Page 39 of Shattered Dreams
Lizzie’s heart tried to jump out of her chest. Was Master serious? Was he going to actually invite Daddy into their relationship?
“Of course, I’m fucking interested.” Elliot pushed off the mantle. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
“Language.” Master lightly scolded. “Impressionable young ears and all that jazz.”
* * *
Max felt as if he were balanced on the cusp of something that would change his life forever. For better or worse, he wasn’t sure. But after witnessing his wife’s reaction in person, it only cemented the fact that change was coming - whether he was ready or not. Either he was man enough to let his wife see what he’d hidden for so long or release her into Elliot’s care.Because who knows if I’ll ever be able to resume my role as her dominant. Subs need physical discipline – which is something I can’t give – that I may never be able to give again.
“Whatever it is you’re thinking, stop.” Elliot lowered himself onto the couch. “Quit borrowing trouble. Focus on what we can do here and now.”
“I am.” He was grateful he was able to keep his tone steady. “At the moment, I’m…” he sighed. “…broken, for a lack of a better word.”
“No, you’re not.” Lizzie protested, coming up on her knees. “You might be a bit dented and bruised but you’re still my dominant, Maxwell Rodkin!”
“Really?” He gritted out. “If that were the case, you wouldn’t be shouting at me.”
She frowned, then sank back down onto her legs. “Sorry, Master. It upsets me to hear you call yourself broken.” She curled her fingers into small fists. “I know what broken is, and you’re not. If that were the case, you’d have given up a long time ago. You’d have left me to deal with Rainy and moved onto an easier submissive. This is just another setback. You once told me that setbacks are part of life, and what matters is how we deal with them.”
Max sighed and met Elliot’s gaze. “Are you sure you want to deal with her? This is how she is twenty-four/seven. I love her, but if you’re looking for a submissive woman who will jump to do your bidding, she’s not it.”
Elliot smiled. “My late wife was far from being a shrinking violet, Maxwell. It made me feel like I was on top of the world when she decided to make her life with an old dinosaur like me. So yeah, I’m sure. I love strong, independent women like your wife.” He leaned forward to meet Lizzie’s gaze. “It only remains to be seen if she can handle having an old-fashioned daddy ordering her around.”
Lizzie nodded rapidly, then looked from Elliot to him. “I would love it, but if this is going to be one of you or the other, I won’t do it. I love you, Master. You’re my husband as well as my dominant.”
Max wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He and Lizzie had spoken in the past about having a third join them, especially since she knew he was bi-sexual. He hadn’t expected her to refuse if he tried to bow out. He probably should’ve expected it though. Lizzie was nothing if not loyal. “I hear you, wife.” A kernel of hope bloomed inside him. Maybe things would be okay.
“Let me ask you something, Elizabeth. And I want honesty here.” Elliot asked. “The power exchange can be sexy as hell, and very arousing, but I need more than just physical intimacy if this is gonna work. How are you looking at this? As a friends with benefits type of thing where we continue to lead separate lives? Because if that’s the case, this isn’t gonna work for me. I want a relationship with both you and Maxwell, where messy emotions are involved as well as our body parts.”
Max’s fingers tightened on the arms of his chair. “What does that mean? You want to move in with us?”
Elliot turned those green eyes on him. “Not right away, but eventually I want to build a home with you. Here or at my home, it doesn’t matter. It’s because that’s what you do when you care about your partners. You support them, and that’s pretty damned hard when you’re living apart. Trust me I know.” He gave a rueful grin. “I was deployed several times in my military career. It was hard on my marriage, but Deborah and I made it work, and we have a beautiful daughter as a result.”
Lizzie shifted a bit at the mention of Elliot’s child, and Max knew why. A physical deformity had left his beautiful wife sterile. But she’d always wanted kids, so instead she was settling for dogs – if he ever gave in on that front. “You have a daughter?”
“Yes. She’s twenty-two and stationed in Georgia but is back for her best friend’s wedding. In fact, I’m having dinner with her and her girl-friend tonight.”
“I see.” Lizzie blew out a deep breath. “And if we decide to do this, what are you going to tell your daughter about Master and me?”
Elliot didn’t even flinch. “She already knows and is happy for me. Like I said before, I don’t lie. I’m not about to hide the fact I’m seeing you and Maxwell.” He frowned. “I also noticed that you still haven’t answered me, Elizabeth. Am I going to be on the outside begging for emotional scraps if we pursue this?”
Max wanted to curse as his wife looked at him with fear in her gaze. If she admitted to feelings for the other man, she might hurt him, but if she refused, Max didn’t have a doubt in his mind that Elliot would walk right out the front door. “Remember what I told you about being able to love more than one person at a time, Lizzie?”
She nodded. “Yes, Master. The heart has a limitless amount of love, and it doesn’t take away from one when you love another. It just gives them a companion inside your heart.”
He blew out a breath. “Then answer the man so we can move on to the next subject.”
“I can’t say I’m in love with youyet, Daddy. But I’m not opposed to the idea. I want to see where this relationship leads the three of us. I think…” she nibbled on her lower lip. “…that we might be three pieces to the same whole. It’s just gonna take time to figure out how to match up our edges.”
“Good enough for me.” Max could hear the relief in Elliot’s tone. “What about you, Maxwell?”
Max felt the heat rushing to his cheeks. He wasn’t used to being put on the spot. He should’ve expected it from the other man. “I can’t promise it will be easy, but I’m willing to try.”
“Then I suggest we move forward as we mean to make this work.” Elliot shifted to his side, pulled out a sheaf of folded papers from his back pocket. “I’ve already filled out my limits, safe word, and kinks.” He handed the papers to Max. “I would like it if you both would go over them and see if there is anything that raises a red flag for either of you.”
Max accepted the papers. “And what are you going to do? Stare at us?”
Elliot shook his head and looked down at the watch on his wrist. “No. I need to leave shortly for dinner with my daughter and her girl-friend. But I will be back afterward. Hopefully, you’ll be able to use the time to come up with the same kind of lists for me.” He rubbed the back of his neck, the first clue that the man wasn’t as confident as he was portraying. “We need to be on the same page for this to work, and with both of your issues, I don’t want to inadvertently step on a landmine simply because I don’t realize they exist.”
