Page 58 of Conflicted
Nathan watched Ruby coaxing Will to relax and let go of his doubts. Confession time, indeed. Nathan dreaded this moment as much as he anticipated it. How will they look at me when I tell them?
He expelled all the air from his lungs. One, two, three, four. Took an inhalation through his nose, counted to four again, and exhaled in as many seconds. On the sixth circle he felt calm enough to share his truth.
When he opened his eyes, both Ruby and Will were regarding him with curiosity and affection in their eyes. It will hurt to lose that.
“After the face-off here at the club, I couldn’t reach Ruby.” He lifted a hand when Ruby opened her mouth to protest. “You were in the hospital and didn’t have your phone on, but I didn’t know that right then. However, I got a call from my former coach and it brought up some memories.”
Nathan swallowed, caught Will’s puzzled expression and the way Ruby worried her lip piercing. Get it out, Gomez. “I haven’t been a personal trainer all my life, I started as a social studies teacher and assistant coach after I finished a double major in psychology and secondary ed. at Mizzou. Then I got my master’s in Educational Counseling here at UMKC and moved into a counseling job at my school.” He quickly glanced at Will, but the big blond didn’t react to the mentioning of his academic past.
“I had this kid on my team. I wasn’t his school counselor, but I was his coach. Well,” Nathan stared down at his trembling hands, “one day after training he confided in me. Although he didn’t go into any detail, he told me he was having a hard time at home.” He rubbed his hands together and closed his eyes.
“I didn’t pay enough attention to what he wasn’t saying. I figured it was something about parental pressure. His dad was a hard ass, yelling during games, pushing Jason. What I didn’t realize was the man was an abusive asshole. When he couldn’t subdue his kid with his fists anymore, he raped the boy into submission.”
By now, Ruby was openly crying, and Nathan’s eyes stung with unshed tears. “Three days later, after another violation, Jason wrote an email, took his father’s gun and shot himself.”
“Figured it was something like this,” Will muttered. “And you’ve blamed yourself ever since.”
“Of course, I did,” Nathan bristled.
“Man, as a cop, I know all about guilt. I also know when a person is determined to take their life they usually will.” Will made stark eye contact and held Nathan’s gaze. The message was clear as a summer’s day—this isn’t your fault, and it won’t change a thing between us.
Will nudged Ruby. “I think our man needs a hug.”
Nathan’s eyebrow rose—our man? Before he could contemplate the warm fuzzy feeling of being part of something, he let out a startled, “oomph” as Ruby barreled against his chest. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around the sweet submissive in his arms and gave their partner a grateful nod.
––––––––
Ruby pressed her face in the hollow of Nathan’s neck. She couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact the men had their own insecurities. She understood it on an intellectual level, but it never occurred to her before. And to imagine the men exchanging blows—over her—and becoming friends through it? Stupid men and their testosterone laden rituals!
She noticed sometime during their conversation Bob left them. The air in the room shifted and turned molten. She lifted her head and her eyes connected with Will—his gaze smoldering. Her sex clenched at the carnal promise in his beautiful blue-grey orbs.
“Dragonfly.” Nathan’s voice in her ear was low and strained.
She twisted her body and fumbled open Nathan’s shirt, trailing kisses over the skin she bared. She trembled with need and anticipation by the time she revealed his chest, and he shrugged the fabric from his broad shoulders. Up-close like this, she noted several fist-sized bruises around his ribs and kissed them all, trying not to scowl.
She turned her attention to Will and noticed his shirt already gone. Of course, he was as battered as Nathan. “Promise me not to fight each other again.”
She tipped her head in her neck and the tender curve to Nathan’s lips took her by surprise.
“Dragonfly,” the endearment was laden with meaning, “we’re men.”
Despite her despair over their injuries, Ruby giggled. Yeah, that about says it all.
“You know what the wonderful thing about fights is?” Will winked.
Ruby shook her head.
“Make up sex.”
Nathan rose with her in his arms and walked over to the spanking bench where he carefully draped her on her belly. With a hand splayed over her back, he bent to take the attached leather waist strap. Will joined them and buckled wrists cuffs on her. He stole a kiss and grinned against her lips. “You were underdressed.”
Ruby giggled. Crazy, beloved man. The giggle quickly turned into a moan when Nathan kneaded her buttocks—awakening tissue and nerves.
“Mouth or pussy.” Nathan kept fondling her ass cheeks—pulling them out and pressing them together. Her sex slickened and heated further.
“Since you’re already playing back there, why don’t you fuck her pussy and I’ll take her mouth?” Will unfastened his belt, and Ruby licked her lips in anticipation when his cock sprang free.
With his hand around the base of his cock, Will patiently waited for her to open her mouth. When she complied, he slid partway in and slowly withdrew. As much as she admired his control, it wasn’t what she wanted from him right now. She hungered for him to let go and fuck her with abandoned need.
