Yet he couldn’t deny what Anthony implied was true. There were no specific limits set on the play at the party as long as all participants agreed to a scene.
Daniel knew he could have protested and refused the cane. He had wanted to impress everyone watching with how well he could take it, especially the arrogant Anthony. Now with his back a crisscross of stinging pain, he wondered if he’d been so smart.
“Daniel handled himself with the utmost grace. You should be very proud.” Anthony spoke in a smooth, elegantly accented voice that for some reason made Daniel want to punch him despite his words of praise.
He could tell Liam didn’t like him either. Liam’s tone was polite but cold. “Thank you. Daniel always makes me proud. If you’ll all excuse us I want to tend to Daniel. Matthew.” He nodded toward Phillip, still kneeling between them. “You might wish to do the same for your sub. You can use the bathroom at the end of the hall. You’ll find everything you need in the cabinet above the sink.”
He put his arm very lightly over Daniel’s shoulders and led him from the playroom, ignoring the several scenes going on around them. Once in the master bedroom he took Daniel gently into his arms. “I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have left you. I wouldn’t have permitted this.”
“No, no. You did the right thing. Alex needed you.”
Liam let him go. “Turn around and let me see.” He ran a finger lightly over Daniel’s back. “You’ve got some pretty intense welts. You’re definitely going to have some bruising. Why did you let them cane you? You know what a risk it can be.” Liam’s voice was gentle but Daniel could hear the worry and reproach behind it.
Daniel felt stupid now that he was away from the scene, his back and ass stinging. Liam brought a tube of antiseptic cream from the bathroom and smoothed it carefully over the welted skin. Daniel winced though Liam’s touch was light.
“I’m sorry, Liam. I let ego and horniness get in the way of clear thinking. All those guys around watching and Matthew challenging me, asking me if I was as much a man as his sub. And that guy, Anthony. I’m sorry I just don’t like the guy. I wanted to show him I could take whatever he could mete out.”
“I understand. Don’t apologize. This was my fault. When Matthew asked to bring someone I hadn’t personally met and scened with I should have told him no. Maybe it’s time to rethink these play parties, especially with Alex onboard.”
Alex.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in her bedroom recovering.” Liam smiled. “Marianne spanked her thoroughly. Afterward she wanted me to leave them alone so she could have her way with our girl but one glance at Alex told me she wasn’t ready for a lesbian experience at this point.”
Daniel shook his head with a laugh and Liam’s smile widened to a grin. “I sent Marianne back to the party. I told Alex to take her time and come out when she was ready.”
“Can we—?”
“Go see her? You took the words out of my mouth. Let’s go.”
It was after three in the morning by the time the last of the partiers had been thanked for coming and sent on their way. Liam was pleased overall with the event, though after the caning incident he hadn’t let either Daniel or Alex too far out of his sight.
“Look at her. Dead to the world.” Daniel stood over Alex and Liam came to join him. She was fast asleep on the living room sofa, her golden hair covering half her face, her silk camisole twisted so her midriff was exposed above the thong panties.
Liam had been less than thrilled to find Alex on Anthony’s lap at one point in the evening after the caning. The man’s arm was around her shoulders and her cheeks were flushed, a glass of champagne in her hand. He was whispering something to her that made her laugh.
Something about the man galled him. Beyond going overboard with the caning scene, he just didn’t like him. There was an arrogance there, a posturing Liam found abhorrent. He’d always believed submission was a gift to be gratefully accepted and cherished. Not a right to be wrested and twisted to one’s desires. Something told him Anthony would disagree.
Daniel had seen them together too and commented. “Look at that. Now he’s got Alex. They look like…like lovers. What the fuck is that guy doing? I’m getting her away from him.”
Liam stopped Daniel with a hand on his arm. He didn’t want to embarrass Alex or for that matter Anthony. While he was in their home he was their guest. Was it fair to treat him differently than the other Doms present?
“She’s an adult, Daniel. She can do what she likes. She’s not breaking any rules. If we didn’t want her coming to the party we should have decided that beforehand. But now that she’s here she’s the property of every Dom here, same as you are. If he invited her onto his lap she couldn’t very well refuse.
