13. Grace

Chapter thirteen

Grace

I had no clue how long I was out for, but it was the first proper sleep I'd had since the events at the club. I crawled out from under Jesse's soft, gray comforter and rubbed my eyes, looking around the dark room. Of course, he didn't have a clock anywhere; what was with these men and their avoidance of time? I tiptoed across the floor and peeked out the window. It was dark out, so either really late, or really early. Great, I was completely destroying my sleep schedule with all of these… what would they even be, trauma naps? That felt accurate. I knew I should get back into bed and try to sleep until morning, but my body apparently had enough rest now and was ready to go. I crept into the bathroom and tried to smooth out my hair as best I could with my fingers. If I was going to stay here for a while, I'd need a hair brush, and a toothbrush. I peeked inside Jesse's cabinets and found some mouthwash, which would have to suffice for now.

This was so awkward, I wanted something to do, but I didn't really want to go poking around a strange house while the owners were asleep. I'd kill for a book right now. As quietly as I could, I cracked open the bedroom door and crept outside, looking down the hall. Jesse had pointed out the other guy's rooms earlier, but I couldn't remember whose was whose. I tiptoed down the hallway, stepping lightly so I wouldn't wake anyone up. Maybe I could find a snack in the kitchen and then go back to bed. My stomach was actually growling now that I wasn't as terrified for my life, so some actual food would be great.

I made it halfway to the stairs when a door swung open beside me, scaring me half to death. "Trying to escape?" Anders drawled, and I froze in place, my skin prickling.

"No," I whispered, turning to face him. He was half dressed, his chest bare, and loose-fitting black sweatpants rested low on his hips. I hadn't expected him to be so muscular, his upper half corded with taught muscles. The tattoo was a surprise as well, my eyes tracing over the black script tattooed across his ribcage. ‘ Familia ante omnia ', I didn't know Latin so I wasn't sure what it meant, but it sounded appropriately solemn.

"Then why are you sneaking around in the middle of the night?" he demanded, not bothering to whisper. He crossed his arms over his chest, and I noticed the book clutched in his hand. A little glimmer of hope pulsed in my chest, despite his intimidating glare.

"I'm not sneaking, I'm being quiet. I didn't want to wake everyone up just because I can't sleep," I replied. "I was… I was actually hoping to find a book to read, maybe," I explained. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile, even though his gaze was focused on a point over my shoulder.

"You want a book," he repeated, and I nodded slowly, clasping my hands behind my back nervously. I tried to keep my eyes focused on his face, but they kept drifting lower of their own accord, shamelessly ogling the cold man in front of me.

"Hmm," he grunted and turned abruptly, walking back into his room. I waited for a moment, then another, and finally, I gathered up the nerve to follow him, stepping hesitantly over the threshold into his space.

His was the exact opposite of Jesse's room. Where Jesse was all colors and kitsch, Anders was a minimalist and freakishly tidy. He had a bed, an arm chair in one corner next to a bookshelf, a desk with a laptop, and a chest of drawers. No photos, no adornments on the wall. It was a little terrifying, and suited him perfectly.

"What do you read?" Anders asked, dropping down into the chair and flipping open his book. A thin gold bookmark marked his page, and he pulled it out, tapping his chin with it as he studied me. I walked over to him, staring at the shelves. A fair amount of his collection were textbooks, and some weren't even in English, judging by the writing on the spines.

"Fiction, mostly," I replied softly, and he smirked into his book. "Alright, smartass, what are you reading then?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.

"A book on tying knots," he replied, not bothering to look up. I perused the books on his shelves, my eyes widening as I read some of the titles. Sadomasochism, edge-play, orgasm denial, shibari… I felt myself blushing as he chuckled, and I flinched when his knee brushed the back of my thigh, I hadn't realized I drifted that close to him. For someone so cold and detached, there was something almost magnetic about him. I wanted to have his attention, to get those golden eyes focused on me. It was a ridiculous feeling, and it made my heart flutter in my chest as I struggled to stay composed.

