Jerry's POV

I was a terrible human being. I was sitting across from my best friend and lying right to his face.

Finn laughed at a meme on his phone and tilted the screen towards me, and I had to smile and laugh and pretend like I wasn't a fucking traitor.

It had all happened yesterday.

I was mad about a grade I'd gotten on a paper, and it was a few weeks before the final. I was usually a straight-A student, but my writing class had officially stumped me. The professor's name was Adam Lincoln, and at this point I was convinced that I was doing poorly because he hated me. And I was going to fail out of his class if the asshole didn't shape up.

I'd busted into his office and shoved my paper in his face. "This is absolutely fucking rediculous," I nearly screamed. "You can't refuse to mark anything wrong, slap a C on the front, and call it a day! That's bullshit!"

Adam Lincoln shot out of his chair and grabbed the paper. "This is why you get bad grades in my class. You're mouthy, disrespectful, and—"

"I know you cheated on your ex-husband," I snapped, choosing to go straight for the balls today. "So I'd rather you not talk to me about respect."

Adam's whole posture changed. "You are such a fucking brat. You have no idea what you're even talking about."

"Well I know that the only class I've ever gotten less than an A in is yours," I snapped. "And it's because you don't like me. You don't put anything on my essays saying why I get bad grades—"

"Right here!" Adam shook the paper in front of my face. "Weak thesis. Poor supporting detail. Poor analysis."

"That's straight bullshit!" I screamed. I definitely shouldn't have been losing my mind at the teacher, but there was just something about Adam. "You just fucking hate me—"

"I don't hate you," Adam growled, and then I was being pressed up against the wall and kissed.

And the worst part? I kissed him back. I kissed him back, and he'd locked the door to his office, and we'd fucked right up against his desk.

That escalated quickly was basically the motto for my entire life.

And as for why I was the worst human on the history of the earth?

"Jerry," Aidan Demos laughed, waving his hand in front of my face. I blinked and shook my thoughts away. "I can tell something's wrong with you because you aren't being obnoxious."

Right. That was why I was the worst human on the history of the planet.

Adam Lincoln was Aidan Demos' ex-husband and the man who broke his heart. And Aidan was my best friend's boyfriend.

And yesterday I'd fucked Adam like I was making schoolgirl porn.

I flipped Aidan off and directed my attention to my phone. It was Adam. Again. I shoved the thing in my pocket and focused on my present.

"Okay, Aidan," I said with enough scorn to make him grin. The guy had been doing an awful lot of grinning lately, it was kind of creepy. "You got me. I haven't had nearly enough caffeine today."

"You've already drank five cups of coffee!" Finn, an evil caffeine hater and loud vegan, protested.

A strong hand thumped onto my shoulder and I was reminded of the second pain in my ass. Robert. Or Master Robert, which he was called at the kink club he owned.

"C'mon, boy," Robert said, because he liked calling everyone skinner than he was 'boy.' "That stuff's bad for you."

But I liked Robert. He was annoying, but I generally didn't hate anybody. I wasn't really capable of it. So I smiled and obnoxiously batted my lashes at him. "Will you please buy me another coffee, Sir Master Dominant, Sir? Because you want to fuck this sweet ass?"

Robert squeezed my shoulder in a way that was probably supposed to be communicating to me, 'be a good little submissive and don't talk back.' But like, how boring would that be?

"Fine, demon boy," Robert agreed, sending me a wink. "Only because you're broke."

Respect.

I watched the old dude walk away, taking in the fact that yup, he definitely got the occasional adoring stares from fourteen year olds with daddy issues.

Master Robert was fucking sexy, actually. He had a dignified older guy look to him, with piercing blue eyes and a salt and pepper beard. And an incredible body considering he was like one birthday away from needing a wheelchair.

"How old is he again?" I mused.

"Forty-three," Aidan responded.

Yeah, make that a birthday away from needing a coffin.

"Please stop eye-fucking him in public," Finn whispered. "He's probably going to ask you to kneel on the floor while he eats or something."

"Please don't do that," Aidan groaned. "I know you have a weird flirting thing going, but he's my friend. Please don't have sex with my friend, Jerry. I'm actually begging."

Dude. I had sex with your ex-husband.

I bit my tongue before I admitted my sins and winked at Aidan. "C'mon, Aid. What about a foursome? Then everybody's happy."

Aidan wrinkled his nose. "I hate to say it, but you have some kinks that I don't think we can accommodate."

Robert sat back down and handed me a coffee. "Speaking of. I've had some fun times with urination."

Aidan and Finn sputtered and acted scandalized, but I respected a man who could join a conversation with a hell of an entrance.

"Sister seriously?!" I gasped. Finn looked like he would rather die than hear me make James Charles references. "Please explain."

"Don't explain!" Aidan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I miss my dog. This is why I don't do socialization."

Robert sent me a flirty smile. "If you actually want to be peed on, demon boy, I could give you some good pointers. All submissives need a good Dominant to show them how things are done."

This guy was not, conversationally, holding any of his horses.

"On that note," Aidan grumbled. "I need to leave. My dog misses me. My head hurts. I haven't had an alcoholic beverage since breakfast—"

"He's quitting," Finn snapped. "Or trying. But we actually do need to leave, because we've been sitting in this coffee shop watching you chug caffeine for three hours now, Jerry. Aidan bought me these super cute nipple clamps yesterday and I'm just dying to—"

"Finn!" Aidan protested.

Aidan was actually the secret blushing virgin between the two of them. Rumor has it, it took like a month before he put out to Finn. He scowled at his boyfriend and dragged him out of his chair.

"We're leaving before the entire coffee shop learns way too much about our sex life," Aidan said.

I sighed and rested my chin in my hand. "Boo. I've always wanted intimate details about your sex life. Ooh, I have an idea! What if you put one of those nanny cams in your bedroom so I can watch you guys, but I won't even be there?!"

"No."

"It'll be like live-streamed porn!"

"No. Okay, time to leave."

I pouted when some onlookers shot me a few glares. Whatever. Their ugly babies would learn about porn soon enough.

Robert waited until after their goodbyes and departure before getting all up in my business. He slid close to me and touched the side of my face, stroking my cheek with his thumb all maternal-like.

"Ooh, my cheek likey," I said appreciatively, giving him a nice little eyebrow wiggle.

Robert tugged his hand away and cleared his throat. "What's going on with you, boy? You keep checking your phone."

"I have a technology addiction."

And Aidan's ex-husband was texting me more than my own mother.

He leaned back and crossed those arms of his, so I took a moment to admire his biceps. And then shoulder muscles. And then his handsomely trimmed beard. Oh, hello look of disappointment.

"Don't lie to me," he said, in that gruff, obey-me voice. "Someone bothering you? I won't stand for that, and you know it."

A bodyguard, for free? I was a lucky damsel!

I shot him side-eye that was hopefully coy and attractive. "Are you offering to throw your weight around for me, strong guy?"

Any level of sarcasm, humor, or teasing went completely over Robert's head. He preened a little and rested his hand on the back of my chair. "I would, you know."

Yeah, all good things had to come to an end. And I needed to stop flirting with the hot older guy and start facing the consequences of my actions.

"Well, thanks," I dismissed, "but no thanks. I gotta go. Phone call to take and all that. Thanks for the coffee, Dominant Master Beast, Sir."

I ruffled his dark hair and gave myself a nice dramatic exit.

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