Siren Unleashed

Chapter Seven

Natalie turned, wanting to keep hold of the sweet dream she’d been having. She’d been riding Ben, his cock sliding deep inside, but this time, instead of Chase’s sarcasm interrupting them, she felt him at her back, gently pressing her down. His hands played with the cheeks of her ass, trying to make a place for himself. Twins. She was caught between them and there was no jealousy now, just an overwhelming drive to pleasure.

And she wanted to give. Her need to submit roared back, and in the haze of the dream she didn’t need her armor. They wouldn’t hurt her. They’d been sent to protect her. It was good and right to submit to them. Her guardian angels, one grumpy and the other so sweet he took her breath away.

The gorgeous grump was behind her now, his cock pressing against her asshole.

“Take me. Please, Sir.” She could ask him for this. She needed to be filled with them, trapped, with no way out, but this time the cage of their arms would lead her to heaven.

Nat opened her eyes with a smile on her face.

And then she sat up and screamed.

Chase, because there was no way that sarcastic grin belonged to Ben, merely propped his head in his hand and patted the bed beside him. “Don’t freak out on me, sweetness. Rest. It’s too early for recriminations.”

“It’s also too early for all that…god, Dawson, where the hell are your clothes?”

He was just lying there, his gorgeous body in a centerfold-like pose. “You’re wearing my shirt. I didn’t have anything else.”

“Bullshit. And I’m not wearing your underwear.”

He winked her way. “I’m not that big into underwear. I feel better with my junk free to move around. It helps me concentrate. Tell me about Stanley.”

“You’re kidding. You want to interrogate me while you’re naked and I’m wearing nothing but a shirt?” And she should have known he didn’t wear underwear. He’d taken hers the night before.

And god, he was heart-meltingly handsome.

He sighed a little. “Sweetness, we need to get this shit out of the way. The quicker I make sure you don’t go to jail, the quicker we can get to the good stuff. Although I’m perfectly willing to do all that good stuff while I’m investigating. Seriously, it might actually help. I often do some of my best thinking while fucking. I’m a multitasker.”

She closed her eyes, trying to figure out exactly how she felt about the situation. Just days before she would have told anyone that she would be fighting and running out the door, but she felt safe with him. He hadn’t done anything she hadn’t asked him to do except fight with her to keep her safe. Even then he’d sacrificed. And his brother wasn’t any different. They were flip sides of the same gorgeous, completely fucked-up coin. And yes, she admitted, the fucked-up part intrigued her. She peered down at him, taking in everything. Yep. They were totally and completely twins right down to that monster dick that kind of made her mouth water.

“How can you think like that? All your blood has to be in your…you know.”

He grinned, looking younger than he had before. His face was always layered with a worldly, almost pained sophistication, but now he looked lighter. “Don’t mind him. He does this every morning. He’s used to being patient and lying in wait for his prey. Now, tell me about Stanley, gorgeous girl. Did he try to get into your panties?”

She rolled her eyes. “Why does everyone ask that?”

“I ask it because I would try. I even made it easier on myself by getting rid of your panties. All I have to do is get under that T-shirt. Now answer my question.”

She frowned. “It’s hard to take you seriously.”

His hand came out, pushing her hair back. “Try. Tell me about Stanley.”

“Fine. He was a client. He came on to me once. The first time he made an appointment with me, I sat down and took all his information. And he asked me about happy endings.” She remembered that she pretty much wanted to punch the asshole. It hadn’t been so long since she’d been cleared for work. They’d needed to make sure she wouldn’t kill anyone. She’d totally thought about killing Stanley.

“Why didn’t you walk out?” Chase was looking at her boobs. Sure, they were covered, but he was looking at the place where her boobs would be. And her nipples hardened. Because she was a freak.

“He was the third client who’d asked about it. I told him if he touched me I would take his balls off, and he nodded and said he understood.” He’d been a creep, but he’d tipped well. “Look, Dawson, massage therapy was all I knew. I went to college, but I didn’t come out of it with a degree I could use.”

