Chapter 12

Bridger could feel the tension in the room, and he had no idea what to do to dissipate it. Summer was wound tight, and he could see the war behind her eyes. Considering how difficult it had been for her to use the toilet alone, he could only imagine how frazzled she was at the prospect of bathing.

There were holes all over her story. Answers he desperately wanted. Obviously, she'd had showers. Obviously, men had bathed her. How the hell had that happened while all those men kept their cocks in their pants?

She wasn't ready to share yet. How could she be? She was still raw and confused. He couldn't blame her, and there was no reason to pressure her. She would share more when she was ready.

Or maybe she would never share everything with them. She was under no obligation to do so. She needed counseling. She needed medical treatment. She could have any number of medical issues they didn't know about after having spent that long in captivity eating fucking gruel.

Maybe she'd agree to let a doctor come here and at least check her out physically, though he doubted anything dire was ailing her. She was slightly underweight, but other than that, she seemed relatively healthy. The same man who had everyone groomed before they were transferred to their owners had to have at least fed them enough to keep them healthy. He couldn't have sold emaciated women. No one would have bought them.

She shifted her weight under the water. "Would you do anything for me? Even if it sounds preposterous?"

"Within reason," Colter responded. "I can't get an elephant into the penthouse with ease this morning," he teased.

That brought a smile to her face. God, she was fucking pretty when she smiled. "You might think my request is weirder than that but not as untenable."

"Tell us," Bridger encouraged.

"Wash me," she blurted.

Bridger flinched. He saw Colter do the same next to him where he'd remained after turning the water back on.

Colter reached down to turn it off. "That's so… We don't want you to feel even more violated, honey."

She licked her lips. "I broke a rule once." She shook her head. "I broke a lot of rules, and I spent a lot of time being punished in ways that would make you punch a hole so hard through the wall of this bathroom your fist would go all the way through the other side."

Bridger continued to toy with her hair. It grounded him.

"But one time, I broke the most important rule like it was a cardinal sin."

"What rule was that, honey?" Colter asked as he sat on the edge of the tub, his knees hitting Bridger's.

"I came." Her face turned bright red. "We weren't allowed to orgasm. Ever. But I did. I couldn't stop it. It was the most humiliating experience of my life. Men I did not know were fondling my body against my will. I was blindfolded. My arms were restrained over my head. I was nearly on my toes but also trying to keep my thighs spread wide as I was instructed."

Her face scrunched as she clearly relived the moment behind her closed eyes. "Too many people were touching me. It was so crude and unnatural and disgusting. Men had been walking by me and touching my nipples and the outer lips of my pussy for hours."

Colter dropped a hand into the water and set his palm on her shin.

Summer seemed to calm some from the contact.

"They spread a stimulant on my nipples and my clit. They liked to watch us writhe and moan. It was a game. There is no way to describe how humiliating it is to get aroused by the hands of someone you'd rather stab through the eye."

"Baby…I'm so sorry." Bridger could barely choke out those words. He did feel like punching through both sides of the drywall. She was right.

He'd never been a violent man, but he wanted to hunt those men down, cut off their dicks, and watch them bleed out.

Summer told this story matter-of-factly as if she were talking about a day she'd lost a library book at the park. She was so hardened. She drew in a breath and continued, head tipped back, eyes closed. "They pushed me too far. I wanted to tell them to stop, but I knew that would only make things worse. We weren't permitted to speak out of turn. Ever."

She was breathing heavily and seemed to be pondering the wisdom of sharing this story. "I snapped. I stopped caring. I was thirsty and tired. My arms were killing me because I kept dancing around every time someone touched my pussy. I didn't have enough slack. I knew exactly what I could do to get relief."

Bridger held his breath. Jesus. He knew where this was going. He glanced at Colter, who looked horrified and unable to school his face.

"I gave it up and came. For about three seconds, I experienced nirvana. It was the biggest mistake of my life, and I wouldn't recommend that anyone in Master J's possession disobey that rule, but for three seconds, I had something I'd never experienced before."

She lifted her head and looked at them. "That was almost a year ago. Afterward, after my punishment, when I returned to the house to resume my training, I had those three seconds always in my mind. I could replay them over and over again. It was maddening, and I've wished it had never happened for a lot of reasons, but mostly because if you've never had chocolate, you don't know what you're missing. Once you've eaten it, your mouth waters all the time for another bite."

