Safe Harbor (33 page)

“That’s not an answer.”

“Neither of us hate kids, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

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Clarisse nodded. “How long before we get married?”

He playfully arched an eyebrow at her. “I haven’t even proposed yet.”

Embarrassed, heat flooded her face again. “Sorry.”

He smiled and stroked her hand. “I don’t want to rush things. I don’t want to pressure you. As much as it’s going to kill Mac and me to wait, I want to give you at least three months to try this arrangement before we discuss taking things further. I don’t want you to change your mind and feel like you’re trapped.”

“I won’t change my mind.”

“Good. Then the wait will be torture on all three of us. Regardless, you and I will talk again in three months, see if you still want to go through with this, see if you still feel the same way. Or if you need more time, we can do that, too. Or make changes. I’m willing to negotiate as much as I can to keep you happy.” He glanced at the time. “You both need to get dressed. Your doctor appointment is at one.”

Mac stood immediately, but she hesitated. “Can I ask one more thing?”

Both men nodded.

“Can I call him Brant when we’re not playing?”

Sully smiled. “That’s up to him.”

Mac looked at Sully, who apparently sensed what he wanted.

Sully nodded. Mac kissed her, a simple brush of his lips across hers.

“I would like that very much, sugar.”

* * * *

She was surprised when later, after dinner, all they did was sit and watch a movie on TV. Mac took up his usual position on the floor.

Sully patted the couch beside him. Clarisse lay next to him, resting her head in his lap.

The movie received absolutely none of her attention. Despite

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being naked, it felt right, totally normal to relax like that with them.

She draped one arm over Mac’s shoulder, and he laced his fingers through hers. Sully rested one hand on her waist and played with strands of her hair with the other.

Closing her eyes, she imagined living like this years from now.

Easy to do, until reality intruded into her thoughts.

“I’ll have to get a Florida driver’s license,” she said. “My name and information will be on file when we do all the paperwork.”

Unbidden, her tears flowed. With the men, she’d been able to shut herself off in a little fantasy bubble of invisibility and safety and let them protect her. “He’ll be able to find me.”

Sully pulled her into his arms. “Hey, it’s okay. Don’t worry. He’ll be on his best behavior since he knows he’s royally fucked. His lawyer will try to show that if he really was guilty, he would have been trying to hunt you down and he hasn’t. Weak defense, but all he’s got at this point.”

She forced a smile she didn’t feel. Sully waved Mac onto the couch and the men held her between them. “Honestly, sweetheart, if he was determined to find you, he would have. The prosecutors have the case, and with IA up his ass, he’ll behave.”

Clarisse didn’t feel so sure about that, but she was willing to trust Sully. “Okay.”

* * * *

The next morning, Sully closed himself in his office and called Ohio for a progress report. Twenty minutes later, he hung up, smiling.

The asshole had accepted a plea deal. Sully hadn’t honestly thought he would, but he was offered probation and immunity from an IA investigation if he ended it now. It also meant Clarisse wouldn’t have to return to testify. No, the asshole wouldn’t do jail time, which Sully had hoped he would. It also meant the guy could never be a cop again, would lose his retirement and bennies, and he would agree to a

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permanent restraining order.

He found Mac and Clarisse in the kitchen, working on a shopping list. Sully scooped her into his arms and spun her around. The ultimate test of will—feeling her naked flesh under his hands and not giving in to the temptation to make love to her right there. Mac looked on, amused.

“Guess what, pet?” Sully asked her as he set her back on her feet.

“What?”

He lightly smacked her ass, which she met with a smile. “I said guess, pet.”

“Animal, vegetable, or mineral?”

“None of the above. News.”

A slight frown crossed her face. “News?”

He nodded. “Big news.”

Her eyes widened. “Bryan swallowed a bullet?”

Sully laughed. “No, not quite. He took a plea bargain.”

She stiffened in fear. “Will he do jail time?”

“No, but he’ll have five years of probation, lose his job and benefits, and he agreed to a permanent restraining order against him.”

She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around herself.

“But no jail?”

