Blake, Abby - Maya's Masters [Viper's Dungeon 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (6 page)

But cradled in the comfort of Cam’s embrace, Derek’s familiar presence behind her, Maya couldn’t quite remember why she wanted to be so independent. It felt nice to have someone to lean on occasionally, especially while she was under threat from a local gang of young thugs.

“Maya,” Derek said as he continued to run his hand up and down her back, “will you do me favor?” Confused by his request, Maya lifted her head away from Cam’s warm chest and focused her gaze on Derek. “Come to the club one night. Just as an observer. Come and see what real Domination and submission is all about.”

“Derek and I will keep you safe,” Cam said in what seemed to be a very clear message to Derek that Cam wasn’t going anywhere just yet.

“I’ll think about it,” she said quietly as warmth slithered through her belly and pooled lower.

“That’s my girl,” Derek said as he touched her face with his fingertips. “We promise never to do anything you don’t want, but if you can find it in yourself to trust us, we can show you a part of yourself you never knew existed.”

* * * *

Derek entered the restaurant a few minutes before closing time. It had taken only two days for Maya to agree to visit Viper’s Dungeon, and he was aware enough to realize that Cam had a lot to do with her decision.

Even though the ex-SEAL was a naturally dominant personality, he wasn’t a trained Dom, and that seemed to frighten Maya just a little bit less. Hopefully that would give her the courage she required to face her own needs and realize that submitting to her Dom was something she would truly enjoy.

“Won’t be long,” Maya called as she carried a tray full of condiments into the kitchen. Derek glanced around the empty restaurant and found Cam working on a laptop in the far corner. He glanced up as Derek moved in his direction.

“How’s she been?”

“Nervous doesn’t begin to describe it,” Cam said with an easy smile. “But it’s obviously something she wants to try.”

“What about you?”

“Me?” Cam raised an eyebrow as he waited for Derek’s explanation.

“Is it something you want to try?” Derek almost laughed at the quick look of horror that crossed Cam’s face, but a moment later he smiled that cocky smile and laughed quietly.

“I think it would be best for me to stick with…what do you Doms call it? The vanilla life?”

“So you don’t want to come to the club with us tonight?” Derek couldn’t quite believe the guilt that question raised inside him. As much as he cared for Maya, a rational, non-jealous part of him realized that Cam was quickly becoming important to her. Considering that the three of them had spent much of the last two days together, Derek had noticed how important Maya was becoming to Cam also.

“You’re not that lucky,” Cam said with a deep laugh. “I plan to stick by the lady’s side. That way I can protect her from all you leather-clad, overconfident, intimidating Doms.”

From anyone else that might have sounded offensive, but from Cam it was obviously teasing. The broad smile gave him away.

“Good idea,” Derek said, momentarily shocking the ex-SEAL once more. “Knowing that she has someone with her who prefers the vanilla lifestyle will highlight just how much more fun it is to be kinky.” Cam laughed again, until Derek added, “You know you’re a natural Dom, right?”

Cam looked surprised, and maybe not very pleased, by the observation.

“Okay, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Maya called to them as she let the last of the staff out the front door. Cam grinned again, apparently glad for the interruption.

Maya was dressed casually in jeans, jacket, and boots, but it didn’t escape Derek’s attention that she was covered from neck to ankle. The top button of her shirt was done up tight so that not even her collarbone showed, let alone a hint of cleavage. Clearly, Maya wasn’t ready for anything to happen tonight.

Even though he’d known in his gut that it would be that way, Derek felt a small trickle of disappointment. He squashed it ruthlessly. Maya was important to him, and he’d do whatever it took to keep her safe and make sure she was happy. But, he reminded himself for the millionth time that day, he wasn’t looking for anything permanent. He was simply helping a beautiful woman tap into her sexuality and discover the joy of submitting. It was the same thing he’d done for countless submissives at the club.

And since he wasn’t looking for a permanent relationship, it should work out well for all of them.

* * * *

Cam watched Derek watch Maya. It was obvious that the guy was completely in love with the woman, and if Cam were a decent human being, he’d back away and let love take its course. The trouble was that he could sense Maya needed him, even if it was just as an anchor to the vanilla life she’d so far lived.

And, he acknowledged with an internal grimace, Maya needing him filled a need for him also.

“Am I dressed okay?” Maya asked Derek, a look of uncertainty in her eyes.

“Of course,” Derek replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a quick hug. “The club can be a little intimidating the first few times, but just know that Cam and I will be right beside you. Any questions you have, just ask.”

She nodded a little too hard for the reaction to be natural, but she didn’t object when Derek pressed a kiss to her lips. It seemed to be meant as a friendly peck, but Derek groaned and suddenly deepened the contact, encouraging Maya to open her mouth before thrusting his tongue past her lips. Cam wasn’t surprised by the sliver of jealousy that wormed through him—having spent every hour with her for the last three days he was feeling quite territorial—but it was the unexpected arousal at seeing them kiss that hit him hardest.

Clearing his throat as much to interrupt them as to tamp down his own desire, Cam stepped closer, snagged Maya’s hand, and led them to the front door. A quick glance at the woman suggested that she was embarrassed by his reaction, or maybe her reaction to kissing Derek, or maybe even by the fact that both men seemed to be vying for her attention. Frustrated with himself for his own confusion, Cam did the one thing most likely guaranteed to make things worse—he kissed her.

Maya made a soft squeak of surprise, but opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue just as she’d done for Derek. Cam explored her mouth, groaning as she relaxed against him, and opened wider. By the time Cam pulled away, both of them were panting hard. Derek’s low whistle had them turning to face him.

