Free Cin's Secret [Club Libertine 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Diane Leyne

them. In fact, it’s a fitting punishment.”
    She was startled when Lindy started laughing.
    “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I was talking to them when you arrived. They were giving me due notice that they intended to pursue my sister, even though she said she didn’t want a relationship with them. And they asked if I could put in a good word for them with you.”
    Lindy looked at her sister appraisingly. Cindy found herself squirming in her chair. Cindy started to speak, but Lindy held up a hand to silence her. Lindy really had gained confidence. It looked good on her.
    “Okay. You seem to want to be punished, which will be a good thing if you end up with the twins. Connor, especially, loves to spank, and I hear that Liam has a real talent with a riding crop. He’s no Jake, but he knows what he’s doing.”
    “Oh, my god. Jake whips you with a crop? And you like it?” Cindy blushed. “My big sister is all kinds of surprising.”
    “So, as I was saying. Here’s your punishment. You can’t have sex with the twins.”
    “Ever?” Lindy swallowed, hard. “Okay. If that’s what it takes. Consider it done. Or rather not done. But I just need one favor from you. I need directions to the nearest sex shop. I think I need to get a battery-operated boyfriend.”
    “I don’t think the twins would like that. Doms hate it when their subs take charge of their own orgasms. Always leads to punishments. But maybe that’s what you want?”
    “I don’t understand. You said I couldn’t have sex with them.”
    “Not forever. Just this week. You can work with them and spend time with them, but no sex until Saturday night. Take the relationship back a step and get to know each other. Platonically. No sex and no punishments. You know, they told me you wanted to be punished last night. They were worried about you. They wondered if you just wanted them because you wanted to be punished. They even had to force you to accept a safe word. That’s a dangerous thing to do. You are lucky you were with them.”
    “Oh god, no. I wanted to be punished, yes. But. Crap. Maybe that’s why I didn’t want the safe word. I didn’t even acknowledge it myself. But maybe I wanted them to hurt me. But they didn’t. A few spanks, but not real punishment, not like I deserve.”
    “It was wrong to put them in the middle. Since you seem to need a physical punishment to move on, I’ll symbolically take the first strike, and then Jake will carry out your punishment on my behalf in front of the entire club. You’ll take what he dishes out on my behalf, and that will be that. No more guilt or remorse or self-flagellation. The past will be the past, and you will put it behind you in a very public manner.”
    “Oh, Lindy. Are you sure? My worst sins against you in the past have involved the men in your life. Are you sure you want Jake to do this?”
    “Don’t you see? He can punish you and then publicly choose me. Then, if you still want the twins, you have my blessing to be with them.
    “By the way, I should tell you that Jake’s nickname at the club is ‘Master of Pain.’”

Chapter Eight
     
    Cindy found herself standing nervously in the elevator. She looked into the mirrored wall and reached out and fluffed up her hair. She’d gotten it cut professionally after lunch with Lindy, but she’d decided against coloring it again. She knew she used to hide behind her Barbie doll look. Now she was just going to be Cindy.
    What would it be like, the first time she faced the twins tonight? Or, oh, god, the first time she faced Jake?
    All too quickly, the elevator dinged and then glided to a stop, opening at the staff entrance to the club.
    Lindy was working late at the library, but she arranged for Andie to meet her and get her settled in. Every time she heard a footstep, she turned, wondering if it was the twins, until finally Andie told her to cut it out.
    The work wasn’t that hard. She was to sit out front at reception and check