She was so damn insightful, and part of Bridger wanted to drop to his knees and sob. He was beginning to realize that even though she was damaged in unimaginable ways, she was not actually broken as he'd previously thought. She was the strongest fucking woman he'd ever met.

Long, thick, heavy seconds ticked by, weighing down the room.

When her soft voice broke the silence, it was to say, "Wash me. Replace the gross hands of my trainers with kindness and caring. And for the love of God, please make me come. Maybe someday I'll be able to masturbate and do it myself, but right now, the thought of touching myself brings horrifying thoughts to my mind. If you do it…" She swallowed. "If you do it, I won't have as much internal responsibility."

Colter's breath hitched.

Bridger stared at Summer. He'd seen that coming. It had been obvious, but it was still shocking to hear it said out loud.

She shook her head. "Don't ponder the morality of my request. Please just do this for me. I promise when I ask for an elephant, I won't make you bring it up in the elevator."

Colter smirked. "It seems like it would be far more ethical to steal the elephant and drag it into the elevator than to violate you."

She shook her head. "You won't be violating me. I'm asking you to touch me. I'm asking you to replace my hell with a different kind of memory. I know it's a huge request. I know I'll probably always be sexually dysfunctional, but you asked what I needed. I need to come and be permitted to enjoy every second of it."

Bridger stared at her with uncertainty. Any sane human would tell them not to accept this request.

She looked directly at him. "I thought about what you would be like often while I was in training. I always pictured you as older, fat, and gross. Instead, you showed up last night, and you didn't come alone. You brought another man with you. Even in those first few moments before I truly saw either of you, I breathed a little easier. I thanked God my new Master didn't match my vision. But then I got a glimpse. Maybe my internal barometer for sexy men is broken, but you two stepped off the cover of a magazine to come to rescue me. I'm not stupid. I know my request is ridiculous. It will take me a long time to see things through a more normal lens, but right now, I just need your hands on me. Will you give me that?"

It was Colter who moved first. He picked up the body soap and poured a generous amount onto his palm before handing it to Bridger.

Bridger took it from him and met his gaze. They exchanged an entire dialog without words.

Yes, they would do this for her. No, it would not change how they felt about each other. Yes, they would have the hardest cocks ever from watching her. No, they would not take it one step further than touching her body under the water.

After that silent chat, they both reached for an arm and gave this gorgeous, damaged woman the most sensual massage of her life.

She was moaning before they even reached her shoulders, and she arched her chest out of the water and cried out as soon as they each cupped a breast.

Bridger shifted his gaze back and forth between her perfect tight buds and her face. Her mouth was open, and her eyes were glazed.

They gave her breasts a lot of attention until she spread her legs wide and murmured, "Please…"

They were both getting soaked, but neither of them stopped. Who cared about a wet shirt when faced with the task of watching the most amazing woman they'd ever met come apart under their caresses?

In tandem, they slid their hands down to her thighs and stroked back and forth, growing closer to her center each time.

She grabbed the sides of the tub again and lifted her hips up and down.

Glancing at Colter, Bridger slid his fingers all the way to her pussy at the same time as his lover.

Colter suddenly grabbed Bridger's hand and lifted it out of the water. He kissed Bridger's fingers. It was a quick movement, and then Colter lowered their combined fingers to Summer's pussy.

Colter took over, guiding Bridger's hand to stroke her clit and folds. It was so fucking erotic. And Summer clearly thought so, too. Her lips were curled up in a smile as she tipped her head back.

Bridger was closer to her head, and he dropped to his knees beside the tub, cupped the back of her neck, and brought her face close to his.

Her lips were parted, and she was breathing heavily.

"Has anyone kissed you, baby?"

She shook her head.

"I'm going to kiss you, and then you're going to look me in the eyes while we make you come."

She whimpered as she leaned closer to him.

Bridger tipped his head to one side and claimed her lips, starting gently, nibbling softly, and then sliding his tongue along the seam of her lips and dipping inside.

She moaned into his mouth.

He deepened the kiss for a few seconds before releasing her lips and setting his forehead against hers. "Come on our fingers, baby. You never have to hold back again. Let yourself go. Let it feel good."

They didn't penetrate her in any way, but she didn't need it. She didn't need much of anything. All she'd needed was permission and a kind set of fingers. The moment they pressed firmly against her clit, she screamed.

It was the most beautiful gift Bridger had ever received. He would never forget this moment in his life.