“That was very hot,” he said as he stepped closer and ran a hand down Maya’s cheek. He gave her an affectionate smile. “You are a very beautiful woman, Maya.”

Obviously surprised by Derek’s reaction, Maya swung her gaze from one man to the other before biting her lips and saying nothing.

“Come on, sugar,” Cam said as he tried to surreptitiously move so that his cock wasn’t pressed quite so hard against the zipper of his jeans. He grabbed one of her hands and noticed Derek almost claim the other before changing his mind. There seemed to be a war going on inside Derek. He wanted Maya, but he also didn’t want to want her. That was blazingly obvious to Cam. He looked at Derek with a raised eyebrow, but the man merely shrugged and grabbed Maya’s hand as if he’d intended to all along.

Cam smiled at Maya, gripped her hand just a little harder, and said, “Let’s go find out what life is like in Viper’s Dungeon.”

* * * *

Maya was fairly certain she hadn’t held hands with two men at the same time in her entire life. It felt kind of strange, kind of silly, and kind of wicked, but mostly it felt safe. Even as she tried to convince herself that it was absurd to feel safe wedged between two men larger and stronger than her late husband, Maya realized the truth. Over the last few days she’d grown to trust both of them.

She wasn’t sure what the future held, but for the first time in a long time she was eager to find out.

Derek led them the couple blocks to Viper’s Dungeon. The entrance was very ordinary and looked like any other office entry on the street. He used a standard-looking key to enter the first door, and they walked down a long corridor with obvious video surveillance before stepping through a second door and into an elegant foyer. A receptionist greeted them with a professional smile, and Maya would have sworn they were in the wrong place until the woman’s grin widened and she greeted Derek by name.

“I didn’t realize you were on tonight.”

“I’m not,” Derek said with easy familiarity. “I’m just showing Maya and Cam around. Let them get a feel for what the lifestyle is all about.”

The woman turned a brilliant smile on Cam. “I remember you from the other night. You’re a friend of Logan’s, right?”

“That’s right,” Cam said with a polite, but distant, smile. Maya couldn’t help feeling just a little bit satisfied by his dismissal of the receptionist’s obvious flirtation. Well maybe it wasn’t obvious, or even meant as flirting, but Maya was feeling rather territorial over both her men.

Both her men?

Shit! When did she start thinking of them as hers? They were protecting her from a gang of thugs, not moving in to play happy families. Maya mentally rolled her eyes. How would that work exactly anyway? Three adults wasn’t a happy family. It was a disaster waiting to happen. And why the hell was she thinking any of this?

Both Derek and Cam had warned her that the club could be overwhelming the first time, but considering they hadn’t actually stepped through the door, using it as an excuse for her weird thoughts was probably premature.

“Maya?”

“Huh?” Concern shadowed both men’s faces. “Oh, sorry, just lost in thought. What did you say?”

“Crystal asked if you needed help to fill out the consent and confidentiality forms.”

“Oh.” Maya bit her lip to hold back the self-conscious “um.” “No, I should be all right.” The woman’s smile probably looked perfectly friendly to the men, but Maya could sense the undertones. Women could sense when a predator was after her men.
Shit!
Maya swallowed hard and tried to erase that last thought from her mind. They weren’t her men.

She read through the forms carefully, feeling a little overwhelmed by the things she was being asked to consent to. It was made very clear in the paperwork that nothing would happen without her consent even after signing the agreement, yet in the end she ticked the box that listed her as an observer only. It felt kind of cowardly, but Derek had advised her to go slowly and at least this way she had one more reason not to make a hasty decision about anything.

She smiled when Cam showed her his forms with the same box ticked. Whether he did it for himself or for her was irrelevant. Just knowing that she wasn’t the only one choosing not to participate tonight filled her with a warm glow.

The secretary took their forms, grabbed a couple of strange-looking bracelet-type things and handed one to Maya and one to Cam. Cam turned to help Maya fasten hers around her wrist. Looking at the plastic more closely, Maya guessed that the bracelets would probably glow in the dark.

“As an observer,” the receptionist said with a small sneer in her tone, “you must keep the bracelet on at all times and cannot participate in any scenes. Break either of these rules and you will be removed from the club.” Maya was still wondering how such an attractive woman could be such a bitch when Crystal turned her attention back to Derek. “How many lockers will you need?” The overly familiar purr in her voice and smile on her face tempted Maya to react. Fortunately, Maya knew from bitter experience that the best way to handle a woman like this was to ignore her.

“No need,” Derek said with a polite, friendly grin, “we’ll use mine.”

“Okay,” the woman said with a smile that surely even the men realized was faked. “Enjoy your evening.” She’d turned away and the three of them had been heading to the door at the far end of the foyer when the woman called Derek back. It was pretty obvious by the timing that the woman wanted to speak to Derek without Maya overhearing, so she felt rather justified in her jealousy when the woman leaned over the counter exposing a whole lot more cleavage than the conservative blouse should have allowed.

Maya almost cheered when Derek shook his head and the woman looked disappointed. But apparently the woman wasn’t used to hearing the word “no” because she pouted, asked another question, and then tried very hard to hide her anger when Derek said no once more. Whatever her request, Derek wasn’t interested.

For a brief moment Maya entertained the thought that it was work related, but the venomous look that came her way blew that idea way out of the water. Maya tried not to smirk at the woman’s obvious displeasure.

Derek led them into a small room off the main corridor, stopped in front of a locker, and undid the combination. The privacy form had been very clear that all recording, listening, and communication devices were to be left in the lockers at the front of the club. Maya handed over her entire handbag and stood back to let Cam hand over his stuff as well.