Chapter 20

Alow, disapproving rumble comes from my chest as Mal and Ari walk into the kitchen. Jas has finished cooking, the meal is plated, and he's washed the utensils he's used. That's how long it's taken Mal to find Ari and bring her to us.

"Don't start, Sax," Mal growls in response.

There's no denying what they've been up to. The scent of Ari's arousal permeates the air, drowning out the smells of Jas' cooking. Her dress is ruffled, and her hair is a mess.

"You were meant to find her and bring her for dinner," I reply, my voice tight with my annoyance. He's been gone a long time and it's clear he lost sight of his mission. "Not have her for dinner."

Not that I can entirely blame him.

Ari smells more alluring than any meal.

"Sorry," Ari whispers, stepping out from behind Mal and walking straight over to Jas.

I half expected her to cower at my growl, but she surprises me once again as she ignores me, making her way right over to Jas and wrapping her arms around the tender – hearted grotesque, snuggling in against this chest. "I'm sorry we were late for dinner. That was rude when you went to so much trouble. I hope I haven't ruined it."

Jas purrs at her easy, open affection, beaming at me over her head. I return his smile and nod, pleased with Ari. She's good for Jas. Good for all of us. But Mal always has to take liberties.

"It's okay, Ari. I kept it warm for you. Shall we?"

She nods and takes her seat at the small kitchen table, pulling Jas into the seat beside her like she's desperate to keep him close to make up for being tardy. Doesn't she know we'd never blame her?

It's all Mal's fault.

I glower at him as he takes the seat opposite Ari. Placing her meal on the table before her, I take my seat and the three of us stare at her expectantly.

A soft blush coats her cheeks as she stares at the empty spaces before each of us. "Aren't you guys joining me?"

"We don't need to eat, little dove," I tell her softly with a smile. "We can, but over the years it"s become a habit not to."

"But you went to so much trouble!" she gasps.

"We want to look after you," Jas explains. He's practically preening as she inhales the aroma of the dish and sighs contentedly, pleased with himself.

"It feels strange to eat while you all watch," she says, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. "But it is nice to have company. This smells amazing, Jas. Thank you."

Doesn't she realise that the only thing the three of us can smell right now is her?

She picks up her cutlery and cuts into the simple pork chop Jas pan fried. Placing a small piece into her mouth, she groans, her eyes falling closed in bliss. My dick hardens. Judging by the expression on Jas' face, I'm not the only one she's affecting.

"My god, that's good," she murmurs after swallowing as she lines up the next bite on her fork.

Mal leans forward, swipes it out of her hand and shoves the meat between his lips before I can stop him. My annoyance with the mischievous gargoyle grows. I grab his horn and yank him towards me, slapping him on the back of his head.

"Ow! What was that for?" Mal complains around his mouthful of food. Ari's food. My annoyance bubbles into full blown anger.

I growl at him. "Don't steal her food. She needs it. You don't."

"I only wanted to see what she was making such a fuss about. Moaning and groaning like it was a damn dick or something. I don't get it. Jas' meat isn't that good."

Ari's blush deepens at Mal's innuendo, and even though it's a sight to behold, I slap the gargoyle again for embarrassing her.

"Pack that in!" I snap. "Leave her and her food alone."

She's squirming uncomfortably in her seat, and as she does, she winces in pain.

My eyes narrow as my protective instincts immediately kick in.

"What's wrong, Ari?" I demand.

"Nothing," she replies, not meeting my gaze.

"Yes, there is. You winced just now and your face is still lined in pain. Come here." I beckon her to me with a crooked finger.

"I'm fine," she insists. But I don't hear it, or if I do, it doesn't penetrate the red mist that's come down. The one that's urging me to check if she's alright.

I circle the table, coming round to her side, and carefully pull her up from her seat.

"Sax, I'm fine. It's nothing?—"

"Show me," I grind out, trying not to scare her, but needing to see for myself that she really is okay.

"Sax, she said she's fine—" Mal tries to interject but I shut him down with a glare.

"Ari, please," I beg softly. "I need to check. I need to see for myself. You're hurt. And I can't bear it."

The embarrassment on her face softens and gives way to something else. Slowly she nods and turns around, presenting me with her back.

"I really am okay," she whispers, but she doesn't stop me when I clutch the end of her dress and slowly raise it up to her waist, bearing her beautiful arse to me.

An arse that's bright red from a recent spanking I'd say, if I had to guess, and already starting to bruise in places.

With a roar of anger, I drop the material and launch myself at Mal.

Before I can reach him, Jas grabs my arm, his voice a low growl that he rarely uses. "Sax, calm down. Mal was right. Ari's not in pain. She's fine."

Ari's voice trembles, "It's okay, Sax. It's fine. I'm fine. It was meant to be a punishment, not permanent damage."

I take a deep breath, my brain finally engaging. My anger subsides a little. But the protectiveness that I can't switch off when it comes to Ari still burns in my veins.

"You hit her?" I demand, turning to Mal.

With a cocky grin, Mal meets my glare. "It wasn't like that. Ari agreed to it."

