Chapter 20
Gage
Leah’s face is pale, her eyes wide and unseeing. She yelps when Dmitri wraps an arm around her waist.
“Hey, it’s us.” Dmitri’s voice is slow and soothing.
I bracket her other side. Our girl is shaking. Anger and worry thrum through me in alternating beats. How could we let this happen?
And what the hell is Beryl Crake doing here?
“Did Nic hurt you?” I tilt Leah’s face up so I can look at her fully.
Leah shakes her head. “No. She just—she just talked. I’m fine.”
I want to stalk down the hall, grab Nic, and make her apologize. But that would involve being near Nic, and making Leah be near Nic. And I don’t want that for either of us.
Dmitri meets my eyes over Leah’s head. He mouths, “Home?”
I nod. But it should be Leah’s choice.
Looking down at Leah, I ask, “What do you want to do?”
“I—” She stops and fists my tux jacket. Her focus has moved past me to someone at the side.
Beryl Crake is still lurking nearby.
Trying not to sound as frustrated as I feel, I whirl around. “Can I help you?”
“A word, if you wouldn’t mind?” Crake grimaces. “I know it isn’t a good time, but I don’t want to bother you later.”
I want to tell her to take my word and shove it somewhere crude. Instead, I count to three in my head. “Sure, you can have a word.”
Leah’s head snaps up in surprise. Perhaps alarm. I keep a soothing hand on her lower back. I can do this. I can speak to the press. My heart might be thundering in my chest. The room might feel like an airlock. But I can do this.
I focus on the slinky gold of Leah’s dress. On her body, warm next to mine. On the sugary scent of her skin.
“My statement.” I face Crake more fully.
“My statement is that my ex-girlfriend needs our understanding and kindness more than ever. And my current girlfriend deserves apologies for the ways in which she has been wronged. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we would appreciate our privacy being respected at this time.”
Leah leans into me while Crake nods.
“Thank you, Mr. Jannik.” Crake taps on her phone. “I will make sure your message is shared.”
It takes all my strength not to slump against the wall after she walks away. Now it’s just Dmitri, Leah, and me in the hall.
“So, little girl.” I squeeze Leah’s hip. “Are we leaving early, or staying for dinner?”
She straightens up. “We’re staying for dinner.”
So, we do. We eat and talk, conversing easily with Sebastian, Kingston, and Ella, who are seated at our table. We mingle with others as well. Leah allows me to lead her to the dance floor during a slow song. I hold her in my arms and sway, breathing in this special moment of being out with her.
Dmitri doesn’t ask her to dance. In fact, I realize that he hasn’t been interacting with her as much as usual. While she’s engrossed in conversation about books with one of her new friends, Samantha, I tilt my head at Dmitri. “What’s going on between you two?”
He gives a short shake of his head. “I was an idiot.”
“I suppose that’s nothing new.”
“Don’t be a dick.”
Winding him up is too amusing. “Whatever you did, I’m sure she’ll forgive you eventually. She loves you.”
His gray eyes are sharp. “Did she say that to you?”
“She doesn’t need to say it; I can see it just fine.”
It seems they haven’t said the words to each other yet.
I haven’t said them to Leah, either—and she hasn’t said them to me.
When I was younger, my friends and I threw around “I-love-yous” like they were going out of style.
Everyone loved everyone. I loved Nic, Todd, Claudia, Jess, Javi.
All the Shinies. Now that I’m older, I hold the phrase closer.
It’s more meaningful. I’ve seen it squandered, and I protect it now.
Claudia gets to hear it, and that’s all.
But just because I haven’t said it to Leah…well. I’m feeling it either way. I might as well tell her.
Soon.
The benefit isn’t showing signs of winding down, but Leah is. She’s a champ, keeping her head and shoulders up, smiling and laughing when it’s appropriate, graciously speaking to people when introduced. But the night is wearing on her.
At a break in conversation between her and an old guy who is obviously wishing he were young enough to campaign for her affections, I touch her elbow. “I think it’s time to head home.”
“Already?” She stifles a yawn.
I chuckle. “Yes, already. I can see that you’re exhausted.”
“You aren’t wrong.” She blows out a hard breath. “And my feet are killing me in these heels. Where’s Dmitri?”
