Beat of Their Own Drum, page 20
“I understood. I just thought things would end after two months.”
“Do you want things to end so soon?” The thought of losing it all when I’ve only just gained it is enough to make my stomach clench.
“No, Sir,” he answers quickly. “I thought I did, but now…I don’t want it to end unless we all agree it’s not working.”
“Me too, brat. Now, let’s go talk to your Daddy.”
I take his hand, and we go in search of Archer.
Archer
Soft footfalls entering the living room draw my attention from my book. I look up to see Jude shuffling his feet in the doorway like he can’t decide if he should bother me or not.
My heart leaps just to see him standing there, rather than turning tail and running at the mere sight of me. With the way he avoided me for days, I wasn’t sure what to expect after yesterday.
“Hey, sweet boy. Why don’t you come in and sit down.” I set aside my book and pat the cushion beside me, holding my breath as he shuffles his feet again, trying to decide if he wants to come in or not.
To my relief, he takes a step toward the couch, and it seems that we both let out a long exhale at the gesture. With the choice seemingly made, Jude’s uncertain expression turns into a cautious smile, and he hurries the rest of the way to the couch to sit down beside me. Bennett isn’t far behind him, but he takes a spot in one of the chairs, seeming to want to give us space.
“Bennett said I should come talk to you.”
I frown. “Is that the only reason you’re here? Because Ben told you to come?”
“No.” He shakes his head quickly, looking horrified by my assumption. “I wanted to come talk to you.”
“And what do you want to talk about?”
“The daddy stuff.” He bites his bottom lip and looks at me with so much insecurity it breaks my heart.
“Can I be honest with you?” I ask, running my fingers through Jude’s hair and loving the way he leans in to my touch with a contented sigh. I wrap my free arm around him and drag him closer until his back is plastered to my chest. Jude leans his head back so it rests on my shoulder.
“Always, please,” he replies.
“I’m not sure I know how to be a daddy. I know your whole thing with Bennett is all about being able to relax and let him take control, and I want to be that for you too. But I’m not sure I know how.”
“I don’t really know what it means either,” Jude admits, a hint of relief in his eyes as he looks up at me. “I think you’re already doing it though, when you make sure I eat right and take care of me. Maybe we can sort of figure it out together?”
“And ask Bennett lots of questions?” I suggest, and Jude chuckles, nodding his head against my shoulder.
“Definitely ask Bennett lots of questions.”
With the issue seemingly resolved and a course of action decided on, Jude scoots even closer until he’s fully plastered against me, his face buried in the crook of my neck and my arms tight around him.
“My sweet boy, you need affection, don’t you?” I brush a kiss against the top of his head.
He makes a small noise of protest in the back of his throat, presumably to argue against my assessment of his need to touch and be held.
“Don’t bother to sass me, I’ll have to tell Bennett, and you know how he feels about backtalk,” I tease a warning. Jude groans in agreement and squirms, leaving no doubt how he feels about the punishments Ben doles out.
“Daddy?” he asks, tilting his head again so he’s looking up at me. The word does a funny thing to my insides or maybe it’s the vulnerability in his voice when he says it.
“Yes, sweet boy?”
“Can you kiss me?”
“That I can definitely do,” I agree, taking his chin between my thumb and forefinger and pressing my lips to his.
The kiss is gentle and chaste at first, little more than a taste. Jude’s lips tremble against mine, his fingers twisting into the front of my shirt as if he’s afraid I’ll try to escape if he doesn’t hang on tight. I part my lips, deepening the kiss and tangling my fingers in his hair.
The feeling of Jude’s smaller body in my arms wakes up something deep inside me—something needy and protective, something I’m not sure I’ll be able to put back to sleep now that it’s roaring deep in my chest.
I gather Jude even closer, pulling him onto my lap and brushing my tongue along the seam of his lips. The tip of his tongue meets mine in a teasing flicker, coaxing me into his mouth.
His needy whimpers vibrate against my tongue as it slides against his, hot and wet and hungry. He squirms in my lap, dragging his erection against mine through our pants. I place my free hand on his lower back, coaxing his movements while learning the topography of the inside of his mouth.
“Wait,” he gasps, wrenching his lips away from mine.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my voice sounding rough even to my own ears.
“I don’t…um…I don’t know the rules.”
“What rules?”
“I’m not allowed to come without Bennett’s permission, but does that count with you too?”
“Your daddy and I will have to have a chat to work those things out so it’s not confusing for you,” Bennett says, drawing our attention to where he’s been sitting the entire time.
“Yes, we’ll talk,” I agree. “Why don’t we table this for the moment, because it’s past time I started dinner,” I say, giving Jude’s hips a quick squeeze before easing him off my lap.
“Can I help?” he asks.
“I would love that.” I brush a kiss to his forehead and then stand up and tug him along with me.
Bennett
Archie and Jude move around the kitchen with an air of lightness. The tension in my shoulders I’ve carried for years eases, and I smile. It’s all falling into place—Archer, the man I’ve loved for half my life, and Jude my bratty, addicting sub finally willing to explore this thing between us. Finally ready to be mine.