“I’ll admit Anthony’s not my favorite guy and we won’t be inviting him to our house any time soon, but I can’t see he’s doing anything wrong. She seems to be enjoying herself.”
Daniel grudgingly nodded though he didn’t conceal the scowl on his face. “She’s just drunk,” he pronounced, turning away. Liam raised his eyebrows but said nothing. It was hard to know just exactly the right response to Daniel’s uncharacteristic jealousy since he wasn’t sure himself how he felt.
Now Daniel bent down and scooped the sleeping girl into his arms. Liam followed him as they walked up the stairs. He moved ahead of Daniel to pull down Alex’s bedding. Alex didn’t wake up when Daniel set her gently onto the mattress and pulled the covers over her.
Back in their bedroom, Daniel and Liam washed and climbed into bed. Daniel lay carefully on his stomach. Liam lifted up on one elbow to inspect his back. He ran his fingers over the welts. They were no longer raised but had subsided into dark pink lines that would probably turn to purple by the next day and fade completely by the end of the week.
As upset as he’d been to find Daniel had been caned without his presence or permission, he had to grudgingly admit the whip maker had known what he was doing. Liam bent over and lightly kissed his way along a welt, his cock rising despite his exhaustion and the fact he’d come two times over the course of the evening at the mouths of eager sub boys at the party.
“You okay?” he said softly.
Daniel didn’t answer. He kissed him again, drawing his tongue along Daniel’s skin. He realized Daniel was asleep. He reached for the light and turned it off before turning back toward Daniel.
He leaned in close to him, draping Daniel’s shoulder with one arm. “I love you,” he whispered. He closed his eyes and when he opened them it was morning.
After a hot shower Liam put on black lounging pants and a faded red T-shirt he’d had since college. It was after eleven. He wondered how long Daniel had been up.
At that moment Daniel stuck his head inside the bedroom door. “I’m making breakfast.” As if Daniel had conjured it with his words, Liam suddenly smelled bacon and coffee.
“Come here.” He held out his arms. Daniel entered the room and stepped into Liam’s arms. Daniel, who usually wore tight T-shirts that showed off his sculpted physique, was wearing a loose white T-shirt over dark blue shorts. Suspecting it was because of the welts, Liam asked, “How’s your back today?”
“It’s okay. The welts sting but I have to admit they look kind of hot. I keep checking them in the mirror.” Daniel laughed a little self-consciously.
“Take off your shirt. Let me see.” Daniel obeyed and Liam surveyed his back, which was striped with dark red lines. He pulled at Daniel’s shorts to inspect his bare ass, which also was welted though the thicker skin there wasn’t as damaged.
“I won’t mark you today. You’ve got more than enough marks to remind you of what you are.” As he spoke he pulled Daniel’s shorts all the way down and spun him toward him.
Kneeling, he took Daniel’s rapidly rising shaft into his mouth and lovingly sucked and caressed it until Daniel was moaning. “Did you come last night, slave boy?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“How many times?”
“Only the once, Sir. With Phillip.”
“You want to come again?”
“If it pleases you, Sir.”
Liam gripped the base of his shaft while he sucked. “And if it doesn’t?”
“Then I don’t want to, Sir. Only for you. I belong to you, Sir.” Liam continued to tease him until he knew Daniel was on the very edge. Cruelly he pulled back and waited, watching the struggle over Daniel’s face as he tried desperately to bring himself back from the brink. He touched Daniel’s thigh and could feel him trembling.
“Come for me. Now.” He grabbed Daniel’s cock and pumped it with one hand, holding his other just below the head. Daniel began to spurt his seed into Liam’s waiting palm. He shuddered and reached for Liam’s shoulder to keep his balance.
When he was done he opened his eyes and smiled shyly down at Liam. “Good boy.” Liam smiled back. He held his palm up. “Now clean up this mess you made.”
Daniel knelt in front of Liam and leaned toward his gooey palm. Liam lowered his hand and Daniel followed it until his head was nearly touching the floor, his sexy ass raised high. Liam’s cock was hard as he watched Daniel lick his own spunk from Liam’s hand. When he was done, Liam stood and stared down at the sexy submissive man at his feet.
Daniel looked up at him with submissive devotion. “Thank you, Sir,” he whispered.
