Chapter 9
JANIE
I’m so confused. I went to bed confused, and I woke up confused.
Tag makes me feel amazing.
Mr. Capulet makes me feel amazing.
They’re both sweet, kind, funny, and they bring out the best in me. Even Tag, when he’s driving me absolutely crazy, helps me take account of my own feelings, rather than constantly trying to please others. When I’m with Mr. Capulet, I feel capable and assertive.
And of course, I can’t ignore the way my body responds to their touching and filthy words.
I want them both.
Rolling over in bed, I put my hands over my eyes, thinking. Could I get them to share? And even if I could, is that the kind of life I want?
I sit up to check the time on my phone. A text is waiting from Mr. Capulet—and he didn’t send it only to me. He sent it to Tag, too. What the hell—he created a group chat? That’s so weird.
You’ve had dates with us both, Janie, he wrote. What did you think?
He wants me to answer this now, to both of them? I stare at my phone screen, heart pounding, mind whirling. Finally, I decide to send the truth.
I can’t decide between you two.
Sweetheart, Tag writes back, you don’t have to decide.
I sit with that for a long moment. I don’t know how to respond. In fact, I get up entirely, leaving my phone on the bed. I need to get away from the pressure.
They would share me? Would it be like Ariel, with Lyle and Austin? Or do they have something different in mind?
Before I ask questions, I should figure out what I want in a relationship with two men. I don’t want them to fight over me, or resent each other. I couldn’t live with that kind of tension.
I go into the bathroom and start the shower. This is a guaranteed ten-minute break from texting them back after Tag’s bombshell.
After I undress, I turn with my back to the mirror. I look over my shoulder to see my ass, and the fading pink handprint over my right cheek. Tag. A surge of lust moves through me at the sight of it, at the memory of him taking me over his knees.
When I turn back around to face the mirror, I notice little marks on my inner thighs.
Mr. Capulet. Christopher. He bit me down there while he was giving me head. He wanted me to wear a memory of him, too. My arousal increases, making me slippery between my legs.
The warm shower water pounds over my shoulders and down my back. I’m pleasantly sore from last night, and the night before that. Two men worshipped me in different ways, giving me pain, protection, pleasure.
The night they pleasured me together was just as incredible. I imagine taking them both at once. Mr. Capulet touched my asshole last night, his finger sliding against it with enough pressure to embarrass me and get me off at the same time. Would one of them go there?
My hands wander to my pussy. I don’t touch my ass—I don’t have that kind of nerve.
But I flutter my fingertips over my clit and penetrate myself with another finger, shuddering and shaking as the water cascades over my skin.
I imagine them—Tag and Mr. Capulet—their hands, mouths, and cocks covering and filling me.
Best shower ever.
By the time I turn off the water and dry off, I’m no closer to a real decision.
Luckily, there’s a new message waiting in our group chat.
Come to my place for New Year’s Eve, Mr. Capulet wrote. Both of you. We can discuss this in person.
I stare at the text for a long, long moment.
Do I want this? Do I want both of them? Even though there’ll be hurdles and difficult conversations?
I pick up my phone, fingers poised over the texting app.
I’ll be there.
TAG
I face Janie’s brother, Joe, over an outdoor table in downtown San Esteban. It’s cold out here, but better than having a private conversation among all the people inside.
Joe clutches his cup of coffee, staring at the dark surface like it failed him.
“Dude, what is going on with you?” I ask.
“I wouldn’t even know how to start explaining.”
I sit back in my chair, ignoring the sudden gust of cold wind that blows past us. “I’ve got time.”
He’s quiet for so long, I think he won’t say anything at all. But I wait.
Finally, he says, “It has to do with Melody.”
“Your friend, Melody?” We don’t run in the same circles, but I’ve met her at family functions in the past, along with his other friend, Karsten.
At first, I thought Joe and Melody were a couple, but when I stupidly said something one time, Janie was quick to correct me that the two are just friends. “What’s going on?”
“Fucking feelings.” He takes a sip of his coffee, winces, and dumps a packet of sugar into it.
“Hers? Yours? Both?”
He lets out a scornful laugh. “Every-fucking-one’s feelings.”
I pause, my mind working. “Wait. Everyone? Is there someone else involved?”
“Karsten.”
“Ohhhh.” All three of them. “Sounds, uh, complicated.” I’m speaking from experience.
I don’t know what else to say. Apparently, neither does he. The silence isn’t awkward, but it stretches for a few minutes.
Joe finally breaks the silence. “We love her so fucking much, you know?”
“I can guess, yeah.” Especially when I remember seeing the three of them together at Crawford family events. They had an ease about them.
“But we value her as a friend the same amount.” He frowns, looking torn. “Anyway, we’ll figure it out. Or we won’t. It’s fine.”
It’s obviously not fine, but all I say is, “If you want to talk about it, now or later, I’m here, okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” His gaze goes out to the street beyond, and the passersby, before he returns his focus to me. “Thanks again for listening. But you probably didn’t invite me out to talk about my relationship struggles.”
“Not exactly, but again, I’m happy to listen, okay?”
“Okay.” He gives me a rueful smile. “So what’s up—what did you want to talk about?”
“I just wanted to let you know, I think your sister and I are getting back together.” I brace myself for a negative reaction.
He looks up sharply. “Does she know about this? Or is this more of you showing up to everything and reminding her that you broke her heart?”
“Look, I know I screwed up. I’m trying to make it up to her. And like you, Karsten, and Melody, there might be a third guy involved.”
“Her boss,” Joe guesses.
“Yeah. Is that cool with you? The three of us?”
“Yeah, because I’m not a controlling dick. Janie can make her own decisions. Who my sister is with…and how many, I guess…not my business. All I want to know is you’ll treat her well and love her like she deserves. I just want her to be happy.”
I nod and clink my mug against his. “That’s my goal in life. Janie’s happiness.”
CHRISTOPHER
Maybe we pushed too hard and spooked Janie. She said she’s coming tonight, but she’s late.
If she were officially our girl, we could spank her for this infraction. My palm itches with the need to dole out some stinging consequences to our little doll.
Tag peers out the window next to me. “Our girl is late.”
“Yeah.” Only by ten minutes, but it feels like an hour.
“Did we scare her off?”
“Maybe.” I think she’s made of stronger stuff, but this is all happening pretty fast. One day, I’m fantasizing about her while jerking off with her stolen panties and thinking we could never actually be together. A few days later, I’m eating her sweet pussy while she swallows my cock.
And there’s a whole fucking lot more I want to do with her. With Tag and me working together, we can bring her even more pleasure. The possibilities on positions alone are infinite, and then there’s the other ways we can pamper her.
I want to give her everything.
“You love her, right?” Tag asks.
“I’ve loved her for months. Maybe longer.” I rub my hand over my face. “I didn’t act sooner because of a few reasons. Work, our age gap. Her friendship with my daughter. I didn’t think she could ever want me back.”
“I don’t know how you didn’t see it. At dinner that night, she wanted you. It pissed me the fuck off,” Tag says with a laugh, “but I could see it in her eyes.”
Headlights appear in the window.
I nudge Tag with my elbow and point. “There she is.”
But all too soon, my excitement and anticipation fizzle out, and cold dread fills my gut.
Because two cars are pulling into the drive. Janie’s, and another car I recognize.
My daughter’s.