25. The Booty Call
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
THE BOOTY CALL
Sophie
Malakai
Hey, can I come over?
I stare at my phone as a sly smile curves on my lips. Looking over at Julian, I hand him my phone with the text showing on the screen. Julian leans over on the couch, pausing the foot rub he’s giving me, and smirks.
“What do you want to do, babe?” he asks, running a hand along my bare calf.
It’s the first night we’ve had together in almost a week. Julian is reading some art magazine, and I’m curled up with my newest romance book in paperback. This one is interesting, though, because the heroine falls in love with three men, not just one. Stella had pitched it to me as something called why choose, which is a genre entirely new to me.
Setting my book down, I pull my lower lip between my teeth. “I don’t know. On the one hand, if I say I want to see him, then we don’t get a night together. But, on the other hand… I really want to see him. And that makes me feel guilty.”
Julian sighs, setting his magazine down on the coffee table and pulling me onto his lap. “Soph, if we’re really going to do this with him in earnest, then perhaps we should stop thinking about us versus him. If you want to see him, don’t feel guilty for admitting it. That’s not how I want this dynamic to work, you know? We should be open, communicate, and let go of what we should be feeling. Because this whole thing isn’t traditional anyway, so fuck what anyone thinks, right? Plus, I’m not going anywhere. Nothing is being taken away. Kai just adds to the dynamic.”
I grin as I nuzzle into his chest. He always knows exactly what to say.
“You’re right. And I do want to see him.”
I feel Julian smile as he kisses the side of my head. “I want to see him, too.”
He hands me my phone, and I type out a quick response.
Of course. We’re both here. :)
Climbing off Julian’s lap, I look down at my leggings and tank top. My hair is in a loose ponytail, and I don’t have a lick of makeup on my face.
“Should I change?” I ask Julian, who’s wearing trousers and a soft, light gray jumper.
He shakes his head. “You always look great, pet.”
My phone buzzes.
Malakai
Okay, just grabbed a taxi. Be there in ten.
Excitement courses through me, and I do my best to tidy up the living room as Julian helps. We’d ordered sushi earlier, so I recycle the containers and wipe the countertops off.
“Feels a bit like a first date,” Julian says, opening the bin for me to dispose of the rest of the rubbish lying around.
I huff a laugh as I finish washing my hands. “Feels a bit like a booty call to me.”
My husband walks over to me, pressing his chest to my back. His hands slide around my waist, lips brushing against my ear.
“Well, maybe it’s both. But either way, I’m not complaining.”
Shivers work down my spine as my phone buzzes, and when I look down, I see my doorbell app notifying us that Kai is here.
“I’ll get the door,” Julian says, walking away.
I watch him go, barefoot and casual, and… happy. There’s been a noticeable lightness to him these past few weeks, like something heavy has shifted. And I know exactly when it started.
It’s not just Kai’s company that’s made the difference. It’s also everything he’s been part of. For example, when I picked up the shop keys on Tuesday, I should’ve felt overwhelmed. I mean… what expertise did I have to run a bookstore? However, instead of freaking out, I felt almost excited—because I wasn’t doing it alone. Kai had agreed to help with the renovations without hesitation, and knowing he’d be there to help me made the whole process feel a lot less daunting.
Perhaps that’s why I’ve been smiling more, too. It’s not just about the shop or the repairs—it’s him.
As Julian opens the door, I can hear Kai’s low voice greeting him. The idea of him coming over makes me feel like I’ve been dipped into a warm bath, and I lean against the kitchen counter for a moment, giving myself a minute to let it all sink in.
The thought of the shop finally coming together fills me with a sense of pride, sure, but it’s the memory of how Kai had immediately volunteered to help with the shop that warms me from the inside.
The memory of waking up between them, and how we spent all day together watching movies and cuddling up on the couch. It’s so easy with him. He so seamlessly fits into our life that it’s starting to feel like he was always here.
And for the first time in a long time, everything feels… right. Not perfect, but right. Like the puzzle pieces of my life are finally starting to click into place.
For a month or two, when we first moved here, I worried we’d made the wrong decision. I thought maybe we’d just run from our problems, only to end up trapped by the same stifling societal expectations.
But lately… it feels different.
Now, it feels like we were meant to be here.
Like we’ve finally started to build something that feels like home.
I wipe my hands on a dish towel, glancing down the hall where Julian disappeared, and a small smile tugs at my lips as the two men walk into the kitchen. Kai is immediately commanding in his leather jacket and jeans, and as he shrugs it off, I let my eyes take in the muscles contracting along his arms as he sets the jacket over one of the barstools, revealing a tight black T-shirt.
