Everlasting Hunger

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication www.ellorascave.com Everlasting Hunger ISBN 9781419918643 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Everlasting Hunger Copyright © 2008 Tawny Taylor Edited by Sue-Ellen Gower. Cover art by Syneca. Electronic book Publication November 2008 With the exception of quotes used in reviews, thisbook may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. 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. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Everlasting Hunger Tawny Taylor Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Anna Sui: Anna Sui Corp. Dolce and Gabbana: Dolce & Gabbana Google: Google, Inc. Hummer: General Motors Corp. Model T: Ford Motor Company Nordstroms: Nordstrom, Inc. Playgirl: Playgirl Key Club, Inc. Saturday Night Live: National Broadcasting Company, Inc. TiVo: TiVo Inc. Twilight Zone: CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

Chapter One

“Oh my God. Raine, listen to this. ‘Rumors and speculation are flying around town about local billionaire Tryphon Zade. There’s no law against being gay or bisexual, or belonging to an underground bondage club, but—’Are you listening, Raine? ‘When relationships end because one partner turns up dead, then things get a little sticky—’” “Haven’t I told you to stop reading that stuff? It’s junk food for the brain.” Laughing, Raine Avery reached over and knocked the gossip rag out of Liz Emmet’s hand. Scrambling to recover the lost magazine from Raine’s bedroom floor, her best friend sent Raine a squinty glare. “I’m just trying to protect you. This man—what kind of freaky name is Tryphon?—is into some crazy stuff. Whips and chains.” “Protect me? From what?” Raine stepped into her interview shoes and smoothed her hands down her black skirt. “I’m not going to sleep with him. I’m interviewing for a job. What do I care about his sexual perversions?” Still scowling, Liz shuffled through the pages. “Listen to me. He could be dangerous.” She poked an index finger at a picture. “Look, three of his past lovers died—” Raine hugged her paranoid friend, cutting off the rant before it got even uglier. “Sweetie, I appreciate the fact that you’re so concerned.” She plopped on the bed and flung an arm over Liz’s shoulder. “But you’re overreacting. That newspaper’s a joke. You know that, right? They print any dirt they can cook up about a person, even if there’s not a shred of truth to it.” Liz lifted the paper. “Yeah, but—” “Yeah but…if the man were dangerous, he’d be in jail. No more brain junk food for you.” She snatched the paper out of Liz’s hands and dropped it in the trash as she strolled toward the

door. “Now, if this info was coming from a reliable source, I’d consider skipping the interview.” Satisfied that she was not making a life-threatening decision by interviewing for a fabulous job that paid almost five times more than her last one, she headed out to the hallway, stopping at the bathroom door for one last check in the mirror. She smiled, to make sure none of the soft pink lipstick she’d glossed over her lips had gone astray, and smoothed a flyaway strand of hair back from her face. Per-fect. Now, if only she could convince one billionaire with questionable sexual tastes and a hugely successful business that she was the perfect sales department office manager, then she’d be breathing a whole lot easier. Her unemployment was about to run out, and thanks to a severe depression in the local economy, the only other job interview she’d been able to secure in the five months since she was laid off was for an entry-level job that wouldn’t pay enough to make her rent, let alone buy food, gas for her car, and all the other necessities of life. She just knew there’d be a bazillion other people interviewing for this job. How would she make herself stand out from the crowd? Confidence. That was the key. At her apartment’s door, she looped her purse over her shoulder and closed her fingers around the handle of her briefcase. “Okay.” She pulled in a deep breath, hoping it would slow down her racing heart. “I’m ready.” Liz threw her arms around her and squeezed in the typical Liz way before taking a step back. “You’re not going to need it, but

good luck.” Liz pulled her cell from her pocket. “Call me the minute you’re done.” “Will do.” “And don’t forget,” Liz reached around Raine and fisted the doorknob, “I’m good enough…” “I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!” Raine finished, quoting the old Saturday Night Live skit they were obsessed with, to the point of being pathetic. But it was them. And it was fun. And it sure beat sitting around bitching about how sucky their lives were. Out she went. She cranked up the radio as she drove to the interview. Despite the cheerful music, she sweated and shook through the drive. And her jittery nerves only got worse during the walk from the parking lot, the stroll through the enormous lobby, the ride in the elevator, and the excruciating wait upstairs. She sat in a chair positioned just outside a set of black leather-covered doors, tufted to look like an ottoman or something. A metallic snick told her those bizarre doors were about to open, and she was about to see her prospective boss for the first time. More importantly, he was about to see her. First impressions. Deep breath. In. Out. Smile. Her lips curled back in what she hoped would resemble a friendly expression. The doors slowly inched open, revealing a…woman. And not just any woman, an absolutely beautiful one who looked like she belonged on a New York fashion runway, not in an office building in metro Detroit. The woman’s expression remained absolutely stoic, like a robot’s, as she stepped to the side, pushing one of the doors

open wider. “Mr. Zade will see you now.” Raine stood, briefcase in one shaking hand, the other tucked behind her back. Her heels clicked and clacked on the polished wood floor as she hiked up her chin, pasted on her fake smile and headed in for the interview that could score her the job of a lifetime. He was sitting behind an enormous desk, reading something. Tryphon Zade, the one and only. He didn’t lift his eyes when she entered the room, just waved her in. She was actually kind of glad he didn’t watch her, especially when she tripped over the edge of the rug like a total klutz. Breathe. Relax. Confidence. She settled into the chair in front of the desk, slid her hand into the front pocket of her briefcase and pulled out a fresh copy of her resume. She placed it on the glossy stone desktop then clenched her hands in her lap. Finally, he looked at her. Her insides lurched. She’d seen pictures of this man in the newspapers. She’d expected him to be good looking. But ohmygod, she’d had no idea how absolutely striking he’d be in person. About a zillion seconds too late, she realized he’d reached across the desk and was waiting to shake her hand. “Tryphon Zade,” he said, giving her a strained look. Hello! Wake up!Her face felt like it was going to melt it was so hot. Wake up!

She jumped to her feet, shoved her hand in his and gave it a quick pump up and down. “Raine Avery. Thank you for this opportunity.” “Please, be seated.” He waited for her to sit back down before speaking again. His lips did this little quirking thing, going slightly higher on one side than the other. She wondered if he was trying to hide a smile. The expression emphasized the sexy cleft in his chin. She reminded herself that the job she’d come to interview for was vastly more important than a silly thing like a cute cleft. Or eyes so dark they reminded her of black mirrors. “I reviewed your resume this morning. It’s very impressive.” “I brought a fresh copy, in case you needed it.” She pushed it forward. “Thank you.” His fingers grazed hers as he dragged the paper toward him. His gaze locked on hers for one heart-pittery moment. What was going through that man’s mind? Did he think she was a total blubbering idiot? Oh my God, get your head together, Avery. You can’t afford to screw up this interview. Just before she thought she might pass out from holding her breath, he looked down. She took those few moments to try to steady herself and clear her head, which was getting more clogged up and fuzzy with every second that ticked by. For some reason she just couldn’t seem to focus on the fact that she was at an important job interview. Her mind wanted to wander off in all kinds of frustrating

directions, most of them really, really embarrassing. Like was this amazing-looking man with the ink-black hair and eyes, and chiseled cheekbones that made him look fiercely masculine, really into whips and chains? “Can you tell me why you left your last position?” he asked. “My employer downsized and I was laid off,” she recited. “I see.” He steepled his fingers under his chin. “Can you describe a situation where you had to use your initiative to solve a problem at work?” Oh man, this guy was skipping right to hard questions. And it didn’t help that she found him so amazingly sexy she could barely think straight. Initiative? Hmmmm… Her last position had been as an office manager for a small sales team serving the Big Three automakers. Her job, which consisted mostly of paper shuffling, didn’t provide many opportunities to exercise her initiative. Except… “I created a new system to track samples for customers, following them through the manufacturing process to ensure they would be delivered on time. The system freed up the sales engineers to focus on more important duties, like securing new contracts.” He nodded. “Very good. Now, will you tell me, under what conditions do you work best, Miss Avery?” Another toughie. “I’d say the kind of environment that allows me some independence. Where I don’t have someone constantly

watching over my shoulder, telling me what to do, how to do it and when. I’d like to think I’m capable of knowing how to set my own schedule, meet my own deadlines and keep myself busy.” He crossed his arms over his chest. Not a good sign. Although that position made his arms look super thick. And his shoulders bigger. “What do you feel an employer owes an employee?” he asked. Owes? Was that a trick question? “I’d say the obvious—a paycheck for the hours worked.” She paused after giving her answer. It couldn’t be that simple. Or could it? “Also a safe working environment, free from dangers, hostility, you know, reasonable things.” He stood, circled the desk, then rested his very nice butt on the corner and crossed those thick arms over his chest. “I’m looking to fill two positions at the moment. Along with the sales office manager, I’m also searching for a new personal assistant.” Personal assistant! “I intentionally didn’t advertise the second job. I have my own way of looking for applicants.” Personal assistant! Smiling, she nodded. She could care less about his hiring quirks. That fact was, he’d mentioned the position to her. That meant he was considering her for it. Right? Yeah! A job as a personal assistant to a man this powerful would not only pay great but would also look very good on her resume. Yes, yesyesyes! “You are an excellent candidate for either job. But I think you

would be especially well qualified for the personal assistant’s position. There’s something about you…” Yeah! I’ve got the job. Oh thank God! “Unfortunately, there’s a catch.” Her insides dropped to her toes. Of course there was a catch. Nothing as wonderful as the job of her dreams dropping from the sky and landing in her lap had ever happened to her. Ever. Why, oh why did she think it would today? The energy drained from her body. And then he planted a hand on his bent knee and leaned forward, and instantly, she felt small and self-conscious. What the heck was he doing? She leaned back in her chair, pressing her shoulder blades against the back. This was the weirdest, most bizarre job interview she’d ever been to. Granted, a huge part of that was her fault. The thoughts that had whipped through her brain were nobody’s but hers. His gaze swept over her face, lingering for a little too long on her mouth. “I won’t hire women I’m physically attracted to.” Won’t hire. Huh? Physically attracted. What? Won’t hire! No way! He did not just tell her he found her attractive. And he did not just say he couldn’t hire her because of that. If I had the money, I’d hire a fucking attorney…what the hell? This made no sense. What about Miss Model-Perfect, who’d

escorted her into the office? What red-blooded man wouldn’t be attracted to that? “Really?” she asked. He nodded. “You’re kidding, right?” This time, he shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I’m serious.” Noooooo. This sucked! She needed a job really bad. And she wanted to work for this company. Either job. She wasn’t picky. “I can ugly down if that would help,” she suggested, desperate to find a work-around to what was quickly becoming a huge problem. “Raine, I’m going to be honest with you here, even though my lawyers would probably tell me I’m making a huge mistake. I need to tell you the truth because I respect you. My decision has nothing to do with your skills, or lack thereof. You are highly qualified for either position. But you couldn’t make yourself ugly if you shaved your head, painted yourself with mud, and wore your grandmother’s hand-me-downs.” If he wanted ugly, she’d give him ugly. “Listen—” At the last minute she bit back the ugly expletive sitting on her tongue. Maybe he meant that comment as a compliment, but she couldn’t take it as one, for several reasons. The biggest, of course, was because she was so desperate for a job. Was this so-called decision of his truly grounds for a lawsuit? She could find out. A quick Google search would probably tell her whether or not she might actually have a case. Then again, what would she gain if she did sue him? A huge wad of cash? Probably not. More likely, if she did win—big if—

he would be forced to hire her. But all that would get her was a job working for a man who was notorious for being a sexual deviant and had, evidently, a hard time separating work from pleasure. Would he follow her around, staring with those dark eyes, touching her when she didn’t want him to? Making her feel closed in and suffocated? Talk about less-thanideal working conditions. She didn’t want to work in that kind of environment. No way. But the money. This sucks. “Okay, thank you for your honesty. And your time. You’re right. This isn’t going to work out.” Standing, she offered her hand. She’d show him that, unlike him, she could be the professional, no matter what. He accepted her proffered hand, laying his left one over hers. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Raine.” Yeah, right. “You too.” As soon as he released her hand, she grabbed her briefcase and headed for the door. She hesitated there, though. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t walk away from this pathetic excuse for an interview without speaking her mind. “Mr. Zade, you are a business owner. As such, I’m sure you understand the value of dedicated, hard-working, well-qualified employees. I think you’re making a huge mistake here. Huge. Regardless of any personal feelings I have regarding my superiors—good, bad or otherwise—I always conduct myself as a professional at work. Period. I assume you, as a business owner, would be able to do the same. Maybe you should…seek professional help or something if you can’t.”

Something sparked in his eye. A muscle in his jaw ticced. “Thank you, Raine. We’ll be in touch.” She left, knowing she’d just told a man who was worth a small fortune he needed psychiatric treatment. So much for the dream job. It was probably for the best anyway. Tryphon Zade was one strange man. Absolutely stunning. But sort of creepy. Maybe that newspaper had actually published the truth, after all. That waitressing gig at the sports bar down the street was looking better and better. If she had to deal with men grabbing her butt, better it was in a setting where she could slap them and get away with it. ***** Tryphon waited until he heard the elevator chime before he let himself smile. Reaching behind him, he plucked up Raine Avery’s resume and skimmed it again. No doubt about it, she was the most qualified applicant he’d interviewed this week. In fact, he’d more or less decided before he’d even met her that she was the one he’d hire for that position, if not the personal assistant’s job. But dammit, he couldn’t put himself in the position of another potential sexual harassment lawsuit by hiring a woman he was so attracted to. Especially with the Hunger biting at him right now. He needed to hunt, find a willing woman for the Binding. Soon. Tonight. He crumpled Raine’s resume and lobbed it into the trashcan then scooped up the folder with the other applicants’ resumes.

He’d have to line up another interview for tomorrow. Flipping through them, he walked around the desk and sank into his chair. His door opened with a soft creak and, knowing who his visitor was, Tryphon lifted his head to send him a smile. There was only one person who’d ever dare enter his office unannounced. Bale Kincaid, his partner in business and longtime lover, entered the room with his usual sense of purpose. “So, you’ve hired the sales office manager—” “No, not exactly.” Bale threw himself into the chair across from him. “Why not? You said you had a good applicant nailed down.” “I hadn’t counted on being so fucking attracted to her. You know I can’t hire a woman I’m sexually attracted to. Shit.” “Yeah, shit’s right.” Bale studied him for a while. “Maybe it’s just the Hunger getting to you. We need to hunt.” “Yeah, yeah. I know. And maybe you’re right. But I’m not going to take the chance. Dammit.” He gave Bale a scowl. “You should’ve seen her. Red hair. Fucking gorgeous. Full lips. High cheekbones. And her body, damn. The sad thing was I could tell she really wanted the job. She was laid off. I feel like a shit.” “Laid off, you say? Hmmmm.” Looking thoughtful, Bale crossed his arms over his chest and kicked his feet up on Tryphon’s desk. “Maybe we’ve found ourselves a candidate for the Binding. What do you think? Redheads aren’t my favorite, but I know how much you like them.” “She’s going to think I’m a horny, stalking asshole…” “Which is the truth.”

“…who’s trying to coerce her into sex in exchange for a job. Shut the hell up.” Tryphon didn’t try to hide the laughter in his eyes. “Seriously, she’s going to think fucking us will get her the job. I don’t want to mislead her.” “Since when do you care what our prey thinks? We just need a woman, any woman, for one week. She has no job, so you know she won’t be missed by an employer. That’s one less complication to worry about.” “Sure.” Bale dropped his feet from the desk, kicking one leg over the other and throwing an arm over the chair’s back. “You’re attracted to her. Was the feeling mutual?” “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I was catching a vibe from her. Of course, that was before I told her I couldn’t hire her. Then she cooled off pretty quickly.” Bale lunged forward, disbelief written all over his face. “You did not tell her why you couldn’t hire her.” Suddenly Tryphon found himself on the defensive. “I didn’t want her to think something was wrong with her qualifications or her resume. They were both very impressive.” Bale gave him a doleful glower. “You’re a fuckwad.” “And you’re an asshole. She deserved to hear the truth.” “Even if she can take that truth and trot over to the nearest courthouse to file a discrimination lawsuit?” “Discrimination lawsuit? For what? I didn’t discriminate based on her sex, age, color, national origin or religion. As far as I know, there’s no law against not hiring a person because she’s too fucking sexy.”

“You still didn’t have to tell her.” “Sure, but I wanted to. So fuck it. It’s done. Let her try to sue us. She doesn’t have a case.” “I’ll talk to our people and see what they think.” Bale dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. “I need to get you out for the hunt. Before you interview another female—” “I’ve got to get another one in here by tomorrow.” “Which means we need to find ourselves a volunteer for the Binding tonight.” Bale lifted his head, eyes glittering, a haughty smile spreading over his face. “I’ve got an idea.” “Yeah?” Whether it was the Hunger making his blood simmer, or the look on Bale’s sexy mug, he didn’t give a damn. All he knew was that thoughts of lawsuits were flying out of his head faster than flies from a kicked bag of trash. “Whatcha got?” “We’re going to go pick up your sexy redhead tonight before she’s had the opportunity to pursue any legal action, and we’re going to complete the Binding. Then, after we finish up the week, we’ll clean up her memories—including the ones about your fucked-up interview—and replace them with some safe images, like oh, memories of a pleasant vacation somewhere warm and sunny.” “Sounds good, but something isn’t sitting right with me. I get the feeling she needs a job ASAP.” “Hell, maybe I’ll pull some strings, see if I can find her one this week.” Bale stood, circled the desk, and despite Tryphon’s strict no-hands rule at work, dragged his clawed fingers down Tryphon’s chest. The sensation stirred the fire simmering in Tryphon’s blood. “I’m hungry, Tryph,” Bale murmured, his voice rough.

Damn. “Me too.” Tryphon’s body tightened as jolts of erotic need buzzed along his nerves. His mouth went try. His cock hardened. He needed Bale to back off. Or fuck him. One or the other. Now. Bale straddled Tryphon’s chair and sat on the desk. His hands continued south, over Tryphon’s abs, down over his belt to the bulge pressing angrily at his fly. Shit, he could fuck Bale right here and now. Wanted to. Needed to. But he wouldn’t, couldn’t. “Enough.” Tryphon kicked against the floor, sending his chair rolling backward. It slammed into the credenza behind him. “You know we don’t do this here.” “Yeah, I know.” Looking cheery, Bale glanced at the clock. “In three hours, you’re mine.” Tryphon raised his chin, narrowed his eyes. “No, you’re mine.” Bale’s grin widened. He closed the distance between them, angling forward and planting his flattened hands on the credenza, caging Trypon in. “And your hot little redhead will be ours. For one week. Right?” “Maybe.” Still not convinced, Tryphon eyed the garbage can. Bale followed the line of his gaze. “You threw her resume away?” “Like I said, I can’t hire her.” “Well, if I’m going to find her a job, I’ll need a copy.” His cock hard, his blood like lava, singeing his muscles and

melting his bones, Tryphon watched Bale lean over the garbage can and lift out the balled-up paper. Bale turned and, with a fierce hunger burning in his eyes, flattened the wrinkled paper against his cashmere-covered chest. A wicked smile spread over his face. “Take an extra dose of Eclipse. Sunset isn’t for hours. Let’s go hunt.”

Chapter Two

“Do you have waitressing experience?” The bar owner’s overgrown brow dropped as he skimmed the job application. Please, please tell me I’m not overqualified. Raine tried not to grimace as she cooked up a response. “Um. No, I don’t. But I’m a fast learner. And I volunteered at a soup kitchen once.” “I see.” She stared at his bald scalp as he read the rest of the application. Meanwhile, she died a million silent deaths, growing ever more certain that she was going to be sent packing without a job. Shit. Where would she go next? She’d tried every headhunter in town, every temp agency too. Not one had any decent job listings. Heck, she’d even left resumes with businesses that weren’t currently hiring, hoping something would open up in the next few weeks. This recession sucked. Maybe the rest of the country had pulled itself out of the pits, but Michigan was still neck deep in a wicked economic slump. If only Tryphon Zade hadn’t been such a horny ass. Of all the reasons for not getting a job—because the boss couldn’t control himself around an attractive woman. Argh! She was still pissed. “Okay, well thank you, Miss Avery. We’ll be in touch.” The bar’s owner gave her a blank stare.

“Thank you.” Gathering up her self-respect, Raine slid out of the booth and walked out of the restaurant with her head held high. Nobody would know her heart was in her throat, or tears were gathering in her eyes. She managed to hold them back until she got in her car and pulled out of the parking lot. Only then did she let them bust loose. Her emotions exploded with such fury she had to pull over. What the hell would she do now? She’d been at this for months. For every job out there, even the lower-paying entry-level positions, there were dozens—sometimes hundreds—of qualified applicants. Applicants more qualified than she. And then Liz had told her about the sales office manager’s job at ZK Enterprises. It was perfect. Great hours. Close to home. Amazing pay and benefits. Too bad the fucking boss refused to hire her for the most idiotic reason ever. Granted, she would have hated working with a man who leered at her, pawed at her or made suggestive comments all day long. But surely Tryphon Zade had more self-control than that. She wasn’t lawsuit-happy, if that was what he was worried about. A little sensual tension. Flirting. An occasional glance. She could handle that. After all, she wasn’t ashamed to admit she was a little flattered by Tryphon Zade’s attention. No man who was that rich and powerful had ever given her a second look. Not that she was ugly. She was okay looking. But she wasn’t the super-skinny blonde bombshell the uber-rich bachelors around there tended to go for. Instead, she was curvy, with natural copper-hued hair and milky-white skin. She’d actually considered, briefly, getting her hair bleached and cooking herself in a tanning booth. But then, she’d been a

pasty-skinned, fiery carrot-top all her life, and she just couldn’t picture herself as the blonde seductress. And tanning wasn’t healthy. Not to mention, all a tanning booth did for her was make her pink. Bottom line—she wasn’t ever going to be a golden-haired California girl. Besides, the last thing she wanted was to snag a man by pretending to be what she wasn’t. Correction, the last thing she wanted had nothing to do with men at all. It had everything to do with having to admit she’d failed to make it on her own, and going crawling back to her dad and stepmother on her hands and knees, begging them to let her stay there until she dragged herself back to her feet. Oh, the agony. The bitch was the queen of I-told-you-so. Raine didn’t need anyone to tell her that getting a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts was a dumbass decision. At least, not anymore. Yes, nursing school would have been a better choice. If only… she hadn’t fainted the first day of Intro to Biology. If only…the sight of blood didn’t make her woozy. If only…frog guts didn’t make her heave. She’d totally given up all hopes of a career in the medical field after one semester of gagging through zoology labs. Feeling like a world-class loser, totally defeated, she drove home, parked and shuffled up the walkway to her building. But just before she reached the door, one of those ridiculous Hummer limousines swung around and stopped directly in front of her. The passenger side door swung open and a certain billionaire business owner with an out-of-control libido stepped out. Had he changed his mind about hiring her?

She wasn’t sure how to act or what to expect. She approached him with her heart in her throat, playing like it was no big deal. “Well, hello there. This is quite a surprise.” Understatement of the year. “I expected you’d say that.” He looked so handsome standing there, the sunlight splashing in his hair like blue flares, eyes glittering brightly and a friendly smile on his face. She tried not to admire that picture-perfect grin, but dammit, it was hard. He curled a hand around the back door’s handle and pulled. “Is there any chance we could go somewhere and talk?” Go somewhere and talk? In a limo. This was interesting. “Um, sure.” With only the briefest milli-second’s hesitation, she climbed into the truck and settled into the seat, glancing somewhat nervously around the vehicle’s lush interior. Tryphon slid in beside her while she was fastening her seatbelt. The door closed, and off they went, to an unknown destination. As she peeked over her shoulder at her retreating apartment building, the article in the newspaper played through her mind again. Lovers died. Partners. Dead. Surely, this man wouldn’t do something crazy. “Where are we headed?” she asked, trying to hide the unease filtering into her voice. “A favorite restaurant.” Food? Restaurant? Was this…a date? No, certainly not. Then what was it? A meeting. An olive branch. After the day she’d had, she’d normally be in the mood for some

serious carb therapy. But even a great big plate of pasta, laden with rich alfredo sauce, wouldn’t lift her sagging mood. In fact, the thought of all that rich food made her stomach twist. “Okay. Let’s go talk. Eat. Eat and talk.” She had to hope that whatever he wanted to talk about would accomplish what no amount of pasta could. “Very good.” She smiled, and there was this very strange, awkward moment between them. He stared into her eyes and his penetrating gaze almost felt like an intrusion, as if he were searching for something. “How was your day?” he asked. It sucked rocks. What do you think?“Not bad. Yours?” “Okay.” He gave her a swift up-and-down glance. “Did you have another job interview?” His gaze softened from a razor-edged glare, becoming friendlier, less threatening. A little charming. “Yes, I did.” Shoot, he’s going to think I found another job. What if he doesn’t say what he came to say because he’s jumping to the wrong conclusion? Her face warmed. Her heart thumped against her breastbone. “I…don’t think I got the position…” She was itching to just ask him if he’d changed his mind about hiring her. The words sat on the tip of her tongue. But God help her, she was scared to hear his answer. A part of her wanted to hang on to the smidgen of hope his unexpected visit sparked for just a little longer. “Ah, I’m sorry.” He looked every bit as regretful as he sounded. Yes, he’s going to offer me a job to set things straight. Her body jerked tight like a trap when his knee brushed against hers. Oh! And her gaze snapped straight ahead, to the back of the driver’s head, when it pressed harder.

He didn’t move it. She thought about moving hers but for some reason she couldn’t. Instead, she tried to pretend as if she didn’t notice, but she could feel color suffusing her face, a telltale warmth creeping up her neck over her cheeks. Had she jumped to the wrong conclusion about his reason for coming to her apartment, asking her to talk? Or was he once again proving he was incapable of working with a woman he was attracted to? One thing was certain—the chemistry she’d felt between them earlier hadn’t faded. If anything, she sensed it had notched up a bit. Maybe that was because she was too over it to try not to think about it anymore. She found Tryphon Zade attractive. So what? Who wouldn’t? The man was beyond gorgeous. The jury was out in regard to his personality, but that didn’t stop her from secretly appreciating his physical attributes. Every. Single. One. She sat mute beside him for the rest of the ride, wishing she could think of something clever and amusing to talk about but drawing a total blank. The vibe he gave her as he chatted about this and that was more date-like than business-like, which was throwing her into a state of total confusion. She knew how to act on a date. She also knew how to behave on an interview, or at a business meeting. Which one was this?