We find him glowering near the entrance.
“Couldn’t turn off your bouncer persona?” Leah jokes, but there’s a biting edge to her humor.
Dmitri offers her a grim smile in return. “Are we heading out?”
“Yes.” I look between the two of them. He loves her, she loves him. He was an idiot. That’s all I know. That, and whatever he did, Leah will forgive him. “You’re both coming to Leah’s and my place.”
I can see the question flash across Dmitri’s sullen face— who died and made you my top? It says a lot about the trust we’re building when he merely nods.
* * *
Dmitri
The ride back to Gage’s is quiet. I shift in my seat, remembering the things I did to Leah in this car on the way to the party. I promised her more afterward.
I don’t think she wants me to touch her.
Gage is touching her plenty. Asshole has his hand on her thigh. He leans over and kisses her neck.
She’s sitting between us. Nothing is stopping me from touching her, too.
Gage pulls Leah back so she’s leaning against him and facing me. He whispers something in her ear. She frowns.
He says something else.
She tugs down one of her shoulder straps.
He’s flaunting her.
Gage’s smile is half-hidden by Leah’s updo. He reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out something shiny and metallic. A nipple clamp.
“Present it to me,” he murmurs. “And keep your eyes on Dmitri.”
It’s always manipulations and games with this guy.
But fuck me, I can’t look away from our girl. Her deep blue gaze meets mine as she lifts her breast from her dress, the nipple already hard and enticing. Fuck, I want to put my mouth on it, suck her hard while she whimpers and squirms.
Gage rubs the nipple clamp over her. “Now, tell Dmitri what’s on your mind, little girl.”
“I’m still mad at you.” Her eyes flash.
“More.” Gage scrapes the metal over her nipple.
Leah gasps softly. “I’m mad at you for not telling me about your grandfather.”
“Good.” Gage meets my eyes. “Dmitri, would you help me out? I want to make sure her nipple is hard enough to take the clamp.”
Christ, he’s going to kill me.
I lean across the seat and put my mouth on Leah’s breast. I circle her nipple with my tongue, tasting, teasing. Then I suck hard, just like I wanted to do a minute ago. I tease her with my teeth, careful not to bite in case the car runs over a bump.
I don’t want to stop, but Gage has his wicked plans, so I sit back to let them play out.
He immediately lets the clamp close over her nipple.
“Ow, ow, ow .” Leah grips his thigh, her eyes half rolled back in pleasure and pain.
Gage nods at me.
“Leah.” I clear my throat. “I didn’t tell anyone about Granddad. My family never talks about it. I just told Danica a few days ago.”
Her eyes flare with…lust? Understanding? I can’t fucking tell.
Gage tugs down her other strap and reaches into the front of her dress, lifts out her other breast. He rolls and pinches the nipple.
Leah gasps.
I decide to keep going. I can’t hold in my heavy sigh. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. Or fuck, maybe I did. Truth is, I’m ashamed.”
Leah moans. “It’s—it’s okay. I forgive you.”
Gage takes a second clamp out of his pocket and holds it in front of Leah. “Dmitri, would you mind…?”
My cock is fighting against my zipper, hard as iron. My pants squeeze it painfully as I lean forward and take Leah’s other nipple in my mouth. I suck and tease like I did with the first one. She tastes so goddamn sweet. Utter perfection.
I don’t think her nipple can get any harder than it is, so I regretfully release her.
“Breathe out, baby girl.” Gage attaches the second clamp.
Leah makes a small “eep” sound.
The car stops.
“Mmm.” Gage sounds satisfied. “Looks like we’re here. Let’s put your dress back up, Miss L, so we don’t scandalize the chauffeur.”
With the fabric covering her tits, the clamps make her nipples look obscenely large. I shrug out of my tuxedo jacket and wrap it around her as she climbs out of the car after me.
As soon as we’re in the elevator, I back her against the wall. “How are those nipples, sweetness?”
She pouts. “They hurt.”
I kiss her, sucking her lower lip between my teeth and biting gently. “Good.”
Gage laughs. The elevator dings. We’re on Gage and Leah’s floor. Gage and I walk on either side of her to the door. Poor little girl looks dazed with lust.
And the night’s just getting started.