Teaching Abby Page 8

  I nod. “I agree. Roman is going to need to address her future with her. She just graduated. It’s normal for her to feel a little off. Lost even.” I drop my hands and sit forward. “But we don’t need to hash out Roman’s issues. We have our own.”

  Beck rolls his neck, working out the kinks. “That’s an understatement.”

  Levi inhales deeply. “Totally my fault. I hired her, and I then fucked up.”

  I set my elbows on the desk and nail Levi with my gaze. “We all agreed on you hiring an intern. You didn’t do anything without our consent. Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you were wrong. We do need to add a woman to our team, without a doubt. It’s good for business to add a female perspective and a female face when a client enters the building. And yes, you made a mistake, but at this point I’m starting to believe it was fate. That woman needed an introduction into kink.”

  “I agree,” Beck adds. “She’s wound up tight. Repressed. If we don’t take her under our wings, someone else will, and that thought makes me cringe.”

  I nod. “Me too.”

  Levi glances at Beck and then me. “We’re in uncharted territory here. We don’t seek out women and train them. They come to us. She’s completely innocent in about a dozen ways.”

  He’s right. “True. But that doesn’t mean we can’t help her. If it’s what she chooses.”

  Levi rubs his forehead with two fingers. “There’s another issue no one is mentioning.”

  “What’s that?” Beck asks.

  “I know I’m not the only one attracted to her. You both are too. We’re treading on thin ice.”

  I shrug. “Not going to deny you’re right again, but we’ve been attracted to other women we’ve trained. It happens. We’re professional enough to help her find herself and let her go. Besides, we don’t have a choice. She’s leaving at the end of the summer. I would never stop anyone from following their dreams, no matter how badly I wanted them in my bed.”

  Levi sits forward. “And what if she falls hard for one of us? Or, what if one of us falls for her?”

  Beck groans. “Too late. I already did the day she arrived.”

  I chuckle. At least we’re being honest. “You both know I would never keep a woman. It will never happen. It’s not in the cards for me. But we agreed ten years ago when we entered into this arrangement that if one of us ever wanted out, they would have our blessing.”

  Levi sighs. “I can only speak for myself, but I’ve never found the right submissive to be tempted into a permanent relationship before. There’s a certain excitement to training women, never keeping any of them. That being said, I can’t lie. Abby makes me think. However, I can’t possibly go so far as to say how I might feel after we’ve worked with her for a while because there are so many unknowns.”

  “I agree with Levi,” Beck says. “All we can do right now is offer her a contract and see if she’s even willing to stay and train under our care. We can’t predict the future. She’s young. Her entire life is ahead of her. She also has plans to attend Harvard in the fall. That’s on the other side of the country. We don’t fit into those plans, so this discussion is probably moot.”

  I glance back and forth from Beck to Levi several times. “I predict one or both of you is going to get hurt, and I don’t want to see your friendship ruined over a woman.”

  Levi shakes his head. “Won’t let it happen.”

  I lean back and blow out a breath. “We’ll see.”

  Chapter 17

  Abby

  * * *

  I haven’t slept nearly enough when the alarm goes off. I groan as I realize the sun is up and it’s time to get in the shower. Right? That’s what I’m expected to do, isn’t it?

  I don’t think any of the men intend to fire me or send me packing just because I saw a private video they took. They wouldn’t have gone to the trouble to have their friend show me around last night if they’d intended to fire me today.

  In the shower, I hurry to wash myself, trying not to linger too long when I stroke over my breasts or between my legs. The truth is that half the reason I have not slept is because I spent the night tossing and turning, unable to shake images of Katarina’s orgasm from my mind.

  Of all the things I learned and witnessed yesterday, what stands out most is the look on her face as she came apart with Beck’s fingers pressed inside her.

  I have no idea what I’m getting into or what’s going to happen next in my life, but I do know that I want to feel whatever Katarina felt in that moment. I’ll never shake the visual from my head. She wasn’t acting. It wasn’t a video she made for money. She for real experienced a deep state of pure bliss at Beck’s hand.

  I picture Beck in my mind next. He’s the quietest of the three men I live with. Often more serious. Contemplative. What would it feel like to have his hands on my body, his finger inside me?

  Gah. I have a new problem. I’m attracted to all three men. Even if I were to somehow manage to communicate my newfound desire to dabble in BDSM, would I be able to get one of them to show me? Beck maybe? Or hell, I don’t care which one. But I know I’d be more comfortable if it weren’t a virtual stranger.

  I’m worried I would be offending the others if I asked one. Plus, I have no idea how I would go about asking. “Excuse me, uh, Beck, Sir, would you mind flogging me and then fucking me with your fingers the way you did Katarina?”

  I flush a deep red at the thought, staring into the bathroom mirror. I need to find the courage to go downstairs. That’s step one. With a deep breath, I smooth my hands down my dress. I’m wearing a navy sundress today. It’s sleeveless and fitted on top. It continues to hug my body down past my hips before switching to a pleated section that lands mid-thigh. I’m wearing navy pumps. I feel decidedly more self-conscious than when I started this job eight days ago.

