Jack didn't want to say a word. The look on Dominic's face was unlike one he had ever seen before. It was either extreme anger or intense lust and he almost preferred the first to the second at this moment. Kris had thankfully retracted her hand from his pulsing thigh, but was now close to tears. He'd rather be beat again than have her cry.

"Dominic, this wasn't her fault. I came on to her-"

"Jack! No! Dominic, please-"

Dominic watched them fumble over themselves. "Shut up…both of you." They both froze and looked up at him. "Did I break it?"

Jack's brow furrowed. "Break what?"

Dominic sighed. "Your nose, dumb ass. Did I break it?"

He shook his head. "No, just slammed it one good. Look, I'm going to leave now. Forget I was even here, that I messed up your life." He stood and started for the door. Kris watched, telling herself not to go after him.

Dominic got to him first. "Sit down, Jack. I think we have a few things we need to talk about."

Jack didn't turn around. "Like what?"

"How about how you love my girl?" The startled gasp from the other side of the room didn't stop him. "Sit down."

Kris stood and walked over to Dominic. "Dominic, what are you planning to do?"

He stepped closer to her. "Talk, honey. We're just going to talk."

Kris staggered back. "You've been drinking."

Dominic scowled. Damn. He forgot that Kris would freak. "Not even a full glass. I had a couple fingers of whiskey." When she didn't respond, he cursed. "What? What do you think I was doing? I sure as hell wasn't going to leave and never come back. You know better than that."

"You said that you wouldn't drink anymore, no matter what. Remember what happened the last time you had a drink?" When he stood there, she went on. "Of course you don't. You were usually unconscious. Jesus Dominic, I thought you were past this."

Jack looked over Dominic curiously. "You were an alcoholic?"

Dominic shook his head, then shrugged. "Sort of. I kind of fell into drinking after we moved here. I was depressed, I had to start another new life, and I knew something had happened between you two…I was hurt. Drinking made the pain go away for a while. I stopped when Kris gave me an ultimatum. It was either the booze or her. I picked her and I stopped drinking." He gazed at Kris again. "I swear I only had a small amount. Go and ask the bartender, Sam, he'll tell you we talked the whole time and I barely touched the liquor."

Kris looked him over warily. "You do seem to be in control. At least I'll give you that much." She slowly backed up until she was near the only armchair in the room, and sat.

Jack looked hesitant, but he too took a seat. He waited anxiously for Dominic to start talking, but the man kept him waiting.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke. "I did a lot of thinking while I was at the bar." He ignored Kris's glare and continued, "There was a man there, who knew exactly what I was going through and offered me some advice. I realized that what he said was true."

He looked at Jack and sighed. "I knew that something had happened with you two when I saw how you looked at her when you saved us. That was not a simple look and you knew it." He turned to Kris. "I had hoped to god that you weren't having an affair with him, but I couldn't shake the amount of open affection I had seen you give him. While at the bar, I kept thinking, 'why in hell would he even think of showing his face at my house after what he had done?'"

He ran a hand through his hair, pausing to gain composure. "And then it hit me. Jack, you wouldn't do something like this unless there was a damn good reason. It turned out that that reason was that you loved her. You would try anything to get her to love you, but you knew that you could never take her away from me. I appreciate that, by the way."

Dominic glanced at Kris who looked shell-shocked by the whole thing. "Kris, I know you feel something for him. I can see it plain as day, yet I know you're afraid to hurt either of us. I know that you think, in your mind, that you can simply choose between us, but I know that in your heart that you can't." He sat back and rubbed the tops of his legs. "So, I say don't."

Kris stared in shock. "D-Don't what?"

Dominic met her gaze head on. "Don't choose." He looked over at Jack and fought back a grin. The man was slouched slightly on the couch and Dominic knew what he was trying to hide. However, since it was his home, Dominic blatantly didn't care.

The two stayed silent for a long time while they tried to decipher the actual meaning behind Dominic's words. It was Jack who found his voice first. "You want me to sleep with her?"

Dominic shrugged. "If that's what she wants. However, I would be there. You two can do it while I watch or let me participate. It's your choice."

Kris looked up at Dominic. "Why are you doing this? Do you want me to tell Jack to leave and never come back? I'll do that if it means you'll stay with me."

Jack looked to Dominic and waited for his answer. The room was so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife.

"No, Kris. I'll stay with you no matter what. Unlike the previous men you've been with, this time I'm giving you a choice to be with one you care deeply about. It is completely up to you. I know that Jack is game. The guy is primed and ready. It is your decision if you want to take another lover, and possibly two at the same time. I will not force you to do anything, and if Jack even thinks he can, he'll be walking out of this house one testicle short." He turned and shot Jack a glare. Jack nodded his understanding.

Kris chewed her bottom lip as she went over the pros and cons in her head. She loved Dominic, but she felt something for Jack as well. Yet, Dominic was giving her the chance to explore the feelings she had towards Jack. She kept looking back and forth between the two, not knowing what to do.

"I will still love you no matter what you decide, honey. I love you more than you can ever love me. We've been through more than any other couple. I know that I'm not legally yours, but I am in every other way. So, if you want to sleep with Jack, go ahead."

Kris looked at him, tears in her eyes. "Jesus, Dominic, this is depraved! Both of you?! You're giving me permission to have sex with another man! This isn't weird for you?!"

Dominic let out a gruff laugh. "Of course it's weird for me! You think I didn't keep myself awake at night wondering if you wanted to fuck another man? But I knew that you needed this. For the last few weeks, you haven't seemed… satisfied. I don't know. Maybe it was just me and my wild thoughts, but it seemed liked you needed a sharper edge to what I could give you. The logical conclusion was another man…at least to me it was."

"I…I thought that you…I loved everything you've done. You're the only man I've ever been with. I don't know. This is weird for me. I don't know what to do." She glanced at Jack, who was staring intently at her. She didn't want to let Dominic or Jack down, but this was odd. She wanted to do this, but she wasn't sure how.

Dominic stood then and motioned for Jack to do the same. Both men walked up to her, Dominic in the front and Jack behind her. When Dominic took her face in his hands, she knew there was no turning back. This was something that deep inside, she knew she wanted. No matter what doubts she had, she was going to try this. She knew if she wasn't comfortable, that they would stop. These two men cared deeply for her and wouldn't hurt her in any way.

With a smile, she grasped Dominic's shoulders and lowered his mouth to hers.