I loop my arms around Archie’s waist and kiss the back of his neck. He tenses momentarily.
“I’m sorry; should I not have done that?” I whisper against his skin, feeling insecure in a way I haven’t felt in nearly two decades.
“No, I just didn’t expect it,” he says. “It was nice.”
“Can we talk later?”
“I think that’s a good idea,” he agrees. I pull my arms away, my heart beating heavy against my ribs, reminding me of all the ways this could still go sideways. “Ben, don’t look so worried. We need to get on the same page, that’s all.”
I let out a relieved breath and then press my lips to his in one last kiss before taking a seat at the table to stay out of their way.
“Sir,” Jude says, coming to sit next to me once he’s finished with the cooking task Archie gave him.
“What’s up, brat?”
“You’re different with Archer,” he says conversationally.
“What do you mean?”
He shrugs one shoulder. “You’re sweet to him. I just wanted to tell you I like it. Archer needs someone to be sweet to him like that.”
“Archie always had a certain way of getting past my defenses,” I agree. “It doesn’t mean I like you any less than I like him, just because I don’t go easy on you.”
“I know, Sir,” he assures me with a smile. “Don’t worry, I like it when you’re hard on me.”
“You’re asking for trouble with a mouth like that, brat,” I warn, my cock thickening against my leg.
“I don’t mind a little trouble, Sir.”
“Come here,” I crook my finger, and Jude jumps up obediently, moving from his chair to his knees on the floor in front of me.
“Good boy,” I praise, tilting his chin up for a hard kiss, nipping at his lips and then soothing the sting with my tongue.
“Dinner’s ready,” Archer announces, and I pull away from the kiss.
“Set the table,” I instruct him, and he gets to his feet to obey.
Once the table is set, we all sit down to eat together.
“I want to go to my mom’s grave,” Jude blurts in the middle of the meal.
Archer and I both still for a moment, sharing a look before Archer reaches over and puts his hand on Jude’s.
“Anything you want, sweet boy. I have to fly to New York in two weeks to meet with Lincoln. What if I meet with you and Bennett in Ohio on my way back? Or do you want to come to New York too?”
“Meet in Ohio,” Jude decides.
“Okay, then that’s what we’ll do.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I think it’ll help me get closure.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Bennett and I will be by your side the whole time; you don’t have to do it alone.”
Track 33: Side A
Use Me
Archer
I’m reading the book Bennett suggested to me, when a glass of amber liquid appears in front of me. I set the book down and tilt my head to find Bennett standing over me with a smirk.
“Macallan, neat,” he says as I take the glass from him.
“Year?”
“It’s a thirty year.”
“Ben.” I say his name with as much scolding as I can manage. “This is a three-thousand-dollar bottle of scotch.”
“Yeah, and we both make mid-six figures, and our boyfriend makes millions; I think we can swing it.”
“Still,” I grumble.
“Stop complaining and just drink,” he commands, and I almost want to pour the drink out just for the sake of the argument, but it is a great scotch, so instead I do as he says.
“So…”
“So,” he repeats, settling in beside me and putting an arm over the back of the couch, using his other hand to sip his own drink.
I decide since I’m the one who has always been weird about Bennett’s kinks, I owe it to him to start the ball rolling.
“I’m sorry I never understood before about the whole D/s thing. It’s obviously had an extremely positive impact on Jude, and I don’t want to get in the way of that at all,” I assure him. “If your rule is that Jude can only come when you say so, then I’ll stick to that…unless I’m in the mood to piss you off that day,” I offer with a teasing smirk.
“You’re going to make it your mission to get under my skin, aren’t you?”
“Would I be me if I didn’t?”
“No,” he agrees. “I’ll go over Jude’s rules with you so we’re on the same page,” he offers.
“That sounds good.”
“When we broke up sixteen years ago, you told me you couldn’t stand the thought of bringing another man into our bed. Are you positive this is what you want now? Because, I have to be honest with you, I think it might kill me to think you’re all in and then watch you walk away again.”
I lean into the heat of his body and consider the question for a few seconds.
“If it was anyone other than Jude, I don’t think we’d even be having this conversation,” I answer. “A three-way relationship isn’t something I ever considered, and in general, it doesn’t appeal to me. But it’s you…and it’s him. I…”
“You’re in love with him?” Ben guesses.
“I think I could be. I didn’t realize before, but I think I’ve been fighting my feelings for him since we met. He was just so young, and then he started getting into trouble and between trying to keep him and Lincoln out of the hospital or the morgue, I didn’t have time to even consider…”
“It’s time you start thinking of yourself a little more, Archie.”
I sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder. “I know. I’m no good to anyone else if I don’t take care of myself a little better.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re taken care of,” he promises with a glint in his eyes.
“Save that shit for Jude; it’s still not going to fly with me, that I can promise you.”
“Oh yeah?” His voice takes on a low growl that sends a shiver down my spine and makes my cock swell.
“Yeah,” I reply in an equally husky tone. “Care to test me?”
“I really do.”