"Nothing to your taste?" he asked, smirking into his book.

"No. I mean, it's not that…" I stammered. "I just… have you read all of these?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Of course, they're my books," he replied flatly, and I swear my cheeks were going to burst into flames from the heat that rushed into them. My father and Douglas would never let books like these in the house, and it's not as if I'd ever had enough freedom to learn about any of this on my own. I lived such a sheltered life, the incident with Sergio was probably the closest I'd come to an actual date.

"So, you like…" The question started to come out, and I bit my tongue to stop it. I didn't even know this guy, I couldn't ask questions like that!

"Call it curiosity. Or a hobby, maybe," he said, snapping his book shut abruptly. "Don't you get curious about things?" He stood up, crowding me into the bookshelf as he stepped closer.

"Of course," I replied, my cheeks radiating heat at this point. "But most people don't consider sex a hobby." He cocked his head to the side, his eyes roaming up and down my body. I felt very exposed in Jesse's jersey all of a sudden, my legs too bare for this sort of conversation.

"Sex itself, no. But learning about it, studying its intricacies. That can absolutely be considered a hobby," Anders explained, looming over me. "For instance, did you know that some people derive pleasure from watching other people have sex? Or having sex with someone who is asleep?"

My whole body was flushed with heat now, and my back pressed into the bookshelf as he shortened the distance between us. His hands came to rest on the shelf on either side of my face, trapping me. "What do you think about that?" he asked, bringing his mouth close to my ear. Erik promised that no one would hurt me here, but I didn't know if that promise extended to Anders. He sure felt predatory at this moment. But with all this talk about sex and the closeness of his body, the signals for ‘fear' and ‘turned on' seemed to be getting all mixed up in my brain.

"I think… I think people like what they like. As long as they aren't hurting anyone or themselves, it's fine," I mumbled, my tongue tripping over the words. Anders hummed in my ear, and my whole body prickled with heat, curls of it dropping lower, making my core clench.

"Did you hear that, Levy? I guess we aren't just filthy perverts after all," he mused, and I sucked in a sharp breath. Levy was in here? I hadn't heard a sound from anyone but Anders since I came in.

"Why don't you do your little magic trick and make him reappear?" Anders murmured, his mouth so close to my ear I could almost feel his lips brushing against me. My body was practically purring, begging me to arch into his touch, even as my brain screamed at me to get a damn grip on myself.

"I don't want to unless he's comfortable with it," I mumbled, and his hand moved to my hair, twirling one of the golden strands around his finger gently. I was so warm I couldn't breathe, and I pressed my thighs together as wetness suddenly pooled between my legs. What the hell was this reaction? My body must have been out of sync with all of the chaos of the last few days.

"He can't answer you right now, but I know he'd like you to see him," Anders replied, giving my hair a little tug. I cleared my throat nervously and sent out tendrils of my light, flooding the room, since I didn't know where Levy actually was. I was careful to curve it around Anders, not wanting to piss him off when he was already so close to me.

Anders stepped out of my way, and I gasped out loud. Levy was lying on the bed—no, he was tied to the bed, the one I'd thought was empty when I'd walked in. His arms were pinned above his head, his legs spread eagle and tied to the foot of the bed. There was a gag in his mouth, preventing him from talking, which I guessed was what Anders meant before. I tried not to look and preserve his dignity, but I couldn't help myself. Levy was naked except for a pair of tight black underwear, and wow . If he wanted to, I was sure he could break out of these bindings like they were dental floss. He had muscles I didn't even know existed. Scars littered his entire body, like a patchwork story of pain and abuse.

I didn't know how long I'd been staring before Anders chuckled, and I blushed, slapping my hand over my mouth. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry, I'm being so rude, fuck!" I turned to face the bookshelf, giving him some privacy. "I'll get out of here, let you get back to… um… whatever! I'm sorry!" Anders grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around, pulling my hand away from my face.