Unlike the typical first date, jittery tension buzzed through her body, making her feel both a little nauseous and excited. Expectation pulsed through her system like surges of electricity. Something big was going to happen tonight. What that big something might be, she had absolutely no clue. The limo stopped in front of a restaurant she’d never heard of before. Proving to be quite the gentleman, even if his hiring practices were highly suspect, Tryphon insisted on opening the vehicle’s door for her. He steered her up the walk to the building’s entrance with a hand pressing ever-so-gently at the small of her back. The intimate touch sent little quivers racing up her spine. When she stopped at the door, Tryphon reached around her and pulled it open. The second she stepped inside, a hostess nodded at her, said, “Mr. Zade,” and indicated they should follow her. There was none of the usual—the recited questions about how many people were in their party or whether they preferred smoking or non. Obviously, Tryphon was a regular at this place and the hostess was expecting him. They were led through a maze of cozy, dimly-lit rooms to one in the back. Every table was empty but one. A man sat with his back to them. To her surprise, the hostess led them to that table. As she circled around to an empty chair, the man stood, passing a swift assessing gaze over her face. What was this? He extended his arm. “Hello, Raine. I’m Bale Kincaid.” She recognized the name. Bale Kincaid was Tryphon’s mysterious business partner, co-owner of ZK Enterprises, and a man whose picture did not grace the pages

of local gossip papers. Ever. If the business partner was here, that meant her assumption had been correct—this impromptu meeting was about the job, just as she’d hoped. Unfortunately, as thrilled as that made her feel, she wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable. Not after that moment in the truck on the way here. Shifting fully into businesswoman mode, she donned her best interview smile and accepted his proffered hand. “Hello, it’s very good to meet you, Mr. Kincaid.” “Please, call me Bale.” Much like his partner, Bale Kincaid had a devastating smile that could bring the average girl to her knees. She did her best to stay on her feet. It was absolutely vital that she behave professionally. “Okay, Bale,” she said, repeating his first name. God, this was so weird. Why were they going to so much trouble, meeting with her like this? Scared of a lawsuit, maybe? Tryphon pushed in her chair as she sat, and she found herself at a cozy table in a romantic restaurant with the richest, most attractive men she’d ever met. To talk business. Her insides twisted into a knot. Stay cool. These two men could give her the job of her dreams. “Thank you for accepting my invitation,” Tryphon said as he waved a hand in the air, summoning forth a waiter from some unseen nook or doorway. In the waiter’s hand was a bottle of wine. He filled all three of their glasses then silently retreated. Tryphon and Bale lifted their glasses. Once she followed suit, Tryphon said, “To tonight.”

“Tonight,” she echoed, tapping her glass against each of the men’s. Against her better judgment, she sipped the wine, glancing nervously over the rim at her hosts. Spicy and smooth. It was nothing like she expected. She was not much of a drinker, normally didn’t care for the taste of wine. And as a general rule, she never drank at business functions. But this wine was really good, and her sizzling nerves could use a tiny dose of liquid balm. She took a second swallow then set her glass down and folded her hands in her lap, gazing expectantly at Tryphon, hoping he’d finally explain why he’d invited her to the restaurant. “You’re wondering why I invited you here tonight,” he said at last. This is it!“Yes,” she agreed, nodding. Please tell me you’ve changed your mind and I have the job. A job. Any job. She held her breath. “This was my partner’s idea.” Tryphon motioned to Bale. Bale nodded, cleared his throat. “First, I wanted to apologize for my partner’s behavior earlier. His conduct was unprofessional.” Expecting a job offer was about to be presented, Raine shrugged, downplaying her anger and frustration. “I’ll admit that was a first for me, being told I was too attractive for a job. But I’m okay.” Now that I know you’re about to make things right. “I took it as a… compliment.” Sort of. “As you should.” Tryphon threw an arm over the back of her chair and, once again, she found herself confused by his behavior. Clearly the man had a hard time acting like a

professional business owner, at least with her. Sheesh, no wonder he’d hesitated in hiring her. If this was the way he treated all attractive women working for him, it was a wonder he hadn’t been sued for sexual harassment dozens of times. In this day, men couldn’t act like this with employees. As if he sensed her confusion, he drew his arm away, settling it on the table. His fingers curled around the stem of his glass. “Anyway, I felt bad leaving things as they were. You deserve an explanation.” Explanation? Did this mean he was sticking with his decision? If so, there wasn’t much point in inviting her out. “You explained earlier.” “There’s more,” Tryphon said. “I was sued by my last personal assistant for sexual harassment about ten months ago.” No big surprise there. She wondered if he’d been guilty or not. He added, “A judge determined I was innocent, but the suit was still extremely expensive. Not only because of the cost of legal counsel but also because of the damage the suit caused to our company’s reputation.” “I can imagine.” Then he hadn’t been guilty. Or, at least a judge or jury had decided he wasn’t. A man with his kind of money could buy the best attorneys, so there was no telling, really. After pulling jury duty last year, she knew guilty people sometimes got away with their crimes. A good defense attorney was worth his or her weight in gold. Yet, if he was honest-to-God innocent, she could appreciate the

expense, humiliation and embarrassment a lawsuit like that could cause. She supposed it had been plastered all over those gossip papers Liz loved to read. And as a person who tended to side with the underdog—who would have been the woman in this case—she could imagine he’d been tried and convicted in the media by people like her, long before the actual trial had even started. Tryphon unfolded his napkin and smoothed it over his lap. “After that incident, I decided I would never again hire a woman I found attractive. It isn’t worth the risk.” “Which, I suppose, is your right.” Tryphon sipped his wine then set his glass down. His fingers slid down the delicate stem. “My partner was concerned because I’d shared the reason for my decision with you.” Okay, so this little visit was damage control. But what did that mean for her? Was there a job offer coming, or not? Tryphon’s gaze captured hers. “But I told you the truth for a reason. I wanted you to understand that I found you well qualified. I felt you needed to hear that from me, maybe more than once.” He was probably right. But she’d feel even better if he was telling her he had a position for her. Even though she felt ill, she smiled. “Thank you. For taking the time from your busy schedule for me. I appreciate it.” Although a job offer is really the only thing that’s going to make me accept this situation fully. “I’ve been job-hunting for a long time. I guess I’m getting a little disheartened. Desperate. I didn’t realize my emotions were showing.” The men exchanged glances. Tryphon waved a hand, and the waiter reappeared to distribute plates of artistically arranged

appetizers then scampered off again. The guys waited until she tasted hers—which took a while, thanks to the knot in her stomach—before they so much as lifted a fork. She’d dated men from just about all walks of life but never had she been at a restaurant with a man as cultured and polite as these two. “I assure you, I have no plans of suing you for unfair hiring practices or anything.” She watched Tryphon’s face, expecting to see some hint of relief pass over it. His features revealed absolutely no emotion. She checked Bale’s next. Some of the tension tugging at his eyes seemed to have faded. Bale cleared his throat. “We would like to help you. I’ve contacted a few associates, and some of them have voiced an interest in hiring you. But I wanted to ask your permission before forwarding copies of your resume to them.” Ohmygod, I love you! She resisted the urge to leap out of her chair and fling herself at Bale Kincaid. “Are you kidding me? Send it to anyone you like. Absolutely.” Maybe this wasn’t what she’d hoped—meaning, the personal assistant’s position paying bucket loads of money—but it was something. Who knew? Maybe Bale’s associates paid great too. “Thank you.” She couldn’t help grinning like a total goof. Bale returned her smile. “You’re very welcome.” Tryphon lifted his arm and set it back on her chair. “Now that we’ve taken care of that bit of business, I hope we can move on to more pleasant topics.”

“What topics might those be?” she asked, sensing the tone of the conversation was shifting, turning more personal and relaxed. He raised his wineglass. “Oh, I don’t know.” Something a little wicked glinted in Tryphon’s eyes as he gazed over his glass. That little spark did some interesting things to her insides. “Like where you’d like to go on our next date?”

Chapter Three

“Next date?” Raine echoed, watching Tryphon drink. Lifting her own glass to her mouth, she zigzagged a questioning gaze between Bale and Tryphon. Date? She was more confused than ever. “This is a date?” She sipped her wine, wishing she could chug it. Her mouth was suddenly a little dry. “We don’t make a habit of taking job applicants out to dinner,” Tryphon explained. “Especially applicants we aren’t going to hire for certain personal reasons.” She set her elbow on the edge of the table and dropped her chin into her hand, angling her face toward Tryphon and giving him a playful smile. “I guess that makes sense. I thought you invited me to dinner because you were afraid of a lawsuit.” Tryphon shook his head, “I never believed you were going to sue us. Bale there, well, he wasn’t as convinced. Even so, if we’d been worried about a lawsuit, we would’ve met you in a more appropriate setting.” Good point. “Are you surprised?” Bale asked. “Tryphon admitted he was attracted to you.” “He did… I suppose I shouldn’t be. But when I saw you…I mean, who invites his business partner along on a date?” She caught her glass up in her hands again, cradling it in both. “Have you ever gone out with two men, at once?” Bale asked, gently pulling the glass from her. “Two men?” Ohhhh. She looked at Tryphon. Man on the hunt. She looked at Bale.

Man on the hunt. Two men. Two. Hmmm. Now, really needing a drink, she snatched that glass and swallowed mouthfuls. One, after another, after another. Empty. Two men at once. She was on a date with a pair of rich guys. Where was this going? She imagined herself in bed. With both of them. Ohmygod. Hot. Water. Need some water. “I gotta say, no, never dated two men at once. Never thought to. Never been asked to.” What if they were looking for something serious? Her face was going to melt away. Her brain was stuck in this loop of thoughts, like a skipping CD playing the same thing over and over. Two. Men. Oh. My. God. She tried to act cool. “Umm. This is most…unexpected.” “We’re not your average males.” Tryphon waved an arm, summoning the waiter. She couldn’t argue with that statement. The waiter appeared, carrying a tray with three plates. Thank God. She’d get some water now. Outside of Raine blurting a demand for water, no one spoke as their entrees were set before them. Raine used the time to try to dislodge her brain from the rut it was still stuck in. But that proved to be pretty much impossible. Two men. Two freaking beautiful, rich, powerful men wanted to get to know her better. Most definitely on a sexual level. And maybe on a personal level too.

But what about those rumors? Tryphon had spent more than his fair share of time gracing the pages of the local newspapers. What had that last story said about him? That he was bisexual, into kink…and more than one ex-partner had died. A bizarre series of coincidences. Those deaths couldn’t be his fault. She hoped. Inside, she laughed at the irony. What had she said to Liz this morning? I’m just going for a job interview. I’m not going to sleep with him. When Liz heard about this, she’d flip out. Despite the unexpected turn her life had taken, Raine had a good feeling Tryphon Zade was not the un-reformable playboy, and that most of the so-called facts in those articles were unsubstantiated gossip. Granted, she sensed a certain energy from him. He had an intense, predatory way about him. His body never seemed truly relaxed, and his dark gaze was sharper than a shard of glass. He made her squirmy. In a good way. Raine pretty much focused on her food for the next twenty minutes or so, avoiding answering any deeply personal questions. Her nerves were pretty jumpy, which made it hard to eat. Generally speaking, she tended to feel every emotion in her stomach, good and bad anyway. Which meant that right now, because she was feeling lots of stuff, her insides were tight, like twisted rope. But, thankfully, a second glass of wine and some easy, breezy

small talk about favorite movies, books and restaurants helped untie the knot in her belly. These men were model-gorgeous, powerful business owners and, according to rumors, regulars at local bondage dungeons. But they were also human beings who felt emotions, who had needs, who were searching. Just like so many other human beings—except her. She wasn’t searching. Not for a man. And most definitely not for love. Over the next half hour, pleasant warmth suffused her body, thanks to the absolutely scrumptious food, the best wine she’d ever tasted, and the two amazing men she was sharing it with. As she gradually relaxed, she let herself enjoy Tryphon and Bale’s company. To flirt a little. Tease. Tempt. After they’d finished eating, Tryphon stood and offered his hand. Bale followed suit. Raine accepted both, one in each of hers. She felt the effects of the wine as she took her first faltering step. But after that initial moment of swimmyheadedness, the sensation went away and she was able to walk through the restaurant on a pair of steady legs. Outside, they stopped at the end of the sidewalk, and the Hummer pulled up. Bale helped her hike herself up into the vehicle while Tryphon circled the front to climb in from the opposite side. Less than two minutes later, she was sandwiched in the middle of over four hundred pounds of lean, mean, manly yumminess. The driver eased the vehicle from the curb without receiving any instruction. Raine assumed her guys had told him in advance to drive her home. Home. The evening was about to end. Already. She was bummed but couldn’t wait to tell Liz about her impromptu date with the notorious Tryphon Zade. Even though she half expected Liz to pop a few blood vessels.

Inside the moving vehicle, Tryphon stretched his long legs in front of him and eased an arm over her shoulder. She slid down a little in her seat, leaning into him, cozy. It felt good, being this close to him. And whatever that aftershave was he was wearing—it was heaven. He smelled so amazing it drew out the naughty side of her. She wanted to lick him or…something. Once again, Bale followed Tryphon’s lead, crowding her from the opposite side. But instead of an uncomfortable feeling of being closed in or trapped, it was a very, very pleasant feeling, his hard bulk pressed up against her softer body. Much to her surprise, she liked being the center of two men’s attention. Tryphon’s hand stroked her upper arm then skimmed up to massage her neck. She let her head fall forward and closed her eyes, barely swallowing a sigh of contentment. Another male hand tickled her knee and, freshly awash in a wave of sensual heat, she giggled. The hand inched up her leg, eventually coming to rest in the center of her thigh, just below the hem of her skirt. Fingers stroked her leg, and a fresh crop of goose bumps blossomed all over her body. Things were definitely warming up. Tryphon pressed at the base of her skull, coaxing her to turn her head toward him. When she did, he leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. It was the softest, most fleeting kiss she’d ever experienced. And it took her breath away. Another one, please! As if he read her mind, he slanted his mouth over hers again, this time lingering a little longer. A gentle, patient seduction.

Lips, then tongue. Ohhh, she was ready to melt. It felt as if her blood were simmering. Her skin prickled all over, like tiny bursts of electricity were snapping over her arms and legs. She ran her hands up his clothed torso, feeling the hard bulges of his muscles flex under soft cashmere. Absolute perfection. When she reached about nipple level, Tryphon’s kiss changed. It grew more possessive, impatient. His tongue teased at the seam of her mouth, and she opened to him, welcoming the intrusion. He tasted delicious, like man and wine, and she couldn’t get enough. Bale’s hands roamed over her body, mapping the curve of her derriere, the slope of her arched spine, the plane of her stomach. Her senses were being pummeled from every direction. The decadent flavor of Tryhpon’s kiss filling her mouth, the wicked heat of Bale’s touches charging along her nerves, the sounds of heavy breathing echoing in her head. Unbelievable. Why hadn’t she ever thought to sleep with two men at once before? Good God, this was beyond words! Crazy sexy. The car stopped, and she moaned into Tryphon’s mouth. One part of her wished it wasn’t over, that she wasn’t about to step out of the truck and stagger into her apartment alone. The other was somewhat relieved. This wasn’t like any date she’d ever been on before. Whether it was because of all the earlier confusion, or because there were two guys, or because of who those guys were and how sensual they were, she wasn’t about to guess. All she knew was that the date had been as intense as a three-hour rollercoaster ride.

Invigorating. She was the one who broke the kiss, much to her surprise. A little dazed, she cupped Tryphon’s face and stared into his eyes. “Thank you for a wonderful meal. This was quite a surprise.” “You’re very welcome.” He smiled, but the expression wasn’t your typical friendly grin. It told her there were more surprises in store for her. She looked past him, out the tinted window, and realized they weren’t parked outside her apartment building. Instead, the limo was stopped in front of a white brick and glass contemporary home sitting in the middle of a copse of towering trees. She knew without asking that this had to be either Tryphon’s or Bale’s home. Slightly put off by the fact that one or both of them had made such a bold assumption without asking, she eased back from Tryphon. Bale’s hot hardness stopped her from moving too far. “You’re pretty sure of yourselves, aren’t you?” she half-teased. “If you aren’t interested in coming inside, you can stay in the vehicle. The driver will take you home,” Bale calmly explained, leaning over her shoulder. His breath tickled her ear, and she shivered. Undecided—and not because she wasn’t sure if she wanted to have sex with these two—she watched them both open their doors and climb out. Things were moving too fast. And those two were calling all the shots. She felt somewhat powerless and vulnerable, as if she’d been tugged this way and that all night.

Tryphon glanced into the vehicle and gave her a questioning look. “Deciding to pass? I guess I should warn you before you decide, we’re not just looking for one night here.” Without waiting for her to respond, he straightened up and swaggered around the front of the limo. Not looking for only one night? Then what exactly were they looking for? She was no angel, not by a long shot. She’d enjoyed her share of casual sex. Unlike Liz, she could separate sex from love, in fact, she preferred it that way. But generally she was the one who called the shots, told the guy—not guys—if she wanted them to take her back to their place. This time, things were going very differently. They were the ones making the demands and setting all the rules. She was left to decide whether she wanted to play along or not. Yet another first. The naughty side of her wondered what other firsts those two devious men might introduce her to if given the chance. The vehicle rolled, and she lunged forward, hands braced against the back of the front headrests. “Could you give me just a minute?” “Yes, miss.” The driver hit the brakes and shifted the truck into park. She leaned back and stared at Tryphon and Bale, standing side by side in front of a towering black door framed with oddly shaped topiaries vaguely reminding her of giant phalluses. Liz’s voice, reading that article, kept echoing in her head. Still, she couldn’t convince herself that the two men she’d spent the last few hours with were dangerous. Kinky, yes. Devious, most definitely. Naughty, no doubt. But genuinely dangerous, no.

She slid her hand into her purse and flipped open her phone. Predictably, Liz answered on the third ring. “Hey, girl, where are you? Did you get hired on the spot?” “Don’t I wish, but no, not exactly.” “Then where’ve you been? I thought you’d be home hours ago.” Raine turned to check out the view from the opposite side of the truck. The property was very isolated. Heavily wooded. “So did I.” “What’s up?” “I’m in a weird spot.” Raine traced the curve of the armrest with her index finger. “Yeah?” “Yeah. Um, just as I pulled up this afternoon after my horrific interview at the bar, Tryphon showed up in this monster of a limo, one of those Hummer things. And he took me to dinner.” “Okay, following you so far. Did the asswipe admit he was wrong and offer you the job?” Raine’s gaze continued to meander through the pretty but masculine landscaping. “Not exactly. But he and his business partner are calling in some favors, helping me find a job.” “Well, that’s cool. Um, so was his partner there too? At dinner?” Liz’s voice grew heavier with each word she spoke, laced with wariness. “Yeah.” “It was a business meeting?”

“Kind of.” “Kind of?” Silence. “Oh. Oh no.” Raine explained, “Look, I know what you’ve read in those newspapers of yours, but everyone knows they print outright lies about people. It was just an innocent date—” “Date?” Liz cut in. “The man invited his business partner on your date?” “That’s the other thing.” Here it comes. She’s going to freak. Why did I decide it was a good idea to call her again? Raine drew in a deep breath. “I think they’re into…sharing. But I’m thinking—” “That’s it. Where are you? I’m leaving right now to come and get you.” “I’m sitting in the Hummer, outside his house. Their house. Someone’s house. But you don’t need to pick me up. The driver will take me home. If that’s what I want.” “Of course that’s what you want. Right? Right!” When Raine didn’t give Liz the answer she was no doubt looking for, Liz’s voice edged up a decibel or two. “Tell that driver to bring you home right now, Raine Avery!” “Honey, it’s okay. These guys aren’t psychos.” “You don’t know that.” “And neither do you know that the nephew-of-your-grandma’shairdresser isn’t a freak either. But you accepted a blind date with him. And he took you to a taxidermy shop to have matching swans stuffed. These men are strangers, yes. But they’re rich strangers. Extremely good-looking strangers. And so far, I really like them.”

“Touché, you bitch.” Raine chuckled. “I’ll be fine.” “If you were so sure of that, why’d you call me?” “Because…” Because she’d had doubts. Because she needed to hear Liz’s voice, to get in touch with the familiar for a few minutes. She felt kind of like Alice after she’d tumbled down the rabbit hole. Dazed and confused, and yet also curious and excited. “I’ll call you as soon as I leave.” “I don’t like this. I’m worried.” “If you don’t hear from me before morning, then you can worry. Otherwise, chill out, enjoy the evening. Remember, I TiVo’d The Bachelor for you.” “Be careful.” “Will do. Love ya!” “Bye.” “Bye.” Raine snapped her flip phone shut, slid it into her purse, hooked her purse’s shoulder strap over her shoulder and opened the truck’s door. Whatever happened tonight, she knew it was bound to be an adventure, like none she’d ever experienced. Considering the scope of her experience, that was saying something.

Chapter Four

Of course, her handsome hosts had long given up on her and gone inside, which meant Raine had to ring the doorbell and stand there, feeling like a dork, waiting for them to answer. The door swung open, revealing Tryphon, shirtless and wearing a satisfied smirk. “Welcome.” He stepped to the side as she entered the extremely white interior. White walls. Spotless white tile floor. Soaring white ceilings. She followed Tryphon through one starkly decorated room after another. Everything in the place was either white, black, brushed chrome or glass. Very contemporary. Large floor-toceiling windows cut the glaring white walls into semimanageable pieces, the view to the shadowy landscaping outside adding earthy hues of green and brown to the otherwise simple interior. Heavy black drapes bordered every window. “Nice place,” she said. “Thank you.” Tryphon glanced over his shoulder before leading her into an open kitchen. Bale was sitting at a round table, a set of French doors opening to the patio beyond behind him. “Raine’s here, Bale. We can go on with our celebrating now.” Tryphon grabbed the three stemmed glasses and a bottle of wine sitting on the glittering granite top of the huge kitchen island as he walked past. “What are you celebrating?” She sat next to Bale, and Tryphon took the seat on her other side. Filling a glass, Tryphon answered, “Last night was a very special anniversary.” He set the full glass before her. She ran her index finger down the glass’ smooth stem.

“Thanks. What sort of anniversary? Personal or professional?” “Personal.” Bale accepted a full glass from Tryphon but set it on the table without drinking. Tryphon filled the third glass and lifted it. Bale and Raine mirrored him. “To my friend, my lover, the man I share everything with. Here’s to another wonderful year together.” My lover.Raine suddenly felt like a proverbial third wheel. Especially after they drank to Tryphon’s very sweet toast and then Bale walked to Tryphon, bent down and gave him a big, open-mouthed kiss on the lips. Tongues got involved, breathing grew labored, and Raine wondered why the guys had invited her in if they were just going to fuck each other. Sure, she’d found the whole “we share” thing odd, but for some reason, even though she’d heard that Tryphon was bisexual, she hadn’t gotten the vibe that they were lovers. Well, not until now. They’d been so focused on her up to this point that there’d been no reason to imagine they were intimate with each other. Ugh, this was kind of awkward. What the heck was she doing here? Was she some sort of anniversary present? But then, as she sat there and sipped her wine, watching those two yummy guys kiss, she started to get a little warm. The sensation started deep inside her chest, smack dab in the center. And it spread in waves. Tingly heat. Pulsing at first. Then thumping. Pounding. The guys broke the kiss, turning to look at her with eyes glazed over with raw lust. They both gave her this hungry glare, as if they were about to eat her up. She literally gasped. “Happy anniversary.” “Thank you.” Bale’s eyes narrowed, and she held her breath,

bracing for whatever he would do next. He pulled on the metal armrest of her chair and the whole thing pivoted to face him. Then, he flattened his hands on either side of her head and bent low, lower. She closed her eyes. This kiss was nothing like the one Tryphon had given her in the car. It was demanding, a total possession. The intoxicating flavor of man and wine filled her mouth. At the same time, the erotic sounds of male groans and hard, thorough kisses resonated in her ears. In response, her body tightened everywhere, from her scalp to her toes. She arched her back, desperate to feel Bale’s hard body pressed against hers. Her nipples were tight, sensitive peaks. Her blood rivers of bubbling, churning acid, rushing through her system. She returned every urgent thrust of Bale’s tongue with one of her own. It wasn’t just a kiss, but a battle for control, one she refused to lose. Oh yes, she was most definitely in for one wild night. Yesyesyes! She clawed at Bale’s shirt like a cat plumping a cushion before settling down. Less clothing. More skin. More kisses and heat and…would one of them touch her somewhere besides the face? Changing tactics, she yanked on her own clothes, untucking her top and jerking her skirt up to free her legs. The second she had that skirt up around her hips, she wrapped her thighs around Bale’s hips and locked her ankles. Bale’s hands scooped under her butt, lifting it. Now that was better.

Rocking her hips, she ground against him, rubbing away the burning ache throbbing in her core. But then Tryphon brought the party in her body to an abrupt end when he unhooked her ankles, set her feet on the floor and rumbled, “Dessert first.” Bale jerked up and staggered away from her, practically doubled over. He looked like someone had kicked him in the balls. What the hell! Who stopped something that intense just to eat cake? She loved sweets as much as the next girl, but this was so much better than food. “Are you kidding me? Move out of the way.” She pushed out of her chair. Tryphon caught her by the shoulders and shoved her back down. “No, I’m not kidding. And I’m not moving.” His sharp, piercing gaze drilled into her eyes. Briefly, she thought of kicking him away and leaving, but that rational notion flew from her mind almost instantly. She narrowed her eyes. “What kind of game are you playing here?” “A game of power and control,” was his answer, delivered in a sultry, husky tone. His hands closed around her wrists tightly, like iron cuffs, locking them to the chair’s armrests. “Have you ever played power games, Raine?” “Nope. But if you’re into that kind of thing, I might be interested.” She raised her chin, locking her eyes to his. “Only if I can be the one doing the controlling, though.” “That’s just it.” He leaned in closer, closer still, until his nose nearly touched hers. “You won’t be.”

Warning alarms pealed in her mind. Whoop, whoop, whoop. “Sorry, but if you’re looking for a girl who’s going to lie back and let you take charge, you’ve picked the wrong girl.” She parted her legs and leaned forward to kiss him, determined to use what she had to turn things around and put herself in the position of power. That was what she always did when she was with a new lover. She seduced him until he was under her control. This guy was messing with her head. That was scary. He yanked his head back just before her mouth met his. She swallowed a groan of confusion, slammed her knees together and twisted her arms, trying to break her wrists free. She was alternating between desperate erotic need and cold panic. It was the weirdest thing, the two feelings crashing through her body in alternating waves of hot and cold. The tighter he held her arms, the hotter those waves grew and the colder she became between them. “What’s wrong, is the notorious Tryphon Zade nervous?” “Not at all. You’re the one who’s intimidated, princess. I can see it in your eyes.” Feeling invaded, she jerked her head to the side. “You don’t intimidate me.” “You’re scared of something. What is it?” he taunted, bending to the side until he filled her field of vision again. “You’re seeing things.” She twisted her head in the opposite direction. “I thought we were going to have dessert.” On cue, a glass rattle sounded on the table. On a clear plate sat a single piece of chocolate cake. She tried to lift her right arm, to grab the fork, but Tryphon didn’t let go. She arched a brow in question.

“We’ll feed you,” he stated. Now, on top of being confused and nervous—and irritatingly aroused—she was also getting annoyed. What was with the control thing? She’d made it clear already that she wasn’t interested in becoming the great Tryphon Zade’s submissive blow-up doll. What would she need to say or do to make him understand? Clearly, this man was a player, not that she held his experience against him. He was used to getting his way—in the bedroom and out. Not this time. Not with this girl. It was a matter of principle now. More determined than ever to make things clear, she shrugged. “I guess I don’t need to eat any dessert. I’m on a diet anyway.” Bale plucked up the utensil and cut off a piece of the cake, and while Tryphon held her arms pinned to the chair, Bale lifted the loaded fork to her mouth. She turned her head away. “I said, I don’t want any. You can’t force me.” Two male sighs filled the heavy silence. The fork rattled against the plate. And Tryphon released her wrists. Finally. Good. He got the message. Yanking her skirt back down, she watched them sink into their seats then glanced down at the dessert. She admitted it looked really yummy. But crap, they’d practically crammed it down her throat. Were they trying to drug her or what? No, why would they do that? A few minutes ago, she’d been

humping Bale like a dog in heat. She’d made it perfectly clear that she knew where this thing was going and—outside of being their submissive—she was okay with it. That meant there was some other reason they’d more or less tried to forcefeed her that cake. What were these two guys up to? The Hunger had Bale in a stranglehold. If he didn’t feed. Right this minute. He was going to collapse. Just as they always did, they’d laced the cake’s frosting with a mild sedative, something to ease their prey’s fear, to help her accept what was about to happen. Not all Sons did that. The drug would affect them as well. But like his older brother, Logan, over the years Tryphon and Bale had learned it was still better than trying to muscle their way into that first bite. Particularly if they were weak from the Hunger, like now. And thankfully, Logan—who worked for King Kaden—not only supplied them with ample quantities of rare, purified Eclipse so they could travel easily during daylight hours, but also sedatives for their prey. But it was too late, and Raine was refusing to eat the tainted dessert. They had no choice. He genuinely regretted that she’d be terrified for a moment. Granted, her fear wouldn’t last long, and she’d forget what happened within minutes, but he still hated to put any human being through so much terror and pain. If only she’d been more cooperative. They’d done everything right. Taken her for a nice dinner. Given her some wine to help her relax. Seduced her with kisses. She should have been more than willing to let them feed her a little cake. It wouldn’t take much.

