Déjà vu
The car idled outside the building, its engine a low hum in the quiet street.
David's hands gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. Sarah sat beside him, her purse clutched in her lap, her eyes fixed on the glass doors of the penthouse entrance.
"We don't have to do this," David said quietly.
Sarah turned to look at him. "You're the one who wanted this."
"I know. But if you're not comfortable—"
"I'm fine." Her voice was tight. Controlled. "I just want to make sure we're on the same page."
David nodded. "Okay. Let's go over it again."
Sarah exhaled slowly. "No kissing on the lips."
"Right."
"We have to be able to see each other at all times. No going into separate rooms."
"Agreed."
"If anyone says stop, we stop immediately. No questions."
"Of course."
"And condoms. No exceptions."
David reached over and took her hand. "I promise. We'll follow the rules."
Sarah looked down at their joined hands. Her wedding ring caught the light from the streetlamp outside.
"This is supposed to help us," she said quietly. "Right? That's what you said. That it would bring us closer."
"It will," David said. "I've read about it. Couples who do this—they say it reignites the spark. Makes them see each other differently."
Sarah was quiet for a moment. Then she squeezed his hand.
"Okay," she said. "Let's go."
***
The elevator ride to the penthouse felt endless.
Sarah watched the numbers climb—12, 15, 18—her heart pounding harder with each floor. David stood beside her, his hands in his pockets, his jaw tight.
When the doors finally opened, they stepped into a hallway lined with expensive art and soft lighting.
The penthouse door was at the end of the hall.
David knocked.
The door opened almost immediately.
Rider stood there, dressed in dark slacks and a crisp white shirt, the top two buttons undone. He smiled warmly.
"David. Sarah. Come in, come in."
They stepped inside.
The penthouse was stunning—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, modern furniture in shades of gray and white, soft jazz playing from hidden speakers.
Leena appeared from the kitchen, carrying a tray with four glasses of water. She wore a simple black dress that hugged her curves, her hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail.
"Hi," she said, her smile bright. "I'm so glad you could make it."
Sarah forced a smile. "Thank you for having us."
"Of course." Leena set the tray down on the coffee table. "Please, sit. Make yourselves comfortable."
They sat on the couch—David and Sarah side by side, Rider and Leena across from them in matching armchairs.
"So," Rider said, leaning back. "David tells me you're on board with this."
Sarah glanced at David, then back at Rider. "Yes. We talked about it. We're... interested."
"That's great," Leena said. Her voice was warm, reassuring. "We've been doing this for a little over a year now, and honestly? It's been amazing for us."
"Really?" Sarah asked.
"Really." Leena reached over and took Rider's hand. "It keeps things exciting. Keeps us connected. And it's a way to explore without any of the guilt or secrecy that comes with cheating."
Rider nodded. "Exactly. It's all about trust and communication. As long as everyone's on the same page, it can be incredibly fulfilling."
David leaned forward. "We have some rules we'd like to establish. Just to make sure everyone's comfortable."
"Of course," Rider said. "That's smart. What are they?"
David listed them off—no kissing on the lips, staying in the same room, stopping if anyone felt uncomfortable, using condoms.
Rider and Leena exchanged a glance.
"Those all sound reasonable," Rider said. "We can work with that."
Leena stood and picked up the tray. "Here. Have some water. It'll help you relax."
She handed glasses to David and Sarah, then took one for herself. Rider took the last.
They drank in silence, the tension in the room thick but not unpleasant.
When the glasses were empty, Leena set hers down and smiled.
"Ready?" she asked.
Sarah's throat was dry despite the water. She nodded.
"Let's go to the bedroom," Rider said.
***
The bedroom was large and dimly lit, with soft amber light coming from lamps on either side of the king-sized bed. There was a second bed against the far wall—a queen, neatly made with white sheets.
Sarah's stomach flipped.
Two beds. So we can see each other.
Rider closed the door behind them.
"Make yourselves comfortable," he said. "There's no rush."
David and Sarah stood near the door, their hands still clasped together.
Leena walked to the king-sized bed and sat on the edge, crossing her legs. Rider moved to the queen bed and did the same.
"Come here, David," Leena said, patting the space beside her.
David hesitated, then looked at Sarah. She nodded.
He crossed the room and sat beside Leena.
Rider looked at Sarah and smiled. "Sarah?"
She walked slowly to the queen bed, her heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor. She sat beside Rider, her hands folded in her lap.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then Leena reached over and placed her hand on David's thigh.
"You're tense," she said softly.
"I'm okay," David said. His voice was tight.
"It's normal to be nervous." Leena's hand moved higher, her fingers tracing small circles. "Just relax. We'll take it slow."
Across the room, Rider's hand found Sarah's knee. She flinched slightly but didn't pull away.
"You're beautiful," Rider said quietly. "David's a lucky man."
Sarah's cheeks flushed. "Thank you."
Leena leaned closer to David, her lips near his ear. "You did a good job convincing her," she whispered. "I'm going to give you a reward for that."
