Chapter Ten
I didn’t want anything
until the day I wanted Zayne.
~ Ethan
CHLOé WOKE THE next morning, stretched beneath the soft duvet, cuddled into the pillow under her cheek, and smiled.
Her body ached in the most delicious ways imaginable, and even though she hadn’t been allowed to come yesterday, she felt a different kind of satisfaction as she looked at the gold bracelets still surrounding her wrists this morning.
They hadn’t cut her loose. They hadn’t told her that they were done with her after her ridiculous outburst. If anything, they’d doubled down and reminded her of whom she belonged to and what they expected—and holy hell, that was a lesson she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
The room was quiet except for the rustling of the sheets. When she noticed the bed was empty, she sat up and looked around, but Ethan and Zayne were nowhere in sight.
Chloé ran a hand over her hair and took a quick peek under the covers to see she was still completely naked. She couldn’t see her clothes anywhere, so she wondered if they were still downstairs on the foyer floor.
Moving to the edge of the bed, she swung her legs over the side and spotted Ethan’s jacket tossed over the end of the mattress.
She threw back the covers and smiled to herself as she slipped it on.
The silky lining brushed over her skin, and she wrapped herself in the luxurious material and nuzzled into the collar.
Mmm, it smelled like Ethan. Strong, sexy, and powerful. The spicy, masculine scent made her thighs tighten, and the fresh underlying fragrance made her crave another taste.
She buttoned it up and looked down to make sure everything that needed covering was covered, then headed for the door. When she got to the top of the stairs, she heard laughter coming from across the landing and out on the roof. They must’ve headed out there to let her sleep.
Chloé made her way to the patio and pushed the door open, immediately spotting the two of them relaxing in the morning sun on the patio chairs. They looked her way, and Ethan gestured for her to join.
As she got closer, she noticed his eyes trailing down over her to where the hem of his jacket brushed against her bare thighs.
“Good morning, petite fille . You’ve finally woken.”
Chloé stopped by Zayne’s chair and smiled. “Yes, um, sorry. I didn’t mean to sleep in. What time is it?”
“It’s just turning nine, and no need to apologize. You had a long, hard night.”
She flushed at the reminder, and couldn’t help but wonder if she was still in trouble. Were they still upset with her and the way she’d acted? She didn’t think so, although she didn’t remember much after she’d collapsed from exhaustion and been carried upstairs.
God, just thinking about what they’d done to her in that foyer… But she’d deserved every second of it, and truth be told, she’d appreciated the reprimand. It made her feel like she belonged. That she was theirs.
She shivered at the memory.
“I bet I know what you’re thinking about.” Zayne turned in his seat and trailed his finger across her bare thigh. “What have you got on under here?”
When he slipped his hand between her legs and smoothed it up under the jacket, Chloé sucked in a breath.
“Oh, nothing.” A devilish grin crossed his lips as he grabbed her wrist. “You can sit on my lap.”
She giggled as he tugged her down on top of him then captured her lips in a sweet kiss that she felt all the way to her toes. Then he nipped at her lower lip, and Chloé snuggled into his chest.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Ethan asked.
“I’m good.” Her voice was a little breathier than usual, but that was to be expected when Zayne was trailing his fingers up and down the inside of her thigh.
“Just good?”
“Well, I’m a little achy and, uh, sensitive.”
“We figured. That’s why we left you to rest and came out here.”
Chloé appreciated the gesture but at the same time wished they hadn’t. The mentally frustrated side of her wanted nothing more than to roll around in bed with the two of them until she was finally satisfied. But the physical side knew they were right to wait.
Plus, there was something she needed to say before they went further anyway.
“About yesterday. I wanted to apologize again for the way I acted. I know I can be hot-tempered at times.”
Zayne chuckled and kissed her head. “No… You?”
She offered a half grin. “Hard to believe, I know. It’s the hair. Still, it’s no excuse, and I’m a little embarrassed that I let my frustration get the better of me.”
“It’s all good, Red.”
“Zayne’s right,” Ethan said. “We accept your apology. We did as soon as you gave it. But the next time things get like that, you need to talk to us, let us help you, guide you, even argue with you if that’s what you want.
Just remember who you’re talking to and where the next time you decide to question one of us. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good girl. Now, let’s move on.”
Chloé nodded as Zayne smoothed a hand down over her hair, then Ethan gestured to the platters of food spread out on the table in front of them.
“Would you like something to eat?”