Then again, with the Hunger bearing down on them as it was, Bale could see his charm was fading, his humanity overshadowed by the beast lurking inside. He exchanged a desperate look with Tryphon, noting right away the tremble in Tryphon’s hands as he raised them in defeat. Tryphon was in as bad a shape as he. Maybe worse. God help them if they didn’t have the strength to wrestle her into position. “How about we head into the living room, where we can be more comfortable?” Tryphon suggested, standing. Raine gave the cake a leery glance then studied Tryphon’s face. She chewed on her plump lower lip as she sat silent, fingers curled around her chair’s armrests so tightly her knuckles were white. “I think I should be heading home.” Damn. Tryphon shoved his fingers through his hair, clearly on the verge of snapping. “Please, don’t go. I apologize for trying to push the cake on you. I’m such an ass sometimes. But I swear, my intentions were sincere.” “What were your intentions?” she challenged, brows raised. To Bale’s surprise, she accepted his offer of a hand up and followed as he slowly led her toward the living room. “Just to make sure that every minute of tonight was absolute decadence.” Tryphon fell into step beside her. As they stepped into the living room, Tryphon turned to face them, his eyes glittering with hunger. “I’m not ashamed to admit I get an erotic rush from the give and take of a power exchange with a new submissive. And you reacted in precisely the way a new submissive would.” “But I said I’m not into that kind of thing.” Raine hesitated in

front of the couch, her eyes sweeping the room. “You are. You just don’t realize it yet.” Tryphon crowded closer, forcing her to back into Bale. “That secret need is buried deep, but every now and then it pops up to the surface. In your dreams. Your favorite erotic fantasies.” Raine shook her head. “I like to be in control. I…need to be.” Bale held his breath, half-expecting her to head for the door. He knew, though, that neither he nor Tryphon could let her leave. Goddammit, he felt like he was drying to dust. “Enough talk about the domination and submission stuff.” Bale dropped onto the couch and pulled gently on Raine’s hand, coaxing her to sit with him. “We don’t have to go there right now, Tryph.” As she reluctantly eased onto the couch next to him, he twisted to face her, throwing an arm over the back of the couch. “How about we get back to where we were, hmm?” He gathered her long hair in his fist and lifted it off her shoulder. The long column of her neck was like a beacon, calling to him. And there, where her pulse drummed beneath her skin… heaven. “You do like to be kissed, don’t you?” he asked, leaning closer, the sweet scent of her flesh filling his nose. “Yes, very much.” Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink. Long sooty lashes fluttered and heavy eyelids closed to hide a set of absolutely intoxicating eyes. Her lush lips parted slightly, pursed just enough to invite him for a taste. “That’s good. Because I can’t stop kissing you. You taste better than any dessert.” He accepted the invitation but, even though he wanted to, he didn’t linger on her mouth for long. Another need was much more urgent, forcing him to place soft kisses along her jaw, working toward that tempting pulse point on her neck. “So sweet. Like ripe peaches.”

“Ohhh.” Sighing, she slid her flattened hands down his chest, the bold touch of a fingertip on his covered nipple sending a bolt of raw need charging through his system. His fangs lengthened as his tongue lapped at her fragrant skin, both arousing her and sanitizing her skin with the natural disinfectant in his saliva. He swung a knee over her, straddling her legs and trapping her thighs under his weight. Her touches grew bolder. Her breathing faster. With trembling hands, she reached under his shirt, softly stroking his skin and igniting a dozen blazes in his body. Nearly blind with need, he continued to flick his tongue over the point where he would bite, flattening his hands on either side of her head to hold her still when the pain struck. Now! He opened his mouth, pierced her skin and pulled hard on the wound until her delicious essence filled his mouth and bathed his tongue. Ahhhh… More. It took about two seconds for the pain to register. Raine screamed, clawing at his chest with her fingernails, bucking beneath him. But he didn’t stop sucking, couldn’t stop. Ten seconds. Nine, eight… She fought him harder, even though he was using his entire body to pin her down. She freed her hands from between their bodies and attacked his face. Sharp fingernails dug at his cheeks, and still he didn’t release her head or stop feeding. Seven, six, five… His face was on fire, but the agony was nothing. The pure pleasure of the feeding made it easy for him to ignore it. With

every swallow of her blood, another wave of energy buzzed through his body. And another blast of erotic need slammed through him. Four, three, two… Ohhhh. Her hands dropped and her body went soft beneath him. The venom in his saliva had reached her brain. Instead of fighting him, now she would beg him for more. She was burning with erotic need, the same one that was making him hard and hot and breathless. He rolled off her, letting a fully nude Tryphon take his place and feed. And as he watched the beautiful man he loved swallow the blood that would sustain his life another year, he tore off his clothes, desperate to slake the agonizing lust gripping him. Tryphon groaned, tension rippling through the muscles of his back and shoulders, and Bale watched in awe. Bale traced the strong line of Tryphon’s spine with an index finger then followed that touch with fleeting licks and kisses. The deeply tanned skin dimpled with goose bumps. His hunger satisfied temporarily, Tryphon threw his head back and moaned, his hard body a sensuous curve of muscled flesh and smooth skin. Beneath him, Raine whimpered and mewled softly with feminine need. Bale’s balls tightened in response, his cock arrowing from his pelvis. The satisfaction of his overwhelming physical hunger always left him like this, nearly crippled with erotic need for the two other members of the triad. And it would continue this way for the next six days and nights. Raine didn’t know it yet, but she would be their houseguest for one full week. She would serve as the sole source of their

nourishment and pleasure every night. The venom they each injected into her blood as they fed would serve a very vital need—to produce antibodies in Raine that, when they next fed from her, would counteract the damage Bale and Tryphon’s bodies had endured over the past twelve months, and extend their lives. And in return, they would give Raine every pleasure she desired, no matter what that might be. It was the least they could do in exchange for the precious gift she’d given them. They would start right now. They would ease the burn in her body.

Chapter Five

Raine’s blood was simmering. Her body was so inflamed, diving into a bathtub full of ice wouldn’t have cooled her fast enough. Throbbing, aching, agonizing need pounded through her, making her breathless and dizzy, disorientated. She opened her eyes to discover both Bale and Tryphon had undressed. When? Her hand went to the side of her neck, it ached, like a deep bruise. Had she hurt herself? How? Bewildered and stunned, she fingered the tender spot and stared at the men standing before her. They were both absolutely perfect. Lean, athletic bodies with just a sprinkling of hair over their arms and legs, chest and groin. Thickly muscled. Broad shouldered. Chests wide enough to make the average girl swoon. The planes of their abdomens were cut like the picture-perfect men in her Playgirl magazine. She’d never seen a man built like that in real life. And their cocks, good glory, there were no words. Big and hard and ready to go. The throbbing between her thighs beat harder and faster the longer she looked at them. And looking at them was something she couldn’t help but do. She was mesmerized. Literally. In fact, it wasn’t until Tryphon moved that she was finally able to tear her gaze away from those twin shafts. “This way,” Tryphon said, his voice rough, words clipped. He looped one of his arms through hers. Bale took her other one, at the elbow, and together they helped her to her feet. The minute she was vertical she was extremely glad they were there to support her.

Wow, since when did a little lust make her so dizzy? Lacing her fingers through theirs, she let them lead her back to a bedroom—all white and glass and steel, of course—and help her onto the bed. Ahhh, heaven. The mattress was as soft as a cloud, and two nude angels hovered over her, giving her wicked-hot looks that made her toes curl. Smiling, she bucked her hips up and unzipped her shirt. Then, her gaze fixed on Tryphon’s eyes, she pulled it down, over her hips, lower, down her thighs. Bale kindly took over from there, pulling it off. Next, she started working on her shirt, unfastening one button after another, slowly, methodically, loving the way the blaze in Tryphon’s eyes roared to life with every new sliver of skin she exposed. The man could not hide the lust in his eyes, not even a little. She checked Bale. He looked as if some vital bit of his anatomy was about to explode, which was probably not far from the truth. They were both kneeling on the bed now, one on each side of her, watching, their faces tense, their bodies tight, fists closed around their erect rods. She sighed. “Oh yes, stroke yourself. That’s so sexy.” Now this was what she was accustomed to. Being the one in control. Yes, this was much better. Just by exposing a little section of skin and giving them a hot come-and-get-it look, she could elicit a response from these guys. She was the aggressor, the one to call the shots, to decide when or if something—anything—was going to happen. Not the other way around. This was the way she liked it. But whew, look at them!

Suddenly impatient, she unfastened the last three buttons and shucked her blouse, sending it sailing through the air. Now, all that was left between Tryphon’s and Bale’s feasting eyes and what little of her body still lay hidden from view were one black push-up bra and matching lace thong. She longed to feel a man’s heavy body wedged between her thighs, a hard shaft gliding in and out of her wet pussy. The rest of her clothes had to go. This time, when she tucked her legs together, lifted her hips and reached for her panties, Tryphon pulled her hands away. She watched his fingers curl around the delicate material and jerk, felt the sharp bite of the fabric against her skin, and then heard the telltale riiiip as it gave way. She gave a little squeal of surprise and plunged her hands between her legs, cupping her sex protectively. Not that she was scared, though. Instead of making her furious, as it normally would, the fact that he’d literally ripped her panties off made the heat in her blood that much more unbearable. “No, no. Don’t hide.” He tossed the torn panties away, gently plucked her wrists up and set them down on either side of her hips, and then cupped her knees. “Open your legs, Raine. I want to taste you.” That was it. She was going to die. A whimper bubbled up her throat and slipped between her lips. She relaxed her legs and watched as he slowly pulled them apart. When she couldn’t stand to watch any longer because she was so breathless and desperate she wanted to cry, she rocked her head to the side and gave Bale a desperate look.

He evidently decided that look meant she needed help with her bra because that’s where his hands went, to the front clasp. With a snap, it unhooked and her breasts spilled out. The instant the air hit her bared nipples, they tightened to uber-hard, super-sensitive peaks. Instinct had her crossing her arms over her chest before she knew what she was doing. Just like instinct had her clamping her legs shut the second Tryphon touched her pussy. They were taking control again, and she was losing control, but even though a bite of cold fear was creeping through her body, more heat was pounding through her as well. Hot. Cold. Trembling from the need. And yet fighting the urge to surrender to it. If only they’d let her take control again. “No, no. I want to pleasure you first. Let me show you what I can do with my hands. My mouth…” Desperate to put herself back into the position of in-charge seductress, she pushed Bale away from her breasts while simultaneously using her feet to force Tryphon to back off. Granted, she might be hot enough to come if a soft breeze blew over her clit, but she was still fully aware of herself and what was happening to her. She would come. But it would be on her terms. Not theirs. Just as it always was. First and foremost, she needed to get off her damn back. In her opinion, lying on your back was for meek, submissive women who didn’t know how to accept their sexuality, or who liked to pretend they didn’t enjoy sex. She loved sex and wasn’t afraid to tell a man that. She didn’t

need to be seduced, or cajoled or sweet talked. She just needed a hard cock, possessed by a man who was willing to use it the way she told him to. She flipped onto her stomach and pushed up on her hands and knees, intending to rise upright. But a pair of hands planted between her shoulder blades forced her back down, flat on her stomach. A hard male body fell over hers, holding her there. “Where are you going, you fiery little thing?” Tryphon whispered into her ear. The taunting, erotic tone of his voice sent shudders of pleasure down her spine. He rocked his hips back then forward again, the motion working his cock into the crevice of her ass. A flare of wanting blazed up her spine. Damn, this was crazy. “I told you. I want to pleasure you first.” She threw her head back. “Get off me. I like to be on top.” “So do I.” Grrrr! Of course he’d say that. She didn’t like being manhandled. It was infuriating. It was demeaning. It was…a lot of bad things. So why was she getting more aroused? He rocked his hips back and forth again, and his cock inched deeper between her buttocks. But that was most definitely not a bad thing. Okay, maybe there was a way she could still control this situation, and still get what her body was furiously demanding, without being on top. Now was not really the time for arguing over such issues.

Really, why was she bothering? If this turned out be a total letdown, what would she lose? An hour or two of her time. So what! She’d go home and never fuck Tryphon Zade again. No big loss. She arched her back, and the head of Tryphon’s cock slipped lower, closer to her wet slit. Mmmm, now that felt good! But her pussy was still empty, her nipples needed some attention and it was impossible for anyone, including herself, to reach her clit in this position. “Come on, Tryph,” Bale grumbled. “You can’t fuck her like that. What am I supposed do to here? Take a nap?” Ah, so there was another dissatisfied member of their cozy little trio. “Majority rules, Tryphon,” Raine said, her tone lifting to meet her freshly elevated mood. “Off you go.” Tryphon grumbled something incoherent and eased off, and she pulled in the first really deep breath she’d been able to take in a long while. She pushed up on all fours, then rose upright and smiled at Bale. “Since you’re so much more agreeable than Mr. Bossy, I’m going to fuck you first.” Bale’s eyes brightened at her words. And then she crawled toward him, her breasts bouncing as she moved, and he licked his lips. “You are such a gorgeous man. I can’t stop looking at you. Touching you.” This was the kind of wide-eyed response she was accustomed to, the kind she preferred over Tryphon’s grunting, grabbing caveman-like maneuvers. The second she was within reaching distance, Bale pressed his flattened hands over Raine’s breasts, his palms gently chafing her nipples.

Exquisite little jolts of pleasure shot from her chest, out from her center, down to her empty pussy. Bale settled on his bottom, his legs extended in front of him. “Come here.” Facing him, she swung a leg over his and positioned herself. She reached down, took his hard cock in her hand and gave it several long, slow swipes. When he dropped his head back and groaned, she guided it toward her entrance. As she slowly impaled herself on him, the skin of her back warmed with awareness. Tryphon was behind her. Close. He lifted her hair off her back and laid it over a shoulder. Oh, Bale’s cock was pure perfection. Just the right size. He filled her completely. He filled her perfectly. “Oh, yes. That’s it,” he murmured. She braced her arms against his shoulders and ground her pussy against his groin, enjoying the delicious friction of his crisp pubic hair against her tender tissues. While she lifted herself up to repeat the whole series of motions, Bale tormented her breasts and Tryphon nipped the super-sensitive skin at the crook of her shoulder. How did he know that was the single most ticklish spot on her body? She shivered, even as a blaze of erotic heat ripped down her center. Harder. Faster. More. She ratcheted up the pace, riding Bale hard, letting the raw pleasure of his cock stretching her pussy, his hands tormenting her breasts and Tryphon’s mouth exploring her neck and shoulders carry her closer, closer to orgasm. Her heavy eyelids fell shut. The world outside melted away, and

all that remained was the sound of skin smacking skin, the soft sucking sound of her pussy as it swallowed Bale’s cock, the scent of sex and man and the sounds of their male groans of pleasure. Tight, urgent need wound through her limbs, pulling every muscle into hard knots. Closer. Yes. Oh, yes. She fucked him harder still, bucking up and down. Her legs burned from the demand she gave them but she didn’t slow, couldn’t slow. Bale, the sadistic, gorgeous beast, pinched her nipples and she whimpered. Tryphon bit on the swell of her shoulder, and one side of her body puckered with goose bumps. Chills whipped up and down her spine, tightening it until it was pulled taut like the string of a bow. “Our fiery little sprite,” Tryphon cooed against her skin. “We’ll let you play your way today, but next time, you’ll do things my way.” “That’s what you think,” she growled out. Ohhh, she was on the cusp of orgasm. So close. The telltale tingling was building up in her chest, spreading. “My clit. I’ve got to touch my clit.” “Yes, baby. Touch it,” Bale said. She shoved at Bale’s chest, forcing him to lean back a bit, and plunged her hand between their bodies. She slipped her index finger between her folds, finding her hard little pearl. The first touch made her jerk against Bale. The second made her shudder. And the third made her sigh. The tingles built, stronger. Brilliant colors exploded behind her closed eyelids. And then she was there, at the cusp, ready to dive over the edge and let the pleasure just sweep her away.

But strong hands caught her under the armpits and hauled her off Bale’s cock mere seconds before her orgasm blossomed. “What the hell!” Her eyes snapped open. Her gaze focused on Bale’s flushed face. At first, she was too dazed, too shocked to register what had happened. Then her brain caught up. She twisted around, throwing the guilty party the meanest glare she could drum up in her current condition. “Tryphon! You—” He caught her face between his hands and kissed her. His tongue swept into her mouth uninvited and took charge. It stroked hers. Subdued it, filling her mouth with his sweet flavor. Just when she felt herself softening, surrendering, he extended his arms, pushing her away. She fell back against Bale, and then, livid, curled her hand into a fist and swung at his head. He ducked, of course, having seen the blow coming from a mile away. She had such a sissy punch, it was humiliating. “You…! What kind of games are you playing?” “I already told you.” “Yeah, and you said you were letting me play my way this time. So why’d you stop me?” Tryphon shrugged. “Because Bale didn’t have on a rubber. And you didn’t tell us if you were on birth control. I didn’t want you to do anything you’d regret later.” Fuck. Her gut dropped to her toes. “Shit, I am on the Pill. But I always insist guys wear rubbers anyway. Every time.” She raked her fingers through her hair, tugging sharply. “Where is my head?” “It’s okay. I stopped you before it was too late. You just became

caught up in things.” Tryphon climbed off the bed and opened the top drawer of a dresser. She listened to the crinkle of those little wrappers as she exchanged a guilty glance with Bale. “I guarantee I’m not infected or carrying anything. I’m tested regularly, and even though today…Tryphon and I never fuck other people without protection.” Bale took her hands in his and gave each one a sweet kiss in the palm. The tingles that had faded in her anger blossomed in her chest again. Tryphon coaxed her around with a hand on her shoulder. He was kneeling, his rod sheathed in latex. “Fuck me now, my red-haired fire sprite.” “But Bale?” Bale nodded toward Tryphon. “No, go ahead.” Nodding, she planted her hands on his shoulders and, while gazing into his eyes, straddled his thighs and lowered herself onto his cock. A million different emotions seemed to play through his eyes as she inched lower. They were there, in the dark depths, swirling like a stormy sea, and as she seated herself, she wondered for just the briefest of seconds who Tryphon Zade truly was. And what secrets he was hiding. Shaking away those dangerous thoughts, she closed her eyes and concentrated on just fucking him, taking her pleasure, letting his body serve her. That was how it should be with sex, how it had to be. Sex was great, a healthy way to relieve stress, an adult form of play. To make it any more than that was to make herself vulnerable. Insanity. Shutting off her head, she focused instead on the sensations of fucking. The glorious fullness in her pussy.

The erotic friction as Tryphon’s thick cock slid in and out of her tight channel. The heat pounding through her body, and sounds of sex, tiny grunts and sighs and moans. Driven by Tryphon’s response, the groans and murmured expletives, she rode him hard, her entire being pushing toward orgasm, tightening, heating. She ground into him, enjoying the sensation of his crisp hair rasping her clit and labia. His cock chafed against her inner walls, and more slick heat pumped from her core. Reaching around her back, Bale tweaked her nipples. Pinches and pulls, just hard enough to hurt good. She arched her back, pushing her breasts forward, welcoming the sharp sensations, silently begging for more. This was simply decadent. Why she’d never thought to fuck two guys in one night was a mystery. She’d had some nights to remember, but they all paled in comparison to this. Harder. Tighter. Hotter. Almost there, oh yes. “Fuck me harder,” Tryphon whispered. Eyes closed, she slammed up and down, fucking Tryphon as hard as possible. She could feel the orgasm building, churning like gathering storm clouds. Whirling in her center. Moving out. Further, faster. She hooked her fingers, clawing into the rounded swells of Tryphon’s shoulders. “Yes, oh yes!” Tryphon slipped his hands under her ass, cupping it, lifting her up and stilling her motion. His hips took over, thrusting up and down, driving his cock deep and hard.

She needed more. She was so damn close but she couldn’t reach the pinnacle. Her clit. Reaching down, she skimmed her hand over her stomach, her mound. Her fingers parted her labia, seeking, delving, teasing. She shuddered and threw herself back, letting Bale’s hard bulk support her upper body. She was reclined, feet flat on the bed, knees bent, weightless while Tryphon and Bale supported her. Weightless and dizzy, desperate, trembling, on the verge of perhaps the most powerful orgasm of her life. “Oh yeah. Touch yourself, baby. That’s so hot,” Tryphon said, his voice more of a rough, animal-like growl than a human voice. It vibrated through her body like the thrumming bass at a rock concert. Her clit was super sensitive now, every stroke she gave it sheer torture. Good torture. She moistened her finger with her tongue and circled the tip over the hard little nub, round and round. With each completed circle, the orgasm building inside her intensified. Almost there. Yes, oh yesssss… Her entire body pulled tight until she was one big, full-body cramp, and then whoosh, her climax raged through her like a violent river. Her pussy spasmed around Tryphon’s cock, milking it, and in her bliss, she heard Tryphon’s roar as he too found completion. Together, their bodies spasmed and thrummed and pulsed and quaked, until all the built-up erotic energy inside them both was spent. Just as she’d expected, that had been the fiercest orgasm of her life. Oh, yes. She’d be more than willing to do that again, assuming Tryphon had finally given up trying to take full control.

Twitchy and tingly still, she blinked open her eyes and smiled into his flushed face, then rolled her head to the side to kiss Bale’s sweat-slicked neck. As he helped her sit up, she felt a moist heat on her back, near the base of her spine. She reached back to wipe it away. Bale stopped her. “Sorry, I couldn’t hold back, watching you two.” “Ummm, I’m not sorry if that’s the case.” She eased off Tryphon’s lap and twisted to glance over her shoulder at a redfaced Bale. His cock was still semi-erect, the tip glistening with a droplet of come. Her eyes locked on that sparkling drop, and her mouth watered. “That is so hot, that you came, watching me fuck.” She stretched her exhausted muscles, recognizing she’d be sore tomorrow. Shoot, she was getting sleepy. What time was it? Should go home. Needed to go home. She never stayed over after sex. Sleeping with someone all night, that was out of the question. Too intimate. Too dangerous. Forcing herself out from between Tryphon and Bale, she scuffed on her knees toward the edge of the bed. Tryphon caught her arm just as she was tipping to the side to swing her legs over the edge. “Where are you going?” “Home.” She looked on the floor for her bra. Her panties were shot. No sense bothering with them. And where were her clothes? “It’s very late. Why not stay here tonight?” The invitation came from Bale, who was reclining against the headboard, looking as hot and hard and male as he had before they’d fucked.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ve got stuff to take care of at home.” “Here’s the thing,” Tryphon said, levering himself off the bed. “We can’t let you go home.” “Of course you can.” Scowling at him, and wondering why he’d say such a bizarre thing, she bent to retrieve her rumpled skirt and shirt from the floor. Nothing like doing the walk of shame in the morning, wearing a wrinkled interview suit. God, what her nosy neighbors would think of that. A giggle bubbled in her chest but she swallowed it. She was already the talk of the building, if not the whole complex. Her occasionally scandalous social life gave the old biddies something more interesting to talk about than last night’s Dancing with the Stars episode. Tryphon caught her arm at the elbow, holding her a little too tightly. “No, Raine, we can’t.”

Chapter Six

“What the hell?” Raine tried to jerk her arm free from Tryphon’s grip. Once again, he was being a jerky, grabby, control freak. It seemed he just couldn’t put that part of him to bed for more than a few minutes. “Let me go.” “I will, if you’ll just let me explain.” “There’s nothing to explain.” All but baring her teeth, she gave him her meanest glare. “If you don’t let me go, I’ll press charges.” “Can’t having you do that either.” Furious, she whirled around, looking for Bale. He was the sensible one. He’d tell Tryphon the Tyrant to do what was right. She found him still sprawled on the bed, looking sleepy and contented, rumpled and heavy-lidded. “Bale? Hello? Are you just going to lie there while your buddy here pushes me around?” Visibly thinking, he hitched up on one elbow. More determined than ever to break free from Tryphon’s grasp, she locked her jaw and twisted her arm, using her free hand to try to pry Tryphon’s fingers loose. “Uh, what’re you waiting for, there, Bale? A bloodcurdling scream?” He finally sat, kicked his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Thank you,” Raine said, fully expecting him to gently free her from Tryphon’s clutches and send her on her merry way. Bale gave Tryphon a look. Tryphon sent him one back. It was an interesting exchange to watch, for about three seconds. Then

Raine decided it was more important for her to make sure she had all her belongings. Huge, amazing orgasm or whatever, this was the last time she’d set foot in this room. These two could find themselves another plaything for their next threesome. She was done. Tryphon’s grip loosened but only slightly. After Raine piled her purse and the last of her garments in her arms, Bale caught her other arm in his hand, and together they led her toward the hallway. Good. Just get her out of here. Whatever was going on with Tryphon, she wanted no part of it. She swore there was something very wrong with the man. It looked as if those rumors about him weren’t just baseless gossip. She padded barefoot down the hallway, the clothes she hugged to her body covering most of her torso. Down the stairs they went, around a corner, through the kitchen. She saw what must have been a side exit, probably leading to the attached garage, and dug in her heels. “Uh, you guys? I’m naked. I can’t go anywhere like this. At least, not without getting arrested.” They weren’t just going to toss her out like this. Nude! They’d at least let her throw on her clothes first. And then there was the question of how she’d get home. She’d been driven here in that stupid truck of theirs. Was it outside waiting for her? She didn’t want to have to call Liz and tell her what happened, but if it meant getting the hell out of this place, she’d do it. Gladly. Sexy. Rich. Freaks. It was such a shame. All-white house. Who lived in an all-white house, anyway?

The guys turned, pulling her toward a different door, one that was clearly an inside door. Good. They were going to let her get herself together a little. The door swung open, revealing a narrow staircase, descending into what had to be the basement. Uh oh! There was no reasonable explanation why she needed to go down there. Unless… Oh my God, could he be a murderer? Her heart in her throat, Raine stiffened, dropped her stuff and stuck out her arms, catching either side of the door’s frame. She screamed as loud and hard as she could. Her throat burned, she yelled so hard. When they grabbed her around the waist and legs, dragging her off her feet, she started throwing her body around, kicking her legs, bucking in their arms. She didn’t give a damn if she fell down those stairs, as long as their hands were off her. What the hell was going on? This was just too freakish to believe! “Stop!” she yelled, fighting with everything she had. “Whatareyoudoing!” She was losing the battle, her soft, out-ofshape self easily overpowered by the two muscular guys hefting her down the stairs. Still, she didn’t stop, couldn’t stop. Her body was icy cold with panic. Her heart was racing so fast she couldn’t count the beats. And tears of disbelief and shock blurred her vision. Down she was carried, into the bowels of the house. This basement looked nothing like the upstairs. It was decorated in dark colors, and dotting the room’s landscape were bizarre, terrifying pieces of bondage equipment, chairs and tables and cages and huge wooden crosses.

