Silence
What the fuck was that?
One second, I’m bored out of my mind and considering starting another jigsaw, the next I’m dry-humping my brother-in-law’s thigh?
How did that unravel so quickly? I was ready to throw down and then I’m seconds from opening my mouth and letting him do whatever he wants to me.
And the way he spoke to me … Zayden has called me a brat before but never ventured as far into the dirty talk that Xavier did.
Even thinking about it now, I’m tingling.
I liked being weak for him—and I loved him pointing it out.
I’m at the indoor pool, a tiled, echoey room on the far side of the west wing, and I shiver as I toss my robe onto one of the many leaf-covered sun loungers. I’m unsure how plant life has made its way inside, but acorns and twigs bite into the soles of my feet as I approach the water.
Then immediately recoil.
“Oh, hell no,” I mumble, eyeing the green-lined pool bottom. “This place is a living nightmare.”
Snatching up my robe again, I pull it on and pad over to the line of windows that make up the walls of the pool area. There’s only darkness beyond, so my reflection stares back at me.
Silence Silver.
Silence Smith.
Silence Crowe.
The thought of my maiden name has me twisting my fingers together.
Even the years between who I was and who I am don’t feel enough. The only time I’ve even acknowledged my previous name is when I went to nursing school, and that was only because I had no choice.
I could have told Zayden more about my past. He wouldn’t judge me, and he’d still love me, but it’s been so long that even saying the words out loud is just too damn much.
“You okay?”
I glance over my shoulder at Yale. He’s in his henley and jeans still, glasses balanced on his nose, smiling warmly. My chest eases just at the sight of him.
“Decided I didn’t want to become a swamp queen,” I say, nodding at the pool. He approaches and stands by my side, and we both look at the darkness beyond the glass. “It’s so quiet here.”
“It didn’t used to be,” he says. “Word is there were some wild parties inside these walls.”
“Wow. Russian mobsters know how to get down?”
“Apparently.” He smiles, and I face him to run my fingers across his beard. “I need to trim it.”
I shake my head. “No. It looks good.”
The energy between us has shifted. While the comfort and familiarity are still there, there’s an undercurrent of more—of a pulsing heat that I’m afraid could destroy everything.
Yale searches my eyes, and I’m noticing things that I never have before, the first being just how beautiful he is.
Kindness shines through him in such a way that I’m holding myself back.
My hand is still on his beard, and he gently takes my wrist. “Did Xavier say something to upset you?”
Quite the opposite. My cheeks heat. “No.”
“You ran out of there pretty fast.”
“I did.” I exhale deeply and pull my hand away to wrap my arms around my middle. “Still trying to get my head around the … rules.”
He looks away and pushes his hands into his pockets. “Right. We didn’t really have much time to discuss them.”
My heart thumps in my ears, but I cling to the rhythm as if it can ground me. I’m still aching from my conversation with Xavier. The things we said, the things I almost did … that should be enough, right? I dipped my toe in; now’s the time to regroup.
But with Yale right next to me, I find myself eager to test him, too. Xavier is clearly extremely dominant, and the line obliterated between us with just a few words.
What if it isn’t so easy with Yale?
“Zayden told me to go with what happens in the moment,” I say, my voice low.
“He trusts me. He trusts both of you.” Yale remains quiet, and I steal a glance up at him.
“He said if I needed to kiss you, to touch you, to figure this out, then … I could. But I’m scared.
” My throat suddenly feels full and aching.
“I’m so scared I’ll lose you. I love you so much, and I don’t want to push you into anything that would change us forever. ”
Yale Silver searches my face, quiet, observing. I can read him so well, but there’s a distinct shift in him after I ask that question.
“You’re worried I don’t want you?”
I nod tearily. “And that we’ll only find that out when we’ve gone too far. I’d rather never do this than lose you. You’re my best friend.”
He doesn’t hide his hurt, but that isn’t what I wanted. I’d rather be honest now than after. “You were sure about Xavier.”
“There’s a disconnect with him,” I insist. “But with you—”
“Our connection is why this would work,” he says quietly, and takes my hand, pressing my palm against his chest. His steady heartbeat thrums, and the intensity in his eyes has me wanting to check my own heart is still beating.
“Yes, I’m your friend. That means I know you, I love you, I miss you when we aren’t together.
I adore you.” I smile softly, and he cups my cheek, his thumb sweeping away a stray tear.
“But there’s another side of me, love. One that wants to fucking worship you.
” I pull in a breath, but it’s almost impossible, especially with what happens next.
He kneels.
Yale Silver kneels in front of me, his hands resting on my outer thighs, head tipped back to look up at me. His green eyes are shadowed in the darkness of the room, and as my heart thrashes inside my chest, he simply watches me.
I can’t breathe. Can’t think. But I’m speaking before I can do either.
“Touch me.”
His expression becomes that of someone else entirely.
His heated gaze remains locked on mine as he tucks his fingers into the belt of my robe and slowly tugs it open.
It parts, revealing my underwear, and Yale slips his hands inside and rests them on my hips.
His palms are warm, not as calloused as Zayden’s, and he makes slow circles on my skin as he gently pulls me forward—and presses his lips to my stomach.