I can't deny that some of the anger I feel is also jealousy. Ari submitted to Mal's punishment, not me. But I can't let that consume me. That's not who I am.

"What was the punishment for?" I ask Ari, my voice calm but laced with a warning.

Her gaze darts between mine and Mal's. "It was for being late for dinner, for losing track of time and not eating."

I turn back to Mal, my anger returning. "You were too rough with her."

"She loved it. You know she did. It's all we can fucking smell. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a wet patch on her chair," Mal replies, brimming with smugness.

"This needs attention," I tell Ari, lifting her dress again for another inspection. "Jas, go to the solarium and fetch some aloe. I want to soothe the sting."

The obedient one trots off to do as I've asked while Mal folds his arms defensively across his chest and snorts like this whole thing's some big joke to him. His attitude riles me up, and I have to take several deep breaths to calm myself. What if Carver returns? What would he say – what would he do to Ari – if he saw these bruises? How would she explain them away?

I want to chew him out for it, but I don't want to mention the Lord of the Manor and risk upsetting Ari, so I bite my tongue until Jas returns.

"Here," Jas says, passing me a leaf from one of the plants he snapped off. The aloe is already oozing from inside, the gel-like consistency slowly running down the greenery.

I squeeze some onto my fingers and turn back to Ari. "Can you lift your dress up, little dove?"

"You really don't have to, Sax. I'm fine."

"Please, Ari? I need to make this right."

Again, she must hear something in my almost desperate tone, because she sighs, closes her eyes and turns away once more. With shaking fingers, she pinches the edge of the dress and slowly raises it once more.

This time I can see that it's not as bad as I initially thought, but that doesn't mean Mal's off the hook. He will be punished for this. Severely.

Ari flinches when I caress her arse and I carefully grip her hip to hold her in place. Her breathing hitches.

I squeeze more aloe onto my fingers and gently massage it into her skin, trying to soothe her discomfort. Ari winces as I apply the cool gel, her fingers tangling in the fabric of her dress.

We stand there for a moment, the tension between us palpable as I sense a tendril of unease coming from her. I want nothing more than to wrap her in my arms and hold her close. But, I know that I must maintain control because if I push her too far too quickly, we risk losing all the progress we've already made.

Lowering her dress back into place, my hand lingers for a moment on her waist. She looks up at me as she nibbles on her lower lip and shifts slightly.

There's no denying the scent of her arousal is even stronger now, and I'm not sure what to make of that. Was it Mal's punishment or my tender care that made her rub her thighs together?

The corner of my mouth pulls up into a smile as she leans into me, placing one of her small dainty hands on my chest. I don't have the words to convey how much I care for her in this fleeting moment, so instead I savour her touch.

Mal stands by silently, his smug expression slowly fading as it becomes clear that his actions have consequences.

"You will pay for this," I say, my tone leaving no room for debate. "If you ever lay a hand on Ari again, or any other member of this family, without my consent, I will make sure you regret it. Do I make myself clear?"

Mal's smirk fades, replaced by a more serious expression. He nods once, his eyes never leaving mine. "Understood."

"Daddy Sax," Ari whispers softly, drawing my attention back to her. "I wanted it. I really did. And I…I enjoyed my punishment."

I take her hand in mine and kiss her fingertips. "Did he at least make you feel good?"

She hesitates before answering. "Yes, he did. It hurt, but it felt good, too."

I know she's referring to the mix of pain and pleasure. The biting humiliation and sharpness of the impact combined with something else entirely that takes your body to another level. Mal was a master at delivering both, and yet he still needed to learn his place.

Turning to him, I narrow my eyes. "Did you make her come?"

My tone is hostile and there's an edge there that lets my bratty little gargoyle know he's crossed a line. I'm the leader here.

"No." Mal meets my gaze with a cold calmness, defiant to his last. His submission would be delicious later, when he was screaming on my knot. "It was a punishment, not a reward."

I glance down at Ari, who is twirling her hair between her fingers as she offers Mal a wry little smirk of her own. If she's hoping he'll punish her again later for her cheek, she's very much mistaken. There will be no spanking until her redness has faded.

"You're not the disciplinarian in this family," I say, my voice firm."If you want to play, you need to explain the rules and not mete out punishments on a whim."

Mal nods, begrudgingly accepting my words.

"Jas? Move things and clear the table, please." Jas does as he's told, quickly clearing the kitchen table. "We're going to rectify this, right now, Ari."

Lifting Ari onto the tabletop, I'm careful not to let her sore arse hit the wood as I lay her back.

"Lie down, little dove. Jas and I are going to make you feel good."

Jas startles at my words, looking at me in surprise. I nod at him. I won't exclude him from making our girl come.

He helps Ari into position, placing her heels on the edge of the table, legs spread wide for my pleasure as the skirt of her dress gathers around her waist, then sits by her head so that he can lean in and kiss her. Running his hands through her hair, he gazes at her adoringly, purring with contentment and happiness.

Mal watches us with curiosity and lust that he's trying to hide behind a bored petulant expression as his bottom lip sticks out. I swallow back a chuckle. My pouty little gargoyle.