She was in serious trouble! Stars twinkled in her eyes as she struggled to hold on, to keep from passing out from the horror. She tried to grab on to something, anything, to halt their progress across the room. But every time her fingers caught a piece of furniture, she was yanked away. Sobbing now, she fought with what little of her strength she could summon up. Inside, she was already beginning to accept the obvious—she’d lost the battle. But outside, she kept up the fight, squirming and screaming and throwing her arms every way she could. They stopped in front of a large metal cage. The cage’s door swung open with a metallic creak, and she was shoved through the opening. The door was slammed shut before she could push her way back out again. Breathless and petrified, she crawled on all fours toward the very back of the cage, sat back on the fluffy cushion in the corner and wrapped her arms around her trembling body. She dragged her hand across her eyes, clearing away the tears. “You two are freaks! You’ll rot in jail for the rest of your lives for this.” Bale squatted in front of the cage, staring at her like she was some pitiful puppy at an animal shelter. She spat in his face. He didn’t even blink. “I’m sorry it had to go this way, Raine.” “Fuck you.” “No, really. But this is for your good as well as ours. You’ll understand later.” She didn’t even bother to respond to that stupid statement.

What sort of reasonable explanation could they give her that would convince her that being locked in a fucking dog cage in their basement was best for her? ***** Bale heaved a heavy sigh as he shut the basement door. He might be breathing a little easier, now that they had Raine downstairs locked up so she couldn’t leave but there was still a huge thing to handle with Tryphon. Specifically, he wanted to know what the hell that had been about earlier. Raine was nothing but a temporary addition to their lives. She wasn’t a prospective play partner—had made it plainly clear she wasn’t interested in bondage or submission—so why was Tryphon pushing the BDSM thing on her? He’d never done that before. It wasn’t ethical. It wasn’t fair to Raine. And it made no sense. None at all. Tryphon didn’t need to dominate a partner to get off. At least, he hadn’t before. Hell, they fucked all the time, and their sex life didn’t include power play. Kink, yes. Erotic submission, no. Tryphon had always seemed to be happy with their sex life, content to keep his need to play strictly at the exclusive bondage club he belonged to, and his play was purely nonsexual. He never fucked his play partners, male or female. His dick and ass were Bale’s alone, except during the blood bond. They’d lived this way for a long time. Why the seemingly sudden change? Couldn’t be the Hunger either. They’d taken the blood bond before. He’d never acted this way. First, the dungeon in the basement, and now bringing the bondage into the blood bond.

Into their bedroom. And why had Tryphon insisted on that fucking cage? Why? They’d taken the blood bond hundreds of times and never once locked their blood mate in a cage. Bale poured himself another glass of wine and then headed upstairs. He could hear the water running in the bathroom. Tryphon was probably just getting in the shower. That was okay. Bale needed a few minutes to get a handle on his emotions anyway. At the moment, he wasn’t just feeling confused, he was also feeling a little threatened. Jealous. Hell. He drained his glass before he made it to the top of the stairs. Then, his insides tied in knots like they always were when things weren’t right between them, Bale sat on the bed, waiting for Tryphon to come out of the bathroom. He didn’t have long to wait, which was both good and bad. Good, because he was anxious to get this little conversation over with. Nothing was right in the world when things at home were tense. Bad, because he hadn’t been able to sort through his whirling thoughts and figure out exactly how to broach the subject. Generally speaking, Tryphon was an easy man to talk to, one of the many traits Bale admired in him. But he had a feeling this was one time when Tryphon might react a little differently. “Hey.” Tryphon gave Bale a bright smile as he strolled nude from the bathroom, a towel thrown over one shoulder. His dark waves were spiked with water, droplets falling from the curled ends to coat his shoulders, chest and upper back. “Hey.” Bale didn’t smile back, even though the beauty of Tryphon’s body wasn’t lost on him. There wasn’t a day that

went by when he didn’t send up a little prayer of thanks for Tryphon. No one knew Tryphon like he did, realized how beautiful the man was on the inside. Tryphon kept himself pretty closed up to most people, pretty much encouraged the press to paint him as a sadistic playboy. Tryphon caught on to Bale’s dark mood right away. “What’s up?” Frowning, Tryphon sat next to him on the bed. The crisp scent of soap and shampoo filled Bale’s nose. “I need to know what’s going on with you.” Tryphon’s eyes narrowed, sweeping over Bale’s face. “I don’t know what you mean.” “Yeah, I kind of thought you’d say that.” Uncomfortable, his heart thumping in his chest, Bale stared down at the coverlet. Dark chocolate brown, blue, ivory. The colors were rich and masculine and stirred so many memories. This whole room did. “First, what’s with the cage? I don’t like it but I respect you enough not to say something in front of Raine.” “Look, I know what she said, and I believe she thinks she’s not a submissive. But she is. And that cage is going to help her see that.” “I don’t know about that. I think you’ve just made it harder for us. We need her to stay. For all our sakes. How are we going to convince her now? Or were you planning on keeping her in that cage the whole week?” Bale sighed. His heart was heavy. His limbs heavy. His mind cloudy. “You and this bondage thing are making it tough for all of us. Why were you pushing the submission so hard? She’s not a permanent part of our life. She’s not coming to you, asking to be trained. There’s something weird about the way you act when you’re around her. There has been, right from the start. I want to know what you’re thinking.”

A tense, uncomfortable silence swallowed the room. His heart in his throat, Bale waited for Tryphon’s answer, suspecting it would be as confusing as Tryphon’s behavior. “I don’t know.” Shit. Tryphon tipped his head, his eyes locking on Bale’s. “At one point tonight, it felt like I was standing beside myself watching. I wanted to scream, ‘what the hell are you doing?’ I could see I was being an ass, but I couldn’t stop myself. It was like someone or something else was controlling me.” He shook his head. “It’s a damn good thing I didn’t hire her.” “Do you think you can make it through the week without fucking with her head?” Tryphon’s eyes darkened. He jammed his fingers in his tangled hair and raked them through, sending silver gleaming droplets of water sailing through the air. “Damn, I hope so. I mean, I don’t want to hurt her. You know me.” “Yeah, I do. But that’s why this is bothering me so much. Tryph, you were…like a different guy. A stranger.” Tryphon’s eyes said everything his words didn’t. That he was disturbed, confused. He shook his head. “If it wasn’t absolutely necessary for Raine to stay here this week, I’d send her home right now. This minute.” “Would you?” Bale countered. “Sure. I can see she does something to me, somehow. Something ugly.” “But at the same time, I wonder if you’d have the strength to walk away. It’s almost like you’re…addicted to her. Like she’s a

drug, and she gets in your system and changes you, blinds you. Then, afterward, you’re full of regrets, but only until you get another urge for more.” Expression guarded, Tryphon shook his head. “It’s way too soon to be calling this an addiction. We’ve spent one day together.” “You interviewed her, and completely stepped out of line. You never do that.” Tryphon shrugged. “Yeah, well, like I said, I wanted to be honest because I could tell she was so desperate. I didn’t want her to think she didn’t have the skills to get a job.” “We’ve been there. Don’t need to go there again—” Tryphon threw his hands into the air. “So, what are you trying to do? What’s your point?” He yanked the towel off his shoulder. “We’re in the middle of the fucking blood bond. We send her away now, you know the hell she’ll suffer. Not to mention us.” Holding the towel in his fists, he dropped his head, burying his face in it. Bale set a hand on Tryphon’s shoulder and let several seconds pass in silence until he found the right words to say. “My point is that you need to watch out, Tryph. To be aware of what’s going on, so you don’t cross the line and hurt someone.” After a long moment, Tryphon lifted his head, studied him for a few more tense seconds. “You’re wondering if I need more than what we have, is that it? That you aren’t enough for me anymore?” Bale snatched his hand away.

Hearing the man he loved say those words was like a punch in the gut. Tryphon had said them so smoothly, too, not tripping over a single word. Shit, what if they were so easy for him to say because they were the truth? “Maybe,” Bale admitted. Tryphon shook his head, his eyes locked to Bale’s, his voice clear and full of conviction. “No way. You are everything to me.” Tryphon’s gaze dropped to the floor then. “This…whatever it is…has nothing to do with us. I think I’m just struggling a little with the other side of me.” “But that’s my point.” Bale tipped his head to put himself directly in Tryphon’s line of sight. “Maybe it’s not enough for you to play power games at the bondage club with your play partners anymore. It used to be, has been for a long time. But you put in the dungeon downstairs a couple of months ago… Maybe you crave it all the time now, a relationship built upon domination and submission. We both know when we’re suffering from the Hunger, it brings out our vulnerabilities—” “I don’t know.” “I wonder if you’ve been feeling this way for a while, but you could hide it. Now, you can’t. The Hunger is making it too hard.” Tryphon didn’t respond. Bale pulled in a breath so deep it made his head spin a little. He braced himself for what he was about to say, knowing that even hearing himself speak the words was going to hurt. But he had to say them. Had to get Tryphon thinking. Because until this was cleared up, he was in hell. “I think the minute you met Raine, you wanted her. As your submissive. Your mate. Your wife.” Damn, that hurt.

But what hurt even more was when Tryphon didn’t deny it, just stood up and, looking confused, walked out of the room. ***** Tryphon wanted to punch something. Or throw something. Or break something. His body was coiled tight, his blood blasting hot and furious through his veins. What the hell was he doing? Why was it that he could look at Bale, see the pain in his eyes, and still his thoughts wanted to veer back to that redhead locked in the basement? Bale was right—she was like an addiction. Why her? Why now? Just…why? He didn’t want to tell Bale how he really felt, couldn’t bring himself to say the words, knowing how devastating they’d be. Hell, if things were reversed, he’d…what the hell would he do? He had no idea. Because Bale had always been his rock. It wasn’t fair that he wanted more. He hated himself right now, despised the selfish ass he was becoming. Once a week, playing with some submissive who knew the score in advance, like sweet little Jules, or Amber the pain slut who loved the whip, should be enough. Why wasn’t it anymore? And why did he feel so compelled to show someone who was so hell bent on denying her true nature to accept the submissive he saw? To accept the truth, she’d have to claw her way through layers and layers of denial. He’d been around the scene long enough to know that people explored power play at their own pace. And only when they were ready to accept the truth, would they

start looking for answers. No Dom or Domme could make even the most natural-born submissive submit until he or she was ready. Raine wasn’t ready. Repeat, Raine wasn’t ready. Mentally shoving all that shit to the side, Tryphon dressed, figuring he’d head into work now. It was late, after midnight, but that just meant the building would be quiet. He’d take care of the matters he’d left unfinished earlier, like scouring the web for property for sale for a new project, handle the few other things that needed to be done for tomorrow, and be home by noon. It was a good plan. Unfortunately, the total silence of his office made the voices in his head too fucking distracting. ***** It was dark. It was silent. It was beyond eerie. And the only distraction she had at the moment was her thoughts. Those were as dark as the room. Crazy, that it would take a situation such as this to make her aware of how desperately she grasped for control in her life. In all ways and in all relationships. It wasn’t a matter of just wanting people to do what she wanted, of getting her way. No, her reasons went far deeper. Right now, as her heart threatened to beat its way through her breastbone and her blood turned to ice, she was absolutely terrified. Whatever happened to her, it would be decided by those two men. Not her. Oh God.

Would they keep her here indefinitely, caged like an animal? Would they dictate her every action? She felt sick. She felt dizzy. Tears blurred her vision. How she longed to break out of this effing cage, run out of this house as fast as her legs could carry her. She shouted, again. Her voice was hoarse from screaming but she didn’t care. Her throat felt like she’d gargled with drain cleaner. Still, she screamed, as loudly as she could. Kicked the cage bars. Shook them until her arms felt like overcooked noodles. More screams. More kicks. On and on she went while dark thoughts streamed through her mind like a nightmare. Until finally, who knew how many hours later, she crumpled into a ball, exhausted, and surrendered to her body’s call for sleep.

Chapter Seven

There were no windows in the basement. Raine woke up having no clue what time it was, whether it was morning, afternoon or evening. There was a tray of food in her dog cage. A sandwich, a cola and some snacks. And there was a bedpan for her to use. How humiliating! Sure, her captors had thought of all the basic necessities. The cushion in the corner was a lot more comfortable than she’d ever have guessed. And she had blankets. Food. Drink. But that didn’t make the fact that she was locked in a cage any easier to accept. What it made her wonder was how often those two did such a thing. And that led to another, even more perplexing question—why? Cringing, she plunked down on the bedpan and took care of the most pressing matter first. Then she slid the full pan through the wide slot at the bottom of the cage, still within reach in case she needed it again, but outside where she wouldn’t risk spilling it. Then she forced herself to eat. The sandwich was very tasty, but she ate fast, denying herself the luxury of enjoying it. She wasn’t about to let herself appreciate anything those two assholes were doing for her. Not after they’d locked her up. No way. She was way too pissed off for that to happen. After she’d consumed the last bit of food on the tray and drained the can of cola, she sat on the cushion, a blanket cocooning her in reassuring warmth, and studied her surroundings a little more carefully than she had last night. Only a couple of tinted lights illuminated the room. The sickly blue glow left most of the dungeon in heavy, creepy shadow. When she got tired of staring into the semi-dark, she spread her

legs in a wide vee and stretched all the kinks out of her body. Bending first to one side, then the other. Her muscles ached. Her neck still felt as if it were bruised. And there was that morning-after sensation between her legs, a slightly raw feeling. What she wouldn’t do for a shower right now! Just as she’d worked the last bit of tension out of her neck, the door at the top of the stairs opened with a creak. She shuffled to the front of her cage, ready to do whatever it took to escape. A light switch snapped, and glaring light bathed the contents of the room with stark brightness. Blinking, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the change, she watched the front of the dungeon, waiting to see who was coming. She hoped it was Bale. Alone. Without Tryphon around, she just might have a shot at talking him into letting her go. “Hello, Raine.” Bale, oh thank God. She donned her most convincing woe-is-me expression and cranked on the waterworks, hoping Bale had a healthy conscience. “Oh, baby,” he murmured as he unlocked her cage. He threw open the door, and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t really have to act as she crumpled against him, a soggy, trembling mess of hot tears and angry sobs. He stroked her hair, her back. “I’m sorry, so sorry. Are you hurt? What’s wrong?” “Scared,” she blurted, between hiccup-like snuffles. “Confused.” She clung to him, letting him support her as he led

her to a nearby chair. Secretly, she calculated her next move. She’d seen no lock on the door up at the top of the stairs. But Bale was big and strong. If she had to fight her way free, she’d lose. No doubt about it. Her only hope was to catch him by surprise. This was insane. It had been a loooong time since she’d run, since high school, but she’d once been a pretty quick sprinter. Speed would be her only advantage. “I know, I know.” He sat and pulled her onto his lap. “There’s a very good reason why we locked you in that cage, but it’s hard to explain.” “I don’t understand.” There was absolutely no explanation that she’d buy. But at this point, it seemed that the guilt-trip approach was working. At least, his guard was down and she was out of the cage. Two steps in the right direction. “I have some good news.” He tucked her head into the crook of his neck and tightened his hold around her waist. Insanely, even though his secure grip would make it that much harder for her to break away from him, the way he held her felt really good. Safe. Protected. Cherished. A part of her reveled in such strange and unfamiliar emotions, the other screamed in terror. That safe thing, it was all an illusion, she reminded herself. A dangerous one, at that. Because it made her vulnerable, made her start thinking that she might want to feel emotions about this man, make this more than what it was. You’re a prisoner. And even if you weren’t, sex is just sex. “I’ve found you a fabulous job, if you’re interested.” He pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping it up. A job. He’d found her a job. Even more confused than before, she met his gaze for one tense second.

A job! Oh thank God! If it paid anywhere near what she’d earned at her last one, and didn’t involve any form of prostitution or illegal activity, she’d take it. “Have you heard of Omni Enterprises?” he asked. “No.” “They produce high-end women’s clothing.” Women’s clothing. How cool! “The owner of the company is a friend of mine. He’s been looking for a new personal assistant. He’s told me about the job, the pay and hours, and I think you’ll be very pleased. Not to mention, he’s not an ass to work for, like Tryphon can be. I’m confident you’ll love working for him. So,” he smiled, eyes gleaming with genuine pleasure, “I set up a meeting with him at the end of next week.” “Wow. I…thank you.” Dammit, he’d gone and done something so good, so fucking nice, now she couldn’t be quite so furious. It didn’t cancel out the fact that he’d locked her in a cage. But it almost did… It’s women’s apparel, not a greasy manufacturing plant. No… I’ll be the personal assistant to a business owner. I’m sure the pay’ll be good. Perks? That sounds really good. “Oh, and I forgot to mention,” he added, “that my friend owns several condos in the area, and so if you want, you can live in one of them, rent free. You’ll just have to pay the utilities.”

A fucking condo? No rent. Talk about fringe benefits. He’d almost had made up for the cage thing. “Plus, you’ll have a company car and access to the company jet.” Oh hell. She dragged her hand under her eyes, wiping way the little bit of wetness remaining. The tears had dried up. “It sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch? Does he go through personal assistants like toilet paper?” “Not at all. His last one was with him for thirty years. She’s retired, living in Palm Beach.” “Does he expect me to sleep with him?” “No. He’s married. And when I say that, I mean married. He doesn’t cheat on his wife.” “Is he eccentric? Weird? Mean? What’s the deal?” “Nope. Just private and elusive, and the average person doesn’t hear or know much about him because that’s the way he likes it. All of his employees come to him through personal recommendation. He rarely fires anyone. People don’t quit. They retire or are promoted. He has offices in New York and L.A., too, and travels back and forth quite a bit. If anything, the only catch will be that you’ll have to travel sometimes.” New York? Los Angeles? On someone else’s dime? Wow. “It sounds like an amazing opportunity.” Understatement of the year. He smiled. “I’d hoped you say that.” He cupped her cheek in his hand and brushed his mouth over hers, a soft, sweet kiss. Swamped with mixed emotions, she closed her eyes and just let

it happen. “Now, there’s something else I want to talk to you about. It kind of has to do with the question you asked earlier— why we locked you in the cage.” There was an edge in his voice that told her she was probably not going to like what was coming. “Oh?” Here comes the catch. She supposed some people would think a job as great as he described was worth a favor or two in return. “I’m asking if you’ll stay here with Tryphon and me for the week until you go to that meeting.” “Stay here a whole week? Why?” There went those warning sirens again. She pushed out of his embrace, wrapping her own arms around herself. “Because we just want this time with you.” “For sex,” she stated, trying to understand. “You locked me up so you could keep me here for a week? To spend time together? Or for sex?” Despite her confusion, her body instantly decided a week of sex with Bale and Tryphon would be tolerable, even if she still couldn’t comprehend why they’d go to such extreme lengths to keep her there. The rest of her wasn’t one hundred percent sure sticking around another five minutes was wise. She was sort of prostituting herself. Sex for a great job. Good sex for a great job. Huh. Really, if she could look at it in that light, who was getting the better end of the deal there? Hardly prostituting, when she thought about it that way. He shrugged. “Maybe sex. Maybe. But more than that.” Unsteady, she leaned against the nearest piece of furniture.

“What’s that mean, more? I need you to be straight with me. You’re not making sense.” The rational side of her had its own ideas about this whole thing. She liked sex. A lot. But she never let her partners treat her the way these two had. And she never got emotionally intimate with anyone. Ever. She had a few fuck buddies who she’d drop in on when she needed to relieve some tension. They knew what she wanted and were glad to accommodate her. She liked them. They were her friends, but for various reasons, they could never be more than her friends and fuck buddies. These guys weren’t like them. When they weren’t pissing her off by stuffing her in a cage, they were making her feel things. Things that scared her. “We would—I would—like to just spend some time with you. Get to know you. Talk. Maybe we could go out. I have a few surprises planned…” This sounded like boyfriend-talk. What did this say about his relationship with Tryphon? Confused, she shook her head. “I don’t know, Bale. I mean, I don’t want to sound ungrateful because I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help with the job. I probably owe you something for that. But honestly, there’ve been a lot of things about this situation that have bothered me. Tryphon and his control issues. The whole cage thing. And now this. Even if I could somehow set those other things aside, I’m not looking for a long-term relationship right now, and that’s what it sounds like you’re looking to start. It’s just the wrong time—” “Whoa,” he interrupted, waving a hand in the air. “I swear I’m not trying to start something serious.

Tryphon and I love each other. We’re solid. That’s not what this is.” Getting more confused and frustrated by the minute, she threw her hands in the air. “Then what is this, Bale? The average guy doesn’t lock people in his basement. Hell, he doesn’t ask people —virtual strangers?—to stay as his guest in his home for no reason.” He stood but didn’t move toward her. “It’s something I want to do. Something I need to do.” Grrrr. Where was her explanation? She wanted to turn around and race up those stairs and out of this house. None of this made sense. If I leave, I’m walking away from a great job—the only one I’ve been offered in months. Fuck! Inching toward the stairs, she asked, “I have to stay to get the job?” He visibly swallowed. Nodded. Bastard. She scrubbed her face with her palms then shivering, tightened her arms around her body. “A whole week?” Maybe he’d be open to negotiation? “I need to get home. How about one day instead?” “A whole week, not a day less. Not a day more.” “Does this have to do with Tryphon and his domination thing?” He shook his head emphatically. “Absolutely not. I had a talk with him about that. I told him to stop pushing the submission stuff on you.” “That’s a step in the right direction. I mean, if that’s what

Tryphon likes, that’s fine, but it’s not cool for him to force it on anyone.” “I understand. I’ll talk to him about it again if it’ll make you feel better about this.” Shit, what to do? On so many levels, this was totally unfair. The prideful side of her wanted to tell Bale to take the job offer, shove it up his ass, and go to hell, after what he’d done to her. But the desperate side—the very side that these two manipulative jerks were taking advantage of— wouldn’t let her do it. “No more cage. That’s fucking wrong.” He lifted his hands, as if surrendering. “No way. I promise. That’s why I’m asking you to stay here of your own free will.” “I mean it. I don’t get the cage. What was that?” “It was for your good.” Bullshit.“What?” “We had to make sure you didn’t leave,” he explained, cryptically. “Why?” He shook his head. “There’s so little I can tell you—” “You owe me an explanation, dammit. Give me something, or you can forget it. You expect me to blindly trust you. To stick around, for God only knows what. When you two threw me in a fucking cage. You think that’s the way to earn a girl’s trust?” “No.” He sighed. Shoved his fingers through his hair. “It’s not.”

“It’s not sexy. It’s not cute. It’s insulting. Demeaning. Wrong. So tell me why I should trust you. Why should I believe a word you say? About the job. About anything.” He tipped his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Because you want to? You want to believe there’s a job.” “Fuck you!” That was it. She was done. He’d locked her up and now he was admitting to her face that he was manipulating her. Didn’t care to deny it. The man had balls—she’d give him that. There probably wasn’t a job anyway. She started up the stairs, but she only reached the third one before Bale stopped her by tugging on her arm. She yanked it out of his grip, swiveling around to face him. “I’m leaving, and you’d better not try to stop me.” “Please. I know I’m making things worse, but I’m asking you for some time. I need to talk to Tryphon before I tell you more. But the job is for real. I can verify that if you need me to. The pay is excellent. It’s a good position, a great opportunity, and I want you to have it.” “Then tell me it’s mine whether I stay or go.” “It’s yours, even if you leave.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out his cell phone. “Here. I’ll let you dial the number. From the phone book if you like. That way you know I’m not calling a friend and asking him to lie.” She narrowed her eyes. Something was still very strange about this setup, and she wasn’t entirely comfortable. She needed a minute to sort things out. She took another step, lifting her arms. “Give me a second. I need to think.” “Take as long as you need.”

To some girls, this would be such a no-brainer. They’d tell these two guys to fuck off and forget about the dream job. But it wasn’t that simple, not for her. And not with what could be a really great job on the line. Granted, Bale had said the job was hers, regardless. But she couldn’t leave and take the job now. She never accepted handouts. Oh hell. This was plain weird. A week of whatever in exchange for a job. Time to sort this out. She sat on a step and buried her face in her hands, closed her eyes. What they were asking was for her to stay around, in this gorgeous place, for one week. Okay, counting yesterday as day one, that left six more days, five after today. They maybe wanted to have sex—which had already proven to be a reward in and of itself. She liked that part. And they also wanted spend some time with her doing whatever. Actually, that last part—the whatever—was the most intimidating. As if he could read her mind, Bale said, “Sex is not part of the bargain. You don’t have to fuck us to get the job. We’re not asking for you to pay us back for the favor with sex. I want to make that perfectly clear.” Clear. Not hardly. That made things more confusing. If they weren’t asking her to hang out because they liked having sex with her, then what exactly were they looking for? “If this isn’t about sex, then what is it about?” Bale paused before answering, “Maybe you could think of this as a short vacation? We’ll pamper you, spoil you. You can relax and just enjoy, mentally and physically recharge so you’ll be ready to tackle your new job. Think fun. Casual. Nothing

serious.” She glanced at him. “Fun?” “It’s entirely up to you how this week goes. How’s that sound?” “Up to me?” “Yes. Totally.” Hmmm. If she could hold them at arm’s length, and if Tryphon gave up the submission stuff, and if Bale kept to his word and didn’t shove her back in that fucking cage, she might be able to handle a week of rest and relaxation. Casual fun. Shit and double-shit. What should she do? She’d done crazier things in the past, had taken bigger risks and had trusted people a whole lot less trustworthy than these two. Considering the fact that they’d locked her in a cage— basically holding her hostage overnight—that was saying something. But past mistakes were what they were. She’d learned from them and moved on, and let those lessons help sharpen her people-radar. It had been years since anyone had surprised her. By the end of a short conversation with a stranger, she usually knew whether he or she was up to no good or not. These two…there was something fishy going on, but in her gut she knew that fishy something wasn’t evil or dangerous. She’d risked her life on a gut instinct before. It might be worth doing so again. Correction—she wasn’t risking her life. She was agreeing to spend one week with a couple of men. Not having sex. Or having sex, depending upon her whim, evidently. Finally, her mind made up, she nodded. “You’ve got yourself a

houseguest for one week. But if you don’t want the police raiding your house, you’d better let me get in touch with my roommate, Liz. She’s probably reported me as a missing person by now.” “Sure. You can use my phone.” He handed her his cell phone. Perfect, in case anything weird happened, Liz would have Bale’s phone number. “Thanks.” She snapped it open and dialed. Liz answered on the second ring. “Liz, it’s me.” “Where the hell are you? I have been worried sick! You’re with that Tryphon guy, and you never stay out—” “I know, I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m at Tryphon’s house. Everything is okay.” “What’s going on?” Raine slid a glance in Bale’s direction. “Well, a lot.” “Yeah?” “I’ve got an interview next week for a great job.” “Really? That’s awesome! With who?” “The owner of a company called Omni. It’s a woman’s fashion company, I guess. Ever heard of them?” “Nope. But I can check around.” “Yeah, do that, will you? And call my cell when you get something.” “Raine.” Liz’s voice dropped. “Why can’t I just tell you when

you get home?” “Because…” Raine turned her back to Bale, took a few more steps. She rested a hand on a piece of furniture, a bondage table of some kind. “I’m staying here for a while.” “A while?” “A few days.” “Few? Why? You’ve never spent a weekend with a guy, let alone a few days.” “Actually, it’ll be six days, five after today.” Raine turned around and scooted up on the table, letting her legs dangle over the edge. “It’s a long story. But I swear everything’s okay.” “I smell rotten seafood, Raine—” “Don’t, Liz. I know what I’m doing. I’m a big girl.” “I don’t like this.” “I didn’t think you would. But that’s okay. You’re you, and I love you. But I’m me. And you know I’m going to make decisions you wouldn’t.” Raine heard breathing, and in her mind’s eye she could picture Liz giving her that look, the one that said “you’re making a huge mistake.” Glancing over her shoulder, she met Bale’s gaze, smiling tensely when he gave her an encouraging nod. “Okay, I’ve got to go now.” “Raine…” “Love ya, Liz. I’ll see you in six days.” “’Kay.” The sound of a heavy sigh—one filled with reluctant acceptance—filtered through the phone.