He smiled slightly, his big hand reaching for hers. He touched the middle finger of her right hand where it was well callused. “Arts?”

Years she’d spent with a paintbrush in her hand only to learn no one gave a damn that she could mimic the moderns. “Yep. Four years of undergrad work and I was ready for a job in the fast-food industry. So I went to massage therapist school. My mom suggested it. My dad was friends with the man who ran the school.”

“You mentioned your parents were in the lifestyle.” Chase had the sweetest smile on his face. God, he was gorgeous.

“My mom was Dad’s sub. Was? Still is. They’re very active. Mom still gets her ass whipped in all kinds of classes. Mom and Dad founded their club in San Antonio. They still have a munch every third Saturday.” She hated to think about how close her tragedy had come to breaking them.

Chase traced a hand across her cheek. “It must have hurt them terribly when they learned what happened to you.”

She nodded, but didn’t move away. “Yes.”

“Natalie, sweetness, you understand that what happened to you wasn’t BDSM, right? It was assault. It was rape. I’ve heard the term nonconsensual BDSM and it’s flat-out dumb. It’s an oxymoron. There’s no such thing as nonconsensual BDSM. Nonconsensual BDSM is a crime. BDSM is a choice. It’s like telling someone they had nonconsensual sex. Baby, there’s sex and then there’s rape.”

She knew the difference intellectually. Emotionally was a whole new challenge.

The door opened and Ben walked in. He didn’t seem to have his brother’s problems with underwear. He was in a pair of boxers that hung low on his perfectly muscled hips and showed off that shouldn’t-be-allowed-in-real-life eight-pack of his. He rolled in a tray that promised all manner of breakfast delights. He stopped, his jaw dropping open just a bit.

“Dude, seriously? Where the fuck are your pants?”

Chase rolled onto his back, his cock thrusting up. God, Ben had sort of looked like that last night when she rode him to her first orgasm in years. Of course she’d thought he was Chase. So in a way she’d already slept with Chase. In her head at least. And she’d totally slept with Ben.

God, what would it be like if this little domestic scene was real? She had a choice. She could run and they probably wouldn’t stop her. She could get dressed, and the next time she saw them everything would be back on a professional footing and she could go right back to her comfortable shell.

Except her shell had cracked all to hell last night, and she kind of liked the freedom. Old Nat would have reveled in this. Old Nat would be joking and laughing and holding it all in as a crazy experience she could remember in her golden years.

That Nat was dead, but she didn’t have to retreat into her shell again.

She relaxed, her back against the headboard. She’d worked here for almost two years and she’d never been in one of the suites. It was decadent and plush and all those other words she used to associate with pleasure.

“You were supposed to be calling the sheriff so we could take a look at the files.” Ben stopped pushing the tray and frowned his brother’s way.

Chase stretched and yawned. “The file is on its way as we speak. Logan is picking it up.”

“Logan was here? Tell me you put some clothes on before you talked to Logan.”

“Why would I do that? Logan’s from Bliss. We’re lucky the dude ever wears clothes at all. God, Ben, when did you get to be such a prude?” He sat up, his lean body in a graceful pose. “Benjamin, let’s talk about the human body. It’s natural. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Ben fastballed an orange, hitting his brother square in the forehead, and then both men winced. “Fucker. Nat, baby, come over here and sit down with the civilized folks. I ordered you breakfast. I didn’t know what you liked so I just got a little of everything. And I have someone picking up clothes from your room.”

“Spoilsport,” Chase groused, rolling off the bed. “And like you look so civilized in your freaking boxers. Geez, next you’re going to be in a thong shaking your ass in front of her. At least I was blunt and honest.”

Ben shot him the finger.

If she didn’t take control, they would be punching each other like five-year-olds on a playground. And Chase was a little right. Those boxers were strategically placed to show off just about everything Ben had. There was zero chance the man had gotten up and they just happened to sit in the precisely right place to show off the notches on his hips.

