It turned out that Alex and Jordan were waiting outside of the pool room. I took a couple of steps back, startled, and I ran into Fylox’s hard body behind me. Taking a deep breath, I began, “Fylox is right. Power play relaxes me when it’s in a confined and controlled environment. Alex has asked to be present whenever Fylox and I play to help me out if need be. Fylox and I aren’t in love.” It gutted me to say that. “Alex and I aren’t in love.” Alex’s face fell. “I can’t speak for them, but I’m interested in both of them.”
I felt such a relief to finally speak about it openly.
“I’m incapable of love and all of that… BS. I like what we’re doing, stretching the rules of conventional dating and relationships. I think Fylox enjoys it, too, although he doesn’t show it overtly. Alex likes thinking he can save me. We all get what we need. Nobody’s being hurt. I’m not sleeping with anyone, to my dismay. That’s that,” I told Jordan. “You can rest assured I won’t ruin your son for your future grandkids. I’m just a phase.”
“You’re not a phase,” Alex assured me.
“Okay, kids. I think I need to let you talk it out between the three of you. I get what’s going on. Polyamory, or something? That’s a concept I can work with. I think.” Jordan skeptically gazed into nothing. He didn’t frequentthinking. He was the man who knew it all. “Let me know when you’ve worked out a situation that works for all three of you. If you need condoms, let me know. We don’t need her getting pregnant.”
“Dad,” Alex urged his father. “You’re kind of embarrassing us right now.”
“Why does every sex talk end in us feeling like teenagers?” I asked. “You should be able to discuss this without blushing like you’re some kids that just learned what a blowjob is.”
“You’re not in Katantia anymore, sugar.” With that, Jordan left. I could have sworn that I heard him chuckle as he strolled down the corridor.
“Should I empty the pool? I really didn’t like it when you threatened to drown in it,” Alex told me.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be such a brat. I don’t feel very well right now. I don’t know where any of this is going. I have a terrible feeling.”
Alex took me into his arms, and I embraced his warmth. My gaze landed on Fylox, who leaned against the wall. His eyes never left mine.
“You’re not a phase, Kamila,” Alex informed me gently. “I don’t think of you as a charity case. I’ve listened to everything you said, baby. I’m studying your every breath, and I want you to know we don’t have to put any labels on what we’re doing. Fylox would be more comfortable that way, too. But you need to stop undermining yourself. We’re both interested in you…”
“Don’t put words in my mouth,” Fylox interrupted his friend.
“You’re not interested?”
“I care. That’s it.”
“That’s Fylox, for he would like to fuck you, but he’s in his head too much,” Alex explained. He rubbed my shoulder, and I snuggled myself closer to him. “If it were up to me, I’d marry you right now. We’d finally get to consummate our marriage and all.”
“I didn’t know you were religious. Would you like for me to get on my knees and worship you?” I addressed Alex, but my eyes were on Fylox. My words were directed at both of them.
“Now that Mandy’s in Katantia, I think we should go through with the marriage.”
“You do?” I asked, full of hope.
“Yes.”
“Fylox?”
“I don’t care whose wife you are. When we’re playing, I own you.” I shuddered in excitement at what that entailed.
“That means he kind of likes you.”
“I understand Fylox. He and I, we’re kind of cut from the same cloth.”
There it was. A tiny smirk graced Fylox’s face. The man I embraced chuckled, and I felt it in my bones.
Alex suggested, “Let’s cheer you up a bit, shall we?”
“If you would only listen to me…”
“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say, liar.”
“I’m not a liar to you. I’m your mom!”
“FUCK. THAT.”