Yes.” She bit back the word ‘Sir’ even though something about his demeanor suggested that she should say it. He gave Jace an assessing look before turning his attention back to her. “I need you two to come down to the station to file a statement.” “Of course,” Jace answered. “We’ll just check on Logan and meet you there.” The officer nodded but kept his eyes on Emma. She felt very uncomfortable with his scrutiny, but she held her ground and waited for him to speak. Obviously, something was on his mind. He glanced at Jace again. “I need to speak to Emma alone.” “Why?” she blurted out. Her ears were still ringing from the gunshot. Maybe she’d misheard him. “Mr. Marsden has raised a number of concerns about your welfare.” Jace loosened his hold and took a step back. Her knees wobbled slightly as she adjusted to standing on her own, but she gave the officer an annoyed look and waited for him to ask whatever ridiculous question he planned to ask. “Mr. Marsden claims that you are being held against your will and subjected to physical and emotional abuse. Do you require police assistance?”

Emma’s Education

129

She smiled with relief. “No, officer. Thank you for your concern, but I’m here with Jace and Logan of my own free will.” He held her gaze, almost as if he were looking for the truth in her eyes. Emma had a vague feeling that she somehow knew this man. Wasn’t he the Dom who’d been flogging a sub on the St. Andrew’s cross last Friday night? Finally, he looked past her to Jace. “This one is definitely a keeper.” Jace laughed and stepped back to wrap his arm around her waist. “That she is. Thanks, Derek. We’ll meet you at the station as soon as we see Logan.” “Do me a favor. Convince the stubborn ass to go to the emergency room.” Emergency room! **** Logan groaned as Emma rushed into Viper’s office. It was obvious she wanted to hug him, but she hesitated when she saw his torn leather pants and the massive bandage that Viper had wrapped around his thigh. Tears filled her eyes. “Why the hell hasn’t anyone called an ambulance?” She glared at Viper angrily and then turned back to Logan. “We need to get you to the emergency room.” “I’m okay,” he said quietly, hoping to reassure her. “He missed me, mostly.” “Mostly? Mostly? Explain to me how a bullet mostly misses!” “Emma, calm down. It’s just a graze. I’m fine.” “Calm down? Are you fucking kidding me? My ex-boyfriend just tried to kill you, and you’re telling me to calm down?” “Emma, be quiet.” Judging by the anger that reddened her face, trying to dominate her at the moment was a really bad idea. But damn it all to hell, if this was the way she reacted to a little graze, how the fuck would she react if he came home injured from a mission?

130

Abby Blake

He shook his head, frustrated and plain out pissed that he hadn’t been fast enough to take the asshole down before the gun went off. If he’d been doing his physical training like he’d done every other day for the last ten years—instead of playing sex games with a tempting, little sub—he might not have been hurt, and he wouldn’t have a hysterical woman on his hands. “Emma, you are a submissive, and you’re still in Viper’s Dungeon. Be quiet or I’ll gag you.” Jace moved from his place in the doorway, obviously ready to disagree with him and take Emma’s side. Fucking great. Make that one hysterical woman and one pissed off Dom. Getting involved with them had been a major mistake. “Gag me? Are you fucking serious?” Her voice had reached a higher pitch than his ears wanted to hear. He winced, but held his jaw tight and nodded in answer. “You know what, Logan? Red. I’m using my safe word.” She stood in front of him, hands on hips, her jaw set at an aggressive angle, not a hint of the submissive he’d been cuddling the last three days. He’d been wrong to get involved. He was a Navy SEAL, for fuck’s sake. It was damn near impossible to keep a relationship going while he answered the demands of his career. But that’s who he was, plain and simple, and the sooner he got back to the SEAL teams, the better for everyone. “Thank you, Emma. I’m sure Jace will be able to give you a lift home.” He watched her determination falter at his cold words. She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and then looked him straight in the eye. “You asshole,” she whispered and then turned and fled the room. It took every ounce of strength he owned to stay where he was and deny his need to run after her and apologize. He rubbed a hand across his forehead. This was why he’d avoided involvement for so long. It took a special type of woman to love a

Emma’s Education

131

Navy SEAL, and even if Emma was strong enough—and after the way she’d reacted to this minor injury, he doubted that very much— he’d vowed never to put a woman through the type of anxiety a SEAL’s wife experienced every day. Jace looked angry enough to pound him into the ground, but without a word, he turned to follow Emma.

