Chapter 6
Six
Kingston
Walking into the chaos unfolding at Reed’s house left me second-and- third-guessing myself.
I’d ordered both Eloise and my best friend to the corner for what I hoped was a much-needed timeout to process whatever the hell had been buzzing through their brains.
Having zero clue about if either of them would listen to me or curse me out, I was surprised to see them both standing with their noses pressed to the wall.
Tensions were running high and so were their emotions.
Reed hadn’t been in a relationship where he was submissive in a long while.
Eloise voiced that she needed a Daddy but that didn’t mean she wanted me.
Thinking about being in a relationship or fantasizing didn’t mean she would accept me as her Daddy.
The buzzer on my phone rang loudly, startling them and myself.
I took a breath and stood, collecting Reed first. I’d never sent him to the corner before.
Other than busting his ass that one time when we were in our twenties, after he made a dumb decision to get drunk and drive home, I hadn’t spanked him either.
That was about to change. My best friend had been spiraling for a hot minute.
I wasn’t going to sit around any longer and watch him go down that rabbit hole.
Not if I had anything to say about it. Standing behind him, I rubbed his shoulders.
“Go sit on the couch, Reed. Let’s talk about this.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Unlike with Eli, I know your limits and your boundaries. All of them,” I growled into his ear.
Reed let out a long string of curses. After a few seconds he turned around. Our height differences never mattered before, but he stared down at me as if he had the upper hand. He licked along his lips and rubbed his mouth. Was he going to battle or do what I’d told him to do?
“King. I listened because the tensions were high. I’m calm now.”
“Do I have to bring you to the couch? Because once we get there, I’ll bend you over the cushions and take off my belt. It doesn’t have a lot of give, so your ass won’t enjoy it.”
Reed’s eyes widened as if he was surprised by my threat. “You won’t spank me.”
“I will if that’s what it takes to get you to listen. Please sit on the couch so I can get Eli from the other corner. Then we'll talk.”
“You said you’re on limited time.”
“I am.”
“Don’t threaten something you can’t follow through with.”
“Last chance to do as I’ve said.”
Reed crossed his arms over his chest. If he wanted to challenge and push my buttons, then he was going to get a response. I unbuckled my belt.
“I’m going!” He scurried into the living room while throwing curious looks over his shoulder.
Keeping my focus on him until he sank into the plush cushions of his couch left me feeling a bit cocky with his compliance.
Reed never bratted this hard, so what was his deal?
He had done it the night he hit his head too.
Maybe Eloise brought that side out? Fixing my pants, I continued staring until he dropped his head.
He was such a good boy, despite how he was currently acting.
Walking to the other wall, I observed Eloise standing there. I turned her around to face me, keeping a hold on her hips. “Have you ever been sent to the corner, sweetheart?”
She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Not in a long time and not randomly.”
“Does it usually help you gather your thoughts?”
“It depends on what’s going on. Right now I’m feeling exceptionally raw. Being in the corner made a lot of gunk come up to the surface.”
“I have some ideas on how to get us all on the same page, but will you trust me to help?”
She bit down on her lip, staring. Her huge honey-brown eyes were as wide as I’d ever seen them, not that I had spent a lot of time looking into them. I freed her lip with my thumb.
“Yes, please, King,” she answered sweetly.
I held out my hand and led her to the couch, purposefully sitting next to Reed so she would have to sit on the other side of me. Looping an arm around each of their shoulders, I tugged them a little closer hoping that my actions offered comfort and didn’t add pressure to the situation.
“I’m sorry for getting mouthy with you, King. I won’t do it again,” Reed muttered as he leaned into my side.
I snorted. “Don’t go making promises yet.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever acted this way,” Eloise added. “I’m sorry, King.”
“You’re forgiven.”
The two of them spoke back and forth to each other, apologizing for the way they’d spoken while being so damn cute, but it didn’t solve the underlying issue.
There was tension because no one was being completely honest. Not about their needs, wants, or anything else buried deep inside their brains.
Tapping my finger on each of their shoulders I waited for them to look up at me.
“Since I have very limited time and we don’t know each other very well, you have homework. Write a letter to each other. Stream of consciousness. Whatever’s on your mind? Get it on paper. Do you both agree?”
Eloise frowned. “A letter to Reed? Why would I do that?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, Eli. You mentioned being interested in both of us romantically.”
She blinked several times as I stroked her hair. Finally, she let out a long breath.
“Yes, I am interested in both of you.”
“Then I’d like to think a letter to each other will help get to the heart of the matter. It’s an idea. If you both hate it, now’s the time to tell me.”
Eloise cupped Reed’s face and he blew out a breath. Her gentle touch seemed to break through the spiral. I didn’t know everything going on in his head, but he let out a long breath.