"Don't touch yourself." I warn him with a snarl. "This is your punishment for being too rough with our dove."

Jas's gentle kisses turn hungry as his hands weave into my hair and I swallow down his soft moans. His touches are reverent, tender and safe but they still manage to ignite the simmering arousal coursing through my body into a full blown inferno.

Closing my eyes, I try to concentrate on the feeling of Jas's lips against mine, but the anticipation of what's going to happen next keeps me from losing myself to the sensations fully.

Knowing that Sax and Mal are watching me, listening to our noises and knowing that Mal can't touch me no matter how much he wants to, fuels the fire coursing through my veins.

I feel wanted.

Desired as their gazes incinerate my skin.

Sax moves between my legs, pushing my thighs further apart to accommodate his broad shoulders. He places lingering kisses on my thigh as he hooks one leg over his shoulder, lifting me so that my arse isn't resting on the table.

I whimper softly as his powerful tongue moves up my pussy, my body trembling as Jas captures the soft sounds with his lips.

This is not how I expected the rest of tonight to go, but as he sucks on my clit and the pleasure builds inside me, I blink and realise that maybe this is what I need.

Jas' tail slithers across my stomach, and between my breasts before the tip flicks my nipple, teasing the taunt nub as he slips his tongue into my mouth.

They're drowning me in pleasure. Overwhelming me in the best way.

Mal leans against the worktop, his arms folded across his chest as he watches with hungry eyes, his tail swishing angrily behind him.

Part of me is remorseful – it would be amazing to have all three of them touching me – but my brain has sided with Sax. In our little kitchen fantasy, Mal is the one to suffer, that's his punishment.

I still get a thrill out of him watching and I moan a little louder, just for him. I want to make him regret his actions, for not letting me come earlier. His little powertrip backfired, and now Daddy Sax is eating me out like I'm the best dessert while the little gargoyle pouts in the corner and Jas kisses away my sanity.

I moan softly, eyes closing as the pleasure washes over me in waves. It feels so good, and I buck my hips as Sax's tongue slides inside me.

Sax's hunger and passion feed into my own desire as his fingers and tongue expertly tease me, fucking into me, owning me as he pushes me towards the abyss.

I whimper softly, my body trembling with need.

Jas kisses me tenderly, moving along my jawline and down my neck, his fangs dragging over my sensitive skin, the soft scratching driving me wild.

His hands squeeze my breasts as he encourages me, urging me on with soft words of encouragement.

I turn my head away from him, offering more of my flesh to him, wanting to feel more. Jas sinks his fangs into my neck, not breaking the skin, but offering a little pain to offset the pleasure, the two mixing in a way that has me writhing, and grabbing onto Sax's horns as I ride his face.

I moan loudly, the sensations becoming overwhelming. The tension in the room is building and my release is closing in on me. I want to climax, to feel that intense burst wash over me, and I want them to feel it too.

Sax moves his fingers inside me, finding that sweet spot and applying just the right amount of pressure as his thumb brushes over my clit.

"Hmmmm, so tight. Perfect." My body arches up as the orgasm hits me. My muscles contract, my breath hitches, and a wave of warmth spreads through my core.

Jas's tail slaps against my nipple, pulling another moan from me as he slides one of his fingers inside me alongside Sax's, making me feel stretched, stuffed full of them.

"He's right." He sighs against my skin as my body clenches around them, and my orgasm is drawn out. "You were made for us, Ari."

Mal shifts from one foot to the other, looking restless with need but he doesn't come any closer.

As I come down from the high, Sax's tongue slowly laps up the remains of my pleasure.

Jas gently pulls away from me, his lips leaving a tender kiss on my forehead. He glances at Mal, who is still watching us intently.

"That was amazing," Jas says softly.

Mal's expression softens, but there's still a lingering longing in his eyes. Sax stands up, helping me off the table. I wrap my arms around his waist, my body still trembling from the intensity of my orgasm. I close my eyes, relishing the feeling of his chest against mine.

"Thank you," I whisper softly.

He motions for Mal, who comes forward hesitantly.

With one claw on the back of Mal's neck, he pulls the smaller monster in for a deep kiss. I watch, half-sandwiched between them as they fight for dominance with their tongues.

"Can you taste her?" Sax asks, pulling away so that his forehead is resting against Mal's.

"Mmmmm."

He lets out a quiet growl. "Behave, little gargoyle, and maybe I'll let you join in next time."

After some clean up, the four of us sit down together so that I can enjoy the dinner Jas prepared for me. He heated it up and insisted even though I don't have much of an appetite anymore, too lost in the afterglow of the intense moment that transpired between us.

Sax exudes both authority and warmth, at the head of the table while Jas sits so close to me that our arms brush lightly whenever I move, but every glance we share is a silent conversation in itself. Mal sits in quiet contemplation opposite us, his gaze fixed on the faint blush gracing my cheeks.

The air between us is thick with unspoken words, each of us feeling something different, yet connected. Is this what love feels like?