“Both of you behave.” She took the seat Ben pulled out for her. He was definitely the gentleman. Chase was the one who sat down to breakfast with his dick hanging out. Crap. She kind of liked them both.

Chase poured her a cup of coffee. “I will if he does.”

Ben took the seat next to her. She was perfectly flanked by Dawson brothers. “I’m the good one. Eggs?”

She looked at the plate in front of her. She didn’t normally eat breakfast because she didn’t sleep much and then after she’d finally managed to go to bed, she let herself sleep way too late and had to hurry to get to work. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually forced herself to sit down to a meal because it always brought back bad memories. God, even food caused her grief.

“Sweetness? The eggs won’t bite back. I made sure they’re dead. They’re defeated eggs.” Chase stared at her with too-assessing eyes. She felt like he was prying back all her defenses to get to the woman inside, but she wasn’t sure who was left in there. “Are you a vegan?”

She shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

Her stomach chose that moment to growl.

Ben leaned forward. “You’re obviously hungry. Is it us? We can get dressed. Natalie, if you’re uncomfortable, we can take you down to the dining room. We can conduct this interview there if you like.”

She didn’t want them to feel bad. They’d been ridiculously sweet and even though Chase was showing off his cock like a peacock preening, he hadn’t tried to touch her or make a move on her.

“Ben, do you remember how Kitten was when we met her?” Chase’s face was grave. A moment passed between the brothers. They knew her friend. They knew practically everything.

“I’m not going to eat until you do,” Ben said, pushing his plate away.

“That’s not fair.” If he’d ordered her to eat she could have thrown a biscuit in his face and walked out.

“Nothing about what happened to you was fair,” Chase said. “Food deprivation was part of the bastard’s training, wasn’t it? I never got the story from Kitten. She never talks about it, but I can certainly put two and two together. Did he simply refuse to feed you? I don’t think so. If he refused to feed you, you would likely gorge yourself when you had the chance. I think it was worse than that.”

Ben sighed, seemingly following his brother’s line of thinking. “He put the food out and when she tried to eat without permission, he hurt her.”

God, why was she so ashamed? She got up to go, but stopped herself. Damn it. This wasn’t her fault. This wasn’t something to be ashamed of. She’d survived him. She’d won. She’d taken his ass down, but she still ate standing up as though she needed to fucking run. She took a deep breath. “He kept us in the dark most of the time. He would place food in the cage and then when we would try to eat it, he had one of his servants hit us with a cattle prod. I don’t like cattle prods. Not at all. Or Tasers. But I used to like Danishes. The cheese kind. Could I please have one of those?”

“You can have anything, baby.” Ben had that Danish on her plate before she could blink.

And she had stupid tears in her eyes. She hadn’t cried in years. Not when she’d killed Hawk. Not when the police had taken her in. Not when her parents came. But since Chase had spanked her, it seemed to always be right there.

Chase leaned over, a lazy look on his face. He touched her nose.

“What?” she asked. Was there something wrong?

“I like your nose. It’s cute. Like a little button on your face.”

God, he was so weird. How could anyone that hot be so weird? But it worked. She laughed and took that stupid Danish and had a bite. Warm, buttery, sugary, and rich. The taste spread over her tongue like a wave of pleasure. “It’s really good.”

“I would love to try some.” Chase scooted his chair toward her.

“Me, too.” Ben got even closer.

“Seriously?” But she felt the smile cross her face. This was stupid. They would leave. They would go back to their obviously wealthy world in a few days after her fate was decided and she would be alone again. She would have to leave the penthouse suite and go back to the employee quarters and deal with her lonely life. If she wasn’t in jail. So it wasn’t smart to think about feeding them. It was stupid. They were grown, naked men, who should get their own damn Danishes.