“Hi,” he says, his eyes a bit wild as they search my face.
“Hi,” I answer, crossing my arms as I chew on my lower lip to keep from smiling.
He looks like he rushed here, his face is red with exertion, and his hair is messier than normal. Plus, he’s breathing heavily.
“I would offer you a drink, but I can smell the whiskey from here,” Julian says, coming to stand behind Kai.
Cocking my head, I place my hands behind me on the countertop as a smile breaks free on my face. He walks over to me. “Malakai Ravage, is this a booty call? Did you get drunk and?—”
Before I can finish my sentence, one of his hands fists the back of my hair as he smashes his lips against mine.
Everything explodes inside of me, and a searing, white-hot energy flares to life, dropping heavily from my core to between my legs. He tastes like whiskey and something minty, and the combination has impatience stirring through me. I moan as my hands fly up to his face, and I instinctively pull him closer. He cages me in, taking the lead and pressing me against the counter. As his tongue swirls with mine, my body becomes frenzied for him.
“Kai,” I whisper, letting my head fall back as his lips trail fiery kisses along my jaw, and down my neck.
Kai’s lips are still searing against mine when I feel Julian behind him, his presence looming closer. Kai’s grip tightens in my hair, and for a second, I forget to breathe. The heat between us spikes, but before Kai can deepen the kiss, Julian’s hand slips between us—flat against Kai’s chest.
“Slow down,” Julian murmurs, almost lazily. His fingers splay wider, pressing Kai back with a deliberate ease. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Kai’s eyes flash with something—frustration, maybe—but Julian isn’t fazed. His hand doesn’t move, even as Kai shifts like he wants to argue.
“I thought this was a booty call,” Kai mutters, though his grip in my hair loosens.
Julian smirks. “It is. But you know the rules.”
I swallow hard, watching as Julian lets his fingers trail down the center of Kai’s chest, light, teasing. Kai stiffens slightly, though I catch the gleam of desire in his eyes.
“And what rule is that?” Kai asks, his voice rougher now.
Julian leans in, his breath warm against Kai’s ear. “I lead. You follow.”
The words land heavy between them, and something shifts in the air. Julian isn’t just playing with him—he’s checking to make sure Kai is truly comfortable with the rules we’ve all set together. I can feel the tension ripple through Kai’s frame, but he doesn’t pull away.
Kai’s eyes darken, but there’s a flash of restraint behind them, like he’s holding himself back. I’ve seen him dominant and in control, but this… watching him struggle beneath Julian’s quiet authority, sends heat pooling low in my belly. It’s intoxicating, like standing too close to the edge of a cliff, half terrified and half thrilled by the idea of falling.
Julian notices it too. His eyes glint with something knowing.
“She likes watching you squirm,” Julian murmurs, his gaze flicking to me briefly.
Kai’s lips curl, his chest rising and falling with measured breaths. “I’m not squirming.”
Julian arches a brow. “Not yet.”
Kai’s jaw tightens beneath Julian’s hand, his breathing heavier now, measured but on the verge of something slipping. I can see the muscles in his neck flex, the barely contained hunger vibrating beneath his skin.
For a moment, he looks like he’s going to challenge Julian, to push back.
I shift slightly, stepping back just enough to give them space, my back pressing against the cool edge of the counter. The heat between them feels palpable, like something I shouldn’t be intruding on but can’t look away from.
Julian’s gaze flicks toward me, his eyes dark with something unreadable, before returning to Kai.
The pause stretches too long.
Then Julian tilts his head slightly, almost in invitation, and something in Kai breaks.
I watch as Kai’s fingers curl at his sides, tension rippling through his frame, before Julian seizes his mouth with a kiss that brooks no argument. For a second, Kai matches him, a clash of heat and dominance, but then Julian shoves him back against the refrigerator.
The metal thuds faintly under the impact.
Kai growls, and it’s a low and feral sound. Pulling his head back, he presses against Julian’s chest in order to regain the upper hand, but it’s no use. Julian won’t give in.
He never does.
I’m mesmerized and I can’t look away. It’s the first time I’ve seen them together like this, and the energy between them is like an alpha showdown playing out in front of me like a movie. I’m caught between wanting to intervene and not wanting to interrupt. My breathing turns ragged as I watch, waiting for the friction between them to reach a breaking point.
“Are you enjoying the show, Soph?” Julian mutters suddenly, his voice even despite Kai testing him. His eyes flick to mine, catching me in place. “He’s still got energy to burn.”
