Iron Cross: The Dartmouth Cobras #6 (31 page)

“I know! Please!” Laura trembled, arching her back and relaxing enough for him to push in a little more. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

“Let me in, girl. Take a deep breath.” He let out a low growl as he felt the slightest give in the muscles of her cunt. Not enough to make breaching the ring of muscle easy, but a little force was all it took to fill her. Chicklet kissed Laura’s inner thigh, fingers digging into Laura’s hip. His hand was surrounded by Laura’s heat, and his dick hardened as he looked at her pussy, snug around his wrist. The lube and her juices spilled down onto the sofa and the desperate sob she released, one of pain and pleasure and unhindered need gave him a sense of owning her completely. She was
utterly vulnerable to him and the power was heady.

“Master, oh God, please!” Laura arched her back as he carefully moved his hand, loosening his fist to fill her even more. “I-I—please, may I come?”

“Not yet.” Cruel, because he knew she was close, but he wouldn’t rush this. He wanted her helpless, waiting for what he could give her. He put his free hand on the leg she had braced on the floor to hold her still. Watched his wrist slide in deeper, until she could take no more. Until incoherent pleading was the only sound she made.

“Give him your mouth, Tyler.” Chicklet’s voice came from somewhere close. She nibbled Raif’s throat, then whispered in his ear as Ty
ler’s mouth surrounded his dick, “Let go, Raif. You’re holding on too tight.”

Not to Laura, to himself. Raif bucked up into Tyler’s mouth and finally told Laura what she needed to hear. “Come, Laura. Now!”

She screamed and Tyler drew back, and Raif’s attention was split in two as Laura shuddered and Tyler opened his mouth to catch Raif’s cum on his tongue. The sensations ripping through Raif undid him, and he fell back against the back of the sofa as his strength abandoned him. Part of his mind remained in the present, reminding him he needed to be gentle as he withdrew from Laura, but Chicklet helped him, holding Laura even as Tyler climbed up on the sofa, snuggling up against his side.

One man, or one woman, was all Raif had ever needed or wanted. But he couldn’t seem to do anything so simple as take a breath without feeling Tyler close to him, without sensing Chicklet near, a solid presence assuring him that Laura was well. Chicklet took his hand in hers so they were stroking Laura’s hair together, comforting her even though only Chicklet could give her the right words to tell her how perfect and precious she was. Raif wanted to hold Laura, but he didn’t feel stable enough to offer her a soft place to land when she came down. He knew Chicklet could do it for him until he came down himself, but he was taking too long.

He rarely let himself go this far in a scene, wasn’t sure he should have, and his hand shook as he reached out for something to help him stand. His mouth was dry and his vision blurry. He shook his head, trying to clear it. He had to pull himself together and care for Laura himself. Show her she’d given herself to a man worthy of her trust.

“I’ll get you some water, Raif. Hey, look at me.” Tyler put his hand on Raif’s cheek, preventing him from shaking his head again. “She’s okay. We’re all good. Must suck to get in that nice happy place, then start worrying about everything. How about you stop worrying and just stay here for a bit? It’s okay to let someone take care of you sometimes.”

“I don’t need—you are not upset by this? You are important to me.” Raif was not sure he made sense. He grabbed Tyler’s wrist when it looked like the boy would move away. “Nothing I do changes that. You know?”

“I know.” Tyler pressed a light kiss on his lips. “She needs water too. I’ll bring a few bottles, then I’ll stay with you. I won’t be long.”

“You love her.” Raif’s jaw hardened. Tyler was so innocent. So loving. Perhaps Raif and Chicklet were wrong to leave him in the dark. It all seemed so wrong now. “Tyler, not all people are good. They—”

Chicklet reached over and put her hand over his mouth. “Tyler’s right, Raif. Happy place. Stay there. Get some water, Tyler. I’ll order some pizza. Our man’s fucking high as a kite on endorphins. I don’t think he’s played this hard in a long time.” Chicklet turned to face Raif, understanding in her eyes. “I’m in this with you, my loving Dom. But you gotta promise me one thing.”

“Anything.” Raif looked over at Laura, who’d curled up with her head on Chicklet’s lap under a blanket he hadn’t noticed before. She was fine. He returned his attention to Chicklet. “I swear to you, I will not let my control slip again.”

“Don’t promise that. I can’t say I’ll never be where you are. It’s happened before.”

He couldn’t picture Chicklet ever slipping into the blinding fog of uncertainty he’d found himself in. She handled herself so very well.

