"Alright, the scene is over. Everyone can go," Callan's voice filled the space. My eyes were closed as I worked on calming my breathing.

A pair of hands grabbed my legs and brought them down from the stirrups gently. Just from the gentle touch, I knew it was Mateo.

"You did so well, gorgeous. You pleased me very much." He kept his voice calm as he praised me, but I could hear just how pleased he was. There had been an undertone of pride there that was unmistakable.

Even exhausted, I beamed–well, at least on the inside. On the outside, all I could do was give a weak smile. It wasn't only the orgasms that had knocked me out but also challenging myself like this. It could take a lot out of a person to step out of one's comfort zone like that. I used to feel this way when I'd forced myself into a store when my anxiety was at an all-time high. Afterward, I'd been drained.

That was what I was feeling now, drained. While the evening was still young, and I desperately wanted to spend it awake with Mateo, I didn't know if I had the strength.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of you," Mateo assured me as if he could read my mind.

A pair of arms lifted me from the seat and started carrying me. Only then did I open my eyes. Mateo's ocean eyes looked into mine. Something squeezed in my chest as I saw the emotion in them. Was it tender?

Was Mateo looking at me tenderly? And was I looking back at him with the same tenderness? Maybe I was delusional. I was out of my mind tired, and I probably imagined it.

"Where's Callan and Gideon?" I asked hoarsely, my voice wrecked by my earlier screams of pleasure.

"Callan is getting your things ready for you, and Gideon...Gideon had some stuff to take care of, so he had to leave," he said, but I didn't miss the annoyed tone.

I stiffened in his arms, knowing what he was unintentionally insinuating. Gideon didn't have anything to take care of, did he? He just didn't want to be here with me.

That hurt. A lot. I'd thought we'd grown closer since that night I spent at his place, but maybe I'd been putting too much into the small, sweet things he'd done for me. Maybe him cooking for me wasn't anything special, just that he liked to cook. Or the way he'd massaged my feet at Callan's, maybe he'd felt like he had to because Callan was massaging me?

Mateo must've seen the disappointment in my eyes because he was quick to console me. "I wouldn't worry about it. That's just Gideon being Gideon. It takes time for him to open up, be patient with him," he said softly. "His story isn't mine to share, but...he's had a rough life, and intimacy doesn't come easily for him."

And now I hurt even more, but not for me this time. The thought of Gideon in pain was even worse than merely him not wanting to be with me. I didn't need to know the particulars; my heart still ached for him. That wasn't something I could ever let him know, knowing he wouldn't appreciate my sympathy.

Would he ever tell me about it? Would we ever be close enough for him to want to share it with me? God, I hoped so. I wanted to know him, and not just the on-the-surface parts of him, but also who he was as a person.

I didn't have any comment to Mateo on what he told me, and it seemed like I didn't need to. He only continued walking across the floor and up the stairs. If I hadn't been so tired, I would've been amazed at how easily these guys could carry me. Even with how short I was, I was by no means light.

We met Callan in his playroom. He was standing with a bottle of Gatorade ready for me. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was until now.

"Thank you," I said when Mateo sat me down on a low stool, and Callan handed me the drink. Neither of them cared that I wasn't wearing panties, and that I was probably making a mess of the furniture. If they didn't, I wouldn't.

"You were great down there, Bella. It was enthralling to watch you. How did it feel to have so many eyes on you?" Callan's voice floated around me like it was enfolding me in its silky quality.

"It felt...it felt sexy, actually. Scary but sexy. I didn't know I would like it that much." My answer seemed to please the men, and I smiled before taking a sip of the drink.

Mateo stepped behind me and started working on getting the corset off of me. I relaxed as the lace came gradually undone, letting me breathe more deeply.

"I didn't know you guys would join us tonight?" I posed it as a question to Callan while Mateo still worked on the laces behind me.

"We couldn't possibly miss your first public scene, now could we? Besides, we figured it would help you with any..." he paused, searching for the right word. "Stage fright."

Chuckling, I said, "You figured right. I don't know if I could've followed through on Mateo's orders if you hadn't been there."

Callan smiled down at me. "Well, I should let you get back to your evening. I wouldn't want to steal your attention from Mateo." He winked at me, clearly joking.

"Fuck you, man," Mateo laughed. "Besides, I think our girl is too tired to give any of us attention right now." He didn't sound disappointed about me being worn out; he was only stating a fact.

"Yeah, I think you're right. Go on and get her to bed," Callan agreed and then said to me, "Good night, sweetheart." He bent down and gave me a sweet kiss on my lips before he walked out the door. I murmured a good night back to him before he closed it.

With the corset finally off, Mateo helped me into my clothes. By the time we got my tight jeans on, I was cursing at myself. I should've picked a dress for tonight.

"Do you need me to carry you to the car?" Mateo asked, taking in my slumped form.

"No, I'm fine," I answered honestly. While I had little energy, I could still move my legs without much problem. I was so tired that I didn't even feel Jennifer's angry gaze on the way out.

We got to his house in no time; I'd fallen asleep in the passenger seat, which made the trip feel like it was over in a blink. This time, he didn't even ask as he lifted me and carried me inside. I had to say, I quite liked being held by these men of mine.

Mateo helped me shower after I'd said I wouldn't be able to sleep before I was clean. And he helped me to dry myself off. It was...it was heaven, actually. The way they took care of me would make any women swoon, and I was swooning majorly.

With a new water bottle on the nightstand by my side, he tucked me into bed and spooned me from behind. He'd offered to make me food if I was hungry, but all I needed right now was the bed and him.