Seducing a Barbarian (Not-So-Savage Barbarians #3)

Chapter 1

One

SIMON

“ S imon! Simon, wake up! We need to get downstairs!”

I groaned and considered ignoring her, but Chanel wouldn’t be coming around so early without good reason. She and everyone else knew how much I hated to wake up. And she knew what would happen if she woke me without good reason. Hell hath no fury like a tired Simon. I would make all their lives miserable for the insult alone.

Forcing my eyes open, I looked around my room. The sky was pink outside my window, the sun only just coming over the horizon.

“Someone better be dead. Or they will be,” I growled, forcing myself upright and out of bed. And because I was feeling pissy, I didn’t rush. I took a second to wet my hair with the basin of water on my dresser, so I could tame it into playfully tousled instead of an exhausted bedhead. I pulled on a silky robe and added some tint to my lips to draw the attention away from my dark circles. When I finally headed downstairs, I felt a little more alert, but no less petulant. So it took me a while to figure out what was going on.

“So, at least one is prepared to greet us properly,” a voice with a thick accent commented. Casting around for the voice, I found a small company of handsome men standing in our doorway. All eyes were on me, which I appreciated. I liked the attention.

My boss, Quincy, cleared his throat and nodded quickly. “Yes, Simon is our most popular worker. He takes great pride in caring for his customers.”

Why the hell did he look so nervous? I looked over the men again. From their clothes, I assumed they came from the south. Al Nuzem, maybe? They looked fancy enough to come from the affluent country. But that wasn’t a first here. We saw all types in our brothel. After years in the profession, I doubted there was any group I was unfamiliar with. So why was Quincy acting like he had to grovel for the honor of their presence?

“We have many others for you to choose from. Chanel is also popular,” Quincy added, gesturing to my friend. She preened and gave the group a flirty smile, wiggling her fingers at them.

“No. No women,” the man said, giving Chanel a once-over before dismissing her completely. Her disappointment was… surprising. They were good-looking, but Chanel cared more about the size of their wallets than their looks. Maybe taking my time was a mistake. I felt like I was missing something.

“Then, perhaps Tomas? He is very accommodating.”

My brows snapped together. Tomas was a jealous shit and a size queen. He would complain outright about a man’s equipment if it wasn’t up to his standard. He’d lost many customers over the past two years that he’d worked here because he was rude to them—more than half of those I had to lure back by servicing them myself. People didn’t tip well if they were insulted, so I didn’t appreciate his behavior in the slightest. And why was Quincy skipping past me? He barely acknowledged my presence. He just admitted I was the best, so why would he skip me?

“Is there something wrong with Simon? Do we not deserve the best?” the man demanded.

He was speaking for the group, which was interesting. And he seemed to take offense that Quincy was skipping me. So did I.

I didn’t really care why Quincy was acting like an ass. If these customers paid as well as their outfits said they could, I would start work early just to keep them happy.

“You absolutely deserve the best,” I purred, giving the man a sultry look. “If I please you, I would happily give you whatever you want.”

That got me a few leers, which was encouraging. I emphasized myself a little by letting my robe slip off one shoulder. My skin care routine was one of the reasons men loved me. After living a day in our rough city, they liked something soft to touch.

“Come here,” the man in the middle spoke in the language of Al Nuzem, his voice smooth and low. It was a sexy voice, one I’d be happy to listen to as I pleasured him. I sauntered forward, ignoring Quincy’s and Tomas’s glares, and stopped in front of the man. Dark features, caramel skin, and silky black hair I wanted to get my hands into. This would be fun.

The corner of his mouth twitched, like he was amused by me. I wasn’t sure why, but whatever worked for him. He reached out, running his knuckles down my cheek, before plucking the robe and smoothing it back into place. “Do you know who I am, little one?”

I answered in his language, a skill not many of my fellow brothel workers had. I wanted to be able to speak to my clients, to better service them. It’s why I got the best tips. “No. Do you want me to?”

His smile grew into a smirk. He didn’t respond to me, instead turning to his friend who’d spoken for the group before. He nodded once, and the man bowed his head in response. There was obviously a power dynamic here, and this guy was in charge. The details didn’t matter, but now I knew whom to focus my attention on.

“My prince has chosen. Go ready your finest room.”

I was still looking at the man (prince?), so I didn’t see Quincy’s response, but I heard him grunt before he started arguing. “I—Ah, perhaps you’d like them both? You could see who serves you better. Tomas is younger and?—”

Outraged, I spun around to glare at him, but before I could light into him, the man who chose me wrapped his hand around my elbow, gently pulling me against his side.

“Age is of no issue,” he said blandly, and his friend translated for Quincy.

I scowled at him. “I’m not old. I’m only twenty-six.”

He smiled patiently at me. “No, little one. You are not old. And even if you were, you are very beautiful. Your age would not matter to me.”

