Kai shrugged. “Prepping takes time.”
“Prepping.”
Kai met his gaze. “I tied him up.”
Breck stilled, his gut clenching. Right. Kai and his ropes. Not a visual Breck had wanted, though, considering those involved. “Oh.” He averted his gaze, but then furrowed his brow and looked back. “It took thirty fucking minutes to tie him up?”
“Not quite thirty. Maybe twenty.”
Breck eyed him expectantly. When Kai merely eyed him back, he grated, “So, for that last ten minutes… the two of you just, what, stood there and looked at each other?”
“Not exactly.”
Breck narrowed his eyes. “Then you lied. Stuff did happen.”
“Nothing of substance. We’d barely begun.”
“Was he naked?”
“Not completely.”
“But you touched him.”
“A little, yes.”
Breck’s chest squeezed. He looked down.
Why am I asking this shit?
He didn’t want to know what they’d been doing.
Fuck that. Yes, I do.
A lot could happen in ten minutes. And honestly, the not knowing was driving him nuts.
Shifting, he fidgeted with his beer bottle, then started scratching at its label.
He had his fucking pride. He would not pry.
“Breck,” Kai murmured.
Breck lifted his gaze.
For the longest three seconds ever, Kai studied his face. Then, as if sensing what Breck needed, went utterly transparent. “I kept him in his underwear. Then I instructed him to get on his knees. I bound his arms first, then tied his chest, then bound his ankles and secured them to his wrists.”
Oh, God.
Breck’s heart pounded restlessly. “That’s great. Thanks for the play-by-play.”
“I’m not finished.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I think I do.”
Chest tight, Breck eyed him. What did Kai mean by that? “Where was Max?” he heard himself ask.
“Watching from another room, behind a viewing glass.”
Breck blinked. Max was spectating? He probably should’ve seen that one coming.
Kai held his gaze with hooded eyes. “When I was finished, I moved down beside Sean and rested his back against my knee. Then I worked his two little nipples ‘til they were hard.”
Breck swallowed, suddenly both unsettled and a tiny bit turned-on.
“At which point, I treated those little nipples to metal clamps.”
Breck stilled. “Metal clamps?”
“Yes.” Kai’s lips quirked. “I don’t think he liked them.”
Jesus. “Because they hurt?”
“Yes.”
“You like to… hurt people?”
“No,” Kai chuckled softly. “I like to push people’s limits. Discern how much they’re comfortable with and go from there.”
Breck furrowed his brow. “How can anyone be comfortable with pain? And for that matter, comfortable with giving it?”
Kai shifted a little, clearly organizing his thoughts. “Remember, we’re talking BDSM. An activity one enters into with full consent. A setting where, with the right mindset and skill, lines will often blur.”
“Lines?” What lines? What the hell was he talking about?
“Between pain and pleasure. Mix the two just right and it’s exquisite.”
Breck thought that over. It sounded… interesting. But then the implications sank in. His stomach twisted up again. Kai had done that to Sean. This very night.
Pursing his lips, he resumed scratching his beer’s label. “You said pain and pleasure. We covered the pain part…” What was the pleasure?
“I rubbed his cock. Toyed with his balls.”
Oh, God.
Breck’s chest tightened. He fought not to frown. But for some reason that knowledge really rocked his calm.
“Breck.” Kai’s voice was soft again.
Breck forced his gaze to lift.
Kai held his stare. “I touched him through his underwear. His dick never saw the light of day. I moved on before he was even halfway hard.” He sounded like he was explaining himself.
Breck frowned at him. “Why are you telling me this?”
“So you know what really happened. And what didn’t. Wouldn’t want that imagination of yours running wild.”
Breck scowled. “Like I give a shit what the two of you did.”
Kai regarded him. “You sure about that?”
“Yes,” he bit out. “One hundred percent.”
Kai smiled a little, as if he wasn’t convinced.
Ugh.
“Whatever,” Breck muttered. “You said you moved on. I assume you’re now going to tell me on to what.” Not that he wanted to hear more, but they were otherwise on the verge of straying to a subject he was even less comfortable with. His attraction to the guy. Besides, as much as it sucked to hear Kai’s fun little recap, it was nice to know the truth of what actually transpired.
Kai’s lips curved a smidgen higher.
Goddamn it, that smile.
“Yes. I moved on.” He nodded. “Got up and stood in front of him, then proceeded to make Max lose his shit.”
Breck frowned. “Max? I don’t understand. I thought you said he wasn’t there. That he was watching from a completely different room.”
Kai grinned.
And then Breck got it. “You were fucking with Max through the glass.”
Kai’s eyes glittered.
Breck stared at him. “But why would you want to mess with Max?”
“I didn’t.” He shrugged. “Not really. Just wanted to help the guy open his eyes.”
Whaaa—?
Totally confused again.
Breck cocked his head.
Kai smiled. “To the fact that he doesn’t really want to give away his sub.”
Whoa. Okay. Starting to understand.
Max had feelings for Sean, but for some reason he was trying to deny them. A scenario that, incidentally, sounded way too familiar.