“Bye, Raine. Be careful.” Raine snapped the phone shut. “At least she won’t be reporting me missing now. But she’s not exactly happy about this arrangement.” “I understand,” he said, stepping up to the table. She wondered, as she handed him back his phone, if he truly understood, or if he was just saying that. He offered her a hand. “Now, how about I take you upstairs? I’m sure you’d like to get a shower. And then we’ll head out.” She hopped down from the table. “Where are we going?” “It’s a surprise.” Overall, she wasn’t a big fan of surprises. They usually brought bad news. But despite everything that had happened—or maybe because of the way things had worked out—she had a feeling this was the other kind. A good surprise. A wonderful surprise.

Chapter Eight

“You’re kidding me.” Raine stood in the misses department of Nordstroms, among dresses designed by Anna Sui and Dolce and Gabbana, and marveled at the uber-fast, whiplash-inducing turn her life had taken. Bale shook his head. “It’s no joke. Are you insulted?” “Well,” she hesitated, toying with the hangers on a rack. “No, I’m not. But I don’t usually let men spend money on me.” She hadn’t been on a no-holds-barred shopping binge in ages, since she left home. As a result, her clothes were a little shabby. The best she’d managed to buy on her budget were a few inexpensive pieces here and there, replacing her designer clothes as they became too small, threadbare or outdated to wear. Her gaze meandered over the wall display. Ohmygod, that little black dress over there is too cute for words… Bale frowned. “I wouldn’t want to ask you do something that makes you uncomfortable, but Tryphon and I both thought it would be nice to offer to get you some clothes for your new job.” Uncomfortable—like sleeping in a cage? She couldn’t help smiling at the irony. “First, I haven’t interviewed for the position yet—” “The job’s yours if you want it.” Those words kind of stung like a slap to the face. They were a stark reminder that it wasn’t who she was or what she knew that had scored her the opportunity. It was who she knew. Dammit, that was exactly what she’d been avoiding all this time. But after struggling on her own for so long, she’d learned that her pride would only get her so far if there were no jobs for

which she was qualified. The sad truth was, the market was so tight a person with absolutely no connections stood almost no chance of scoring a well-paying position. Years ago— correction, months ago—she would have refused a job offer she hadn’t earned on her own. She couldn’t afford to do that now. She’d be an idiot to turn down such an amazing opportunity, assuming everything she’d been told about her potential employer was true. She was determined to somehow reserve judgment until after she’d met her prospective new boss. She fingered the black wool crepe suit hanging on the rack next to her. “Second, this is all very nice, but you’ve already done too much by getting me the job.” Looking disappointed, Bale flopped an arm over the rack. “Are you saying you don’t want anything?” Wrong question to ask. She wanted lots of stuff. That adorable black dress, for a start. And the suit. And that gorgeous blouse over there too. The problem wasn’t an issue of wanting. It was an issue of needing. Already, Tryphon and Bale had hooked her up with a great job. If she hadn’t been so freaking desperate, she would’ve had a really hard time accepting even that. But the job thing was a question of eating versus starving. Paying her rent versus being homeless again. This shopping thing wasn’t. The not-quite-ex-fashionista in her was dying to go wild, fill her arms with all the wool and silk she could carry, but the independent, self-sufficient woman she’d struggled to become wasn’t about to let that happen. “Well?” Bale prompted. She bit her lip to keep from saying “Okay” and shook her head.

“Nothing?” he asked. This wasn’t easy. But it was necessary. If she wouldn’t accept money from her dad and stepmother, she couldn’t accept money from these men. “I have plenty of clothes at home.” She gave him a grateful smile. “But thanks for the offer. It was very generous.” Too generous. “Okay then.” If Bale was disappointed, he hid it well. Smiling, he motioned toward the exit. “I guess we can head home now. Unless you can think of somewhere else you’d like to go. Tryphon is supposed to meet us for dinner in a few hours, but since we’re not shopping this afternoon we have some time to kill.” Time to kill. Gosh, how long had it been since she’d been able to enjoy some downtime, guilt free? Raine glanced down at her clothes. She was wearing the same outfit she’d put on for her interview at the bar. Black skirt, blue blouse, black pumps. No underwear, since she hadn’t packed an overnight bag. “Here’s a thought. Since I’m not buying any new clothes but would rather not spend the whole week wearing these, how about we head over to my place so I can pick up some personal things and fresh clothes?” “We can do that.” Bale led her outside. The black car they’d ridden in pulled up and off they went, headed to her apartment. Bale sat in the seat next to her, his arm draped over her shoulders. He was big and warm and hard, a presence she couldn’t help being aware of. Little zips and zings of sensual awareness whizzed through her as she snuggled against him, soaking up his heat and relishing the sense of strength and power he emanated.

Even though he’d made it clear sex was not part of their deal, she secretly hoped they’d have some more of that uber-hot sex very soon. She set her hand on Bale’s hard thigh and squeezed. Mmmm, like stone sheathed in black, top-quality virgin wool. The man knew how to dress and, thanks to a flawless body, he wore his clothes extremely well. Staring straight ahead, he covered her hand with his then slid them both over to the right, stopping at the bulge in his crotch. Talk about hard… A very naughty impulse bloomed in her head, and she smiled, sliding him a sideways glance. Slowly, she moved her hand up, following the line of his pant’s fly, to the top. He was wearing a belt. Damn. He chuckled. “I’m liking where you’re going with that, but we don’t have to unless you want.” “I want. Honest.” “I’m glad then. Because I want too. But we have to wait.” He patted his hand over hers then reached over to trail a fingertip up her leg. Up went the bottom of her skirt, inching over her thigh until it was gathered in the crook of her hip. More than ever, she was aware of the fact that she was wearing no panties. He smiled, his grin positively evil, inspiring all kinds of naughty thoughts. “I thought you said we have to wait,” she teased. His smile broadened. “I did. But that doesn’t mean I can’t play a

little.” “Ah.” She was going to melt. He traced her lips with an index finger. “You smell so good. Taste so good. I can’t get enough of you.” God, she loved the way his voice sounded when he was hot. Rich and full, with just an edge of grittiness that made her shiver. She’d do just about anything to hear more. That finger of his meandered down her neck, between her breasts. His gaze slid lower, over her chest to her stomach. “Open your legs.” “Okay.” She pulled at her skirt, gathering the rest of it up around her hips then eased her knees apart. “Like this?” “No, wider. Like this.” He caught her leg underneath and lifted it, draping it over his. Now she was very open. Very exposed. Very warm. “I want to touch every inch of you.” The hand he’d used to move her leg explored higher, fingertips tracing light circles over her skin, leaving goose bumps in their wake. “Do you know how hard it is to keep my hands off you?” “Oooh, I’m not complaining.” She shuddered, letting her upper body slide sideways until her shoulder was tucked snugly against his ribs. Up that hand went, up her inner thigh. He teased the sensitive spot at the juncture of her leg and pelvis for what had to be an eternity. Her pussy warmed. Slickened. Her body tightened. Breathing quickened. She shifted her position, reclining with her back resting against the door, knees bent and legs parted. She let her

eyelids shutter out all visual distraction. His fingertips rasped over her labia, skirting around her empty center. Eager for more, for the sweet invasion his touches promised, she tipped her hips up. She’d had sex in a car before. Several times. And every time it had been a wicked thrill. She wondered, hoped, she’d convince him to forget about waiting for later and take her there and now, as they sped down the freeway. “Don’t you want to see how hot you’re making me?” she whispered, closing her hand around his wrist. His chuckle was like a wave of warm honey rolling over her body. “I can tell already.” He dipped just the tip of a finger into her and quickly withdrew it. She groaned. “Sorry, baby. We’re here.” “Already?” Damn. She sat up, blinked open her eyes. Sure enough, the vehicle was parked in the lot next to her building. “We’d better fix you up.” He eased her off him then gently tugged her skirt back down. Just as he smoothed it over her thighs, the car door opened. “I’ll be just a minute. Wait here?” She pushed on his knee, using the leverage to propel her from the car, but before he followed her, she poked her head back in. “When we get back to your place, you’d just better watch out.” His smile nearly knocked her to her knees. Staggering a little, she half-ran up the front walk. She could feel her face flaming, knew it was beet red. And having seen Liz’s car in the lot, she knew Liz was home.

She’d be getting the third degree the second she stepped inside. There was no way she was going to let Bale follow her in. She fumbled in her purse, digging for her keys. Before she had them in hand, the apartment door swung open. Liz gave her a squinty-eyed glare. Stepping inside, Raine sing-songed, “Heya, Liz.” She didn’t stop her forward motion, sashaying across the living room, headed toward her bedroom. “What’re you doing home?” Liz slammed the door and scampered after her. “Just needed a few things.” Inside her room, she dug her overnight bag out of her closet, tossed it on the bed and unzipped it. Liz sat next to the bag, cross-legged, her expression cool. “How goes the visit with the notorious Tryphon Zade?” Her first stop was her lingerie drawer. “Everything’s good. Really good.” Her flaming face warmed even more. She tried to hide it by turning toward the dresser and focusing on her collection of teddies and baby doll nightgowns. “What’s up with you? Anything?” “Nope. Same old stuff. I sold an article to a national magazine.” Liz’s good news drew her attention back to her friend. Her hands fisted around a black lace number, Raine twisted to smile over her shoulder. “Oh, that’s great, sweetie! I’m so happy for you!” Liz, in response, frowned. “I’m worried about you.” Raine gathered several more lace items, a handful of panties

and some clean bras. “I’m fine. I swear.” She shoved the risqué articles into the bag’s front pocket then straightened up to give her over-protective friend a reassuring smile. “Tryphon and Bale are treating me better than I deserve. Believe me.” Liz sighed. “You got a card from your dad. I’m guessing it’s a birthday card…” “I don’t need to see it. You know the routine.” “Yeah,” Liz sighed again. “Put it in an envelope and mail it back.” She shook her head. “You are the most stubborn person I know. Why won’t you accept his cards and gifts? Why do you have to be so freaking stubborn? Especially now? Assuming there’s a check in there, it’s only a drop in the bucket to him. Your dad’s sickeningly rich.” Gathering jeans and socks in her arms, Raine gave Liz a warning glare. “You know why. I don’t want his money. Not a penny. Not as long as he still sees me as his ‘big disappointment’.” Liz yanked on her ponytail holder, tugging her hair free. Glossy waves tumbled over her shoulders. “You don’t know—maybe he’s changed his mind…” “You think?” They shared a look. Finally, Liz answered, “You won’t know if you don’t read the card.” Raine added several t-shirts to the pile in her arms then dropped the whole thing in the bag. She gave Liz a pleading look. “Please, send the card back. Or just leave it and I’ll do it when I come home.” Liz nodded. “Okay.”

“Thanks, sweetie.” Raine went to the closet and grabbed a few nicer outfits, just in case her handsome pair of hosts decided to take her out somewhere. Next, she went into the bathroom to get her makeup and hair stuff. She dropped them in the bag, zipped it up, and pulled it off the bed. “I’ll be home in a few days.” Liz didn’t get up. Instead she pulled Raine’s pillow to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. “Have fun. And Raine?” Raine paused at her bedroom door. “Yeah?” “Please be careful. I’m still leery about all of this.” “Oh, I’m being careful. Don’t worry about that.” She blew her roommate a kiss then headed outside to the waiting car.

Chapter Nine

The minute the appetizers were on the table, Raine heard words that tied her belly into a knot. So much for her appetite. “Why don’t you tell us all about Raine Avery? We’d like to know more.” It was Tryphon who’d spoken those words, the same man who made her uneasy anyway. He had this vibe. It made her feel small and vulnerable. Uneasy and unsure. That was so unlike her. Normally, if she’d been in a more private setting, she would have turned the conversation to safer topics, like sex. Men’s brains short-circuited when a girl traced her fingertip between her boobs and gave them a look. Or when a woman gave a little sexy sigh and pout and said she needed a neck rub because she was tight all over. But since they were in one of the area’s most upscale restaurants, she wasn’t about to go there. “I’m boring, really. Not much to know. You, on the other hand, are so much more interesting.” Most of the men she knew liked to talk about themselves or at least enjoyed the sight of a woman fawning over their brilliant masculine wonderfulness. She hoped Tryphon was like them. He slid his flattened hand over the crisp white tablecloth and curled his fingers around hers. “Why are you so afraid, Raine?” Not again! Uncomfortable, Raine forced herself to hold Tryphon’s gaze. “I’m not scared of anything. I’m just…private.” “I can understand that.” Tryphon’s thumb grazed over the pads of her fingertips. “We’ve all been hurt before.” “Not me. I’ve never been hurt. And that’s because I’m very

careful about who I get close to.” Raine slipped a stuffed mushroom into her mouth, chewed. Mmm, delicious. “My roommate Liz is like a sister, but there are some things about me that even she doesn’t know.” Tryphon released her hand, the fingers that had been stroking her skin wrapping around a fork instead. “I’ve never met a person who’s that protective for no reason.” “I didn’t say I had no reason. Just that I hadn’t been hurt.” He smiled. “Touché.” They enjoyed their appetizers in a semi-tense silence. Raine decided some wine would help her get through dinner, and consumed a full glass before the salads had been set before them. The wine did wonders for her frame of mind. Especially the second glass, consumed before she’d polished off the last of her salad…and the third, emptied before half her entrée was gone. She wasn’t drunk, but she was definitely feeling a lot more relaxed. And daring. Sitting at a table with floor-length tablecloths meant one thing— no one could see what was happening underneath. Borrowing from some movie she couldn’t remember at the moment, she kicked off one of her shoes and skimmed her bare foot up Tryphon’s leg. His gaze locked to hers the second her foot found the warm bulge in his pants, and slowly one side of his mouth lifted into that wicked smile she’d come to appreciate so much. She licked her lips, sliding a baby carrot between them. “This meal is delicious.”

“Mmmm. Very good,” Tryphon agreed. Bale glanced at each of them then smiled too. A second later, a certain man’s hand found its way into Raine’s lap. While she used her foot to rub Tryphon’s crotch and Bale tormented hers with his hand, Raine felt her face tightening, a whole different kind of expression pulling at her features. She wanted to try to keep a straight face, to play the part of the refined, mysterious woman dining with a couple of men, but it was so difficult once Bale’s fingers dipped under her skirt. She applied more pressure to Tryphon’s groin. Bale teased her pussy through her panties. Finally, she waved her hand in front of her face. “Whew, it’s warm in here. I think I need to take a little walk outside. You know, to cool off.” She started to pull her foot away, but Tryphon caught her ankle in his fist. He shook his head. “No. Not before dessert.” Was he kidding? What was his thing with dessert? As the waiter removed their entrée plates, Bale stroked her folds, the tips of his fingers tracing the side of the crotch panel. It was a decadent thrill, hiding the secret pleasure he was giving her while the waiter recited the dessert menu. By the time he had finished up the description of the sumptuous Black Forest cake, she was ready to scream. Or tear off her panties and beg for Tryphon and Bale to take her right then and there. Why had she put on underwear? She should’ve known the guys were going to make what would normally be a very pleasant meal a naughty one. Once the waiter was sent off to fetch their desserts, Tryphon gently set her foot on the floor, stood, and dragged his chair closer to hers. Seconds later, a second hand was in her lap.

And she knew she was in trouble. Both Tryphon’s and Bale’s hands worked together, lifting her skirt up high then tugging her panties down over her hips. Tryphon bent over, pretending to retrieve a fallen napkin. A few seconds later, her balled-up panties were in her lap. The guys each pulled at a knee, forcing them apart. And the moment the waiter set her plate of chocolate sin in front of her, one of them speared her passage with a fingertip. She jolted but didn’t scream, thank God. The waiter either didn’t notice her strange reaction or he was pretending he didn’t. Either way, his lack of a reaction made her feel a little less mortified. After asking if there was anything else, he headed off to tend to his other customers. She reached for her fork, but before she could slice off a piece of what promised to be an orgasm on a plate, Tryphon delivered a piece to her mouth on his fork. As the decadent dessert slipped onto her tongue, bathing her mouth in rich flavor, a thick finger drove into her tight pussy. Overcome, she shuddered. Her eyelids fell over her eyes, cutting off Bale’s and Tryphon’s glorious faces and the distracting images of the other diners, huddled around tables. More chocolate. Another thrust. Again. And again. Heat simmered through her torso. Tension pulled at her limbs. Desire burned in her belly. The clatter of silverware against dishes and the hushed whispers of the other people in the room didn’t detract at all from the eroticism of the moment. In fact, knowing that she was

in a public place and had to disguise the heat welling in her body only made her that much hotter. The rich flavor of the dessert blended with the carnal sensations igniting her nerves on fire. Tight. Trembling. Desperate. She tried to fight the momentum, desperately clinging to what little control she had left, but she felt herself losing the battle, felt her body surrendering to Bale and Tryphon’s control. She whimpered softly, hoping only Tryphon and Bale would hear. She felt Tryphon draw closer. His breath tormented the skin of her neck, her ear. “Let yourself go, Raine.” Easy for him to say. She dragged her eyelids up and gave him an exasperated look. She couldn’t come here. Now. With people all around them. My God, just over there, at that table…the elderly man with the silver hair couldn’t be more than five feet away. “Can’t,” she whispered. Her head was swimming, her vision hazy. Body aching. She tried to push his hand away, but he wouldn’t let her. He added a second finger, a third. “This is what you’ve been waiting for, Raine. Don’t be afraid now.” Oh God, she was so close. A telltale tingle was gathering deep inside. She needed him to stop. She needed to get up right now —assuming she could stand—and leave.

“Please,” she whispered. “Raine.” Bale delivered the final bite of dessert to her mouth. Her spine tightened, arching, as her lips closed over the fork. “This is it. Last bite.” Absolute bliss. Tryphon’s fingers drove home with one final stroke as Bale’s danced over her aching clit. The tingles charged through every cell of her body, exploding out from her center. An erotic fever blazed through her, and her pussy spasmed around Tryphon’s fingers. Tightening, then relaxing. She felt herself losing all control as her pleasure washed over her body. For just the briefest of moments she didn’t care about anything. Didn’t mind if people were watching. Wasn’t worried that she was at Tryphon and Bale’s total mercy. Didn’t care about anything but the wet heat pounding through her veins. The inferno in her body was almost unbearable, and yet at the same time it was also absolute heaven. She didn’t want it to end. She didn’t want the spasms to stop or those amazing pulses of pleasure to ease. Now, instead of fighting them, she wallowed in them, enjoying every fraction of a second, drawing her pleasure out as long as it would last. But with every breath the pounding slowed. The heat cooled. The pleasure eased. Until she was twitchy and sated, and much more aware of her surroundings. She realized suddenly that she had both her hands smashed over Tryphon’s, grinding his palm against her sodden tissues and forcing those fingers deep inside. She peeled her hands away from Tryphon’s and opened her eyes, expecting to see at least a dozen people’s shocked and horrified expressions all trained on her.

No one was staring. “Did you enjoy your dessert?” Tryphon’s fingers slipped out of her, and her inner walls clamped tightly around the painful emptiness. “It was…delicious.” Her face burning, she snatched her purse from the floor, and flipped it open. “Thank you.” She crammed her underwear into it and closed it. “Our pleasure.” Bale helped smooth her skirt down her legs, so that when she pushed her chair back and stood, there was no evidence of the erotic experience she’d just enjoyed. No evidence but the warm juices coating the insides of her thighs as she walked. Feeling like she must reek of sex, she smiled and held her head high as she walked out of the restaurant. The minute she was in the limousine, safe from prying eyes, she gave Bale and Tryphon a squinty glare. “That was so wrong on so many levels.” Both of them grinned. She pretended those grins didn’t just melt her kneecaps, and instead shrank away from their studly bodies, sitting on the long bench seat lining the opposite side of the vehicle. “But you said you enjoyed your dessert. Were you lying?” Tryphon teased. Her face was on fire. She was extremely grateful she wouldn’t be stepping out in public again anytime soon. “No, I didn’t lie. But that’s not the point. The cake was delicious. I think. I hardly tasted it, thanks to everything else…”

“Else?” Bale asked, eyebrows lifted. “Yes, else.” She eyed the limo’s windows, wondering if there was any way to open them. It was getting mighty steamy in there. “I’m hungry,” Tryphon murmured. She ran her fingers along the inside edge of the window. “We just ate.” Windows. Open. Now. How? “Not that kind of hungry.” He slid off the seat, falling to his knees. His bulk filled the narrow aisle between the seat he had inhabited and hers. “You smell so good.” “Thanks.” Her knees locked together, she twisted at the waist, shifting them to the side. He stared down at her feet. His fingers slowly curled around her ankles, tightening like steel bands. “My body burns for you.” Sex in a car. Was that where this was headed? She shot a glance at Bale. He looked as if he was about to do something equally naughty. These guys were insatiable. But, hey, who was she to complain? Her body decided it was quite happy with the heated looks her evil hosts were sending her way. Smiling, she slid down in her seat until her bottom was perched on the very edge. “Is this your way of apologizing?” Tryphon shrugged. “If it makes you happy.” What made her happy was having two men cater to her every desire, like these two did. She could definitely get used to all the attention they were lavishing on her. In one respect, that was not so comforting. “Yes. Happy,” she said.

Tryphon pulled on her ankles, dragging her feet apart. Meanwhile, Bale plopped down on the seat beside her and began working her out of her clothes. The first piece to go was her knit pullover top. Bale slid his hands around her ribcage while he sprinkled soft kisses down her neck and over her chest. “We want to make you happy, Raine. In all ways.” Her heart lurched. “I know,” she lied. It’s just sex, she reminded herself as she let her head fall back against the window. I’m here to sow some wild oats for a short time, have fun and explore a little, let loose and forget all about the worries of jobs and bills and all that normal day-to-day crap. This was her ideal situation. Two men who were in love with each other, not looking for anything permanent, just wanting to share a temporary fling with a woman who was also open to a temporary arrangement. They were both stunning men. Physically as perfect as she’d ever seen. Intelligent. Sexy as hell. Playful… Oh hell! Who was she fooling? Not herself, that was for sure. Just focus on the sex. God, she hoped she could do that. Now, as she sat in the car, Tryphon’s face buried between her thighs and Bale’s hands caressing her, tormenting her, making her tremble and sweat, it was easy to hide behind the sex. But later, once it was over, and the urgent pounding eased inside, she’d go soft. Become vulnerable again. She rocked her head from side to side and shoved away the

questions burning in her mind. She’d had plenty of affairs in the past. She was all about the casual fling. And that’s what this was. One week of fun. They’d made that perfectly clear. Why was she having such a hard time believing their words? Tryphon’s tongue started dancing over her clit. He fucked her with his fingers, and Bale drew one of her nipples into his mouth. Bale suckled just hard enough to send little blades of pleasure-pain shooting through her body. The sensations— sharp pain and simmering pleasure—churned in her belly, like a turbulent river, tumbling over her nerves, scraping them raw like raging rapids over stones. And then, just before she was swallowed up by that thrashing water, a sharp pain seared down her leg. She screamed and thrust her hips up, throwing her hands down to catch Tryphon’s hair in her fists. Before she’d managed to yank him away, the pain morphed into an orgasm so powerful, it was almost agonizing. In her mind’s eye, she toppled head over feet, down a cliff and into a raging sea. She landed with a splash into a glorious, warm place where her heartbeat echoed like thunder. Safe. Content. Ahhhh, now this was heaven.

Chapter Ten

Raine woke up some unknown time later with a huge smile on her face. Wow, did those two guys know how to make a girl come hard. Some of the details were sort of a blur, but she was still feeling the tingly heat down below, like an afterglow. Mmmmm. Still groggy, she stretched like a lazy cat basking in the sun. Slowly, she worked out the kinks in muscles that hadn’t seen that kind of workout in years. She was sore here and there, but it was a good kind of soreness. A tenderness or sensitivity that made her squirm a little. Especially when her thoughts drifted back to Tryphon and Bale. Finally sitting up, she glanced around the room. She was alone, a sad state of affairs. She was also hungry. No, make that ravenous. Wondering how long she’d slept, and trying to recall how she’d even gotten upstairs to bed, she glanced at the clock. Gosh, how could that be right? It was four o’clock in the afternoon? She’d slept how many hours? It was no wonder her stomach was threatening to digest itself. Food. But first, she’d take care of a couple of other matters. Nude, she padded barefoot into the bathroom, took a scalding hot shower to loosen up the knots in her muscles, brushed her teeth, fixed her hair and put on a little makeup. It was wonderful having her things here. Finally, she pulled on some fresh, comfy clothes. Once she felt human again, she headed down the hall to see what kind of breakfast-slash-lunch she could cook up for herself. She didn’t get very far, not even to the stairs. Ohhh. And wow.

The door was open, so that meant they didn’t care if she saw them. Right? Mmmm. Oooh. Oddly, she’d known for a while that Tryphon and Bale were gay lovers, and they’d kissed in front of her, but she still hadn’t been able to visualize them together like this. That wouldn’t be a problem any longer. At the moment, they were both nude and kneeling on the bed, their bodies crushed together, eyes closed, mouths joined. Hands caressed hard male flesh, thick arms, powerful chests, and sculpted abs. Tongues speared into the sweet depths of each others’ mouths, while the sensual sounds of their kisses filled the room. It was an intimate moment, sweet and tender in one way, but also darkly erotic in another. She felt as if she had been given a glimpse of the forbidden. A precious gift. A hauntingly sensual one too. If that was their intention, to share this moment with her in this way, then she was more than willing to accept their gift. She never would have expected this, but their intimacy fascinated her. Deeply. She crept softly into the room and eased into a cozy chair tucked in a dark corner. Tryphon’s body ignited with raw sexual hunger the second he saw Raine tiptoe into the room. What had been a mild simmering in his veins amplified to a raging inferno. His heartbeat quickened, his breathing grew shallow and fast. His body tightened. Oh yes, watch us. He plunged his tongue into Bale’s mouth, stabbing, caressing, tasting and taking. And in return, Bale growled and pinched his

nipple so hard a razor-sharp blade of pain sawed through his insides. Pain. Pleasure. They were so intertwined in his body his nerves were unable to discern the difference anymore. It all felt good. Wonderful. He needed more. Sex with Bale had always been like this. Hot. Hard. Quick. That was just fine most of the time. But now, with Raine here, watching, he wanted to go slower, draw out Bale’s pleasure until he trembled and begged. He knew what it would do to Raine. She didn’t know it yet, but he’d made a decision. One that would impact all three of them. It was just a matter of time before everything would go his way. At least, that’s what he hoped. And then, they’d all have what they wanted, needed. Tryphon caught Raine’s hungry expression in his peripheral vision as he swept his tongue into Bale’s mouth. It wouldn’t be long at all. Whatever had gotten into Tryphon, Bale was ready to throw his hands toward heaven and sing the Halleluiah Chorus. Not that their sex life had ever been routine or dull. It hadn’t. But if he could be honest with himself, he’d have to admit that lately something had changed between them. The heat they’d once shared had definitely diminished. He’d noticed but not done anything about it. For one simple reason—sadly, it hadn’t been all that obvious how much the passion had faded until right now. He’d been blind, ignorant, content. Bale kissed Tryphon back with all the love and passion he felt.