Her stomach growled as she shifted on Zayne’s lap to get a better look. “I think I’m going to go with the avocado toast.”
Ethan placed two pieces of the toasted sourdough on a plate, and Chloé’s mouth watered at the sight of the fresh cherry tomatoes, feta, and balsamic drizzled over the top. It looked delicious.
“Who’s the chef?”
“That’d be Zayne. He was trying to impress you.”
She glanced back at Zayne and caught a bashful grin on his lips.
“Consider me impressed. This is one of my favorite breakfasts. It’s like a bite of summer. All the perfect flavors merging.” She shut her eyes and moaned.
“Damn, Red. You do that every time I put food in front of you, I’ll keep making it.”
She laughed and settled back in his arms. “It’s gorgeous out here this morning. I practically live on our deck from spring to fall.”
“Us too when we’re here.” Ethan settled back in his seat, a fresh orange juice in his hand. “Or down at the lake when we’re at the estate.”
“What do you like better?”
“The lake.” Zayne waggled his brows as he hugged her into his body. “It’s private, so I can tan naked and no one sees.”
Chloé laughed. “Sounds naughty to me.”
“Sounds like a long, torturous afternoon to me.”
They both looked to Ethan, who was watching them with laser-like focus.
“Is that a threat or a promise?” Zayne asked.
“Depends what kind of mood I’m in.”
Chloé trembled at the intensity in Ethan’s stare as her mind began to conjure up all kinds of delicious ways he might torment their naked bodies.
“What do you think, Red?” Zayne asked. “Would you rather it be a threat or a promise?”
Ethan arched a brow, then ran his gaze down her bare legs. Her body clenched.
“A threat.”
“Feeling brave, petite fille ?”
Jesus, he was intense. “Maybe. Or maybe I just want to know.”
“Want to know what?”
“Everything.”
His eyes narrowed a fraction. “Careful, Chloé. Once you give me that kind of permission, there’s no turning back.”
She shivered, and Zayne pressed a soothing kiss to her temple. The juxtaposition between the two men was never more apparent, and Ethan’s words from a couple of weeks ago echoed in her head: He’s the light in a dark room. I’m the dark room. She believed it.
There was something mysterious and almost dangerous about Ethan, but she wasn’t going to run away from something that made her feel this alive, even if she was slightly wary.
“No need to worry too much, Red,” Zayne said. “Your parents are gonna be with us this weekend. He can’t do anything too nefarious.”
“Oh God,” she groaned, and took a bite of her toast, hoping the delicious flavors would sidetrack her. “Don’t remind me.”
“Aw, it won’t be so bad.”
“Says the man who hasn’t met them,” she said around her mouthful.
“Actually…” Ethan took a sip of his juice. “Speaking of your parents. Do you have any questions about what happened when I went to see them?”
“Only about a million. But do you think we can we have one day where we don’t talk about me and my family?”
He chuckled. “Fair enough. What do you want to talk about, then?”
Again, the word everything came to mind. They’d learned an awful lot about her in the last few days, and would no doubt learn a lot more this coming weekend. It only seemed fair she got something in return, right?
The only question was: Am I brave enough to ask what I want to know?
“Chloé?”
“Oh, um, okay. Let’s see. What about you two?”
“What about us?”
If she wanted this, she was going to have to be direct. Ethan wanted her to feel comfortable in asking questions, in trusting them. But that was easier said than done when asking something this personal.
“Well… How did you two end up together?” She looked between them. “I know you met in boarding school, but that’s all Zayne told me.”
“And you want to know…?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes you do.”
“No need to be shy, Red.” Zayne kissed her ear. “Admit it—you want all the juicy details.”
She was about to deny it—but couldn’t. She was curious about all the juicy details, and her hesitation made Zayne chuckle.
“Dirty girl.”
“Well, it’s interesting, that’s all.”
“Mhmm.”
“It is.” She sat up in his lap and looked around at him. “You said you saw Ethan across the lunch hall on your first day and had to go and speak to him, but what happened after that?” She turned back to Ethan. “Did you become friends?”
“I thought you were hungry?” Ethan asked.
She had been, but her physical hunger had now changed to an appetite for information. She wanted to know everything she could about these men, starting with this.
“You asked me what I wanted to talk about. I want to talk about this.”
“If we became friends after that day in the lunch hall?”
“Yes.”
“That’s easy enough.” Ethan’s eyes shifted past her to Zayne. “No, we did not.”
Chloé’s jaw almost landed in her toast. “Really?”