...Satisfied that David, at least, would be left in peace, Jesse wished them both goodnight, and left the room. His stomach rumbled and he turned toward the kitchen. Gideon was waiting for him there, arms folded across the chest as he leaned against the counter. The look on Gideon’s face was enough to tell Jesse that the vampire wasn’t going to offer to make him a late dinner.

“Jonah’s settled,” he said before Jesse could ask. “And David’s promised to keep an eye on him for the night. Which means you are now going to go downstairs so we can have a talk about all your behavior today.”

“My behavior today?”

Gideon frowned. “Did you just question a direct order, boy? I said, go downstairs.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The command in Gideon’s voice was enough to make Jesse hard. It was also enough to make him turn around and head toward the basement stairs. He couldn’t hear Gideon behind him, but he knew that his lover was there just the same. Moving like a predator as he followed Jesse down the long flight of stairs that led to their playroom. Soundproof and with a heavy lock, Gideon could do anything he wanted to Jesse behind that door, and nobody in the house would be the wiser.

The playroom had been one of the first fully functional rooms in the house when they had fixed everything up. Hooks were embedded in one wall when Gideon didn’t want to bother with an apparatus, as well as the ceiling when he craved a suspended partner. There were the matching cages Jesse and Emma had been proud to own along one wall, with long cupboards that housed every whip, flogger, weight, and clamp in their possession. Anything they might want was in that room. Jesse’s heart thumped with excitement at what might tickle Gideon’s fancy tonight.

Goose bumps erupted along his skin as they stepped inside. Gideon kept the temperature lower in here on purpose. The contrast when they started heating up made it more than worth it. Especially when Gideon issued his most common command in the playroom.

“Strip.”

He knew Gideon was already annoyed with him. Annoyed enough that it would be in Jesse’s best interest to follow the order immediately and undress as quickly as he could. The weight of Gideon’s gaze pressed heavily against his skin, taking in every small detail as Jesse slowly unbuttoned his shirt, beginning with the cuffs. He kept his own eyes averted, though, not giving into the impulse to watch Gideon’s face as he exposed an inch of his skin at a time.

“Did it make you hard, flirting with them in front of me?” The low, hard question came without inflection, without a hint of the menace Jesse knew Gideon kept tightly contained.

The protest rose to the surface before Jesse had the chance to think. “I didn’t flirt, Sir.”

A soft snort preceded Gideon’s appearance in the corner of his eye. “You would’ve been on your knees if David had showed you the slightest sign of wanting you there. And you’ve always deliberately baited Jonah because you like how much he wants you. So don’t tell me you weren’t flirting. I was there.”

Jesse stepped out of his pants and began to wonder if this was serious. Or at least, more serious than he had initially thought. It wasn’t that they hadn’t discussed how hot David was before—they had. And Gideon had always been fully aware of Jonah’s obvious desire for Jesse. But there was one thing that Jesse had let himself forget—rather foolishly, perhaps. Gideon had a wicked possessive streak.

“Yes, Sir. I…flirted a little bit, Sir.”

Gideon ignored his nudity now, choosing instead to go over to the wardrobe and open the door. His gaze flickered over its contents. When he reached in, he re-emerged with black leather restraints that Jesse didn’t immediately recognize.

“So not only did I get cheated when Derek called, I had to spend the rest of the day and night watching you salivate over two other men. Men who were not me.”

“I’m sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

“Because you won’t drop everything to help a friend who needs it? Because you’ll be able to hold your tongue when a gorgeous guy like David smiles at you?” Gideon stopped in front of him. Jesse recognized the leather now. They would fully immobilize his arms. “You’re a slut for that kind of attention, and we both know it. So don’t lie to me and make promises you can’t keep. I’ll tie you up and leave you in here to think about it, if that’s the kind of game you’re going to play.”

“Please, Sir, don’t.” Gideon was close enough that one of the cuffs brushed against Jesse’s thigh. The feel of the cool leather was enough to make his cock twitch. But the thought of being completely immobile, helpless, made him hard. “What can I do, Sir?”