“No. The prosecutor said if they took it to trial, the most he’d probably get would be two years with time off. If the lawyer didn’t get him off. I’m sorry, babe.”

She studied the floor for several minutes before looking at him.

“Is this good?”

Sully gathered her into his arms again. “It’s very good. You don’t ever have to see him again. It means you can quit hiding.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He tipped his head, motioning Mac over. He stepped behind her and put his arms around her too. “It means you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“Does it mean we can end the three-month wait thing early and

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get married?”

He rubbed noses with her. “No, it doesn’t, smarty. Nice try, though.”

* * * *

True to his word, Sully wouldn’t let her rush him. Although he fucked Mac more frequently over the next several weeks than he normally did.

Enmeshed in the men’s dynamic, it was easy for Clarisse to let go and trust. Sully soon discovered she hated kneeling for long periods, so the few times he had to punish her for an infraction, he used that instead of strokes.

With Clarisse a part of their relationship, Sully dropped many of the rules they’d had before that got Mac in hot water. When Sully felt the need to punish Mac, he discovered it was extremely effective to lock him in the chastity device and then let Clarisse give him a lap dance.

“You
are
a fucking sadist,” Mac groaned one night as the device painfully dug into him.

Sully sat back on the couch and laughed as he watched Clarisse wriggle her naked body over Mac’s. “As you yourself have said before, ‘Duh.’” He took a swallow of his beer. “But damn, this is a fine-looking sight. Make sure to get him nice and hard, pet.”

Mac closed his eyes and winced. “Fuck!”

Sully grinned. “You won’t talk back to me again anytime soon, will you, slave?”

“No, Master,” he painfully grunted.

After twenty minutes, Sully felt reasonably sure Mac had experienced a fair amount of agony. “Pet, go get the small vibrator.”

She ran to do it. He didn’t fail to spot her evil grin. When she returned, he ordered her back into Mac’s lap, facing him. “Are you horny, pet?”

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“Yes, Master,” she said, giggling.

“Slave, help pet come.” He smiled as she turned on the vibrator and pressed it to her clit.

Mac moaned as he cupped her breasts in his hands and played with her nipples. He would feel a little of the vibrator through his shorts and the chastity device, adding to his torment.

Clarisse threw back her head as she raced toward her climax.

Sully rose from the couch and, standing behind her, supported her. He unzipped his shorts and brushed his cock against her lips. “Take me, pet.”

Mac licked his lips as Clarisse swallowed Sully’s cock. Sully held her hair out of her face. “Come for me, pet.”

She did, deeply swallowing his cock as her own orgasm exploded inside her. He fucked her mouth as she came, his own climax not far behind.

He took a deep breath to steady himself, cuddling her head against him. Mac’s face twisted in pain as he struggled to will his cock soft.

“You okay there, slave?” Sully asked.

Mac glared but didn’t reply.

Sully smiled. “Go take a cold shower. And stay locked up.”

Muttering under his breath, Mac helped Clarisse stand and went to take his cold shower. Sully lightly swatted her ass. “Go clean up, and then get dinner started.”

“You’re going to torture him all night?”

Sully winked. “Until bedtime, but don’t tell him that.”

* * * *

By the end of the second month, Clarisse knew without a doubt that she was deeply in love with both men. They’d taken her to two more play parties where both men topped her. They had two private parties at the house as well. In addition to the slave aspect of her relationship with them, they made sure to spend plenty of time as a

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“normal” family.

If Tad suspected there was more going on between the three, he didn’t let on.

Sometimes Sully went out on the boat with them, sometimes he didn’t, depending on his work schedule. When Sully traveled out of town and they needed someone to watch Bart, the facility where Uncle Tad lived let him dogsit, much to her uncle’s delight. The other residents enjoyed it too.

When Clarisse and Mac returned from one boat trip, Sully had returned home before them and already picked up Bart. When she walked into the living room, she stopped. “What’s that?”

Sully sat on the sofa and watched TV. Bart lay in his lap while chewing on the butt plug. It had become his favorite toy. Sully looked at where she pointed. “It’s a doggy ramp. So he can get up on the couch by himself. I got one for our bed, too.”

Clarisse hugged him. “Thank you, Master!”

