“Huh?”
Tilly’s smile widened. “This is super-secret stuff, baby. I have a certain someone who promised to give Laurel private guitar lessons in exchange for me doing them a very large favor, and they’re going to come by my house first for a while before they go to the main party. That’s something you won’t get to see at the main party.”
Tilly took a bite of her breadstick. “Everyone’s going to be sooo jelly when they find that out, because I asked the person to tell everyone when they go to the main party after they’re done at ours with the kids.”
“Huh?” Then Loren’s eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Holy fucking shi-smokeballs,” she muttered. “You’re kidding?”
“Language, Auntie Loren.” She grinned. “And do I look like I’m kidding?” She reached over and adjusted the blanket tucked around a sleeping KC in her carrier on the seat next to her in the booth. “It’s going to be amazing. Besides, unless you want to be responsible for me converting them all into little terrors by showing the original Batman to them—”
“Tilly! We already discussed that. I swear, I’m going to take that DVD away from you. Most of them are way too young to see that! You never should have shown it to Laurel!”
“Not like I showed her Suicide Squad.”
“I swear, you need a responsible adult to watch you sometimes. An adultier adult than you.”
Tilly poked her in the shoulder. “And that’s you, bestie. Lucky bit-uh, lucky boo.”
Loren rolled her eyes. “If KC’s first full sentence doesn’t contain the words s-h-i-t or b-i-t-c-h, I’ll be shocked.”
“You forgot f-u-c-k.”
Loren pointed at her. “Or that.”
* * * *
With lunch over, they took Tilly’s minivan to a big-box discount store and started working on Tilly’s shopping list.
“So, who’s RSVP’d to Aunt Tilly’s Junior Terrorist in Training Camp Valentine’s Day Massacre Party so far?”
Tilly flipped her a bird. “We’ll be fine.” She started listing kids and adult helpers.
So far, including KC, they would have thirteen kids at the house for the party, ranging in age from the oldest at fourteen years, jumping down to Laurel, who was nearly nine, several toddlers and babies, and a few scattered mixed ages.
While the ratios of kids to adults looked pretty good, Tilly wasn’t fooled. They could outnumber the kids four to one and still be outnumbered.
They were kids.
In the adult category, besides herself, Loren, Landry, and Cris, they’d also have Susan. She was pregnant and not feeling up to playing, and the fourteen-year-old boy was her stepson, Darryl’s son Kyle. Darryl and Grant would be playing at the adult party. Plus, for a little while, they’d have Mevi and Doyle, while Mevi gave Laurel her first guitar lesson. That would also probably impress Kyle, or so Tilly hoped, since Susan said Mevi was his favorite musician. And Kyle could help wrangle the littler kids.
June had also volunteered to help out. An experienced mom of two grown girls, and a former kids’ gymnastics teacher, she shouldn’t have any troubles. Her husband, Scrye, had pulled his back and she’d forbidden him from rigging. But she’d given him her blessings to go to the party and help advise others on their rigging or act as a spotter.
Kel’s wife, Mal, was pregnant, but she’d be watching the phones at the adult party. And Noel, one of the moms, had said after she played with her two guys that she would come over and help out so her men could play with each other.
Eliza was their ace in the hole. She’d volunteered herself and husband Rusty to help at the start of the evening, playing with the kids outside and showing them some SCA battle stuff—with kid-safe weaponry. That would allow the kids to wear themselves out and burn off excess energy. As the mother of an adult woman who’d also participated in those kinds of events as a kid, Eliza knew a few things. Rusty would also help as needed, although they were hoping for some adult playtime later at the other party, if possible.
“Right now, you just have a couple of overnights, right?” Loren asked. They were both pushing carts, with KC asleep in her carrier in Tilly’s.
“Laurel and Kenny. But they’ve stayed over lots of times. And Lily, but she’s two. Sully, Mac, and Clarisse are going to spend the night at Leigh’s, so their four will spend the night with us. They offered to go to a hotel, but Leigh insisted they take the pool house so they can have adult fun of their own without the drive. And that puts them two minutes away, too. They’re all going to do brunch together at Leigh’s after they get the kids.”
