Page 17 of Doubling Down

“We had an appointment to demonstrate our newest prototype for a venture capitalist who invests in kink-related products,” Jude says. “They came in from out of town just for us.”

“Well, they were new to Whitewood too,” Max says. “So even if you didn’t show, I guarantee they were entertained.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better.” Jude stands and moves toward his brother, who’s walking into the living room to make a call. He glances back at me, sees my stricken look, and pauses. “Sarah, I promise we have zero regrets about last night. I wouldn’t change a thing. Though we may need to do a little damage control if we don’t want to burn bridges.”

“If I can help…” I begin, then stop, not sure I’m prepared to commit to something I know nothing about.

Jude bends to kiss me, then whispers in my ear, “You being here is more than we could ask for.”

He joins Simon in the other room, and I’m too distracted to eat while we wait to hear the verdict. A few minutes later, the twins return, but their expressions are conflicted.

“Well, there’s good news and bad news,” Simon says. “The good news is that the company rep is here all weekend and is more than happy to see a demo tonight.”

“The bad news,” Jude says, “is that the Whitewood member we hired to help us demo the piece pulled a muscle at the gym this morning. She’s out for at least two weeks.”

They both glance at Casey, who shrugs. “You guys know we can’t rework our show schedule on short notice. And I physically can’t do more than one a night. Chloe wouldn’t allow it, even if I had the stamina for it.” She cocks her head to one side and looks at me, a devious smirk on her face. “Have you shown your toys to Sarah yet?”

My face flames and my eyes widen. “What the hell are you suggesting?”

“Absolutely not,” Simon says. “This is business. Sarah’s not ready for that, and even if she was, we wouldn’t ask her to be put on display that way.”

Now I stare at Simon. “Wait, I thought you wanted me to see what you were working on.”

“I do. I’m just not about to ask you to help us demo the thing for an audience.”

“I think she’d be great at it,” Casey says. She leans closer to me with a wicked grin. “It’s a mind-fuck the first time you do it while people are watching. So hot.”

As if they have a mind of their own, my nipples harden and tingle, and my pussy warms and throbs.

“Show me and let me decide for myself.” I stare down both twins, who stare back with equally obstinate looks. I can tell they’re about to wholeheartedly object to the idea when Max pushes his plate back and crosses his arms.

“Boys, remember to listen to your sub. The surest way to fuck things up is to be too rigid about your desires. In other words, if you love her, let her tell you what her limits are. Don’t dictate them for her.”

“What about our limits?” Jude asks.

Casey snorts. “Sounds like your only limit is jealousy, which does not make for healthy boundary-setting. Open your mind, dumbass.”

“Nobody’s going to be watching us now, are they?” I say. “Let me experience it and tell you whether I’m okay with it. It might be fun.”

I offer a hesitant smile because I’m completely in knots, my insides a confusion of curiosity, arousal, and abject terror. But this is something the twins love… something they want to make a career out of. I want to be able to share it with them at least once. I want a memory I can take away with me when I leave them again.

Jude takes my hand and pulls me out of my chair. “Well, we’d best get started then. If you’re going to be our sub for this—and I’m not saying I’ll agree to it—we need to get you up to speed fast.”

“Good luck!” Casey calls after me as they lead me back out the door.

I follow the twins into the cool, concrete slab interior of the wood shop, and am immediately inundated with the scent of sawdust. It’s calming at first, but when we head to a door at the far end of the space, a strange flutter takes residence in my belly. I remember this feeling… it’s the same feeling I had the first day we were alone in the house. We’d already fooled around a little, but it was the first time we had complete freedom—the first time we could play in broad daylight.

I’m looking forward to whatever it is they have to show me, and I realize I don’t really care how crazy it is. I want this.

Jude produces a key from his pocket and unlocks the door, leading me into a dark, windowless room. It smells different in here—more metallic, with a sharp aroma that isn’t quite unpleasant, but not as comforting as the cut wood smell I’m used to. When Simon turns on the light, I understand why.

The room is entirely whitewashed concrete and cinderblock, with a big garage door at one end and wooden platform in the very center. On the platform is a contraption of polished metal and wood that looks more like an elaborate, futuristic sculpture than something functional. What I smell is the metal and whatever lubricant is used in the hydraulics for this… device.

“It’s a time machine, isn’t it?” I ask, stepping forward and staring up at the thing.

Jude chuckles. “If it was, we’d have already used it to go back and talk you into staying with us three years ago.”

Their contraption is housed within a large, cubic framework, inside which is a sphere made of overlapping concentric circles of highly polished steel. It looks like a gyroscope, and when Jude taps on a small tablet screen attached to one post of the frame, the circles move, tilting and turning slowly and silently until they’re aligned on a single vertical plane. In the very center of them is a harness made of wide straps covered in black satin.

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