She tore off two pieces. If she fed one first, the other would grouse. She had to treat them equally or she would have one grumpalicious hottie on her hands. She held out the equally large pieces of Danish, and they moved as one, both gorgeous heads leaning in to snatch the treat from her hands. Ben’s mouth closed over her fingers, his tongue coming out and licking to get all the sweetness from her hand. And Chase was a sexy bastard. He nipped her, the little bite going straight to her pussy.

Fuck. She was in so much trouble.

“What else do you want to try?” Ben asked.

“I bet she likes cinnamon,” Chase said, picking up a heavenly-looking roll.

“Or muffins.” Ben winked her way.

It didn’t matter that they would leave. It mattered that they were here, and she suddenly felt lighter than she had in years. “Both. Definitely.”

“That’s what we want to hear.” Stereo. They said it at the same time.

The door came open, and Nat heard a little sigh.

“My Nat is with my Masters. Oh, and we’re having a party!” Kitten flew across the room, launching herself at Natalie.

Natalie found herself in possession of a hundred pounds of Kitten. “Hey. It’s so good to see you.”

Kitten threw her arms around Natalie’s neck, squeezing her tight. “I’m so happy to see you, too. I missed you, Nat.”

Kitten. Subby, victimized Kitten who had held Nat’s hand and stroked her hair the night when Hawk had nearly killed her. Kitten had held her together even in the gloom. When she was sure she would die, Kitten had begged her to live. Now the tears really pooled in her eyes. Fuck. Kitten was just a girl in the same cage. That was all she was supposed to be. Goddamn it. Nat loved Kitten. Four years later and it hit her squarely in the chest. She loved Kitten.

Her arms tightened. This wasn’t just someone who’d survived the same thing. This was her friend. “I missed you, too, sweetie.” She pulled back. “Holy shit. Say it again, Kitten.”

Kitten sat in her lap, not a self-conscious thing about her. She grinned. “I’ve missed you, Nat.”

“You used pronouns.” Holy hell. The last time she’d seen Kitten, Kitten was still referring to herself in the third person. And when she would write, she never capitalized her name.

“I am getting better.” Kitten sat up, a smile on her gamine face. “Masters Ben and Chase helped me so much.”

Ben and Chase? Masters? Fuck. “They’re your Masters?”

Kitten nodded. “And now we’re one big family. And everyone is naked. I love naked.”

Kitten hopped off and started tossing her clothes to the ground.

“You’re my best friend’s Doms and you still slept with me?” She hissed the question their directions.

“No,” Ben said, his eyes going wide.

Chase pointed toward his lap. “No sex with the Kitten. None. Little Chase never touched her.”

“And yet she seems so comfortable,” Nat observed. Kitten was down to her undies and she happily chucked them.

“Master Logan is coming in soon. He has your police report.” Kitten frowned. “The police here are very rude, and I don’t think they are tolerant of alternative lifestyles.”

But Kitten was tolerant of everything. She simply smiled and asked for a muffin, which Ben handed her.

“Seriously, Natalie, we were her therapy,” Ben explained. “Neither one of us fucked her.”

Kitten pouted. “Master Julian wrote it into my contracts. Not even Master Logan can have sex with me. But he gave me the most delicious spanking this morning. It was a wonderful way to wake up.” She frowned, looking to Ben. “Your sister is very unreasonable. First she argued with the Master over where to sleep. She seemed to think that the Master should be on the floor. Is she defective?”

Only Kitten would think that way. But neither Ben nor Chase seemed aware of her in anything but a passing fashion. They weren’t acting like lovers who had gotten caught with a piece on the side.

“She is a brat of the highest order and good luck to Logan with her.” Ben got up and pulled out a chair for Kitten.

And Nat really watched them. They were Doms. Like real Doms. The ones she’d grown up around. The ones who rarely gave up control. The night before had been an aberration. With Ben, not Chase. Chase had been exactly what he purported himself to be. He’d been dark and brooding, and he’d given her what she needed.