His tongue slid along Tryphon’s, stroking, caressing. His hands kneaded tight muscle, teased smooth skin, taunted a pebbled nipple. Just as Bale was about to burn up, Tryphon pulled them back from a fever pitch, his kisses growing tender again, his touches less demanding and more seductive. Tryphon wanted to go slow. Bale was all about slow. He let Tryphon take the lead, knowing the power between them would shift back and forth several times as they fucked. For now, he was content to submit to Tryphon’s wishes, to surrender to Tryphon’s needs. Later, it would be his time. Letting Tryphon force him onto his back, he pulled Tryphon down on top of him. Tryphon caught his hand and dragged their joined hands up toward the head of the bed. Their fingers twined as Tryphon’s hips settled on top of Bale’s. Tryphon’s weight pinned his body to the mattress. Tryphon grazed his neck with his teeth. It was fucking sexy being like this, at Tryphon’s mercy. “Damn,” Bale murmured, the expletive slipping off his tongue smoothly, like syrup. If it could be this way from now on—Tryphon hungry for him, on the verge of losing control—he’d give up just about anything. Odd, how he hadn’t realized how empty their fucking had become until this minute. This magical minute. “I’ve been burning for you,” Tryphon whispered into his ear. “I didn’t know how to tell you, what words to say.” “No words.” Bale let his head fall to the side as Tryphon’s tongue danced down the side of his neck. His skin prickled as

goose bumps erupted over his chest, shoulders and stomach. The corners of his mouth pulled into a shadow of a smile. “But you deserve to know.” “I do know. You’re showing me.” Bale dragged his hooked fingers down Tryphon’s sides, his bluntly trimmed fingernails gently grazing Tryphon’s skin. He heard Tryphon’s breath catch, and his smile broadened. This was what he’d longed for. The kind of intimacy that didn’t need words. That transcended them. Tryphon shifted lower, his tongue and teeth exploring Bale’s collarbone, chest, nipples. Tryphon nipped sharply at one pebbled peak and Bale’s spine tightened, his back arching toward his lover’s mouth. His fingertips pressed deeper into Tryphon’s hard flesh. His scrotum pulled his balls tight against his groin. His cock twitched, a droplet of precum seeping from its tip. This was just like it had been in the beginning, so many years ago. When their passion had been fresh and new, and they couldn’t stop fucking. Their hunger for each other had been insatiable. Why now? What had changed? It couldn’t be the Hunger. This wasn’t the first time they’d been bonded together. And yet, this time was different. In a good way. “I love you,” Bale said, arching his back when Tryphon bit his nipple again. “I love you too,” Tryphon echoed, his voice rough with carnal need. After another evil nip, Tryphon descended lower down Bale’s body, licking and kissing a tingly path to his engorged cock.

A low moan slipped from Bale’s lips when Tryphon ran his tongue up the underside of his shaft, from the base to the flared rim circling the head. As Tryphon pulled Bale’s cock into his mouth, Bale sent up a silent thanks to whatever being—human, divine or otherwise— who had been responsible for the fresh and thrilling passion blooming between them. And as Tryphon sucked and stroked Bale into oblivion, tears of joy slipped from the corners of Bale’s eyes. His orgasm was like a nuclear explosion. Violent, but in a beautiful way. Heat blasted through his tight body, as a rainbow of colors burst behind his closed eyelids. Tryphon held him tight in his arms as he trembled and quaked and spasmed. When he finally felt his strength returning, he opened his eyes. Tryphon was glancing over his shoulder, staring toward the front of the room. Raine. A million questions charged through his head, but one echoed loudest, like the heavy beat of the bass that carries through a crowded bar. Was she the reason for this change? If so, what did that mean? “I need to fuck you now,” Tryphon whispered into Bale’s ear. “I hurt. Please.” Bale wanted to talk to Tryphon about Raine, about them, about everything. But he couldn’t bring himself to do that now while the desperation of Tryphon’s need was so evident in his eyes. Exchanging a look with a pink-faced Raine, Bale positioned himself on all fours, so she could watch them in profile. He witnessed the color staining her cheeks darken, and her eyes widen, as Tryphon settled behind him, spread his ass cheeks

and drove deep into his anus. Damn, that felt good. He took Tryphon deep, relishing the sensation of Tryphon’s rod pistoning in and out of his ass. Bale had never been much of an exhibitionist. Sex was one of those things the Sons of Twilight would do anywhere, at least most of them. But not him. He preferred things like this private. Especially when it was just the two of them. Despite having shared the blood bond hundreds of times in the past, they had never fucked each other in front of their human mate. Whether it was just the rush of this being the first time, or it was something about her, he didn’t know. But his balls were tightening. His cock was hardening. And his blood was simmering within minutes. The relief Tryphon had given him was all but a faded memory now. Fierce carnal hunger gripped him harder with each thrust of Tryphon’s cock, each second his gaze remained locked to Raine’s. Bale bent over so his ass was high in the air. He wrapped his fingers around his own cock and stroked, matching Tryphon’s pace. Pressure building. Heat churning. A storm gathering deep within. Tryphon’s fingers dug into the flesh of his ass cheeks, adding yet another erotic sensation to all the other scents and sounds and feelings blasting through his body.

He tightened, everywhere. His arm movements became jerky, almost uncontrolled. Behind him, Tryphon seemed to be suffering too. His lover growled and grunted, cursed and pleaded. Until finally, ohhhhh, it was there. “Yesssssss,” Bale whispered. Pleasure rolled over him like a hot wave, rushing through every cell in his body. Tryphon cried out, slammed deep into Bale’s hungry anus. The ring of muscles milked every drop of cum from Tryphon’s cock, as exquisite, throbbing ecstasy pulsed through his body. Now, that was an orgasm. He felt it in his fucking teeth. His scalp, the soles of his feet. And now that they were both sated, it was time to talk. To get the answers to his questions. If Tryphon knew the answers. Raine didn’t know what to do now. She sat in the chair, her body throbbing from head to toe. Her mind churning. She’d never watched two men have sex before, had never thought to. And she’d certainly never imagined it would make her feel this way. There wasn’t a part of her body that wasn’t shaking. And that trembling was the good kind, not the bad, like when she was furious or terrified. What did they expect now? Tryphon had pulled out of Bale’s anus, and they were holding each other tenderly. His eyes were closed, but once in a while, he’d open them and glance her way. Bale had peeked at her, too, but neither of them had spoken yet. Not to her. Not to each other.

She didn’t want to be the one to break the silence. It was beautiful and sedate, like a still pond at twilight. Not to mention, even though she kind of felt like she was a part of this intense moment, in another way, she felt like an outsider too. Should she leave? She shifted nervously in the chair, unable to stop herself. The softest brush of material against material filled the room. It was a sound no one would have heard normally, but in this moment it was as loud and grating as fingernails dragged down a chalkboard. Instantly, she stilled. Both guys looked at her. Her heart fluttered against her breastbone. And then they smiled, and she ran to them, welcoming their warm embraces. As she closed her eyes and absorbed the heat of their bodies, a terrifying thought crossed her mind. There was absolutely no way this would ever be just casual sex between them. Not for her. Not after this. Even though they’d done very little the past couple days but fuck, she felt something, a lot of something, for both of these guys. She didn’t want to, had told herself she wouldn’t, had vowed she’d never let herself get emotionally involved with a man, but… Argh! Ironically, she never got involved. Sex was just sex. She’d always been able to keep the two separate, until now.

Tryphon. Bale. All they wanted from her was a week of fun. Needed. Sex. Fun. And a little bit of small talk. For seven days. It was all going to end soon, this thing they’d started for some reason she had yet to understand. And then she’d go home. Settle into her new job, and return to her normal life. With a heart that felt as if it had been put through a meat grinder. How had this happened?

Chapter Eleven

“I say we stay in tonight,” Tryphon echoed Raine’s thoughts. He dragged a hand down her back then cupped her chin and lifted it. “Hungry?” “I…I sort of forgot.” She pressed her hand against her rumbling stomach. “Yes. I’m starving.” “Good.” Tryphon brushed his mouth over hers. It was no more than a teasing touch. “I’m having something special delivered in. I was going to wake you when it arrived, but since you’re awake already…” He stole a glance at Bale, grimaced. “Would it be okay if we had a few minutes? If you want to head down to grab something to drink, we’ll be right behind you.” “Sure.” She let Tryphon and Bale help her off the bed, and headed for the door, glancing back at them before stepping from the room. She’d walked no more than a couple of steps when the door shut behind her. Bale unfurled his fingers from around the doorknob and turned to face Tryphon. “What’s going on?” Tryphon stood mute, arms crossed over his chest, looking torn, weary, regretful. He shoved his fingers through his hair then dropped his head. “I didn’t plan…I don’t want to hurt you.” Dread, like icy fingers, curled around Bale’s heart and squeezed. “What does that mean?” Tryphon shook his head. “I don’t know what happened, why things are so different with this one. You know I’ve been struggling.” “Yeah.” Struggling with feelings for her, for Raine. And struggling with his lack of feelings for him. Shit.

It felt like all the strength was being drained from his body. Bale knew what was coming, could see it clearly, but he couldn’t stomach hearing the words. The door was right there. He could leave now and spare himself the agony of hearing them. He took a step in that direction. “Bale…” Would it be easier to take if he said them instead? “You don’t love—” The rest of the sentence got wedged in his throat. Bale struggled to spit them out. “No, no! I do love you.” Tryphon rushed to him and jerked him into a tight embrace. “Then what the hell, Tryph?” Confused, Bale circled Tryphon’s shoulders with his arms and held him, nuzzling his neck and filling his nose with Tryphon’s intoxicating scent. It was a bittersweet moment, as he clung to the most important person in his world, fearing he was about to lose him forever. His friend. His confidante. His partner. His lover. His everything. Tryphon’s hands smoothed up Bale’s back, over his shoulders and along his neck. Their upward movement stopped at his jaw. Their eyes met. “Listen to me. I love you more today than I have ever loved you.” “But?” “But.” Tryphon sighed and crushed his mouth over Bale’s, giving him the kind of soul-searing kiss they hadn’t shared in centuries. Swept up in raging, tumultuous emotions, Bale kissed Tryphon back. Tongues stroking, stabbing, caressing. Hard bodies slammed together. Hands grabbed and held, touched and clawed. It was Bale who finally broke the kiss, shoving out of Tryphon’s

tight hold. “But what, Tryphon? For chrisssakes, say what you need to say and quit torturing me like this. I know something’s changed between us. Until today, I hadn’t realized how distant we’d grown, how lazy we’d become, and how we’d neglected our relationship. It’s no wonder you’re ready to walk away—” “But I don’t want to.” Once again, Tryphon reached for Bale, curling his fingers around the base of Bale’s skull. He pressed his forehead against Bale’s, eyes closed. “I can’t live a day without you. Not even an hour. You are mine.” Mine. Bale’s heart plunged to his toes then surged back up again. Tryphon kissed him again, this time the kiss was sweet, gentle, full of tender and raw emotion. “Something special is happening to us. You sense it too. I know you do.” After brushing his mouth over Bale’s again, Tryphon tipped his head back a little, just enough so that Bale could see his features clearly. “Raine. I think she needs us and we need her. I don’t know why. It just is.” “Then what you’re saying is you want the three of us to be together, even after the Bonding is completed. Like this? Like it is now?” “Yes.” Bale didn’t know how he felt about Tryphon’s suggestion. “I hate to say it this way, Bale, but it’s not that I want the three of us to be together, I need the three of us to be together. But I don’t think I’m the only one of us who feels this way. I think we all do. I’m just the first to accept it.” Bale shrugged. “Maybe.”

Tryphon frowned. “Are you okay with this?” Bale clawed his fingers through his hair. “It’s a lot to deal with, and I’m not sure yet how this is all going to pan out.” “Do you trust me?” If there was one thing Bale never doubted, it was that he could trust Tryphon. Tryphon might be confused, dealing with something he didn’t know how to handle, but Bale knew he was still every bit as trustworthy as ever. “Yes, of course I do.” “Then you know I honestly believe I’m doing what’s best for all of us.” Bale took a deep breath, exhaled. “I trust you believe this is best for all of us, but I’m not sure yet if you’re right.” “Are you willing to talk about it?” “Yes.” “Okay. Good. We need to talk with Raine.” Not sure yet how he felt—he was too conflicted and confused at the moment to get a real handle on things—he gave Tryphon a tense smile. “Okay. Let’s go talk with Raine.” “And we need to tell her everything.” Tryphon gave him a final hug before they left the room, and Bale glanced back over his shoulder at the rumpled bed, wondering if what they were about to do would make things better or totally destroy everything. ***** The guys found Raine lounging in the family room, reclining on

the couch, a plate of fruit balanced on her hips, and The Bachelor playing on the big screen television. The dinner Tryphon had ordered hadn’t been delivered yet, so she’d made do with what she could find in the refrigerator—which wasn’t much. Tryphon, shirtless but sporting a pair of sweatpants and looking as scrumptious as ever, glared at the TV. “What are you watching?” “The Bachelor. I missed last night’s episode.” She popped a cherry into her mouth and bit down. Tangy. Yum. The scowl didn’t lift. “And what are you eating?” “Dinner hasn’t been delivered yet, and I was starving. But don’t worry, I’m still hungry. Had to get a little sugar in me, though. I was ready to pass out.” “Pass out?” Tryphon was at her side within seconds. “Dammit, I should have had something brought up—” “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Charmed by his concern, she gave him a reassuring smile. She caught his hand in hers and pulled. “Have a seat.” Glancing around Tryphon, she found Bale looking a little distant, distracted as he stared at the television. “Bale?” Bale gave her an empty smile. “Hungry?” “Yes, I just…” Worried, she shot Tryphon a questioning glance. The doorbell rang. Tryphon broadened his smile and tugged on her hand. “Dinner’s here. I hope you don’t mind a more casual evening.” “Casual is good.” Trotting alongside him, she let the fingertips of her free hand glide along the wall. “You don’t have to go all out for me every night.”

“I wanted to have a little more privacy tonight.” He answered the door, paid the delivery guy and carried the bag of food back down the hallway. Reaching the dining room first, he stepped to the side to let her pass. Bale hadn’t said anything in a while. As he followed her into the dining room, she checked his face, trying to read his expression. In her gut, she sensed he was as troubled and confused as she. Maybe more. But he wasn’t showing it. Not in his face, at least. She sat at the table, set for three and facing the windows. Tryphon and Bale sat on either side of her. She devoured toasted garlic bread and spinach dip like it was going to be her last meal. While she made a total pig out of herself, Tryphon and Bale chattered about what they’d done while she’d been sleeping. She felt guilty about blowing the whole day while they accomplished so much, but they made a point of not chastising her about it. Not even teasing a little. She hadn’t slept that late since the day after finals, her last semester of college. The rest of the meal went by pretty much the same way. The guys talked about their work, investments, current events, safe topics. She listened and fed her face. Finally, after dessert, they left the table and headed into the cozy den, where the lights were dimmed, some low music was playing and a fire was flickering in the fireplace. It was total romance. She settled on the couch, facing the fireplace, and kicked her feet up on the ottoman. The guys settled beside her, as always. Tryphon on her right. Bale on her left. “Now we talk,” Tryphon announced.

Raine wasn’t sure if he was asking her to say something or if he was preparing to make some big announcement. After shooting Bale a questioning glance, which he answered with a slightly bewildered one back, she threaded her fingers through Bale’s and rolled onto her hip, facing Tryphon. She threw her right arm over the back of the couch. “About what?” “About you. Me. Bale.” “Okay.” She snuck another peek at Bale. He didn’t look upset, confused or surprised. She guessed whatever this important conversation was all about, they’d discussed it earlier. “Raine, I know we talked about this thing being a temporary arrangement,” Tryphon started, his gaze shifting to Bale for a beat or two before continuing, “but Bale and I have talked about this, and we want to know if you’d consider something more permanent.” “Oh.” Unsure exactly what this more permanent arrangement was supposed to be, she rolled back to the middle and stared into the flames dancing and writhing in the fireplace. The voice in her head was screaming dire warnings. Danger. Trouble ahead. Heartache guaranteed. But something inside her made her ask, “What kind of something are you suggesting? Like a regular dating thing?” “Perhaps.” “With both of you?” She turned to Bale. “You said you love each other and aren’t looking for something more.” Bale nodded. “And I meant what I said, at the time.” He looked down at her hand. Threaded his fingers through hers and dragged his thumb over the top of her hand. “But things have changed. Something special’s happened here. And neither of

us want to walk away.” “You mean that? Honestly?” His gaze lifted and something sparked in his eyes. “Yes, Raine, I do.” “I don’t know.” Raine turned her attention back to the fire again. Wasn’t it appropriate that she was staring into flames when she was feeling like she was caught in the middle of a wildfire? Yes, she’d gotten emotional after watching them make love. And yes, she’d recognized that she was developing feelings for these men already. Their week of casual fun had taken a turn toward serious. But a part of her had been comforted by the fact that this intense, bizarre, turbulent semi-relationship was about to end in a few days. Now…? She’d spent so many years holding back, keeping people at a distance, she wasn’t sure she knew how to let someone get close anymore. More importantly, she wasn’t sure she knew how to trust anyone, even two men who’d done nothing—with the exception of that cage episode—to make her doubt them. They’d been upfront and honest since then. Polite. Sweet. Open. Giving. But it’d been such a short time. Bale cleared his throat. “There’s something we need to tell you, though. Before you decide.” And maybe she’d been an idiot to think they’d been completely honest. She didn’t look at either of them, just nodded her head to indicate that she wanted to hear whatever big secret they felt they needed to confess.

He continued, “The reason we asked you to stay here with us this week had nothing to do with your job or getting to know you personally.” “Was it just about sex then?” Tryphon shook his head. “No, it wasn’t even that. Although that’s a part of the real reason, in a roundabout way.” Now she was totally confused. “Then why?” Tryphon and Bale swapped tense glances then Tryphon said, “Because we have a…medical condition, and you are the cure.” Could things get any more confusing? How could fucking her be a cure for anything? Unless… “Ohhhh. You mean a sexual problem. Like you couldn’t get an erection.” Bale laughed. Tryphon’s face turned the deepest red she’d ever seen. “No, not exactly.” “Then I don’t understand. Do I want to understand?” Tryphon nodded, his fingers curling around her other hand. “We need you to understand.” He smoothed the palm of his free hand over her knee then dragged his index finger down the side of her face. “First, we want you to know this isn’t something we’ve ever done, ever dreamed we would do, or ever planned.” Raine’s stomach twisted in her belly. Those were the kinds of words that preceded bad news. She wanted to just leave the room, pack her things and head home. Now. In the long run, she knew that would be the best—safest—move. But no, she stayed put. Tryphon continued, “We are descended from a very special

bloodline. Sadly, we’ve inherited a certain…physical trait—or a vulnerability—that requires us to do something about once a year that some people would find completely horrifying.” So far, they’d done nothing horrifying to her. Was it yet to come? “Like…?” she asked. Bale and Tryphon exchanged more leery glances, which did nothing to ease her skittery nerves. “Do you really need to explain all this to me?” “I think we do,” Bale answered. “Yes.” “But I’m not sure I’m ready for that permanent thing you mentioned anyway. So really, there may be no need to go there, if you get my drift.” The guys shot each other yet another look. “Why aren’t you sure you’re ready, Raine?” Tryphon asked. “We’re not demanding you live with us. Just maybe spend an evening a week with us, doing what we’ve been doing this week.” One evening a week might be doable. But that depended upon a lot of things—like how that evening was spent. Then again, considering how she’d reacted earlier, she shouldn’t even consider it. Already she was having major problems keeping her emotions under control. Maybe that was because she was here in their house, and they were spending so much time together. Argh. This situation was going from difficult to impossible. She swallowed a sigh. “The fucking part, I might be willing to think about. But beyond that…” “Why?” Tryphon asked. She shrugged, trying to make light of the conflicts churning in her soul, and recited her pat answer, “It’s simple. I don’t want a

relationship. I don’t need the complications that go along with one. I don’t want to be committed to anyone. I’m just not wired that way. Call me a weirdo.” Tryphon squeezed her hand. “You’re not weird.” He cupped her cheek, forcing her to meet his intense gaze. “But if you truly believe you don’t want—or need—something more than sex, then you’re fooling yourself.” She jerked her face away. “You don’t know me. You can’t say that.” “Everyone needs to feel connected to someone,” Tryphon insisted. “You just don’t want it.” She needed space. Tryphon was pushing again, too hard. That little habit of his drove her crazy. “You’re wrong.” Desperate to get away, she scrambled to her feet, making a beeline for the kitchen. “I need a drink.” “Who hurt you?” Bale asked, following her. Pivoting, she lifted her hands, holding them up in front of her chest, a silent plea for them to stop following her, stop drilling her, just stop. “Nobody hurt me. So, please, just let it go. I’ve never been in love. I’ve never had a steady boyfriend. Ever. No one hurt me.” Standing behind Bale, Tryphon leaned a shoulder against the wall. “Then it goes back further than that. Your parents?” Grrrr! “Nope. Now will you two stop with the Freud act?” Silence. Glorious silence. She poured a glass of cola, consumed half of it in a series of long gulps then refilled her glass.

Meanwhile, a zillion thoughts echoed through her head. One of them repeated over and over, louder than all the others— This is not going to work out. “I think we should just talk about this tomorrow.” This time the silence wasn’t comforting. It was tense, making her twitchy and anxious. Tryphon’s expression changed, softened. “I want to tell you a story. Will you listen?” “Story time.” Whew, relief. She donned her best smile. “Hey, if it means you’ll stop trying to dissect my past, then okay, sure.”

Chapter Twelve

Tryphon motioned for them to head back to the family room. As she sat, Bale next to her, Tryphon continued to the back of the room. Her glass of cola cupped in her right hand, she stared at the fire again, her insides churning as violently as the flames. A couple of minutes later he returned with three goblets of red wine, handed one to her and another to Bale. She set her cola on the table next to her then lifted the goblet and sipped. The wine was both spicy and sweet. Delicious. She drank more. Tryphon cleared his throat. “You’re struggling with understanding domination and submission, Raine. I can see it, and I can relate. Which is why I want to share with you what happened to me a long time ago.” He took several swallows of wine then continued, “For many years I fought to understand myself, the…urges…that drove me to do things I couldn’t accept. I had always believed myself to be a strong man, able to curb my will when necessary. But when it came to those dark drives, I found myself completely overpowered. I hated that feeling—of such utter loss of control.” Raine nodded, glad they’d switched to a safer topic, and hoping he might finally appreciate what she was trying to tell him. This was it, she realized—her ticket to freedom. If he was looking for a weekly domination and submission partner, he had the wrong girl. “I’ve been trying to tell you. I don’t feel any urges like you describe.” There was a stretch of tense silence. Tryphon glanced at Bale. She twisted to look at Bale, too, wondering what he thought about this conversation. His expression revealed absolutely nothing.

Tryphon cleared his throat. “One night I met a man who changed everything. I owe him a great deal…” “I owe him too,” Bale added softly, his statement surprising Raine, confusing her too. “Because by then, my relationship with Tryphon was suffering so badly, I was sure it was over,” he explained, motioning between Tryphon and himself. “That night saved us.” “What happened?” Raine asked, sensing Tryphon was struggling to find the right words to say. Tryphon drained his glass, leaned forward and set it on the coffee table. “I learned to love myself. And I learned what it meant to submit to something stronger than my will.” She heard the raw emotion in every word, which made her wonder how painful his journey had been. Had he hated himself for what he was? For those urges he couldn’t control? “I’m glad then. For both of you.” She studied his profile as he stared straight ahead. He looked distant, almost like he was lost in a daydream. “It was a night I’ll never forget. Painful but also wonderful. Liberating.” Tryphon turned his head, meeting her gaze. “I can’t describe how it felt. It was what I needed, more than anything. And I knew it in my heart, even if I wasn’t entirely ready to accept it at first.” “How did this man help you?” “He told a story, my story.” Confused, she asked, “You mean his story? Like you’re doing?” “No.” Tryphon stood, talking as he walked back to the bar to refill his glass. “The man I’m referring to wasn’t my lover or

friend. He was my father. A man I’d never known and yet despised. I’d hated him for years because of what he was and what he’d done to me. That hatred had festered, growing like a cancer, eating away everything that was good and leaving only the tainted.” He raised his glass in a silent toast then drank. “But that wasn’t his fault. It was mine. And I finally faced that fact that night.” He lifted the bottle of wine with his other hand, pouring as he explained, “I also accepted the real reason for my urges. They were part of my nature, rather than some kind of deviance.” He set the bottle down and returned to the couch. But rather than sitting again, he straddled her legs, leaning over her, his gaze warming as it swept over her face. “I’m not sick, Raine. I’m not deranged. I’m not broken. And even though those urges make me feel exposed and powerless sometimes, it’s okay.” Once again, he lifted his glass to his mouth and tipped it back, draining half the wine in a series of gulps. He set his glass down, extended his arms to brace himself against the back of the couch, trapping her head between his arms. “I love Bale more than I can say, and our love will last forever. But our relationship is lacking one very vital element. I’m a man whose very essence is defined by my dominance, just like my father’s, and yet that aspect of my personality only shows itself when I am vulnerable, when I need something. I was that way from birth. I will be that way until the day I die.” “I think I understand.” “Because of the depth of my need, I would never abuse a submissive’s trust.” Raine didn’t know what to say after that. Suddenly, everything about Tryphon made sense. His need to control, to dominate. And strangely, she felt like any woman who stepped into the role of his submissive would be the luckiest woman on earth.

She still didn’t understand, though, what made him think she could be that woman. She didn’t have a submissive bone in her body, not a one. She’d never had any fantasies involving submission. Nor did she feel it was particularly sexy to get on her knees and submit to a man. Not to mention, that whole submission thing required her to be open and honest. Exposed and defenseless in the most impossible way. It just wasn’t meant to be. “Will you tell us now?” Tryphon asked, smoothing a hand up her arm. “I’ve bared my soul to you. I’ve shared a part of me that only Bale has seen. The darkest corners of my soul. It’s your turn, now.” She slowly shook her head. “Tryphon, I appreciate how hard that must have been for you. I don’t want you to think for one minute that I don’t realize that.” Standing, she wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m grateful you told me that story, though, because more than ever I see that I can’t be what you want, what you need.” “Why?” “Because I can’t make myself change for you. I won’t do that. Not for any man.” Tryphon took a step toward her but halted when she flinched. “You wouldn’t be changing yourself. You’d be accepting yourself, just like I did.” “I don’t see it that way.” He reached a hand in her direction then let it fall. “Not yet. That’s because you don’t want to accept the truth.” She took another step backward. “How could you possibly be

so sure, Tryphon? It’s been such a short time. Some people can be married for years—decades, even—and not know each other.” “Is that what you’re scared about?” Bale asked, still watching the intense exchange from the couch. “Huh?” she asked. Bale explained, “About making a mistake? Falling in love with someone and learning later he isn’t who you thought?” “No.” “Then what is it?” Tryphon took another step toward her. “Something is holding you back. A fear.” Adamant, she shook her head. “Absolutely not. I’m not afraid of anything.” “Afraid of love?” Another step closer. “No.” She moved back. “Afraid of commitment?” Tryphon asked. “No.” Tryphon took several steps this time, stopping directly in front of her. “Afraid of losing yourself?” “No, no, no. Now, would you quit? I’m not scared. I’m not running away from anything,” she said, totally aware of the fact that she had been subconsciously backing away from him, so contrary to her words. She forced herself to stop, hold her ground and look him in the eye. “I’m just being an intelligent, independent woman and making a choice that is in my best interest.”

