Page 29 of House Rules

Atticus has a woman lying naked in front of him, acting as a footstool while he sips champagne and plays video games.

I never did understand Atticus’s particular brand of degradation, but whatever. I suspect Phoenix will lose her shit if he does some of the things he enjoys to her.

Then there’s Storm, sitting with his back to the wall across the room as he flips his knife. He is the only one openly staring at Phoenix, with that creepy-as-fuck thousand yard gaze of his. It’s especially creepy when accompanied by knife play.

He will take one of the girls back to his bedroom eventually. Maybe. She’ll leave in the morning, her eyes haunted. His girls never say a word, just run out of the door, never to be heard from again.

His brand of degradation, I understand, even if I don’t share it.

Although the women are never heard from again, and they never return to the casino, as far as I know,no one has ever complained. No one has tried to press charges. There has been absolutely no fallout from whatever it is he does when they’re alone.

So we leave it alone.

The woman in my lap must finally think that her giant tits have done their job. She either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care that I’m not looking at her, that I’m staring instead at Phoenix in the mirror. She slides down my body, unzips my fly, takes out my hard cock, and sucks.

Her mouth is hot and wet, and the pull is just right, practiced. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel something.

But it’s not real. She’s not Phoenix. She doesn’t taste like pain and victory. She doesn’t smell like whiskey and sin.

And yet, I don't stop her. Because I want Phoenix to see it. I want her to squirm.

I can’t stop looking at her. At the way her gaze flits around, never settling but lighting briefly on me getting head, the women Maverick is playing poker with, and then between Atticus and Storm. She twists her fingers together, clearly uncomfortable.

Good.

It’s more than discomfort, though.

I see the way her teeth sink into that lush bottom lip and remember that my little Phoenix likes to watch.

I wonder if it does more for her to watch the blonde suck my cock like a pro, or Maverick reaching over and tweaking the nipple of the girl he’s playing with.

I’ll find out soon enough.

There’ll be plenty of times where she’s going to watch shit like this happen. Soon enough, she’s going to watch it while I touch her. I’ll get to know firsthand what does and doesn’t do it for our little babysitter.

I want her squirming while I touch her. I want her wide-eyed while I make someone else come. And when I finally let her fall apart, she’s going to wonder if I’m punishing her or rewarding her.

The answer will be yes.

“Um,” Phoenix looks around, a dirty duffle bag slung over her shoulder as she takes a tentative step forward like she’s going to ask us a question.

Storm’s knife flies and embeds itself in the drywall just on the other side of Phoenix’s head.

Her eyes go wide. Her lips part and close a few times.

I can see her shake as she backs up to the wall and then slides down to sit with her knees clasped tightly in front of her.

Good girl.

The smile on my lips broadens. Phoenix just might survive the four of us, after all.

The thing is…I’m not worried about her surviving us.

I’m worried I might not surviveher.

10

Phoenix