Arlo's words echo through my head as we ride the elevator up to their apartment. I try to hold onto them as he leads us inside. Instinctively, I catch his hand and grip onto him.

He throws me a reassuring smile over his shoulder; the whole apartment is dark. Flurries fall outside, catching the light from the city below. A soft glow comes from the Mystery Room, where the door is slightly ajar.

We come to a halt outside of it, and Arlo looks to me. "Knock," he whispers.

I rap a knuckle on the door, and after a moment, it swings open.

Ollie stands before us, dressed in a simple dark T and jeans. I half expected him to be naked. Without a word he steps aside, and Arlo gives me a little push.

I was preparing myself for red walls, torture devices, a leather bench or a swing hanging from the ceiling, but instead I'm met with an eclectic, almost cluttered room. Big bookshelves line the walls, save for the exterior one straight ahead; wide windows that match the ones in the living room take up that wall. The shelves are overflowing with volumes. There are a few leather lounge chairs around the room, and a desk with two workspaces prove to me that the boys actually do homework. The soft light is coming from more than a dozen candles perched on stacks of books and end tables. Rugs litter the floor and a simple black chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The only piece of furniture that seems a little menacing at all is a tall dark wardrobe set in one corner.

As I step further into the room, literally lost for words, I hear the door close behind me.

"Welcome to the Den," Ollie says, gauging my reaction.

I turn to them. "I had no idea."

They share a smile. Ollie comes closer, circles me. "You look relieved."

I laugh. "I was expecting a dungeon."

His face is close to mine; I can feel his body heat. "Don't be fooled, Little Wren. Things can get pretty dangerous in here."

I watch him, watch his eyes darken as they flicker to the wardrobe in the corner.

"Baby Brother," he says, not looking away from me. "Clothes off."

I stand still as Arlo undresses down to his underwear; there's a flicker inside me that hopes Ollie will give me a command, too, but he doesn't.

Instead, he strides over to the wardrobe. I can't get a full view of what's inside, but when he pulls out a red rope, I get a pretty good idea what else might be hiding in there.

He goes back over to his brother. "You know why you're being punished?"

Arlo glances at me and nods. I bite my tongue.

Ollie binds Arlo's hands with an intricate knot before looping the rope on a hook on the ceiling I didn't notice before. Arlo's hands are risen above his head. I can see his chest heaving as his fingers grip the rope above him.

Does he know what's coming?

I itch to go over to him; to touch him. But the last thing I want is the punishment turned on me, not until I know what it even consists of, so I stay still.

Ollie's back at the wardrobe. He pulls three more items out: a black cloth, what looks like headphones, and a ball gag. He holds them out to me. "But these on Baby Brother."

I glance at Arlo, and it could be just a trick of the light, but there might be real fear in his eyes.

"Don't look to him," Ollie says, an edge to his voice. "I'm the one telling you what to do."

My hands are steady as they take the things from Ollie, and I come to stand in front of Arlo. He watches me with a fierceness I haven't seen in him before.

"Is this okay?" I whisper.

He struggles, but finally nods.

My fingers tremble slightly as I tie the blindfold around his head. He bites his lip the whole time. When I slip the headphones over his ears, he pulls on the red rope. He resists only a little as I push the gag into his mouth and buckle it behind his head.

Ollie's hands slide around my hips and pull me a few paces backwards, away from Arlo.

"I don't understand," I whisper.

Ollie speaks in my ear. "Wait for it."

Arlo seems to be trying to get his breath under control. He drops his head back and pulls a little on the rope. As the minutes go by, he squirms more and more.

"What is this doing to him?" I ask, itching to go to him.

Ollie holds me tight. "Punishments aren't always fun, Wren. They also don't need to hurt. Sometimes the most effective ones are the ones that punish the mind."

Arlo gives a whine, flexes his bound hands. His arms ripple and his body twists.

"Baby Brother doesn't like to be alone," Ollie says, tone of amusement gone. "Defenseless like this. He'd even take bad treatment over isolation."

"So this is worse for him? Stripped of his senses?"

Ollie's lips find my neck. He pulls the shoulder of my dress down and his teeth graze my skin. "Oh, yeah. See, he doesn't know where I am. Or where you are. If we're still even here."

"This is cruel."

Ollie sighs against my skin. He rests his chin on my shoulder as his hands move down my arms. "Sometimes he needs a reminder that I know what's best."

I turn in his arms so I can face him. "I don't believe that."

He cocks an eyebrow. "That I know what's best?"

"That Arlo needs reminding of it. Why are you doing this to him?"

Ollie watches me a moment. His chocolate eyes wander my face. Finally, he shrugs and spins me back around so I can't see his face. "Maybe I wanted you to myself for a minute."

I squirm in his grasp. He holds me to him tighter. "Why?"

Instead of answering me, he says, "Ready to put Baby Brother out of his misery?"

I nod.

Ollie's hands drop away from me. "Touch him, then."

I close the space between me and Arlo; I don't want to frighten him, so I lightly touch his chest with my fingertips.

He doesn't even flinch. His breathing eases at once and he tries to move closer to me. I run my hand up his chest to his neck and cup the side of his face. He melts under my touch and I smile. So vulnerable he is right now—he can't see or hear me. He can only feel what I want him to feel. As I move to take out his ball gag, Ollie comes up behind me and brushes my hands away before doing it himself.

Arlo gasps as the gag drops to the floor. He leans forward with his lips parted and I catch his mouth with my own. He kisses me deeply, hungrily, and I let my hands roam his body.

He gives a frustrated tug on his bindings before groaning into my mouth. As a response I dig my nails into his back, which makes him moan louder.

"Such a tease," Ollie breathes in my ear. He pushes himself against me and reaches around to knock Arlo's headphones off. Heat stirs in me down below and I squeeze my legs together to feel the pressure. It takes everything I have not to grind against Ollie as I pull Arlo closer.

Arlo's tongue pushes past my teeth. I suck it gently, and that causes him to tug against his restraints harder. "Untie me, Little Wren."

Ollie's hand shoots out from behind me and grabs his brother by the neck. "What was that? Sounded like you just gave her an order."

Arlo pulls. "Please."

Ollie kisses me on the cheek. My face warms. "That's better." He gives me a push against Arlo once more and sets to untying his knots.

Without an order myself, I kiss Arlo's chest.

He stills under my lips. I leave a trail of kisses down his torso, let my nails drag lightly across his skin. Goosebumps rise on his stomach. I tease the waistband of his underwear with my fingertips.

"Wren," he growls. Ollie can't untie him fast enough. He's also enjoying the show.

Arlo's bulge is thick in his underwear. I stroke it with one finger and watch it quiver. I don't know why, but seeing him tremble at my slightest touch sends sensations through my whole body. I let my tongue lick his navel and work its way up his chest.

"I think she's challenging you, Baby Brother," Ollie says in a low tone. The ropes fall to the floor.