Unexpected Consequences Read online

  I grab a soda out of the fridge, enjoying a moment to unwind just a bit after four days spent worrying about Mary, trying to keep Zeke from losing his mind and still putting in full days at work.

  “Spend tens of thousands of dollars on an education and you might be able to work the same magic,” I joke.

  “Seriously, you have to tell me what to do here. I love her, but it’s worse now than it was when she first came to stay here.” Tommy rests his head on the edge of the table, obviously still exhausted despite having a rest.

  “First of all, you’re doing a great job,” I assure him.

  “Sure as shit doesn’t feel that way,” he grunts. I don’t envy his position. From what I’ve seen today, he’s trying to fix Holly. To prove to her that she’s a good person. Deep down, after talking to her, I don’t think she truly believes any of the things she’s spouting, I think she’s scared. She’s so paranoid that she’s going to revert to her old life that she is lashing out the only way she knows how. Dealing with that day in and day out is enough to suck the life out of anyone.

  “You are,” I reiterate. “The only thing you could do that you’re not already is shut up every once in a while.”

  He lifts his head, staring at me, his jaw slack and one eyebrow cocked as he tries to wrap his head around what I just told him. “Huh?”

  “Listen to her. Don’t tell her she’s wrong for feeling what she feels. Don’t tell her how to fix things. Just listen. That’s what I did while you were napping and you can see the difference it made.”

  “They teach you that shit in school?”

  “I wish! That’s something I had to figure out on my own the first few years out of school. There’s a reason I don’t keep anything that can be used as a projectile near the couch in my office,” I laugh, bringing a bit of levity to the conversation.

  Tommy invites me to stay for dinner, but I have my own drama to deal with. I glance down at my phone, expecting missed calls or messages from either Mary or Zeke, but find nothing. That’s either a good sign that Loretta is behaving herself or they’re so involved in battle with the vile woman that they haven’t bothered to call for reinforcements.

  “Mother, I’m not having this conversation with you.” With Zeke snoring softly at my side, I do my best to keep my voice low. For the past twenty minutes, I’ve felt like I’m on the witness stand under hostile cross-examination. It would be nice if we could go back to ignoring one another as we did while she formulated these arguments in her mind.

  It has been years since my mother has taken any interest in my life, and now, when everything is more convoluted than ever before, she shows up and wants to know every gritty detail. If not for the fight it would cause, I’m tempted to tell her exactly what has been going on between Jeff, Zeke and me for the past few months. That I’ve had some of the most mind blowing sex in every configuration two gorgeous, creative men can imagine. All with no strings attached. It would be amusing to watch her head explode.

  “I worry about you, out here all alone. And if this man is your boyfriend, why was Jeff the one who called me to tell me about your accident? Why was he the one who picked me up from the airport and brought me to you?” She reaches into her purse, pulling out a nail file. Ignoring me, she begins working on shaping her nails. Just when I think we’re about to go back to awkward silence, she has to go and screw that up.

  “Honestly, Mary, look at him! He’s sitting at your feet like a lost little puppy. Seriously, you need to be with a man more like Jeff. Someone who knows how to take care of you.” She goes back to filing her nails, the whole time shaking her head in disapproval.

  This is why I don’t want her here. She probably told all of her friends back home how she had to rush to her ailing daughter’s side, making her seem like the considerate woman she has never been. Now that she’s here, she’s doing just enough so she will be able to lay a guilt trip on me sometime in the future, the whole while criticizing every aspect of my life she can.

  “Mother, have you thought about the fact that maybe Jeff is the one who called you because Zeke was focusing on my needs?” It doesn’t matter that it’s a lie. If she keeps pushing me, I might wind up telling her that he didn’t call because he is the one person in Wisconsin that knows exactly what I think of her and understands that I wouldn’t want her here. I will not stand for her trying to convince me that Zeke doesn’t have my best interests in mind because of such a minor detail.

