Page 12 of Shattered Dreams
It was one of the reasons why Max had offered up his home. The guest suite on the main floor meant that Storm with his current limitations could easily navigate, unlike the club that had multiple levels and no elevator. Once he got to the converted master suite where he and Raine lived he’d be stuck there, depending on his boy to bring him food and anything else that he happened to need, all of which were on the lower levels of the club. “I’m sure you’re missing the privacy of the club, along with the benefits of the sauna.”
“A bit.” He met Max’s gaze head on. “But Lizzie needs Raine, and I have no problem with sharing my boy with his sister while I recover.”
“You finally figured it out.” Max chuckled. “It took you long enough.”
Storm crossed his arms over his massive chest. “It wouldn’t have - if my best friend would’ve opened his damned mouth and said ‘hey, my other sub, he’s my sub’s brother. And there’s nothing sexual between them or us.’”
“Now why would I have done that? I told you he was a service sub. That should’ve been enough, don’t you think?” Max asked mockingly. “Besides it was more fun to watch you flounder around and figure out what was right in front of your nose.”
“Dude, why the hell do I put up with you?”
Max shrugged. “Because I set you up with the love of your life?”
“No…more like you warned me off him...until I got my head out of my ass.” Storm shifted a bit in the chair. “Speaking of getting heads out of asses…you remember that cop that came up to get our statements?”
Immediately, Max’s dick stirred. He hadn’t been able to force the man from his thoughts. There was something about the detective that appealed to him on more than a visceral level. But he kept his cool, and gave Storm just a brief nod. “Detective Landon? Yeah. I remember him.”
“Well, Raine told me that he signed up for one of the solo classes at the club last week. So, you must’ve made quite the impression on him.”
Max shrugged. “He came into the room to find Lizzie kneeling next to the bed. She’d just slipped into subspace. Partially because she had a rough night while I was in recovery, so I wasn’t about to take that from her.”
“I can’t blame you there.” Storm suddenly looked tired. “Raine told me about what happened that night. I think that’s when it clicked home how intimate their relationship is. I can’t have Raine without Lizzie, just like you can’t have her without Raine.”
“Exactly. Even though sex doesn’t come into, there is a bond there that will never be broken, and to try would be a true crime against nature.”
Storm nodded his agreement. “Which is one of the reasons I’ve stopped up here. We need to talk about what happens when she eventually hits the wall.”
“Wall?” Max hadn’t wanted to think about the reality of his wife backsliding.
“Yeah, she’s doing okay for the moment. Having Raine and I under foot has kept her focused, instead of obsessing about the fact you’re here. But eventually someone will have to take her in hand once Raine and I return to the club. She’s going to be all alone in that big house of yours, with nothing more than her thoughts.”
“I know.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “But there’s no way around it. Lizzie can’t give me the physical therapy or the care I need at home yet. This rehab place is the best option for my recovery. Short of her moving into the club with you guys, I don’t know what to do. Maybe I can have one of the dominants at the club come and stay with her?” The very idea of even one of his hand-vetted dominant friends staying in his home made his skin crawl. But the alternative, his wife baring new scars on her slender arms or inner thighs, was even more distasteful.
“I don’t know the right answer, man.” Storm rubbed the back of his neck. “But we’ve got time to figure it out. Doc said it’d be at least a few more weeks before I’ll be cleared for steps.”
Max nodded. “Okay.” He hesitated for a second. “We still cool with you dealing with her if she starts to backslide? I know you said you would take care of it while staying at my place, but I know that domination is different for you. You’ll never be a service top.”
Storm chuckled. “That your way of saying my dick gets hard every time I pick up a flogger?”
Max rolled his eyes. “It’s the truth, right?”
“Yeah…but with Lizzie, it’s different.” Storm sobered. “I can handle dealing out the pain she needs, Max. I just worry about what happens in the interim when I return home and you’re still stuck in that damned rehab place, is all.”
“Noted. But I’ll figure something out.”Or die trying,he thought, as the conversation moved on to more pleasant topics like the upcoming Stanley Cup finals.
* * *
“Ewwww!”
Lizzie giggled as Raine pursed his lips and looked around the table for a place to spit out the sushi that she’d conned him into ordering, after finally coaxing him into visiting the small Japanese restaurant around the corner from the hospital. It’d only been the fact that she’d reserved one of their small private rooms, and that his Daddy had basically told him to go, that had convinced him to even try. And now she was sure he was regretting his decision by the look on his face. Raw fish and cold rice wasn’t for everyone, but one never knew until they tried it, she reasoned.
Finally out of desperation, he grabbed the cloth napkin on his lap and spit the offending morsel into it. Then he grabbed his soda and took a long drink, before lifting his head to glare at her. “You’re evil, woman!”
“Probably,” she admitted as she used the chopsticks to pick up her own maki roll. “I probably should’ve ordered you Ebi. The shrimp is at least cooked in that.”
Raine glared at her. “Pass. I’m never allowing you to order for me again.”
“Aw, come on.” She batted her eyes at him. “Where’s your sense of adventure, Rainy?”
