I raised my eyes so he could see every expression, every sincerity written there. My next question was important, and I didn’t want to hear lies. I wanted to see and hear the truth. “Why can’t I do that with you?”

He took my face in his hands and brushed his lips across mine. It was nothing like when Ian had done the same. The taste of warmth and compassion, love and lust seeped into my mouth. I needed this man. The realization was like when you were looking for something that was right in front of you.

I needed and wanted Gray on a level way beyond friendship and even beyond sex. He saw me when no one else did.

He stared down at me, searching my eyes. “I won’t be your rebound.”

I swallowed the sweetly rancid burn bubbling up in my throat. The first move I made was to push his hands away. I grasped at the sweater pooled at my waist and yanked down my skirt. Only when I had myself covered did he break eye contact. He slid out the door and I sank back into the seat.

This whole night was a horrible combination of freedom, revenge, lust, and complete fuck-ups.

Men’s voices floated into the car, but my brain was too jumbled to process the words. I rubbed my arms with my hands, trying to get my blood flowing again so I could make my muscles work. Until then, I couldn’t fathom getting out of the car.

I closed my eyes and waited. For what I didn’t know. I felt the heat beside me and strong arms wrap me in their embrace.

“Hey, babe, come here.”

I leaned into Ian and breathed in his scent. It was some fancy expensive cologne, but what I wanted was the smell of soap, lust, and man. I wanted Gray.

I couldn’t have him. Yet.

So I’d take this sweet, sexy substitute.

Ian took my hand. “Come on, let’s go in and have some fun. Let us take care of you.”

Had he overheard that train wreck or was the punch-to-the-gut disappointment written on my features? I didn’t need someone to take care of me. But what else did I have at the moment?

“Yeah.” I pushed to imbue a lightness in my voice that wasn’t in my soul. “Let’s go.”





CHAPTER SEVEN





Bound and Rebound




Gray’s suite was not what I expected, but totally him. This new him I hadn’t known existed. The one who belonged to a club like The Asylum.

I imagined the interior of a sex club would be all dark leather and burnished steel like his loft, but with whips and floggers and various other S&M equipment hanging on the walls. They probably didn’t have the floor to ceiling windows he had, though. What a view. A million-dollar view.

How often did he spend time here? It couldn’t be that much. He was usually with me, and I knew he stayed overnight in the carriage house.

This must be his den of iniquities, where he brought his women.

Now, here I was.

I couldn’t feel any further away from him.

“Help yourself to drinks. There’s bottled water and teas in the kitchen. I’ll be a minute.” Gray left us in his living room and went down a hallway off the kitchen.

He may be distancing himself from me, but I didn’t need him, anyway. I had a ménage to attend to.

“What’s this boyfriend of yours doing now, doll? We’re all raring to go and he’s off hiding somewhere. I’m tired of seeing you wait on his whims.” Hawk walked into the living room and studied the furniture there.

He’d been calling Gray that all night. My boyfriend. Until three minutes ago, I hadn’t minded. But Gray wasn’t my boyfriend. I didn’t know what he was to me, but I knew what he wasn’t.

My rebound.

The words stung in my ears and pierced my psyche like a nine-foot stinger of a killer bee. It would take a lot to soothe that pain. Not sure a ménage with two strangers would do that. It might do something else for my confidence though. To be desired and needed by these hot men – that was new experience for me. I wanted more.

I followed Hawk into the living room and motioned Ian to come with. The sooner we got back into the groove the better. Regardless of where Gray was and what he did or didn’t want. “Who says we have to wait for him?”

“Hell, yeah. Now you’re talking,” Ian said and whipped off his shirt. His pants weren’t far behind.

If a girl didn’t have a six-pack waiting in the wings for her, she might swoon over the lean, well-toned muscles in Ian’s arms and abs. I laughed at how fast he went from nice guy to naked guy.

Hawk came over to me and pushed right into my personal space. He chucked me under the chin, lifting my face so I looked right into his eyes.

“You and I need to get something clear before this night goes any further.” His voice had taken on a tone that brooked no arguments.

