51. Greedy

Chapter 51

Greedy

now

"Undress," Kabir tells Hunter, a one-word command that pisses me off while also setting my blood on fire.

Dutifully, she removes her clothing, layer by layer, until she's unhooking her bra and peeling her panties down her legs.

Through each step, my mouth waters. In my periphery, Levi's mouth is agape, and he's practically drooling.

"In this room, tonight, I am in charge."

That gets my attention. Levi, too.

Kabir stalks around the space as he unfastens his cufflinks, regarding Hunter with a seemingly uninterested sweep of his eyes.

Fuck. I don't like this. Based on that move alone, I'm already fighting to keep my mouth shut.

"On your knees," he commands.

She drops instantly.

Beautifully .

But still …

"Hunter and I have a rhythm. An understanding. Irrevocable trust thrums through us. That's why I can command her like this, and it's why she so eagerly and willingly obeys. You two…" He regards Levi and me, blinking dismissively. "I can teach," he says, removing his button-down and draping it over a chair. "But you must agree to listen and learn."

Levi half nods while turning to look at me.

Trepidation rushes through me, but I join him, bobbing my head and committing to—fuck. I don't even know.

This was my fucking idea, dammit. Why the hell do I feel so off-kilter now?

"You're hesitating."

Wincing—because how the hell can he read me so easily?—I clear my throat. "I am."

"Why?"

God, he's bossy. Does he really just expect me to—

"Garrett." I force myself to zero in on him. Then I look to Hunter, who's kneeling, naked, silent, and perfectly still. My gaze drifts to Levi, who appears more eager than hesitant. I'm honestly jealous he's not struggling more.

"If this is to work—if you'd like to explore more —we have to communicate. A scene is only successful when it is accompanied by deep-seated trust between all parties involved."

My cheeks heat at the call-out. I feel like I'm being scolded.

"Do you have any limits we should be aware of?"

I rack my brain and come up empty. I've only ever been with Hunter—and Levi, sort of, that one time—I don't have enough experience to know where my limits lie.

"I don't know," I answer honestly.

"I don't have any," Levi declares. Fuck, how is he so confident about all this? "I don't have much experience with group stuff, but I'm willing to try just about anything."

Kabir smiles at that .

"Do we—" My voice cracks, so I clear my throat and start again. "Do we need safe words?"

"Always."

Kabir's assuredness calms me. He looms over Hunter and regards her. I'm entranced by their interactions, by how easily she's silenced, kneeling before him, waiting for further instruction. A lick of jealousy courses through me. Fuck. What they share is clearly so deep, so ingrained, in the both of them. I'm desperate to be on that level.

Clenching my jaw, I check myself. I'm here. With them. We're exploring more together . I owe it to Hunter, Levi, and hell, even Kabir, to commit to this idea that I so boldly suggested.

"Firecracker." Still cradling Hunter's chin, Kabir tilts her head back so she's staring directly at him. "For simplicity's sake, could we establish safe words for when we're all together?"

Something akin to relief flashes through her eyes. "Yes, Sir," she says. "Thank you, Sir."

Her chest heaves, then her shoulders lower. Angling forward, she rubs her cheek on his pant leg. Quickly, she pulls her hair into a messy bun, then she lowers herself farther and presses her lips to his shoe.

"The fuck?" Levi groans beside me. I suck in a breath, ready to wholeheartedly agree, but all the air escapes me when he adds "why is that so hot?" and adjusts his erection.

"Enough," Kabir declares, calling my attention back to Hunter. She's still low, literally worshipping his feet. From this angle, I can see the two little dimples right above her ass, the curves of her breasts as they swing freely, grazing the floor.

The surge of arousal traveling through my body at the sight is impossible to ignore.

"Red will be the safe word. If anyone says it, all activity stops, no questions. You could say red for a number of reasons," Kabir explains. "You're physically uncomfortable. You're unsure of the scene. Your head isn't in it. It just doesn't feel well with your soul."

He looks at me pointedly. "There's no shame in safe-wording. Ever. "

Hunter tips her chin back. She doesn't speak, but Kabir obviously recognizes her silent request. So, brows lifted, he nods.

"Pink for pause," she murmurs.

"Very well," he confirms.

Attention on Levi and me again, he says, "If you need a break—a physical breather, a moment to check in with yourself, or with someone else—say pink. Pink pauses the scene. Sometimes, it permanently ends a scene, too. There's also no shame in pausing."

I'm nodding. Beside me, Levi's doing the same. How I went from eager to completely unsure to nodding along in the span of a few minutes is beyond me.

"One more thing."

We all look to Kabir.

"Tonight, I'm in charge. You'll do as I say. You'll follow my lead. You'll commit to this experiment. You'll submit if I require it"—his heated stare lands on Levi, then drifts up to me—"and I guarantee you will not be disappointed."