“Weren’t you invited?”
“Uh, yeah, but I’m going to want to sleep in. I’m thinking of sending KC home with them for the morning so we can have some adult time during the day. Leigh already offered to take her.”
“I’m surprised Ross didn’t mind losing me for the evening,” Loren said as they stopped in the arts and crafts aisle to get some items from Tilly’s list.
“I might have guilt-tripped him a little,” Tilly admitted with a sneaky smile. “I told him that any woman willing to put up with what you’ve put up with from him over the years deserves a little bestie and kidlet time.”
Loren smiled. “I do have fun with the kids.”
Tilly didn’t miss how she blinked a little more quickly than usual before turning and wiping at her eyes.
“I reminded him of that, too,” Tilly quietly said.
Loren hugged her. “Thanks.” She sniffled, showing a forced smile that didn’t fool Tilly in the least.
“And, hey, once they all conk out for the evening, if you wanted to go over there and play, have at it. We’ll have plenty of coverage.”
“Maybe.”
“I would hide the Christmas tree from him, though.”
Loren snickered. “I should hide his whole dang toybag from him.”
“Or at least his markers.” Tilly held up a multi-colored pack of them.
Loren scowled. “Nope. Red. Hard limit. You know that.”
“Aww.” Tilly stared at them. “Maybe I could talk Landry into letting me use them on Cris.”
“Just remember that when he’s in Top mode next time.”
“Eh, true.” Tilly put them back. “Never mind. Rule one of being a switch, don’t do it if you don’t like it or can’t tolerate it.”
“Self-regulation?”
“You betcha. How else do you think we keep from killing each other?”
* * * *
When they returned home, Cris walked out to help them unload. “How’d we do?”
“Pretty good,” Tilly said. “Susan said Kyle’s pretty laid back and if he’s not into anything on TV, he can entertain himself with his iPad or something.”
“He should love the stuff with Eliza and Rusty, then.” He reached for a bag out of the back hatch.
“Or Mevi.” She grinned.
He glanced at Loren. “She have security clearance?”
Tilly laughed. “Yep. Of course she does. She’s one of the elves.”
Cris smiled as he shook his head. “I can’t believe we’re holding a kids party, and we’re actually at the cool party when compared to a kinky party with naked people and orgasms.”
Tilly got KC out of her car seat. “I heard that. Oh…wow. That’s a mighty stench from a little girl. I’m going to go change her.” She headed for the house, do not pass go, do not wait.
Loren helped Cris unload the minivan.
“You all right?” he asked. He knew she and Ross had wanted kids but something had happened to her years ago, along the lines of what Tilly had endured, that had made it impossible. He didn’t know the details—didn’t want to know them—but the emotional fallout was the same.
“Yeah, I’ll be okay. I’m actually looking forward to this.” They carried the first load into the house.
“I appreciate you helping out.”
“Yeah, well, considering I apparently need to have a discussion with Sir Sadistic Fuck about n
ot multi-purposing Christmas trees as dildos, maybe I’m safer at the kids’ party.”
He grinned. “Mevi. Fucking. Maynard.”
Loren sighed. “Yeah. That. I love their stuff. I can’t believe he’s going to be your damn neighbor.”
“Right across the road. Landry hooked them up with the architect who designed ours, and they’ll use the same contractor.”
They set everything down in the living room and headed out for another load.
“I sometimes start to feel sorry for myself,” she said as they grabbed shopping bags. “Then I think about how Karma seems to have leveled the playing field and helped balanced things out. Like you guys. Look at this. This is amazing.”
“And just think, a few short years ago, you wanted to kill me.”
She grinned. “Yep.” She poked him in the stomach. “And now if I want you to get beaten, I just sweet-talk Landry.” She grinned, making him laugh.
