"So beautiful," Zack murmured. "Good girl."

Maddie made a sound almost like a sob. Aidan's gaze shot to her face. Was she okay? She knew how to stop things. Don't stop things. Selfishly, he wanted to know what came next in this scene they were acting out in front of the mirror. She met his eyes, hers heavy, her smile slow. She was okay.

Zack stood in a graceful push to his feet. Aidan's heart skipped a beat as Zack moved again to face him. "Want to taste Maddie?" Zack whispered. He gripped Aidan's chin. For a moment their eyes met and clashed. Forbidden heat ripped through Aidan as he waited, helpless. Then Zack leaned in and brushed his mouth over his.

Fuck. Aidan's eyes closed. He sank into the brief sensation. Zack pulled back, eyes blazing and knowing. Aidan licked his tongue over his bottom lip, tasting Maddie...and Zack.

"Very good," Zack praised him softly.

Maddie moaned behind him.

Then Zack caressed him too, his shoulders through the suit jacket, his chest, his abs beneath the thin dress shirt. Zack's hands bumped over the ropes and then lower to the bulge of his dick. He rubbed him with firm strokes, over his cock, sliding lower to squeeze his balls. Aidan gasped, lust punching through his stomach. Zack looked up from where his hand cupped him to hold his gaze.

Thoughts bounced around in Aidan's head. A dark hunger grew in him, heat rushing through his body so hot he felt he could set his clothes on fire. He glanced at the mirror and saw Maddie watching with an equally hot and hungry look on her face, but also a hint of concern.

Was she worried Zack was making him do things he didn't want? She had to know he could put a stop to it at any time with one word.

He didn't.

He met her eyes and gave a small nod. She smiled.

Fuck, he might as well be stripped naked for how much he was revealing to both Maddie and Zack. His fingers tightened on Maddie's.

Zack lowered the fly and opened Aidan's pants, not slowly now, but with a sure, confident touch. With the fastener still closed, he reached into the opening, dug around and found bare flesh. Aidan hissed out a breath as Zack's fingers closed around his cock and gently pulled it out through the opening. Maddie whimpered.

Christ. Oh Christ. Fiery burning ecstasy twisted through Aidan. Zack's hand on him was big and strong and fucking hot as hell. Zack stroked him with firm assuredness, watching his own hand on Aidan's dick. Aidan's chest burned with every shallow breath he took. The tension in his spine became painfully acute.

He turned his head to look in the mirror. The scene was erotic...obscene. He and Maddie bound together, fully dressed in their formal clothing, her dress tucked up in the ropes around her waist, revealing her lower body, his cock protruding from his pants with Zack's hand on it. It was the hottest fucking thing he'd ever seen.

Zack's touch was making his blood simmer, making his head swim. And then Zack once again went to his knees. Aidan's eyes stung at how fucking much he loved this. He swallowed past his heart lodged in his throat and tried to pull air into his burning lungs. His balls were excruciatingly tight.

He turned his head and dropped his gaze to Zack in front of him, holding his shaft and studying it like it was the Holy Grail. Then he rubbed the glans over his cheek. Aidan's legs trembled. He expelled pent-up air from his lungs.

Zack looked up at him. Those neon-blue eyes glowed, surround by thick dark lashes. Drawn in, helpless to resist, Aidan stared back at him, watching in expectant fascination as Zack opened his mouth and closed it over the head of his cock.

Zack's eyes drifted closed, his pleasure evident, and gratification slammed into Aidan. He wanted this, wanted his cock sucked like you wouldn't believe, but the notion that Zack wanted this too, that he was giving Zack something that apparently pleased him so much, made Aidan's heart expand hard against his breastbone.

Zack's mouth moved on him, lips and agile tongue, his hand firmly gripping the base.

"That's so hot," Maddie moaned. Aidan leaned his head back against hers and rolled it from side to side, communicating with her. He was giving her something too.

His body was crazed for more-more pressure, more wetness, more sensation. Zack obliged, letting his saliva lubricate Aidan's flesh, his lips sliding, his mouth drawing on him in long, clinging pulls.