  With careful steps, I leave my room and make my way downstairs. When I step into the sunny kitchen, I’m surprised to find all three men inside. Meredith is not there. This is a switch. I glance at my watch. “Am I late?”

  Julius shoves away from the counter where he’d been leaning against his hip. He’s holding a cup of coffee, the scent and steam filling the room. “No.” He points toward the breakfast table. “No one’s in a rush. Coffee?”

  I swallow as I continue slowly toward the table. This feels like an intervention. As I lower myself onto a chair, Levi comes toward me from the fancy coffeemaker, holding out a mug. He sets it in front of me. It’s my favorite. Cappuccino. I’m sure he’s prepared exactly what I’ve been making myself all week. He’s observant. Light sugar. Fat free cream.

  Beck is already seated across from me, his gaze on me, his brows drawn together. I can’t decide if he’s angry or just pensive.

  Julius takes the chair at the head of the table, and Levi sits next to me. I’m surrounded. I force myself to take a sip of coffee before setting the cup down carefully. My hands are shaking. “Am I fired?”

  A collective gasp fills the room before Levi shakes his head. “No. Of course not. We just want to take your pulse. See where your headspace is. Figure out what to do next.”

  I nod at him and glance at the others. “Okaaay.” I draw out that one word.

  Julius speaks next. “We’d love for you to stay for the rest of the summer. You have incredible natural ability when it comes to videography, and I know you want to hone that skill. As for what got thrown at you yesterday, we’ll take our cues from you. If you want us to pretend it didn’t happen and move on, we can do that. If you want to explore that side of the business, we can make that happen. If you want to explore the lifestyle, that can also be arranged.”

  I’m a bit stunned. They’re being so accommodating. And, if I never do anything else in this lifetime, I need to put myself out there and ask for what I want. “If I choose option three and decide I’d like to learn more about BDSM, would one of you teach me? Or were you thinking you would find someone else?”

  No one jumps to answer that que
stion, which leaves me a little unnerved. I glance around at each of them, thinking I’ve made a colossal mistake.

  Finally, it’s Beck who speaks, his voice calm and serious, his expression an exact match. “If you’re sure you want to learn, you’ll do so with us, not someone else. I don’t think any of us could stomach the idea of turning you over to another Dom.”

  “When you say us… You mean not just one of you?” I’m confused.

  Julius clears his throat and then flattens his palms on the table. “Abby, we work together. The three of us. It’s part of our lives. We train submissives.”

  I stare at him, not fully understanding. “You mean, you, uh, take turns? You want to take turns teaching me?” I sit up straighter. This is a plan I could totally get on board with. I don’t have to hurt anyone’s feelings by choosing one of them, nor would I have to wonder if I’ve made the right selection.

  Obviously, however, their plan isn’t sexual in nature. They must be thinking I’d like to learn about the edges of BDSM. This is so not the case. I’m clear now that they don’t realize where my head is. I’m stuck on the sexual parts. No way does Julius mean to imply that all three of them intend to have sex with me.

  Levi grabs my hand, which I realize is fisted on the table. His much larger palm wraps around my fingers. “Sometimes we take turns. Sometimes we work together.”

  I stare at him. His touch alone is making me shift in my chair. He has no idea how the warmth from his hand is reaching into me. I want to feel his palm sliding up my arm and cupping my neck. He must be thinking I’d like him to give me cold demonstrations in flogging and bondage while Julius and Beck watch and help educate me.

  Beck leans forward on his elbows in my peripheral vision. “I don’t think she’s on the same page.”

  I turn to face him, aware of Levi’s grip on my fist still.

  His voice is softer, lower, gentler. “Angel, we’re well aware of what you need. You’ll get it from all of us, if that’s what you want.”

  My face heats. I’m not at all sure he’s even close to aware of what I need, and it’s unimaginable that I’d be so lucky as to get it from all of them. The way he’s looking at me suggests I might be wrong, however. I’m fairly certain he’s undressing me with his eyes.

  My nipples stiffen, and I squirm again on the chair. My dress is only long enough to cover my butt. The backs of my thighs are brushing against the wood.

  “Nothing would happen you don’t consent to,” Julius adds. “We’re winging it here. Ordinarily we would have lengthy discussions with a woman long before she would move into our house and train under us. We’re out of order.”

  Levi releases my hand and leans back in his chair. “Ordinarily,” he murmurs, “you would not be wearing so many clothes right now, nor would you have chosen them yourself.”

  I jerk my attention to him to find his brows creased and his eyes penetrating mine. I haven’t breathed since he uttered that shocking announcement. My chest is pounding rapidly with every beat of my heart. It’s ringing in my ears.

  One thing is now clear: They most assuredly mean to include sex in our arrangement.

  Chapter 18

  Master Beck

  * * *

  My cock is so hard it’s going to revolt.

  I’ve never watched a woman squirm so fiercely. This little angel is beyond turned on by our proposition. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she wished this would be the outcome before she came downstairs. That’s absurd of course. Stripping for three men couldn’t have been in her mind.

  Her gaze jerks from Levi to me to Julius and then back to me.

