Get Off Easy (Noble House, #1) (13 page)

That was all she’d been clear about.

Negotiating mid-scene was against club rules unless someone tossed a safe word. And Grae hadn’t shown any indication she’d been ready to use hers. She hadn’t been so out of her head. Boyce suspected she’d wanted something very specific, but hadn’t had the guts to confess.

Her desire to scene in private was understandable. He wasn’t anxious to get back to the main staging area. The night of his breakdown was the last time he’d been at Court. Like Grae, he wasn’t interested in such a public space. He would go back. Eventually. He’d have to in order to get past what happened that night. The best thing for him to do would be to suck it up and walk through those doors again.

And he would.

Eventually.

But he preferred the private scene they’d shared with Grae. No need to worry about an uncontrolled environment. Too bad they hadn’t been able to get more out of her. Still. What they had pulled free had been quite wonderful.

Once she truly opened up...well, then the real fun would begin. Until then, all they could do was offer support and understanding. They’d hoped the privacy of the room would allow her to be free. To feel as though she could trust them enough to tell them the actual reason she’d showed up out of nowhere.

Boyce had a feeling she’d only confessed part of her reason. He wasn’t ready to concede defeat to Saint just yet on the matter.

Then there was the fact Grae was just visiting.

Like their time with her had a shelf life. It could very well be that fact was the
something
holding her back. Boyce doubted it was so simple.

Boyce hadn’t brought that detail up to Saint yet, but he had his suspicions he wasn’t alone in his thoughts. He wasn’t against the idea of only playing with her sometimes. If she lived closer, it would certainly make dates much, much easier.

Of course, they could live closer as well... Boyce was getting ahead of himself.

And could possibly be way off the mark.

While they’d been in the office room playing, various scenes had started up. Doms and subs who weren’t sceneing, milled around, observing or waiting for the right moment. Some even simply socialized with likeminded individuals.

That was one of the fantastic things about Noble House. Membership was required, but participation wasn’t always guaranteed. Sometimes, a lot of joy came from watching people fuck. That was why Kochran was so stringent about granting applications.

David and Rhodes wore the Noble House Guardian mark as they patrolled the room, a sign they’d drawn the responsibility on this floor tonight. Guardians on duty were the only members allowed to openly display the club brand—a trio of lions circling a shield—on their leathers while they patrolled. The tradition and honor of the coveted position was a safety precaution Kochran and the other upper level members insisted on any time there was activity at the club. Several Doms a night would accept the duty, safeguarding the play rooms, public and private, and the halls in order to maintain the safety of Noble House.

All was normal, except for the vixen curled up in his lap.

Content.

Serene.

And so very, very lovely.

Her auburn lashes fanned over cheeks still pink from exertion. Her hair was damp along her hairline, her face and body relaxed. Boyce knew they’d worked her hard. And she probably had no idea she’d worked them even harder. Restraint had been something Saint had taught him. It was an aspect of D/s play they both prided themselves on. But she’d forced them both to call on every shred of control they possessed.

“Guess we were right.”

Boyce nodded carefully as Saint sank onto the couch beside him, scooting closer so they shared the intimate connection. “As much as it sucks to admit, yeah, I think we were.”

Grae murmured something as she shifted in Boyce’s arms. He pulled her closer, caging his arms around her. No telling how long she would be under. At their house, on their couch, she’d never really surfaced before she’d fallen into a deep, deep sleep. Boyce liked knowing they could put her that far down, but he didn’t relish the idea of spending the night at the Keep so she could sleep in his lap.

He much preferred the comfort of their bed. And he had a suspicion Grae would look even better with their sheets tangled around her naked body. But that step was a long way off, if it even came at all.

“How much do you think it’s going to take to convince her?”

“Don’t know.” Saint brushed aside a few strands that had fallen across Grae’s forehead, smoothing her auburn hair into soft waves that fell around her shoulders. “Could just take a few more nudges. Or a few forceful shoves.”