Aidan closed his eyes, burning up with it. He almost wanted to cry. His skin prickled all over and pressure gathered fast and dark in his balls. The pleasure shut down his mind-like the workouts he punished his body with, he could let everything else go and exist in sensation. The rest of the world disappeared and he went quiet in his head with the freedom to feel without having to think.

Zack pulled off with a sucking pop and looked up at him with wet lips. Aidan breathed hard. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" Zack breathed. "Do you know how incredible it makes me feel to have you surrender like this to me?"

Aidan again swallowed hard. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't known that, but he could see how much it pleased Zack. All he could think was...I've wanted this too.

Finally, from some long submerged place he could let that desire out into the open and admit it to himself. And to Aidan. And to Maddie.

Maddie. God what was she thinking of him? He was allowing both Zack and Maddie to see him at his most vulnerable-not just helpless because he was bound, but because they could see his most secret desires.

"Stop thinking about it," Zack ordered, recognizing something in his face. "Just let it all go."

Yes. Yes. He'd been doing that. He'd surrendered to the sensation. He closed his eyes again and surrendered.

Zack's teeth caught the tender rim of his cock and erotic pain streaked through him. He groaned. He longed to reach for Zack's head and sink his fingers into those shaggy curls, holding him there where he wanted him. But Zack was in charge here. And Aidan loved it.

Heat coiled and his thighs quaked with tension. Zack sucked him with a quick hard rhythm. So what if a man was sucking his dick? It felt good. Better than good. It felt dark and edgy and sublime. Zack was fucking amazing at this.

Zack set a tempo fast and hard, using his fist and his mouth and tongue. He took Aidan deeper, holy fuck, so deep he released his shaft with his hand. "Christ," Aidan croaked as his cock squeezed into Zack's throat. Zack's nose pressed briefly to his pubes. "Jesus fucking Christ!" Still helpless, his fingers gripped Maddie's.

Zack slid his mouth off him and paused to lick him, breathing hard himself, then dragging his tongue over the sensitive head, tracing around the rim. He fingered his balls, looked up at him with glistening swollen lips. If he could have, Aidan would have reached out to touch his face. He held Zack's gaze.

"Yeah," Zack rasped. "Fuck yeah."

Emotion swelled in Aidan, hot and huge. Once more Zack greedily licked and sucked him, bringing every sensation rocketing to a peak. Aidan gulped for air, throat aching. The base of his spine tingled, his thighs flexed, his head went back, bumping against Maddie's. Together they turned their heads to watch in the mirror, eyes meeting in a flash of heat, then dropping to Zack on his knees sucking Aidan's cock.

Then Aidan couldn't keep his eyes open any more. A groan rumbled in his chest and fiery sensation raced up his spine, pure ecstasy exploding in his balls. His orgasm crashed over him, his cock jerking in Zack's mouth. Searing heat streaked though him, out his dick and into Zack's mouth.

Holy fuck. His legs were giving out. He couldn't collapse with Maddie tied to him like this, they'd both go down in a heap and she'd get hurt. Be strong. Be strong. Quivering and quaking, he used every particle of strength and will he could find to stay upright, teeth gritted together, muscles locked.

Zack finished him off, licking, sucking, smiling. Then he surged to his feet and reached for the ropes that bound Aidan and Maddie. In seconds they were free. Aidan went down. He couldn't help it. He sat heavily on the floor, head bowed, reaching for Maddie's hand. He tugged her down onto his lap and buried his face in her hair. His entire body wracked with shivers, he held her tight and sucked in air.

Her hands were all over him, touching his face, his neck, his shoulders. She kissed his hand, twined her arms around his neck and snuggled into him.

Zack. Where was Zack? Aidan cracked his eyes open. Zack stood apart from them, holding the rope in his hands, coiling it up. Watching them.

A swirl of emotions choked Aidan. He wasn't even sure what they all were. Should he feel guilty? Ashamed? Honestly, that wasn't what he felt. He felt...good. Fuck. He felt relieved, he felt free. Definitely vulnerable. Yet not as vulnerable as the look on Zack's face at that moment as he watched him and Maddie hug.

Instinctively, without thinking about it, Aidan held out a hand to his friend. Zack was the one in charge, but it was Aidan who said hoarsely, "C'mere."