But Ben had been another side of the man. Giving and tolerant. He’d allowed her the dominant position, but he wouldn’t forever. He was a Dom and he would want a sub, and she couldn’t really be a sub again. She could think about it. Get her ass spanked from time to time.

But she couldn’t be a submissive again. That part of her had been burned away, never to really return again.

“Kitten, sit down.” Chase pointed at the fourth chair, and Kitten immediately sat, her satisfaction evident.

She did love Kitten, but it was obvious Kitten could handle things Nat couldn’t.

“Got the police report. Kitten, clothes?” A tall, broadly built young man strode in the room like he owned it. How many keys had Ben and Chase given out?

Kitten sat up straight. “Please, Master? Everyone else is practically naked. Master Chase is altogether naked.”

A little smile crossed his face. “Sure. Reminds me of home. Now, here’s the report, but it’s damn sloppy. If I turned this in, Nate would have my ass in a sling. And there’s nothing back on the prints. There was a full ounce of China White found in one of the drawers, though that’s surprisingly inexpensive these days. I need to see what they cut it with. It would tell me a lot about where it came from. When I asked him about splitting the drug and giving me a breakdown percentage, he looked at me like I was an idiot. This police force doesn’t understand a thing.”

Did no one care that people kept walking in and Chase was naked and Kitten was naked and she only had a shirt on and Ben was in his undies?

“Thanks, Logan.” Ben pointed at Nat. “Logan, Natalie. Natalie, Logan. He was a deputy in his small town before he got his ass kicked by the Russian mob and needed an attitude adjustment.”

Logan nodded her way. “Bliss, Colorado. Home of nudists, aliens, and the murder capital of the USA. There are two towns in Colombia that beat us per capita or we would hold the world title. Someday.”

A blonde woman walked in wearing the most ridiculous pair of heels. “Benny, I need to talk to you. Logan is an asshole. He needs to go.”

Chase actually jumped, his big body careening toward the side of the bed where he pulled the sheet down, covering his nudity. “Fuck, Georgie, give a man a goddamn chance.”

Ben hid behind Nat, using her as a shield. “Georgia, go away. For god’s sake. This is our freaking bedroom. We have a girl in here.”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Surprise. Surprise. And what’s up with all the naked people? Chase, you need some clothes. You have enough money for clothes, right? Ben, put on a shirt. What’s wrong with you guys? And Logan is a beyotch. He thinks I’m going to stay in the room and like clean shit. I don’t know what’s up with him.”

Chase practically crawled under the bed. Ben tried to disappear under the table.

It was obvious their little interrogation was over.

Maybe they weren’t so scary after all.

Chase was ready to kill his siblings. Ben. Georgia. It didn’t matter. Ben had brought Georgia along, and Georgia was killing his soul by walking in when he was perfectly comfortable with his own nakedness.

“Go away, Georgie.”

He heard a long sigh. “Fine, but you’re all weird. And you should wear clothes. Why is the Kitten chick naked? She was like all dressed when we went to the hick-cop place. Fine, I’ll go, but there’s another chick waiting out in the living area and she’s all kinds of freaked out.”

Damn it. He should have put on pants. He’d just kind of hoped that Nat would end up falling on his erection and then he would have a hold on her. It still rankled that Ben had slept with her and he hadn’t. And dear god, the last thing he needed was another freaked-out chick.

“Ben? Could you handle the freaked-out chick, please? I need to put on pants. Kitten, clothes. Now.”

Kitten sighed and started putting her clothes back on. “It’s a lifestyle resort. I don’t understand what’s with all the restrictions.”

Nat started picking up Kitten’s clothes. “So that was your sister. Wow. She’s so not in the lifestyle. Are you and Ben the black sheep of the family?”

Ben had jeans on and tugged a T-shirt out of his suitcase. “Nope. We have three other brothers. Who do you think took us to our first club? I’ll be back. And I’ll take a look at this while I’m at it.”