132

Abby Blake

Chapter Eleven Six months later… Logan ran his hand down his face tiredly. He was finally home after a three week mission that had somehow lasted three months. Three long, interminable months that proved to him that even though he was working with a new squad, he was still a Navy SEAL through and through. And probably would be for a long time to come. And this was exactly why he’d called it off with Emma. He grabbed his gear. He was tired, hungry, and ready to sleep for a week, but Emma was still the main thought on his mind. “You look like shit.” Logan grinned at the familiar voice of his swim buddy, but when he glanced over he found Cam wearing civilian clothing. Cam nodded, silently confirming his medical discharge. Before Logan had gone on this last mission they’d both known it was a possibility, but having it confirmed wasn’t what Logan had wanted. Judging by the tight lock of Cam’s jaw, not what he’d wanted either. But they both knew that a SEAL who couldn’t physically keep up with the rest of his team created a danger for them all. Cam held his hand out. “I just wanted to say goodbye.” “Where are you headed?” “Not sure yet. Thought I’d stop at Viper’s for a few days before heading over to visit my folks in Florida.” Viper. Viper’s Dungeon. Emma And with one single thought Logan’s mind slid back to the woman who’d been his obsession for the last six months.

Emma’s Education

133

He hadn’t even had enough time to make a phone call before they’d gone wheels up three months ago. And even if he’d had a chance, he wouldn’t have been able to tell her where he was going or when he’d be back. That was no life for Emma. It took a strong woman to be the wife of a Navy SEAL. The night he’d been grazed by a bullet had proven she wasn’t strong enough. If he’d let things get serious, she would’ve spent the entire time he’d been gone worrying that he’d be hurt or killed. At least by breaking things off she could get on with the life Viper said she’d been building with Jace. He shook his head sharply, wanting to slam his fist into the wall at his own selfish need. But it didn’t matter how many times he tried to convince himself to leave Emma and Jace alone, he couldn’t shake the need to know she was all right. “Just let me get the paperwork done, and I’ll come with you.” **** Jace couldn’t quite believe the audacity of the man who’d just walked in the door of Viper’s Dungeon. He hadn’t seen Logan is six long months, so he was surprised, and a little pissed, by the relief he felt. It was good to see Logan safe and well, but it didn’t change the fact he’d walked away from Emma without a word. He’d left the explanations to Viper. Emma had been devastated, even more so when the check she sent to Logan, via Viper, to cover the cost of her shoes and lingerie went unbanked. She hadn’t said anything, but Jace had known that the longer the check remained uncashed, the more Emma worried it tarnished the weekend they’d spent together. Jace had tried to convince her that Logan was likely out of the country on assignment, but neither of them had truly believed it until about three months ago when the check had finally been processed. It left Jace wondering if

134

Abby Blake

that was the beginning of Logan coming to his senses or the last they’d ever hear of the man. Jace had hated Logan for the way he’d hurt Emma, but after months of rumination, he’d finally pieced together Logan’s probable thinking. It was likely Logan rejected Emma because of her reaction to his being shot. As a SEAL Logan would consider the graze from a stray bullet an ordinary day, so to have Emma become so upset would’ve made him worry about her reaction if he got seriously hurt on a mission. But her initial reaction had been heightened because Logan had been injured protecting her. If Logan had hung around for few more hours, he would’ve realized that Emma was far stronger than he’d obviously given her credit for. Jace glanced around the room, located Viper, and signaled for the man to relieve him. He’d only just started his shift, but he wasn’t willing to wait three hours before confronting Logan. Fortunately, Viper had obviously seen Logan come in because he wore a smug smile and had already been moving in Jace’s direction. Viper took over Jace’s duties with little more than a nod. In the last six months, Emma had gotten her home fixed, her banks accounts corrected, and the alarm system installed that Jace had insisted upon. And, even without Logan, Jace and Emma had managed to build a life together. It hadn’t been easy moving forward without the man who completed their unusual triangle, but they’d managed it together. Only two days ago Emma had agreed to move in with Jace, and he’d even begun thinking marriage and babies. But still he hesitated to propose, his hopes for the three of them still afloat in his mind. Jace turned his attention to Logan, indicated for him to follow and then marched out of the room. He deliberately chose the private room the three of them had used that last night together, but if Logan felt any remorse, he didn’t show it.

