Room at the Edge Read online

  “In my copious free time?” Jay quickly took a big bite of salmon before Austin could comment again. After swallowing, he added, “I like dioramas. Plus I think there’s something to be said for playing to your strengths.”

  That got him a wink. “You’ll be able to do that plenty tonight. No one begs for more the way you do when you think Liam’s about to ease up and you’re desperate. You babble. It’s sweet.”

  There were plenty of times when Jay had done just that, longing for one more slash of a strap against his ass, another minute with weighted clamps crushing and tugging at his nipples until the pure, hot agony burned away everything holding him back and set him free. It didn’t mean that was all he was good for, though he knew Austin hadn’t intended it as anything but a teasing joke. “Hey!”

  “What?” Austin held up his hands, all innocence. “You’re a great sub. Liam loves you.”

  Suddenly uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, though he couldn’t pinpoint why, Jay set down his fork. “He loves both of us, but it’s not just about how we make him feel in a session.”

  Austin had gone quiet. “I know,” he said finally, but it was one of the least convincing statements Jay had ever heard out of him.

  “Try again.”

  “Why?” Austin sighed and used his fingers to pick up his last green bean. “Anyway, we’ve got to get going.”

  Jay slapped his hand down on the table—not loud enough to be scary, even if it was unexpected, but enough to get Austin’s attention. “We can talk about it here, or I can bring it up when we get to Liam’s.”

  The horrified look Austin gave him made him feel guilty immediately, but this was important. It wasn’t something Jay could just let go. “You wouldn’t,” Austin said.

  “I would, and you know it. I still might.” Not that Jay wanted to freak Austin out further. It was the truth, though, and he was a firm believer that the truth was vital in relationships. There was no way he’d chance screwing things up by being too scared to talk about them. “We can talk while we get ready, and in the car if you want, but it’s definitely happening.”

  “Fine,” Austin said and shoved his chair back. “What do you want to hear?” He sounded angry, which was so not Jay’s intention.

  “Hey,” he said. “Come on. I’m on your side here.”

  Austin carried his plate to the kitchen, and Jay followed him. “Doesn’t feel like it,” Austin muttered.

  Jay waited until Austin had set down his plate, then wrapped both arms around his waist from behind and held on.

  “I am. Totally on your side. Talk to me.”

  “I don’t… I don’t know how to put it into words, okay? It’s not that I won’t, I guess… I need more time to think about the whole situation.”

  The request was reasonable, but Jay hesitated before sighing with resignation. He turned Austin around so he could kiss him, needing the intimacy after their disagreement, minor though it’d been. Austin’s lips were firmly closed at first, but Jay knew just how to coax them open, and before long Austin was kissing him back, his hands clutching Jay’s shoulders, his mouth warmly eager.

  The kiss ended with them staring at each other, Austin’s expression a blend of pleading and stubbornness.

  “You need to give me time,” Austin repeated. “This thing we’ve got with Liam…it’s fragile. It matters to me. I don’t want to bring it down around us by saying something stupid.”

  “It matters to all of us,” Jay pointed out. “We knew going in it wasn’t going to be easy adjusting, but we said we’d talk about it if any of us started freaking out. It’s starting to worry me that we never have.”

  Austin shrugged free of Jay’s embrace and turned to pick up his plate. He rinsed it under the faucet, his shoulders tense. “You want me to freak out?”

  “Who said it’d be you? Liam’s had more to adjust to than us.” And more to lose if people found out—and that was another subject not up for discussion when it should be, in Jay’s opinion. He wasn’t naive. The Dom/sub arrangement would make eyebrows rise, but the threesome aspect and the difference in their ages would turn surprise to shock, even anger. Hell, no one even knew Liam was bi yet except Patrick, their former Dom, who’d pushed the three of them together like a leather-clad Cupid.

  “Yeah, but Liam—he’s got it together. Not that I think he’s perfect…”

  “Just really close?” Jay knew Austin felt that way, and knew it was complicated as hell. “I don’t want anyone to freak out, but if you are, it’s not unexpected. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Austin swiveled to check the clock. “Shit, we’re going to be late if we don’t go now.” He kissed Jay quickly—it felt like an apology—and added, “I’ll think about it, I promise. Once I figure out what’s going on in my head, you’ll be the first to know.”

