Page 17 of Shared

CONOR

I can’t deny how much I enjoyed the evening with the two of them as I walk Elena and Victoria to their awaiting car. But there’s more to it, an undercurrent of something deeper between us—something that doesn’t fit into the tidy little arrangement Victoria negotiated with me.

The cold night air prickles goosebumps over their bare skin as I hold them both against me. Opening the rear passenger door of the Town Car, I give Elena a soft kiss and help her into the car. As Elena scoots across seat to make room, Victoria slips from my side to follow behind her. I roughly grip her wrist, stopping her. After pulling her from the car and to her feet before me, I growl, “I want to see you again tomorrow.”

“I have a charity event until six. Elena and I could be here by?—”

“No,cailín dáigh,” I interrupt her. “Just you.”

She vehemently shakes her head. “That wasn’t our arrangement.”

Neither was coming two nights in a row…

Slipping my fingers under her chin, I tip her face up toward mine. “Are you serious about wanting to explore being a switch? About submitting to me?”

“I know we don’t know each other very well, Conor Evans, but I don’t enter into agreements I don’t intend to uphold.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow night. Alone,” I softly command. She opens her mouth to argue, and I rest my finger over her lips. “I’m not asking.”

A trepidatious look spreads over her face, and her brows furrow. “Con?—”

“I’m not asking,” I repeat myself. “I’ve seen glimmers of your desire to let go and relinquish your control, but I don’t think you can do it in front of Elena. Just you and me. An opportunity to let go without worrying she’ll see you as anything less than the magnificent Domme you are. If I’m wrong, I’ll at least send you home satisfied.”

She stares up at me in silence, her thoughts visibly running rampant as she contemplates my request. Her usual poised and slightly icy demeanor returns. “No. Our arrangement is for the three of us. The only one-on-ones will be the ones that were occurring before we brought you into the picture.” Gripping my hand and pulling it from beneath her chin, she lowers it to my side before continuing, her tone growing more assertive. “Thetwoof us will be here at eight next Friday unless you let me know you’d like to pull from the agreement that we’ve made.”

Without giving me a chance to respond, she elegantly slides into the car and shuts the door, effectively ending our conversation.Not what I was hoping for.Their car pulls away from the curb,and I stand there for a moment, the sounds of the bustling city washing away the solemn silence of their leaving.

Needing a drink—and not wanting to have it alone—I glance at my watch.Plenty of time to head over to the club.

When I get there and make my way inside, the familiar hum of voices and clinking glasses is soothing. This club is my second home; it’s comforting. Scanning the lounge, my brothers and their wives are taking up our usual spots. But my eyes are drawn to Layla sitting alone at the bar. Sipping her drink and scanning over the guests, she looks surprised when she sees me.

I try to shake off the reason that led me here as I head over to her. “So…” she exhales, raising an eyebrow as I take the barstool next to her. I might be able to fool the others sometimes, but Layla can always see right through me. “You look really fucking glum for a guy who just spent the night fucking two gorgeous women.”

“That fucking obvious?” I wave down the bartender to bring me a drink.

“The big guy not want to come out and play?” she smirks. “Or was he a tad too eager and ended things too soon?”

“God, you’re a fucking brat,” I playfully snarl at her assumptions of my performance. “And you know damn well I don’t have either other those problems.”

She grips my forearm and gives it a tender squeeze, and the bartender sets my double of Jameson before me. “Seriously, Con,” she presses. “What’s up?”

“It was fine.” I stare into my drink.

She leans in a little and whispers, “Yes, fine. Because you always look this sullen after you’ve had a threesome with women beautiful enough that I’ve questioned my own sexuality more than once over either of them.”

“Enough about me. I want to hear more aboutthat.”

“Nice try, big guy.” She smirks. “You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.”

“You know I can’t pass that up.” A victorious smile spread across her face.Fuck, sometimes I hate how well she knows me.

“I asked to see Victoria alon?—”

“You fucking idiot!” she exclaims, slapping my arm. “Why would you do that?”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Hey, Tristan. I’d like to fuck your wife, but without you around,” she mocks, staring at me wide eyed and throwing her hands into the air as she finishes. “Youdorealize how that sounds, right?”

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