  “Don’t get yourself all worked up,” my mother chides me. “I only want what’s best for you. Jeff is a doctor. He has his life figured out. Meanwhile, you’re shacking up with someone who seems to have a bad case of Peter Pan syndrome. Does he even have a job?”

  “ENOUGH!” I yell, instantly regretting the outburst. Zeke snaps up, looking around to see what’s going on. “Before you insult Zeke, you would be well served to remember that you are a guest in his home. I’m not shacking up with him, as you say, but I am staying here while I recover. If not for his generosity, you would be sleeping on the couch in my apartment rather than in a comfortable bed in the spare room.”

  Zeke reaches for me, trying to calm me down. My head is throbbing from the stress, but I refuse to stop.

  “He might not be a doctor or a lawyer, but Zeke is one of the most successful men in his industry around here. He busts his ass day in and day out, trying to grow his business.” Zeke’s fingers curl around mine.

  I shift on the couch, ignoring the searing pain in my side. If not for this stupid cast on my leg, I would be in her face at this point, making sure she understands every word I have to say.

  “You haven’t given a damn about my life up to this point, so you can drop the act. Honestly, I’m not even sure why you’re here. I have Zeke, Jeff and the rest of my adopted family to make sure I have everything I need.”

  As I continue on my tirade, my mother dramatically clenches her chest. “I can’t believe you’re being such an ungrateful little brat! If your father was here--”

  “Do not bring Dad into this. If he was here, you and I both know he would be telling you that you’re completely out of line.” This has been one of her favorite ways of getting to me ever since the day my dad was diagnosed with cancer. She knows that he was my world and I would do anything to gain his approval.

  The front door slams shut and we all turn to see a very angry Jeff stalking across the room. The muscles in his neck are corded, his eyes locked on my mother. It’s a side of him I didn’t think existed. He’s always so reserved and in control of his emotions.

  “Loretta, if this is how you intend to act, I will ask you to leave right now,” he warns her, leaning over to kiss the top of my head. I look over to see my mother’s eyes grow wide, her mouth agape. I’m sure she’s starting to put the pieces together with the way our eyes stay locked on one another for a second too long.

  “This isn’t your home,” she points out, rather proud of her retort. I want to slap the foot she’s sitting there bouncing as she waits for Jeff to back down.

  “You’re right, it’s not. But you need to realize that Zeke and I will always do what’s best for Mary. Right now, she needs to heal. What she doesn’t need is you swooping in here creating turmoil in her life.” I’m impressed by his restraint. Each word is carefully selected and uttered through gritted teeth, but he’s not screaming at her, shaking some sense into her the way I would love to.

  I watch as Jeff moves to the end of the couch, sitting on the arm, next to my head. His hand falls to my shoulder as he gives me a reassuring look. I mouth my thanks to him for sticking up to her, loving that he’s also upset by what she’s saying about Zeke. As Zeke stands to leave the living room, which is a good thing since the man has zero filter on his mouth, his hand squeezes Jeff’s shoulder.

  “I have no clue what depravity the three of you have going on here, but I will not sit idly watching my daughter destroy her life!” We watch as my mother storms down the hall to the spare room before dragging her sui
tcase back into the living room. “Mary, I will let you know where I’m staying once I find a hotel room. It’s quite apparent to me that I’m unwelcome here, even if my only intention is to take care of you while you heal.”

  Zeke comes back with my pills and more water. The three of us sit in stunned silence as my mother leaves, muttering to herself about the high hopes she had for me and how she never should have let me move someplace where perversion is so acceptable.

  “Well, that was fun,” I mutter, letting my head fall to rest on Jeff’s thigh.

  It seems that Loretta sucked every bit of energy out of the room when she flew out of here on her broom. Knowing that that is what Mary dealt with throughout her entire childhood, I’m even more in awe of her for turning out as well adjusted as she has.