Ben walked out, carrying the police report.

And he needed to move this little investigation along so he could settle Georgia down somewhere and perhaps take a nice long vacation right here. Stanley. The victim. He’d come on to her almost immediately and he’d backed down. “How long ago did Stanley first become a client?”

There was a long pause and then an almost incredulous answer. “Over a year. I don’t know. I would have to look at my records.”

An asshole like Stanley should have sought out more intriguing prey. Surely not everyone on staff was so unwilling to make some extra cash. “What did he offer you? For the happy ending.”

It was a first. It was the absolute first time he’d ever questioned a witness, much less a prime suspect, while trying to hide his junk from his sister.

“He said he tipped generously. I said I would generously take off his balls along with his dick if he touched me in a sexual way.”

So he was willing to pony up some cash. “But he still came to you?”

The door slammed. Georgia, he hoped. She tended to run whenever the conversation wasn’t about lip gloss or handbags or shit.

“You can come out, now. The big dude shoved your sister out and took Kitten with him.” Nat sat on the bed, her expression bleak. He wanted to go back to that moment when she first decided to try the damn Danish. She’d been so scared, and then her face had softened.

That was what he could give her. Freedom.

He couldn’t afford freedom right now. Georgia could be back any minute. He rolled to his knees and started looking for his jeans. “So, he came back to you even though you wouldn’t love him a long time?”

She snorted. “Not at first. But six weeks later, he gave me a shot. I think he went through all of us. There are five therapists. At the time he started there were only three, but we grew fast and not as a spa. We offer therapeutic massage. And some physical therapy, though only me and Helen are certified. He came back to me when he slipped a couple of discs and needed therapy. I took pity on him and by the time we were done with the therapy, we’d settled into a nice business relationship. He never asked for extras again. Well, nothing sexual.”

That perked his ears right up. “What did he ask for?”

She sighed. “This is so stupid. I could probably get fired for it, but it seemed innocuous at the time. About six months ago he asked if I wouldn’t mind locking him in and letting him sleep after the first sixty-minute massage. He claimed it was the only time he got to really rest. He booked and paid for a two-hour session, but I didn’t actually work on him the last hour. Gaby knows about it now, but technically it’s against regulations.”

“Don’t worry about your job. If Gaby fires you, I’ll get you a new one.” Actually that might be the best thing that could happen to him. If she needed a job, she needed him. He could move her right into The Club and begin herding her into the relationship he wanted. Yes. He would like that. Julian had a personal massage therapist, but there was always room for more. He’d pay her salary himself if he had to. Not that he would tell her that.

She sighed. “I like this job. I like this place. I don’t really want to move. I have some great clients. I’ve finally made a little home for myself, and I fuck it up.”

He was losing her. “Natalie. Focus. This isn’t your fault.” He reached out and tilted her chin up, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “You look at me right now and tell me if you killed this man. I don’t give a shit if you did. If you did, he probably deserved it, and I’ll help you out. If you didn’t, I’ll help you out. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

A little light came into her formerly hollow eyes. “You’re going to help me out?”

At least she had one thing right. And it was way past time to start staking a claim. His brother already knew what it felt like to slide inside her, and Chase hadn’t even gotten a kiss. He’d been the one to break through her walls, but did he get her sugar? No. He had to take it. Story of his life.

He crowded her, bumping against her body, his skin starting to hum because something about this woman just flat did it for him. His cock, previously wilted from being in Georgia’s line of sight, perked right back up.

Nat took a step back. “I don’t know that this is a good idea.”

A little spark of anger sizzled through him. “So you’ve had Ben and decided you don’t want me?”

Those gorgeous eyes rolled and her body lost the tension, slacking in a way he could only describe as sarcastic. “Yes, I had a little Ben and now no other man will do. No, Chase. I don’t really know either one of you. It occurs to me that maybe I should take some time to figure out what I want.”