Tyler was back already. With four bottles of water. And he was smiling with a look of recalling fond memories. “Don’t think I ever liked Sloan so much as I did that night. Chicklet was growling at anyone who came too close while she was trying to give both me and Laura aftercare. We were fine, but she was hating on the blankets, on the temperature in the room, on the music in the club because it was ‘too loud.’ Sloan left me and Laura snuggling while he sat on the floor with Chicklet and hugged her and told her she was an amazing Domme.”

Raif knew things like that happened, but not to him. He wasn’t having some kind of drop. He only had to know he’d done no damage. And a dark voice in his head told him he had. He shouldn’t play with a sub he knew would betray him. And Tyler. And Chicklet.

“She is an amazing Domme.” A truth Raif could focus on. She’d done well with her subs. But they were her subs, and his interference could be the only thing that had caused the problems they now faced. Why couldn’t he have left Tyler alone? “I should go. We have a game tomorrow and I must—”

“Not happening. Take a sip. Soon as you’re up to it, you’re coming to bed with me to cuddle.” Chicklet tipped an open bottle to Raif’s lips. He swallowed quickly, already feeling steadier as the dryness left him. Chicklet smiled. “Can you stand?”

“Of course I can, I am not injured.” Raif tried not to scowl, but everything suddenly irritated him. The light. Tyler and Chicklet hovering. All the words he knew he could not voice. He ignored Tyler’s proffered hand and stood. “I will stay if you insist, but not for long.”

“Uh-huh.” Chicklet slid her hands up his chest, sliding his undone shirt off his shoulders, slowly removing it. She arched a brow when he latched on to her wrist before she could take off his pants as well. “I’m not putting my clothes back on, and you’re not coming to bed with me still dressed. Take them off, Raif.”

A smile crept across his lips as he looked her over, his naked Amazon who refused to give him the upper hand even while caring for him. The knowledge put all his muddled thoughts into perspective. He still felt worn out and weak, but this wasn’t a situation he had to take on alone. And lying naked in bed with Chicklet in his arms would be comforting.

Only a fool would refuse her simple request. He was many things, but never a fool. “I suppose it’s a reasonable request.”

Chicklet snorted and turned to head to the bedroom. He followed after removing his pants and boxers, pleased to see Tyler was picking up all their clothes without being asked. In the bedroom he lay beside Chicklet, closing his eyes as she drew the blanket over them both and rested her head on his chest. She felt solid, warm and feminine, yet not fragile in the least. Not like someone he’d be afraid to break. He could lean on her as much as he expected her to lean on him.

But he couldn’t completely let himself go. Not until he knew what she thought of his momentary weakness. “I should apologize for—”

“No, you shouldn’t.” Chicklet rose up over him, bracing herself on one arm and framing his jaw with her hand. “You just proved yourself to me. You’re so damn protective of Tyler, but you still worry about Laura. We’re in this together, and it’s probably going to fuck us both up sometimes, but we’re only human. I don’t need a perfect fucking Dom by my side. I need one who understands how much giving a damn can hurt. Because this is going to hurt, Raif.”

“It doesn’t have to, Chicklet. Despite what Laura tried to do, she feels something for him too. Once we expose the problem—”

“You don’t get it. They’re both family to me, and that she’d consider Tyler expendable is
not
acceptable. But we’ll all be okay, because I have the advantage.”

He inclined his head. “Yes, you do.”

She lowered her head back to his shoulder and dropped her arm across his chest. “You’re not gonna ask how?”

Shaking his head, he closed his eyes. “Not necessary. You have me. That’s all the advantage you need.”

“Arrogant bastard,” she said with a laugh, the insult oddly affectionate. “Glad you’re so confident.”

Truthfully, he wasn’t. But he’d fake it until that changed.

T
wo movies later and Tyler was tired of sitting still. Having a quiet Sunday had sounded like a good idea yesterday, but after a peaceful morning topped off by hot sex, he had the urge to do something.
Anything.

He turned off
Tarzan
, then grabbed the rest of the clothes off the coffee table. After stuffing them in the bathroom hamper, he collected the empty pizza boxes and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. And the counters and the table. Stopped as he considered the mop hanging on the rack in the pantry. This was getting ridiculous. He had to get out of here. Hell, going outside and running around the block a few times could be fun.

Or how about not?
He grabbed his phone from the dock on the kitchen counter, tapping in his code and checking the last callers. None since yesterday before the game. Everyone was spending time with their families before the team headed out to New York tomorrow. Which was cool, but either Scott or Luke usually called at some point to hang out. Of course, that was before they’d gotten arrested. A week should be long enough for people to forget about that, though?

Or maybe not.

Probably not if even Luke’s still keeping his head down.

They could be waiting for him to let them know he was in the clear.

Am I?