  After dinner, Jeff and I helped Mary get cleaned up and settled into the guest room that her mother would have been using had she not gone batshit crazy this afternoon. She tried to convince us that it would be fine for her to sleep in the king size bed in my room, but Jeff and I worry about rolling over and hurting her while we sleep. Most of the time when the three of us share a bed, we wake in a tangle of limbs and we’re not willing to risk that just yet.

  “Did you say something to her mom about us?” I ask as Jeff helps me clean up the kitchen from dinner. We’ve done this so many times that we move fluidly, working around one another to get the leftovers put away, dishes done and counters wiped down in no time.

  “Of course not,” he responds, sounding slightly offended that I would think such a thing. “She pressed me for information and I specifically refused to say anything. Then again, there’s really nothing to tell, is there? I don’t think we need to broadcast what we’ve been doing.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” I say with a shrug. To me, it’s pretty apparent that there is something to tell, but if Jeff isn’t feeling the same way, then that will be my problem to deal with. I can’t expect him to change his mind and suddenly want something he has been adamant that he wasn’t interested in.

  I’m surprised I don’t break anything as I toss dirty dishes into the dishwasher. The realization that I’m likely crafting a relationship that will never mature anywhere other than in my mind is pissing me off. This is why I’ve spent so much time keeping sex and emotion in two separate compartments in my mind.

  With everything taken care of in the kitchen, I grab two manila files off the counter and make my way to the office without another word. There’s not a chance in hell I’m going to be able to concentrate on work, but I need to do something.

  “What did I say?” Jeff asks as I sulk away from him. I shake my head, unwilling to show him how the implication in his words cut me. And he’s at a distinct advantage here seeing as it’s his job to read people who don’t want to talk to him. “Zeke!”

  The sharp tone of that one word has me stopping in my tracks. I fucking hate that my body has become so accustomed to him in the past few months that it responds whether my mind wants it to or not.

  “You can’t run away from me,” he warns me as his strong hands settle at the base of my neck. “Tell me why you got all pissy back there.”

  “It’s nothing, Jeff,” I lie, the need to put as much distance between us as possible is overwhelming me. When I try to twist out of his grasp, one hand slides around to the front of my neck, squeezing just enough to remind me that I am his and he knows it. My body stills, leaning my head back against his shoulder.

  “Bullshit! The way I see it, we can either sit down to talk about whatever’s going on in your head or I can beat it out of you. Which would you prefer?” The way Jeff pulls me close to him so my back is pressed against his chest tells me there’s part of him hoping I don’t want to talk. And I don’t. Even more now that he’s brought up the idea of beating me. There has to be something seriously twisted in my mind that this man choking me or the anticipation of him striking me makes my cock stir.

  For so many years, I thought about what it would be like to be with a man, but those daydreams could never compare to the reality of Jeff. The hardness of his body, the raw dominance in every touch, even the feel of his hint of stubble abrading my skin as he nips at my neck, it’s almost too much to process.

  “I’ll take the second option,” I say with a smirk. I press my hips into him, grinding my ass against his cock. It doesn’t take long to feel him lengthen behind the constricting cloth.

  When Jeff reaches around my body, cupping my own aching dick, I suck in a deep breath. His grip is harsh and demanding, just like everything else about him when he’s in this mood.

  “Bedroom. Now.” The hand still wrapped around the side of my neck begins guiding me down the short hallway to the master bedroom. For a split second, I feel guilty that we’re doing this while Mary is sleeping on the other side of the condo. Sensing the shift in my mood, Jeff leans in. “Stop thinking, Zeke. I need you here with me.”

  The door shuts behind us, closing out all thoughts of anything other than Jeff. The lights of the city are the only thing illuminating the dark room, casting shadows against the wall. “Strip,” he commands.

  As I shed my clothes, I watch him do the same. The fact that his leather belt is now neatly hanging over the edge of the bed does not go unnoticed. Fully naked, I stand in the middle of the room, watching as Jeff unzips the bag sitting on the floor of my closet. With a snap of his fingers, he points to the foot of the bed, carrying a pair of leather cuffs with him. My breathing shallows, knowing what is to come, as I obediently take my position with my shins pressed against the footboard.