Sully scratched the dog’s head. “I saw them in the pet store today when I was getting him more food and I thought we could use them.”

Mac laughed. “See, pet? I told you he’d be okay with Bart.”

She couldn’t pull her gaze away from Sully’s grey eyes. “I love you so much.”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I love you, too.” He spanked her, once. “Why aren’t you naked?”

“Uh-oh,” Mac said from the bedroom doorway. He’d already stripped off his shirt. “I think you’re in trouble.”

She smiled. When she tried to stand, he pulled her back. “Missed you guys.”

“Missed you too, Master.”

He released her and did a mental countdown. One more week.

While she had talked to him several times for clarification about some of their terms, she’d expressed no desire to end or modify their relationship, except she constantly hinted at wishing the three months were up already.

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* * * *

Sully kissed Mac and Clarisse good-bye the next morning. “I need to run some errands,” he cryptically said. Mac had enough sense not to question him. Clarisse looked curious, but reined it in. He suspected she’d ask Mac for information as soon as he walked out the door.

In the Jag, Sully drove to a jeweler’s in Tarpon Springs before heading to Tad’s. He located Tad in a common room, arguing over a poker hand with a fellow resident.

When Tad spotted Sully, he raised his hand in greeting. “Probably a good thing you’re here. I’m about ready to break out the shootin’

irons on this varmint.”

“Fuck you, Moore,” the other elderly gent said.

Sully didn’t bother hiding his smile.

“Yeah, bet you’d like to fuck me more, Mickey.” He grabbed his crotch. “Go read your goddamned rule book and get back to me when you feel like playing honest.” He led Sully to his room.

“I thought you and Mickey were friends.”

Tad grinned. “Oh, we are. Same old bullshit every time. What’s up?” His face clouded. “Is Risse okay?”

“She’s fine.” Sully fought a bout of nerves. This plan seemed like a good and noble idea at the time, but now he wasn’t so sure. “I need to talk to you about something.”

Tad lowered himself to his sofa with a grunt. “Sure. What?”

Sully reached into his pocket and withdrew the ring box before he sat. He opened it and showed it to Tad.”

Tad smiled. “I love you, boy, but I’m not marryin’ you. Don’t think Mac would agree. Besides, you’re not my type and you’re too damn young for me.”

Sully laughed, then grew serious again. “I wanted to ask your permission to marry Clarisse.”

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Tad stared at him for a long moment. “Risse?”

“Yes, sir.”

The older man blew out a long, haggard breath. “What happened with you and Mac?”

Sully reddened. Now for the hard part. “Well, see, that’s the thing.

We both love her.”

“Only one of you can marry her.”

Sully nodded.

Tad stared at the ring. “Mac’s okay with this?”

“It was his idea.”

“Well, fuck me. No shit?”

“No shit.”

“But do you love her?”

“As much as I love Mac. We both love her. I promise we’ll take good care of her.”

“I have no doubt you will.” Tad’s face broke into a lopsided grin.

“So she gets a two-fer-one deal?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“She’s been kinda quiet on that topic lately. I was wondering what was going on.” He looked at the emerald and diamond ring. “It’s beautiful. Looks expensive.”

Sully closed the box and returned it to his pocket. “Yes.”

Tad smiled and stood. “Wait here.” He tottered into his bedroom and returned a moment later holding something. He handed it to Sully before he sat again. It was a beautiful engagement ring, rubies and diamonds in an antique setting. “That was my Karen’s ring,” he softly said. “I saved a long time to afford it.”

He held up his left hand, where he wore a wedding band on his left ring finger, and a more delicate mate to it on his pinky. “I’ll wear these until the day I die. Then Risse can have them and do what she wants with them. But I’d be honored if you’d give that one to her. I know Karen would have loved it.”

Sully slipped it into the ring box with the other for safe keeping.

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“I’m the one who’s honored.” He smiled. “So does that mean you’re okay with this?”

“Hell yeah, I’m okay with it. Means she won’t be gallavantin’ all over the place and end up with some abusive jerk.” He grinned.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be asking to move in and cramp y’all’s style.”