Zack hesitated, then dropped the rope. He stepped closer, lowered himself to the floor, folding his legs, and put his arms around Aidan's shoulders, with Maddie between them. Zack set his head against Aidan's and for long moments they sat like that together.

Chapter Nineteen.

On Monday, Zack met with Brian Bridges at a coffee shop near Northwestern. Seven years hadn't really changed him much. At twenty-three, Zack had been a little older than some of the other students, having worked a couple years between high school and college, but Professor Bridges had seemed a lot older and wiser than him. Now, Zack wondered how old the guy actually was, because with Zack being thirty, Professor Bridges didn't seem much older.

Professor Bridges rose from the table he'd already been seated at to greet him. They shook hands and clapped each other on the shoulders with big smile. "Wow, great to see you, Zack. You look good."

"Thanks. Feeling a lot better. And good to see you too."

"Have a seat."

They settled in, ordered coffee and sandwiches. Then Professor Bridges grinned. "Pulitzer Prize, huh. I have to say it wasn't a surprise to me."

Zack smiled. "Thanks. Learned it all from you."

His old prof snorted. "Right."

"Seriously, Professor Bridges. I really did learn a lot from you."

"Call me Brian." The prof waved a hand. "I'm not your professor anymore."

"Okay." Zack grinned.

"Tell me about that story. How you got it."

They talked and Zack slipped into technical talk with ease, moving from one subject to another, things he'd seen, things he'd learned, even touching on his captivity. Zack mentioned Reporters Without Borders, and Brian told him he knew one of the founding board members, who now worked as contributing editor for the Washington Post. "They've got a really solid reputation in Washington. Defending freedom of information. So important."

"Yeah." Zack sighed. "I feel myself becoming cynical. We all want to think we can make a difference. That maybe some torture will stop because it's highlighted in the media, or corrupt politicians will stop illegal activities because journalists dig into what they're doing and make it public. But..." He shook his head. "I don't know. Do I feel like I made one damn bit of difference? Not really. There's still so much evil out there." He'd sure experienced that first hand.

"It's hard for one person to feel you're making a difference." Brian nodded. "You have to look at the big picture."

They continued talking, and when Zack glanced at his cell phone to check the time, he was shocked to see they'd been sitting there for nearly two hours. "Wow. You have classes to get back to?"

"Nah. Summer session is not as intense. I should get back to the office, though. Got a student coming to see me at three."

"Let me buy." Zack pulled out his wallet.

"No, no, I'm buying. I invited you. Listen, I wanted to ask you something. How long are you going to be in town?"

Zack shoved his wallet back in his pocket. "I'm supposed to leave next week."

"Oh. Damn. I was going to ask if you'd come talk to one of my classes. Or more than one. It would be a thrill for them to have a chance to hear from a Pulitzer-Prize-winning photojournalist. An alumnus, no less."

Zack blinked at that. It sounded cool. But he was leaving. "Yeah," he said slowly. "Sorry."

"Fall session starts in a few weeks, it would've been great. Ah well. I was actually wondering if you might even stay permanently, after what happened. We're looking for an adjunct professor. It might be something you could do along with other work."

Zack laughed. "Professor? Me?"

"Sure, why not?" Brian studied him. "You'd be great at it, especially with your experience."

Zack shook his head, smiling. "Well. Never thought of that. But the agency is expecting me back in the field."

"Yeah, no doubt."

They walked out of the restaurant. Clouds had moved in, obscuring the sun, and the low gray ceiling above them looked like rain was imminent.

Brian shook his hand again.

"Thanks for lunch," Zack said. "Enjoyed it."

"Yeah, great talking to you. Could talk for hours more. Stay in touch, okay? And if you happen to be back, let me know and we'll get you up in front of one of my classes."

Zack smilingly agreed, though he knew he wouldn't be back.

Dammit.

As he rode the train back toward Aidan and Maddie's condo, he reflected on the offer and mention of a teaching position. The idea surprisingly intrigued him. It wasn't something he'd ever contemplated as he'd pursued his own education. He'd been eager to travel and see the world and tell important stories. A classroom didn't have the same adrenaline rush or have the same import.