  He captures my left hand, biting and kissing each finger before wrapping the first cuff around my wrist. I grip the post of the bed firmly as he clips the cuff to an eye bolt screwed into the wood before repeating the process on the right side.

  “Don’t think this is going to get you out of talking,” he laughs as my head falls forward in anticipation. “But you did your best to be cordial to that bitch, so you deserve your reward.”

  His hands are one of the only parts of his body that could be described as soft. Still firm and strong, the skin is smooth and tender as he lightly runs his fingers down my back. There’s no stopping the moan as he reaches my ass, teasing me by reaching between my thighs before pulling back again.

  “Are you ready?” He whispers in my ear, his warm breath sending a shiver through my body. I nod, knowing that if I speak, I’ll wind up begging him to fuck me hard which will only prolong the torture. “What was that? I need to hear you.”

  “I’m ready,” I say breathlessly.

  I flinch as Jeff’s bare hand reddens the flesh of my ass. “You’re ready, what,” he hisses in my ear, those same fingers that delivered the first delicious blow to my skin now digging into my neck.

  “I’m ready, Sir.”

  “That’s better,” he praises me. “I’m going to push you tonight, Zeke. You know you can stop everything at any time, but we both need me to do this.”

  I damn near whimper at his warning. This isn’t like any of the other times I’ve allowed someone to Top me. With a feeble “Yes, Sir,” and a nod of my head, I’m giving myself to him for as long as he’ll have me.

  He strikes me again, this time harder and on the other side. I bite my lip to silence myself. Before I fully gain my footing, a third slap lands directly in the center of my ass. When Jeff reaches between my legs, firmly taking my balls in his hand, I think I’m about to blow my load.

  “You will come when I tell you and not a minute before,” he warns, squeezing tighter before releasing me.

  “Yes, Sir,” I agree.

  My need for him grows with every quick slap, every soothing caress. My body has boarded a roller coaster fueled by endorphins and I give myself over to the sensation of drifting. My eyes close, allowing me to savor everything Jeff is giving me.

  I scream out, more in shock than pain, the first time I feel the leather belt crack against my skin. It hurts like hell, but in a good way.
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br />   My head lurches back as I grunt with each swing of the belt, my hips and ass wiggling, inviting more. Needing more. Never before have I trusted someone to go to this level, relentlessly whipping me, marking me in a way I know will last for days. But with Jeff, I wonder if it’s even possible for him to come close to that limit. He instinctively knows what I need better than even I do, a fact that both frightens and excites me.

  His strokes slow, until he’s barely teasing the sensitive flesh of my ass with the strip of leather. I beg him to give me more and he responds by pulling away from me.

  “Who is in charge tonight?” He scolds me.

  “You are,” I moan. “I’m sorry, Sir.”

  Jeff leans over, placing a series of kisses across both of my shoulders. “You’re forgiven.”

  In my haze, the mystery of why Jeff is the first person I’ve given myself to in this way hits me. He’s a natural at what he does. He knows when to be tender and when to be sadistic. When to gift me with pain and when to deliver pleasure.

  His body presses against my back, his hands gliding up the length of my thighs to my waist and then higher, to my arms which are still firmly attached to the bed posts. “That’s enough of that for tonight,” he whispers in my ear.

  He frees both of my arms, guiding me down on the bed. “Roll over.”

  I do as he says, shifting so I’m lying on my back with my legs dangling off the edge of the mattress, lifting my head to get a glimpse of the man who has me ready to lose my mind. He’s fucking beautiful, standing between my legs, a sheen of sweat covering his sculpted chest. More than anything, I want to weave my fingers through his blond hair, pulling him down so I can taste him, but this is his time.

  The end of the bed dips as Jeff climbs onto the mattress, tossing a condom and a bottle of lube next to me. Once again, I want to beg him to fuck me. My body twitches, knowing how it will feel to have him stretch me.