  I get it. Someone just needs to have the balls to lay it on the table. “You were aroused while you watched me work with Katarina. You want to experience that yourself.”

  Her throat moves up and down as she swallows. She’s embarrassed. Finally, she whispers, “Yes.”

  I lean closer on my elbows, though I’m still across from her and several feet separate us. “And we’ll make that happen for you.” God, how I want to have my hands on her. I want to see every inch of her angelic body. I know Julius and Levi do too.

  She looks down at her coffee, though I doubt she sees it. She draws her hands together and sets them demurely in her lap, making me nearly groan at the unintentional position she’s put herself in. “I’m not sure what you’re suggesting exactly. Would I still work for you?”

  “If that’s what you want, but the entire arrangement would change. Our dynamic together won’t be the same. We would need to negotiate what we expect from you and what you expect from us. But let me make one thing clear: the term of this arrangement stays the same. We don’t want you to get the wrong idea. We train women to be the best submissives they can be.

  “After three months under our care, you’ll know far more about yourself and your needs than you know now. It’s one of the reasons we all work together with the same woman at the same time. The three of us have different preferences and expectations from a submissive. It gives the submissive more variety than she would get training under one Master or Mistress. It might be hard to wrap your head around right now, but trust me, you won’t be sorry. You’ll leave here fully educated about the fetish world and what specifically makes you tick.”

  She lifts her gaze to me. Her face is red, and her bottom lip is between her teeth. She’s intrigued.

  I force myself not to react to her biting her lip and lean even closer, making sure she’s paying attention. “We don’t keep submissives, angel. We train them and release them. It’s what we do. So, you need to know that before you consent to anything. In August, you’ll be ready, and you’ll move on.”

  She releases that lip. “I’m going to law school in August. I’ve worked my entire life toward that goal. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  I nod. “Good.”

  “Let me make a suggestion,” Julius interjects. “How about if you read through the contract we have every woman sign who trains under us. See if you’re still interested after you have a better picture of our expectations. We will totally understand if you decide you don’t want to take us up on this offer. You can resume interning in the same capacity you’ve been doing so far, or sever ties if you feel too uncomfortable. We’ll understand no matter what you choose.”

  She tips her face toward Julius. “Okay.”

  Julius shoves away from the table and returns with a file folder he’s left on the island. He sets it in front of her. “Read through it. Mark on it. When you’re finished, we’ll all sit down together and go over your questions and see if we can come to an agreement.” He taps the folder and then pushes it closer with his fingertips.

  “Do you want some breakfast first?” I ask as I stand, intending to leave her alone with the contract. Levi has also stood next to her.

  She smiles at me, her eyes dancing with the first sign of relaxation I’ve seen so far today. “Seriously? You think I could eat right now?”

  I return the smile and nod. “We’ll leave you here then. Take your time.”

  “Don’t we need to get to the office?” she asks, her eyes drawing together in concern.

  I shake my head. “Don’t worry. The work won’t go anywhere. We don’t have anything specific scheduled for today. It’s a Tuesday. But I will suggest we do a shoot here later today if you decide you’d like to watch us work.”

  She licks her lips. God, I love when she does that. It’s so revealing. “You mean like the video I saw?”

  I nod. “I’m sure we could even get Katarina to come if you want. She’s very open to helping educate people in the lifestyle. She wouldn’t mind making a video while you watch.”

  “Watch?” She grips the folder in front of her, her back straightening.

  I adore her innocence. “Yes. Professionally, of course. The studio we have in the basement isn’t there strictly for orgies, angel. We really do shoot professional videos there. They’re just more risqué than what we shoot in the main office or
on-site.”

  Chapter 19

  Abby

  * * *

  Holy shit. I’m totally shocked and in over my head. I watch as all three men leave the kitchen, the sound of their footsteps retreating the only noise echoing against the walls.

  Except for my breathing, which is rapid, and causing me to fear I might hyperventilate. I wonder where Meredith is and what she knows. We ran into her yesterday in the hallway on our way downstairs and she simply gave us space. I assume she and Randle are aware of what happens in the house and aren’t judgmental. But that freaks me out a bit.

  I hold the file folder in my hand, not quite ready to open it. Instead I reach for my coffee and take another long sip. And then another. Avoiding whatever is about to add to my ever-changing view of the world.

  Finally, I set my cup down and open the folder. I’m faced with about ten pages of typed information. A contract. I scan down the first page, wrapping my head around the gist of this arrangement.

  I grasp that other women have done this. Women have stayed here, perhaps even slept in the room I’m using, and been trained by these three Doms as submissives. Mind-boggling. How many have there been, did the men have sex with all of them, and why aren’t Julius, Beck, and Levi open to a permanent relationship?

  I shudder. It doesn’t matter what their reasons are because I’m not interested either. I have three months. Nothing more. Then my real life begins. So, it’s perfect really. Except for the fact that I might leave here in August a completely different person from the one who arrived last week.

  I’m already a different person now. I’ve changed considerably in the last twenty-four hours. I can’t go back. I’m drawn to know more. Like a magnet. I would kick myself every day for the rest of my life if I turned down this opportunity. I know I’ll never have a proposition like this again. Once in a lifetime.