"Don't be embarrassed. He enjoys it, see?" he told me. I wasn't so sure about that. Levy had beads of sweat on his forehead, and his shoulders flexed as he tried to shift himself on the bed. His blue eyes met mine briefly before he squeezed them shut, panting under the gag. Anders pinched my chin between his fingers, guiding my attention lower on the bed. Oh, holy fuck . Levy's cock was rock hard and straining against the thin fabric of his underwear. I didn't have any references to compare it to, but just like the rest of him, it was big .

Levy made a pained noise under the gag, his blue eyes flashing toward me once again, begging, but for what, I didn't know. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, the way his hips rocked when he shifted against the bindings holding him down. I clenched my thighs together, trying to ignore the need pulsing between them. "How long has he been like this?" I asked softly as Anders idly played with my hair, his gaze drifting over the bed.

"Mmm… five hours? No… six," he mused, and Levy groaned. I gaped up at him, equal parts shocked and horribly turned on.

"That's cruel! Why would you leave him like this? And what? You're just reading while he lies there?" I demanded, and Anders smirked, releasing me to walk over to Levy.

"I don't just leave him here," Anders replied, dragging his fingers up Levy's leg. "I play with him. I tease him, and then I leave him to simmer for a while." He shrugged. A jolt of pure need coursed through my body, and I clenched my thighs tighter as Ander stroked his fingers over Levy's hard length. He barely had to touch him, and Levy arched off the bed, moaning under the gag.

"Why?" I breathed, rooted to the spot where he'd left me.

"Because, when he finally gets to come, it'll be the most intense sensation he's ever felt." Anders smirked. "And he loves it, don't you Levy?" Anders squeezed his dick through his underwear, and Levy closed his eyes, a soft whimper escaping. I didn't think I'd ever been so turned on before, it almost hurt. I'd never even watched porn. My imagination and a few romance novels I'd smuggled into my room over the years had been my only sources of sexual exploration. This blew all of that right out of the water.

"I should leave you to it then…" I murmured, and Anders turned to me, that predatory look back in his eyes.

"Why?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "I can practically hear the desire thrumming through your pussy." I flushed scarlet, and he smirked. "I'll make you a deal. You stay, and I'll finally give Levy the release he's been begging for," he told me. "Or, you can go, and think about how the poor ghost will be up all night, aching and desperate."

I swallowed nervously, glancing between him and Levy. Levy's eyes were wide and pleading as he writhed, tugging on the ropes that held him still. Was Anders serious? What was I thinking, of course he was. He was some special kind of evil, putting the guilt on me if I left right now. Anders was already grinning, like he knew what my decision would be. "Alright, I'll stay," I murmured, and Levy closed his eyes, relief evident on his face. I walked toward the armchair, planning to sit, but Anders clicked his tongue and beckoned me to him. When I hesitated, his face turned stern.

"Come here, Kitten," he drawled, his voice pitched lower and dripping with authority. I did as he bade, walking around to the foot of the bed. "If you stay, you participate, those are the rules," he announced, and I balked, but he caught my wrist before I could flinch away, pulling me against him. He let me squirm against him for a moment, until I finally gave in and relaxed into his hold. "You can either straddle his chest and take care of yourself, or sit on his face and let him do it for you."

"Wha- no! I'm fine, I don't-" This was how people spontaneously combusted, I was sure of it. I clenched my thighs together as Anders tugged on a lock of my hair, tsking gently, his face softening ever so slightly.

"You'll be doing all the touching, Levy's just a tool for you to use." Anders smirked, and I shivered in his arms, my thighs damp with arousal. This must've been his way of telling me that I was safe. It was an extremely weird situation, but they wouldn't hurt me.

"I'll do it myself," I decided, my small amount of bravery only stretching so far, and he gave me a little push toward the bed. I climbed up awkwardly, trying to avoid kneeling on Levy by accident. I moved around to his side and glanced at Anders for instruction.

