The Men with the Golden Cuffs (Masters and Mercenaries #2)(40)

She would focus on the ménage books. They were just her fantasy. She wouldn’t be offending anyone by writing them. Well, no one who wasn’t already offended.

“Stop.” Jake’s voice had gone completely still.

“What do you want from me, Jacob?” Serena asked, feeling past tired. She’d gotten too used to them. Pulling away was going to be hard. Having them around had made her realize just how lonely she’d been.

Adam got into her space. He seemed to like to do that. “We want you to yell at us. We f*cked up. Me more than Jake.”

“No, I high-fived you as you sent the e-mail off.” Jake seemed determined to present a united front. “Serena, you have to see Master Storm was wrong for you. There is a faction of the lifestyle that truly believes their way is the only way and the rest of us are posers. They treat it almost like a religion when it isn’t. It should be far more flexible. If you got involved with a man like that, he would have you believing there was only one way for a sub to get into that great dungeon in the sky.”

And they thought she was an idiot. Nice. “I wouldn’t have signed a contract with him. I would have walked away the minute he started to try to tell me what to write. I was curious, Jacob, not a doormat.”

Though she probably seemed that way sometimes.

“Excellent,” Adam said, taking her hand. “Then you can’t be too mad at us. Sweetheart, you need someone to organize your life. You need someone to take care of you, not to try to turn your life into taking care of him. That works for some people, but it wouldn’t for you. BDSM is about having choices and figuring out what works for a couple…or a trio. Don’t let him run you off.”

“I think I should just lay low until this whole stalker thing dies down.”

Jake moved in front of the door that led to the back, an obvious road block. “He got to you. Don’t let him spoil our night. Don’t let him send you back into your shell.”

She took a deep breath. “It’s all right. I was just disappointed to find out what a douche bag he was. He was my only real contact.”

Adam waved a hand. “Hello.” He pointed at Jacob. “Real live certified Dom standing right there. I wouldn’t let Ian bark at me for three weeks, so I don’t have my shiny piece of paper, but I know a thing or two. And I think I’ve been doing a damn fine job of taking care of you. I’ve been topping you for days, and you didn’t even notice.”

That was ridiculous. Except it wasn’t. She thought about the last several days. Adam had quietly taken over much of the day-to-day details of her life. He’d done it with a smile, pushing her to concentrate on her work. He’d started answering her e-mails, making her appointments, even answering her phone calls. He’d taken over, and she’d just been happy to not have to do all those things. It had felt natural. Adam had taken over the minutia, and Jake made sure no one got close.

They were topping her. And she kind of liked it. It had made her life easier, and she’d felt safe and cared for.

“See,” Adam said as though he could read her mind. “It can work for you, but it has to be gentler than what Master Douchewad wants from you. That can work, too. But not on you.”

She shook her head. “But I’m not doing anything for the two of you.”

“Aren’t you? Jake had a headache yesterday. What did you do?” Adam asked.

She’d noticed that he looked stressed. She hadn’t really understood that he’d had a headache. She’d just followed her instincts. She rubbed his scalp until he’d practically melted into his chair. She’d been a bit surprised and deeply pleased that he’d allowed the contact.

“You made me feel better,” Jake said. “You did what you could to take care of me. Hell, Serena, you went into the guest bedroom and pulled out mine and Adam’s dirty clothes. You didn’t have to wash them. We would have gotten them.”

“I was doing a load anyway.” She said the words, but they felt a little stubborn. At the time, she’d wanted to do something for them. She’d wanted to help them the way they were helping her. Maybe that was what a relationship really was.

“Come with us tonight,” Adam cajoled, his hand on her arm. “Let us show you that this lifestyle, like anything else, is what you make it.”

Jake stared down at her, not touching her at all, but she still felt his heat. Adam’s hand caressed her.

She could take the chance. She didn’t have much to lose. She might learn a little something. Despite the fact that she’d told Storm that she would concentrate on ménage, she was still thinking about the fact that her latest book had BDSM in it. And apparently Ian Taggart was the ultimate authority in the DFW area. She’d heard of Sanctum. And she’d heard that they only admitted people who passed strict tests. She was being given a true opportunity to research. If she could keep herself separate, it could work in her favor.

Adam hovered near her. He was so damn close. And Jake. He was so perfect. Each called to her in their own way.

“Come with us.”

She was just about to answer when the doorbell rang again.

“Damn it.” Jake crossed the space, his hand going for the door. “If it’s that jerk, he’s going to see my gun. ‘My body is a weapon.’ Dumb shit. I bet my gun can take out his body really damn quick.”