“And it’s not like it takes a lot to make that happen. Gee, ask a sadist to beat his slave. Surrrre.”
“In all seriousness, you did good.” She hugged him. “Not happy about why and how you left, but you can’t undo that. You’re back on my good side.”
“And Ross’?”
“Yeah, his, too.” She stared at the pile of shopping bags. “And as much as the circumstances sucked, you indirectly made Tilly’s dreams come true.”
They stood there for a silent moment, trying not to think about the urn on the shelf in the living room. Cris had found a picture of him and Sofia together at his high school graduation and framed it, setting it next to the urn. At least it’d be one picture of her for when KC was older.
He handed Loren some bags. “I just wish it hadn’t come at such a high cost.”
* * * *
Tilly was curled up on the sofa, watching KC playing with an activity mat on the floor while Tilly worked on her iPad. Not even work-work for the movie production company, because she was going over her to-do list for the kids party.
Yeah, Aunt Tilly mode fully engaged.
Landry walked in, smiling as he got down on the floor with their daughter and started playing with her. Tilly couldn’t help but put the iPad down to watch.
Her daughter would have such a different childhood than she’d had. Two loving, protective fathers who were omnipresent in her life, no worries about finances, and an ever-growing extended family of friends who were even better than blood relations.
Landry rolled onto his side, his head propped on one arm. “Why the smile, love?”
“Nothing.”
“That doesn’t look like a ‘nothing’ kind of smile.”
“Just thinking about stuff.”
“What kind of stuff, hmm?”
“Luck. Fate. Karma.”
He sat up and crooked a finger at her.
She couldn’t resist him even if she wanted to. Setting the iPad aside, she got down on the floor with him and KC. KC was already yawning and would probably be down for the night soon. Tilly settled next to him, reaching out and playing with their daughter.
“What’s Cris doing?” Tilly asked.
“Phone call. Client emergency. Sorry, love.”
“Hey, it’s work.” She tipped her head back to get a quick kiss from him. “Love you.”
One corner of his mouth curved up in a sexy smirk. “Love you, too, my dear. How much do you need?”
She poked him as he chuckled. “Meanie. Here I was, trying to be nice.”
He draped an arm around her, pulling her close. “You know I was teasing.”
KC closed her eyes, head drooping and finally resting on her arm. In another minute, she was softly snoring.
“Our miracle,” he whispered, nuzzling the back of Tilly’s neck.
“She is, isn’t she?”
“I meant you, love.”
She looked over her shoulder at him again. “How much?” Then she grinned.
“Why is it every time I try to have a moment with you, you deflect.”
She shrugged.
He nuzzled the back of her neck again. “I honestly had no idea what happiness was before you. I thought I did. I had a clear idea in my mind what it was, what it should be. And it turns out I didn’t. Until you. And now her. Please don’t make light of that. You are my miracle. You and Cris both. And her, of course.”
She snuggled even more tightly against him. In a few minutes, it’d be safe to move KC to her room, but if she tried it right now, the little one would wake up.
Content, Tilly lay there, nestled in her husband’s arms as they watched their daughter sleep.
* * * *
Once the baby was soundly asleep, Landry and Tilly put her to bed and retreated to their bedroom, not disturbing Cris in the office. They had a baby monitor so if KC awakened they could hear her.
Meanwhile, Landry had ideas, and it didn’t take Tilly long to see that.
Before she could climb into the bed, he bent her over the edge of it, one hand firmly planted between her shoulders, the other between her legs and fingering her.
And he played dirty—he switched to speaking French.
“Love, get ready for me.”
Tilly squirmed on the bed, helpless to fight him. Oh, she knew he’d stop if she demanded it, or safeworded…but she didn’t want to.
His fingers slowly explored and teased, sliding into her pussy and dipping into her slick juices, sliding along her clit, circling, back around again. She ground her hips against his hand, wanting more and knowing the hotter he got her, the less likely he was to let her come until he was ready to.
