Emmy’s mother was the best person on the planet at creating shields. Her early life had necessitated it for her own survival, and she’d taught shield-building to her children. Dragon shields are formidable to start with, but Emmy’s were far beyond that.
And Zander couldn’t ask her to lower them.
It had to be her choice. Her idea. She needed to come to him andofferthat vulnerability, not have him manipulate or cajole her into it. Everything they’d talked about this morning — the lessons from Kirsten, the reason he’d freed Spencer in the manner he did — it all came down to this: real relationships required real choice.
So he’d wait. However long it took.
He heard Spencer moving around in the bedroom, tidying even though the cleaning staff would be through later. It was how Spencer processed things — organizing his environment when his thoughts needed sorting.
Zander moved to the doorway and leaned against the frame, watching his partner smooth already-smooth sheets with careful precision.
“You’re anxious,” Zander observed.
Spencer’s hands stilled. “I suppose I am.”
Zander crossed to him, turning Spencer to face him. “Talk to me. What’s going through your head about tonight?”
Spencer’s throat worked. “I want this. God, I want this. Both of you. Together.”
“But?”
Spencer shook his head. “There is no but. It’s more about wanting it to go right. So nothing gets fucked up.”
Zander looked at him, considering what might have him out of sorts, and asked. “How do you want the power balance with her to work?”
“I want to kneel at her feet.” The words came out rushed, almost desperate. “I want to accept whatever she wishes to do to me. I want to serve her. Not as I do you, but still, I want to service her and serve her and submit to her.”
Heat flared in Zander’s chest — possessiveness and satisfaction wound together. “Tell me more.”
Spencer’s scent shifted, going warm with arousal. “It’s been building for months, since Anchorage. Watching her recover from what Lucien did to her—” His voice cracked. “It hurt me. Seeing her afterwards. The way she was trying so hard to be okay when she wasn’t. I wanted to be there for her in ways that weren’t appropriate back then, but they can be now.”
“You wanted to care for her,” Zander said softly. “To ease her pain.”
“Yes, while she was hurting, both physically and mentally, and I was glad Felix could give her what she needed, a way to take back her power, but god…”
Zander had known this at the time because Spencer had told him, but it was good to have his boy talk through it again.
“And when she isn’t hurting? When she’s strong?”
“No matter what frame of mind she’s in, I still want to submit to her. It wasn’t appropriate before. I manage the flock, and she was flock, but she’s been living with us for weeks, sleeping with me, and it feels like that’s shifted, so it can be appropriate now.”
“Now she’s ours. Or will be, after tonight.” Spencer’s voice steadied. “And I want to give her everything I have. I want her to know she can hurt me, and I’ll thank her for it. That I trust her the way I trust you.”
Zander cupped Spencer’s face with both hands. “And what if it isn’t that she’s ours, but that you belong to me and Emerald?”
Spencer threw his arms around Zander and burst into tears. “Fuck, Sir. That’s what I want more than anything.”
“You’re so sure she can top you?”
“She’s young, and I get that, but you’ve watched her with Felix, through his eyes — and I’ve seen them together. She finds a balance between power, pain, and pleasure. Yes, I’m sure.” He pulled back a littleand met Zander’s gaze. “Mostly, I trust you to be sure it’s okay — to be certain she won’t take me apart in a way you can’t put back together.”
Zander’s chest tightened with emotion he didn’t have words for. This man — his partner, his submissive, hislove —was offering himself to Emmy, and he was doing it knowing Zander would keep them all safe.
“You humble me,” Zander said quietly. “The gift you’re giving us both.”
“It’s not a gift if I’m getting exactly what I want.” Spencer leaned into Zander’s touch. “I’ve been half in love with her since even before the glacier boat trip. Watching you fall for her just made it easier to admit what I was feeling.”
“Half in love,” Zander repeated, a smile tugging at his lips. “Only half?”
