his lap. Then he invited me to sit down to talk.
I don’t know what he saw in me at that first meeting. As I got to know him, I
realized he was a very private man who guarded his clients like a she-dragon
guards her chicks.”
“What did you talk about?”
“That first night we talked about the girl and those like
her. Men and women who need pain to find sexual release. As our friendship
developed we talked about other sexual needs, the unconventional and obscure,
the mundane and the weird.”
“Were you attracted to any of it?”
Rye shrugged. “I dabbled here and there. Experimented a bit.
I even helped the Master out on a couple of occasions.”
“By whipping women?” Rye heard the shock in Dev’s voice,
despite the fact he’d barely spoken above a whisper.
“No, I didn’t whip them. I fucked them. The Master liked to
keep some distance to maintain his authority, but sometimes a woman needed to
feel a man inside her.”
“And you were happy to volunteer.” There was no censure in
Dev’s voice, but Rye didn’t want him to think it had only been about fucking.
“Yes, but not entirely for the reasons you might think. The
only time I was brought in was when there was healing to be done. I’m good with
women and they like me. Despite my size, most of them don’t find me
intimidating. The Master would coach me very carefully, telling me exactly what
the woman needed. It was about connection more than sex.”
Rye had enjoyed that time for a lot of reasons, and he’d
found a deep satisfaction in helping a woman get back to the person she wanted
to be. That need to serve and protect was still a large part of him, but that
energy was now channeled into his duties as an Enforcer.
Dev edged closer, stealing even more pillow. “Why did you
stop?”
Rye shrugged. “You and I were sent off for our year-long
rotation in the Topaz den, and during our absence Gloriahna’s changed hands. By
then our relationship was rock-solid and I’d become so entwined with Zenbaylan
I couldn’t remember a time when there wasn’t a dragon in my head. My friendship
with the Master seemed a long way away from who I’d become. I guess I just let
it drift.”
Dev reached out and laid his hand on Rye’s abdomen, and Rye
automatically covered it with his own. He and Dev were comfortable with each
other, but in the weeks they’d shared a bed they’d never touched on purpose.
Not like this. But after the experience with Tansy today it seemed natural to
touch. To maintain the physical connection that had begun when she’d been
pressed between them. And after her flashback, they both needed comfort right
now.
“Do you think you learned enough with the Master to help
Tansy?” Dev asked.
“Maybe.” Rye linked their fingers together. “Perhaps we
could find out if the Master is still around. He has more expertise and
experience than you and I can even contemplate.”
Dev tucked his chin against Rye’s shoulder. “Absolutely not.
I’m not letting him take a whip to our woman. I don’t care how expert he is.”
Rye didn’t know exactly what Tansy needed, but he was pretty
sure it wasn’t that. “Don’t worry, Dev, I won’t let anyone lay a hand on our
mate.”
“All right. Let’s forget about the Master and get some
sleep.”
And despite the day’s events, it wasn’t long before Rye
relaxed enough to comply with his denmate’s demand.
Chapter Seven
Tansy wandered into the lounge room the next morning, not at
all sure how she was supposed to look either of her Enforcers in the eyes. She
was embarrassed by her meltdown the day before, and she felt bad for them because
she knew they’d somehow blame themselves. She was trying really hard not to
have a pity party about the whole fucking mess.
They were waiting for her at the dining table, food laid out
but the warming covers still on.
“Morning,” she said.
“Morning.” Rye walked straight over, wrapped her up in his
huge arms and crushed her to
I don’t know what he saw in me at that first meeting. As I got to know him, I
realized he was a very private man who guarded his clients like a she-dragon
guards her chicks.”
“What did you talk about?”
“That first night we talked about the girl and those like
her. Men and women who need pain to find sexual release. As our friendship
developed we talked about other sexual needs, the unconventional and obscure,
the mundane and the weird.”
“Were you attracted to any of it?”
Rye shrugged. “I dabbled here and there. Experimented a bit.
I even helped the Master out on a couple of occasions.”
“By whipping women?” Rye heard the shock in Dev’s voice,
despite the fact he’d barely spoken above a whisper.
“No, I didn’t whip them. I fucked them. The Master liked to
keep some distance to maintain his authority, but sometimes a woman needed to
feel a man inside her.”
“And you were happy to volunteer.” There was no censure in
Dev’s voice, but Rye didn’t want him to think it had only been about fucking.
“Yes, but not entirely for the reasons you might think. The
only time I was brought in was when there was healing to be done. I’m good with
women and they like me. Despite my size, most of them don’t find me
intimidating. The Master would coach me very carefully, telling me exactly what
the woman needed. It was about connection more than sex.”
Rye had enjoyed that time for a lot of reasons, and he’d
found a deep satisfaction in helping a woman get back to the person she wanted
to be. That need to serve and protect was still a large part of him, but that
energy was now channeled into his duties as an Enforcer.
Dev edged closer, stealing even more pillow. “Why did you
stop?”
Rye shrugged. “You and I were sent off for our year-long
rotation in the Topaz den, and during our absence Gloriahna’s changed hands. By
then our relationship was rock-solid and I’d become so entwined with Zenbaylan
I couldn’t remember a time when there wasn’t a dragon in my head. My friendship
with the Master seemed a long way away from who I’d become. I guess I just let
it drift.”
Dev reached out and laid his hand on Rye’s abdomen, and Rye
automatically covered it with his own. He and Dev were comfortable with each
other, but in the weeks they’d shared a bed they’d never touched on purpose.
Not like this. But after the experience with Tansy today it seemed natural to
touch. To maintain the physical connection that had begun when she’d been
pressed between them. And after her flashback, they both needed comfort right
now.
“Do you think you learned enough with the Master to help
Tansy?” Dev asked.
“Maybe.” Rye linked their fingers together. “Perhaps we
could find out if the Master is still around. He has more expertise and
experience than you and I can even contemplate.”
Dev tucked his chin against Rye’s shoulder. “Absolutely not.
I’m not letting him take a whip to our woman. I don’t care how expert he is.”
Rye didn’t know exactly what Tansy needed, but he was pretty
sure it wasn’t that. “Don’t worry, Dev, I won’t let anyone lay a hand on our
mate.”
“All right. Let’s forget about the Master and get some
sleep.”
And despite the day’s events, it wasn’t long before Rye
relaxed enough to comply with his denmate’s demand.
Chapter Seven
Tansy wandered into the lounge room the next morning, not at
all sure how she was supposed to look either of her Enforcers in the eyes. She
was embarrassed by her meltdown the day before, and she felt bad for them because
she knew they’d somehow blame themselves. She was trying really hard not to
have a pity party about the whole fucking mess.
They were waiting for her at the dining table, food laid out
but the warming covers still on.
“Morning,” she said.
“Morning.” Rye walked straight over, wrapped her up in his
huge arms and crushed her to
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