  As they went to get their coats, Jay thought that would have to be good enough for now. Besides, he had a pretty good idea of what was troubling Austin. He wanted more time with Liam.

  They both did.

  Chapter Two

  “Cutting it a bit close, aren’t we?” Liam asked as he closed the door behind them.

  “More than a bit,” Jay agreed cheekily and hung up his coat. “Brr. It feels colder than the middle of October. This morning it was so gray I thought it might snow.”

  “Wouldn’t be the first time it snowed this early,” Austin said.

  “Personally I’d rather it waited until after Thanksgiving.” Liam frowned impatiently. He’d had a mildly stressful day at work, nothing out of the ordinary, but he’d made it through the day only by focusing firmly on the evening’s activities. The fact that he’d spent the last fifteen minutes checking the clock made him cross.

  Jay snickered. “You might be able to control us, but the weather? Don’t think so, Liam.”

  “Jay—” Austin began, but Liam was already moving, every instinct he had telling him to curb Jay quickly before this got out of hand.

  The line between being subs and being Liam’s partners had blurred since they’d started sharing a bed and, for want of a better word, dating. Outside a clearly defined space of time once or twice a week when Liam was their Dom, not just their lover, he was happy enough for them to call him by name and be relaxed and at ease around him.

  Well, maybe when they were in bed, he had a tendency to take charge, but that didn’t seem to bother them, and really, someone had to organize events. The trouble was that now he was free to admit what he did with and to them turned him on, and not just because he got off on dominating them. Sex was inevitably linked in his mind to the sessions. Ceding control of either to his two subs, beautifully obedient and responsive as they were, didn’t appeal.

  Though he had to confess to a certain curiosity about being fucked by them one day. He’d never shared that possibility. Too potentially disruptive when things between them were balanced so precariously.

  Yes, the lines had blurred—but if Jay thought he could saunter in, all mouth and attitude, as if he were immune from discipline until he got naked, Liam was only too happy to educate him on the respect due a Dom.

  He was rarely rough with them, always careful to prepare them for what he had planned. Sometimes he chafed against the self-imposed restrictions, but Austin and Jay mattered too much for him to take any risks.

  Of the two of them, though, it was Austin who was most vulnerable, whose limits Liam only pushed at gently.

  When it came to Jay’s limits, Liam was always well inside them. He had room to work, and he intended to go as far as he wanted.

  He wrapped his hand tightly around Jay’s throat, knowing how aroused any form of breath play got Jay, though giving Jay pleasure wasn’t high on his list of priorities in that moment.

  “Did you have something you wanted to say to me before I deal with your attitude, Jay?”

  Jay stood utterly still. He didn’t struggle at all, but the frantic flutter of his pulse against Liam’s fingertip told Liam everythi
ng he needed to know. “We’re still dressed,” he said hoarsely, the words making his throat vibrate against Liam’s palm. Liam waited, giving him a chance to salvage a little of the situation, and Jay added, “Sir.”

  “Your state of dress or undress is unimportant,” Liam told him. “Whether you’re under my roof is unimportant.” He tightened his grip and saw Jay’s pupils dilate. “You will show me the respect I’m due. I know you understand.”

  Jay swallowed, his throat contracting in Liam’s grip. “I do, Sir.”

  “Then I expect an apology.”

  “I’m sorry, Sir.” Jay’s voice was barely above a whisper.

  “Good, you should be. I’d like you to be quiet now.”

  Jay nodded.

  Liam uncurled his hand from around Jay’s throat, and Jay licked his lips as if he’d been kissed and wanted to capture the taste. “Go into the den and wait for me. Take off your shirt, but leave your jeans on for now.” Jay looked dismayed at being sent off without Austin, and Liam spoke sternly to forestall further argument as he wasn’t in the mood to come up with additional punishment for Jay’s unacceptable behavior. “Now, Jay.”