He leaned in and bit the back of her shoulders, across, again, hard bites she knew would leave teeth marks still visible tomorrow morning when she looked in the mirror. As he spun her down into subspace, she closed her eyes and let go, enjoying this freedom. In a few weeks, she’d have to go back to LA for nearly a month. The men would join her out there periodically, but it would mean none of this for a while.
At some point, she was vaguely aware of their bedroom door opening and Cris entering. As soon as Landry spoke to him in French, bringing him in to co-Top her, not as Landry’s slave, she realized she was about to be doubly screwed.
Literally.
Landry pulled her up and completely onto the bed with him, sinking his cock into her pussy and making her moan.
“Such a good girl for us,” he softly whispered before pulling her in for a kiss, holding her still.
Waiting.
Damn this French Dom.
She’d been with them so long it wasn’t even the words anymore so much as it was the damn language. One night in LA, they’d gone to a French restaurant and the men spoke nothing but French, refusing to speak to Tilly unless she did, too. They knew damn well she was squirming and horny by the time they finished dessert and Landry called for the check.
Then they’d taken her home and, once KC was put to bed, fucked Tilly’s brains out all night.
Early on, the triggers alone, in French, were what did it.
The sneaky bastards had taken great pleasure in increasing the conditioning, broadening its reach.
And Landry was scheduled to travel with her to Paris in June for a movie premier.
Plus, they were all speaking to KC in French as well as English, wanting her to be fluent in the language as she grew up.
I’m fucked.
When the mattress dipped behind her, she knew what was going to happen and arched her back to hike her hips for it.
“Good girl,” Cris said. She felt his fingers start to lube her ass and she moaned into Landry’s mouth while Cris quickly worked up to two fingers scissoring inside her.
Landry’s fist in her hair forced her head up, breaking the kiss.
“Don’t come yet, love,” he ordered. “Let Cris get his cock in there first.”
When his fingers disappeared, they were quickly replaced by Cris’ condom-sheathed cock, easily sliding in.
She let out a loud, needy moan and fo
rced herself to hold still as the deliciously sweet burn of men’s cocks filling and stretching her quickly turned to pleasure, firing her need.
If she squirmed, Landry would only tease her harder, make her wait longer.
Cris stroked her back, his hands settling on her waist as he took a long, slow stroke inside her before burying his cock to the balls in her ass, pausing, and then taking another one.
She couldn’t hold back her moan.
Landry’s intense green gaze stared up at her. “I feel his cock fucking you, love. That nice, big cock of his in your ass. I can feel how good it is. Tell us what you want.”
“Please let me come, Sir.”
In the beginning, he’d agreed not to “Dom” her unless she asked. Now, she didn’t need to ask. He had a spookily accurate sense about her and her needs. In the rare instances he misjudged, she simply said not now, and he backed off.
Those times were rare, indeed. He had completely earned her trust in all ways, and Cris had re-earned hers.
These two men were the only ones who ever got to see her truly stripped of all mental and emotional armor. Landry even more than Cris.
“Beg us for it, love. I am not convinced you really want it.”
“Sir, please let me come! I need to come on your cocks!”
He loosened his grip on her a little so she could start moving, start rocking, start fucking back against Cris. It meant she could finally get traction against her aching, swollen clit.
“If you do not come before I do, love,” Landry warned, “then you shall have to wait until morning.”
Tilly frantically started moving, grinding, Cris’ grip tightening on her waist as he plowed her ass and she fucked herself onto Landry’s cock.
Then Cris helped her out. Leaning in, he whispered, “Redbird, prepare for us.”
She felt her release trying to start, the tingles already growing, condensing into a tight, tense mass of need focused on her clit. “Please let me come, Sir!”
“Come now, Redbird.”
As her body obeyed the deeply ingrained trigger, she let out a cry and below her, Landry started fucking his cock up into her. Now helpless to do anything but let the pleasure wash through her, she gave in as her men took over and fucked her, quickly adding their individual groans of satisfaction to Tilly’s.