Yeah…who knew? He could always call his manager and run it by him. If he said yes, Chicklet and Raif would be fine with it. He had the number up on his phone, but didn’t bother pressing send. The conversation wouldn’t be pleasant and the answer would probably be no.

That run around the block was a lot more appealing. He wandered down the hall, glancing at the closed door of the main bedroom, then headed to his room where Laura had asked if she could chill when she’d lost interest in the Disney movie marathon.

“You bored?” Laura asked, looking up from her book. Tyler stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pajama pants and shrugged. It was kinda cool that Chicklet and Raif were taking a nap together—there was something comforting about how well they meshed, and submitting to them both was…incredible. But the idea of pissing them both off scared him more than a little. If he brought up wanting to go hang out with Luke and Scott…

“I was thinking of going to the gym.” Both Doms would approve of that. Working out was all productive and shit, and they’d want him to keep himself occupied, right?

Laura put down her book and sat up, patting the space on the bed beside her. “You miss your friends, don’t you?”

Tyler plunked down and shrugged again. Laura was all about following the rules. She’d probably tell him he’d get to see them again soon if he was a good boy. The idea made him even more bored. This whole behaving thing was gonna drive him insane. He stared down at his hands, smiling a little as Laura slipped her soft little hand over his.

She’d been there for him a lot lately, been one of the few people he could talk to. He might as well be honest with her.

“I get why I shouldn’t hang out with them. We get in any more trouble, and one of us will probably be shipped out to another team this summer. I don’t feel like dealing with a lecture though.”

“You need Chicklet’s permission to go see your friends?”

He frowned. True, Chicklet got annoyed when he acted like she needed to approve everything he did. And Raif treated him like a grown-up too. Wasn’t about that though. He didn’t want to ruin an awesome day by disappointing them. And they would be disappointed if they found out he wanted to go against the people who managed his career.

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Then just go!” Laura bumped his shoulder with hers and laughed. “Tell them you’re going to the gym if you’re worried about how they’ll react.”

Lie to Chicklet?
All right, he wasn’t that stupid. “Hell no. I choose life. She’d kill me if she found out.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. Meet the boys at the gym—that way it’s not really a lie.”

Also true. He held the tip of his tongue between his teeth, thinking it over. He couldn’t stay at the gym with Luke and Scott, they’d all get in shit, but he could do a quick workout and then they could find somewhere to hang out where the press and their fans wouldn’t be all over them. Luke would figure out something interesting to do. He always did.

“You’re right…hey, could you tell them when they get up? I am going to the gym, so it’s not like you’re lying for me. I just won’t tell you where else I’ll be, so you can honestly say you don’t know when I get back late.”

“Not too late. You don’t want them to worry.”

“I’ll be back by midnight.” He grinned and pulled her into his arms to give her a tight hug. Was good not to have her mad at him. He’d missed having moments like this with her. He kissed her forehead. “I love you, Laura.”

She went still, letting out a soft laugh. Sounded maybe a little nervous. She was probably hoping Chicklet wouldn’t figure out she knew more than she was gonna tell her and Raif. But she smiled sweetly as she looked up at him. “I love you too, Tyler. Now get going before they wake up. You’re a horrible liar.”

He rolled his eyes, but his heart beat fast as he got dressed and slipped out of the bedroom. There was no way around it—he knew he was being sneaky. But what the hell, Chicklet would probably be amused if she found out, even though she’d pretend to be angry. And no matter how much he’d hate being punished by her and Raif, part of him looked forward to it.

If this wouldn’t be the first time he earned discipline from them for doing something stupid, there’d be another first. And many more times after that. They couldn’t have fun reining him in if he didn’t run a little wild.

If they wanted someone tame, they wouldn’t both have chosen him.

* * * *

Raif had slipped back into Chicklet’s bedroom, quietly shutting the door, just before Tyler came out into the hall. He’d heard the exchange between Laura and Tyler and all his protective instincts were on high alert. With good reason. One thing no Dom tolerated from their sub was lying, but Tyler had been in exactly the right place for Laura to convince him a little white lie wouldn’t be horrible.

She’s quite convincing when she put her mind to it.
Raif wished he hadn’t left them alone. Hadn’t given Laura the opportunity to play her games with Tyler.

If Chicklet didn’t already know what was going on, she’d be very upset that Tyler felt he couldn’t be honest with her. She probably still would be—more so if Tyler got himself arrested again, or suspended, or got into God knew what kind of trouble with his friends. He was restless and both Luke and Scott were likely feeling the same. What they considered “fun” could mean anything.

He held a finger up to Chicklet as she shot him a questioning look from the bed. Then he pulled out his phone. “Zach, I know I shouldn’t be calling, but…I need you to do me a favor.”