Emma’s Education

135

“What do you want?” Jace demanded. He might be glad to see Logan, but he wasn’t going to make things easy for him. After the way he’d left, he didn’t deserve a break—well, not yet. Emma would be very happy to see him despite the way he’d treated her. Although, if Logan wasn’t here to stay and sort things out, then there was a good chance that Jace would finally try to pulverize him, somehow. “I just wanted to check if Emma’s okay.” Anger exploded in Jace’s gut. “That’s it? After six months of silence, that’s it? That’s all she gets?” Logan shrugged, but Jace could see the effect his anger was having. Logan held his jaw tight, his hands were balled into fists, and he crossed his arms in a movement that seemed more defensive than aggressive. “I know I hurt her. I didn’t want to…I just…” Logan hesitated, ran a hand through his hair, and finally gave in to his emotions. “Can’t you see that me leaving was the best option?” he asked angrily. “The best option for Emma or the best option for you?” “For me? What the fuck are you talking about? I left so that Emma wouldn’t spend her life worrying about me.” He started to pace in the small room. “I’m a Navy lifer. I’ll probably be a SEAL until I’m injured or killed or too old to keep up. Emma wouldn’t be able to handle that. You saw how she reacted when I was shot.” Jace leaned against the wall, trying to control his temper and calmly assess the other man that Emma loved. Even though the three of them had only spent one weekend together, it had been obvious to both Emma and Jace that it had been something special. Even after all the pain and anger and confusion that Logan had caused, Jace was willing to give the man a second chance. That was if he could convince the stubborn asshole to take it. “You know, for such a brave man, you sure acted like a coward.” That caught his attention. Logan stopped pacing and glared at Jace.

136

Abby Blake

“You ran away without letting Emma explain, without giving her a chance. You just assumed you were correct and you left.” “I was correct,” Logan said in a sad-sounding voice. “She’s far better off with you.” Jace nodded. “Probably, after all, I’m not the one who threatened to gag her when she showed concern for you. You’d just been shot protecting her from a man she’d been dating. She felt responsible for you getting hurt, and that’s why she overreacted to a minor injury. It doesn’t compare to you being injured or killed working as a SEAL.” Logan seemed to mull the information over for a while, and Jace could practically see the man trying to reason away his hope. “I still can’t ask it of her.” “Too late,” Jace said forcefully. “She already cares about you. She’ll feel the pain whether you want her to or not.” He waited a heartbeat for that information to sink in before adding, “At least if you have a relationship with her, she’ll know if something goes wrong. Right now, it’s the not knowing that’s causing her anguish.” “But what about you? Viper told me you’ve taken her as your permanent sub. What happens to your relationship with her if I interfere?” “Don’t flatter yourself, Logan. Emma loves us both, and I’ll be around to take care of her if anything does happen to you.” The stunned look on Logan’s face was almost enough to make Jace smile. “She loves me?” Logan asked, sounding completely dumbfounded. “It was only one weekend.” Jace nodded. “I know, I was there, remember.” “But people don’t fall in love in one weekend.” Logan’s confusion was so genuine that this time Jace actually did smile. “Why not? You did.” Logan sat heavily on the edge of the bed as if this was the first time he’d even considered that Emma might return his feelings.

Emma’s Education

137

Jace stepped forward to shake hands. “Welcome home, Logan. Emma’s at her place tonight. Why don’t you drop by for a visit?” **** Logan smoothed his sweaty hands down his jeans. He didn’t remember ever being this nervous. He’d fucked up so badly he was fairly convinced Emma would never forgive him. But Jace had been so adamant that things would work out, and it had been such an unexpected gift, that Logan would be a fool not to try. He’d missed her more than he’d ever expected. He’d tried to convince himself that she was just a weekend diversion, a sweet memory, nothing serious, yet he’d never really believed it. But it had taken Jace’s forthright words for him to finally admit that she was someone special—special to him and to Jace—and if he could get her to forgive him, he’d spend the rest of his life making it up to her. Logan lifted his hand to knock on her door, memories of the damage her ex had done to her home six months ago as fresh in his memory as if it were yesterday. He tried not to knock too hard, but now that he was here, he really wanted to see her. If she kicked him out on his ass, it might go close to killing him, but at least he’d know. “Who is it?” Her voice floated through the wooden door, and his heart seemed to stumble a beat before he could find his voice to answer. “It’s Logan.” She was quiet for a moment, and when he didn’t hear any movement behind the door, he could taste the bitterness of his worst fears realized. But then he heard the snick of the lock being disengaged, and the door flew inward. She practically launched into his arms, and he crushed her into his embrace. She was shaking from head to toe and kissing his neck, his face, his lips over and over and over.