Damn right, it wouldn’t. I’d still be doing this job well into my fifties as long as I was getting paid well. I loved sex, and I was good at it, so age would not hinder me.

Quincy still argued despite the man’s assurance that he was happy with me. “No, no, I wasn’t saying age was—I just meant—” He cast a glance at Tomas for help, which was… strange.

“Simon doesn’t like mornings,” Tomas offered. “He might not treat you as well as he should because he is tired. That’s why he took so long to come down. He?—”

Oh, that little bitch. I was interested in servicing the man because he was good-looking and it seemed like he’d pay well, but now Tomas had made it personal. He was obviously jealous and trying to make me look bad so he could take my place.

Spinning to face the customer completely, I bit my lip and looked up at him through my lashes. “I would give up sleep entirely for a night with you. Don’t listen to them.”

He chuckled, drawing me into the circle of his arms. “Perhaps I can wear you out enough that you sleep well tonight instead.”

I liked the sound of that. Unwilling to stand around waiting for Quincy to find some reason for this client not to take me, I took his hands, pulling him down the hall. The rooms were cleaned every night, so I didn’t have to make him wait. And when he disappeared into the room, I stopped long enough to send a smug grin Tomas’s way before following after him.

The man, who never actually gave me his name, left hours later, sated and happy. I’ll admit, I enjoyed myself too. He was attentive and heavy-handed with the compliments. Every time I did something to please him, he let me know, and I watched him go with a hugely inflated ego and a couple of love bites from his attention.

And oh my, did he pay well. Part of the purse went to the brothel itself, but he paid me a separate purse as a tip that had more gold coins than silver in it. I dug through it, smiling to myself, and spun around to put it in my room, coming up short when Tomas appeared before me.

“You’re a real bitch,” he hissed, his arms crossed over his chest.

I gave him a bored look. “And you’re jealous. Green is a horrible look on you.”

He drew back his hand like he was going to slap me, but froze a second later when my blade pressed against his neck. I tutted at him, shaking my head.

“Now, now, Tomas. You should know better. If you touch me, I’ll carve my name into your skin for the insult. You lost this round. Deal with it.”

“It should have been me,” he seethed, stepping back to put more space between us. “Quincy promised.”

That still didn’t make any sense to me. Quincy didn’t play favorites, not when it came to making coin. Then it hit me. I huffed out a laugh, eyeing Tomas up and down.

“No. Don’t tell me. He convinced you you’d get your pick of the clients if you got on your knees for him for free? Oh, Tomas. You poor, pathetic little idiot.”

Tomas’s eyes widened in fury, but it was his own fault he believed a word Quincy said. The only time any of us slept with Quincy was if he paid for it. He was a cheap bastard, and if he could convince someone through lies and manipulation, he would. Tomas should’ve listened better.

With a cackle, I tossed my purse into the air and caught it again. “Well, you have fun with that. I think I’m going to soak in the hot spring for a while. I’ve earned it.”

I winked at him, heading upstairs long enough to put on real clothes before leaving the brothel for the night. I’d earned enough that I didn’t need to take more clients tonight if I didn’t want to. And I’d been meaning to go to the hot springs. It was good for my skin.

After a few hours of soaking and being pampered by the staff, I went home for the night. The handsome man who’d bought me for the morning told me he’d wear me out enough that I’d sleep well tonight. It was cute that he’d thought that, but I was still tired after waking up so early, so I figured a good meal and an early night were well deserved.

Except, I didn't make it that far. Outside the brothel stood a group of men who I figured were just waiting for their turn. It wasn’t until Tomas spoke that I realized they were guards and looking for me.

“There he is! He insulted the prince!”

I was so confused by that comment that I didn’t move fast enough to get to my knives. They grabbed me and clapped me in irons before I could blink. I squawked out a protest, wriggling to escape them, but one punched me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me, before I could get away. They put a bag over my head, and one got handsy as he searched me for weapons, removing both my knives from their sheaths.

“What are you going to do with him?” Tomas asked, his tone eager and vindictive. “Hang him, maybe? Or give him lashes and ruin that pretty skin?”

That asshole. I’d kill them all before I’d let them get away with that. I couldn’t believe he had sunk so low as to bribe the guards to get back at me. I fought harder, trying to get the stupid bag off my head, but one picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, ignoring my protests.

“No. He’s to be a tribute. He will be given to the barbarians. They’ll deal with him how they see fit.”

Horror and outrage sank into my gut. No. I wasn’t being sold off to a barbarian clan because Tomas was a jealous little shit. I was too valuable for that. Even Quincy would say so.

“Don’t you dare! Let go, you asshole! Quincy! Stop them!”

I wasn’t sure he could hear me, but he’d have something to say if his top earner was sold off. He cared more about making coin than keeping Tomas happy.

“That’s enough. Shut him up.”

And that was the last thing I remembered before pain exploded along my temple, and blackness overtook me.