David's breath hitched.
Leena's hand moved to his belt, her fingers working the buckle with practiced ease.
On the other bed, Rider's hand slid higher up Sarah's thigh, pushing the hem of her dress up slightly.
"Is this okay?" he asked.
Sarah nodded, her eyes flicking to David.
David was watching her, his expression unreadable.
Leena pulled his belt free and tossed it aside. Her fingers moved to the button of his pants.
"Look at me," she said.
David turned his head, and Leena kissed him—not on the lips, but just below his jaw. Her mouth moved down his neck, her teeth grazing his skin.
David's hands went to her waist, gripping the fabric of her dress.
Across the room, Rider leaned in and kissed Sarah's neck. She gasped softly, her hands clutching the edge of the bed.
Leena pulled David's shirt over his head, her hands running over his chest. He wasn't as muscular as Rider, but he was lean, his skin warm under her touch.
She pushed him back onto the bed, her body following his.
"Just relax," she murmured. "Let me take care of you."
Her hands moved to his pants, pulling them down along with his boxers. David's cock was already hard, straining toward her.
Leena smiled.
"Eager," she said. "I like that."
She wrapped her hand around him, stroking slowly. David groaned, his hips lifting off the bed.
On the other bed, Rider was undressing Sarah. Her dress slid over her head, revealing a simple white bra and matching panties.
"Beautiful," Rider said again. His hands moved to her bra, unclasping it with one smooth motion.
Sarah's breasts spilled free, and Rider's mouth was on them immediately, his tongue circling her nipple.
Sarah moaned—a soft, hesitant sound.
David heard it. His head turned, his eyes finding her across the room.
She was arching into Rider's touch, her hands in his hair.
Leena's mouth closed around David's cock.
Slurp.
The sound was wet, obscene. David's hands flew to her head, his fingers tangling in her hair.
"Fuck," he breathed.
Leena took him deeper, her tongue swirling around the head before sliding down the shaft. She hollowed her cheeks, sucking hard, and David's hips bucked.
She didn't stop. Didn't slow down. She worked him with expert precision.
Across the room, Rider was pulling Sarah's panties down her legs. She lifted her hips to help him, her breath coming in short gasps.
"Come here," Rider said, guiding her down to her knees in front of him.
Sarah hesitated, her eyes flicking to David again.
He was lost in Leena's mouth, his head thrown back, his chest heaving.
"It's okay," Rider said gently. "You can do this."
He unbuckled his belt and pulled his pants down. His cock sprang free, thick and already hard.
Sarah stared at it for a moment. Then she heard David moan—a deep, guttural sound—and something shifted in her.
She leaned forward and took Rider into her mouth.
Rider groaned, his hand moving to the back of her head.
"That's it," he murmured. "Just like that."
Sarah's movements were tentative at first, unsure. But as she heard David's moans growing louder, she found her rhythm.
Slurp. Slurp.
Leena pulled off David's cock with a wet pop and climbed onto the bed, straddling him. She reached down and guided him to her entrance, sinking down slowly.
David's hands gripped her hips as she began to ride him, her movements slow and deliberate.
"Fuck," David groaned. "You feel so good."
Leena smiled, her hands braced on his chest. She rolled her hips, taking him deeper.
Across the room, Rider pulled Sarah to her feet and guided her onto the bed. He positioned himself between her legs, his cock pressing against her entrance.
"Ready?" he asked.
Sarah nodded.
Rider pushed inside her, slow and steady. Sarah gasped, her back arching off the bed.
"Tight," Rider groaned. "Fuck, you're tight."
Leena heard it.
A sharp pang of jealousy shot through her chest.
Tight.
When was the last time Rider had said that to her? When was the last time he'd looked at her with that kind of hunger?
She pushed the thought away and rode David harder, her hips slamming down against his.
David's moans grew louder, his hands gripping her ass.
But then he heard it—Sarah's voice, her high and breathy moans.
David's head turned. He saw Rider thrusting into his wife, saw the way her face twisted in pleasure, the way her hands clutched at the sheets.
A flash of emotion ran through him—regret, jealousy, arousal.
It was too much.
Rider flipped Sarah over onto her hands and knees, his hands gripping her hips. He thrust into her from behind, harder now, faster.
Sarah moaned—louder than David had ever heard her.
Her face was pressed into the pillow, her mouth open, her eyes squeezed shut.
She looked... different.
Like someone he didn't recognize.
"Leena," David said, his voice strained. "Can you—can we do it like that?"
Leena looked down at him, her expression unreadable. Then she smiled.
"If you can make me cum first," she said.
She slid off his cock and moved up his body, positioning herself over his face.
"Lick," she said.
David didn't hesitate. His hands gripped her thighs, pulling her down onto his mouth.
His tongue found her clit immediately, circling it, flicking it. Leena gasped, her hands bracing on the headboard.
"Good boy," she murmured. "That's a good boy."