“Afraid of losing control?” Tryphon’s question was a challenge. “No,” she lied. He caught her upper arms in his fists and jerked her roughly against him, slamming his mouth down to hers. His kiss was full of dark fire and lust, passionate and raw. Angry, shocked, she struggled against him, shoving at his chest, writhing against his bulk. But he didn’t stop, didn’t ease up a bit. Still kissing her, he muscled her across the room, down the hallway. At the top of the basement stairs, he hefted her over his shoulder like the brute he was. Now she was seriously pissed. Hadn’t he heard a word she’d said? “Put me down, dammit!” she screamed as he hauled her down the steps. Eventually, he put her down. But not gently. Feeling herself fall, she thrust her arms out behind her, catching herself as she flopped onto a cushion. Anticipating his next move, she threw herself onto her stomach, hoping to logroll or crawl out of his reach. But he slammed down on top of her, pinning her down. The air left her lungs in an oooph . In the seconds it took to reinflate them, she lay pretty much motionless and seething beneath him. What the hell did he think he was going to accomplish by going all Dom on her, especially when she’d made it perfectly clear this power play stuff was not her thing? And where the hell was Bale? Why hadn’t he followed them? “Tryphon!” she growled, squirming. She could feel a very prominent bulge resting against her bottom. Grrrr! Leave it to a Dom to get hard from wrestling with an unwilling submissive. “Let me up!”

“Not yet.” “Isn’t there some rule about forcing people to submit?” she grumbled when he still refused to let her up. “There is,” he responded, sounding cool and calm. “So…?” “I’m not forcing you to submit to me.” What the hell? “What do you call this then?” “Ummmm. Foreplay?” “Foreplay? It might be for you. It’s doing nothing for me. Nothing whatsoever,” she lied as a rush of sensual heat charged through her system. “Sure it is.” Argh! Grrr. He couldn’t know the truth. “No, it’s not,” she insisted. “I know you’re getting hot. I can smell it.” Smell? “If I stink it’s just because I’m roasting under here. You men crank out some serious heat.” “The scent I smell is not from sweat.” She didn’t know how to respond to that one. If he could truly smell something coming off her, then she couldn’t deny that their wrestling match had surprisingly sparked a mild simmer in her blood. But that didn’t mean she was ready to spread her legs and beg him to climb on board. Or beg him to chain her up

and paddle her. Or even forgive him for getting all dominating and manhandling her down here. She said no. That meant no, dammit. He caught her wrists in his hands and dragged them up over her head. He was breathing hard, his breaths sharp bursts in her ear as he bent down. “Someday you’ll admit the truth, Raine. You’ll say the words aloud, ‘Take me, Master. I am yours.’ By nature, I am not a patient man, but I’m willing to wait.” Growing breathless, she turned her head to the side. “You’ll be waiting a long time to hear those words come out of this mouth, Tryphon.” “Not as long as you think.” He bent his leg and forced it between hers, dragging it up to push her thighs apart. It rubbed against her covered pussy. She sucked in a gasp as a wave of longing rippled through her body. No, this wasn’t happening. She wasn’t getting aroused. “How does it feel, lying here like this, unable to move, to resist? Powerless and at my mercy?” “Awful.” “Not so.” He moved his knee in a circular motion, creating a delicious friction between her legs. She bit back a groan then started jerking and writhing beneath him again. If only he weren’t so fucking big. And strong. And… hard. He chuckled in her ear. “Resist it, yes. Oh yes. It’ll make your blood burn hotter.” That was it! How dare he laugh at her. “Fuck you.”

“Okay, you may, but only on my terms.” “That’s not what I meant.” “But it’s what you said. Are you playing a game?” He pressed that knee harder against her pussy, and more sizzling desire shot through her body. She dropped her forehead onto the cushion and shut her eyes, willing her body to stop reacting to him. His words. His voice. His hands. They were driving her mad with desire. Positively crazy. “I don’t play games.” “Everyone plays games.” He gathered both of her wrists into his right hand, freeing his left. He stroked the side of her face. It was a gentle caress, sweet, so different from the way he had been touching her. “Do you lie about everything?” “No, only when I have to. Where’s Bale?” “He’s here. Watching us. Watching you. Me.” He kissed her cheek, sweetly. Nipped her earlobe. Her jaw. Her neck. “I don’t believe you. He wouldn’t stand by and let you mistreat me.” “I’m not mistreating you. You know I’m not. And Bale knows it too.” He lifted his upper body from hers, and she sucked in the first deep breath she’d had in ages. Quickly, before he flattened her again, she craned her neck. Sure enough, she saw Bale standing nearby, watching, an unreadable expression on his face. “Bale needs to see your breasts.” Tryphon released the one wrist he’d been holding to grab her shirt.

“He does, does he? Are you sure it’s not you?” she snapped, yanking her arms down to stop him from pulling her top over her head. But, as she quickly learned, that wasn’t going to stop him from removing it. The thin material gave with a ragged riiiip , and the torn pieces fluttered off her back. Instantly, her entire torso was covered in goose bumps as prickly chills swept up her spine. “I can’t believe you just did that.” Her back stiffened as she felt him unhook her bra. “You gave me no choice.” “That’s bullshit. Bale hasn’t said a word about my breasts, or anything else for that matter. You should’ve left my shirt on until I was ready. Besides, he still can’t see my breasts, not with you sitting on top of me.” “I’m about to take care of that.” His weight lifted off her body and, grateful, she pushed up on hands and knees, but before she had herself positioned the way she wanted, Tryphon wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her to her feet. “Dammit, let me go. I told you, I don’t like your games.” “You lie again.” He tsked her, as if she was a naughty child, and plopped her on a bench. Sensing she wasn’t going to like what was coming next, she shoved at his chest and tried to jump to her feet. But Tryphon was so much bigger, a hell of a lot stronger. Yes, she liked her men to be masculine, to be powerful and strong, intelligent and determined. But this was not what she’d imagined. Before she could stop him, he had both her wrists locked in cuffs and the cuffs chained to the tall vertical beam bolted to the end of the bench. Now, breathless from struggling, she sat straddling the bench, her arms lifted straight up so that her upper arms pressed

against the sides of her head. The position left her feeling both bare and vulnerable, which was odd, since both Bale and Tryphon had seen her naked already. At least she still had her pants on. While Tryphon headed toward the back of the room, she looked at Bale. “You stopped him before. Why aren’t you stopping him now?” she asked, her frustration clear in her voice. Bale shook his head. “I agree with him.” “You’re both wrong. I don’t want this. I don’t like it at all, not even a little bit. It’s degrading and humiliating and cruel.” “Cruel?” Bale stepped closer. His gaze swept down her body, back up again. “Do you honestly believe that?” “Yes!” He traced the curve of her collarbone with a fingertip. “Is it cruel to give you what you wish for?” “I don’t wish—” “Hush. I’m not into playing domination and submission games but even I can see…” He bent down, until his lips hovered over hers. His sweet breath teased her mouth, her nose. He flicked a fingertip over her nipple, and she gasped. “It makes you mad, being tied up, but it does something else too.” His lips curled into a wicked smile. “You’re so pretty when you blush like that, when the fire of your lust burns in your eyes. Yes, Tryphon’s right. When you’re mad, your passion burns hotter.” “No, when I’m mad, I’m just mad.” He smiled. “Do you think you can keep believing that when we make you come?”

“You won’t.” “Tryphon is not a man to back down from a challenge. Neither am I.” Now, it was a matter of pride. She’d never seen Bale look like this, so cocky, like Tryphon. It wouldn’t be difficult to avoid coming, not when she was so uncomfortable, both physically and emotionally. More than ever, she was determined to end this thing, rather than let it develop into something more permanent. She didn’t need games, aggravation, a pair of overbearing assholes who thought they knew how to cure her of whatever emotional problems they seemed to think she had. She’d lived this long without them, without their brand of sex therapy. She was plenty happy to continue to live the same way after this was over. “Off with the pants.” Bale didn’t wait for her to respond, just grabbed at the waist of her knit sweatpants and jerked them down over her hips. Her underwear came off last. Then, as she sat there cold and stiff and furious, he chained her ankles out to the sides and unfastened the longer portion of the bench’s seat, taking it away, so that her buttocks rested on a small piece of padded wood. Her pussy tingled. Her heart jumped. But she kept her expression as deadpan as she could. Yes, once again her insides were sizzling, and no, it wasn’t because they’d kissed her, caressed her. It was because they’d wrestled her into submission. But that didn’t mean she was a natural-born submissive, or that she wanted to play bondage games. Tryphon returned, a basket with some things cradled in his arms. He set the basket down on the floor then turned to Bale and undressed him, slowly, hands gliding over Bale’s

shoulders, chest, stomach, legs, buttocks, calves. Then Bale did the same, touching, kissing and nipping Tryphon’s deeply tanned skin. The way their hands worked over each other captivated her. Long, tapered fingers tickling and tormenting sensitive napes, backs, thighs. Lips, tongues and teeth licking, biting, rasping. The room filled with the sound of ragged breathing, the smack of lips and low male moans of pleasure. Unable to do anything but watch, Raine curled her fingers around the chains holding her arms up and fought to control the steady thrum of lust coursing through her veins. They were so beautiful. So perfect. If only they weren’t so damned infuriating. They turned their fiery gazes to her, and she nearly melted. Her empty pussy clenched, the rhythmic contracting of muscles forcing a stream of hot juices from her center. Tryphon’s lips curled into a smile that was one percent sweet and one hundred percent evil. “You think we’ve been cruel, do you?” Tryphon and Bale exchanged grins then Tryphon knelt between her spread legs, pressing his hard length against her body. She turned her head but her nose filled with the smooth, sensual odor of his skin. He swayed his hips, performing an erotic dance against her. His skin chafed her aching nipples, causing the lust churning inside her body to spike hotter. He dipped his head, raked his teeth gently down her neck. It was the most amazing sensation. “I’ll ask again,” he murmured against her neck. “How does it feel, being powerless like this, at my mercy?” “Awful.” That was no lie, although the awfulness didn’t come

from being afraid or furious with him. More from being frustrated with her traitorous body. “Awful?” He chuckled. “If that’s so, I look forward to making you feel even worse.” He ran his index fingers down the inside of her arms, the light touch making her shiver and jump. Down they went, to her armpits, lower, around the sides of her breasts, over her ribcage, the swell of her hips. “I am going to torment you until you beg for mercy.” A ripple of anticipation shot up her spine. “Please, let me go.” He dragged his hands over the tops of her thighs. “Are you in pain?” She wanted to say yes, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie. “No.” “Bale will let your arms down.” “Thank you.” She breathed easier, expecting him to free them, and give her back a little of the power they’d taken away. But instead of completely unchaining them, he merely secured them downward, so that they were wrapped backward, around the vertical post supporting her spine and tied to the bench’s bottom instead. The vertical post’s hard wood bit into the soft flesh of her upper arms when she tensed. She shut her eyes and concentrated on relaxing. And she succeeded, for maybe ten seconds. Then Tryphon kissed her inner thigh, Bale cupped her breasts, and every muscle in her body jerked tight. “Remember now…” Tryphon teased, his voice low and rich and full of erotic promises, “Fight us. Don’t let us prove we’re right, Raine.” She shook her head, promising, “I won’t let you.”

“Good. Bale?” Together, her cruel tormenters licked and nipped, pinched and caressed while they murmured taunting words in her ears. “You couldn’t enjoy this.” “We are so unkind, you must despise us.” “Why are you breathing so quickly, Raine?” She fought as long and hard as she could, but slowly the erotic need they stirred forced her pride aside, and she lost complete control over the need blazing inside her. She trembled as they played her body, using it as a weapon against her. She knew what they were doing but couldn’t stop them. “Tell us again, how cruel we are,” Tryphon said as he teased her pussy with the tip of a dildo. “How I adore this game of yours. It drives me wild with desire. I want you like I’ve wanted no woman before.” She rocked her head to the side and arched her back, pushing her hips forward. “You are the meanest bastards I’ve ever met.” “Now tell us how grateful you are for our cruelty.” He pushed just the tip into her empty cunt, and she moaned, desperate to be filled, to have relief from the aching need inside her. “I need to hear you say the words.” The words came to her lips but she couldn’t utter them. “We are right, Raine,” Bale whispered. He nipped her earlobe, rolled her tight nipples between his fingers. “Admit it. To us. To yourself.” “No.” “The game continues,” Tryphon said.

The dildo disappeared and she whimpered but she didn’t speak the words they were waiting to hear. She couldn’t. She was too scared of where that would take her, what kind of emotional hell she’d find herself falling into if she did. Already, she’d given these two men more control over her than she’d ever given any man. She couldn’t give them more, even though her body burned for them, and the sweet words they said gave her the kind of joy she’d never imagined could exist. “It seems we haven’t tormented her enough,” Bale said, threading his fingers through hers. It was a sweet gesture, conflicting harshly with his words. But one she appreciated. Sadly, it didn’t last long. He released her hand, walking around her side, letting one of his fingernails drag over her flesh as he circled her. “Look at what you do to this man, how desperate you make him, just by denying him.” She blinked open her eyes, her gaze meeting Tryphon’s heavylidded one, and a gasp swept up her throat. Bale wasn’t exaggerating, not if what she saw in Tryphon’s eyes could be believed. The man was as tormented as, if not more than she, and for the first time, she found herself looking to him as a comfort in her misery, rather than the source of it. “I’m sorry, Tryphon.” She understood now. As much as he hungered for her to submit, he equally needed her to resist. He wished to take the power, to force her to her knees, not have it handed freely, and suddenly she realized why he’d seemed to have reacted to her so intensely. Perhaps she’d been the first one to deny him. “No.” Tryphon pinched Raine’s sweet little chin between his thumb and forefinger. The tip of his cock grazed her nether lips, both touches eliciting a tremor deep within his body. “Don’t

apologize to me. Don’t. I’m not ready for our dance to end.” He swayed his hips, his cock skimming over her labia. How could he have not seen it earlier? Not realized the truth sooner? The reason he’d been so captivated by Raine was so clear now, so obvious. He felt like such a fool for not recognizing it earlier. She was the first woman to deny him, the first submissive with the strength of will to truly test his dominance. Other women had played at the meek and unwilling submissive but not believably. But Raine, even though he was absolutely positive she craved submission, she fought him at every turn. By damn, it was enough to drive him crazy. In both a good and very infuriating way. He would get her to kneel before him eventually, but until that sweet moment, he would relish the conquering. They would perform an erotic dance of challenge, denial, demand and obedience. It would be a dance of love and hate, passions burning, desires flaring. To a man who had grown weary of power play, this very real struggle was like a breath of life for his soul. He felt more alive and powerful than he’d felt in centuries. Bale nearly wept as he watched Tryphon and Raine battle each other. Now, finally, he understood his lover and his needs. Raine could give Tryphon what Bale could never give him, the challenge of conquering her will and the reward of his final victory once he succeeded. It wasn’t a matter of his love not being enough. It had never been about his love not being enough. It went much deeper than that, to the darkest regions of Tryphon’s soul.

Chapter Thirteen

Raine could hardly believe what kind of thoughts were going through her head right now. In some respects, the past few minutes had given her such clarity. And yet in others, they’d made her more confused than ever. Such as now she understood why Tryphon had behaved as he had with her. But she couldn’t comprehend why he thought she was a natural-born submissive—apparently in denial. This experience had shown her a tiny glimpse of what domination and submission was all about, and even though she was aroused, she was still far from convinced this was what she needed. Unlike Tryphon, whose sexuality and personal relationships obviously revolved around domination and submission, hers didn’t. She’d lived for many years without it. Granted, she’d had no truly romantic relationships, but she most definitely didn’t feel as though her sexual relationships had been missing something. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye as the guys unfastened the bindings holding her arms and legs. She wasn’t really sure what emotion had produced that single droplet of saltwater. At the moment she wasn’t interested in investigating. Instead, as she was helped to her feet, she chose to turn off the annoying voices in her head and lose herself in sensation. She wrapped her arms around Tryphon’s neck and clung to him. Bale caressed the backs of her thighs, her buttocks, her back and shoulders. Then the two of them led her upstairs to their bedroom. They kissed and cuddled her as they walked her over to the bed. They stared at her with fierce expressions as she lay back on the mattress.

Tryphon caught her ankles in his fists and pulled until her bottom was positioned at the edge of the mattress. Standing with one bent knee in his hand, he thumbed her clit with the other, teased her pussy with his fingers then drove into her with a swift, hard claiming. The most amazingly delicious sensation tore through her body. She snapped her eyelids shut, arched her back and drew her knees back. Deeper. Harder. Soooo good. She felt the mattress sink on her right and guessed Bale was sitting beside her now. Seconds later, his hand was on her breast, teasing, pinching her nipple. While Tryphon’s cock pounded into her pussy, Bale’s hot mouth closed over the hard tip. Teeth grazed the sensitive flesh, sending jolts of pleasure up her spine. Tongue swirled round and round, adding softer but oh-so wonderful ripples of wanting to the mix. Tighter. Hotter. With each nip, thrust, touch, her body burned hotter, her desire increasing. She was floating in a sea of pulsing warmth and glorious sounds and tastes. She was lost. Boneless. Soft. Merging with the sensations. Almost gone. Her thighs trembled as she tightened her inner muscles around Tryphon’s cock. Somehow, she raised a hand. It found the slope of Bale’s back. She hooked her fingers, clawing into the smooth flesh. In turn, he bit gently on her nipple. Closer. Ah, the full-body tingle of climax. It sparked through her like twinkling stars. First in her chest then up her neck to her face, her scalp. Down her legs to her feet. Almost. The sound of her gasps filled the silence, the air sawing in and

out of her lungs. Suddenly, a little disorientated, she threw herself into the pleasure churning within her. Her stomach pulled tight. Her body quaked. And then there was agonizing pain, on her neck, and a flash. Those twinkling stars exploded everywhere. She heard herself cry out. Heard her voice echo through the room but the sound was muffled by the deep pounding of her heart. On her climax lasted, ten thumping heartbeats. Twenty. More. She shook. She cried. She begged for more then begged for relief. Finally, the sensations eased, no longer so intense they were agonizing. She opened her eyes, watched as Tryphon withdrew from her body, reached over to Bale and kissed him. Their mouths worked over each other’s lips. She saw tongues stabbing in and out. Hands stroked. Arms, legs, stomachs pulled tight, muscles coiling into taut ropes. Bale threw his head back, eyes closed, an expression of rapture touching his features. Raine slid back slowly, mesmerized by the sight of those two glorious men touching, kissing, giving and taking. She doubted she’d ever get tired of watching them. Tryphon licked his way down Bale’s neck, over his collarbone to his chest. “Come here, Raine. Let’s give our lover pleasure together.” A shudder swept up Raine’s spine. She knelt beside Bale, exploring his beautiful body with her

hands, tongue, teeth. Every now and then, Tryphon’s hands would slide over hers as they stroked and caressed Bale’s smooth, damp skin. And when their faces met, at Bale’s bellybutton, Tryphon cupped the back of her head and pulled her closer for a kiss. The flavors of Bale’s sweet skin and Tryphon flooded her mouth. Intoxicating. After he stabbed his tongue in and out a few times, he broke the kiss and gently forced her head down until her kiss-swollen lips met the ruddy head of Bale’s erect cock. “Take him in your mouth, Raine,” Tryphon whispered. “We’ll make him come, together.” While she slid her lips over the tip, she used her tongue to cushion his head and suckled. He groaned, curled his fingers into her hair and pulled until his cock escaped her mouth with a sexy little popping sound. Tryphon dipped over Bale’s cock, replacing her mouth with his. She watched as he opened his mouth to let Bale fuck him deeply until his lips reached the base of Bale’s thick cock. Up he went and then it was her turn again. Back and forth they worked, Tryphon then her, fucking Bale’s cock with their mouths. All three of them touched and explored each others’ bodies as they gave and received pleasure. The room heated, filling with the coarse huffing sound of their labored breathing. Raine’s body coated with slick sweat. She sensed Bale was getting closer to release. His skin was hot, a deep magenta stain creeping up his chest. His movements grew jerky, his moans rough and ragged. Tryphon gently forced her away, straddled Bale’s rod and sank down on it, taking him in the ass. Raine sighed, wrapped her arms around Tryphon’s chest and straddled his hips so that she was riding Tryphon as he rode Bale. Tryphon held her, kissed her while she slipped a hand between their bodies to stroke her clit. Together, they generated

the heat of a nuclear reaction until all three of them were groaning, writhing, lost in their pleasure. Raine cried out as she came a second time, and two male voices joined hers. Bodies trembled. Hands soothed. Words drifted between them, sweet promises. And for the third time that day, she wept as emotions so profound she couldn’t grasp them rained down upon her heart. She’d never known sex could be like this—more than the joining of bodies. More than the simple give and take of sensual pleasure. So wonderful. So terrifying. Over the remaining few nights, the sex she shared with Tryphon and Bale grew even more intense. And a thousand times more satisfying than it had ever been with anyone else. Sex no longer just satisfied a physical need, it fed her soul. There was only one problem—it couldn’t continue. ***** It was almost time. Raine stood in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror, and marveled at how much the past week had impacted her. Never had she experienced such intense sensual pleasures, but that wasn’t what amazed her the most. It was the emotional journey these men had taken her on throughout the week. One that was both amazing and scary at the same time. One that had left her seriously questioning herself—whether she could ever be content to live the rest of her life alone. Play it safe with her heart. Keep shutting people out. Even though Tryphon and Bale had been busier with work the last couple of days, they’d found at least a few hours every

evening to spend some quiet time with her. Tryphon had tried to drill his way through her walls. He’d made some pretty hefty chips in them but he hadn’t been able to completely break through. And Bale had tried to work his way into her heart too. He was more the quiet strategist. Instead of attempting to bust through her defenses, he tried to sneak around them. No less dangerous. And, in many ways, much more effective. Now, she sat in the backyard, lounging in the dappled sunlight, the sun warming her skin. The guys would be home soon. Anticipation, mixed with a little sadness, was making her twitchy, uneasy. She’d tried watching television. She’d tried reading a book. She’d tried eating. Showering. Pampering herself. Nothing worked. Today, she had to tell Tryphon and Bale goodbye. Forever. Bale was the first to find her. He looked both happy and sad, as if he was already prepared for what she was about to tell him. Probably because she’d made it pretty clear from the start, despite their offer. To both their credits, neither had pushed her for a decision. “Hello, fiery sprite.” He bent over and gave her a sweet kiss, the kind that communicated deep affection without being demanding or possessive. Just the kind of kiss she didn’t need at the moment. “I want to talk to you about something important.” Here it comes. She nodded and watched as he pulled up a chair and settled into it. “Tryphon doesn’t feel you need to know this, since we’re both

guessing you have no plans to continue seeing us after…” He gave her a questioning look, a silent plea for her to deny what he’d said. She didn’t. “Anyway, I don’t give a damn. I’m going to tell you anyway.” “If it’ll make Tryphon upset, maybe it’s better—” “No,” he interrupted. “I want you to know everything.” He sighed. Stood. Paced. “Tryphon and I are not just suffering from some bizarre medical condition like we’ve kind of led you to believe. We’re descended from a race of beings that go back millennia, to days the human race has long forgotten.” “Beings?” she echoed. “Yes, that’s right. We’re like humans in some ways and unlike them in others. For example, our bodies age much slower than humans’. We live for hundreds of years.” Raine felt like she had just stepped into the Twilight Zone or some freakish thriller film. What was this? “I don’t understand. Beings? Race? Your race has lived for hundreds of years?” Looking serious, as if he genuinely believed the strange words he was saying, he shook his head. “No. Each individual lives for hundreds of years.” He leaned toward her, setting one of his hands on top of hers. “I know it’s hard to understand, and even more difficult to believe, but I’m telling the truth. I was born in England, during the reign of Queen Anne. In the summer of the year 1710. I met Tryphon shortly after traveling to America, and we both fought under General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War.” She snatched her hand away and lurched to her feet, wrapping

her arms around herself. A chill crept up her arms, like spiders. “Almost three hundred years? That’s impossible.” She didn’t understand. What was Bale trying to do by telling her such an unbelievable story? Scare her away? There was no need for him to do that. He knew she wasn’t coming back. And he wouldn’t make such a thing up to keep her here. Besides, he’d never lied to her. Why start now? Standing, he nodded his head. “It’s very possible, and I can prove it. If you want to come inside.” How could anyone prove he’d lived for just shy of three hundred years? Even if she couldn’t believe him she was curious enough to take him up on the offer. She stood. “Okay. Let me see your proof.” She followed him into the house, upstairs, to a bedroom located at the very end of the hallway. “These are mine.” He opened the closet and started pulling out delicate-looking articles of clothing. Aged. Worn. And handmade. If they were reproductions, they were darn good ones. “And these. You can’t deny the truth when you see the pictures.” Next, he went to a massive dresser and pulled out some old photograph albums, like the ones her grandparents had owned, and set them on the bed. “And just in case you still don’t believe me, here are some other things.” He returned to the closet and pulled down several boxes, adding letters, hand-painted portraits, books, and other personal items to the pile. Slowly, fascinated, she picked through the items. Having been a total history geek forever, she found every piece absolutely fascinating. The way the clothing was sewn together. The fragile books printed in the early 1800s. The faded photographs that couldn’t have been faked.

In the old pictures Tryphon and Bale looked exactly as they did today, with one small difference—they were wearing clothing from the turn of the twentieth century. And sitting atop horses. Or standing next to Model T cars. Letters. Journals. Newspaper clippings. She read them all, completely immersing herself into the shadows of Bale’s and Tryphon’s past. Slowly, she accepted the impossible. She had no idea how much time had passed until Bale returned later asking if she was hungry. Her stomach rumbled. “How?” she asked, pointing at the closest portrait. “How could this be? It’s impossible.” “It’s impossible for humans. But not for us.” “Us? What are you?” She trailed an index finger over the lumpy surface of an oil painting. Tryphon’s face smiled up at her, looking just as dark and mysterious and sexy as in real life. “We’re what you would call vampires.” “Vampires,” she repeated, not sure what to believe. “We don’t call ourselves vampires, since it has a derogatory connotation. But that is the most common term you humans use.” “Vampires,” she repeated, still staring at Tryphon’s portrait. Bale sat beside her. “Once a year, we seek out a human for one week and form what we call a Blood Bond. During this time, two of us feed on the same human every night. By doing so, a special reaction takes place within the human’s body, producing a chemical that prolongs our lives by basically turning back the clock.” “Feed?” She glanced up at him. “On blood?”

He nodded. “We consume the human’s blood.” She lifted her hand to her neck and fingered a tender spot, located over the beating pulse point. “You didn’t consume my blood, did you?” “We did.” Another chill raced up her spine. “When? How? You didn’t cut me. I don’t remember.” His finger touched the exact same spot hers had. “We bit you, right here. But you don’t remember because we produce venom that contains an amnesiac. It makes you forget.” “I…” She stared down, her eyes sliding to a photograph of Tryphon, standing next to a woman wearing a Victorian-era dress. Vampires. The men she’d come to respect and care about were vampires. And they’d used her as some kind of fuel. She shook off her confusion. What did it matter what they were? She was saying goodbye to them today, anyway. Humans. Vampires. Whatever. She swung her legs over the end of the bed. “I should get ready to head home.” Bale caught her upper arm. “What about dinner?” “I’m not so hungry anymore. I’d rather just get going. Now.” She pulled on her arm but he didn’t let go. “Bale?” “Wouldn’t you like to say goodbye to Tryphon? He’s not home yet.” She shook her head. “I think it would be better if I just go. Now. I mean, I’m not trying to be rude, and I’m not running because you told me you’re vampires. That’s weird but I’m actually handling that bit of news better than I ever would have guessed.

