Author: Olivia Cunning

Jace glanced at Eric. He’d never seen Eric with a woman long enough to witness him getting walked over. Eric tended to avoid anything remotely resembling a romantic relationship. Hell, he rarely engaged in sex. Usually watched and only participated if he was sure the woman wasn’t truly interested in him for anything other than leftovers. The only exception was Myrna. Myrna had only wanted Brian, no matter how touchy-feely Eric had gotten. Had that been his attraction to her? Knowing she’d never really be interested in him, so it was safe to pine away for her?

Eric scowled at Jace. “What the fuck are you looking at, little man?”

Jace lowered his gaze to the floor, hiding the defiance he knew would be in his eyes. “Nothing.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Jace shifted his gaze to Trey. “How are you feeling? Are they going to let you out of here soon?”

Trey lifted his hand and tried to make a fist. His hand didn’t even close halfway. “That’s how I’m feeling, Jace. Fucked up and pissed off. Whatever. I’m getting out of here tomorrow. I don’t give a shit what my doctor says.”

Jace nodded. He didn’t want Trey in here any more than he wanted to stay.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Eric said. “You’ll stay in the hospital until you’re better.”

“These places kill people.” Jace bit his lip. He hadn’t meant to say that, but he couldn’t help but get lost in his past when confronted by such blatant reminders.

“This place saved Trey’s life,” Eric said, slim black brows drawing together over his piercing blue eyes. “I’m the only one who had to witness his fucking seizure. I almost had a heart attack when Trey stopped breathing and pissed himself.”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d keep that ‘pissed himself ’ part to yourself,” Trey murmured.

Eric placed a hand on Trey’s brow and brushed his bangs off his forehead. “That is nothing to be ashamed of, brother. I thought you were dead. It was the least of my concerns.”

“I would have been dead if you hadn’t called the ambulance.”

“You were coming around by the time they got there. I performed CPR on you for like twenty minutes, dude.”

Jace’s eyes widened. He hadn’t realized what Eric had done for Trey. Jace wondered if he would have gone to the same lengths to save Trey or just curled into the fetal position and hid, as he had when his mother had died.

Trey grinned crookedly. “So that’s why I’ve been tasting tequila since I woke up. Was it really necessary to give me tongue?”

Eric laughed. “Hey, I know you like that kind of thing. I thought it might revive you.”

“You gave him tongue?” Jace’s nose curled. He knew Trey was bisexual, and Jace was fine with that, as long as he wasn’t confronted by it. To each man his own—just keep it behind closed doors.

Eric rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and shook his head. “No, I didn’t really give him tongue. Jeez, dude, do you have any sense of humor at all?”

Jace had a hard time figuring out when Eric was being serious and when he was joking. He’d probably do better if he erred on the side of joking. The guy was rarely serious.

“I knew you were joking,” Jace said.

“Whatever.”

“I’m bored. Let’s watch Sed and Jessica’s video again,” Trey said.

Dave peeked in the door. “Eric, are you ready to go?” he whispered loudly.

“Sed and Jess left,” Eric said, waving Dave back into the room. “It’s safe.”

Dave stepped into the room, glancing around cautiously. “Was Sed pissed at us for watching that?”

“Sed?” Trey asked. “Nah, I’m sure he’s proud of it. Jess, on the other hand…”

“She ran out crying,” Jace said. “Sed went after her.”

“If she was upset, then Sed will be upset too,” Dave said.

The four exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

“Fine,” Trey said. “We won’t watch it again.” He sighed loudly.

“A shame really,” Eric muttered. “Excellent jack off material. I just don’t want to upset Jessica. She’s a good woman.”

Jace had never given Jessica much thought. She was gorgeous. No mistake about that, but he didn’t know her well enough to judge her character. There must be something pretty great about her if she could keep Sed interested for two years, even while absent.

“Where have you been all day, Jace?” Dave asked. “We wanted to borrow your bike earlier, but couldn’t find you.”

Jace flushed, thoughts returning to Aggie. “Sorry, I was…”

Trey chuckled. “He was getting laid. Look at him blush.”

Jace’s already hot cheeks burned even more.

Dave nudged him with his elbow. “Good looking chick?”

“Perfect.”

“How much did you pay her?” Eric chided.

Jace was pretty sure his face was about to burst into flames. “Uh… a grand.”

“You paid for it?” Trey asked. “Dude, I can hook you up with any chick you want. Don’t ever pay for pussy.”

Jace’s defenses rose. “Not the sex. I didn’t pay her for that part.”

“Then what?” Dave asked, looking puzzled.

Jace shook his head. He was unwilling to share this part of himself with the guys. They’d think he was a freak. Eric grabbed him in a headlock and pulled the back of his shirt up. Dave gasped as he took in what must have been a matrix of bruises, welts, and scratches.

Eric poked a bruise with one finger. “Just as I thought. Dude, if you want someone to hit you, just ask. I’d love to knock you around.”

Trey laughed. “Careful. You’ll give him a boner, Eric.”

Jace’s hard fist to Eric’s ribs gained his release.

“Ow, fuck, you hit hard.” Eric grabbed his side, wincing in pain.