Well, that wasn't true. When he thought about the impact Brian's teaching and mentorship had had on him, he had to admit teaching could have a big value. The idea of sharing his knowledge and mentoring kids was actually kinda cool.

But he was leaving. Next week. He had a doctor appointment on Thursday and if the doctor gave the okay and cleared him to return to work, he'd be booking flights to...well, he wasn't sure where yet. He'd go where they sent him.

His heart felt as leaden as the skies above him as he contemplated that.

Leaving Maddie and Aidan. Leaving their home that had come to feel like his home. Leaving Chicago, which he'd fallen in love with. Why hadn't he appreciated the city when he'd been in college?

He'd been a busy student, immersed in his studies. He'd also been focused on his future, on the rest of the world, and getting away. He'd always been focused on getting away, had never really taken the time to get to know the city. The here and now. There was a lot to like.

No, it wasn't a Damascus or Beirut or Mumbai or Cape Town. But when he thought of cities like that, he got a weird tight feeling in his gut. Even talking to Brian about it, he'd had that vague anxious feeling, much as he'd enjoyed their discussion.

He pushed away those feelings and thought about Aidan and Maddie. About what had happened on the weekend. How he'd sucked off his best friend. And how Aidan had loved it.

He'd had a niggle of worry, a nudge of doubt as he'd carried out the plan-the fantasy-that night. Aidan's reaction had surprised him. But then again, it hadn't. If he'd truly thought Aidan would freak out and yell red, he wouldn't have gone there. Deep down inside, he'd known...or had a feeling. One of his "hunches" or intuition.

But what did it all mean, in the grand scheme of things? He was showing Aidan that he was kinkier than he'd known, showing him and Maddie how to give each other what they needed. Then he'd leave. They didn't need him. This was all kinky fun, but not something that would last forever. They all knew that.

But heat spread through his body, remembering...the feel of Aidan in his mouth, the taste of his come, the absolute bliss on his face. Zack had wanted that for so long. Now he was wondering if Aidan had wanted that too.

He couldn't start thinking things like that. Getting ridiculous hopes up. Letting those old feelings for both Aidan and Maddie develop again.

He'd cared about them back then, because they'd let him in. They'd accepted him. Aidan was always rescuing people and fixing things. He'd befriended Zack when he was lost and clueless and confused, earning his undying loyalty and gratitude. They'd saved Maddie from her fuckface boyfriend.

Now, there were more reasons to care. They were both so fucking brave. Zack knew how scary it was to make yourself vulnerable, to reveal your deepest, darkest secrets. They'd done that. With him. They'd trusted him. Christ. A giant fist squeezed his insides.

They had great lives-successful careers, loads of talent and smarts, friends and family. And the hugest thing of all...they cared about him, enough to do all the things they had. When he still felt he didn't fucking deserve it.

He'd always known that someone like him, who wanted such perverted weird things, weird things like wanting two people, one of each sex-who did that? Nobody. He would never have a normal kind of relationship. Normal people fell in love with one person, sometimes the opposite sex, sometimes the same sex. The world was coming to accept that. But someone who loved two people was just fucked up. Plus, he liked to do kinky things to people, like tie them up and flog them. He'd accepted that part of himself and wasn't going to deny it anymore, but there were also people in the world who thought that was fucked up.

Which was why, long ago, he'd given up hope that he'd ever have any kind of relationship. Who would want him? Maddie and Aidan had turned to each other, two nice normal heterosexual people, maybe not as vanilla as they'd thought, but still...they were for each other.

The next day, Zack picked up the prints he'd had made of some of his photographs and went to a framing shop. He had no idea why he was doing this, but for some reason he had some kind of urge to display his work. Only, he had no actual home with walls on which to display it. Whatever. He was doing it. He picked out frames and left the prints at the shop to be picked up Friday.

Then he met Maddie for lunch, since he'd mentioned he was going to be downtown near her office and she'd immediately suggested lunch. Aidan's office wasn't that far, but when they'd invited him to join them, he'd had to decline because he was meeting with a couple of city administrators.

"Big shot." Zack had ragged on him.

"And don't you forget it." Aidan had grinned.