“The possibility certainly exists that we may push her away. Lose our chance. We’ll be left with each other. She’ll be left with nothing. It’s a dangerous game.”

“Perhaps. There’s no way to know for sure. And of course, we’re just speculating something brought her to us that has nothing to do with this place. Sure, it could be the catalyst, but there is more there. More we don’t know. And may never know. Especially if we don’t try.”

Boyce wasn’t against trying, but that didn’t mean he felt better about the niggling he felt way down deep inside his gut. “This is the part I dislike.”

“I thought you enjoyed aftercare.”

Boyce glanced down to Grae, noticing the pink tint to her cheeks was now due to her light makeup and not physical activity. “I always have. Will. I meant
this
approach. The mind fuck. That’s always been your area of expertise, not mine.”

“I thought we talked about this.”

They had. Extensively over the past few days. “No, it’s not that. I agree. I do. She needs to be the one to tell us what’s going on in her mind. And prying it out of her isn’t the way to go.”

“Then what is the issue?”

“I...don’t know. Maybe my head is just clouded right now.”

“Which is why I’m here to take care of you while you take care of her.”

Saint curled his arm around Boyce’s shoulder, pulling both Boyce and Grae against him so they were a unit. The connection helped soothe some of the unsettled feelings swirling through Boyce. But he couldn’t shake the feeling this whole situation was going to blow up in their faces.

And cost the three of them everything.

The doubts Boyce had voiced continued to echo in Saint’s mind days afterward. Saint wanted to help his lover. His best friend. The man he couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his life without. He just wasn’t sure of the best course of action. Saint had never believed for a second that
not
going back to the club was an option for Boyce.

Like Saint, the history seeped into the brick walls ran through Boyce’s blood.

Noble House was a place they needed in order to survive. A unit. A family. Taking it away from Boyce would just spiral him further and faster into his problems. The decision Kochran had made to allow Boyce to return to the club, but only scene in private, had been the best thing for him.

They needed to get back to normal.

But with Grae now in the picture normal wasn’t an option.

The woman tested Saint like no submissive he’d ever had.

Watching Boyce and Grae had been mesmerizing.

They’d moved so effortlessly with one another. Complimented each other’s strengths and weaknesses. He’d intended to stay removed from the entire scene in order to watch, but they’d been too gorgeous to ignore. He’d always commended himself for his control, his restraint, but watching his lover’s cock plunge over and over into Grae looking like some roguish, devilish god, Saint had been unable to restrain himself.

Kissing Boyce while Grae had climaxed had been euphoric. So euphoric, he’d nearly forgotten everything and climbed on top of Grae to plunge inside her. But at the last second, sanity had prevailed and reminded him that they’d agreed Grae needed to come to them. She needed to be the one to accept whatever was holding her back.

Saint longed to have them both under his command. Wanted to experience their pleasure as it merged with his. There was something special about her. Something magical.

But he’d also been happy watching Boyce take Grae under. Content watching her surrender at least to a point. The barrier she was erecting wasn’t an immoveable wall. She needed encouragement. And understanding. They’d give her some of that, to make her feel as though she had some amount of control in the situation.

Saint was willing to bend only so far.

If Boyce wasn’t struggling with post-traumatic stress, things would be different. And the scene they’d had with Grae would have gone differently as well. While Saint was willing to play and delve further into the depths of fucking with someone’s mind, as well as their body, there was a hard limit he had about not being truthful.

Couldn’t find
that
hard limit item checked off on any list.

As much as the task seemed daunting, it also aroused him.

It had been quite some time since he’d been in a position to truly toy with someone. He’d had it once with Boyce. Mind fucks had actually been the thing that had drawn them further into the world they’d discovered together. But after Boyce had returned from overseas, where his world had dramatically changed, that form of play between them had ceased. Boyce wanted to pick up where they’d left off, but Saint had put his foot down.

As long as Boyce struggled with his disorder, Saint wouldn’t fuck with his head.

It had taken all of two-point-five seconds with Grae to realize how much Saint missed it.