“You’re right. Sometimes putting words down on paper can help you recognize things you don’t think of while you’re in front of the person,” Reed agreed.
“It makes sense, King.” Eli voiced her opinion. “I can do that.”
“I’m happy you both see what I’m trying to do.
Second thing. If you could fashion the perfect partner in an ideal world, what would that look like for you?
It doesn’t mean that I believe anyone is perfect or that we should strive to be.
I want to know what you are both seeking. Put that on a separate piece of paper.”
“I’ve never explored a throuple,” Eli whispered. “I haven’t had any sort of relationship in a while, dominant partner, dynamics or otherwise.”
“That’s really good to know, sweetheart,” I acknowledged.
“I’ve wanted to be in a three-person relationship, but I sort of thought I’d have two submissive partners,” Reed added. “Not a dominant parter and a submissive one.”
“Did something change your mind?”
“I’m not sure,” he grumbled.
I was pretty sure I’d changed his mind, but I didn’t say it since he wasn’t sharing.
Maybe he was still trying to work through his feelings.
“I don’t know what you want or need romantically.
I can tie you up. We’d both enjoy that. Spank you?
Sure, we’d both have fun with that too. But those things don’t make up a relationship. ”
“So, you’re serious about this? The three of us being together?” Reed looked between Eloise and I as if trying to get a better pulse on where our thoughts were at.
“Unless you and Eloise were already working on a relationship. Then I’m happy to step out.
But it sort of seems like tensions reached a boiling point tonight.
I’d hate for the two of you to give up before you’ve even had a chance to get to know each other.
Ultimately, it might be that I’m more of a referee than a participant. I’m okay with that too.”
Reed stared at me for what felt like a long time before he got to his feet. He didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve typically, but I could see all sorts of emotions flickering across his face. It hurt my head to see him conflicted.
“This is so far away from how I expected today to play out.” Reed rubbed his temples.
“I really am sorry if I’ve added to your stress,” Eloise said. “I have a lot of triggers. It makes navigating relationships and friendships in general more difficult. I’m hard to handle.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth.
“Don’t talk about yourself like that. You aren’t hard to handle, no matter what you believe.
If someone really cares—a friend, partner, sibling or anyone in your life—they won’t view your interactions as difficult. You aren’t a burden.”
“I have triggers. Reed grabbed my wrist, and I freaked out and he wound up hurt. I feel so guilty about the whole thing,” Eloise said sadly.
“Sometimes shit happens, but it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve everything you desire.”
“Gee. King sounds exactly like me,” Reed said smugly.
Eloise scowled. “I’m not a fun, easygoing girlfriend. I work too much and get stressed out. I don’t listen.”
Reed tried to hide a smile, but a brilliant cheesy grin broke across his mouth. “Oh, lemondrop. If you agree to a dynamic with the two of us? You won’t have to face all of those struggles alone. We can address your listening problem too.”
“You can’t just spank me until I promise to be a good little princess.”
“Hang on.” I held up my hands in the shape of a T, indicating a timeout. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves again. I’m off tomorrow night. Can we meet here around seven?”
“Yeah, I’m done with work by four tomorrow,” Reed confirmed.
“I can if one of you will pick me up at the bar around six-thirty? Then I’m free to come over.” She checked her phone, confirming her schedule.
“Sounds like a plan. I expect your letter and your assignment to be done by then.”
“Or?” Reed placed his hands on his hips.
I stood up, stepping to his feet. “Or you can finish the task over my knee tomorrow evening. It makes no difference to me.”
He clenched and released his jaw while his eyes studied mine.
I hoped my face conveyed how serious I was, but I would not allow him to continue to hide.
Not when he was a good partner and a damn good Dominant, but his stress seemed to make him forget those things.
Things I knew from our years of friendship.
“You’ve never held me across your lap, King.”
I cupped his face in both of my hands. “Not yet. But I will if that’s what you need to focus on the assignment.”
“Can you come back here after your shift tonight?”
I hated the raw vulnerability seeping from the tone of his question. Underestimating our connection wasn’t something I meant to do. I wouldn’t let it happen again.
“Yeah, I can do that. But don’t wait up, I’ll let myself in and you need rest. Let’s go.” Holding my hand to Eloise, I waited for her to place her palm in mine before tugging her to her feet.
“I’m sorry if I’ve made everything complicated, Reed,” she said almost under her breath.
“Life is complicated, lemondrop. It’s all right.”
He hugged the two of us at the same time as we politely and somewhat awkwardly said our goodbyes.
So much had been tossed at me in a short amount of time, but I looked forward to the challenge.
I thrived in high-pressure, high-stakes environments.
Two brats would be a cakewalk. At least that’s what I told myself as I led Eloise to my car.
But life had a funny way of reminding me that like everything else, it was unpredictable.