Page 41 of Plaything

Niko chuckled. “Easily the most subby person I’ve ever met.”

“It’s cute that you even have to ask that,” Wyatt smiled.

“Absolutely. You talk to your stuffed animals at night,” Dominic said like it was obvious.

Aiden pushed his head back. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Being submissive comes naturally for you; it’s a huge part of your personality,” he gave me a pointed look.

I pointed a finger at Dominic. “Hey, those are private conversations,” I scolded, embarrassed that I was twenty years old and still had one-sided conversations with inanimate objects.

He shrugged. “Thin walls.”

I pushed my lips together, deciding not to argue. I thought back to all those horrible videos and images I saw. “Reesia said you’re all into BDSM, but last night you said you’re not?” I questioned.

Niko raised his eyebrows, “I said we’re not into the extremes,” he corrected. “There’s still a lot of things we enjoy that aren’t typical in normal, vanilla sex,” he said. “But the most important thing when it comes to any kind of sex is consent. There’s always open communication, a safe word, which is a word you say when you want to stop completely, and usually a discussion beforehand,” he explained.

That didn’t sound bad at all, nor did it sound like any of the videos I watched.

“So, you’ve had a submissive before then, right?” I asked. I was not too fond of the idea of any of them with another woman, but I needed to be realistic.

Aiden nodded. “Yes. They were all failed attempts. The women all either lied about their intentions, only wanted sex, pretended to be something they were not, or we lost interest because there was no real connection.”

That made me feel a little better, knowing that they weren’t interested in just sex. They used terms like caregiver, communication, and emotions. It sounded like a real relationship, just with four men and really educated sex.

Wyatt smiled at me. “Odette, I know you’re probably overwhelmed with all the new information, but I want to make something very clear,” his eyes held sincerity and the same hope Niko’s did yesterday. “You don’t have to make a decision right now, this week, or even a month. If you don’t want this at all, tell us, and we’ll stop, no questions asked,” he comforted. “And if you do, we know this is new to you, and we’ll move at your pace,” he smiled.

Niko grinned, grabbing my hand that was under the table. “Don’t take too long deciding; I don’t have as much patience as them,” he winked. “Not to sound like I’m giving you an ultimatum, but I have no intention of getting over you, so don’t make me have to,” he chuckled, but there was a lot of honesty in his voice.

I looked around at them all, each with looks of hope and anticipation. Aiden, Wyatt, and Dominic wanted this just as much as Niko admitted; they were just too proud, or in Dominic’s case, guarded, to say so.

I told myself I’d give myself a few days to really think it over, remembering Dominic’s comment about how this kind of dynamic wasn’t for everyone. But, I rarely gave myself what I wanted, and for once in my life, I was going to let myself have it. They attracted me in different ways, and I had different kinds of conversations with each of them.

Something about them pulled me in like a title wave the moment I got here. There was no doubt that this was where I was meant to be. This was what I wanted, and whether they knew it or not, I’d already made my decision.

After dinner, I excused myself to work on some homework. I figured I should actually do something productive today after spending hours with Dominic watching movies.

Although, I couldn’t focus on my assignments at all. Our conversation during dinner weighed heavily on my mind. I was surprised that they wanted me in that unfamiliar way. I’d always had boys who would hit on me and others who I’d catch staring for too long, but they just made me uncomfortable. This attraction was different.

If they weren’t my professors, it would’ve been so simple. I was attracted to them; they were attracted to me. It was self-explanatory, yet I felt guilty. Was it selfish of me to want them despite the risks? Yes. Was I going to dive in head first anyway? Also yes.

Even if it ended in flames, the burn would be worth it.

By the time I was finished with the following week’s assignments, it was late. I didn’t have to be up horribly early for school, but I’d like to get my sleep schedule back on track. Leaving Cat on my bed, I showered, getting ready for bedtime.

I dressed in comfortable pajamas, thin sheer shorts with cotton panties underneath, and a sheer tank top. Now that I had my heated blanket, I didn’t need to layer up. I’d never liked sleeping in heavy, long-sleeved clothes; it was restricting.

I was staring at myself in the mirror as I brushed my hair, freeing it from tangles. My hair had always been something I liked about my appearance, but the weight and length of it were exhausting to manage.

The light above the mirror flickered, making my gaze cast upward. I flinched when the bathroom light and the light in my bedroom suddenly went out. Everything around me was pitch black, making my nerves flare up. Even my nightlight plugged into the wall next to my bed was off. The night sky was pitch black; no stars or moonlight could shine through the dense clouds.

Holding out my hands as I walked out of the bathroom, I prepared myself for when I inevitably ran into something. “Cat?” I whispered, needing something to squish. I also needed the comfort of knowing I wasn’t alone in the creepy darkness.

I wouldn’t say I feared the dark, but I didn’t like it. It made me feel like someone was watching me or something was lurking in dark corners.

I grabbed Cat off my bed, ungraciously waking him. I sighed in relief, holding his big body against my chest.

Hearing footsteps in the hall, I started inching my way to the door. I only had one hand to feel around with this time, but I made it to the doorknob with ease. I was incredibly clumsy, and this power outage may be the death of me.

I opened the door, stepping out into the hall where my four professors stood outside their open doors. Aiden held a flashlight, lighting up the hall, as well as their naked torsos. It looked like I wasn’t the only one who slept in little to nothing.

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