He fists a handful of my hair and jerks my head forward into a rough kiss. A familiar defiance blooms in my chest, but for once, I see it for what it is…part of the game. I growl against his lips, giving as good as I get, nipping and returning the bruising kiss without yielding. I twist the front of his shirt in my free hand, some vague part of my mind realizing I need to set my drink down. I give his chest a hard shove, and he wrenches his lips away from mine, chest heaving and pupils blown wide.
“Drinks,” I murmur as an explanation before setting mine down on the coffee table and then reaching for his to do the same.
“Let’s go to bed, Archie.” Ben rises from the couch, offering me a hand.
“What about Jude?”
“Jude is fine. He’s asleep and has been informed that if I have my way, I’ll be fucking you until you can’t walk right tomorrow.”
I hesitate. It doesn’t feel right without Jude. It’s crazy to think that seeing that Bennett and I were together when Jude was only a child, but we’re not complete without him.
Ben smiles indulgently, clearly sensing the direction of my thoughts.
“Why don’t we go to the brat’s room instead?” he suggests, and I nod eagerly, finally taking his hand and letting him lead me down the hall to Jude’s bedroom.
My nerves make me jittery as Ben raps lightly at Jude’s door. You’d think I was some kind of blushing virgin the way my stomach is fluttering, and my hands are sweating.
The door swings open, and Jude stands there in nothing but a pair of green boxers, his erection tending the front of them, and his skin slightly flushed. Ben narrows his eyes at our boy, and another shiver of excitement goes through me.
“What were you doing?” Ben asks suspiciously, and Jude’s eyes go wide, guilt written all over his face.
“Sleeping?”
“Brat.” The word drips with warning.
“Touching myself,” Jude admits in a near whisper.
“Jerking off wasn’t on your schedule, brat. And I’m assuming you weren’t planning to come since I know you know that’s against the rules, right?”
“Yes?” The questioning tone of his answer gives away the lie..
“Oh, brat, you are in so much trouble.”
Even through the fabric of his boxers, I can see Jude’s cock jerk, a wet spot forming as precum leaks from his slit. I squeeze Ben’s hand, my own cock throbbing with excitement.
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you and Daddy together; it made me so horny.” Jude reaches for his cock, stopping at the last second when Ben makes a noise of displeasure in the back of his throat.
He trembles as Ben leans close to whisper something in his ear, and I think I tremble too. I’m not sure what Ben tells him, but in an instant, his boxers are around his feet, and Ben’s hand is around Jude’s red, swollen cock.
“Sir,” Jude moans, putting his hands against Ben’s chest and rising up onto his toes as Ben jerks him roughly.
“You broke the rules, brat, which means you have to be punished. Is that fair?”
“Yes, Sir,” Jude agrees in a whiny voice.
“Your punishment is that Archie and I are going to play with you tonight, but you’re not allowed to come. If you’re a good boy, you can come in the morning,” Ben tells him, and I’m not sure if it’s Jude or me who whimpers louder. “And if you’re bad, I’m going to cage your cock again, and you won’t get to come for a week. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” he says again, this time breathlessly.
“Ready to have some fun with our boy, Archie?”
Jude
My cock throbs, and I’m struck with the realization that it’s highly unlikely I’ll be able to keep myself from coming with both Archer and Bennett playing with me. I’ll be able to survive a week in a cock cage, right? But, I so want to be good and do what Bennett says.
“I’m going to grab something from my room. You two go ahead and get started, but I swear to god, Archie, if you ignore my rule and let him come, I will find a way to punish you,” Bennett warns with a wicked glint in his eyes.
“You know that only makes me want to do it more, right?” Archer says dryly.
“Then it’s a good thing for you that Jude wants to behave, otherwise you’d both end up in trouble.”
Bennett disappears down the hall, and Archer puts his arms around my waist, backing me into the room with a dangerous grin.
“I bet I could make you cum before he even gets back.”
“Daddy,” I whine, not sure if it’s a plea for him to have mercy on me or to hurry up and make me come.
Archer puts his hands on my back, dragging them down to cup my ass while he flicks his tongue against my lips teasingly.
“Or…” he says.
“Or?” I ask, already embarrassingly breathless as I try not to hump my hard cock against his leg.
“Or, I could do something I’ve been thinking about for over a week.”
“Okay, yeah, let’s do that,” I agree.
“You don’t even want to know what it is first?” Archer chuckles.
“Nope, I’m yours to do whatever you want to,” I assure him. “Oh, but my safe word is red, in case it comes up.”
“I don’t think this is the kind of thing that requires a safe word, but good to know.” He gives my ass cheeks one more squeeze before releasing me. “Hands and knees on the bed.”
His command is much gentler than any of Bennett’s, but it doesn’t fail to make me just as hot. I hurry over to the bed, getting into position.
When the bed dips under Archer’s weight, my nerves start to get the better of me.
“Um, Daddy?”
“Yes, sweet boy?”
“I’ve never, um…I haven’t ever bottomed before. So, just, go slow if that’s what the plan is,” I warn.
“You haven’t? Not even with Ben?”
“No, we’ve done other stuff but not that. I want to; I just thought you should know.”