  Dropping his gaze, Jay went, padding silently in his stockinged feet. Austin, when Liam turned his attention to him, was still standing where he’d been, looking uncertain and worried.

  “You haven’t done anything wrong,” Liam assured him.

  “I know, Sir.” Austin hesitated, then knelt to untie his shoes. This hid his face from Liam, who would have preferred a bit more time in which to read it.

  “What’s happened to put him in this mood?” Liam asked, keeping his voice conversational in the hope that Austin wouldn’t choose loyalty to Jay over honesty.

  “Nothing.” Austin glanced up long enough to give him a twitched-lip but probably false smile, then ducked his head again and went to work on his other shoe. “He’s a little hyper from not getting to come since we saw you last, I guess.”

  The reason was plausible, possibly even part of the truth, but Liam knew when he was being lied to, and he knew when he was being fed an evasion. He had two children, after all.

  “Is that so. Well, I don’t see his mood improving much, then. Unless…” Liam caught his lower lip between his teeth, an idea occurring to him that might be the perfect punishment. “Never mind,” he added when Austin stood, a question in his eyes. “So that’s the only reason? You’re sure?”

  Pressed, Austin was a deliciously flustered sight, color rising from his neck to flood his face, his lips parted as his breathing quickened.

  “Rabbit in the headlights,” Liam said, not unkindly, when Austin didn’t answer. He flicked his fingers. “Run, rabbit, run. Go to Jay, and tell him he’s annoyed me and you’ve irritated me. Not the best start to the evening, is it?”

  “No, Sir.” Austin stepped closer. “Liam…please. Jay didn’t mean it. Let him show you he’s sorry.”

  Using his name might have been Austin’s way of reminding Liam that it was no longer possible to adopt a “what happens in the dungeon stays in the dungeon” attitude, but it only served to worsen Liam’s mood.

  “‘Let him’?” Liam shook his head, knowing he looked and sounded grim. “He’ll bloody well do as he’s told, and so will you. Why are you still here?”

  Austin fled, scurrying down the hallway to the den without looking back, and Liam leaned against the wall and let out a shuddering breath. Jesus, was it too much to ask that he got this small space of time when everything was simple? Really?

  He gave himself a moment—no matter how badly he wanted to take his frustration out on the two of them for turning the evening he’d been anticipating upside down, that wasn’t the way to go into this—and then went to join the boys in the den.

  They were both kneeling, thank Christ. He didn’t think he’d have been able to handle more disobedience. Austin hadn’t undressed, but to be fair Liam hadn’t told him to. Time to remedy that now.

  “Austin, undress, please. Jay, stand up.” His tone was sharp, and he made no effort to soften it. If they didn’t already realize that tonight would be different, they would soon enough.

  It didn’t take more than a minute for Austin to take off his clothes and fold them neatly, and he stood with his hands behind his back when it was done. Jay was already waiting in the same position, and a plan had formed in Liam’s mind.

  “Good. Now, Austin, I’d like you to kneel in front of Jay and take out his cock.” Liam could see that Jay was hard, the outline of his erection obvious inside his jeans. He could also see Austin’s surprise in the brief tightening of his shoulders, but Austin was almost always unquestioningly obedient during a session, so it didn’t come as a shock that he did as he’d been told.

  Jay’s eyes were still hazy with arousal. Liam noted that the faint redness at Jay’s throat was already fading—he knew how to leave marks and how to avoid them, and bruises on a place as obvious as a throat were to be avoided at all costs.

  “Now suck him,” Liam said. He sat down and shifted into a comfortable position; it was going to be a long evening.

  “Sir?” Jay said, then exhaled when Austin’s mouth closed around the head of his cock.

  “Since being forbidden to come seems to put you in a bad mood, I thought I’d see what happens when I allow you to come as many times as you’re capable of.” Something about the thought of Jay so sated that he couldn’t bear to have his cock touched pleased Liam in a sadistic sort of way.

  For the briefest moment Austin paused. Then the slow bob of his head resumed. Jay smiled, rocking his hips and gasping as Austin pulled back enough to concentrate on the tip of his cock.

