Page 22 of The Queen's Knights

Percy chuckles. “Don’t you think I know you well enough by now to recognize when you’re letting someone in? You barely trust anyone who isn’t connected to the club. He shouldn’t have even been there, but he was. He rocked your world once, and now all of a sudden you’re letting him go down on you in your office. Not at the club, but where you work.”

My nostrils flare at the dismissive way he characterizes our encounter this afternoon. “It isn’t justwhere I work, and you know that. That office was where I lost control of my life. I’ve been struggling to claw it back ever since. Why can’t you just admit you’re jealous of him?”

His shoulders drop and he shakes his head. “Because I’m not jealous. What I feel is way too complicated to be reduced to that. For a start, I wouldn’t have sucked his dick if I didn’t want to. I’m not suggesting I don’t want him here with us, Gwen; I’m saying the opposite, even though it’s fucking crazy to let myself want it. I mean, he’s a decade younger than both of us, for one thing.”

That leaves my next retort withering on my tongue. I stare at him for a beat, then say, “You want him here?” My eyes narrow. “Did you know who he was at the club, or did you just figure it out on Tuesday?”

“I didn’t know at first. Something was familiar about him, but I just figured I knew him from the club. He reminded me of Jude and Simon a little. Remember them?”

That provokes a smile from me. “Yes, and I’m still working up the nerve to try out their machine.”

“Let’s work up to that,” he says. He’s smiling now, and some of the tension that built up during our conversation eases, but it doesn’t completely subside.

I glance toward the front room when I hear the door open and close. Three solid clicks follow—the sound of my three deadbolts being engaged. I can’t help but feel a little warmer.

“Good for him,” Percy murmurs.

When Lance appears in the arch of my kitchen doorway, I push a third steaming mug across the island toward him. “I made you tea.”

His eyebrows lift, and he smiles as he steps in and settles on the barstool next to me. “I’m not much of a tea drinker, but this kicks ass. Thank you.”

After a moment of both Percy and me watching him take a few sips, he sets his mug down and looks at us both. “What did I miss?”

Percy takes a breath, bracing his fists on the counter.

I intercept the question. “We were just discussing how you fit in, because I’d like to keep you.”

He squares his shoulders, and I can tell he’s barely containing his excitement. “Oh yeah? That’s fantastic. I am happy to be kept.” He grins at me, but then his expression turns serious as he looks at Percy. “You’re good with this, yeah?”

“I am,” Percy says, his voice pitched low enough to make warmth pool deep within me. When Lance smirks, Percy adds, “Don’t let it go to your head, kid. We both answer to her.”

Lance nods and clears his throat, fidgeting with the tab of the teabag hanging over the rim of his mug. “So about that… I’m clueless as to how the whole submissive thing works. Do I just do whatever you tell me all the time? Like… does it extend to things like ‘do your homework’ and shit like that?”

I sit up straighter, because it hasn’t really hit me until now that I need to decide what the dynamic will be between us. Looking at Percy for guidance, I’m met with an arched eyebrow and a smirk, as if to say,You started this, you finish it.

Realizing I’m getting no help from him, I take a breath and face Lance. “It can, but only if that’s what you need. It can be about dominance entirely, or only partially.” I trail off when I see him frown. “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t think what I needed was part of the equation. This is about you not feeling powerless after what happened to you.”

That makes me pause and regroup, because I’m not prepared for his show of empathy. He’s surprised me at every turn, to the point I’d almost rather spend more time talking to him. But I’ve already started down this path and want to make sure I do it right.

“Your needs are absolutely important, Lance. If submission isn’t something you enjoy, tell me. In fact, if there’sanythingwe do that you don’t like, you need to communicate that. This relationship won’t work if we’re not one hundred percent honest with each other.”

“Is there something you wanted to say?” Percy asks.

Lance shrugs. “Only that I don’t think I can stand it if I have to go all day without an— um—outlet, after what happened earlier. But I’m here for you, so I didn’t want to center my dick in the conversation, you know?”

Percy laughs, and I shoot him a look, because what Lance said was unbearably sweet.

“I’m sorry. You’re just nothing like I expected. Seriously, you give new meaning to the term kiss-ass,” Percy says when he catches his breath.

Lance scowls. “I’m not saying it to be an ass-kisser. She told me what happened to her. I imagine dicks are the last thing she wants to have to manage after that. So that’s why everything has to be about her taking pleasure from us, not the other way around.”

“Oh, Lance.” I stand and cup both his cheeks, looking into his eyes. “You are so precious, but I don’t have a phobia of dicks. My only hard limit right now is blowjobs, but I’m hoping that won’t last forever. That doesn’t mean I want you to leave a scene frustrated. This afternoon was spontaneous, but from now on, I promise you’ll get some form of outlet.”

“I wasn’t complaining,” he says, his gaze falling to my mouth and lingering there. “Do with me what you will. If it means I have to jerk off more, so be it. I just didn’t have time this afternoon.”

I silence him with a kiss, which he returns with fervor, but I can feel the tension of restraint coiled through his body. I’m tempted to tell him he can touch me, but I don’t want to waste his absolute willingness to follow my lead.

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