Page 98 of Blood and Trouble

“It’s always been like this,” Lycan murmured. “It was always going to be like this.” He brought his face millimeters from Poe, so close I thought he might kiss him. “Now, are you going to listen like a good boy? Or are you going to be a brat and make me fight you to the bed?”

“What if I said no?” Poe whispered, his body trembling. “What if I’m done playing this stupid game with you?”

Lycan raised an eyebrow, perhaps recognizing the unfairness in what he was demanding from Poe, but he didn’t acknowledge it. Neither did Poe. My husband chuckled softly, low in his chest. “No isn’t your safeword.”

Poe licked his lips but didn’t answer.

“Are you going to use your safeword?” Lycan straightened, peering down at him with all that forceful dominance.

Poe pursed his lips, seeming to consider, before he dropped his gaze to the ground and said, “I don’t know.”

“If you’re tapping out, you know how. But I don’t think you want that,” Lycan said. “Now get on the fucking bed and do what I say before I belt your ass until you cry for mercy.”

Poe stared at Lycan for one heartbeat longer, his features hardening as he debated with himself. I thought he might fight him. I thought he might resist until Lycan really did pull him across his lap and stripe his beautiful ass. But he didn’t. Poe looked at me and, perhaps seeing the hopeful expression on my face, sauntered in my direction until he knelt on the mattress next to me.

“Hmm, that’s better, isn’t it?” Lycan went back to the chair and sat, leaning back with his arms resting on either side. “My poet and my pet, willing and pliable in front of me.”

“Willing is an overstatement,” Poe sniped. “What do you want, Lycan?”

“I’m so glad you asked,” my husband said. He looked down at the bright tangerine armrest and rubbed his fingers across the fabric. “You know, I’ve never given much thought to why I like fucking so much. I mean, aside from the obvious. But it’s more than that. There’s fucking, and there’s fucking.”

I told my racing heart to slow down, to focus on the moment. I could think of only one reason why he’d have pulled a chair up to the edge of the bed, why he’d still be clothed while we were naked and hot from the shower, why he’d order us here and not claim a space for himself.

“I used to go to these wild parties. And it was fun to find a partner and a dark corner and figure out how to get each other off.” Lycan smiled to himself as memories undoubtedly flashed behind his eyes. “But the watching…” He blew out a breath. “Humans are notoriously voyeuristic.”

The temperature in the room shifted, growing increasingly warmer as Poe’s scent mixed with Lycan’s, as the reality of what he wanted dawned on both of us.

“But shifters…we’d watch just about anything. I mean, fuck. We get naked together under the full moon every month. Our magic is tied to watching that celestial piece of space rock change shape.”

“Where’s this going?” Poe asked, breaking my focus on Lycan’s story. “What? You want to watch me fuck her?”

“Yes,” Lycan said. “You already cuckolded me. I might as well sit my ass in the cuck chair and do it properly.”

“Fucking hell.” Poe scrubbed a hand over his face. “I know you’re pissed, Ly, but this⁠—”

“Are you folding already? And I thought you had more stamina than that.” Lycan’s lips twisted into a smirk, practically salivating at the possibility, almost like he hoped Poe would say no, almost like he hoped he’d have to wrestle him into it.

“No,” Poe immediately said. “No, I’m not saying that.”

“Then, do it,” Lycan said. “Put your lips on her skin and your cock in her cunt. Make her beg for it. Make her moan your name. And if you’re very good, maybe I’ll even fuck you before the night’s through.”

“Why?” Poe asked.

Lycan shrugged. “Why not?”

Poe didn’t have a good response for that, but the mental images floating around in my mind had me clenching in places I desperately wanted them to touch. Surely, Poe felt it. Hell, they both could probably smell it. Slick gathered in the crevice between my legs, and my pulse pounded, my canines quickly growing into fangs.

“Oh, my poor little pet,” Lycan said, tilting his head toward me. “Don’t worry. Poe will take good care of you. Won’t you?”

Poe let out a long, frustrated sigh. He wanted to. He just didn’t want to want to.

“But be gentle,” Lycan added. “She’s still healing, and if you make her bleed, I’ll tear your throat out.”

Poe turned toward me, raking his gaze down my features to check if I wanted this. Our magical tether glowed, and I tried to push my reassurance down the link. I didn’t come this far only to get this far. I wanted both of them. Now. Forever.

“Please,” I murmured, reaching up to cup his cheek.

Poe stole one last look at Lycan and licked his lips, maybe checking that this was what my husband truly wanted. When he found whatever he was looking for, he tilted his face into my touch and kissed the inside of my wrist before trailing his lips and tongue down my forearm to my elbow. Shaking, I leaned back and untucked my legs while he shifted to hover over me. He braced himself and positioned his hips between my thighs, his hardening cock pressed into me. I rocked against it, and he sucked in a hiss.