I saw only honesty and want of the truth in his gaze. It was incredibly sexy and reminded me so much of Gray that I lost my breath for a moment. I had to focus to find words to answer him with. “Okay.”

Incredibly, he moved even closer to me. Our thighs touched, my breasts pushed against his chest and responded with an ache. I’d been intent on a one-night stand with strangers, but somewhere in the mix of foreplay I found I liked them both. In another life, I could have gone for Hawk.

“Dollface, is this revenge on your boyfriend?” His face was a mix of emotions. I didn’t know him well enough to understand them all, but I was pretty sure I saw hurt. Was he offended that I was using him? I searched that face. No, he had been wounded in the way only one who’d been cheated on could understand.

“No.” I bit my lip and looked away. Hawk would see that same injury in me.

Hawk grabbed me around the waist, pulling our bodies tighter together as if he could will the truth from me with his overpowering touch. He wrapped his hand around my jaw, drawing my gaze back to his. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not. He isn’t even my boyfriend.”

“What is he then?” Hawk’s eyebrows lowered, ready to furrow if he found the wrong answer.

I shook my head. How the fuck should I know? This whole night, Gray had been something more than our regular relationship ever even hinted at. “Believe me when I say, I don’t know right now.”

Hawk relaxed a fraction. “Fine, I can see that, but then who’s the person we’re getting revenge on?”

I’d done my best to deny that’s what this was to them. They were both too damn perceptive.

I waited for the words to get stuck in my throat, but they didn’t. Marc’s betrayal still burned a hole in my gut, but he himself didn’t have that same hold over me anymore. “My ex-fiancé.”

“Why is he your ex?”

“He was a cheating pendejo who would never do anything kinky with me, but was definitely doing dirty things with my ex-best friend.” I spat the words like the garbage they were.

“Ah.” Hawk’s face softened, but his grip did not. “Then he deserves everything we’re going to do... to you.” A glint sparked in his eyes. “And I think your Gray deserves to get a taste of some jealousy to boot.”

“He’s not even here to watch.” He’d done his job, protected me, made sure this encounter was safe. Now all he had to do was wait me out.

Ian finally joined us, pressing his body to my back. His naked body. “He will be. No chance he’ll let us have you all to ourselves.”

Hawk stroked my chin and neck with the back of his knuckles. “Not having total control is killing the dude about as much as watching us play with you.”

“Poor guy is probably jacking off in the bathroom, so he can keep pretending he isn’t dying to get inside of you.” Ian’s words filled my mind with that exact image.

Coño.

“You two are full of it.” Even as I said the words, I knew they weren’t. Gray and I had been in denial all night. Longer than that even. Funny that two strangers understood us better than we did each other...or ourselves.

“You’re the one who is going to be full of it.” Ian joked, letting me off the hook.

“Oh ho. I am, huh?” I wiggled my rear end against him, hoping to hit home. I did, if his moan was any indication.

Hawk pressed a kiss to my lips and nipped at me. “Are you ready for this, doll?”

“Yeah. Let’s get some revenge and see just how jealous we can make anyone who might see.” Like the pictures for Marc or the video...or Gray in real life.

“We’ll make ‘em plenty jealous if I have anything to say about it.” Ian pushed his arms between my body and Hawk’s and lifted my sweater over my head.

Before I was free from my top, Hawk unbuttoned and unzipped my skirt and pulled it down to the floor. I stood before them in my matching bra and panties.

I couldn’t see Ian but felt his eyes on me like a heat lamp. Hawk, on the other hand, looked me over from head to toe. There was so much obvious male appreciation in his eyes that if I ever felt self-conscious about my soft and squidgy places, that all disappeared with the wicked smile growing on his face.

Hawk ran his fingers under the strap of my bra. “I love the lingerie, but it has to go.”

“Be my guest.” I was going to enjoy being undressed by these men.

Hawk nodded at Ian and in an instant my panties were on the floor. Before I could say SuperCallousedFragileMysticHexedByHalitosis, my bra followed it.

It dangled off Hawk’s hand. “How do you feel about being tied up?”