"f.u.c.k me harder," Tryphon whispered.

Eyes closed, she slammed up and down, f.u.c.king Tryphon as hard as possible. She could feel the o.r.g.a.s.m 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 a.s.s, cupping it, lifting her up and stilling her motion. His hips took over, thrusting up and down, driving his c.o.c.k deep and hard.

She needed more. She was so d.a.m.n close but she couldn't reach the pinnacle. Her c.l.i.t. Reaching down, she skimmed her hand over her stomach, her mound. Her fingers parted her l.a.b.i.a, 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 o.r.g.a.s.m 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 ba.s.s at a rock concert.

Her c.l.i.t 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 o.r.g.a.s.m 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 p.u.s.s.y spasmed around Tryphon's c.o.c.k, 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 o.r.g.a.s.m of her life. Oh, yes.

She'd be more than willing to do that again, a.s.suming 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 red-faced Bale. His c.o.c.k 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 f.u.c.k." 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 s.e.x. 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 f.u.c.ked.

"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 s.h.i.+rt from the floor. Nothing like doing the walk of shame in the morning, wearing a wrinkled interview suit.

G.o.d, 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 h.e.l.l?" 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? h.e.l.lo? 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 o.r.g.a.s.m 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 h.e.l.l out of this place, she'd do it. Gladly.

s.e.xy. 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 bas.e.m.e.nt.

Uh oh! There was no reasonable explanation why she needed to go down there. Unless...

Oh my G.o.d, 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 d.a.m.n if she fell down those stairs, as long as their hands were off her.

What the h.e.l.l 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-of-shape 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 bas.e.m.e.nt 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 pa.s.sing 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 cus.h.i.+on 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."

"f.u.c.k 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 f.u.c.king dog cage in their bas.e.m.e.nt was best for her?

Bale heaved a heavy sigh as he shut the bas.e.m.e.nt 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 h.e.l.l 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 pus.h.i.+ng 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. h.e.l.l, they f.u.c.ked all the time, and their s.e.x life didn't include power play. Kink, yes. Erotic submission, no.

Tryphon had always seemed to be happy with their s.e.x life, content to keep his need to play strictly at the exclusive bondage club he belonged to, and his play was purely non-s.e.xual. He never f.u.c.ked his play partners, male or female. His d.i.c.k and a.s.s 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 bas.e.m.e.nt, and now bringing the bondage into the blood bond. Into their bedroom.

And why had Tryphon insisted on that f.u.c.king 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 gla.s.s 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.

h.e.l.l.

He drained his gla.s.s 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 s.a.d.i.s.tic 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 pus.h.i.+ng 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."

s.h.i.+t.

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 h.e.l.l are you doing?' I could see I was being an a.s.s, but I couldn't stop myself. It was like someone or something else was controlling me." He shook his head. "It's a d.a.m.n good thing I didn't hire her."

"Do you think you can make it through the week without f.u.c.king 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. "d.a.m.n, I hope so. I mean, I don't want to hurt her. You know me."