Kai snaps his head to me at that, and as his lips pull into a sharp, dangerous smirk, I swallow. Julian releases him, stepping aside, and I barely have time to take a breath before Kai’s focus locks on me. In two strides, he’s on me, his hands gripping my waist and pulling me into him. I can feel how hard he is, and I resist the urge to shift my hips against him.
“Now it’s your turn,” Kai says, his voice rough, like a command wrapped in velvet.
He kisses me again, and this time it leaves no room for questions or hesitation. It only takes and takes and takes. His hands slide to my hips, pulling me flush against him, and I melt completely.
Behind him, Julian chuckles. “That’s it, pet,” he says, his voice carrying a note of indulgence. “Don’t hold back for me. I’m enjoying the view.”
But I barely register the words, because Kai is already working my tank top off. I hold my arms up, and he pulls it over my head, along with my bra. He pulls away and leads me into the next room by taking my hand.
The dining room.
I’m lost in the way he’s looking at me, and the large table stands waiting in the center of the room, its polished surface gleaming faintly under the low lights.
He pauses for a second, looking over his shoulder at Julian, who is hovering by the door. “Are you staying there?”
Julian cocks his head. “For now.” His gaze shifts lazily to me. “You seem to have this under control.”
Kai shifts his attention back to me. “Good.”
He kneels and peels my leggings off, followed quickly by my knickers. This is nothing like last time, I hardly have time to wrap my mind around what’s happening before he makes his next move. Last time, we were careful—deliberate and slow while we learned about each other’s bodies.
Tonight feels more frenetic, like a grenade ready to detonate.
He presses me against the edge of the table, and the cool wood hits the backs of my thighs. I shiver as he steps closer, his body crowding mine. Tilting my chin up, his thumb brushes my lower lip slowly.
“I’ve waited two weeks for this, Sophie. Two weeks since I’ve had you like I want to. Two weeks since I’ve been inside of you.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, and my breath catches as his gaze holds mine. His gray eyes are the color of dark steel, and my nipples harden as they brush against his T-shirt. Kai’s lips claim mine, and the kiss is deep and consuming. My fingers curl around the fabric of his shirt, and his hands trail down my sides.
“Are you ready to give me everything?” he asks, his voice gravelly.
I nod, completely breathless as his hands guide me up onto the table.
From the doorway, Julian’s voice cuts through the haze, smooth and amused. “Careful with her, Kai. I’d prefer her still coherent when I join.”
Kai doesn’t pause or even indicate that he hears Julian. His hand slides between my legs, spreading my thighs. A low rumble manages to escape his throat, and I swallow as his dark eyes pierce me to the spot.
“You’ll wait your turn,” he says to Julian, not bothering to turn around.
I can feel Julian’s gaze on us, heavy and approving. Kai fists my hair and pulls my head back, his mouth tracing fire along my neck.
“I need a condom,” Kai murmurs against my heated skin.
Looking over his shoulders, my eyes find Julian’s. We have a stash for the men I sleep with upstairs, but I find myself staying silent.
“Soph?” he asks, tilting his head.
Looking back up at Kai, I know I’m in the moment and it’s irresponsible to think of not wearing a condom. But I want to feel him bare. I’ve always loved the feeling of Julian inside of me, and I want to share this with Kai, too.
But before I can tell him this, Kai reaches out for my chin and looks down at me with a look of furtive contemplation.
“As much as I want to fuck you bare, little dove, it’s something we should discuss beforehand. Not during a scene.”
I nod as his thumb brushes against my lower lip. “The condoms are upstairs. I can?—”
“I’ll get them,” Julian says, pushing off the frame of the door. “Carry on.”
Kai watches Julian disappear down the hall, his jaw tight as he adjusts himself in his jeans. His hand brushes against my cheek, fingers lingering as if grounding himself in the moment.
“You’re enjoying this,” he mutters, though the corner of his mouth twitches into something dangerously close to a smile.
I bite my lower lip, my eyes dragging down his body. “Maybe a little.”
He huffs a quiet laugh, but his gaze sharpens as his thumb grazes my lip. “You like watching him pull my strings.”
I nod, heart hammering. “I do.”
Kai doesn’t look away. “Good. Because I’m not done with you yet.”
I lean back against the table and look up at him. “Well, then, you heard him. Carry on.”
Kai’s lips lift into an easy smile. “You’re lucky that I don’t feel like fighting you tonight, or punishing the disobedience,” he murmurs, his hand caressing my shoulder softly. “Get on your knees.”
“Yes, my lord.”
I’ll never get sick of the way his eyes darken whenever I say that, or the way his expression grows just a little bit more menacing. I slide off the table, lowering myself to my knees, and I don’t wait for permission to reach forward and unbuckle his belt.
