27. The Formula
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE FORMULA
Malakai
“I think the thing with these horror movies is they’re formulaic,” Sophie says, grabbing another handful of popcorn from Julian’s lap behind her. I work my thumbs into the arch of her bare foot. She hums softly in appreciation, wiggling her toes to encourage me to keep going. Julian gives me a lopsided smile as she chews quickly. “So yes, it’s fine to complain about the character acting like a clown, but every one of these movies has an early murder. We expect it. Usually, it’s gruesome and memorable. One by one, other people die, but we all know who the protagonist is going to be early on.”
Julian smirks, his free hand lazily running through her hair. “She has a point,” he says, sipping his tea.
“I never said she didn’t,” I retort, smiling as I shovel more popcorn into my mouth.
“You could say romance novels follow a formula too,” Sophie muses, eyes flicking toward the paperback novel she set down on the coffee table. “People don’t pick up one of these slashers to be surprised. They want the comfort of knowing exactly what’s coming. The chase, the screams, the inevitable bloodbath. Same with romance—the characters meet, there’s tension, there’s sex, and then they get their happy ending.”
Julian tilts his head, thoughtful. “Comfort in predictability.”
I glance between them, bemused. “Is that what we’re doing now? Comparing masked killers to happy ever afters?”
Sophie grins. “Why not?”
The characters on-screen begin screaming as a masked man chases them, and we all turn our attention to the antics of the ‘formulaic’ movie. I rub along the side of her calf, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my palms. She changed into an adorable set of baggy silk pajamas, and I let my eyes wander over her bare face and bright, blue eyes. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Julian watching me. His gaze lingers, soft but assessing.
“What?” I ask, leaning back against the couch and pausing my foot rub.
Julian shrugs. “This is just nice. That’s all.”
Sophie wiggles her foot against my chest. “He’s right. It is nice. You give a mean massage, Malakai Ravage.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Glad to be of service.”
I’m still smiling as I turn back to the movie, but I can feel Julian’s eyes on me every few minutes. When we’re all done eating, I look over and his hand is resting along the back of the couch. Stretching my arm, I reach out for his hand, gripping it firmly once before letting go.
He looks over at me, and something passes between us.
The ease between us feels natural, but even as I play along, there’s a weight that sits low in my chest. It sneaks in when I’m not paying attention—when I let myself enjoy this too much .
Because this is too easy.
And that’s the part that scares me.
“I’m knackered and need to go to bed. It’s nearly two in the morning,” Sophie says, yawning. “Are you boys going to join me, or do you want to finish the movie?”
“We’ll finish,” Julian says smoothly, fingers brushing lightly over her hair.
She leans over to kiss him softly, then turns and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Don’t stay up too late.”
“Night, Soph.”
“Love you,” she murmurs to Julian, and he returns it without hesitation.
Their words hang in the air long after she goes upstairs, and I suddenly feel nervous again. What happened earlier was such a far departure from what I’m used to. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in charge in bed. As for the last few years, I’ve been a Dom. To submit to Julian tonight the way I did… to let him guide me during a scene with Sophie, and then to give him a hand job…
It’s a night of firsts for me, and I don’t quite know how to act around him.
The Dom in me wants to fight back, but whatever happened tonight was nice—it was different.
After that night at the gym, I’d done some research on switches. I always assumed I was fully Dominant, but then I learned that certain people could bring out different dynamics in us. I’d never wanted to submit to anyone before Julian, and I wasn’t sure what that meant.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what it meant.
Because, to be honest, discovering I’m bisexual has already been a life-altering event. I don’t need to add anything else to my plate right now.
Julian catches me watching the empty staircase. “Relax, Kai. You look like you’re plotting your escape.”
I huff a soft laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m not. I promise.”
Julian sets his tea down, stretching an arm along the back of the couch again. His knee brushes against mine as he shifts. I notice he doesn’t pull away.
“How are you feeling about tonight?”
I glance over at him. As always, he looks calm and collected, the very picture of someone who’s completely at ease with how the night unfolded.
I’m not sure I’m there yet.
“Good,” I say absentmindedly. “I mean, it was… different for me. But good.” I hesitate, searching for the right words. “I guess I’m not used to all of it yet. I’m not used to the way you and Sophie are so comfortable sharing her… and letting someone else in like this. I keep wondering if I’m overstepping, but it’s like the two of you don’t even flinch. It’s natural for you.”
Julian’s gaze softens as he nods, but there’s a hint of something else, something unspoken. “The physical part might seem easy, but it wasn’t always like that.” He shifts his gaze to the coffee table, as if sorting through a memory. “We had to figure it out—there were rough patches. Jealousy. Communication issues. But this?” He gestures between us. “This is new. For both of us.”
That catches me off guard. I thought I was the only one feeling untethered by all of this.
“There’s no right or wrong way to do this, Kai,” Julian adds, his voice quieter now. “We’re figuring it out too.”
I can tell he means it, and I appreciate the reassurance. “Yeah, I get that,” I answer, leaning back against the fluffy couch. “It’s just a lot to wrap my head around. But I’m okay with it. I like being with both of you.”
“Good. We like being with you, too.” Julian smiles then, and it’s one of those disarming ones that makes me feel like it’s just for me.
Maybe it is.
That thought sends something warm through me, something that makes my chest ache a bit.
I push the feeling to the side. This is supposed to be fun. That’s what we agreed on, isn’t it? Fun, no pressure, no expectations…
What feels right.
His words hover in my mind.
That’s the thing, though. Being with Julian and Sophie feels more right than anything I’ve ever done, and that’s what terrifies me about all of this.
Julian shifts closer, and his knee brushes against mine again. I have to ignore the way it sends a maelstrom through me.
“But…?” he asks.
I blink. “But what?”
“Don’t play coy, Kai,” he says, his smile turning mischievous. “You’re mulling something over, and I can tell because you do this little furrowed brow thing when you’re overanalyzing. It’s cute, but also, it means you’re overthinking again.”
I laugh and shake my head. “It’s nothing bad. I promise.”
He studies me for a few beats, and I can feel the weight of his attention on me. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Nodding more firmly this time, I turn to face him fully. “I mean, look… I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s just new. And I’m just trying to figure out where I fit in all of it.”
“Well, wherever you want to fit, there’s room for you,” he says, his expression turning soft again. “That’s the whole point of all of this. We’re not trying to make you into something you’re not, Kai. This is about finding what works for all of us, collectively.”
His answer is thoughtful, but it’s not entirely what I want to hear, either. Deep down, I’m still trying to figure out what works for me—and what I really want.
Orion’s voice creeps into my thoughts before I can stop it.
Julian and Sophie are what we call a stag and vixen in the lifestyle. It’s worth looking into. They have a reputation.
And…
A unicorn is a person who is invited into a relationship with an existing couple. It can be problematic because the couple can make demands but the unicorn can’t do anything that could cause any inconvenience for the couple.
I hadn’t thought much about it at the time. I knew what those terms meant—just being in the lifestyle meant that I was familiar with all of it, at least on a surface level. It doesn’t bother me—I’d be a hypocrite if it did—but I’ve always been monogamous, even when playing with a submissive. I’ve only ever had one play partner at once. And now, after tonight… after being intimate with Sophie and Julian, it’s hard not to wonder, is this all temporary for them? A passing phase?
Julian nudges me gently with his leg. “Stop thinking so hard. Just… be here. With me.”
“Okay,” I say, smiling softly.
And as that word leaves my mouth, I know I mean it in this moment. But as he presses play on the movie, I can’t shake the quiet voice in the back of my mind.
What if this is all they want from me? And what if I want more?