Page 35 of Master Vidar & Vali

“And we haven’t even introduced her to the dungeon downstairs yet. I have a feeling we will need that to keep our naughty girl in line.”

We exchanged a smile at the thought of getting our girl tied up and at our mercy. The more I thought about it, the more the idea felt perfect. We could both easily afford the place on our own, but together it wouldn’t even make a dent in our finances. Unless we wanted to stop our work at G&H, we wouldn’t be able to stay here full time but it would be a great home base for us.

“I think that’s a good plan, and I think the dungeon is the best place for her punishment. I’m out of town a lot, Linc. Do you really think I can sustain a healthy relationship between the three of us?”

He wasn’t being a dick—it was a very real question, one I’d been thinking about since the drive home last night. “We’ve been expanding, and you’ve been training men to take your place in the field. If we’re going to give this a try, you should consider limiting your trips abroad. I’m here most of the time and can fill in when you’re gone, but I wouldn’t want things to get unbalanced.”

Just a few months ago, we’d hired several men we’d known in the service as an effort to expand the company. It would take a few more months before they’d be able to take jobs on their own, but when that happened, Colin could take a step back. Gabriel was in a similar situation and wanted to spend more time at home now that he had Rose. Traveling could be left to those without a family. Colin had been running the international teams for years—it was time he learned to share the leadershipand involve himself more in strategy instead of tactics. We had plenty of men a decade younger than us chomping at the bit to go into the field.

“I agree, this is a good time for me to help move some of the younger men into more serious positions. I have a few in mind who could easily do what I do. Who knows? Staying stationary might even help in other ways.”

From the look on his face, I knew he was thinking about the night terrors. Would he consider talking to someone? If he could work through that, it would remove one of the largest hurdles that had been between us and a long-term relationship. Zara was turning out to be a positive force in our lives even if she didn’t realize it.

“I hope so,” I said, feeling an excitement I hadn’t felt in years and eager to act on it. “So, we’re agreed? We’re all in. Now all we have to do is help Zara learn where her boundaries are, get her to agree to move in with us, and oh, let’s not forget, get rid of Mihal and the Albanians.”

Colin laughed. “That’s quite the to-do list, brother. Yes, it’s time for us to move on and create a new path for ourselves.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t have said it better.”

“I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee, then head down to prepare the dungeon. You can take the princess the coffee, and we’ll have a healthy lunch before we convene downstairs. Wouldn’t want her fading on us too fast.” His eyebrows waggled suggestively, making me laugh.

How long had it been since we’d felt this sort of optimism? Looking back, our lives since leaving the service had been a series of moving forward without a real goal in mind. Yes, we’d built a solid company and helped lots of people but those weren’t personal achievements as much as they were professional. Knowing that we were working toward making our lives better gave me a hope for the future that I had thought was lost.

“Sounds good to me. I’ll call Gabe and let him know we won’t be in today. See you back here at 1200.”

I fixed a cup of coffee for Zara and took it upstairs, arriving just in time to see her stumble into the bathroom. She didn’t even notice me, so I placed the mug down on the nightstand. When I heard the water from the shower, the temptation to join her was strong, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist her naked wet body and we had plans before I could bring her the pleasure I wanted.

Since we were trying for something permanent, skipping over punishment and consequences would set the wrong tone. BDSM relationships were an intricate balance, and when you added in that we were a triad, it was even more complicated. I knew she’d never been in a relationship like the one we wanted but thought it would be good for her.

She’d grown up among chaos without any rules. Without anyone caring about her enough to set limits or expectations. At its core, that is what the control aspect of BDSM was. A Dominant cared for the sub and guided them. In return, the submissive trusted the Dominant enough to cede their control. Colin and I had no interest in controlling every aspect of her life, but when it came to health and safety, there were lines that couldn’t be crossed and she had done that.

If we ignored that, there would always be questions on both sides going forward. She may not have consciously put herself at risk, but her actions had shown a lack of forethought and respect for us as her protectors.

Faster than I had anticipated, the water turned off and the door to the bathroom opened to reveal Zara in a bathrobe, her wet hair wrapped up in a towel. Her face flushed with embarrassment when she saw me sitting on the bed waiting for her.

“I brought you coffee.” I held up the mug so she could see it.

“Thank you,” she took the drink and sat down beside me, nervously rubbing the handle of her mug. “I’m sorry about last night—or, um,” she swallowed hard, “I mean this morning.”

She was obviously contrite but nervous as well. Her gaze flicked around the room as if searching for something, and when she didn’t find it, she relaxed. Was she happy that it was me waiting for her and not both of us?

“Can I ask why you phoned me and not Colin?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged and looked down as if afraid to meet my eyes. “You seem more understanding. And with his sleep issues, I thought you’d be less angry at being woken up because I’d stupidly gotten myself lost.”

It took all my self-control not to laugh out loud. If she’d thought I would be the one less likely to punish her, we’d soon be correcting that misconception. Yes, Colin was more vocal in his frustrations and emotions, but when it came to punishments, he was a marshmallow compared to me. I’d been called a sadist by many of our subs, though I wasn’t sure that was necessarily correct. More it was that Colin shied away from causing pain of any sort, where I knew that it was sometimes necessary. Whether to heighten pleasure or drive home a lesson, I had no problem using whatever methods were necessary. Once I was sure I could speak without laughing, I tilted her chin up so our eyes met.

“I see. Well, I’m glad you understand that you’re in trouble, princess.”

Her face turned a mottled pink and red. “I’m sorry. I apologized. I don’t know what more I can do.”

Something about her open vulnerability and the honest need to make things right had my cock hardening in my pants. “What you did, cannot happen again. Colin and I have agreed that you need a punishment to firmly learn that lesson.”

Her eyes flew wide, and the healthy color in her cheeks suddenly drained. “What does a punishment mean, exactly?”

“It means”—without releasing her chin, I ran a finger along her cheek while still forcing eye contact—“we will use pain to enforce the lesson and rules into your mind and to clear the slate between us. We’ll talk in detail over lunch with Colin so you fully understand and can agree. Being with us means you’ll have to accept the consequences of your actions. Some rules are negotiable but not when it comes to health and safety. Can you accept that?”

She tried nodding, but I still had hold of her chin. She licked her lips. “Yes, Sir.”

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