My head drops back and my eyes flutter closed. He kisses across one hip, then the other, and I tangle my fingers in his hair. Arousal pools between my legs, and I pull in fast breaths as he gently presses the tip of his tongue to my skin.
I’m dizzy, almost drunk, with need, and more words escape me.
“Kiss me, Yale.”
His hands slip to my lower back, and he pulls me down until I’m straddling him, and then his mouth is on mine.
Yale Silver.
My brother-in-law.
My best fucking friend.
And oh my God, he kisses like he’ll die if he stops.
It’s like a wall I never even knew existed comes crashing down around us, and we sit among the debris, devouring one another. I roll my hips against him, relishing his hardness, and his tongue sweeps into my mouth.
I reach back and unclip my bra, suddenly eager to feel his hands on more of me. A man I thought I couldn’t kiss is now someone I’m dying to touch, and I take his wrist and place his hand on my bare breast.
“Oh my God,” I whisper into his mouth, and he nips my bottom lip. He rolls his thumb over my nipple, squeezing it gently.
“Tell me what you want me to do to you,” he says, and I almost moan at just the words. He kisses along my jaw and nibbles my earlobe. “I want to hear your pretty voice telling me how to make you come, Silence.”
“You’re gonna spoil her.”
I squeak, pressing my bare chest into Yale’s, and look over at the door. Xavier is leaning against the wall, a smirk growing on his face.
Yale growls. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to know she’s gonna walk all over you. Make her work for it, for fuck’s sake.”
As I cling to Yale, he kisses my throat, and I throw a smug smile in Xaver’s direction. “I think you’re just jealous that Yale got to second base and you struck out.”
Yale laughs, and Xavier narrows his eyes at me. “Is that how you want to play it, Q?” I stick my tongue out at him, and his next grin is far too victorious. “Yale, remember that time I took a literal bullet for you, and you said you owed me?”
“Oh, fuck you,” Yale groans. “You’re really gonna use that now?”
“Yep. You don’t give Silence anything until Zayden gets back. We don’t kiss her. Don’t touch her.”
My mouth drops open. “You asshole. Yale isn’t going to do that.”
“Actually, he is.” Yale winces. “Sorry, love. He did take a bullet for me.”
I look between them, my mouth open, eyes wide. “You’re not fucking serious. My tits are out and you’re gonna turn me down?”
“Zayden will be back tomorrow at the latest,” Yale says, running his hands down my back and squeezing my ass, which does nothing to help my horniness or my temper.
“Be a good girl and wait a day,” Xavier croons.
This is a joke. A sick, twisted joke.
I stand, not even bothering to cover my tits, and decide to play dirty. I push my panties down, placing them on Yale’s shoulder, and throw the robe off for good measure, not even caring that it’s fucking freezing.
Xavier’s expression turns molten, and he wets his lips. “I take it back.”
I give him the finger. “Too late.”
“No, no—” Yale stands. “Silence—”
“Nope.” I stride around the pool and past Xavier. “Be a good boy and wait a day.”
I stomp through the house, completely naked, and the moment I get to the bedroom, I dart into the shower and crank up the hot water. My toes are frozen, and I wiggle them to work some heat into my extremities, but it was fucking worth it.
Or was it?
Why do I always have to have the last word? I could be having a threesome right now.
Oh God, a threesome with Xavier and Yale.
That really could’ve happened.
My phone is beside the sink, and when it rings I answer quickly, switching to a video call when I realize it’s Zayden. I turn up the volume so I can hear him over the shower.
He grins. “Hello, Mrs. Silver.”
“Your brothers are pissing me off.” I balance the phone on the sink so he can see directly into the shower. “And you’re gonna watch me come because of it.”
Leaning against the tiled wall, I slide my fingers over my core, delving into the slickness between my thighs.
“Fuck, baby, I wish I could, but we’re about to land.”
“Oh, hell no! I am not being turned down by three of you!”
He laughs. “They turned you down?”
“Xavier is being a control freak, and Yale owes him a favor, apparently.”
“Ah, yeah, the taking-a-bullet thing. That is fair.”
I scream, the sound bouncing off the bathroom walls. “It’s not fair! I’ve gone from one man, to three, to none. That is not math I like, Zayden.”
“At least it’s taking the pressure off.”
Damn, that’s true. If I wasn’t so pissed off, I’d likely be spiraling into anxiety and self-doubt right about now. I’d be panicking over the lines we crossed, and wanting to call the whole thing off, but I’m … okay.
Maybe asking Yale and Xavier to do this with us was the right thing, after all. We’ve moved quickly, and I’m not afraid or embarrassed … it just feels like another day where Xavier has annoyed me. The only difference being I’m horny as hell and they’ve seen me naked.
“Well, if you’re gonna insist on not watching, I’ll just tell you a few things before you go.
” I stride toward the camera and rest my arms on the sink to look directly at him.
“Xavier turned me on so much with his Dom side that I ended up grinding myself against his thigh. Then, not an hour later, Yale was kissing me and playing with my nipples on the pool area floor.”
He runs his hand across his mouth. “Fuck, Silence. You can’t say things like that to me.”
“I was so … wet,” I whisper. “I nearly came just from him talking dirty to me.”
He stands. “Do not move. I’m going into the bathroom.”
“Nope!” I sing. “You can all get fucked—and not by me!”
I hang up.