“You’re welcome. Where’s Alex?”
“She’s in her room, Sir. Waiting for you.”
~*~
Alex stood at attention, her eyes on the pendulum clock by her door. She had a headache and her mouth tasted like tin despite brushing her teeth and gargling with mouthwash. The ticking of the clock annoyed her. Tick tock, tick tock, too loud, echoing in her head. She wanted to climb back into her warm, cozy bed but of course she didn’t dare.
Daniel had come in to wake her at ten thirty. She’d stumbled out of bed and into the shower, holding her face up to the warm water for several minutes before coming fully conscious.
She didn’t even remember getting into bed the night before. Her last coherent memory was watching a Dom with a pretty young woman facing outward on his lap. He had his arms around her and was tugging hard at the jewelry in her pierced nipples while another woman knelt between her thighs, licking her shaven pussy. It was hard to say if her cries were from pleasure or pain.
After the spanking, no one had scened with her. Either Liam or Daniel always hovered nearby but didn’t include her in anything fun. The spanking and teasing had left her hot and horny, but most people at the party were already with someone and too busy in their own play to take much notice of her.
She was both nervous and pleased when Anthony found her again. Liam and Daniel had disappeared into the playroom while she’d stayed down below.
“Alexandra.”
She turned to the sound of his sensual voice, her heart catching for a moment. He was so good-looking with his smooth olive-toned skin, shiny black hair and deep probing black eyes that seemed to penetrate her thoughts.
“Oh Anthony. Hi.”
He frowned. “Anthony? Do you call your Masters by their first names?”
Alex felt her cheeks heat. “Well, um. Yes, actually. They don’t mind. I—I call them Sir too.”
Anthony’s frown smoothed and he nodded thoughtfully. “I see. And how long have you been with Liam and his slave?”
“Daniel. He’s not really his slave. He’s submissive to Liam but they’re partners.”
Lovers
, she’d almost said, but something held her back.
“And you are submissive to them both? A very curious arrangement. Why would two gay men want a woman in their household? I mean for other than maid service.”
“They’re not gay,” Alex replied hotly.
“No? You could have fooled me.”
Alex found herself increasingly annoyed. Who the fuck was this Anthony to be questioning her relationship with Liam and Daniel? She made an effort to keep her voice calm, her tone properly submissive. “They’re bi, actually. And they—” She cut herself off. She’d been about to say they loved her too, but then that wasn’t true. “They’re fond of me,” she finished lamely.
“I imagine they’d be fond of a pet dog too if they had one.”
Unable to help it, Alex glared. She very nearly told Anthony where to go.
To her surprise he began to laugh. A rich, full-throated laugh, his teeth gleaming white, his eye crinkling merrily. He looked much nicer when he laughed, and in spite of herself, Alex began to laugh too.
Anthony grabbed two glasses of champagne and handed one to Alex. She’d lost count of how many she’d had. What the hell, she wasn’t driving. Anthony led her toward a couch. He sat down, and when she started to sit beside him, he pulled her onto his lap.
“I’m sorry if I was rude.” His voice was kind now, even gentle. “I think I’m jealous those two men should have possession of the most beautiful woman in the room. Especially when it’s obvious to me they don’t appreciate what they have. If you were mine…” He touched her thigh and drew his finger along it until she shivered. Staring into her eyes, he continued. “If you were mine I’d never let you attend a party like this. You would be too precious for me to hand off to any man or woman who took a fancy to you. No. You would be mine alone. You would know your worth because I would shower you with love and attention. You would never sleep alone.”
Alex started. How did he know she slept alone? He smiled as if privy to her thoughts. “I guessed correctly, didn’t I? It’s clear they view you strictly as property. A toy. You will never be their equal, their partner. That’s because while they may use you sexually their allegiance is and always will be to each other. You can never be more than a game to them. A diversion of which they will eventually tire.”
Alex drank her champagne quickly and gestured toward a handsome young man in gold pants who carried a tray of full glasses. She snagged a fresh glass and drank that one too. The alcohol gave her courage that bordered on recklessness. “With all due respect,
Sir
, you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I’m
not
just a diversion.” She held out her wrists, showing him the silver slave cuffs. “They gave me these. Proof I belong to them forever.”