And that longing drove him to learn more about the woman who’d reappeared in his life. Notes from one of her former Doms indicated she had issues speaking her desires out loud. That she had difficulties relaxing. She enjoyed public scenes, but was inclined to tense up until she could forget others were watching. The same Dom had been the one to suggest a virtual membership at Noble House, adding to his suggestion that he hoped the unique club would allow her to let go of those hang ups.

If she did, she would be a spectacular submissive. One who fully embrace the lifestyle by serving her Master.

Or Masters.

Digging further into her file—bless Kochran’s thoroughness—Saint found a note from the owner of a club in Atlanta. She noted Grae had a strong preference for scenes with two Doms, though when asked directly about the preference, she flatly denied such an allegation.

A few more notes from an assortment of Doms all indicated the same thing—Grae never asked for what she needed. And when confronted with the truth, she escaped and moved on to a place where no one knew her. Joined a club where she could start over. Memberships at clubs across the county backed up the pattern. She’d leave before she got comfortable. Or when someone arrowed in on the heart of the matter.

Grae was her own worst enemy.

It was as though she couldn’t admit what she wanted because there was something wrong with the choice. Saint had noticed some of her struggle during the scene with Boyce. Saint had purposefully pushed on her a bit to see how she would react. And true to form, she’d remained silent. The small crack he’d seen? She’d slammed it shut.

Grae would be a challenge.

A unique one.

Saint didn’t mind taking on a difficult task. In fact, Boyce had already pointed out Saint was revealing in it.

And he was.

His mind was already busy developing the next scene at Noble House. Planning it out. Thinking of how to outmaneuver her mentally. He jotted a few notes on items he would need to pick up before he returned to the club.

Saint planned on dangling the figurative carrot right in front of Grae. Give her the tiniest sliver of what could be hers if she just learned to simply trust the two men enough to express her desires.

Sure, he could force the truth from her. But the mind fuck was
sooooo
much more enjoyable.

He needed to tread carefully so he didn’t scare her off.

As Saint picked up the phone and dialed Kochran’s number, he pushed aside the thoughts of Boyce and Grae. Saint had something important he needed to talk about with his friend and business associate. While the topic dealt with club issues, his personal life didn’t need to cloud the matter.

“Hey, Saint, just leaving the hospital.”

Saint had forgotten Kochran had mentioned stopping there. “How is your sister?”

“Well enough.” Tension threaded through Kochran’s voice. The stress of dealing with a terminal illness was obviously taking a toll. Mentally and physically. “She’s a trooper, though. Spends most of her time trying to cheer us all up. Every day she’s still with us is a blessing.”

“Do you guys need anything?”

“I know this is a lot to ask, but she likes visitors. Even if they just come by to say hi for a few minutes.”

“Of course.” Saint scribbled a reminder on his note cube. “There’s been something else I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. You need to change your password.”

“Isn’t that why I have you?”

Leave it to Kochran to fire back with a lame excuse or use Saint as a reason why he didn’t have to do certain things. “How many times do I need to tell you that I can’t set your personal password? It’s still the damn default I set six months ago when I installed the system.”

“Is everything secure?”

“That’s not the fucking point.” Saint rubbed his temple, knowing the system was secure because he’d designed it to be. Kochran’s nonchalance about the issue bothered Saint. “Look, I know you despise the fact you have all this in the first place, but you’re the one who wanted to branch out. Bring in more money to support some of the ideas you have. But broadening your reach means you’re more exposed. You do realize that some of the most hacked websites on the web are porn sites, right?”

“Again that’s why I pay you,” Kochran said easily.

“Jesus.” Saint could barely contain his frustration. “Any time you want to enter the twenty-first century, Kochran.”

“All right. All right. Just tell me what I need to do.”

Saint growled quietly, wishing he could reach through the phone and strangle Kochran. “I have. Numerous times.” Even as he said it, Saint fired off an email filled with the set of instructions again, knowing full well they’d be repeating this conversation next month. “It’s a wonder Noble runs as smoothly as it does sometimes.”