But on this rare occasion, they’d come before she would.

So Vance concentrated on his own pleasure.

Fuck, but he appreciated how Sally focused on him, trying to make it perfect for him.

“Heads-up,” Galen warned, and Vance pulled out and stepped back.

Galen rolled on a condom and pressed his cock to her tiny asshole. As he slowly worked his way in, Sally gritted her teeth…and Vance was grateful for the warning.

“In,” Galen said.

“All right.” Vance smiled down at their little sub. Flushed, sweat at her temples, eyes a little wild. “Open up, sweetheart. If you can finish me off in the next three minutes, Galen won’t feel the need to spank your ass.”

She tried. She really did, but despite her sucking and licking, Vance managed to hold out long enough for her to collect a half-dozen swats on her ass.

However, if he’d had to last any longer, his heart might have given out. She was astonishingly good at using her mouth.

With a low groan, he gripped her hair and came so intensely that the floor seemed to shake. She swallowed fast, and each contraction of her throat muscles made his dick spasm again. “Thank you, Sally,” he murmured. Her little tongue swirled around his cock as he gave a few more, purely indulgent thrusts. She was truly a sweetheart.

As Galen fucked her asshole, slowly increasing his pace, Vance moved to her side so he could tease her breasts. Her nipples were a dark red now, and when he flicked the clamps and ran his fingers around the edges, she kept trying to wiggle.

“Oh, I’m so close…” Her whine was absolutely beautiful.

Pulling his hand away from her clit, Galen stopped with his cock buried deep in her ass.

Vance stepped back as well…and grinned as she panted, fighting back her orgasm.

“That’s a very good girl,” Galen murmured, running his hands up and down her sides. After a minute, he started thrusting again, and Sally groaned as he sped up.

Vance pressed down on her back to increase her feeling of being restrained as his partner finished off with a low growl. Vance could see the contentment on Sally’s face—not from having come, but from having pleased Galen.

Vance stroked her hair. She fit with the two of them. Like with a construction set, two upright pieces might be tied together, but they’d fall. A three-dimensional one formed a stable tripod.

He and Galen needed her…and she needed them. “You did very, very well, sweetheart,” Vance said softly, meeting her gaze. “You were wonderful.”

HAPPINESS FILLED SALLY at his words, even as she closed her eyes, trying not to pant. God, she was so turned on that she might die. When Galen had been thrusting into her ass, she’d gotten way too close to coming. And he must have known, since he’d never returned to playing with her clit…which still pulsed with seething tension.

Vance started unstrapping her.

Galen returned from the bathroom and went down on one knee beside her right shoulder. She turned her head to look at him, wary of the amusement in his eyes. “Time to get these off, pet.”

These what? She stiffened when his fingers touched her breast. Loosened a clamp. Removed it.

Blood rushed back into the abused tissues with a long, flaring pain, which poured right down to her core, turning into hot, hot need. “Sadist,” she whispered around a moan.

“A bit of a one, ayuh.” Grinning, he rubbed her nipple gently.

Only, he really wasn’t. Not compared to Master Sam. After giving her an unhurried, wonderful kiss, he walked around and removed the other clamp. The pulse of pain made her toes curl, yet somehow felt as if someone was rubbing her clit, upping her arousal almost unbearably. Dammit, weren’t they ever going to let her come?

And yet, despite her painful need, it felt…right…to leave everything in their hands. She just had to do what they said. Take what they gave her.

God, she loved that yielding feeling.

“Here we go, sweetheart.” Vance lifted her off the sawhorse, dropped her on the king-size bed, and rolled her onto her back.

He didn’t do anything else. No kisses, no touching, no sex.

Want sex. She looked up at him, trying to beg silently.

“You know I’m a sucker for puppy-dog eyes,” he murmured, lying down beside her, “but you still have to tell us what you want. If you want to continue, say it, imp.”

Say it, say it, say it. She was so sick of hearing that. How could he be so mean to her? I want… Her eyes filled as she tried to say the words. Why was it harder when she was so…so needy?

He made a sound low in his throat and pulled her on top of him, hugging her closely. “Just ask, Sally. You know I want to give you what you need.”