138

Abby Blake

Hell, what had he ever done to deserve a woman as special as this one? He carried her into the living room, sat down on the sofa, and cuddled her close. They sat like that for a long while, and Logan was grateful for the chance to get straight in his head everything he needed to say. But he waited too long. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just…I just…I was scared and shaken and…I’ve never had someone take a bullet for me before.” “No, Emma, I’m the one who’s sorry. I should’ve been more aware of your feelings. I overreacted to your concern and acted like an asshole.” She laughed quietly, and his heart stilled at the amazing sound. “I seem to remember pointing that out.” “Yes,” he said as he smoothed his hand through her hair, “you did, but I was too damn stubborn to realize how right you were.” “So what’s changed? Why are you here, Logan?” He pressed her closer to his heart. She might be submissive in bed, but she would never put up with his shit. She deserved nothing less than complete honesty, even if it did make him look like an idiot. Truly, he only had himself to blame for being so stupid. “I dropped by the Dungeon to try and pry information out of Viper.” “Viper? Why?” She sounded adorably confused, but she nestled against him as if she’d never been more comfortable. “For a while, Viper kept me up to date with news of you and Jace, but about four months ago, he refused to tell me anymore. He told me that if I wanted to know how you were, that I’d have to come visit. I went there tonight with the intention of shaking him until he told me the truth.” She laughed softly, and he understood exactly why. Viper may be a retired SEAL, but there was nothing shakeable about him. He was taller, stronger, and as long as his knee wasn’t giving him

Emma’s Education

139

trouble, probably even still fitter than Logan. There was no guarantee Logan would be the shaker in a confrontation. “Anyway, when I got there, I saw Jace. I wanted to know if you were okay so badly that I went straight up to him and asked.” He shifted on the sofa, just a little uncomfortable with what he needed to say next. “Jace pointed out a few things I hadn’t considered and then told me to come visit you.” “What hadn’t you considered?” “I hadn’t considered that you had a damn good reason for your reaction that night. I left because I didn’t want you to have to go through that again if I got hurt on a mission, but I never thought about how different the two scenarios were.” He loosened his hold on her and helped her sit up so that he could see her face as he confessed the rest. “And I hadn’t considered the possibility that you might love me as much as I love you.” She smacked him upside the head, but she did it with a smile. “How could you not know?” He grinned in return. “Stubborn thickheadedness?” he asked with a shrug. “Well don’t forget again.” “I never plan to.” He glanced around the room and finally noticed all of the packing boxes. “Are you moving?” She nodded and placed her head back on his shoulder. “Jace and I decided to move in together.” “You don’t sound very happy about that,” Logan said, trying to read her reactions without actually being able to see her face. “I am happy. It’s just I was kind of expecting a marriage proposal, but he seems reluctant to go that extra step.” “There’s a good reason for that, darlin’.” Emma nearly leapt off Logan’s lap when she heard Jace’s voice, but Logan held her still and glanced over to the man who stood in the doorway with a big smile on his face. “I was waiting for this lug-head to realize where he belonged.”

140

Abby Blake

“So you planned this?” Logan asked. “I hoped for it,” he said with a smile. “Emma, I think you should marry Logan. That way you’ll be the first notified if there ever is a problem.” Logan looked like his jaw was going to hit the floor. “Again, don’t flatter yourself, SEAL,” Jace said with a laugh. “I plan to love her every moment of every day. Whether you are here or not.” He moved closer and touched Emma’s face softly. “Do you remember your safe word, darlin’?” “Yes, Sir,” she said with contented smile. “I think it’s about time your Doms played with their sub properly.” She nodded enthusiastically, and they had her naked practically before she could blink. Both men showed her with every touch, every groan, every whispered word how much she was loved. And it was a very, very long time before she got back to packing.

THE END WWW.ABBYBLAKE.WEBS.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 Siren LoveXtreme Forever: A Bride for Eight Brothers 1: Mikayla’s Men Siren LoveXtreme Forever: A Bride for Eight Brothers 2: Sweet Captivation Siren LoveXtreme Forever: A Bride for Eight Brothers 3: Wild Fascination Siren LoveXtreme Forever: A Bride for Eight Brothers 4: Keen Inclination Siren LoveXtreme Forever: A Bride for Eight Brothers 5: Hot Inspiration Siren LoveXtreme Forever: A Bride for Eight Brothers 6: Mikayla’s Family Ménage Everlasting: Fire Ménage Everlasting: Altered Destinies 1: Lost Ménage Everlasting: Altered Destinies 2: Runner Ménage Everlasting: Altered Destinies 3: Hidden Ménage Everlasting: Altered Destinies 4: Stolen Ménage Everlasting: Altered Destinies 5: Soldier

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com