"Straddle his chest, facing him so he can watch," Anders ordered. I carefully slid my leg over Levy's chest, realizing too late the mistake I'd made. I thought I could prop myself up on my knees and sort of, I don't know , hover over him. But Levy's chest was too broad, so I ended up flush against him, my makeshift dress riding up to my hips. Levy's eyes widened, his pupils nearly blocking out all of the blue when he realized I wasn't wearing any underwear.

"Touch yourself. Make yourself come on his chest," Anders commanded in that authoritative voice of his. I glanced at Levy, feeling him breathing heavily underneath me. His arms strained against the ropes holding him, the fabric biting into his skin.

"If you want me to stop, just, um, shake your head, okay?" I told Levy, and he nodded, watching me through half-hooded eyes. I slid my hand down my stomach, tilting my hips a little so I could stroke my fingertips lightly over my clit. I wasn't exactly a nun, I had touched myself plenty over the years. But always in the shower, or late at night, under the covers of my own bed. Never in a strange room with two men watching me. Somehow, this was so much hotter. I could feel how wet I already was, and I was sure Levy could feel it too, I was making a mess all over his chest. I closed my eyes and circled my clit lightly, my thighs clenching around Levy as I hissed under my breath. I was so sensitive that every brush of my fingers sent a pulse straight through my core. I heard fabric tearing behind me, and Levy suddenly groaned, his chest rocking underneath me. The movement made me gasp, and I continued to stroke myself with my fingers, sliding further down to gather some of the wetness at my entrance.

A sudden, ridiculous urge came over me, one that had me biting back a moan as I even considered it. "Can you… take his gag out?" I asked breathlessly. I figured Anders would just ignore me, but instead, he walked up along the side of the bed and undid the buckle, sliding the gag out of Levy's mouth.

"Open," I murmured, and he obeyed without hesitation, his eyes hazy with lust. I slid my fingers out from between us and brought them up to his mouth. His lips closed around them, moaning as he licked my fingers clean. Maybe I was dreaming, and all of this was just a by-product of my lust-filled brain. That would've explained why the feeling of Levy's tongue against my fingers had me grinding my hips against his chest, desperate for more.

I caught Anders staring at me, a gleam of something—maybe pride?—in his eyes. "Did you like that?" I asked Levy cautiously, pulling my fingers back and slipping them between us once again.

"Yes," he rasped, writhing underneath me. I imagined what it would feel like to have him inside me as I slid my fingers past my entrance, rocking my hips against him. He was so big, he'd probably split me in two. I shuddered, pulling back out to circle my clit. I was so close, my breath was coming out in sharp pants. "Yes, baby, that's it, come all over my chest," Levy moaned, and that sinful mouth of his was my undoing. I threw my head back, my pussy spasming as my orgasm washed over me. I pulled my fingers out from between us, and Levy opened his mouth expectantly. I smiled and brought my fingers to his lips once more, shivering as he sucked them clean.

I looked over at Anders, surprised to see him still watching at the side of the bed. My cheeks burned, feeling self-conscious now that my orgasm was fading. "Isn't it Levy's turn?" I asked, and Anders smirked.

"He came as soon as you did, he couldn't wait a second longer. I didn't even have to touch him," he replied. Levy was panting, his eyes closed and his body slack against the bed. I slid off his chest, trying not to stare at the wet spot I left on him, and fumbled with the knots on his wrists, working to get him free.

"Fuck…" he groaned when his wrists finally came free, his arms falling slack at his sides. I turned to get the ropes at his ankles, but Anders had beaten me to it, and he was already winding the rope up into neat little bundles.

"You're an interesting one, Kitten," Anders mused. "I think I'll have fun playing with you." I flushed, and practically ran out the door, heading for the safety of Jesse's room. I forgot all about getting a snack, or anything else for that matter. My head was still spinning from what I'd—from what we'd —just done.