A tear splattered on his chest as she heard her father whispering, like the echoes in a cave. “…always asking for things you don’t need.”

As a tremor shook her, Galen sat down beside her shoulder and turned her to his intent gaze. “Who are you hearing, Sally?”

“Father.”

“Ah. That’s a good baby girl for telling me,” he said. His thumb stroked her cheek.

Vance tightened his arms, and his heart was steady and sure under her ear. “He sure didn’t like you asking for things. What exactly did he say, pet? You’re hearing it—tell us now.”

She whispered his words, “‘Stupid, selfish girl. Always asking for stuff. Who will you kill this time, huh?’”

“He really is a son of a bitch,” Vance muttered. The words rumbled through the solid wall of muscle under her cheek. “Accidents happen, sweetheart,” Vance said, somehow shaking her without moving. “You aren’t in charge of the universe. And if you start playing the ‘if only’ game, you’ll never win. Listen: If only Sally hadn’t asked for a dress. If only your father had been generous enough to give you nice clothes so you didn’t need more. If only your mother had been paying more attention. If only the tires hadn’t been bald.”

She blinked. “How did you know about the tires?”

“Just guessed. He sounds like a tight-fisted bastard.”

Something inside her relaxed. Not much, but a little. They didn’t blame her. And Vance was still holding her.

Galen’s eyes were steady. Honest. “You are a beautiful, intelligent, sweet woman, Sally. If your father can’t see that, it’s his failing, because everyone else can. Wherever your mother is, I’m sure she’s very, very proud of you.”

Tears spilled over and ran down her face. “I-I…” The look on Galen’s hard face was more than affection, and the warmth emanating from him surrounded her heart. She rose up enough to look down at Vance, and his eyes held the same…caring.

Not love. Mustn’t love them.

I love them. She licked her lips, trying to find the words.

And Galen slid off the bed.

Moment lost. Her arms gave out, dropping her back down on Vance. With a sigh, she rubbed her cheek against the springy hair on his chest.

He didn’t speak, simply stroked her back, his hands sure and strong and comforting. Whatever happened in the world, this man would be as steady as the cliffs over the ocean, shedding the fury of a storm as if it were nothing.

Galen reappeared with a glass of water. “Sit up for a minute, pet.” He lifted her off Vance, helped her sit, and curled her fingers around the glass.

She sipped slowly, feeling more herself. Damn them for being so darned persistent with their emotion probing.

Behind her, Vance sat up, putting one hand behind her back. He reached around with his other hand to play with her breasts.

Her sore nipples peaked immediately, sending a buzz of hunger straight to her clit. She wiggled and pushed his hand away.

Galen gripped her chin. “What are you doing?”

Oh God. Her bones turned to pudding under his level, merciless gaze. “Sorry, Sir.”

“Good answer,” Vance said and took advantage of her immobility by using both hands, cupping her breasts, warming them for a moment, kneading gently before pinching her nipples, sending her remorselessly back into need.

Galen didn’t release her, simply held her gaze, a slight smile on his face. And the intensity of his attention, the way he secured her with both physical and invisible bonds for his partner’s pleasure was the most erotic sensation she’d ever felt.

When Vance ran his hand down her stomach, she knew she was even wetter than she had been before. Her back arched the second he touched her throbbing, swollen clit.

A tiny touch. Another. God, if—

He removed his hand.

She made a sound.

“That’s right. You have to ask us to continue, remember? Otherwise, we’ll go watch television,” Galen said gently, but she heard the unrelenting tone. They’d hold her and comfort her…yet make her do what they wanted.

“C’mon, sweetie. Let’s hear it.” Vance’s chest pressed against her from behind, his voice a grumble in her ear.

“I need—”No, not like that. “Will you—” Her father’s voice echoed inside her.

“My voice. Vance’s voice.” Galen squeezed her chin, the bite of pain snapping the ties of the past. “That’s all you hear. Clear?”

“Yes, Sir,” came out automatically, but the past had gone. Maybe all that homework had helped because once she started, the words came readily enough. “Can we continue? Please?”