David licked harder, his tongue moving in tight circles. His hands slid up to grip her ass, pulling her closer, desperate.
He sucked her clit into his mouth, his tongue working furiously.
Leena's hips rocked against his face, her breath coming in short gasps.
"Yes," she breathed. "Just like that. Don't stop."
David didn't stop. He licked and sucked like a man starving, his grip on her ass tightening.
Across the room, Rider was pounding into Sarah, his hands leaving red marks on her hips. Sarah's moans had turned into cries, her body shaking with each thrust.
Leena's eyes found Rider's.
He was staring at Sarah with an intensity she hadn't seen in months. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark, his entire focus on the woman beneath him.
David's tongue flicked her clit again, and Leena gasped.
"Fuck," she breathed. "I'm close. I'm so close—"
David redoubled his efforts, his tongue moving faster, his hands gripping her ass so hard it would leave bruises.
Leena came with a cry, her body shuddering, her thighs clamping around David's head.
"Good boy," she gasped. "Such a good boy."
She climbed off his face, and David didn't waste a second. He grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her hands and knees.
He pushed into her from behind, his hands gripping her waist.
"Fuck," he groaned.
He thrust hard, fast, his hips slamming against her ass.
Leena's eyes found Rider's again.
He was still fucking Sarah, but now he was looking at Leena. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the room fell away.
Leena saw the pleasure on his face. Saw the way his jaw was tight, the way his hands gripped Sarah's hips.
He hasn't looked at me like that in so long.
The realization hit her like a punch to the gut.
She pushed back against David's thrusts, meeting him stroke for stroke.
Across the room, Rider pulled out of Sarah and flipped her onto her back. He pulled the condom off and moved up her body, straddling her chest.
"Open your mouth," he said.
Sarah obeyed, her lips parting.
Rider pushed his cock between her breasts, his hands pressing them together. He thrust between them, his breath coming in short gasps.
"Fuck," he groaned. "I'm close."
He thrust a few more times, then pulled back and aimed at her mouth.
"Open," he said again.
Sarah opened wider, and Rider came with a groan, his cum spilling into her mouth and onto her lips.
David saw it. Saw his wife swallow, saw the way she licked her lips afterward.
He felt something twist in his chest—jealousy, arousal, shame.
He flipped Leena onto her back and pulled out, his hand wrapping around his cock. He stroked himself, aiming at her breasts.
But Leena's hand shot up, blocking his tip.
David came onto her hand instead, his body shuddering.
"Cumming on me isn't a privilege you've earned yet," Leena said, her voice cool.
David stared at her, his chest heaving.
Leena wiped her hand on the sheets and stood, walking toward the bathroom without another word.
***
The cleanup was awkward.
Leena handed out towels, her movements efficient and detached. David and Sarah cleaned themselves in silence, avoiding each other's eyes.
Rider's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, and his expression darkened.
"I need to take this," he said, stepping out of the room.
Leena was left alone with David and Sarah.
The silence was suffocating.
Sarah sat on the edge of the bed, her towel wrapped around her body. David stood near the window, his back to them.
Leena didn't know what to say.
She looked at them—at the way they weren't looking at each other, at the tension radiating off them in waves.
It reminded her of something.
Of her and Jack, a long time ago. After their first time with Rider and Hela.
The awkwardness. The uncertainty. The unspoken question: What have we done?
Leena almost laughed.
How small I used to be, she thought. How eager to please. How desperate for his approval.
Now she was... what? Free? Powerful?
Or just broken in a different way?
She left the room without a word.
Rider was in the living room, pacing, his phone pressed to his ear.
"I don't care what it takes," he was saying. "Find the money. Liquidate assets if you have to. I'm not losing this deal."
He paused, listening.
"Sterling upped their bid again?" His voice was tight. "By how much?"
Another pause.
"Fuck." Rider ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll figure it out. Just—just give me until tomorrow."
He ended the call and stood there for a moment, staring at the phone.
Leena approached slowly.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Rider looked at her, his jaw tight.
"Sterling," he said. "They just upped their bid again. By a lot."
Leena's stomach sank. "Maybe you should let this one go. Admit defeat. There will be other deals."
"No." Rider's voice was sharp. "I need this one. I can't lose. Not to them."
"Rider—"
"We're going to King's Paradise," he said.
Leena blinked. "What?"
"King's Paradise. Jack's place." Rider's eyes were hard. "If he wants to play games, we'll play games. But I'm not losing this deal."
Leena's chest tightened.
Jack.
She hadn't thought about him in weeks. Hadn't let herself.
But now—
"When?" she asked quietly.
"Tonight," Rider said. "Get dressed. We're leaving in twenty minutes."
He walked past her toward the bedroom, leaving Leena standing alone in the living room.
She stared at the city lights outside the window, her mind racing.
King's Paradise.
Jack.
She didn't know what Rider was planning. Didn't know what he thought he could accomplish by going there.
But she knew one thing.
Tonight was going to change everything.