He doesn’t stop me, but he also doesn’t move to help.
I smirk, thinking of how Kai likes to test the boundaries—the push and pull of our dynamic—and I can feel his eyes boring into me as I work his belt free. His hands remain at his sides, and a slight flex of his fingers is the only indication that he’s affected by what’s happening. Taking my time, I’m deliberately slow, knowing it will irritate him.
“Are you going to help?” I ask, my tone teasing.
“You’re lucky I find that mouth of yours charming, Sophie.” Leaning down, his fingers graze my jaw before they tip my chin so that I have no choice but to meet his eyes. “But don’t mistake charm for control.”
His voice is calm, but there’s an edge of warning to it.
I swallow, and the weight of his presence settles over me. Kai’s dominance isn’t loud or over-the-top. It’s like an ocean current, steady, inescapable, and utterly dangerous if you’re not prepared. Lowering my gaze, I continue unbuckling his belt.
The tension in the room makes me hyperaware of every sound—the scrape of leather through metal, the sound of the buckle jingling, the faint creak of the floorboards under Kai’s feet… and the soft hitch of Kai’s breath when my fingers brush against the bare skin above his waistband.
His control might be ironclad, but that shaky inhale tells me everything I need to know: he’s ready, and he won’t last long.
So many people see submission as a weakness. They don’t understand the kind of power it takes to look someone in the eye and offer yourself to them. With Kai, I’m not just giving him control, I’m inviting him to take it. There’s power in watching him step into that role, in seeing the confidence build in him as he realizes he doesn’t need to hold back.
“You’re taking your time,” he says, voice low but loaded with warning.
I let a sly smile grace my lips before looking up at him. “I thought you said you didn’t feel like fighting me tonight.”
A muscle in his jaw tics. “Don’t push me.”
The warning doesn’t scare me. Instead, I pull my lower lip between my teeth, ignoring the low swoop of something heavy dropping down between my legs. Just as I open my mouth to reply with something bratty, I hear Julian’s footsteps just outside the door. Looking up at Kai, I see the flicker of anticipation as my husband gets closer. Having spent enough time with Kai, I recognize the subtle shift in his demeanor.
He’s torn, I think, between wanting to keep the upper hand with me and whatever uncertainty or curiosity that Julian sparks in him.
Julian’s voice carries into the room as he enters. “Am I interrupting?”
I turn my head to see him holding a condom in one hand, his expression both amused and knowing. His hair is slightly mussed, like he’s deliberately trying to look casual and failing spectacularly. Julian always has an air of control about him, even when he’s trying to let loose.
Kai straightens slightly, though he doesn’t step back. His body language changes almost imperceptibly, shifting into something more neutral. I file the observation away, knowing it’s something I’ll want to poke at later.
“No,” I say, my voice light. “Kai was just about to show me if he knows how to work a belt better than I do.”
Kai’s gaze flicks to me, and there it is, that sharp tension, the push-and-pull that keeps us both on edge. He doesn’t respond right away, instead turning his attention to Julian, who has moved closer.
Julian’s eyes sweep over the scene, and a faint smile tugs at his lips. “I leave for five minutes, and you’re already causing trouble,” he says, his tone teasing but warm. It’s hard to tell if he’s talking to me or Kai, or both of us.
Kai exhales a laugh, low and quiet. “She has a talent for it.”
Julian steps into the space between us, close enough that I can feel the heat of his body. His hand brushes my shoulder, and I feel a strange thrill at the way Kai watches him, something unspoken passing between them.
“Is that true?” Julian asks me, his voice dropping a little. “Are you causing trouble?”
Fuck.
I look up at him, wide-eyed and feigning innocence, though I know I’m not fooling my husband. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Kai huffs a soft laugh as his hand brushes my cheek.
“Well,” Julian says, holding up the condom with a smirk. “I think we’ve waited long enough, don’t you?”
Kai’s gaze flicks to mine briefly before moving back to Julian. There’s a hesitation in his expression—subtle, but there. I wonder if Julian sees it too, the way Kai’s confidence falters ever so slightly when he’s the one being scrutinized.
I reach for Kai’s waistband again, a quiet reassurance, and feel his breath hitch as I tug him forward just a little. “What do you say, Kai?” I ask, letting my voice dip low. “Are you ready?”
For a heartbeat, he doesn’t answer, his gaze darting between us. And then he nods, the tension easing just enough to remind me that this is new for him—being seen, being wanted, being caught in this pull between submission and control.
“Yeah,” he says finally, his voice low and rough. “I’m ready.”