Jace felt immediate remorse for hurting him. “Sorry.”

“So you paid some guy to beat you up?” Dave asked, perplexity written in every confused line of his face.

Trey burst out laughing. “Uh no, Dave. Hanging around us, you’d think you’d come out of the shelter of your vanilla existence every now and then. He likes women to hit him.”

Jace’s eyes widened, and he diverted his gaze to his boots. “I need to leave.”

“Don’t leave. Tell us what she did to you,” Trey insisted. “It might alleviate my boredom for a couple minutes.”

“Did she piss on you?” Dave asked. He shifted to his other foot and adjusted the fly of his khakis.

“No, she didn’t piss on me.”

“But you want her to piss on you, don’t you, Dave?” Trey said.

“Em, no,” Dave said. “That’s sick.” He adjusted his fly again.

“You’re all hard just thinking about it,” Trey noted. “She’ll probably piss on you for a couple bucks. What do you say, Jace? Give her a call. Ask her if she’ll piss on Dave. I’ll spot him a twenty.”

“Don’t,” Dave said, flushing from the collar of his mint green polo to the line of his immaculately styled, light brown hair.

Jace scowled. He didn’t know if Aggie pissed on guys for money, and he didn’t want to know. Talking about this cheapened his experiences with her. He didn’t like it. She treated him different from the rest of her customers. She’d already told him that. Part of him wanted to believe it.

“I don’t think she does that kind of thing.”

“Puh-lease. A chick like her will do anything for money,” Eric said.

“No. She’s not like that.” Why did he feel the need to defend her? She did serve men for money. But it was on her terms. Wasn’t it? “I’ve got to go.”

Jace left, but he vowed he wouldn’t go to see Aggie again tonight, even though he had an appointment with her in five hours and thirty-seven minutes. He could not allow himself to get any more attached.

Chapter 10

Jace stood on Aggie’s stoop, one index finger on her door buzzer, the other aimed at his temple as a mock pistol barrel. What was he doing here? He’d promised himself he wouldn’t come.

The door opened to the annoyed scowl of a cranky redhead. “Aggie!” Aggie’s mother turned and screamed into the house. “Another one of your freaks is here!”

This woman really knew how to make Jace’s balls wither to the size of raisins. Aggie emerged from behind the door. She didn’t say a word, but the look she gave him—like he was the vilest piece of shit on the planet—had those raisins back to full size in an instant. She opened the door wider and turned, stalking toward the sanctum, her full hips rocking side to side with each step.

Panting, Jace followed.

“Close the fucking door, Maynard! You’re letting out the AC,” Aggie’s mother yelled. How had that woman given birth to the luscious, sensual creature that was Aggie?

Jace closed the door and followed Aggie into the sanctum. She slid the door closed, startling him. When he turned to look at her, she locked it. Her eyes were as cold as arctic steel. He didn’t know if she was actually pissed at him or if it was all an act. Its source didn’t matter. Her glare made his cock swell uncomfortably in his jeans.

Her gaze unwavering, Aggie backed him into a corner. She slid her riding crop under the hem of his T-shirt and lifted it a few inches. Her eyebrows rose, and she didn’t have to tell him what she wanted twice. He peeled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it aside. She lashed him across the belly, and his entire body jerked. The tip of her crop disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. She slid it further down, along the entire length of his cock, and then pulled the crop free. Again she raised her eyebrows at him, but said nothing.

Shuddering, he released his fly and pulled his cock free of his pants. It stood at rigid attention between them. She didn’t strike him for obeying her. Just continued to stare at him and wait. What did she want?

“Aggie?”

She shoved a ball into his mouth and fastened the gag around his head. He’d told her last night that he didn’t like to be gagged. When he lifted his hands to release the gag’s buckle, she turned and strode away in that prowling cat walk she’d perfected. He lowered his hands, the gag still in place, and watched her move toward the table where her whips and paddles rested from least to most vicious in a neat line. She set the riding crop down, third in line, after a small paddle and a larger wooden one, and selected her fourth tool—three whips on a short handle. She glanced over her shoulder and gave the clothes on the lower half of his body a pointed look.

Did she want him naked? Would she hit him if he did what she wanted?

He pulled off his boots and shucked his pants, kicking them aside. Wearing nothing but his socks, he waited. She smiled at him coldly and sashayed her way back in his direction. She turned him to face the wall. He felt the cool leather of the three whips slide sensually over his naked back, buttocks, between his legs to tease his balls, his asshole, up his back again to his shoulders. She lashed him once, twice, between the shoulder blades. Sweet, sweet agony. His cock twitched in anticipation. She didn’t give him more though. Something cold wrapped around his neck and tightened just short of choking him. A collar? Was she really that determined to treat him like a fucking dog? She leaned against his back, the luscious globes of her breasts pressing into his flesh. She slid the tails of her whip up and down his belly. Whenever the ends of the lashes brushed his cock, he tensed. Concentrating on sensation, he relaxed. He didn’t even notice the cuffs attached to his collar until she had his left wrist immobilized in one.

Jace grabbed the collar’s fastening with his free hand. He’d had enough of this. She had no right to—