Chapter 5
In a lounge off the ballroom where the Grand Bucks gathered to share a woman while wearing papier-maché stag masks, Edmund was pacing long after the other three men had removed their clothes.
“I don’t think she’s ready,” he muttered while halfheartedly puffing on a cheroot.
“How could a woman ever be ready for all of this?” asked Thorncock, gesturing to his colossal piece with a smirk.
Stagshade spun a globe as if lost in a trance, not attending to their conversation.
“Rutlord,” said the High Buckthorn, referring to Edmund’s Buck title, “if she’s not ready, you need to step in and insist that she withdraw from tonight’s claiming.”
Edmund groaned internally, imagining the furor that would erupt if he once again denied his wife her pleasure. And a baby. “There must be another way.”
“Maybe she wants it to hurt,” said Stagshade, finally looking up from the globe. Why did the Bucks have a globe in their private lounge, anyway? Secret societies collected trophies over time, but they should really clean the place up some day they didn’t have a woman’s hard use on their schedule.
Edmund considered the idea that Ann might enjoy some pain.
Her pupils had blown wide at his mention of the possibility.
But she was so nearly an innocent she did not know how much danger lay in store.
He and Crispin had already hurt her emotionally; he didn’t want physical damage from tonight on his hands.
“Most wives prepare over the course of weeks and months before taking us,” said the High Buckthorn. “Have you adequately prepared your wife for us?”
Edmund thought of Ann taking Clarence’s average piece on that bed as he watched. She wasn’t ready. This would hurt. But she’d defenestrate him should he deny her the pleasure she’d requested.
“You haven’t stretched her?” asked Thorncock, his papier-maché antlers casting a shadow over Edmund.
“Have you trained her arse at least?” asked Stagshade, his cock jerking at the idea of a virgin hole for the taking.
“There’s no way a man of experience like the Rutlord would bring his wife to the Forest without making the necessary preparations,” said the High Buckthorn. “You’ve prepared her, haven’t you, chief?”
“No!” exploded Edmund as he realized his error. “She isn’t ready. I…have made some grave mistakes, and I was forced to offer the Bucks.”
“Forced to share your wife with other men?” asked Stagshade, his arched brow audible in his voice, though visually blocked by his mask.
“She wants a baby.”
“Congratulations, man,” said Thorncock. “May you enjoy making one.”
Edmund groaned, realizing he’d need to reveal some personal details for the story to make sense.
“I can’t be the father,” he ground out.
The three masks turned to look at him, abandoning all distractions.
“I can’t keep my cock hard with her.”
“What have you tried? I heard—”
“It’s no use,” said Edmund, collapsing into a chair where over a century of men had sat their bare arses. He really hoped the place had a staff aware of specialized cleaning procedures.
“Surely not—”
“I married her fourteen years ago, immediately after my brother seduced her. She was but sixteen. A pathetic scrap of a girl. I couldn’t do that to her, not after what Crispin did.”
The other Bucks were uncharacteristically silent as they considered Edmund’s story.
“So she asked to reach maturity prior to consummation of the marriage? And you respectfully allowed her to reach adulthood before initiating her into your bed?” asked the High Buckthorn.
Edmund winced. “Not exactly.”
The Bucks advanced on him, clearly getting the wrong idea. Edmund held out his hands. “Nothing like that, oh god, quite the opposite! I made a terrible error, yes, but it was the error of leaving her in the country.”
The other Bucks paused, exchanging glances.
“I haven’t touched her.”
“Ever?” asked Stagshade.
“We have not consummated our marriage. Given that my cock can’t stay hard around my wife, I doubt I can perform the task. The guilt is too profound. I need you gentlemen to step in for me and give her the baby she deserves.”
Even as Edmund confessed his cock’s struggles, he felt a flicker of doubt that they were unresolvable.
His discovery of who was in his wife’s bed certainly caused him to wilt, but he had been hard before.
And lately…he’d been feeling an interest in her.
Growing, building feelings. But the die was cast, and he needed to deliver on his promises.
“We’ll make sure she remains safe in the Forest,” said the High Buckthorn.
“Thank you.”
“And we’ll ensure you both get what you need.”
Recriminations and fear consumed Edmund’s mind, making him unaware of the many unintended ways he could get what he needed.