Free Bonds of Desire by Lynda Aicher Page A

their previous meetings had been nothing more than a perfected shield to keep her safe, much like her defensive lawyer one. He should have seen that, but maybe he hadn’t wanted to dig that deep before now.
    “If you leave, so do I,” Tyler finally said.
    Her eyes snapped back to him. “Of course. You’re welcomed to stay at my place. I understand.”
    “No.” Tyler twisted his head in a slow shake. “If you won’t stay here, then I’m going home.”
    Allie pushed to rise, but Tyler increased the pressure on her knee to keep her from leaving. She glared at his hand. “The no-manipulation policy applies to you, too,” she said tightly, her nostrils flaring slightly with each breath.
    “Never,” Tyler agreed. Seth stroked his thumb over the base of Tyler’s neck. The ripple effect of Tyler repeating the motion over Allie’s knee wasn’t lost on Seth. “Free will, always. You can walk out the door anytime you want.”
    Seth’s assessment of Tyler notched higher and he had to work to withhold the smile that dared to break free.
    “Not if you’re going to follow. You know I can’t let you go home. Not like this.” She waved her hand over Tyler’s back.
    “Would you leave if I told you I’d stay here anyway?”
    She stared hard and long at Tyler before she lifted her gaze to give Seth the same penetrating look. “No,” she finally answered.
    “Lay down, Allie.” Tyler lifted his arm, his command hung between them.
    She turned her head away. The anticipation blended with the mystery of the next move until Seth was fighting to hold still. The undercurrents were fucking amazing. What he couldn’t accomplish, what he’d thought was virtually impossible without hours of time and patience, Tyler was doing with a masterful ease.
    Maybe that was what had drawn Seth to him to begin with. The man played the submissive often enough. Played being the key word. But it was clear that there was a dominant streak in Tyler that wouldn’t let him bow to just anyone.
    The dynamics were both magnificent and dangerous. He should end it now. Get off the bed and let Allie run. But he didn’t. He was frozen in place, compelled by this other side of Tyler as Allie. His instincts told him the next move would define their relationship moving forward.
    The three of them.

Chapter Seven
    Tyler held his arm aloft, the effort causing a flash of nails to dig across his back. It only meshed with the inferno that blazed from his shoulders to his thighs, nothing he couldn’t ignore.
    Allie’s head was turned away from them, shoulders stiff and spine straight, but she hadn’t bolted. Not yet. The lawyer was fighting a battle that only she could decide. He got that. He had many scars from his own personal clashes.
    His throat was raw and parched again, and not from the meds. The room was distinctly silent, yet his heart beat loud and demanding in his head. Partly from the headache that gripped his skull in a tight hold, but mostly from wanting this too much.
    There was something within him that needed Allie to lie down. To submit, even if she didn’t completely comprehend what her actions would mean. Would she follow her desires or her rules?
    She was a beautiful woman who would be amazing if she ever let go. Did she even know how?
    It was dangerous and stupid, this game he was playing. He shouldn’t be here. But he was. And so were both of his insistent saviors.
    “Allie?” he said into the lengthening silence, his voice as firm and gentle as the Dom behind him. The slow, consistent strokes of Master Seth’s thumb back and forth against his neck a silent encouragement.
    Tyler had no illusions; Seth held the power. And for some fucked-up reason, Tyler wanted that. It soothed him, actually. He didn’t want to fight it. Not now. Not here. An ease had settled through him with the simple placement of the Dom’s hand on his neck. Authoritative without being demeaning. Comforting, not subjugating.
    It’d been subtle and