He didn’t like the sound of that. If he gave her too much time, she might decide she could do better than him. “I think you at least owe me the courtesy of a kiss.”

Her eyebrows rose, arching in question. “Owe?”

“Well, sweetness, you were looking for me last night. That pussy of yours should have been mine. Little brother got it. Don’t you think I should get a little something?”

She crossed her arms over those breasts that she couldn’t quite hide in the voluminous T-shirt. “Just a kiss. Because I learned my lesson last night. You don’t have a triplet, do you?”

God, she would be so much fun to spank, but she wasn’t wearing his collar. “No, Cotton Candy. I don’t have another clone. Just a couple of distant brothers and one sister who is way too close. Now are you going to give me my kiss or not?”

She sighed. “It’s a bad idea.”

“Most things are.” And he couldn’t think of a single worse idea than letting her walk out the door without putting something of a brand on her. He had so little time here. He needed to make sure he got to spend some of it with her. And he didn’t intend to spend every second he had interrogating her. He wanted to get her in bed. When he had her there, he would prove she could trust him.

He waited, his eyes steady on hers, unwilling to allow her a single moment to herself. If he wanted her, and he fucking did, he needed to start getting her used to just how intense he could be.

Her eyes were clear and wide as she looked up at him. “You aren’t going to stay around here.”

Him? Stay in a small town? “No, I won’t.”

She sighed. “Well, I guess that was honest.”

“I won’t be anything less than honest with you. Ever.” It was a gift he could give her. “I’m not cut out for small-town life. But I’m also not willing to limit this little thing. Dallas isn’t so far away.”

He wouldn’t lie to her, but that didn’t mean he had to tell her what he really meant. He would let her think he was talking about seeing her every now and then. He was really thinking that he could easily move her into his world.

And then what the fuck would he do about Ben? Was he really going to try to cut Ben out because he was terrified she would prefer him? He couldn’t stand the thought of being the distant third with her.

But nothing mattered if she wouldn’t even kiss him.

She nodded and, just for a moment, he was worried she would walk away. “Okay then.”

Chase took a deep breath and prayed he survived without completely terrifying her because all he wanted to do was get her under him. And she wasn’t ready for that.

She wasn’t ready for this. It was stupid. She’d screwed his brother the night before, thinking it was him. She’d kissed Ben, but Chase was so much more intense. And she knew if she turned him away, he’d be hurt.

And she didn’t want to turn him away. Not at all.

She took a single step forward, her face turning up toward his. He loomed over her, but in a good, sexy, protective way. She went up on her toes, pressing her body up to reach toward his. His hands came out, cupping her arms. He leaned down just a little, his lips a hard, unforgiving line. It should have made her run, but instead she just wanted to soften him, to see if she could make him smile. She wanted those lips curving up because he was happy with her.

She pressed her mouth to his, a slow melding of flesh. She’d sort of meant to make it a quick buss, but the minute her lips met his, she stopped, unwilling to break the connection.

His hands skimmed up her arms, cupping her shoulders and then finding their way into her hair.

“So fucking sweet.” He groaned against her lips and then took over.

His tongue traced her bottom lip, his hands winding in her hair, pulling her back so her face was lifted to his. His mouth opened over hers and every nerve in her body lit up like a match on the first strike as he devoured her.

So hungry. She could feel how hungry he was. For dominance, yes. But he needed affection more. It was easy to submit. He would stop if she gave him any indication that she wasn’t happy. He’d proven his control. He’d slept in a chair across the room from her though the bed was certainly big enough for all three. Ben had taken the couch as though neither brother was willing to concede the guardian role to the other.

He’d lain beside her in bed this morning, offering up everything he had, but not taking.

She was safe with him. His tongue danced and played against hers, his body crowding her. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and suddenly she wanted to be against him, nothing but skin touching skin.

She let go, allowing her instincts to lead her. What had Gaby said? Sometimes the worst mistakes led to the best future. She wouldn’t have a future with them, but she could have a hell of a present. She broke away.