I just think it might be easier. For all of us. If I go now, quickly. Just get it over. You are through, right?” God, this was tough, talking about this. Facing this moment. It would have been difficult, awkward, even without the added shock Bale had delivered just now. “Yes, we’re through. Okay then.” He looked uncomfortable, as if he didn’t know what to do with his hands. Vampire or man, it looked as if his heart was breaking, and she wanted to hug him, to press her body against his and tell him she was sorry things couldn’t go a different way. But she didn’t, knowing it would only be cruel. Instead, she brushed past him, gathered up her packed suitcases, and headed for the stairs. Bale, being the gentleman he always was, carried them out to the car. Once again, as she stood next to the car, her bags already stowed in the trunk, he gave her a sad look. “I’ll drive you home unless you want us to call the limo.” “No, not the limo. Thanks.” The ride was excruciating. She gnawed on her lip and a ragged fingernail, staring blindly out the window while images from those old pictures flashed through her memory. Almost three hundred years. That was such a long time. What kind of amazing things had they seen? She couldn’t even imagine. Life had changed so much in the last three centuries. Technology had advanced. Inventions had changed the way everything was done. And they’d watched it all, lived through it. Suddenly, she realized why these two men had touched her the way they had. They were like no other men she’d ever met. They were men of days gone by, in so many ways different from the men of today.

Wise. Powerful. Strong. Worldly. Men of her fantasies. Men who were permanently out of her life. ***** “Where is she?” Tryphon asked as soon as Bale walked through the front door. He’d searched every inch of the house, both inside and out. “Do you know?” “Yes.” Bale’s sorrowful eyes met his. “I took her home.” “Home?” Tryphon repeated, feeling as though his heart had just been torn from his chest. She’d left. Without saying goodbye. Without telling him what he’d needed to hear. Fuck, his insides hurt. He dropped into a chair and let his head fall back. Cupped his hands over his face. “She went home.” “She thought it would be easier if she left before you returned.” After a short hesitation, Bale added, “I could tell it was difficult —” “Difficult,” Tryphon echoed. What a fucking understatement that was. It felt as if some bastard had torn his guts out and sent them through a meat grinder. He knew difficult. This was hell. And yet, he accepted her decision because it was hers. He didn’t like it, but he respected it. Ironically, she’d lived far fewer years than he, had no doubt seen a helluva lot less shit in her lifetime, yet something or someone had taught her that she wasn’t worthy of love. He’d like to disembowel whoever had been responsible.

The only thought that gave him the slightest comfort was knowing that she did love him. And Bale. He had to hope her love was strong enough to bring her back to them when she was ready. “Tryphon.” Bale rested a hand on his shoulder. Tryphon uncovered his face. “She’ll come back to us. She just needs a little time.” “I hope you’re right.” “I give her a couple weeks, a month tops. We’ve got to give her space, let her work through things. No pressure.” “Yeah, no pressure.” Bale smiled. “I miss her too. I had no idea how hard it would be to see her go, or come home without her.” “She’s special.” “Damn special.” “She’s ours,” Tryphon stated, determined to hear her say those words to him one day. “Yeah. Ours.”

Chapter Fourteen

The job was great. Her boss was wonderful. It was a huge relief to have money flowing into her bank account, rather than always out. And yet, she was miserable. Days passed. Weeks. It had been just shy of two months now since she’d left Tryphon and Bale’s house. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about them. Dreaming about them. It didn’t help that Liz seemed to be making a habit of leaving copies of newspapers with their names featured on the front pages strewn about the apartment. What was her devious roommate trying to do—drive her crazy? She’d been so sure that she would have gotten over them by now. After all, it had only been one week. One intense week. Of mostly intense sex. But still, only one. Right? She hadn’t fallen in love. No one fell in love after only a week, especially not her. “Admit it.” Liz slumped onto the couch, kicked off her shoes and threw an arm over Raine’s shoulder. “You love them.” “No. It’s not love,” she stated, skimming today’s front page. Billionaire playboy denies paternity of love child. Liz gave her a martyred glare and sighed. “Are you that stubborn? Nobody could be that out of touch with her emotions.”

“I’m not out of touch. I know exactly what I’m feeling.” She tossed the paper onto the coffee table. It landed on top of a towering heap of others, featuring headlines about Tryphon Zade. “What do you know, anyway? You’re not a shrink.” “Maybe I don’t have a piece of paper to hang on the wall, but I’m perceptive. Plus I can see what you don’t want to. Here, Dr. Liz’ll list the symptoms. First, you’ve lost at least ten pounds since coming home.” “That’s a good thing.” “You’re not on a diet, are you?” “No, not exactly, but—” “Uh huh.” Liz nodded, lifting an index finger. “Involuntary weight loss is a sign of depression—” “Among other things.” “Would you seriously prefer the cause to be one of those ‘other things’?” Raine considered her point. “No.” Liz raised her middle finger, adding it to the erect index finger. “Second, you have been living like a hermit since coming home. You haven’t accepted my offers to go out to the bar, the movies. Hell, you’ve even missed the last two book club meetings. You never missed one before.” “I’m just not in the mood to read right now. I don’t have time.” “Oh yes. You’re soooo busy these days. Not buying it. Could that be because the book club reads romance novels? And reading about someone else falling in love is painful?” “No.”

Liz lifted her ring finger. “Third, you’ve been hovering over the phone. Expecting a call?” “No.” “Anxious to talk to a mortgage sales rep who wants to help you refinance the house you don’t own? Or maybe the salesman who wants to sell you an extended warranty for a car you’ve never purchased?” Raine didn’t bother responding. “Let’s see…plus you’ve been sleeping a lot more than normal.” Liz raised her pinky finger. “That’s four signs.” Raine’s dark mood brightened a tiny bit. “That one is easy. I just started a new job, and you know how stressful that is. I’m tired.” Liz grunted. “That’s only semi-believable, but I’ll give it to you.” She dropped her hand and stared at Raine for several long moments. “But there’s one final sign, and this one you can’t explain away. I caught you crying the other night.” “That’s because I was watching Titanic .” Liz’s eyes narrowed to slits. “You’ve watched that movie a bazillion times. You never cried before.” They stared at each other for several long moments. “Why don’t you call them?” “Because there’s no point.” “Because…?” “We’ve talked about this.” Liz shook her head. “No, we haven’t talked about anything. I’ve asked questions and you’ve dodged them.” She grabbed Raine’s hand, gave it a soft tug. “Honey, I’m not trying to pry. I’m

seriously worried about you. What happened that week? If you’re not depressed because you miss those guys, then you’re suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or something. Please, please tell me what’s going on. I’m going crazy with worry.” Shit. Raine heaved a sigh. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m just feeling a little…confused right now. It’s nothing serious, and I’m sure I’ll be feeling better soon.” “Confused about what?” “About a lot of things.” “Like?” When Raine didn’t elaborate, Liz added, “We used to talk about everything. Guys. Sex. Our families. Work. Now, all of a sudden, you’re shutting me out. Are you confused about me? Our friendship?” Not everything. Raine hugged a throw pillow to her chest. “No, no. Not at all. I know you care and I know I can trust you.” She dropped her chin onto the upper edge of the pillow. “Then why are you keeping everything bottled up?” “Because…I don’t know how to talk about it. I don’t know where to begin.” “How about starting on the day they came to pick you up? Please, Raine.” “Okay.” Reluctantly, Raine rehashed the entire week, holding nothing back. She told Liz about Tryphon trying to make her submit, the original agreement they struck with her, the highlights of her sex with them. She also told Liz about their claim to have some kind of

physical ailment that she could cure. She didn’t elaborate on Bale’s later explanation. And finally, ended with their offer to keep things going after the week was over. At the end, Liz sat silent for several tense moments, visibly deep in thought. “I still think you’ve fallen in love with them.” “No. After only one week?” Liz tucked her hair behind her ears. “Sure. People can develop very intense emotions in a short time if the situation is intense.” Raine shook her head. “What’s wrong? It’s so clear you fell in love…” Liz stood, headed toward the kitchen. “Want a snack?” “No thanks.” Liz returned a few minutes later with a bowl filled to capacity with chips and a carton of French onion dip. “I’ve got it. You don’t want to be in love. Why?” She set the bowl of chips on the coffee table, pried the lid off the dip, then plucked up a chip and dunked it into the creamy white substance. “Now that I think about it, you’ve always picked guys who were emotionally unobtainable—men who couldn’t or wouldn’t get into a serious, loving, committed relationship. Why hadn’t I recognized that before?” She popped the loaded chip into her mouth. “Uncommitted. That was exactly what I thought these two were all about too. They love each other. They’re gay—” “Bi,” Liz corrected, adding another chip to her mouth. “Whatever. In the beginning, Bale told me they weren’t looking for anything more than sex. And I could handle that.” Liz nodded. “But you can’t handle love.”

“No.” “Again, why?” Liz dunked another chip and ate it. “Quit dodging my question and just answer. I think you need to hear the response as much as I do. Hell, maybe it’ll help you get through this, saying the words aloud.” Could it be that simple? Raine swallowed, even though her mouth was as dry as the Sahara. “Because love…because I…” She dropped her head into her hands. “What, sweetie?” Liz put a hand on Raine’s shoulder. “Because I always disappoint the ones I love and then they don’t love me anymore.” “Oh, honey.” There was yet another tense moment of silence where Raine silently chastised herself for saying such a stupid thing, even if it was true. Liz wouldn’t understand. Which meant she’d either call her an idiot or tell her she was just making more excuses. “You haven’t disappointed me,” Liz said softly. “And I still love you.” “You’re the only one. Everyone else has.” “Everyone? Who?” “Family. My father. Stepmother. Brother.” Liz tipped her head, giving her a sad look. “Okay, but our friendship, our love, shows it’s possible for you to have a relationship that does succeed. Right?” “Sure. One in how many?”

“I can understand you’re afraid.” Raine glanced down, toying with the pillow’s silky fringe. “It’s not that I’m scared. I would rather avoid the pain. You know what I mean?” “But if everyone lived that way, playing things safe in all ways, where would we be?” Raine shrugged. “Do you think there’s any happiness in life that doesn’t involve risk?” “I take risks. Plenty. Look at what I did. I went and stayed with two bisexual men for a week. At least one of them has a reputation for being involved in some rather shady happenings. Risky.” This time it was Raine’s turn to count things off on her fingers. “Second, I accepted a job offer knowing nothing about the company or my boss. Risky. Third, I have struggled, without accepting any financial help from my father. Risky. There. Three major risks. I just play things safe when it comes to emotions. I’m not the only one.” She gave her friend a knowing look. “I’m not trying to be a bitch, but I don’t see you venturing out much lately either. The last relationship you had was with a married pilot. Married. Pilot. Talk about unavailable. He lived where? Utah?” “Idaho.” “Doesn’t matter. The point is, he isn’t exactly obtainable. In fact, I’d say you’re doing the same thing I am—avoiding entanglements that are most likely doomed from the start.” She was on a roll now. Energy building as she drove her point home. “Look at the divorce rate. Half of all marriages end in divorce. And those relationships are the ones that actually made it that far. How many more end long before that? Love is

for the insane or masochistic. It’s not for me. And so I choose not to fall in love.” Eyebrows drawn, Liz frowned. “You can’t choose to feel an emotion…or not, as the case may be.” “Oh, I most definitely can. I think people can—and do— sometimes decide to feel specific emotions in certain situations. Anger. Hatred. Anxiety. Fear. People sometimes fuel their anger or quench it. Same with those other feelings. Look at fear, how some conquer it by doing the very things they fear the most. But beside that fact, love isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision, based upon thoughts, feelings and needs.” “Where’d you get that?” Scowling Liz shook her head. “I made it up. Kinda. It came to me after hearing this Christian guy talk about marriage on the radio, and his words made sense. Love is a decision to be with someone, to stand by their side through everything, to sacrifice yourself, needs, wants, wishes. And that decision is based upon your thoughts about that person, your emotions and needs. Get it?” Looking a little less confused, Liz nodded. “Actually, I do.” She dug into the chips again. “So, I’ve decided I won’t love Tryphon Zade and Bale Kincaid.” “Despite your feelings.” Raine smiled and helped herself to a chip. “Exactly. My feelings aren’t love. They’re just emotions…chemical reactions.” “Makes sense.” Liz pushed the bowl closer to Raine. “But it can’t be painless, this decision of yours.” “Yeah, well I figure in the long run, I’ll suffer a whole lot less going this route.”

For several blissful moments, they ate in silence, the room filling with the sounds of crunching chips. But then Liz sighed. “I’m still sad for you. If only you had a magic crystal ball, to see the future. I mean, what if these two guys were like me? What if this was the one relationship you were destined to have, the one that would have lasted your whole life?” Shocked by her friend’s statement, Raine gave Liz a questioning glance. “Destined? You believe in destiny? I never would’ve guessed that about you.” Her mouth full, Liz shrugged. “Maybe I’m more of a romantic than you thought,” she said, wiping a small glob of white dip from her lip with a finger. “Yeah. Maybe. That’s okay. I still love you.” Chuckling, Raine gave her friend a hug. “So, now that we’ve cleared the air, will you please let go of this thing with Tryphon and Bale? It’s over. I’m a little sad, but I’ll eventually start feeling better about my decision.” “I still wonder if you’re making a mistake with these two.” “This coming from the woman who used to call them murderers?” “I’m wondering if they aren’t simply misunderstood.” Liz stood, headed for the kitchen. “I’m starving and this isn’t cutting it. Wanna go get something to eat?” “I don’t know. I’m not very hungry. Speaking of headlines, is it my imagination, or are you intentionally leaving those newspapers sitting around where I’ll see them?” “Thai?” Liz asked, clearly avoiding her question. “No, not in the mood. Now, how about answering my question?”

Liz wrinkled her nose. “Pizza? Or maybe Chinese? Oh, there’s that new Mexican place that just opened up.” When Raine still didn’t respond, she scoured the stack of takeout menus sitting on their kitchen counter. “I know! How about a big, sloppy burger with onion rings and a chocolate milkshake? And I promise I’ll answer your question. But only if you go with me.” Raine sighed. “Okay. Fine. Burgers, it is, my annoying, manipulative friend.” “Hey, you love me anyway. You decided.” Liz gave her an air kiss. ***** Tryphon Zade hospitalized for serious injuries. A shiver quaked down Raine’s spine. Suddenly feeling sick, she shoved her breakfast plate away. Could it be true? No, please. Tell me it’s another false rumor. Her breath caught in her throat, she read on. Billionaire entrepreneur Zade was taken to an undisclosed hospital early this morning after he was involved in a multivehicle collision on I-275. Rumors that he may have been killed have been circulating but not confirmed… Tears rushed to her eyes, blurring her vision and making it impossible to read anymore. Her stomach lurched and, gagging, she raced to the bathroom, her body racked by dry heaves. Oh my God! Tryphon was hurt. Maybe dead. No! She could only imagine how devastated Bale would be. “Raine?” Liz called through the bathroom door. “Are you sick?” Sobbing, Raine pushed to her feet, teetered across the tile floor and threw open the door.

Liz’s eyes bulged when she saw her. “What’s wrong?” Unable to speak, Raine just collapsed into her friend’s arms and cried. All the emotions she’d fought so hard to keep pent up burst forth, escaping her body in painful, wrenching sobs. What an idiot she’d been, thinking she could really control her emotions. Dammit, she hadn’t controlled anything, and that bullshit about love being a decision…no more than a choice between two simple options…the worst kind of idiocy. Sure, maybe that was part of it—a decision. But love was far more complex than that. It involved things she couldn’t even put into words. Energy. Chemistry. Emotion. Thought. Bottom line, she loved Tryphon. She loved Bale. And she hated the fact that it took learning one might be dead to finally throw away her pride and admit the truth. Liz stroked her shoulders and whispered soothing words in her ear, offering to drive her over to Bale’s to check on him. She accepted, combed her hair, brushed her teeth and, looking like a train wreck, climbed into the car. Liz was very quiet as they drove over to Tryphon and Bale’s, but Raine was grateful. At the moment, all she could think about was holding Bale, comforting him, as well as finding comfort with him. Or maybe—hopefully!—hearing the newspaper headline had been overblown and Tryphon was sitting in a hospital room nursing a couple of broken bones or a mild concussion. She was twitchy, jumpy as she endured what felt like a zillionhour drive. She was out of the car before Liz had even shifted into park. Up the front walk she raced. She rang the doorbell. No answer. She tried it again. Still no one came. Desperate now, she stared at the door, wishing it would swing open and

Tryphon would appear on the other side, completely well. No one was home. Dammit. Of course, that made sense. Tryphon and Bale were probably at the hospital together. Defeated, she started back toward Liz’s car. She slipped into the seat and sighed. “No one’s home.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, of course. Are you surprised? I mean, doesn’t it make sense?” Again, Liz seemed to be evading her questions, just like she had yesterday about the newspapers. What an odd thing to recall, but at the moment, she remembered Liz hadn’t kept her word, answering that question after they’d gone out for dinner. “Do you have a phone number to call them?” Liz asked. “Sure, but it’s for Tryphon’s cell phone. I can’t imagine anyone answering it… Wait, I called you with Bale’s.” “Left my phone at home.” “Dammit.” Raine dug in her purse for her cell. “You could try.” Liz glanced over her shoulder then smiled. “Look. Someone’s home. Oh shoot, they closed the door again.” “Really?” Almost afraid to look, Raine tugged her purse strap over her shoulder and lunged from the vehicle, dashing up the front walk. When she stood facing the door, she didn’t bother with the doorbell, she pounded on it with her fists, striking it so hard sharp pains vibrated up her arms. The door swung open. Tryphon.

Tryphon! “Ohthankgod!” Blinking stars and black splotches instantly blinded her. She sank to her knees, right there on the porch, arms extended, tears rushing from her useless eyes. “You’re alive. Thankgod, thankgod, thankgod.” “Raine?” A pair of gentle hands lifted her, supporting her as she was pulled into the house. He cradled her close, stroking her head. He murmured words she couldn’t comprehend, and yet his strength slowly eased her agony. So strong. How? Finally, when her tears abated, she looked at him. His face. Not a scratch. His neck. No sign of bruise or cut. She staggered out of his arms, her gaze perusing every inch of skin she could see—chest, stomach, arms, hands. No cuts, scrapes, bruises. “Was it a lie?” “What, Raine?” “In today’s paper. The accident. They said you might be dead. I…I was sick, I was so upset.” He shook his head, his expression puzzled. “Sweetheart, as happy as I am to see you today, I don’t know anything about an accident. You say you read this in the newspaper?” “Yes. Today’s Gossip .” “Really?” His brows drew closer. “I get that paper. I didn’t see anything about an accident.” He took her hand in his and led her toward the back of the house. “How about you show it to me? And then I say the three of us should sit down and talk.” Confused, she nodded as she trailed behind him into the family

room. Memories of her time spent with them right there, on that couch, shot through her head as she sat down. Tryphon handed her a folded paper. She flattened it on her lap and skimmed the front page. It looked nothing like the one she had at home. She double-checked the date. “I don’t understand. Why would my copy say something completely different?” Then the truth struck her, and a handful of conflicting emotions raged through her. She surged to her feet, the paper gripped in her fist. “Oh. My. God. I’m going to kill her! That bitch.” “Who?” Tryphon sat beside her. “Liz. I wonder how long she’s been working on this? Maybe weeks. Leaving all those papers around, knowing I’d read them.” She raced through the house, her target the front door. She was going to club Liz with the real Gossip . On the head. Lots of times. “Then printing up the fake one and leaving it with the others. I had no idea she could be so devious.” “What are you saying? Why would your friend lie?” Tryphon asked behind her. He caught her wrist, tugging swiftly to halt her progress. She spun around, waving the paper in the air. “She’s dead. I can’t believe this. She had a fake newspaper printed to trick me into coming here. That is beyond cruel, making me think, even for a few minutes, that you were dead. It’s no wonder she wasn’t saying much on the way here. I was a wreck.” She caught a hint of a smile as he nodded. She swatted him on the shoulder with the paper then waved it in front of his nose. “Don’t you dare think this is funny. Or clever. Or anything but unforgivable.” That hint of a smile didn’t fade. He jerked her against his hard

bulk. “But aren’t you glad to see I’m alive and well?” “Yes, of course.” “And aren’t you glad you came to see me?” Their gazes tangled, and a sigh drifted between her lips. “I… yes.” He tipped his head, moving closer, closer. “Why did you wait so long, my adorable fire sprite?” he whispered, his lips hovering over hers. “I was…” she let her heavy eyelids fall closed, “being stubborn.” She shuddered when his sweet breath tickled her lips. “I didn’t want to love you and Bale. I was so sure I could stop myself. After all, I’d always believed I knew what love was truly all about, that it’s a decision, something under the control of my mind, my will.” “But you can’t decide to love, or not to, can you?” “No. Believe me, I tried.” “We can’t stop loving you, either.” He cupped her chin, tilting it up, and brushed his lips over hers. “We do love you, Raine. Both of us. Like we’ve loved no other woman.” He kissed her again, sweetly, softly. Sensuously. “We lie at your feet, begging for your mercy. Please, sweetheart, let us serve you. Make us the happiest men on Earth by saying you’ll grant our one wish—to allow us to make you the happiest woman in the world.” “Oh God, Tryphon.” Never had she heard such wonderful, heartfelt words spoken by a man. But here she was and here he was, and he’d said them and she knew in her heart he meant them.

She wanted to say yes. She hurt so badly everywhere. But the word sat on the tip of her tongue. “Please, Raine. Are you so cruel that you’d come here, tell me you love me and then still deny me?” She pushed away from him, needing space. Air. To think and breathe. She staggered to her feet. “But I’m still not sure I can be the woman you need. The submissive you need. Please understand.” Still sitting, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m trying, sweetheart. Talk to me.” “It’s hard to explain. I’ve let so many people down in the past. My parents. My lovers. My friends. I’ve been the most unreliable human being on the planet, so caught up in defending my pride —in being right all the time. Liz has paid a price for my actions. She’s the only one who stuck with me all this time.” “Because she loves you.” “Sure, but what about the others? My mother?” “What happened to your mother, Raine?” The pain of that day, so long ago, rolled over her like a giant wheel of ice. Crushing. Agonizing. “She killed herself. Because of me.” “No, Raine.” “No, it’s true. My father told me that. My brother. My stepmother. Everyone. They all blame me. She killed herself and I could’ve stopped her. But I was too fucking stubborn, too determined to do what I wanted. If only I’d done what she’d asked. It was such a small price to pay. I was being selfish—” Tryphon shook his head. His hands closed around her upper

arms tightly, like steel bands. “I don’t care what anyone said. Suicide is the ultimate stubborn act. Talk about pride, having to be right, and thinking of only yourself. Your mother thought of nobody but herself the moment she took her life. That’s not your fault. That’s no one’s fault but hers.” She’d heard the opposite so many times, she didn’t know what to believe. She’d been too ashamed to tell anyone, not even Liz about that day. But what Tryphon said made sense. His grip loosened. “You are partly right, I think. Love does involve a decision. A commitment. Sacrifice, sometimes. Your friend truly loves you. And like her, Bale and I will truly love you.” “What about the bondage?” “I still believe very strongly that you are a submissive by nature. You just have to feel secure enough to let go. To trust. You will learn you can trust me. In time. I’m willing to wait as long as you need.” “You swear?” His smile warmed her. Not in a sensual way, but in a much deeper way. “That doesn’t mean I won’t test you. Push you a little. Challenge you to throw away your excuses and insecurities and let yourself follow your instincts.” He pulled her to him, wrapped his arms around her waist. “Just think of the joy in knowing ultimate satisfaction and contentment. In knowing your men will always put your needs and wishes above their own. And knowing that you are loved and accepted, as the proud, stubborn woman you believe you are.” Once again, he lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You’re more than that, you know. You’re more than fire. You’re also gentle rain, cooling, giving life. Sweetly scented wind that shifts and changes, soothing. And in the earth, richly textured, supportive and nurturing. You know how I know this?”

“No. How?” “Because you’re here now. You’ve proven it by your actions. Don’t believe what you’ve heard. Hear the truth. From me.” Dark desire flickered in his eyes. Desire that burned through her body, licking at her flesh, singing with delicious erotic pleasure. “No one has ever loved you as deeply and thoroughly as we will. To accept our love, you must come to us willingly, without fear. Can you?” “I don’t know.” She stiffened at the distant rattle of a door, the thump of it closing. “Tryphon?” Bale’s voice echoed through the house. Her heart did a little jump in her chest. “In here,” Tryphon called, smiling. “I have a surprise.” “What kind of…? Raine!” Tryphon released her, and she ran into Bale’s outstretched arms, practically crumpling in his tight embrace. Bale held her crushed to him, smoothed his hand down her back, whispered, “Oh, thank God!” over and over. He spun her around and she squealed, instantly dizzy and giddy and so overwhelmingly happy she felt tears burning her eyes once again. He caught her face between his hands and kissed her, his lips and tongue claiming her with fierce, erotic heat. And once that bone-melting kiss was over, he repeated again, “Thank God you’ve come.” “I missed you,” she admitted, recognizing he probably realized that much already but not wanting to leave the words unspoken. “I missed you, too, more than I can say.” He kissed her again, and again, and again until her head was

spinning, and she barely had the strength to stand. She clung to him, grateful for his strength and patience and love. Finally, he broke the kiss, and with red, watery eyes, looked at her. “Tell me you won’t ever leave us again, that you love us and won’t make us endure another day without you. Please.” Raine glanced at Tryphon and then looked at Bale again. “What does this mean? Won’t leave you?” Bale caressed her cheek. “We want you to come here, live with us. Be our wife, our bride, our world.” “But what about Liz? She can’t afford rent on her own. I can’t leave her in the lurch after she’s stood by me. Even though what she did today was unbelievably sneaky and mean! Still, she has nowhere to go.” “We’ll help her. Either she can live in the condo you haven’t accepted from your employer yet or we’ll pay your share of the rent at your current place if she’ll allow us. If you’ll allow us.” Tryphon grinned. It was the kind of wicked smile she adored. “And as far as your vow of vengeance, I have an idea…” Swinging around to face Tryphon, she smiled. “And I’m ready to listen.” “There’s a certain friend of mine who I’m guessing may like your friend…a certain royal pain in the ass…” Imagining Liz being as miserable as she’d been the last few weeks, Raine clapped her hands together. “Oh, you are such an evil man. In the best way. I love you! I love you both.” About the Author Nothing exciting happens in Tawny Taylor’s life, unless you count giving the cat a flea dip—a cat can make some fascinating sounds when immersed

chin-deep in insecticide—or chasing after a houseful of upchucking kids during flu season. She doesn’t travel the world or employ a staff of personal servants. She’s not even built like a runway model. She’s just your run-of-the-mill, pleasantly plump Detroit suburban mom and wife. That’s why she writes, for the sheer joy of it. She doesn’t need to escape, mind you. Despite being run-of-the-mill, her life is wonderful. She just likes to add some...zip. Her heroines might resemble herself, or her next door neighbor (sorry Sue) but they are sure to be memorable (she hopes!). And her heroes—inspired by movie stars, her favorite television actors or her husband—are fully capable of delivering one hot happily-ever-after after another. Combined, the characters and plots she weaves bring countless hours of enjoyment to Tawny...and she hopes to readers too! In the end, that’s all the matters to Tawny, bringing a little bit of zip to someone else’s life. Tawny welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com. Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at [email protected]. Also by Tawny Taylor Asteroid 6969: Siren’s Dance Blackmailed Body & Soul 1: Pesky Paranormals Body & Soul 2: Phantasmic Fantasies Double Take Ellora’s Cavemen: Tales From the Temple IV anthology Immortal Secrets 1: Dragons and Dungeons Immortal Secrets 2: Light My Fire Immortal Secrets 3: Spells and Seduction

Lessons in Lust Major Mark of the Beast Masters of Illusion Passion In A Pear Tree Private Games Sexual Healing Stolen Goddess Tempting Fate Touch of the Beast Twilight’s Possession 1: Burning Hunger Twilight’s Possession 2: Carnal Hunger Wet and Wilde Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple awardwinning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless. www.ellorascave.com