  “No,” Liam said. “He’s not supposed to be enjoying this, and neither are you. Jay, take off the rest of your clothes now.” He clicked the stopwatch button on his watch when Jay stood naked. “Austin, get him off fast. If it takes longer than two minutes, I’ll apply some incentive to your arse until he does come.”

  He walked over to the cupboard in the corner, kept locked most of the time. Unlocking it was part of Liam’s preparation for a session. Hearing the small click of the key as it turned sent a thrill of anticipation through him, which increased when he ran his hand over the collection of implements he’d built up. He took out a rattan cane he was fond of because it left nicely deep welts, and swished it through the air. Liam didn’t bother to show it to them. Austin could see it out of the corner of his eye, and Jay would most certainly recognize the sound.

  Austin endured rather than enjoyed the sting of that particular cane, and Liam knew it. More importantly, Jay knew it. With a whimper that was frantic, not pleasurable, Jay began to fuck Austin’s mouth, his hands dropping to hold Austin’s head in place.

  Presumptuous of him, Liam decided.

  “Hands behind your back, Jay, and stand quite still.” Liam tested the cane out on Jay’s bare buttocks, a flick of his wrist, no more than that, making Jay jump just because he could. Jay’s anguished yelp when the second, much harder stroke landed across his thighs was satisfying enough that Liam was smiling when he resumed his seat, the cane laid across his knees.

  Austin was moving his mouth on Jay’s cock with his eyes closed, taking Jay in deep and swallowing around him, making little sounds at the back of his throat. Liam knew just what it felt like to have Austin’s lips and tongue working at his erection, and he’d be surprised if Jay managed to hold out for as long as two minutes.

  Jay didn’t. At the one-minute-and-forty-five-second mark, he stilled and came with a groan, his spunk pulsing into Austin’s mouth. Liam let them have ten seconds more than they deserved, then, when Austin began to pull away, said sternly, “Don’t stop. Jay, I’m going to be kind and give you ten minutes this round.”

  “Yes, Sir.” The look Jay gave him was pure adulation.

  Liam knew it wouldn’t last. Being sucked back to hardness immediately after having come once would be bearable, but after that it would be as much pain as pleasure. He kept an eye on
his watch, and when Jay came the second time, it was with a minute to spare. Better than Liam had expected, to be honest. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Jay hadn’t managed a second orgasm in ten minutes’ time.

  “Again,” he said while Jay was still gasping. “Austin, you may fuck him this time, if you like, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the permission I’ve given Jay extends to you.”

  Austin turned his head toward Liam, biting his lip, then nodded and moved—still on his knees—to get lube from the cupboard. Austin’s erection was flushed and heavy, his lips swollen. He was beautiful.

  “Hands and knees, Jay. Face me.” Jay collapsed to the floor, relief passing over his face at being allowed to change position.

  Liam smiled thinly. “Are you a trained sub or a sack of potatoes? Get up and do that again properly.”

  Jay shot him a glance that had a hint of resentment behind the surface pleading.

  Liam raised his eyebrows and tapped the cane against his palm meaningfully. “Do you really want to push me?”

  “No, Sir.” Jay rose, bowed his head in what Liam supposed was an apology, though he’d have preferred to hear the words, then sank to the floor slowly, assuming the position with commendable grace this time.

  “We’re going to have a little chat after this is over,” Liam promised them as Austin took up his position behind Jay. “No matter what state you’re in by then.”

  They couldn’t exchange glances, but he saw Austin put his hand on Jay’s hip, not for balance but reassurance. Oh yes. They would talk. But not yet.

  “Give him two fingers, then your cock. If you think you’re in danger of coming, tell me, and you can use a dildo or a vibrator on him for a while.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Austin slicked up his fingers, took a breath, then pushed two into Jay, opening him up. Jay rolled his shoulders, accepting the intrusion. “He’s tight, Sir.”

  “He won’t be by the time I’m done with him.” Liam stood and walked over to the cupboard to pick out some toys. When Jay started to flag—and he would—Liam knew some ways to get him aroused again. Unfortunately for Jay, Liam knew him very well indeed. “Fuck him, Austin. Hard and fast, just the way he likes it.”