“Natalie.” Chase growled her name, his hands tightening as though he wouldn’t let her go. “I’m not going to do anything. Just let me kiss you for a while, sweetness. I promise it won’t go anywhere.”

But she wanted it to go somewhere. She pulled her shirt over her head. She was naked. God, she hadn’t been naked in front of Chase. He’d only seen her backside. Ben had seen even less. She hadn’t been naked except for a shower in forever. She’d forgotten how good it felt to have air on her skin and warm, appreciative eyes.

Not cold, assessing ones. Funny how it came back in little bursts. Things she’d thought she’d forgotten. Little moments she’d buried down.

You’re getting fat, Bunny. Do you think I want a fat slave? Who will buy you when I’ve used you up? Daisy in there is going to have to go because she’s too old. No one will buy her. If you keep getting fat, you’ll end up where I’m going to put her. Where useless slaves go.

“Don’t leave me.”

Chase’s rough voice pulled her out of that terrible moment when she’d known Gretchen was going to die. Bunny. Kitten. Daisy. He hadn’t let them keep their names.

Chase’s voice was gravelly, but the words behind it were so vulnerable.

Tears, sweet piercing tears, filled her eyes. God, it felt so fucking good to be here, on the verge of crying. She wouldn’t. Not yet, but it would happen. “I’m so sorry, Sir.”

“What did he do?” His hands came up, but he hesitated, not taking what he so obviously wanted.

She moved in close, again, those instincts she’d buried rising to the surface. The need to please, to be comforted. Instincts she’d simply followed before were coming back in spurts almost as though balancing the bad memories. They had done this for her. Where there had been only the bad shit before, Chase and Ben were reminding her that there had been good in life, too.

She wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn’t like talking about it, but her therapist claimed it was the best remedy. There was poison in her system, injected by a snake of a man. She had to get it out. “He would inspect me, all of us really. He never said anything good.”

There was no pulling away, no treating her like she was damaged. In fact, he rubbed that big cock against her belly as though it needed a little comfort, too. “Sweetness, I don’t need to say it again, but he was a psychotic asshole and he obviously had horrible taste in women because you’re so fucking gorgeous, I can’t stand it.”

“Really gorgeous,” a second voice said.

Chase growled again. It seemed to be his default mode of communication. “My brother is back. And he’s looking at your ass. Can I tell him to go away?”

She tilted her chin up. “I thought you two shared.”

His face was blank. “Usually. What if I want you to myself?”

She didn’t want to choose. The thought actively made her stomach ache. She pulled away and reached for her shirt.

Ben frowned at his brother, his hair falling over his forehead in a perfect wave. “You really should get dressed, Natalie. Your friend is here, and she’s got some important news.”

She forced the T-shirt over her head, trying to forget about the horrible position Chase was putting her in. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to start some war between brothers. She’d thought she could keep them for a little while, but this wasn’t worth the heartache.

Chase’s jaw hardened stubbornly. “Natalie, we need to talk about this.”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. Thank you for listening, Sir.” He was just a Dom, nothing more. If she opened up to the other Doms, she might discover that this kindness had been waiting for her all along. She couldn’t cuddle with Cal. He was married, but there were unattached Doms. It would be like therapy. She would just ask them to spank her and then hug her afterward. Chase was right. She needed to be trained all over again, like a computer rebooting.

Ben was holding a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that didn’t belong to her.

“Where are my clothes? You said Gretchen was here.” Had Gretchen not had a chance to go to her place? She was anxious to get back into her own things. Wearing Chase’s T-shirt made her think about them too much.

Ben handed her the clothes. “I took these from Georgia’s suitcase. Sweetheart, Gretchen got into your room, but someone had gotten there first. Everything was ruined. Someone destroyed the place.”

Her little apartment? The only place where she felt really safe? A sob nearly escaped her lips as she ran out the door toward Gretchen.