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If the men I’d yet to meet were anything like the four I’d met already, there was no doubt that I was in trouble. Not to mention The Beast. I wondered if he was still as powerful and fit as he’d been in his promotional images. I groaned quietly as I imagined his hard, tattooed body rising over mine, holding me in place as six pairs of hands roved my body. One hand slipped beneath the covers, and I found that I was already wet and ready. It didn’t take long at all to get me to the edge. The memory of Isiah’s hard cock pressed against my body sent me over, and I came hard, muffling my cry with a pillow.
9
Étienne
Once a month, Bernard and I left the castle to spend a day browsing local antique shops for new pieces to bring back to Jacques.
Though I was disappointed that this month’s outing had fallen on the day Isabel was set to arrive, Bernard was a stickler for routine. When I’d suggested that perhaps we could skip antiquing that weekend, he’d shaken his head, jaw set stubbornly. “She’ll be here when we get back,” he said. “Jacques will be expecting us to go.”
Now, we were on our way back to Villeneuve, a set of handcrafted end tables in tow. “It’s getting late,” I remarked. “She might be in bed by the time we get back.”
“Then we’ll have to meet her tomorrow,” Bernard said shortly. I glanced at him. He wasn’t usually this irritable.
“Something bothering you, friend?” I asked.
Bernard chewed on the inside of his cheek, eyes on the road ahead. “This could go poorly,” he said.
“Of course it could,” I said. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try it.”
Bernard shook his head, scowling slightly. “I don’t know if he’d survive another failure.”
“Of course he would,” I said, shocked. “You really think he’s that fragile?”
“I know he is,” Bernard said simply. “I’ve known him much longer than you, remember.”
Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. “I just don’t want to see him hurt,” Bernard said, finally breaking the silence.
“Neither do I,” I reminded him. “None of us do.”
“Then maybe it’s better to just forget it. Let him do things in his own time.”
“He’s been doing things in his own time for five years,” I said. “Do you think he’s any closer to moving forward than he was when we got here?” Bernard didn’t answer. “I didn’t think so. This is our only option now. You’d do a lot better to relax and enjoy it, rather than constantly worrying.”
“You’re right,” Bernard conceded. He sighed. “I guess it’s just been so long since I’ve been able to fully relax, I’ve forgotten how to do it.”
I nodded sympathetically. “I think we’re all feeling that way, on some level.”
Bernard grimaced. “I’ve been around just you men for so long, I don’t even know how to talk to a woman anymore.”
I grinned. “It will come back to you, just relax and have some fun.”
“I still can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Bernard said. “I must be crazy, thinking this might work.”
“It’ll work,” I assured him. “We just need to ease Isabel in, we don’t want to scare her off.”
“And then there’s the tiny matter of Jacques,” Bernard reminded me, as if I could forget.
“Jacques will come around,” I said. “Just wait. It will all turn out fine in the end.”
Bernard hummed noncommittally. “I wish I had as much confidence as you.”
“That’s all right,” I said cheerfully. “I have enough confidence for the both of us.”
Back at the castle, the rest of the men, Jacques excluded, were waiting for us in the drawing room. I examined all of their faces carefully, searching for some hint as to the day’s events. Bernard took a more direct approach.
“Well?” he asked, carefully arranging himself in an armchair close to the fire. “How did it go? I take it she hasn’t run screaming yet?”
Alexandre looked at Isiah and grinned. “Not exactly,” he said. “Why don’t you tell them, friend?”
Isiah smirked, looking pleased. “We kissed,” he said simply. Alexandre and Raphael cheered like schoolboys and were quickly shushed by Vincent.
“That’s excellent,” I said. “So things are moving even quicker than expected.” I looked around at the rest of the men. “What about all of you?”
“Nothing like that,” Vincent said. “But I had a chance to speak with her for some time this afternoon, and I believe we formed a connection. She’s a perceptive young woman.”
“I’ll say.” Alexandre grinned. “I probably could have had her in the rose garden today, but thought it best not to rush things.”
“Very prudent of you,” Bernard said sardonically. “I’m glad you were able to restrain yourself.”
“Just wait ‘till it’s your turn,” Raphael put in. “See how well you can restrain yourself then.”
“What is she like?” I asked, eager for new information. “Will she be receptive to our plan?”
